This OS can be read as part of my long-fic "Logical Ruse"

WARNING

There are hints of Hawks' plotline up to chapter 231, but you won't be able to catch them if you haven't read the manga, so you can proceed.

Although, if you are an anime-only watcher, you might not know who Hawks is ^^"

*

His crooked smirk, exactly how you remembered it, tilted like his head, to the side, with that shock of hair softly following the movement.

«I would prefer for you not to call, from now on.»

«What?»

The golden light of the dusk soaked the background behind him.

He spoke carelessly, as he always did.

A deep wrinkle cut between your eyebrows until your forehead became sore.

He turned and you couldn't bring yourself to follow, to stop him, frozen in place.

His arm lazily rose as a last greeting against the dying sun.

The nightmare woke you up with a startle and you gasped, instinctively rising on your four and facing the sweat-soaked pillow.

«What the...?»

You didn't quite catch what scared you.

It was a sad memory, yes, fairly recent also, but didn't bear anything frightening in itself.

And yet there was that dark shadow, right at the end of the dream, otherwise so painfully bright. Almost too quick to catch with your eyes, but in a second it became huge enough to engulf him and the path ahead.

A coarse groan left your throat as you rubbed a hand on your tired eyes.

I thought I had enough nightmares for a single life. Turns out I was wrong, huh?

A soft rustle behind you awakened your hero reflexes and you swiftly rolled among the sheets, gaining the floor and crouching down like a cat ready to attack.

Your hand had already passed on the nightstand, grabbing the dark shades and holding them in front of your eyes to shield them.

There was a big shadow at your window, and the figure in the night almost cut the breath in your lungs.

Until the image came to focus.

«Yo.»

There it was, that careless smile, eyes closed, his palm in the air to greet you and his baggy aviator costume relaxed on your windowsill.

«For fuck's sake!» you growled, standing.

«[Y/n], it's been a while. Can I open my eyes or–»

«HAWKS, YOU IDIOT!» you yelled, adjusting the shades on your face and pulling the window open «YOU SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME!»

Your outburst almost knocked him beyond the windowsill, not that it would have been any problem at all given his wings, but he still stumbled and grabbed the shutters to maintain his balance.

«Sorry, sorry.» he laughed immediately after, finally lifting his eyelids «So, how you doing?»

The impulse of knocking him out with a punch straight in that irreverent smirk made your hands burn, but you forced yourself to inhale deeply and let the moment pass.

«Do you really think it's okay to be so casual, after the last time?»

«Yeah, sorry about that.» he shrugged, landing inside the room.

You grunted, crossing your arms and letting yourself go against the cold wall.

«It's the second time you apologize in the thirty seconds you're here.»

Hawks chuckled, shoving his hands in his pockets and tilting his head to look at you.

«And what's new about that?»

You stared at him for a few seconds, scanning his expression for a wrinkle, a shadow, a sign that could tell you what happened to him.

He probably sensed it, though, because he quickly turned.

You sighed.

«Hawks, what's going on?»

«Oi, do you have some curry udon? I really feel like curry udon right now!» he chimed, heading for the kitchen.

You choked a curse down your throat and followed him, just to find him ravaging your fridge already.

«I don't have any carry udon.»

«Of course you don't. You're a terrible cook.»

«Then go eat somewhere else!»

The blond hummed, apparently undecided between some cereals and a chips pack.

«No, I prefer to eat here.» he finally said, opting for the cereals.

You watched him going though your cupboards looking for a bowl, then filling it with milk.

«That's barely a meal.» you observed, quirking your eyebrow.

He grinned.

«Shall we watch some TV~?»

«It's three in the morning.»

«So~?»

Hawks happily migrated in the living room, soon plopping down the couch with his cereals and grabbing the remote.

Once again, you found yourself following him, stopping at the door of the room.

«I work tomorrow.»

«Oh, yeeeeah.» he mumbled, eyes already glued to some late night comedy replica «You're a U.A. teacher now. Congratulations!»

You frowned.

«It don't really sound like you mean it.»

«Aaah, [Y/n]. Always thinking lowly of me.»

You let out a sigh (the twentieth) and finally walked to sit beside him.

For several minutes you watched the TV quietly, if you excluded Hawks' occasional bursts of laughter at the gags.

You sat just a few inches from him, so close you could feel the warmth of his body and the vibration of his laughter, buried in the uncomfortable feeling squirming in your chest.

He asked you to leave him alone, and here he was, six months later, eating cereals and watching soap opera on your couch.

«[Y/n]?»

His call brought you back to reality and you blinked.

«Oh?»

«Lend me your legs.»

«Wha–»

Before you could even reply, Hawks' head dropped on your lap, his cheeks resting on your bare thighs, since you were only wearing pyjama shorts.

«Oi!» you blurted, hitting his nape, but not too harshly.

He huffed, pouting for a second, before smiling again at the TV.

«What? It's much more comfortable like this.» he said, leaning the empty bowl on the floor.

«You're always the same cheeky shit, aren't you?»

«Cuddle me?»

«No.»

«Cuddle meeeee!»

You scoffed, but soon enough your fingers dived into his bushy hair, your nails lightly scratching his scalp.

Hawks let out a groan of pleasure, resting contently on you.

Breaking news

SIDEKICKS OF BEAST JEANIST INTERVIEWED

THE PRO HERO THAT VANISHED RIGHT BEFORE HIS COMEBACK

Your eyes darted on the screen.

Images of Beast Jeanist's sidekicks flowed one after the other, all of them talking about how they didn't have a clue and they couldn't explain his disappearance.

«[Y/n].»

Hawk's low voice made your heart miss a beat and your gaze shifted to him.

He was watching as well, but he had lost his careless smile completely.

His face was now serious, his sharp eyes cold as ice.

A shiver ran down your spine.

«Yes?»

The blond stayed quiet for a few seconds then rolled on his back, facing you.

His hair tickled your skin and his hand rose, hovering inches from your naked shoulder before grabbing a lock of yours, twisting it between his fingers.

«Do you remember the reason why I became a pro hero?»

You frowned.

«You wanted for heroes to have so much free time they wouldn't know what to do with it.»

A distant smirk played at the corner of his lips.

«Correct.» he nodded «And how far do you think one could go to achieve his goals?»

Your frown deepened a little.

«Why are you asking me this?»

«No reason. I'm just curious of your opinion.»

«I think as far as it takes. As long as you don't hurt other people in the process.» your fingers stretched among his hair «But I know you wouldn't hurt anybody. Hawks, is this because you're worried about Best Jeanist? You two know each other, right?»

His expression didn't change but he didn't reply either.

He let go of your hair and his hand slowly drew closer to your face. You grabbed it before he could touch your shades.

«Don't.»

Hawks pouted.

«Don't you ever wonder how it's like to look at someone in the eyes? Like, really in the eyes?»

«I've told you many times before. You'll be brain-dead before you realize it.»

«Maybe I won't.»

«Well, I'm not going to take the risk.»

He rolled his eyes but dropped his hand.

«You'll never gonna get a boyfriend, at this rate.»

«Pity.»

The blond finally lifted himself up with a chuckle, leaning against the seatback beside you.

«Isn't there a guy that can erase quirks at U.A.? Maybe you should hang out with him.»

You shook your head and lay down, resting your legs on his lap, this time.

He raised an amused eyebrow.

«What are you doing?»

«Sleeping.» you replied «And you better sleep too, because tomorrow morning you're going to tell me what the hell is going on with you.»

Hawks watched you huddling among the pillow and probably closing your eyes.

A faint smile decorated his lips.

«...sure.»

The pro hero was crouched right in front of you, and this time you could not stop his hand before he took the shades away from your face with a light movement.

A stray lock fell over your sleeping expression and he moved it behind your ear, careful not to wake you up.

«You want to know why I pushed you away, and yet you never asked.» he whispered, contemplating your face.

A smirk, bitter this time, curled his mouth as his hand ran to rub his forehead harshly.

«The reason is that I can't stand your damn expression every time you look at me. You always look so trusting, and pure, and so. Fucking. Proud.»

A grimace traversed his features, but only for a second.

«...which is ironic, if you consider that I've never really seen your eyes.»

He let the shades on the armrest and stood, his gaze still on you.

«You've always been my light, [Y/n].»

After a last glance, Hawks turned, walking to the door and closing it behind him.

«But there's no light where I'm heading to.»