Pretty Bird - Redemption Part One

Burned

Dabi jerked out of a deep sleep, heart pounding like he'd run a marathon and sweat soaking his shirt. Some broken fragment if a dream he couldn't quite remember slurred together with his waking thoughts. It was always like that after drinking, his body ran hot enough to burn off the alcohol in his system so he'd never had much of a hangover, just weird dreams he never remembered.

He scrubbed a hand over his face, wincing as the staples tugged against his skin. The dehydration from drinking and sweating all night always dried his skin out and made it tight. He dropped back onto the bed, not ready to force himself to get up, jumping at the brush of feathers over the back of his hand.

Hawks was curled up on his side next to him, fast asleep. One wing draped over him like a blanket and the other trailed onto the floor. Dabi stared at him, dumbfounded. He was shocked Hawks was even still there. He'd given the hero chance after chance to leave, and more than enough reason, so why?

Dabi eased himself off the bed, trying not to wake Hawks. He cursed under his breath when his foot hit something sharp.

A solitary crimson feather lay stark against the gray carpet. Dabi picked it up, twirling it carefully between his fingers as he looked it over. It felt like a normal feather, light and flexible. He marvelled at the feathers sturdiness for something that would ordinarily be so delicate. A muffled grunt from the bed made him look up suddenly, but Hawks was still asleep. Dabi smirked. So the bird could feel it even in his sleep, huh? He held the feather between his index finger and thumb and lit it, concentrating on keeping the heat low. He watched Hawks' face intently, curious to see how he would react.

Sweat beaded on Hawks' face, droplets running down his temples and soaking into his hair. He whined a little, squirming and burying his face in the pillow. Dabi raised the temperature of his flames just enough to singe the edges of the feather. Hawks yelped, shooting up and looking around blearily. He froze, eyes widening when they landed on Dabi.

Dabi smothered his fire, twirling the feather in his fingers. "What were you planning to do with this? Kill me in my sleep?"

"Of course not. I didn't know how else to make you stop."

"Make me? You think you could make me do anything?" Dabi took a threatening step toward the bed, then another. He reached for Hawks, running a thumb over his cheekbone. He frowned when the hero flinched. "'S the matter, hero? Don't want a villain touching you?"

Hawks' eyes were closed and he mumbled. "That's not it..."

"What then?"

'I... I thought you were gonna burn me..."

"Burn you, huh?" Dabi smirked darkly. "Maybe I will. I wonder what all your fans would think if I scarred your pretty face, made you as horrifically disfigured as I am?"

Hawks' eyes flew open. "Oh my God. That's it, isn't it?"

Dabi narrowed his eyes, nearly growling. "What's it?"

"That's why you don't want me to touch you. You..." Hawks hesitated, obviously thinking about what he wanted to say. "You act like it doesn't matter, but you really hate those scars, don't you?"

Dabi froze, his hand still pressed against the Hawks' cheek. He tried not to flinch when Hawks gently traced his fingertips over the skin under his left eye, trailing over his cheek. "What happened?"

He was too lost in the sound of his heart thundering in his ears to hear the question. "Huh?"

"Your scars."

Dabi hesitated. No one asked about his scars. No one cared enough to ask about them, or they were too afraid of him to ask. But there Hawks was, asking, his fingers still pressed against Dabi's face. Was he actually considering answering? His lips moved of their own accord, forming broken sentences. "It was an accident. In training. My body-"

He cut himself off. Hawks was still his enemy, still dangerous, and here he was giving up all his secrets. He had no idea why the hero had stuck around, despite the numerous chances Dabi had given him to escape. He couldn't trust him, not until he knew why he was still here.