Heroes in Disguise

Chapter 1

Hawks' POV

The Heroes' Gala was supposed to be a night of relaxation. A chance for all of us to unwind, let our guards down, and pretend we didn't have the weight of the world on our shoulders. But instead, I found myself keeping my eyes on Rumi across the room, watching her laugh as she talked to some guy I didn't recognize.

At first, I told myself it was nothing. Rumi was always good at charming people, and she could handle herself just fine. But as the minutes passed, I couldn't help but notice how close that guy was getting. He leaned in a little too much, his hand brushing her arm, and then—

Okay, maybe I was being a little ridiculous.

But then, the guy moved closer. His hand settled just a little too far down her back. That was enough to set me off.

I sighed and pushed through the crowd. My wings shifted uncomfortably at my sides, but I forced myself to act casual as I walked toward them. I didn't want to look like I was jealous, but there was something about seeing someone else get too close to Rumi that made my feathers twitch.

"Hey, Rumi," I said, trying to sound laid-back like I wasn't bothered by anything at all.

She turned toward me, a small smile spreading across her face. "Keigo. Took you long enough to come over."

I smiled back, ignoring the guy standing next to her. "Hope I'm not interrupting anything important."

The guy blinked, clearly surprised by the sudden shift in attention. "Oh, we were just talking—"

"Great," I interrupted with a grin. "Because I was hoping to steal her away for a dance."

Without waiting for a response, I wrapped an arm around Rumi's waist and guided her toward the dance floor.

Once we were out of earshot, I relaxed a little, but there was still a bit of tension in my chest. Rumi raised an eyebrow at me. "You good, bird boy?"

I let out a breath, trying to ease the frustration that had built up. "Yeah, I'm fine."

She smirked. "You were acting all stiff back there. What's going on?"

I ran a hand through my hair, avoiding her gaze for a moment. "I don't know. I guess it just bugged me, seeing him get too close."

"Keigo, I'm fine," she said, her tone warm and reassuring. "You don't have to worry about me. I can handle myself."

"I know," I said, my voice softer now. "It's not about that. It's just..." I paused, trying to find the right words. "It's hard to see someone getting too touchy when you don't want them to."

Rumi chuckled and stepped a little closer. "You know I'm not going anywhere, right?"

I shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Yeah, I know."

She laughed softly and leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to my cheek. "Well, I appreciate it, but I've got it under control. No one's going to get too close without me making it clear they're in the wrong."

I smirked, pulling her in a little closer. "Alright, alright. I get it. You've got this."

Rumi grinned, clearly enjoying the moment. "That's what I like to hear."

And just like that, the tension eased. I didn't want to admit it, but I was glad to have her close again. There was something about having her near me that made everything feel less complicated.

"Just so you know," I said, leaning down slightly to her ear, "next time someone tries to pull that stunt, I'm taking them out before they even get close."

Rumi smirked, clearly amused. "That's more like it, Keigo."

And as the music played on and we danced, I found myself relaxing in her arms, the night going from tense to easy.