Flames (A Hawks X OC story)

Chapter 8

Mai's P.O.V 

"I want the letter" I swung the door to Dad's office open. Not caring about who else was around in the staff offices.

Dad looked at me confused, his eyes flicking between me and the window outside trying to figure out why I was so mad. I didn't particularly care how insane I must look, I needed to know exactly why Max said what he said. 

"What letter Mai?" Dad said slowly, hoping I would elaborate. 

"The letter Mom sent with me when I was 10. I want to see exactly what it said, exactly what she said. - " I closed the door behind me. " - I want to know why Maxwell thought I was staying here to study support items at college when you said you were keeping her updated on me." I was seething. 

Dad stood up, looking at me furiously for a few seconds before reaching into his desk drawer. He pulled out a folded piece of paper, slightly frayed and creased after years of being hidden away. Dad moved to hand it to me before stopping, his hands shook slightly and he moved it away when I went to grab it. 

"Mai, you need to understand. You had just been attacked, you were so scared to be living in a different country and I didn't know how to explain all of this to you. By the time I found the words to tell you... Well, you were already in high school and doing so well. I just didn't want to set you back." Dad slowly passed the letter to me again. I opened it with shaking hands. 

                                                                                                   ~                                                                                                

" Dear Inko, 

This is my daughter, Ivory. You can have her. 

One month ago, All For One attacked my house attempting to kill Ivory. It put my son Maxwell in danger. Ivory is quirkless, we have hidden that from her for her own protection. Telling her that she had a secret quirk she couldn't use (My father's idiotic scheme). Max is the kid I need to protect, he will have my quirk and his father's. 

Take this letter as an official notice that I am terminating my rights to Ivory Mai Toshinori, you can do whatever you want with her. I have included some money in the envelope as a penance for the inconvenience of landing you with another quirkless child. 

You should know, dear friend, that Ivory's father is Yagi Toshinori. The UA student from your exchange program where we met. He knows she exists, although I'm sure he's too invested in his hero work to take her in. 

I do not want to know anything about Ivory now that she is in Japan with you. Keep her, give her to Yagi, drop her off at a hospital... I don't care. 

Sincerely, 

Your dear friend Julianna."

                                                                                                    ~                                                                                                 

My hands shook as tears rolled down my face. I knew deep down that she had sent me away to Dad because of what happened. Yet somehow it felt different seeing it written down, her beliefs and the complete disregard for my safety made my blood boil.

I thought back to growing up with Mom; the yelling, neglect and destain that I had tried to ignore as a child. Everything had started to look better once I moved in with Dad; home-cooked meals, school performances and finally feeling safe had been something I had hoped for the entire time I lived in Texas. 

Sometime during my thoughts, I had slid down to sit on the ground. My chest heaved so much it hurt with every breath, the letter in my hand feeling like a stack of bricks resting on my lungs. The world was collapsing around me as I leaned against the door. 

I could hear Dad trying to talk to me, his hands resting against my knees as I sobbed into my hands. The letter from Mom was now balled up in my right hand as I fought the urge to burn it. I couldn't make out what Dad was trying to say over the pounding in my ears and the burning in my throat. Everything I had thought about my mother was coming undone in front of my eyes and I wasn't sure who to trust... 

Something started to tap against my leg. Rhythmically, almost as if it was playing a song on my thigh. I pulled my hands away to see one of the familiar bright red feathers of fierce wings tapping against my legs. 

The ringing in my ears subsided as I watched the feather, Dad's voice finally coming through alongside knocking on the door. Everything was too much; too much noise, too much emotion, and too many lies. 

I pushed Dad away as I stood, my whole body still shaking. The only thing I knew was that I needed to get away from here, away from Dad, and away from that damn letter. Dad tried to grab me as I spun around, pleas for me to talk to him only making me panic more. I swung the door open with a jolt, feeling myself overbalanced and falling into the hallway. 

I prepared to hit the ground when an arm reached out and caught me; a yellow, furlined sleeve lifting me back to my feet properly. 

"Phoenix? What happened?" Hawks was looking at me now, a worried look on his face. I readjusted my coat and dress in an attempt to look like less of a mess in front of him. Ignoring his question I walked straight past, my only goal being to get away from Dad. 

I burst out of the back of the school, the fresh air shocking me back to my senses. I finally felt like I could breathe again, alone behind UA. Looking over the hill towards the city. I took a deep breath, my chest burning with the movement. I wiped the dried tears from my cheeks and leaned up against the wall silently. 

"No Hi, Hello? Thanks for not letting me fall on my face, it's the only thing keeping me in the top 10?" Hawk's head poked around from the door I had just passed through. The moment he saw the look on my face he's normal smirk dropped. 

"My Mom never wanted me back..." I handed the letter I had forgotten to throw away to him. He read it slowly, his face staying obnoxiously neutral the entire time. 

I stayed silent whilst he read, repeating my mother's words in my head. 'I don't care', 'quirkless', 'inconvenience'. My entire body ached in rage; anger at Mom sure, but also anger at Dad and Inko. I was 22 years old, surely by now they could have told me what was really happening. 

"Mai... Mai. Phoenix? Ivory!" Hawks had his hands on my shoulders, leaning down awkwardly to make eye contact with me. His use of my real name sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.

"Look at me" He pushed a piece of stray hair from my face, the touch making the world finally stop spinning. "You awesomeness is your mother's loss okay?" He repeated the statement to me as I nodded dumbly. 

 "You're an incredibly skilled, smart, and kind person Mai. You're an amazing hero, a caring older system and most importantly you're Hawk's number 1 fan - " I let out a tearful laugh at his comment. " - If your mother was too stupid to see how amazing your life was going to be; that's her mistake, not yours. The rest of us... your Dad, Izuku, Kiera and me? We are beyond proud to know you." 

Hawks pulled me into a hug, the warmth calming me as I mulled over his words. We stayed like that for what felt like forever until I had finally stopped shaking. When we eventually reentered the building Hawks left to talk to Principal Nezu - the entire reason he had come to UA - and I walked back out of the school to go home.