Birdie (Hawks x reader)

Man, (Y/N) can't catch a break, can she?

A/N: Hey guys, sorry about the long wait. If I'll be honest I had a lot going on and probably should have posted earlier. On the plus side, I recently finished my junior year of high school, and in the time when I was supposed to be writing I cut ties with a toxic friend and a probably toxic friend, healed and forgave the probably toxic friend who turned out to be fine, went through like six hyperfixations, and started writing yet another book. I'm sorry about the irregular update schedule, but I hope you like this chapter! Warning that there is a depiction of a panic attack in this chapter.

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Keigo and (Y/N) arrived back at (Y/N)'s house later that day, after a long flight. Keigo wrapped her in a hug as soon as they got inside.

"What's this for?" (Y/N) chuckled.

"Just glad we got home safe."

"Of course. I've got your back, and you've got mine." Keigo smiled and gently kissed her forehead.

"You're so beautiful, you know?"

"Am I ?" Keigo smiled, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh come on, anything as handsome as you has to know it." Even amongst the flirting, heavy thoughts weighed upon (Y/N)'s mind. Even after all the evidence that she had that he wasn't lying, she still had questions. Something was wrong. However, as much as she wanted to know, there was a good chance this was an undercover mission of some kind. Worst case scenario, he was bugged. And more than that, the worry still hung around the edge of her mind that he was lying, that all of this was some elaborate trick and that she was an escape route or a scapegoat. Given how well she knew Keigo, she knew how good a liar he was. It was almost second nature. She'd seen the adoring way he looked at her, but she'd seen him fake it for someone else for a mission before. It left her mind spinning, the way she had no idea if he was lying or not, or if it was safe for her to ask. (Y/N) had no idea how Keigo lived this life, always questioning someone's motives, never fully trusting anyone. "Come on. You go get some sleep. I have some paperwork to do."

"You've done enough."

"I've done my job," (Y/N) said. "And now the Reapers should be falling apart entirely any day now. More important than that, you've gone through a lot as of late. Getting stabbed, getting shot, everything. You need your rest." More importantly, (Y/N) needed to think.

"Alright." Keigo raised his hands in surrender. He vanished inside the guest room, scooping up Ravioli in his arms, Ravioli meowing in protest at being awakened from his nap. (Y/N) in truth, had finished up all her paperwork on the plane. Keigo probably knew that. He wasn't easy to fool in any sense. She went to her room and shut the door, sitting on her bed.

Alright, let's line up the facts, (Y/N) thought with a sigh. Keigo was at least answering to the League of Villains. He seemed to be called in irregularly, which would explain his strange schedule as of late, as well as his strangely flimsy lie as to why he had been late in picking her up to their first flight. Keigo's hero work was multifaceted. His agency did rescues, combat, and undercover work all at once, and he was darn good at it. One would think one of the most recognizable men in the country would be bad for undercover work, but he was surprisingly good at hiding in plain sight.

And lying.

Yeah.

One of Keigo's best traits was that he lied as easily as he breathed. He thought on his feet and created alibis like he was born to do it. And the thing was, while (Y/N) could see through some of his lies when he talked to her, it seemed more likely he let some of them slip through to paint himself as a man who was a total open book around her.