Smile For The Camera ~ Dabi x Hawks💙🧡

Playing with Fire

POV KEIGO

"Hawks," squeaks Dark Shadow, rubbing his beak against the side of my face. I groan, sitting up slowly. This place isn't familiar to me, but I can pinpoint the exits quickly in case I need to leave quickly. I gently push Dark Shadow's face away from me and adjust in my spot. I'm on a couch in what appears to be a living room. Whose living room? I have no clue. And it makes me sick. "Hawks, you're awake! Can you hear me? Can you see me? Pop quiz: what's my name?"

"Dark Shadow," I reply, "but Little Bird calls you Aibo." Dark Shadow yips, snuggling against me like a puppy. "Careful," I tell him. "I'm still exhausted. What time is it?"

"Three thirteen in the morning," Dark Shadow says. "Toko, Sho, and Tsu are asleep, but I'll keep you company. So how are you? What happened?"

"I forgot how much you talk," I say, chuckling softly. "I think it's better if we don't go over all of that. I'm hungry. Wanna grab a snack?"

"I would," Dark Shadow says, "but I can't leave Toko. We'd have to wake him up."

"Hmph, well in that case, I can just–"

"Ah, no worries!" Dark Shadow exclaims. "TOKO! TOKO, WAKEY-WAKEY!"

"Grhhhhgggh!" Tokoyami blurts as Dark Shadow screams in his face. "What is it, Aibo? Is something the matter?"

"Bird-sensei wants a snack," Dark Shadow says, somehow beaming.

"Oh," Tokoyami notes. "You're awake, sensei. Apologies if Dark Shadow woke you. He hasn't had much attention recently. He... missed you, quite a lot. And was worrying if you were alright..."

"I'm good," I say gently, feeling my chest tighten a bit. "Just some normal hero trouble, 's all. How about you? You been behaving, Little Bird? Get into any fights?"

"...Yes, perhaps you could say I engaged in battle with a peer," Tokoyami admits. "My apologies, sensei."

"Did you win?" I blurt automatically. "Who was it? I hope you kicked the McShit out of them!"

"Ahem," Aizawa says, standing over in the kitchen. "What are you doing up at this hour? You need a full night's rest. Both of you."

"My bad," I chuckle, rising up to my feet. "I was firing questions at him. Uh, thanks for your help, Eraser, but I think I'm gonna head out–"

"Not so fast," Aizawa says, glaring at me. "You've proven to me that you need quite a bit of supervision, and some medical attention. You'll spend the rest of the night here in the 1-A dorms, and in the morning, we'll take you to see recovery girl so we can get you all checked out."

"That's really not necessary," I say, putting my palms up. "I'm doing fine. Plus, I wouldn't leave unless you know I had to." I hope he gets the hint because I can't say it directly. "All eyes are on me. Number two hero, and all."

Aizawa raises an eyebrow, not breaking his gaze. "Is that so? You know, Hawks, it's best if you stay and get cleaned up. A dust allergy on top of broken wings can't be a good thing."

"I wouldn't say I'm dusty," I say, fidgeting with my fingers. "More along the lines of... playing with fire."

"Fire?" Aizawa asks. "Specify."

I shrug. "We're talking big, red, original. The number one biggest fire the country has. That's what burned me." Aizawa just stares at me, probably processing. Tokoyami and Dark Shadow head to the kitchen, mumbling about how we adults don't make any sense. Once he leaves, I uncensor the conversation. "I'm doing fine," I say in a hushed voice. "I don't need your protection. I think I'm just gonna wait him out."