❣ Forelsket ❣ Keigo Takami/Hawks

[Book 2] ↬ Forbidden Romance

What was veiled from the Safety Commission wouldn't hurt them, right?

A forbidden romance between hero and villain, blossoming more divinely than a vast garden of heliotrope...a gale of thrill and love rustled his feathers. It had long revealed itself to be greater than mere curiosity, or even the temptation to defy his superiors. Your intoxicating allure had entangled his wings within its web, preventing him from acting against you during his internship.

The soft moonbeams provided moderate illumination to the empty streets below, allowing Hawks and his mentor to survey for any sign of criminal activity. Boredom had wormed its way into his soul, because despite only being fifteen, he was already resolving everything swiftly and without issue. He didn't particularly wish to be furnished with a challenge, but something needed to cure him, to give him a sense of purpose.

Eventually, he got the call. "Hawks, a villain had been spotted, and we need you there as soon as possible!"

After learning of the location and general appearance of this evildoer, he stretched out his wings, soaring off. Mid-flight, he began plummeting down, but not of his own accord. Someone had frightened his feathers, as he would later recall. He stabilised, then risked a glance to the side. A violent tremor, induced by the enchanting smile which perched atop your perfect features, and the lustful fire burning amid the stars in your eyes, almost caused both his heart and face to explode. The latter was certainly aglow, by either attraction or the embarrassment of looking so uncool in front of you. In due course, your angelic voice would sing his praises, reassuring him that such a façade wasn't necessary to win you over. Your heart had been stolen the exact moment of your encounter.

Confliction never once penetrated him. Guilt wasn't even on the agenda. Your eyes complimented the glimmering moon, as it shone down upon you. Maturity seemed insistent on shadowing you, but if you could quell it for a second, your age was ascertainable.

Fifteen.

Maybe he had a chance?

Puffing out his wings in an effort to keep your unyielding attention on him, he wondered about how to properly court a villain. It would definitely take some figuring out, but he was quite confident in his ability to do so. Well, the invitation had to be extended first, but a light, fluffy feeling teased the lining of his stomach. In an instant, he knew that it was reciprocated, and that a love-soaked blindfold had obscured from your (e/c) crystals, all existing rationality. He was utterly besotted, and apparently so were you. The relationship was of course, doomed to remain eternally clandestine. Neither of you really minded, but you couldn't ever survive more than a few days apart - even with that much, you felt on the brink of death. The nights you were forced to spend in isolation of one another were long, cruel and especially cold, in the absence of the other's body heat.

As the months turned to years, his charm slowly whittled away at your heart, more and more. The antagonism between heroes and villains never once fractured your bond, which was overflowing with devotion. The foundations of this unity might have appeared shaky, but just like his feathers, the most delicate-looking things can be incredibly deceiving.

A genuine smile, handsome and blithe, played at his lips. The thought of seeing you again, after a lengthy and arduous mission, drastically improved his mood. It was late evening, so you were probably winding down - his grin only expanded as he remembered how tired you always claimed to be. Gods...you were honestly the love of his life, the one person ensuring his return. Without you, the pressure of entering into this job, somewhat-unwillingly, might have already gnawed away at his heart. But you...you made everything worthwhile. It didn't matter that you weren't a saint in this life (he was convinced that in your previous life, you had danced among the angels in Heaven).

Your love transcended those fragile boundaries.

There were no secrets in the relationship, and you never informed your respective groups about the other's activities. There was a complete trust, an unspoken agreement, to maintain their safety, no matter the cost. And, if you were to die, he would slice through the pearly gates to retrieve you. He was prepared to battle even the fiercest of gods. He refused to let you slip away. He vowed to catch you, every time.

The need for sleep consumed him, so much that he neglected to strain for the sounds of shuffling feet and excited squealing, off in the distance. Removing his visor and headphones, he yawned, unable to combat his fatigue. He was just beginning to throw off his jacket, when you arrived. Crystalline tears, of the happiest kind, poured from your eyes. You ran, leaping into his arms like a child and latching on, like you might never get another chance. Soft, sweet giggles tore from his lungs, and he spun you around, eventually falling and landing on the couch. He wasn't far back enough to damage his wings, but the pain wouldn't be half as important now. Your body melted into his, lips running the length of his neck.

It felt like paradise.

This was something he couldn't ever tire of.

Warm breaths ghosted across the shell of his ear - a sensitive spot. "Welcome home, Keigo." Those three, simple words lured out all his bottled-up emotions. Wrapped up in your embrace, he cried, spilling messages of love and sorrow.

"I missed you." His voice was hoarse, but to you, it had never sounded more irresistible.

Nuzzling into him, showering his heart with all the love and security in the universe, you whispered, "I kept the nest safe for you."

No harm would befall this beautifully-broken man.

You swore it, on your own life.

[Word Count: 983]