Birds of a Feather

Four and a half.

カラス

"I'm really happy you came." Karasu was sitting in a spare sitting room in the Todoroki house. She had called Hawks and arranged for him to come home with Endeavor just so she could see him after his Kyushu fight. "I was worried you would end up flaking." She stood up, using her wings to avoid needing to use her hands to help herself up.

"I almost did." Hawks admitted sheepishly. "I knew you'd end up just finding me and getting angry with me if I didn't, so I made myself come."

"You're right about that." Karasu told him, and hugged him tightly. "I'm glad you didn't flake. I'd hate to have to pummel you with my staff right after a big fight like that."
Hawks laughed as he hugged her back. "You may end up doing that anyway, when I tell you the next thing."

"Oh, no. What?" She stepped back, a worried expression on her face as she looked up at him.

"Endeavor and I were grabbing lunch before we got attacked. I may have let it slip that you two are dating now." He gave her a guilty grin. "Don't hate me, okay?"

Karasu groaned and shook her head. "I'm not mad at you about that either, Hawks. Todoroki and I should've told you guys from the get go- so it's our own fault."

"Well, at least you're honest." Hawks sighed. "Still, my bad for letting that slip. Apparently I'm the one who needs to work on keeping secrets between the two of us." Or I just have too many that I have to keep right now- even from you, Kara.

"I should actually go check on Todoroki." She tugged at her braid. "This is probably going to be hard for him, dealing with his father in a situation like this."

"Huh?" Hawks frowned slightly, but chose to ignore that comment. It didn't seem like the time for it. "I'll hang outside with Eraser, okay? That way you know I can't skip out without saying goodbye."

"I appreciate that." Karasu hugged him again before leaving the room to walk to the dining room where the Todoroki siblings had settled themselves.

"Good luck." Natsuo grumbled as he stormed past her.

"Thanks." Karasu looked back at him for a moment before continuing to the dining room. He hadn't actually meant it, but she felt like she needed it anyway.

"I was wondering when you'd find us." Endeavor said gruffly as she stepped into the room carefully.

Karasu flinched back slightly, but fixed her gaze on her boyfriend. "I just wanted to check on Todoroki." She walked past Endeavor to her boyfriend, putting her hand on his shoulder.

Todoroki glanced up at her momentarily, putting a hand over hers. "I have to agree with Natsu." He said after a moment. "As a pro- you have my respect. As my father, however... you'll have to earn that through your actions. So I'll be watching you closely."

Fuyumi looked surprised as she looked from her youngest brother to her father. It was better than hating him.

Endeavor looked between the three of them and left the dining room, walking after his older son.

"We should get back to Aizawa." Todoroki stood up, squeezing Karasu's hand quickly. "Nice to see you, Fuyumi." He nodded to his sister as he looped an arm around his girlfriend's waist before they left the room.

"How are you?" Karasu brushed her fingers against his chin, looking over at him as they walked.

"He's trying to be nice and caring all of a sudden. It's like having emotional whiplash." Todoroki sighed. He looked up at the ceiling. "Dealing with my family takes a lot out of me. I don't love that."