Fire and Flames - OCxDabi BNHA FanFic

Chapter 9 Part 2: Two Steps Ahead

!!!!BEING EDITED AND REWRITTEN!!!!

Hawks stared at himself in the mirror, his golden eyes clouded, unfocused. Steam from the shower fogged the glass, swirling in the cramped, dimly lit bathroom. His hair, damp and sticking to his forehead, dripped as water trickled down his neck and bare chest. Yet none of it registered. His thoughts were far too heavy for the heat to soothe.

He reached up, slowly, almost unconsciously, to rub his thumb against the red ring on his hand. The cool metal stood in deep contrast to his warm skin, a reminder of a past he didn't fully understand and a present he was barely holding onto.

Who are they? The question rattled in his mind, over and over again. Yuna... her father... He closed his eyes, willing the memory to sharpen in his mind, to give him some clarity.

The man's face, lined with years of quiet suffering, flashed before him. Hawks had been just a kid back then, desperate and angry, caught in a world that didn't care whether he lived or died. He had refused the man's help, too stubborn and too proud to accept kindness when he needed it most. But why had the man offered? What had he seen in Hawks that day? And now, years later, why had Yuna crossed his path, like a ghost sent to haunt him with memories long buried?

"Damn it," Hawks muttered under his breath, leaning forward to rest his forehead against the cool surface of the mirror. His reflection stared back at him, unrecognizable in the moment. His usual smirk, the easy charm he wore like armor, was gone. All that was left was the uncertainty he tried so hard to hide.

He thought about Yuna. Her amber eyes, the way they'd flared with intensity and confusion when they had spoken. She was so guarded, so conflicted. And yet, there was something about her that called out to him, a familiar pain that mirrored his own.

Who is she really? He traced the thought, feeling the weight of it press down on his chest. She wasn't just another villain, that much he knew. There was more to her story, something deeper, something connected to her father... and to him. But what?

The ring was a puzzle piece. One he hadn't even realized he was holding until it was too late. The man had given it to him before disappearing from his life, and now Yuna stood before him, somehow tied to it all. But how? Was it coincidence, or something more deliberate? Was she aware of the connection, or just as lost as he was?

Hawks pushed away from the mirror, running a hand through his wet hair in frustration. The more he thought about it, the more tangled it became. He couldn't afford to be reckless, not now. He had to keep his focus. The Hero Commission was breathing down his neck, expecting results, expecting answers. He was their golden boy, after all—the one who could balance between light and dark without falling. But lately, the line was thinner than ever, barely visible beneath his feet.

His bare feet padded across the tiled floor as he walked to the small window on the far side of the bathroom. The city lights flickered in the distance, the glow of neon signs and street lamps casting long shadows across the skyline. This was his world—the world he was supposed to protect. But right now, it felt more foreign than ever.

He thought about the conversation with Yuna, her hesitation, the pain in her voice when she mentioned her father. Something had broken in her, just like something had broken in him long ago. Was it the same? Could he even relate? He had chosen his path, but Yuna... it seemed like the world had chosen for her.

His gaze fell back to the ring. He turned it slowly, watching the light catch on its surface. Was he supposed to do something with this information? Could it help? Could it hurt? If he told the Commission about Yuna's connection to her father, would it change anything? Or would it just paint a bigger target on her back?