Leave Your Mark | Various!BNHA x Reader

80: Back to School

"Wow, it's already been a week, huh? Time sure flies when you're having fun."

Hawks grins ear-to-ear, but as much as you agree with his statement, you have to admit, it felt awfully short.

Apart from the Hosu incident (which you already knew was bound to happen anyway), you enjoyed practically every minute of this work placement. Actually, as absurd as this might sound, you didn't mind what happened in Hosu all too much either. Once you realized Shigaraki wasn't actually going to kill you, it was nice to be able to have a real conversation with him for once. It felt like he was really listening to you. Perhaps he didn't quite understand, but it almost seemed like... he was trying to.

Also, it's kind of a special feeling to be deliberately kept alive by one of the all-time most notorious villains. Which is just guaranteed to inflate your ego even more.

Oopsie.

"It's no big deal," you shrug, and Hawks flashes you a puzzled look. You clarify, "I mean, I can just come back next week. Let's prolong the work placement, okay?"

"Haha!"

Hawks throws his head back for a moment, incapable of suppressing his laughter.

Clearly, you're hilarious—which is nothing new, really—but jokes aside, you wouldn't mind staying here longer. Even though it's only been a week, getting to dip your foot in and experience what it's really like to work as a hero has just made you all the more certain that this is what you want to keep doing for the rest of your life.

It truly is such an amazing job. Being the reason that people can afford to be happy and safe... what could possibly be better than that?

"As much as I love your suggestion, sadly, it doesn't work that way," Hawks chuckles. "But don't worry. You have actual internships scheduled for later on in the school year, right? Both of you are definitely invited to come back here. And by then, you'll have your provisional licenses. It'll be a whole different experience. Way more hands-on."

"Like kicking villains' butts and rescuing people?" you ask excitedly.

"Yeah, exactly," Hawks muses, somehow grinning even wider than before. "And I can just tell you'll be kicking a lot of butts."

"Well, probably. I'm great at pretty much anything I do."

Tokoyami stares at you in disbelief, perhaps wondering how any one person can have that much confidence, and meanwhile, Hawks laughs again.

"You both did great," he says, eyes crinkling at the corners when he smiles. "It was only a week, but it was more than enough for me to see how much potential you both have. You're already making great strides with your Quirks, too. And again, I'm sorry for not being around during the Hosu attack when I should have been, but you handled it well."

"Not really," Tokoyami mumbles, expression turning downcast.

"No, you did," Hawks insists. "Neither of you has your licenses yet, so you did the right thing by not using your Quirks in battle. [Name], you obviously had a much closer encounter with Shigaraki than you should have, and that's my fault, but you kept your calm despite the situation. It's really impressive. You might not even realize it yourself, but you should be very proud."

"Don't worry, I am proud," you beam.

Hawks laughs for what feels like the hundredth time in a row. "In that case, I guess I really don't have anything left to say. So then, it looks like it's goodbye for now! We'll be seeing each other again soon, though. I'm sure of it."

Hawks nods in your direction, then in Tokoyami's, and you're once again elated that he's the one you got to do your workplace experience with. You can't think of anyone else who would have been as friendly, welcoming, laidback—and who perfectly matched your vibe.