Drowning. (Shoto Todoroki x OC)

Mission Complete: I've Got the Intel

Hawks sat in a chair next to Mizuko as she laid in her hospital bed while the IV in her arm was being pumped full of saline. He grimaced seeing a small burn scar on her right forearm. Endeavor's flames must've broke through her Water Veil when she passed out in the sky. She was so young but was already such a dedicated hero even though her path in life was anything but easy, especially being an experiment by All for One.

He gasped when he saw Mizuko's eyes now blinking as he thought he had more time to rehearse what he was going to say to her. All his thoughts and ideas in his head just vanished now.

Dammit, another hospital? Shota and Shoto are going to be so mad at me...

Mizuko sat up in her hospital bed not realizing who was in the room with her yet. She rubbed her eyes before looking around her room. Her relaxed face changed into a scowl once she saw Hawks was sitting next to her.

"Heyo Little Chick, you took a quick little beauty rest here in the Kyushu Hospital after Endeavor defeated that Nomu. I'm glad to see-"

"Get out, Hawks." Her words were cold as she interrupted him.

Hawks flinched at how dark her words sounded. He knew he deserved all her anger right now. I mean he literally only got close to her for information but what she didn't understand is how much she changed him during his mission.

"Shirakumo. I know you're furious with me but just give me a moment to explain and apologize. That's all I'm asking for." Hawks put his hand on her bed to get her attention.

She backed away from him as she spoke, "I'm sure you will want me to come with you you then, huh?"

"Five minutes. Just give me five minutes." Hawks pleaded as he still didn't make up his mind of what to do. Should he follow his orders like the soldier he was?

Mizuko rolled her eyes and said, "Fine."

Hawks took a deep breath in. He had a script in his mind but once he spoke, he didn't speak from that script. No, for once, he was speaking from his heart.

"You're the first and only person I've told this. I'm telling you because I trust you honestly more than I trust myself. I was raised when I was a young boy to become a hero by the HPSC after the police locked away my father for his abuse. It sounds cool and all but every day I was training how to be the perfect hero that society needed, a perfect solider. I should be thankful for all they did but I gave them everything I had in exchange for being the hero I am now, including my name. I abandoned my name a long time ago. Everything I do is for the HPSC since they basically raised me and made me what I am today...." Hawks paused thinking back to all those cruel training days as a kid. He thought back to his father and how he had so much similarity to Shirakumo's own father

Mizuko looked up at him. To her, it sounded like he was a slave to the commission. She clutched her heart as she felt almost bad for him. However, she wasn't willing to sympathize with him now as he still was going to tell the commission about her being a Nomu.

"After you pissed off the president by lying about your knowledge about the human Nomu, she called me in her office. She then gave me the order of making me take you on as a work study student in order to get your intel..."

Mizuko turned her head away from him. She was getting angry hearing that he confirmed his distrust. Hawks' face turned into a frown seeing her like that.

"I went to your trial to support you in order for you to trust me. But honestly, your trial made me regret agreeing to this mission. Once I learned your past, I just saw you as a scared traumatized little kid.  It also scared me how much it reminded me of a younger me... the only difference was you became a brave independent young lady while I just keep complying with my orders. You broke free from your chains while I stayed in my cage. I guess I was amazed at how kind, passionate, and generous person you could be despite everything. You made me smile and laugh during our time together. I saw how much you love your friends, your new found family and of course that Todoroki kid...."