Flufftober

Promises

It was late in the evening when Hawks noticed the quiet. Too quiet. Dabi wasn't one for a lot of conversation, but there was usually something—a dry remark, a sarcastic comment, maybe even a snicker when Hawks said something dumb enough to earn one. Tonight, though, the air felt heavy, like something was weighing Dabi down more than usual.

Hawks, perched on the edge of their shared couch, watched Dabi for a moment, his sharp eyes tracing the familiar lines of his partner's face. Dabi sat hunched over, staring out the window, his usual smirk absent. The soft glow of the streetlights outside flickered across his scarred skin, highlighting the weary set of his shoulders.

Without saying a word, Hawks stood and walked over to him, his wings ruffling softly as they caught the light breeze from the window. He crouched down in front of Dabi, making sure he was in his line of sight. Dabi didn't even look at him.

Hawks frowned, a wave of concern rushing over him. This wasn't just one of Dabi's usual quiet moods. Something was eating at him.

"Hey," Hawks said softly, his voice gentle, but enough to break the silence. "What's going on in that head of yours?"

For a long moment, Dabi didn't answer. His icy blue eyes stayed trained on the window, far away from here. Finally, he let out a long, tired sigh, his fingers tapping restlessly against his thigh. "Just... tired, I guess."

Hawks wasn't buying it. "You're always tired," he said lightly, hoping to get a smile out of him. "But this is different, isn't it?"

Dabi's eyes flickered toward him briefly before returning to the view outside. "Yeah, well... I guess it's one of those days."

Hawks tilted his head, the teasing edge in his voice softening. "You wanna talk about it?"

Silence lingered again. Then, in a voice barely above a whisper, Dabi muttered, "I don't know if you'd get it. Sometimes... it just feels like everything's gonna fall apart."

Hawks felt a pang in his chest at those words. He leaned closer, resting his hands gently on Dabi's knees. "You're not alone in this," he said quietly. "You know that, right? Whatever's going on... I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."

Dabi's eyes finally met his, a flash of vulnerability breaking through the hardened exterior. For a moment, Hawks thought he might push him away like he sometimes did when things got too real, too raw. But instead, Dabi let out a shaky breath, his hands falling limply at his sides. "It's just... hard to believe sometimes. That anyone would stick around."

Hawks' heart broke a little at the admission. He knew Dabi's past, the trauma, the abandonment, the way the world had turned its back on him again and again. But Hawks wasn't the world. He wasn't going to leave Dabi behind.

Without saying another word, Hawks leaned in and wrapped his arms around Dabi's shoulders, pulling him into a tight embrace. His wings folded around them both, a protective cocoon of warmth. Dabi tensed for a moment, as if unsure how to react, but eventually, he relaxed into Hawks' hold, resting his head against Hawks' chest.

"I'm not going anywhere," Hawks whispered, his voice firm but tender. "No matter what. I'm here, and I'll always be here."

Dabi didn't respond, but Hawks could feel the way his breathing slowed, the tension in his body easing bit by bit. It wasn't a magical fix, but it was enough. Enough for Dabi to know that he wasn't alone. That Hawks wasn't going to abandon him, no matter how many bad days he had.

After a long silence, Dabi finally muttered, "You're too good for me, you know that?"

Hawks chuckled softly, pressing a kiss to the top of Dabi's head. "Nah, I'm just the right amount of good for you. And besides, you're stuck with me now. You don't get to push me away, no matter how hard you try."

Dabi huffed a quiet laugh, his lips twitching up into the faintest of smiles. "Guess I'll have to get used to that."

Hawks smiled, his heart swelling at the sight of Dabi's smile, however small it was. "You will," he promised, pulling Dabi even closer, as if to make sure he understood. "And I'll be here every step of the way."

For the first time that night, Dabi seemed to relax completely, letting himself be held, be cared for. And Hawks? He wouldn't have it any other way.