𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 | 𝙈𝙔 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙊 𝘼𝘾𝘼𝘿𝙀𝙈𝙄𝘼

33

Takami Keigo.

Better known as Hawks.

After the fall of All Might, he ended up being the current number two pro hero and Endeavour took the number one spot.

Hawks was thankful for this development but he had doubts. He held guilt within his heart, an unsettling unease. He recalled his life, his past, everything he had done to reach where he was now. Looking back, a trail of blood followed his every step — he wanted to be clean of the crimson. His hands, always obscured by his gloves, without them, all he could see was red and regardless of force, they weren't coming off. He followed orders, never once disobeying because he owed the Heroes' Commission for everything, for giving him a better life and in exchange, he had to do as he was told.

Even if that meant using her.

Sukehiro Arisa, now known as Hayashi Arisa.

The girl he was told to keep an eye on, to keep her on the 'right' path and to not let her fall into the villains' grasp. It would be catastrophic, especially after witnessing what she was capable of on national television. As told by his superiors, he needed to do whatever he deemed necessary to make her believe that she was on the right side.

After seeing her interact with her mother in Tartarus, he felt all the more guilty. It reminded him of his mother, one he never got to console with and had left in the past. He couldn't act like he cared for Arisa just because he was told to. Hawks was going to keep her safe from the Commission. He didn't want her to be used as a weapon again. It won't be any different for her than when she was with her previous family. He'd be damned if he was going to allow that to happen again.

Her smile was so sweet, he refused to have a hand at wiping that away.

Hawks was a hero after all.

°°°°

"We need to talk."

Walking out of her room after a night of unease and some mild crying due to the information she received just the day before, she stumbled upon Bakugou who was leaning against the wall across from her door, his red eyes unreadable and his features mild unlike his typical scowl and loud screaming. Arisa was slightly drowsy from returning home late because of Hawks who decided to keep her until near midnight, insisting on bringing her to watch the Minions with him. He was nearly turned into crispy chicken wings when he sent her home where Aizawa was waiting by the gates.

Staring at Bakugou, she realized what he wanted to talk about.

Pushing her door open, she groggily invited him to come in. The boy looked briefly hesitant but walked in after her, closing the door behind him with a click.

Arisa made herself comfortable on her bed and she gestured for him to sit on the vacant chair by her desk. The boy was busy staring at her room, an earth toned room, with a few plushies on her bed and three cardboard cutouts of anime men to one corner to his left. The room was simple — aside from the cutouts — which was the opposite of the girl in his opinion. She was complex, her knowledge deeper than she let on, just like her identity. Bakugou didn't know where her truths began and where her lies ended. He needed to know because despite all this, Arisa was his friend.

"Ask away, Bakugou."

He didn't sit.

He chose to stand by her bookshelf, staring at the titles, as if each of them would give them hints of her.