Withered Flowers

Chapter 16

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a gentle glow over the room. Y/N stirred awake to the soft sounds of Megumi's gentle breaths. She turned her head slightly to find Hawks still sitting on the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed on their son with an expression of quiet admiration. It was a sight that filled her heart with warmth.

"Good morning," she whispered, her voice raspy from sleep.

Hawks turned to her, a relaxed smile gracing his features. "Morning, Y/N. How'd you sleep?"

"Better than I expected," she replied, stretching slightly and feeling the remnants of last night's tension in her muscles. The memory of their heated moment flickered through her mind, causing a warmth to bloom in her chest. "You?"

"Same," he said, his gaze lingering on Megumi. "He's been a good boy. Didn't even wake up once."

Y/N nodded, her heart swelling with pride. "He's amazing."

As they both watched Megumi, a soft sigh escaped Y/N's lips. She thought about the complexities of their life, and the responsibilities that came with being heroes and parents. Despite the looming darkness of their situation, moments like this reminded her of the light they could create together.

After a few moments of quiet, Y/N finally got up, careful not to wake Megumi. She padded to the kitchen, eager to prepare breakfast. Hawks followed his presence a comforting shadow behind her.

"Want to help?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"Of course," he replied, rolling up his sleeves with a playful grin. "What's on the menu?"

"Pancakes and bacon?" she suggested, already rummaging through the cabinets for the ingredients.

"Sounds perfect," he said, moving to the fridge to grab the eggs. The kitchen quickly filled with the sounds of mixing batter and sizzling bacon. Their playful banter punctuated the air as they worked, the earlier tension forgotten.

While they cooked, Y/N felt a sense of normalcy that she desperately craved. "You know," she began, "I've never made pancakes with anyone before."

Hawks raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "I'm not surprised,"

"Shut up," He chuckled at her.

"But it's sad," he said, his voice softening. "You deserve moments like this." He paused, leaning against the counter as he watched her with intensity. "I want to create a lot more moments for us."

Her heart raced at his words, and she turned back to the batter, trying to hide the flush creeping up her cheeks. "I'd like that," she replied quietly. "But..." She trailed off thinking about the end of all of this.

"Yeah, I know," he said, his tone turning serious. "But we can try. Like always, together," He smiled.

Y/N nodded, understanding the weight of his words. They finished breakfast, and as they sat down together at the small dining table, Megumi finally stirred awake. His eyes blinked open, and a bright smile spread across his face when he saw them.

"Good morning, Momma! Papa!" he chirped, climbing out of bed and rushing to join them at the table.

"Good morning, buddy! How'd you sleep?" Hawks asked, ruffling Megumi's hair as he slid a plate in front of him.

"Good!" Megumi replied, diving into the pancakes with enthusiasm. "Can I have extra syrup?"

"Of course," Y/N said, pouring a generous amount over his stack. The sight of their son enjoying his breakfast brought a warmth to her heart that she didn't want to lose.