Chiasa

ch8

"Hawks, don't say anything till I'm done talking. Just try to listen, okay?" Hawks nods and turns in his stool to face Tokoyami. He takes a deep breath and does his best to put his next few words together.

"I didn't lie about being at the Todoroki's, I was there. But you're right I didn't talk to Shoto, I didn't even see him when I was there."

'Was it Natsuo? Endeavour? Is Rei back?  Even if it was them, why did he feel the need to keep this a secret?' Hawks thinks to himself. He forces himself to not get his hopes upon thinking about the one person he wishes was still around.

"I went there to drop off the files and...Fuyumi was there." Hawks becomes tense all over. His heart was hammering within him, the weight of his wings felt like they grew tenfold. He needs to hear it again, just so he knows he didn't imagine what he just heard.

"Say it again."

"What?"

"I know you said you didn't want me to interrupt or anything...but p-please say it again." Tokoyami sighs, feeling sorry for the man in front of him. His usual tough yet charming demeanour vanished in the blink of an eye, all at the mention of her name. Tokoyami found it fascinating that she didn't even have to be present to have this effect on him.

"Fuyumi was there..." Hawks places his elbows on his thighs, head in his heads, a million thoughts running through his mind. Tokoyami knows it best to try and keep talking, so he can focus on his words instead of the never-ending voices in his mind.

"I went there to drop the files, and she was the one who opened the door for me and let me in." Head still in his hands, he smiled at the fact that she hadn't changed. It didn't matter if someone was dropping off files for her father, school stuff for Natsuo, she wouldn't hesitate to let someone in and offer them tea along with an easy-going conversation. Hawks would often scold her over the risks of letting people into the house, saying it was an easy way for her to end up in dangerous situations. But she always insisted it was the polite thing to do. Heck, that woman would invite the mailman in if she wasn't working at the same time he delivered to their house.

Hawks suppresses a chuckle and sits up to rubs his face with his hands, clearing any evidence of his previous facial expressions.

"Do you know why she came back? Or if she's here to stay?" He asks.

"No, she didn't say. Although I have a feeling it has to do with Todoroki and I's upcoming graduation."

"Right. H-How is she doing?" 

Tokoyami gulps, racking his brain for the right words. It isn't his place to tell Hawks about Chi-chi, but he wouldn't be able to hold such a heavy secret to himself for long. Hawks wouldn't leave him alone till he got the answers he needed, especially when those answers had something to do with Fuyumi.

"She's doing well."

"Just well?"

Tokoyami sighs heavily before speaking.

"Hawks, there's something you should know." 

Hawks feels himself freeze up again, fearing what his next words could be. He can't help but think of the worst-case scenarios. The thoughts in his head cause him to feel an uncomfortable heat overcome his body, but he lets them run their course anyway, hoping it'll brace him for what he has to hear next. 

'Did something happen to her during the 2 years? Is she with someone else? Is she married? Is she happier with him? Has she forgotten me?' 

"Fuyumi has... she has..." Tokoyami is at loss for words, how do you tell someone they have a kid without telling them they have a kid?

"Please just spit it out, man."

"I can't... it isn't my place." 

"Why would you tell me there's something I should know if you're not gonna tell me?" Hawks' tried to suppress the anger in his tone, but the anxiety he was feeling made it difficult.

"I-I'm sorry. I want to tell you, but it really isn't my place." Tokoyami stands up from the chair and leaves some cash on the counter to pay for the meal. "I know you don't like going there because of her brothers, I even told Fuyumi I'd keep this from you but it would be futile. But you need to go there and talk to her, as soon as you can," He walks towards the door and offers Hawks a reassuring smile. "You can do it, text me if you need anything."

With that, he was off. Hawks grunted to himself when he read the time - 11:54 am. He got off his stool to follow suit. 

"Good luck, Hawks-san." He turns around and sees the old lady behind the counter smiling at him. He made a mental note to himself to ask and remember her name the next time he came.

"Thanks, I'll need it," he chuckles. "See ya soon obaasan!" 

Hawks took off to sky full of fear and determination. After almost 3 years, he was finally going to see her. The woman who found his heart when he was sure he didn't have one, who's held it all this time, the woman who kept him up at night, the woman he kept at the centre of almost everything he did. Fuyumi.