Voodoo Doll [BNHA]

Chapter Nine

"Meiyo." Her father's voice whispered from the door of her tiny closet sized bedroom.

Seven-year-old Fumeiyo, woke up and looked to the doorway. It was early in the morning; the sun hadn't even risen. Her father stood in the doorway with a board game in his hand, it was a dollar store version of Candyland. A bright smile lit up her face and she almost let out a squeal of excitement.

Her father quickly pressed a finger to his lips urging her to be quiet. Fumeiyo made a hand motion as if she were zipping her lips shut. Her father smiled and motioned for her to follow him. She tiptoed out of her bedroom and followed her father to the kitchen. They sat under the shabby kitchen table with some battery operated tealights trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake her mother sleeping in the next room.

Fumeiyo wasn't allowed to have toys, her mother's demons wouldn't allow it, they said she didn't deserve them. They didn't have much money to spare, her mother couldn't work due to her mental illness and the demons that plagued her. Her father worked an entry level position and didn't make very much money. What money he did make went to bills and food.

These moments, in the early mornings before her father had to go to work and her mother was still sleeping, were her favorite moments. Most days they'd make shadow puppets or read old newspapers and magazines together and she was always content with that.

Doll hadn't realized she'd stopped walking or that she'd been staring through a shop window for some time as she was hit with one of the few happy memories of her childhood, playing a cheap knockoff version of Candyland with her father. Hawks was walking her and Endeavor to the airport, and they were both watching her closely as she stood frozen in place in front of a toy store window staring blankly at a Candyland display, they were setting up for the holidays.

"Doll?" Endeavor called to her once people in the shop started to grow uneasy by her appearance. She was bandaged and hiding under baggy dark clothes and had her eyes concealed behind sunglasses but she did look a little suspicious and people were still unnerved by the bandages on her face. She looked like a mummy swimming in clothes.

Doll shook her head and moved away from the window scrambling to her mentor's side. She bowed her head apologetically for holding them up.

Hawks looked back to the window display, "did you want one?"

She shook her head adamantly and started walking in the direction of the airport. Endeavor watched her carefully for a moment as she walked. She was always pretty spacey around the anniversary of the incident, it had been just a few days ago. He frowned he should have taken that into consideration and left her at the agency, but if he had, things could have turned out so much more devastating.

Hawks noticed Doll trying to hide herself beneath her bulky hoodie pulling her hood up in a way that it nearly obscured her entire face and decided against questioning her further. He didn't want to draw too much attention to her and make her uneasy. He glanced over at the massive scar now stretching over Endeavor's left eye it covered a good portion of his face from his hairline down to his chin. Thanks to the surgeries and a visit from Recovery Girl, he was on his feet and his injures were just tender scars.

"I'm glad your left eye made it out okay, but I'm really sorry about everything that happened, it's my fault." Hawks piped up.

Doll paused and glanced in his direction, what exactly did he mean by that?

"My injuries are my own responsibility. Quit acting so noble." Endeavor scoffed and kept walking not even casting Hawks a glance.

"Hey, that's a good one... Can I use it next time I'm injured?" Hawks tried to lighten the mood.

"You had no intention of actually apologizing, did you?" Endeavor shook his head, "but more importantly, that Nomu, came charging directly for us and on the day, we arrived...was that truly a coincidence?"

Doll watched Hawks closely, it seemed even her mentor was suspicious.

"Ahh...well, when the new top two are walking around right outside the station in broad daylight, its bound to raise some eyebrows, the villains were waiting for their chance and we caught their eye. It's possible the Nomu rumors themselves were just bait spread by hero hunters. We'll have to notify the league search team." Hawks spoke smoothly but he wasn't entirely sure he'd fooled either of them.

"Tread carefully." Endeavor began, "if you're planning on continuing your investigation from here on out, you should ask someone to cooperate with you, that way, even if another enemy of that caliber appears, you'll be able to stand against it."

Doll smiled.

"Endeavor, have you always been so considerate?!" Hawks laughed.

"You want to get burned?" Endeavor growled causing Doll to giggle softly as they came to a stop outside the airport.

"Once all my feathers grow back, I'll be back on the job. It'll probably be another day or so..." Hawks noted as he glanced in Doll's direction, "I might be in the area soon."

"And? You want a gold sticker?" Endeavor growled as he suddenly realized the brat was trying to insinuate something.

"Ah...no, I was thinking more about taking your cute little subordinate out on a date." Hawks said casually.

"Date?" Doll asked confused as her cheeks burned at having been called cute again.

Hawks realized she had no idea what a date was and almost sighed, he recovered quickly, "they're fun, I'll pick you up, take you out for a nice dinner—."

"Out?" Doll asked anxiously as she glanced around at all the passersby entering and exiting the airport, everyone was staring at her, even when she was trying to hide. "No thanks." She replied shortly before turning and escaping into the airport leaving Hawks dumbfounded. He'd never been turned down before.

Endeavor sighed taking pity on the brat, "she doesn't like to go out in public." He reminded him before fixing him with a stern look, sizing him up, "but, if your intentions are honorable, then I see no harm in you being allowed access to my agency."

Hawks grinned, "you ARE considerate."

Endeavor shot him a glare and disappeared in a huff after the creepy girl to make sure she didn't get lost. He found her trying to be as out of the way as possible near the check in area and sighed. She was practically standing in one of the decorative potted plants as she tried to move away from people and was looking so suspicious, she'd caught the attention of several security guards.

He sighed and lifted her off her feet by the back of her hoodie. "Stop running off on your own." Gently he set her down next to him, "you draw more attention when you try to hide on your own, if you feel the need to hide, then hide behind me."

Doll bowed her head and scrambled to stand behind him hiding behind his broad back. They checked in for their flight, the doctors recommended they fly since it would be a shorter commute and less jostling on them both.

Once they got to the gate to wait for their flight to start boarding, Endeavor looked down at his quiet sidekick as she dropped into the seat beside him. "Doll?"

She turned to him; all he saw in her sunglasses was his own reflection.

"Do you like that winged brat?" He asked curiously.

Doll's face turned a bright shade of scarlet beneath her bandages and she quickly looked away. Realizing she hadn't answered she gave a slight shrug of her shoulders before focusing her gaze intently on a slightly off-center floor tile.

Endeavorfelt a small smile tug at the corner of his lip. "I see."