Withered Flowers

Chapter 9

Megumi ended up going to sleep later on as Hawks carried him and Y/n.

"I could've teleported us,"

"Yeah, but it feels nice out tonight," He said. It was silent before he spoke up again. "What made you name him Megumi?" Her eyes lowered as she stayed quiet. "Come on, it's just us," She stayed quiet.

His eyes lowered but they made it made it to his place. He landed on the balcony before setting them down. He looked at her holding onto Megumi. "I have a spare room he can sleep in," They walked into his place and it felt empty and cold for some reason.

"It feels soulless in here," Y/n said.

"What do yours feel better?" He asked in a matter-of-fact tone. She looked at him.

"Yeah actually,"

"Then let's go," He said as she shrugged. They walked across his home before out the door and across the hall where her temporary place was. She opened the door and the first thing Hawks smelt was food.

He walked in and his eyes slightly widened. It was like how she had it back in the forest but more room and yet it felt cozy.

"I only have one room, Megumi can have it," She said before walking toward the back.

"When did you have to decorate? You got this three days ago," Hawks said.

"I can do a lot in a short amount of time," She said while opening the door. Her scent flooded his nose as he looked at the familiar blankets. He stayed by the door and watched as she placed Megumi in bed.

She tugged him in as Hawks watched. It set a confusing feeling in his chest. He never got that as a kid and he's pretty sure Y/n never did either. It settled in his chest as his eyes lowered.

"Can..." She looked at him. "Can we talk?" He asked. She nodded before turning off the light and quietly walking out.

They went to her living room and sat across from each other. She looked at him wondering what he wanted.

It took a minute as he looked at her. "I don't think you should go back to Tartarus or do the plan you had,"

"I have to-" He cut her off.

"You don't, we can find other ways," He argued a bit. She frowned a bit.

"Keigo I don't see any other way, we need a large amount of the cure that is inside of me to even get a wide spread across, I can't keep cutting off my arms every hour plus it could lessen the effects of the cure," She argued back.

The tension in the room thickened as Y/n's feelings clashed with Hawks' protective instincts. He leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees as he struggled to find the right words.

"Y/n, I get that you want to help everyone, but there has to be another way. You've already sacrificed so much," he said, his voice a mix of frustration and concern.

"I don't care for everyone, it's not like anyone wants me around, I can careless that everyone died out!" She snapped.

"Then why do it? What's the point of even doing it if it's not to help us," His voice raised.

Y/n crossed her arms, her expression a mixture of defiance and vulnerability. "Does it matter?" She shot at him.

"But at what cost? Your life? Your sanity?" Hawks pushed back, his frustration mounting. "You have a chance to build something better here. Don't throw that away for something that might not even work,"

Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Hawks feared he had pushed too far. "You think I'm doing this just for me? That I'm just trying to build a happy little life?" she snapped. "You don't understand! I don't even know what that feels like,"