Lightning Serenade

Chapter 64: Hawks I

"I just don't understand why I wasn't invited!" Hawks complained lightheartedly. "The Commission leaves me out, you guys leave me out. Clue a guy in, yeah? When I saw you guys on the news, on top of that van? You looked super cool, but it would have been nice to know what the hell was going on."

"Sorry," Dabi drawled with a lazy smirk and a glance in his direction.

He didn't sound too sorry, but Hawks wasn't bothered. He was used to it, and he would even admit to finding it kind of endearing if anyone had asked. He wouldn't just volunteer the information, but he felt like he had the right to gush over his soulmate if anyone asked him how he felt about him.

Hawks thought he might have fallen for Dabi anyway, even without fate to push them along. Hawks was attracted to the powerful type. He wanted to feel protected; it was so rare for him to feel safe that he ate that shit up whenever it was offered. What gave him pause is that he rarely felt more protected than when Shigaraki got that look on his face when Hawks shared just a little too much truth about his situation and how he was treated by the Hero Commission.

Hawks knew that Shigaraki must have been used in a similar way before, or maybe was even currently being used and fully aware of that fact, just like Hawks was. Hawks kept trying to dismiss these feelings, telling himself that Shigaraki just gets upset easily and it had nothing to do with him personally, but just people being used in general. That lie didn't get too far because of how calm and collected Shigaraki had been while executing his revenge scheme against the Yakuza in Magne's honor.

He looked between Dabi and Shigaraki as they talked with the other League members, celebrating their huge success. Hawks was long past feeling surprised at his own feelings, a similar warmth radiating his chest when he looked at either man. He had learned to accept his feelings and then let them go. That was the safe thing to do when feeling frustrated with the Commission. But he really, really didn't want to let these feelings go.

"Then the hero reached out to grab me!" Twice said, reaching his arms out in front of him to mimic the action. "Kurogiri had perfect awful timing as always, and I dropped straight down back here! Safe and sound!"

"Yeah, because you landed on me!" Toga chimed with a laugh, fiddling with her equipment to store the blood for future use.

Hawks never thought that he would be so enraptured by the group, but he genuinely liked every single member, even Twice, though he knew he was suspicious of Hawks. So was everyone else, but Twice had a more severe suspicion, like he thought Hawks actually might have a chance of succeeding any scheme the Hero Commission had cooked up. The others were more relaxed, keeping a more easygoing kind of guard up that seemed to slip more every day.

Hawks's handler was pleased with his progress. Hawks was, too, but for different reasons. He was learning more and more about the League members every day, and he grew closer to them every day.

He knew that every undercover agent went through similar situations, forming genuine bonds with the people they would have a huge hand in capturing. This was different, though, because Hawks was pretty sure he'd rather have the Hero Commission arrange his death than betray this ragtag group of villains.

And maybe, for once, it was time that Hawks did something that he wanted to do.

Hawks was broken out of his thoughts by the name of his intern.

"Full Throttle targeted Kaminari," Shigaraki declared.

It was weird. The celebratory mood instantly chilled and he had everyone's complete undivided attention.

Hawks still didn't understand the intrigue the League had with Denki, and he was honestly afraid to ask, nervous that they might not trust him enough to tell him, or maybe they would and he wouldn't like what he heard. He knew that Denki was captured and taken hostage, and before being rescued by his friends, he had undergone Force Majeure's quirk so that he could not tell anyone anything about what he had learned from his time with the League. If the League had that foresight, were they already planning on letting Denki go?