𝑩𝑨𝑫 𝑨𝑷𝑷𝑳𝑬 | ˢ.ᵗᵒᵈᵒʳᵒᵏⁱ ˣ ᵒᵖ!ʳᵉᵃᵈᵉʳ ˣ ᵏ.ᵇᵃᵏᵘᵍᵒ

𝐂 𝐇 𝐀 𝐏 𝐓 𝐄 𝐑 𝐒 𝐈 𝐗 𝐓 𝐄 𝐄 𝐍

Sixteen: Everyone's eyes

YOUR CHEST HEAVED AS YOU came back to your senses. You felt dizzy with the lack of oxygen, but you knew you had escaped from your entranced state, so why was everything still so quiet?

You turned, your hand still raised with the bullet perched between your forefinger and your thumb. Realisation began to settle in as you saw Hawks looking up at you from the floor in bewilderment. The crowd of paparazzi, fans and journalists stared at you in a comparable fashion, their mouths agape with disbelief.

If you were right — and from your analogy of the situation, you were — you had just caught a fucking bullet, and saved that feathery assholes life.

"Holy shit." The words were taken right out of your mouth, by the thousands of people across thousands of places: from Bakugo Katsuki and Mitsuki watching on their tv, to your esteemed mentor Mirko who was stood right beside you.

"Holy shit." Hawks repeated, before falling into silence. He momentarily glanced at the floor, pursing his lips in a single straight line. The winged hero remained pensive even as the crowd began to cheer your name. Even as medics rushed towards him and helicopters began to survey the tops of buildings, he remained in deep thought whilst you let a smile that could be described as 'crazed' in any other context to spread across your paled face.

Japan roared for Saishou Y/N, and an unimaginable feeling to the likes of mortals bloomed in your heart, along with all the beautiful petals and thorns which may follow. In some: dread at the new heroine's display of power, but for most joy at the new symbol who had just been born. One that was modern, new and of course absolutely loveable.

"Y/N, come on." Mirko spoke with a newfound sternness in her voice as she suddenly ushered you to the car, which was sat stationary with the door wide open. "We'll talk later." She stated, before slamming it shut. Your smile faded as you yanked the handle impatiently. You pressed your face to the glass, gazing at the people outside who still screamed, trying to get over the barriers to take pictures, but their attention had once again shifted, as Hawks spread his expansive wings, taking off into the sky, shortly followed by Mirko and Endeavour.

Your teeth dug into your bottom lip until it was raw, and your fingernails screeched as you dragged them down the window. Your body itched to be out there — with them. It craved the adrenaline that danger brought with it, just as you craved the spotlight. The spotlight that heroism brought you. The one that you would do anything for.

"Woah—!" You yelled, flying back from the window, your back hitting the opposite door with a thud. The limousine had veered away from the red carpet, and was honking non-stop for people to clear a path. Groaning, you rubbed your head, before shooting back up to your seat. The tops of buildings were scarily silent. There was no sign of a fight or a chase of any sort — Endeavour's roaring flames were null amidst the lightless concrete, and your heart began to settle as the venue of the gala began to fade among high-rise buildings. With a sigh you slumped back against your seat, the only thing breaking the silence being the whirring of the car's engine, and your deep, powerful breaths.

-

Hawks landed with a thud on the roof of a skyscraper, striding over his two colleagues who were looking equally as confused as he was.

"I couldn't find a thing." Mirko spoke, her face illuminating with light every time a helicopter flew overhead. Endeavour said nothing, but it was evident on his face that he had been met with a similar outcome. "It's as if they just disappeared. Not a single trace, and I can hear for miles."

"I've flown the city, nothing." Hawks sighed.

"People are gonna be restless if we don't give them a statement by tomorrow morning." Mirko hissed through her teeth. "Crap.. And then there's Saishou."

"What about her? She's just had the best debut possible. She'll be fine."

"I knew it was a mistake when you two were tasked with this mission." Endeavour snorted. "You've not a single clue." Hawks' feathers ruffled, and he woukd have said something equally offensive if it weren't for Mirko holding a palm to his chest.

"We know what we're doing, Endeavour. Thanks to that stunt tonight, she is growing to be untouchable. That's the whole point of this, isn't it?"

"Your forgetting she is still a person— and a child-"

"Don't all of your children hate you, Endeavour?"

"Hawks." The woman sharply scolded. "This is no place for pettiness. And that goes for both of you." She angrily gazed between the two heroes. Both backed off after her statement, agitated expressions easing into uneasy facades.

"Saishou just prevented an assassination." Endeavour continued, his gritty voice calmer than before. "I don't think you're understanding the gravity of the situation. She is a child. How would your reaction have differed if she hadn't caught that bullet? She'd either have a nice hole torn through her forehead, or he would." He gestured to Hawks who stared into the sky silently. "Once the novelty's worn off, she is going to start realising things you don't want her to realise. The responsibility of being a hero will shackle her, and drive her insane the longer you ignore it."

"I think we can decide that for ourselves." Hawks spat — and without complaint from Mirko this time around. "I know that you're a shit hero, and a shit dad, so your advice means nothing. We'll keep running this operation how we see fit, and that's with no input from you." The winged hero jabbed a finger into Endeavours broad chest, anger prevalent in his knitted brows and dilated pupils.

"We'll continue the search until three." Mirko quickly butted in. "Then we'll regroup, and decide what the fuck we're going to tell the public."

"And Saishou?" Endeavour asks with little emotion, albeit being worried about the delicate mind of such a young person.

"She's fine on her own." Mirko quickly instated. "She'll have to be."