Being engaged to Hawks was...exhausting.

If enduring interviews and the paparazzi wasn't enough, planning the wedding was torturous. Of course, Best Jeanist insisted he organise the entire thing, but that didn't mean I wasn't dragged around to every little tasting, fitting and the likes.
"Okay...but, like...I don't have any female friends...Can't I just put Tokoyami in a dress? Dark Shadow could totally be the ring bearer..." My top half was sprawled across the kitchen counter as Best Jeanist scanned over his checklist for the trillionth time.

"I'm afraid he is already on Hawks' side of the wedding party, (Y/N)..." He sighed; my constant whining grating down at his nerves. "What about..."
"Knock knock! Who's there?! Me!" I yelped as the front door burst open, and a beaming Ms. Joke strolled in like she owned the place.

How the hell did she find out where I lived..?

"Sorry to just barge in like this, but I wanted to bring you an engagement present! I know there's like, a party in a few days, but I couldn't help myself!" Her grin was almost contagious, and I straightened myself up to greet her properly.
"Th..that's fine, it's just surprising...You really didn't have to buy us a gift, though..." I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

"Hah! Classic! Nah, this is a gift for you! I heard a little birdy chatting about a certain thing you liked, so I pulled some strings! They should be here in an hour or so!" Pulling out a sheet of paper, she handed it to me and waited excitedly for my reaction. It took me a moment to read the order confirmation, but when I did, I couldn't stop the wild, almost goofy smirk that spread across my face.

"You bought me a Roomba...for every room in the house..." I half laughed; picturing the sheer terror of my future husband. "I fucking love you...Thank you so much!" Ms. Joke clapped her hands and twirled around on the spot before wandering over and peering over Jeanist's shoulder, much to his dismay.

"What'cha got there, Bestie?" She asked, but I tuned out his response as I was struck with a grand idea. Hurriedly, I raced over and grabbed her by the arm.

"Hey...uh, Fukukado, right? How would you like to be my Maid of Honour at the wedding..?" I didn't particularly want this jokester in my wedding party, but I didn't have many options. I couldn't let myself look pitiful next to Hawks and his group of men, and she was kind enough. Better than Mount Lady, that was for sure. She lit up like a beacon in the night and swept me into a bone crushing bear hug; swinging me around the room until I felt like I was going to lose my lunch.

"This is the first time I'm hoping something isn't a joke! I'd love to!" She cheered; setting me down as she heard me gag a little. "Wowee, you don't look so crash hot..." She was right. Ever since the cake tasting three days ago, I had been feeling pretty cruddy, but who could blame me after shovelling over sixteen different baked goods into my gullet?

"Go lay down, I insist. I'll wake you when the order is here or if you're called out for an emergency." Jeanist started to usher me away with his clipboard and I pouted at him like a child.

"What are you, my dad?" I sulked as I batted him away gently. I saw his brow twitch upwards a little, and I wasn't quite sure, but I thought it hinted that he was smiling beneath that horrendous amount of denim.

"Sometimes it feels like I am. You two cause enough trouble separately, let alone united...Somebody has to take care of you..." He sighed, though it was in no way exasperated. Smiling back at him, I bid Ms. Joke farewell, along with another thank you, before I went to crash out on my bed.

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"Honey, I'm home!" Hawks called out; already changed into his casual attire, save for his coat, as he descended through the skylight. I smiled from my place on the couch and gave him a small wave, not looking up from the sheets of paper in my hands.

"Hey, how was work?" I asked, as usual, even though I had been the one picking up his slack at the agency whilst he went off and did his own secret, solo work.

"F..fine...uh, what's that..?" He nodded to my reading material, and I couldn't help but let a smirk slip.

"Oh, this..?" I shook the paper in the air and grinned somewhat deviously. "A manual." I saw the precise moment when Hawks tensed, and it was paired with a very faint, low rumbling sound coming from up the hallway.

"Um...Sunshine...did you, uh...leave the drier on, or something..?" He questioned hopefully, but I shook my head; standing up and climbing onto the couch, which didn't help in easing him at all.

"Nope. I'm playing with my new toys." I announced as I etched the poorly hidden fear on his face into my mind. He coughed and tugged at the scooped neck of his T-shirt, which, of course, had another terrible bird pun written across the front.

"T..toys..?" He gulped as the rumbling grew louder. "I hope this new toy is an industrial strength vibrator..?" His amber eyes darted between me and the hallway, and I was already having the time of my life.

"Behold, my dear future husband..." I threw my arms up in the air, like a savage tribal queen making some kind of royal decree. "...MY ARMY!" On cue, just as I had planned, my new pack of Roombas rolled into the room. In total, there were eight. Eight beautiful little machines, and one shrieking Hawk man.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT-FUCK, NO FUCKING THANK YOU!" He literally screamed; jumping up and using his quirk to boost himself back up through the skylight. He poked his head back through and glared at me with such terror and betrayal. "Sunshine, I don't know what I did to deserve to be thrown into this circle of hell, but for the love of all that is good in this world, CALL OFF THE PATRICIAS!"

This was better than I could have hoped for. I nearly died falling backwards and rolling around in a fit of hideous cackles and snorts whilst my new mechanical pets circled around me.

"Th..this is beautiful! Perfect! Brilliant! R..remind me to thank Ms. Joke again next time I see her!" I chortled; wiping a tear from my eye as I pulled the remote from my hind pocket and sent them back on their way to their docking stations, which were lined up flawlessly in my old room.

"I would like to file a complaint..." Hawks mumbled bitterly as he came back into the apartment and landed a few feet away from me. "Rough day at work...then I come home and get ambushed...Not fun, Sunshine..." I climbed up off the floor and frowned a little; noticing him rubbing his side through his coat.

"What happened..?" I approached him, but he tried to turn away from me, which wasn't on. Normally he'd let me lather him in attention, so there was definitely something up.

"Uh, nothing you need to worry about! I just...um...stink, is all! Yeah, stink! So stay back!" He laughed awkwardly as he backed away towards the hall, but I raced forward and grabbed him by the collar.

"You tackled me right after you defeated that literal shit villain, Bird Brain...Show me what happened." Narrowing my (E/C) eyes, I waited for him to cave, which happened almost instantly. He heaved a heavy sigh before shrugging off his coat; letting it crumple on the floor before he lifted up the side of his black muscle shirt. There, right across his left side, were burns, which made me gasp quietly.

"Look, before you get all panicked, it's nothing! I ran into some asshole with a fire quirk and he took my by surprise, that's all...I already put ointment and stuff on it, so-"

"Hawks..." I cut him off, and he zipped his lips and looked at me with tired amber eyes. "...why'd you try to hide it from me?" My question seemed to throw him off, and he bit his lip; guilt written all over his cherub face.
"I just...didn't want you to worry..?" The fact that he sounded so unsure didn't put me at ease, but once I took another look at him, I decided it wasn't the time to argue. He looked beyond exhausted, and his usual perfect posture had slouched over as he stood in the middle of the room.

"Go and have a shower..." I mumbled as I ushered him off down the hallway. "...I'll make you some dinner and then you can get some sleep..."

"Thanks, but...I might skip out on dinner tonight, Sunshine..." Hawks said as he walked back over and picked up his wrinkled coat. I nodded slowly, becoming increasingly more worried by the second. The pro hero never skipped out on a meal, and I took it as a warning sign.

"O..okay...Well, I'll get the bed sorted...Early night, I suppose?" I shuffled my feet as he came up to me and wrapped one arm around my shoulder. Pulling me in for a quick kiss on the cheek, he gave me a slight nuzzle with his nose before he left for the bathroom.

"You're too good for me, Sunshine, I swear..."

Hawks took his time in the shower, and I had already changed the sheets, gotten into my pyjamas and had been in bed for a while before he came out. The light had already been flicked off, and I decided to just pretend I was asleep so I wouldn't be tempted to ask him all the questions that were beginning to bubble inside of my mind. I kept my eyes squeezed shut as he climbed into bed; his arms immediately coming to coil around my waist, as they always did, except there was something off this time. The feeling of his warm breath on my skin told me it was uneven, and his hold was significantly tighter than most nights.

"Why would you want to marry a piece of shit like me, (Y/N)..?" His whisper was strained as he pressed a featherlight kiss to my bare shoulder. "I'm gonna be left a fool in love when you start to hate me and leave...All because of stupid fucking choices..." I had no idea what he was on about, but it frightened me. Him talking in such a negative manner was unheard of, yet here he was, holding onto me in the pitch black like I would just up and vanish.

Hawks...

"I love you, Sunshine..."

I love you, too...I love you so much, you stupid man...but...I'm starting to doubt you...and doubt is just plain exhausting...

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***All hail Patricia***