Hawks, not wanting to go home still, ended up crashing at Endeavor's house again.

Shoto came back with him, mostly to console Fuyumi because she heard about Endeavor...who ended up in the hospital after the failed attack.

Somehow he was still alive, even though according to the reports, he'd been injured badly by one of the Metas.

Hawks, knowing now that the ninja were also involved, couldn't help but wonder if it was actually them. Could they have blocked his quirk? He wasn't conscious, so no one knew what happened exactly.

Shoto couldn't help but feel like it was because Endeavor hadn't listened to Shine. She always seemed to be right. She had that special insight into things.

Though all of them had warned him, so it wasn't just her.

Natsuo didn't act upset about it. He asked Shoto if Dabi had still helped. Shoto told him truthfully that he had.

Natsuo said nothing to that.

"I'm hoping he's coming to believe that Touya really has changed," Fuyumi said to Shoto, over a very late breakfast/lunch. 

"We can hope." Shoto didn't know.

Hawks wandered in. "Uh...thanks for letting me stay here," he said awkwardly, "I should probably find somewhere else to go."

"Now that the problem is taken care of, we can go back to our house." Fuyumi put her hands together. "I wanted to clean it up...so, really, Mr. Hawks, why don't you just stay here until things settle down? We won't need it for a while... I mean, someone will have to help Dad when he gets out of the hospital, so I'll have to be over there anyway."

"But you work," Shoto said.

"No one else is available," Fuyumi said.

Natsuo made more sense, but of course, he wasn't going to do it. Shoto for the first time began to feel kind of irritated at him for being so petty. 

Normally he'd take his side, but...well, after all that, their problems with Endeavor didn't seem as important.

"I really couldn't impose," Hawks argued. 

"It's no problem," Fuyumi insisted, "I'd hate to think those horrible people would go to your house. It's just...doing our duty as citizens, isn't it? Right, Shoto?"

"I'd say it makes sense," Shoto said, "Maybe they will stop hunting you, but you should probably move anyway, just to be on the safe side. Get someone else to pick up your stuff. West-san would do it, if you asked him."

"I really didn't expect to live this long..." Hawks said, "I don't have a plan."

"Then you should adopt ours for now," Fuyumi said, "I think it's settled." She got up and took the plates. "I should really start packing..." She left the room.

"Wow...she can be pretty determined, huh?" Hawks said to Shoto.

Shoto shrugged. "I don't know her that well, but when she sets her mind to something, I think she probably follows through. She's a lot nicer than the rest of us. She worries about everyone."

"You think Endeavor would be okay with me staying though?" Hawks said.

"As long as it's here and not with my siblings, I don't know if he's aware how we use this house," Shoto said.

"Well, yeah, it wouldn't really be right for me to stay with them, under the circumstances," Hawks said, uncomfortably.

"I don't know if it matters." Shoto was clueless. "Just an extra precaution."

Hawks stared at him. "How sheltered are you?" he said.

"Hawks!" Fuyumi came back in to get the rest of the dishes. "I hope you're not going to put an idea into Shoto's head."

"Un...no..." Hawks, who totally was, said guiltily.

"What kind of idea?" Shoto was confused.

"Nothing," Fuyumi said, "Just something adults worry about."

"I think I could handle it," Shoto said.

"Shoto, you have enough to worry about," Fuyumi nervously grabbed his cup. "By the way...I saw you talking to that nice Yaoyurozu girl while we were all resting here. You seem close. Is she a good friend?"

"Yeah, she's a really good friend." Shoto was characteristically blunt. "Actually, she and I were talking about dating."

Fuyumi dropped the cups she was taking... Luckily they hit the floor mats the house had and didn't break.

"What?" she said, "Really?"

"Did she say yes?" Hawks said slyly.

"Yes, she did." Shoto didn't catch it.

"Nice," Hawks said, "Well, with that look you probably have game."

"I have what?" Shoto said oddly.

"So where are you taking her?" Hawks changed the subject.

"I...hadn't thought about it..." Shoto realized he was woefully unprepared...but he had been kind of fighting a war all of yesterday.

"I think it's best just to start simple," Fuyumi suggested, "Nothing too elaborate, you know, on the first date. Girls get a little overwhelmed if you do that."

"Really?" Shoto thought he maybe should write this down. 

"Just do something she likes," Fuyumi advised, leaning the tray she had on the table, "It's important to be considerate."

"That's a good idea...but I don't know what she likes," Shoto said.

"And you asked her out?" Hawks was incredulous. "Well, you've got guts---I got it."

His feathers scooped up the fallen cups and set them down on the tray.

Fuyumi looked surprised. How useful...

"You could always just ask her though," Hawks shrugged, "No need to over-complicate things. I recommend getting KFC. That's always classy."

"I...don't know if she even likes fried chicken," Shoto said.

Hawk almost had a heart attack. "I really hope that was a joke..."

"She seems like she'd be okay with something simple," Fuyumi said.

"Well, she's actually really rich," Shoto said, thinking, "so I don't know if she even goes to regular restaurants... I mean, I've never even been to one."

Hawks' jaw dropped.

"Hmm...maybe we have kept you at home too much..." Fuyumi said, like she'd had anything to do with it, "Well, maybe try Moogling it..." She never ate out either.

"I think I'll ask Mr. West," Shoto mused, "He goes out all the time with Shine, so he should know."

"Not that it's any of my business," Hawks said, "but speaking of West and Likstar, when is he gonna put a ring on it? I mean, they're so...like...lovely dovey. Just make it official."

"I don't know," Shoto said, "Maybe they aren't in a hurry to get married. Marriage isn't that great."

"Wow, that's cynical," Hawks said.

Fuyumi awkwardly stared at the dishes on the tray.

"I guess I just haven't really seen too many good examples of it," Shoto said.

Actually none came to mind at all.

"But I think they really love each other," he mused, "so they should get married. But it's not really my business."

So much for the gossip on it. Hawks was disappointed.

"I think it's great you have someone to ask about it." Fuyumi put on a cheerful smile. "You should do that." She left the room.

She didn't seem okay...Hawks thought. Then he remembered what Dabi had said and scowled. Arrogant prick!

Fuyumi actually went in the kitchen and grabbed a tissue. She was crying.

She supposed she should be happy Shoto had such positive role models...but it did bother her just a bit that their own parents couldn't be that for him... It was just hard...

Or for her or Natsuo....Touya probably wouldn't care, she thought.

But she didn't want to make Shoto feel bad by saying that to him, so she had her cry in private.

[Ouch....

As someone who's been there, I relate to Fuyumi here. But she's battling like a boss. Gotta give her that.]

https://youtu.be/nrVNAq7nSTQ

"Feels like we're on the edge right now
I wish that I could say I'm proud
I'm sorry that I let you down
I let you down

All these voices in my head get loud

I wish that I could shut them out
I'm sorry that I let you down
Let you down

Yeah, I guess I'm a disappointment
Doing everything I can
I don't wanna make you disappointed
It's annoying
I just wanna make you feel like everything I ever did
Was never tryna make an issue for you

But I guess the more you thought about everything

You were never even wrong in the first place, right?Yeah, I'ma just ignore you, walking towards you
With my head down, lookin' at the ground, I'm embarrassed for you
Paranoia, what did I do wrong this time? That's parents for you
Very loyal? Shoulda had my back but you put a knife in it
My hands are full, what else should I carry for you?
I cared for you, but
Yeah, you don't wanna make this work
You just wanna make this worse
Want me to listen to you
But you don't ever hear my words
You don't wanna know my hurt, yet
Let me guess
You want an apology, probably
How can we keep going at a rate like this?
We can't, so I guess I'mma have to leave

Please don't come after me
I just wanna be alone right now. I don't really wanna think at all
Go ahead, just drink it off
Both know you're gonna call tomorrow like nothing's wrong
Ain't that what you always do?

I feel like every time I talk to you
You're in an awful mood
What else can I offer you?
There's nothing left right now. I gave it all to you
Yeah, don't talk down to me
That's not gonna work now
Packed all my clothes and I moved out
I don't even wanna go to your house
Every time I sit on that couch I feel like you lecture me
Eventually, I bet that we could have made this work
And probably woulda figured things out, but I guess I'm a letdown
But it's cool, I checked out
Oh, you wanna be friends now?
Okay, let's put my fake face on and pretend now
Sit around and talk about the good times
That didn't even happen
I mean, why are you laughing?
Must have missed that joke let me see if I can find a reaction
No, but at least you're happy."

                                                                                     * * *

https://youtu.be/jUjDcqdvCrk

"Shine want to go for a walk?" Wally asked. It was two days after the raid.

Shine looked up. "I...guess we could." She was still pretty tired.

"Great," Wally said. He disappeared.

Shine got up to grab her stuff.

Shoto wandered in. "Are you guys going out?"

"I think we're just going for a walk, but knowing Wally we'll get food afterward, so sure," Shine said.

Shoto tilted his head. "So where do you like to go out to?"

"What?" Shine was caught off guard.

"I mean, where do girls like to go on dates?" Shoto tried again.

Shine wasn't sure how to answer that, but she tried to stay neutral. "Oh...well, personally, I like nature...hikes, walks, parks, gardens...beaches...but I'm also down for fun stuff. Skating or movies or stuff. Wally and I take turns picking, and if we're not really in the mood for a lot of effort, we just get food... Well, we do that no matter what. Eating out is always a safe option--if you can do the talking part... If you get uncomfortable just sitting and staring at someone, then it's better to star with something more active, ease into it..." She realized she might be over analyzing this for him.

But Shoto was hanging on every word. "So how do I know which is which?"

"Well, it depends on the girl." Shine was trying really hard not to ask who it was he was thinking of...though she already knew.

"This is hard..." Shoto was so genuinely puzzled, it was adorable.

"Hey, you know, it doesn't have to be perfect," Shine said, "Just put in effort. Any girl who really likes you will want that more than you nailing every single detail the first time. I mean, that's pretty high expectations to put on anyone."

"I don't even know where to start... Do you think getting soba would work?" Shoto said.

"If she likes soba..." Shine said vaguely, "but...not sure how romantic that is... I mean, soba could be one thing, but...I'd have an activity planned too, you know... I mean, you don't want the date to be 30 minutes max, do you?"

"No, I would like a little longer than that..." Shoto admitted, "but I don't know what to do. I've never had to think about doing fun things."

Shine tilted her head. "You know, Shoto, Wally might have some ideas, but my advice for you there is, if you don't know how to have fun, just pick something that sounds interesting to you and try it. Experiment. You need to find out what you enjoy, for crying out loud, and it's more fun to do that with someone else than by yourself. Heck, it could be a museum if you want."

"That sounds like good advice," Shoto said, "Maybe Mr. West would have ideas about that. He seems to like to have fun."

"So do I..." Shine was a little miffed.

"But your version of fun is kind of weird," Shoto said, "with the LOV and stuff."

"I do normal stuff too! Shoto, you don't know that much about me!" Shine said, "Mostly because you don't ask. That might be a good way to start too. I mean, is there some reason you can't ask whoever it is you're thinking of what she likes?"

"I guess I could," Shoto said, "It's...a little odd to just admit I don't know already though. Maybe I'm not ready for this after all."

Shine face palmed.

"Uh, Shoto, just ask," she said in almost a pained voice, "Trust me, it'll be fine. Momo will be flattered you asked."

"Wait, how did you know it was her?" Shoto blinked.

"Shoto, everyone knows it's her! Oh my gosh!" Shine couldn't contain herself any longer. "For crying out loud, I noticed it the first two weeks we were here! I mean, it took you long enough to get to the point after our little talk the other week, but it's about time. Didn't you tell us you liked her?"

"I guess I did..." Shoto said, "I almost forgot I did that."

"You are...so..." Shine stopped, "...new..." She chose the nicest word she could think of. "Well, good luck, and thank goodness Momo is not easily offended..."

"What do you mean by that?" Shoto said.

"If you're going to forget things like that, you'd better hope she's easygoing," Shine said, shaking her head, "I think you're perfect for each other, as far as any two people can be, anyway. We all have our rough edges."

"I don't think she does," Shoto said.

Shine laughed. "Well, don't look for it... Anyway, good luck on your date."

"Thanks. Same, I guess," Shoto said, not sure what else to say.

"Wait, he's finally going out with her?" Wally skidded into the room. "Oh, wow, congratulations, small grasshopper. You've finally grown up."

Shoto didn't get the joke. "Uh...thanks..."

"Now if Gloom and Doom would just date Miss Smiles, we'd be all set," Wally said.

"Speaking of Aizawa, he hasn't spoken to me since we got back," Shine said, "Think he took that whole thing personally?"

"The thing where you told him he couldn't help because of his doubt?" Wally said dryly, "Ya think he took that personally?"

"Yeah, it's weird, huh?" Shine said, just as dryly.

"Well, we'll worry about that later. Let's go," Wally said, a little nervously actually, "I have just the spot too."

He grabbed Shine's arm and led her out the door.

"Wally! I didn't have my shoes on yet--" Shoto heard her say before she grabbed them and yanked them on.

The two Americans had had a hard time adjusting to the no shoes indoors policy of the school, and Shine occasionally forgot hers were outside.

* * *

The beach was lovely this time of day. They kicked off their shoes. Hardly anyone else was around this part of it, too.

Shine needed this, honestly. She'd been way too stressed over the incident, she thought...and Ibara...but, until they contacted Kayla, she couldn't do anything about that. She was trying not to think about it.

Wally kept acting weirdly nervous though. Shine normally could read him as easily as everyone else, but she tended to be kind of clueless when it came to how he acted with her, so she was puzzled.

"Are you worried?" she asked.

"Uh...well, not really," Wally said, "I just don't want to mess this up, you know. I've never done it before."

"We've World Walked before..." Shine said, thoroughly confused now, "so...you mean being hidden like this? I mean, it is a lot, but I've gotten used to it by now."

"No, I meant...well, Shine, how long have we been dating?" Wally said.

Shine stopped walking. "Two years, 5 months, and...I think 10 days...counting the times in other worlds."

"Wow...you remembered it that clearly?" Wally had been going to say two years.

"I just think back to when we started because it was right after my birthday," Shine said.

"Right," Wally said. 

Shine got nervous now. "Why did you ask?"

"Well, it's a long time, right? I mean, the longest I've ever been in a relationship," Wally said.

Shine bit her lip. "Oh..." she said slowly.

"Yeah." Wally was trying to think how to get to the next step, but then Shine said in a low voice,

"You're not breaking up with me, are you?"

Wally was dumbstruck.

"What?" he sputtered.

"You're acting so uncomfortable, I started thinking it might be that," Shine said, hugging her sides, "I mean, I know, we haven't had the most alone time, and it's been a long time to date, and there are certain things we don't do, so--"

"Wait, you think I'm that shallow?" Wally interrupted, a little offended now.

"No," Shine said, "I don't. But I get it. It's a lot of difficult stuff to deal with. And I'm really focused on the job."

"Shine, I think you may have thought about this a little too hard," Wally said, incredulously, "Do you think of reasons I would dump you?"

"Is that not normal?" Shine said blankly.

Wally laughed nervously. "Uh...I don't really think so... If we're having problems maybe, but we haven't been fighting or anything."

"I know..." Shine tugged her hair. "I guess...it's just...a part of me still holds myself up to that standard... I'm sorry. What were you actually going to say, then? I ruined the moment."

"Shine, if you're that worried I'm going to dump you, I think we should really talk about this," Wally said, "I mean, why would I do that? Where am I gonna find another woman like you? What can I upgrade to after this? It's ridiculous."

Shine looked up. "Really?"

"Yeah, really... Don't I tell you that?"

"I know you do," Shine sighed, "Like I said...It's me, okay? I have issues."

Wally felt bad for her now--but not in an annoyed way. Maybe he should have started this differently, instead of freaking her out.

"Look, I'm sorry. That's not what I was nervous about at all, okay? So don't worry about it."

Shine smiled. "Then what was it?"

"Well, like I was saying it's been a while," Wally said, "so we know each other pretty well by now, right?"

Shine nodded.

"You'd say it's working out pretty good, right?" Wally said.

"Yeah, I'd say so," Shine said. Then she got a weird look. "Wait a minute..."

"So, I was thinking," Wally drew a deep breath to take the plunge, "we should just get married finally."

Shine's mouth dropped open.

Wally hoped that was a good sign.

Shine covered her face. "Are you serious?"

Wally figured this would be the time to pull out the ring, so he did. "Yeah, completely serious, for once."

Shine laughed nervously. "I...wow..."

"Are you gonna answer?" This was torture.

"Oh, did I not?" Shine sounded dazed. "Sorry, I was just getting embarrassed here because I thought--and then... I mean, yes, I think we should just get married, you're right."

"Oh, I forgot to get down on one knee," Wally said.

"That's fine. It's all sandy anyway," Shine said.

"No, I want to do this right." Wally got down. "There we go."

He put the ring on her hand.

Shine was grinning. "I can't believe--that's what you were buying the other day! Wow, how did I not think of that?"

"That? I just want to know why you thought I was going to dump you, silly woman." Wally stood back up and pulled her closer. "What were you thinking?"

"I don't know, but I've never been so embarrassed at being wrong. Why does this always happen around you?" Shine was beet red. "Sorry."

"Stop apologizing. At least you said yes!"

"I should have just let you get to the point."

"Shine!" Wally said, finally deciding to just kiss her to get her to stop talking.

It worked.

After a while of silence Shine said, "I can't believe you waited two whole days!"

"I was trying to let you rest!" Wally said.

"Right," Shine said, "So considerate... Well, it's true. I'm not sure I could have handled getting engaged on top of all that... Wait, this is going to be complicated, huh? Are you sure about this?"

"I'm getting tired of waiting," Wally said, "And hey, what's there to wait for? If you're not tired of me by now, then I think we're good."

"As if I could get tired of you!" Shine scoffed, "You know the whole problem is I think you're too good for me. I didn't think I'd get this far... I mean, you really want to marry me?"

"I think so," Wally said, "I mean, I could hit my head and change my mind... If that happens you have to make sure I fall for you all over again though, because I really don't want to go back to the way it was before."

"It was simpler though," Shine said.

"It was boring," Wally said, "and lonely."

"Yeah, yeah it was..." Shine stared at the horizon for a second. "I don't want to go back either... I guess you're stuck with me. then. I mean, no take-backsies now. We're going for life. You know I don't drop things once I commit to them."

"Yeah, sometimes to the point where I wonder if it's healthy, but in this case, I'm gonna take it as a good sign," Wally said, "Though I kind of thought you'd maybe hesitate. It's not easy being a superhero, after all...or being close to one, and it's not like I can promise you it'll be safe or normal or easy... I wish I could."

"No." Shine put a hand on his face gently. "I never expected things to be easy. That's fine with me. I need someone who understands that. That's why we're good together, you know that. I think if you can promise to put up with me constantly picking a fight with people over their issues, I can put up with you doing it over them trying to destroy the world. Deal?"

"Deal," Wally said, "Glad we got that out of the way... Want to get something to eat?"

"Oh, real romantic." Shine started laughing.

"But I was super romantic!" Wally protested, "But now I'm hungry!"

"Oh, right, fine, I'll humor you since that was really sweet," Shine said.

Wally picked her up over his shoulder just to mess with her.

"Hey! That's not a proper carry!" She pretended to kick him. 

"You said you were okay with it not being easy!" Wally said.

"Not what I meant!" Shine was still laughing too hard to really argue.

[Awww.....

This was so cute....

Awkward, but cute.

Finally, am I right? When I first wrote this fan fic, I felt like they'd been dating forever. I have a whole bunch of stories other than this one, after all. This is just one of my favorites.

Since I'm on the subject, what I really liked about their dynamic from the beginning of when it first came to me (I didn't plan it originally, but it just seemed to write itself into the story I was working on at the time) was that they share the same attitude toward helping people, giving people a second chance, and taking risks.

And though Shine is an OC, she was already like that when I wrote her into the DC world. I didn't make her that way just for that story. She's a character I created years ago now in order to write my World Walking fan fiction with a theme.

So she was like that, and when I wrote her and the Flash in the same story, I realized how similar they are in values and how compatible their personalities were, and I decided to ship it.

Long story short, it worked and even passed my sisters' approval, and they are way pickier than I am about things like that.

What I constantly like about their ship is it gives me a ways to show a healthy couple's dynamic---not perfect, but solid, without all the drama that anime character usually have involved. I get to write two mature people working through their issues with character and love.

It's always refreshing for me, since often the other characters in this story are really insecure and hostile even with the people around them, though I like them, but I just need some people to work with who are a bit more developed.

I think it works, so I was glad to finally bring it to a head here. Nice way to cap off this part of the story.

But more angst is coming soon, and I know y'all are here of it if you read this far, so stay tuned in.]