Frozen Wings

Chapter 5

Storms' POV

Hawks was waiting in the teachers lounge for me. I had been up all night clawing the trees in the woods to get my anger out. Now I was finally able to talk to the shitty excuse for a pro about what he did.

I kicked the door open, slamming it shut after I had entered. I turned around to see Hawks sitting on the couch. He had his jacket off, bandages messily wrapped around his wing, as if he had wrapped it himself.

I walked over to the couch across from the one he was sitting on, sitting down myself. I crossed my arms, thinking about that I wanted to start with.

"Storms, I know that this isn't going to make up for what happened, not even in the slightest, but I would like to apologize. Everything that happened was because of me. I wasn't doing my job, and the students got injured because of my actions. I was immature, irresponsible, and wrong in every way. I can never make up for what I did. If you fire me, good. I deserve it. If you strip me of my pro hero title, so be it. But I wish to live. So I can forever be reminded of the horrible injuries I caused. I want to suffer from the guilt of what I did. That is all I ask." He hung his head in shame, resting his hands on his legs.

I blinked, taking in what he had just said.

"If It were up to me I would kill you right now. But I've been told to listen to what you wanted. So... fine. You get to live. I do have questions though." I said.

He looked up guiltily. "Of course. Anything."

"Where were you that night? What were you doing? Why weren't you there to notice the villains getting in?" I questioned.

"I... listen. I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but after what happened, it's the least I can do. I'm currently doing deep undercover work. No one except the couple of people employing me know. They asked me to work as a double agent for them. I was to infiltrate the League of Villains, become one of them, and report back to my employers every now and then. If I got hurt, then I had to figure it out myself. If I disappeared, I was on my own. They, meaning my employers, said that I was perfect for the job, since I have stated that I don't care about public appearances, and since I'm still fairly 'new' to the whole hero game I don't have many fans that'll miss me if I mess it up. I'm supposed to try and figure out way to bring down Shigaraki as well as find whatever drug Overhaul used to destroy Mirio's Quirk. The other night, when they got in, I had left my post to go meet with them. They said they were planning something big, bigger than anything they had done or tried before. Unfortunately, they realized that you would get in the way, so they came up with a way to test just how strong you were... I tried to get back here before they did, but I couldn't make it obvious that I was still a good guy, so they got here before me, and..." Hawks fell silent, curling his hands into fists.

"It's all my fault... damnit, just go ahead and kill me! I don't even deserve to suffer knowing what I did! I deserve to be tortured the way the students were." He shut his eyes, hanging his head again. His good wing drooped, displaying his current mood.

I watched him, not showing my emotions.

"Hawks. Look at me when I speak to you," I began. He looked up, the happy look in his eyes replaced with a defeated look.

"I was not aware that you were undercover. Your reasoning makes absolute sense. I understand why you weren't at your post. Should you have left? No, you shouldn't have. I'm sure that there was a better time for you have gone, right?" I paused for a minute.

"I-I wish there was. But my employers said that if I didn't get the information that night, they would reveal my intentions to the villains. I was okay with that, but I was afraid of what the villains were up to. If what they were planning was really as serious and dangerous as they were making it out to be, I had to go. Unfortunately, it got in the way of the students' safety." He said.

"I know. I'm sorry that I attacked you last night. I was furious. I was frustrated. I was afraid that the students had a high chance of not pulling through. So I took my anger out on you. I shouldn't have done that. I acted no better than the villains. Hawks, I do not expect you to forgive me. But I hope you accept my apology." I said.

"I forgive you, Storms. It wasn't your fault that I didn't explain myself sooner. I shouldn't have taken this job in the first place. I should go." He stood up. Suddenly, he began to sway, falling. I winced as he caught his bad wing on the side table, and hit his head on the corner of the coffee table.

"Hawks!" I darted forwards, shoving the coffee table away as I crouched down on my knees, carefully lifting him into my arms. He had a massive gash running from his temple down to his jawbone. I felt blood making my hand sticky. Carefully, I turned him to the side, staring in shock. His left wing, the one I had clawed yesterday, was hanging on by a thread of flesh.

"Oh my god..." I whispered.

"I-Is it that bad?" He groaned.

"Uh... y-yeah... it's... not good. Shit..." Blood was pouring out of the wound now.

"Hawks, I need to use my ice to re-attach it..." I muttered.

"Is that why I can't feel it?" He sighed.

"Yeah. Probably." I said, focusing. I felt his body tense up as I put my ice into the wound. I put the ice onto the wing where it met his back. Carefully, I picked it up, placing it back onto his body, making sure to line up the tiny thread of flesh went back where it should. Once the ice met, it melded around the wound, gluing it back in place. I listened as he whimpered in pain. As I adjusted the wing a tiny bit more, he yelled, curling up in agony.

"I'm sorry, it's the only way I can make this work..."

I finally finished, picking up the injured pro hero. I carefully laid Hawks down on the couch, stomach first. He looked at me. "I-... C-Can I... sit with... you..." He asked.

I was still mad. I was furious. But we had already apologized. Holding grudges would only make it more difficult for me to do my job. I sighed, flattening my ears against my head.

"Yes." I sat down on one end of the couch. Hawks tried to get up but he was just too weak. I rolled my eyes, picking him up. He whimpered as I moved him, letting him lay across me. I put a decorative pillow that had been sitting on the couch and set it on the armrest. I lifted Hawks a little bit, adjusting him so he could rest his head on the pillow. Hawks was laying with his back towards the other couch so he could see me.

Hawks drowsily looked up at me, his eyes shining with guilt, fear and pain. "I... deserve this..." He choked on his words.

"You really don't..." I sighed.

"P-Please... tell the kiddos... I'm so sorry..." He croaked.

"I will. I will." I murmured. He shut his eyes, falling quiet.

You shouldn't have to suffer too.