Watch Your Step

Chapter Five: Docs

Hawks tried to keep his hands from fidgeting as he looked towards the looming dark shape of the docs ahead.

This is going to be fine...whatever they have me do, I'll make sure I don't go too far. That'll work, right?

Hawks shuttered, his wings drawing instinctively closer to his sides.

"Glad to see you've made it." Hawks jumped at the sound of Dabi's voice, turning quickly to face the teen who was leaning against a wall, smirking at him.

Hawks forced a smile to his own face. "Wouldn't have missed it for the world."

Dabi's lips curled into a much wider smirk as something sinister glittered in his eyes. "Oh, I'm sure you wouldn't."

I'm in danger. Hawks tried to keep his smile as Dabi draped an arm over his shoulder and started to drag Hawks along.

Dabi let out a low chuckle. "You're all tense...relax. You're just going to be playing lookout for us. No need to even know what we're doing."

Because that's so what I'm supposed to do. Hawks felt sick but tried to smile. But at least I don't have to fight directly. "Right. Of course..."

"Good. All that remains then are some introductions..." Dabi pulled Hawks behind one of the towering stacks of boxes, and motioned to a group of previously hidden teenagers. "The tall masked one over there is Twice, the girl standing right next to him-"

"I'm Toga!" Hawks flinched back instinctively as the grinning girl lunged into his personal space, her eyes glittering as she examined him.

Dabi lightly pushed her back. "Yeah. That. And the shaggy haired one over there is Shigaraki..." Dabi looked around, and Hawks felt a sort of weird twinge he couldn't identify when he realized the smirking boy seemed to be concerned. "Erm, where's-"

"Present." Hawks practically leapt out of his skin at the deep gravely voice just at his shoulder, quickly spinning to see who'd snuck up on them.

Blood red eyes stared at him behind a ragged mask, black hair tied back slightly as leather and holsters full of knives and swords crossed over a muscular but compact figure.

Hawks swallowed hard, eyeing the weaponry a bit. "H-hello. I'm-"

"Hawks. Yes. I know." The red eyes narrowed at him. "You will call me Stain." No questions, and spoken with such authority that if it wasn't for the fact his tongue was firmly glued to the top of his mouth Hawks probably would've made a fool of himself saying 'yes sir'.

Dabi perked up, his eyes lighting up as he looked at Stain. "Aw, there you are!" Dabi took a step towards him only for Stain to quickly brush past both.

"No time. You all know the plan." Stain glared over his shoulder. "Does he know his job."

Dabi wilted a bit, and if not for the fact he had taken clear delight in Hawks personal discomfort he might have felt bad for him. "Yes. He knows his job."

"Good." Stain drew one of his many blades, giving it a quick spin before nodding. "Meet you back here."

One of the teens-Shigaraki?-rolled his eyes as he strode off into the docs. "Yeah yeah we all read the plan Stain, don't need to get yourself all worked up or anything..."

"He's jealous."

For the second time in the past couple minutes Hawks nearly startled out of his skin at the appearance of Toga at his side. She's a stealthy little thing. "What?"

Toga smirked up at him briefly, her eyes following Dabi who had finally removed himself from Hawks' side and now headed into the docs. "Shigaraki. He's just jealous that Dabi likes Stain more then he likes him~"