𝐀𝐫𝐜 𝐈 | bnha

business

She visits her father the next day as he works a case several districts over and bumps into someone on the bullet train.
"Oh, sorry." She didn't meet the man's gaze, too busy backing up to find even footing that wouldn't trip her.
"No worries, kiddo," the man responded and (Y/n) froze. That voice sounded familiar.
She lifted her gaze, finding a man with tousled blonde and killer eyeliner.
She opened her mouth to speak before shutting it abruptly. "You- you're Hawks." He gave her an easygoing smile.
"I didn't notice."

(it took her a second to realize that he was being sarcastic and hawks didn't miss the split second confusion that flashed across her face. he made a note to not make anymore sarcastic comments.)

She laughed a little in quiet disbelief. "I- um- could I have your autograph?" She gripped her stuffed animal handbag.

(her hand skated across the messy stitching in the handbag strap, the same one she had noticed when midoriya had approached her after school. he was nervous, his face flushed and body tense as he held out the repaired handbag. he didn't need to tell her that it was his own stitching that held the strap together.
the next thing she did surprised both midoriya and herself; she engulfed him a hug.
"thank you, midoriya! you don't know how much this means to me!"
his face, if it was possible, became redder.)

"Why-why aren't you flying? Why are you taking the train?" She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, barely noticing the way Hawks' eyes catch on her ink-like fingertips. He offered a shrug as she grabbed a notepad and pen from her purse.

"Ehh, I need to wait for my wings to regenerate." He pointed at her back with his thumb and (Y/n) catches a glimpse of tiny crimson wings poking out the holes cut into an old t-shirt.

(she only half notices the awkward air after he hands back his autograph and she thanks him. the two stand in near-silence, the only sound coming from the train rattling and the music playing on her earbuds just a bit too loud.)

Hawks is the first to break the quiet. "So." (Y/n) glances at him, her head tilted. "When I was watching you in the Sports Festival-"

She could swear that her heart stops. Hawks watched her in the Sports Festival and remembered her.

"I couldn't really get a read on your quirk. Mind sharing?"

She tugs at a loose thread in the sleeve of her hoodie. "My quirk basically allows me to transform into a creature. I usually only do partial transformations because its a little overwhelming."

(her stomach squirms only a little since she's grown so used to telling this lie.)

Hawks lets out a quiet, thoughtful hum. "Ya' know? You look familiar." He glances at her from the corner of his eye.

(she almost meets his gaze for a half second and is startled by what she sees. there's a saying, a rather cliched one, that the eyes are the window to the soul. that's only half true. instead, it's the area around their eyes- the split second crinkle of a smile in the outer corner or the enraged tic of the eyelid. people know well what the mouth indicates, but the eyes are usually forgotten.
she looks up, not meeting his eyes. she's always been a little uncomfortable with eye contact.
she sees his eyes narrow a bit, his gaze flitting down and to the side. he was trying to remember something, and trying to find something new.
she almost forgot what he said last and her mind races, trying to come up with a response.)

"I was in the Sports Festival?"

(she winces internally at her answer.)

"Oh, I know that- good job by the way- but you look like someone I've met." He waves a hand, as if to punctuate a point. "Where are you getting off?"

"Uhh-" (Y/n) glances down, her brows furrowed as she tries to remember. "Sundai. I'm visiting my father."

Hawks snaps his fingers, startling her. He gives an easy laugh. "That's it! Is your dad Cosmic?"

She nods and he beams. "You look like him, ya know? I'm actually going into his office for an appointment."

"Oh?"

"Do you help out?" She shrugs.

"From time to time." This time the following silence isn't so awkward; instead it's comfortable.
The next stop is Sundai, and the pair step onto the platform. Hawks starts to ramble about different things, eventually landing on food.
"KFC is delicious. Their chicken drumsticks are-" he makes a wild hand movement. "-perfect." (Y/n) looks over at him, brows furrowed. She opens her mouth to speak but is cut off.
"Don't. Say. It's cannibalism. I'm not a chicken."
She quirks her brows, tossing a playful smirk.
"Are you sure about that?" He glares at her, mouth agape in mock offense.
"How dare- I liked you better when you were starstruck and awkward." She pouts as they step into her fathers office building, a small place they rented on the first floor of a decently modern building. Hawks hurriedly peeled away after checking his watch and realizing he was late.
She watches him walk away and his body language changes; his back straightens up out of the casual slouch he walked with and he lifts his chin, tensing his jaw. In a matter of seconds, he was all business.

(the hero loses sight. the villain becomes sympathetic. this is the way some stories go.)

an: this chapter was mostly future setup 🙃
the next chapter will bring you back to your regularly scheduled arc
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