Learn to Fly (HawksxReader) (FINISHED)

Chapter VIII: No Time for Recovery

"Recovery feels like shit. It didn't feel like I was doing something good; it felt like I was giving up. It feels like having to learn how to walk all over again."
(Portia de Rossi, Unbearable Lightness: A Story of Loss and Gain)

 Sleep came and went all too quickly for the exhausted pair.

It was only 6am when Y/N heard Keigo's alarm go off, signaling that it was time for him to get up for his hero work. Not wanting to interact with him so early and go through the teasing she would most likely face due to her ending up in his bed, Y/N evened out her breathing-- something the commission had taught them to do long ago so that they could feign being asleep.

Keigo either believed she was asleep or was letting her off the hook as he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, setting a fresh glass of water and a bottle of painkillers on the bedside table. 

"Rest up kid, you deserve it."

Shortly after, Y/N heard the sliding door open and shut, signally that Keigo had left, off to fulfill his hero duties for the day. Y/N waited a few moments to make sure he was actually gone before sitting up quickly and throwing a few painkillers down her throat, gulping them down frantically. 

"Fucking hell."

Y/N groaned in pain-- her back was experiencing the most immense pain she had been dreading to feel again. The pain of growing her wings back was worse than anything she had ever experienced. She rather be shot ten times over instead of bearing the intense 48 hours of pain that came with growing her wings back. 

It was a pain that her and Keigo were all too familiar with-- the commission cutting off their wings during experiments to see how long they would take to grow back, how durable they were-- it was a pain she had never wished to experience again. 

"Hopefully this is the last time I have to deal with this bullshit."

Having promised Keigo that she wouldn't cut her wings again no matter the circumstances, Y/N at least had comfort in the fact that she wouldn't have to go through this unbearable pain again. That thought was what pushed Y/N through her day as she got herself out of bed and made her way to the kitchen to find something to eat. She felt a smile grace her face despite the pain as her eyes found a plate of eggs and bacon covered in plastic wrap with a small note left next to it.

I'm not the greatest cook, but if my memory serves me right neither are you. Enjoy babybird <3

It's true that even after five years of living on her own, cooking was still a constant struggle with Y/N. She could make the basics, but anything complicated ended up burnt or devoid of any flavor. The commission never taught them everyday skills such as that and having a kitchen no larger than the size of a shoe box didn't make for a good space to practice. Grateful for the food, she scarfed down the breakfast Keigo had made her-- though it was still a bit burnt, it was better than what she could've done. 

Having gotten some food in her stomach, the painkillers began to set in giving Y/N at least a bit of temporary relief from the intense pain that consumed her body as she felt her wings begin to grow back. Looking in the mirror she was surprised to find that her golden wings already spanned the length of her back-- at this rate they would be fully grown in 48 hours or less. 

The thought of flying again excited Y/N, but she also knew it wouldn't be as easy as jumping back in the air. Sighing with restlessness due to not having anything to do except let her mind wander, Y/N turned on the local news and sat on the couch in an attempt to distract her from her thoughts. That proved useless however as her mind wandered, Dabi's words from the previous night making her on edge.