I've been sneaking food for days—just little things. Bread, apples, crackers—whatever I can grab without raising too many questions. Hawks still hasn't woken up. Every time I look at him lying there, so still, it twists something deep inside me. This isn't how heroes are supposed to be. They're supposed to be invincible. Untouchable.

But here he is, broken and bleeding in the basement of SpringFairy Orphanage. And here I am, the quirkless nobody trying to keep him alive.

I stand in the kitchen, trying to act normal as I grab some bread and a couple of apples. My fingers twitch nervously around the bag. Mrs. Shiro's been watching me more closely these past few days. She knows I've been sneaking food, even if she hasn't caught me yet.

"Izuku."

Her voice snaps me out of my thoughts. I freeze, the bag slipping slightly in my grip. Slowly, I turn to face her.

"Yes?"

Her sharp eyes land on the bag, narrowing.

"You've been in here a lot lately. What are you doing?"

My mind races for an excuse. I tighten my grip on the bag, my heart pounding.

"I'm just... hungry," I mumble.

She doesn't look convinced, stepping closer. "If something's wrong, you can tell me, you know."

"I'm fine," I lie, forcing myself to meet her gaze.

She studies me for what feels like an eternity before sighing. "Alright, but I'm watching you. Don't think I won't find out what's going on."

I nod quickly, muttering a quiet, "Yes, ma'am," before hurrying out of the kitchen. My heart doesn't stop racing until I'm back in the basement, closing the door behind me.

Hawks is still there, his wings spread out awkwardly against the dusty floor. His feathers are so beautiful, even now—soft and fiery red, like they belong to some kind of mythical creature. I can't help but think how cool he looks, even like this.

"Hey," a rough, quiet voice croaks.

I nearly drop the bag, spinning around to see his eyes open, dull but alert. He's awake.

"You're awake!" I blurt, barely keeping my voice down. Relief floods through me as I drop to my knees beside him, fumbling to pull out the bread and apples.

He tries to sit up, wincing in pain. Instinctively, I place a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "Don't move! You're hurt."

"No kidding..." he mutters, his lips twitching into the faintest smirk. He glances down at the rough bandages wrapped around his side. "You do this?"

I nod, suddenly self-conscious. "It's not great, but I didn't know what else to do. We don't have much down here."

"Where is 'here'?" he asks, his voice rasping.

"The basement of SpringFairy Orphanage," I say quietly. "I found you outside. I—I brought you here to hide."

"Why?" His eyes are sharp despite his exhaustion, studying me like he's trying to figure me out. "Why would you help me?"

I hesitate, looking down at my hands. "Because... you're Hawks," I admit, my voice trembling slightly. "You're a hero. You save people. That's what you do. And I..." I trail off, feeling my face heat up. "I just wanted to help."

He stares at me for a moment, and for a second, I wonder if I've said something stupid. But then his expression softens, and he lets out a quiet sigh. "Thanks, kid."

His words hit me harder than they should. A real hero, thanking me? It doesn't feel real. I swallow hard, pushing the feeling away. "You should eat," I say quickly, handing him the bread. "You need your strength to heal."

He takes it, his movements slow and shaky. Watching him struggle makes my chest ache. This is Hawks—one of the top heroes. He shouldn't be like this.

"I've always looked up to you," I blurt, unable to stop myself. "You're so cool. The way you fight, how fast you are, how you save people without even breaking a sweat... It's amazing."

He looks up at me, surprised. "Yeah?"

I nod, feeling my wings twitch behind me. "I've always wanted to be a hero, but... I don't have a quirk. People like me aren't supposed to dream about things like that." My voice cracks slightly, but I push through. "But watching you... it made me think, maybe I could still help people, even if it's just a little."

He doesn't say anything for a moment, just watches me with those sharp, golden eyes. Then he smirks faintly. "You're already helping, kid."

The words make my throat tighten, and I have to look away. "I should go," I mumble, standing up. "Mrs. Shiro will notice if I'm gone too long."

"Be careful," he says, his voice still hoarse. "And... thanks. For everything."

I glance back at him, my heart feeling strangely full. "You're welcome," I whisper before slipping out the door.

As I head upstairs, I can't stop thinking about what he said. You're already helping, kid. It made me so happy hearing these words.