Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami -

Fumikage stared down at the mark on his wrist in absolute awe. The crescent moon, surrounded by delicate little stars and swooping swirls were all a dark red, nearly black, and spanned his entire wrist and progressed to half way up his forearm. 

It was the most beautiful soulmark he had ever seen. 

His pale fingers trailed over it again and again, memorizing every line and taking in the way the color shifted in the light. He was sitting in the common area, which was probably the worst place to be examining his new mark, but the sunlight had caught it just right and there was no way he could pull his eyes away from it now. 

“It’s beautiful.” A voice said and Fumikage immediately pulled his wrist against his chest and glared and whomever dared to trespass upon him in a private moment. 

“Midoriya.” He breathed out a sigh of relief and forced himself to relax. The beta was one of his best friends, trustworthy and least likely of all the students to heckle him over the new mark painted across his skin. “I was just-”

“Happy Birthday.” Midoriya smiled and sat down in the chair across from the one Fumikage was curled up in, a black fleece blanket over his lap while a B-rated horror film played on the TV. 

Green eyes flicked down to Fumikage’s wrist, which was still angled to keep the beta from being able to see the mark fully. “Do you know who it’s match belongs to, or are you just admiring the beauty of it?”

“I have no idea on whom the duplicate resides.” Fumikage replied. 

“He does.” Dark Shadow disagreed, followed by a sneaky, overjoyed laugh that made Fumikage snap his beak in the direction of the purple spirit next to his head. “Snap at me all you like, I won’t lie on your behalf, Fumi.”

“Then remain silent .”

“Izuku is my friend too. You can’t hog him just because you’re being angsty.” Holes in the purple energy that worked as eyes turned to Fumikage and the pair stared at each other in silence, a silent battle of wills that not even Fumikage’s decreased blink reflex, could allow him to win. 

“Yes, I know.” He sighed and turned to Midoriya who was hiding a smile behind a scarred hand, his eyes bright with amusement as they flicked back and forth between Fumikage and Dark Shadow. 

“Why are you being angsty about it? Are you and your soulmate enemies? Are you friends?” The beta seemed far too enthused by this. He was nearly sitting on the end of his seat, knee bouncing up and down excitedly. 

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Okay. Cool. We won’t talk about it.” Midoriya raised his hands in surrender and settled back into the chair and with a small smile. “But if you change your mind, let me know. Is it okay if I watch this with you?” He pointed to the movie and Fumikage nodded in assent. 

- Talk to him - 

Dark Shadow’s voice drifted through his mind, echoing through his thoughts and making it impossible to concentrate on anything else. Not even his new inner omega could take over his mind so completely. 

- No -

- He is familiar with complicated soulmate relationships. Do you not remember that he is in a pack of seven people? One of which is our teacher? Our teacher that rejected them? If anyone is going to understand, it’s him, Fumi.- 

Dark Shadow may have had a small point. Very Small. Microscopic, even. 

Midoriya may very well have experience with complicated soulmate bonds, but that did not mean that he had to talk to him about this. About the pain and heartache that Fumikage knew he was about to receive. 

- You’re scared he’ll give you the same advice I did. -

That was insane. He was not scared. He wanted this to be private. He wanted to take time to fully consider his options. 

- All the more reason to talk to him and see if he has another option you haven’t considered. So you can make the best decision for us. Fumi, it’s not just you in this bond. It’s me too. Please listen to what our friend has to say, for me? - 

The damned spirit played dirty. He knew that Fumikage was weak to pleading. 

“They’re older than me.” Fumikage said a few moments later, his eyes not leaving the television screen. “My soulmate is older than me. I don’t know if they’re mated to anyone else. I only know them.”

And that was what Fumikage was really scared of, wasn’t it? That his soulmate already had a pack? That they didn’t need a sixteen year old coming into their pack and ruining it all?

“Oh.” Midoriya squeaked and turned to face Fumikage with the same excited smile he always wore. “Well you don’t know until you ask.”

- Told you - 

- Shut up -

“And if I ask and they tell me that they have a pack that is already complete? That another soulmate is not required or wanted?” Fumikage did not meet Midoriya’s eyes. Could not. While he could not cry, his eyes could get glassy and wet and make it very well known that he was overwhelmed with emotions. He would not let his friend see him like that. 

Midoriya released a sigh that Fumikage had never heard from him before; gone was the excited hero and there was a realistic young man that knew the world didn’t always work the way we wanted it to. 

“Then it fucking hurts.” Midoriya said softly and Fumikage felt his eyes widen and bulge as his head whipped around to face the beta. 

Had he just cursed?

- He’s mated to Bakugou. -

Fair.

“It’ll suck, Tokoyami. You’ll cry and scream and probably need to punch something. But you’ve got friends that will always be here for you and we’ll let you vent and scream. We’ll train with you until your hands bleed. If you want, we might even be convinced to vandalize some property as payback for hurting our dear friend.” Midoriya smiled at him and Fumikage felt his head instinctually tilting to the side to better inspect him. 

He had not expected such violence from the other student. 

“But in reality, Tokoyami . People don’t usually reject their soulmates. It’s very rare. The only reason we all think it’s common is because it’s used as a plot device in movies and romance novels. Statistically speaking, it is very unlikely that your soulmate will reject you outright.”

“Where have you gotten these statistics?” Fumikage asked. “I would very much like your source.”

“We don’t need your source, Izuku. We trust you.” Dark Shadow sighed like Fumikage was the most socially inept person he had ever met. Which was completely uncalled for. 

Midoriya smiled and pulled out his cellphone before leaning back in his seat and bending his knees to bring his feet up and underneath him. “Give me a sec.” He typed away at the screen for a few moments before a vibration from his pocket drew Fumikage’s attention. 

Hesitantly, he extracted his own phone and noted the text from Midoriya that contained several links to journal archives. 

“That’s just a little of what I found when I was first researching soulmate bonds.” Midoriya explained. “It might put your mind at ease to read a little of it. But I promise I’m not exaggerating when I say it’s rare. Not to mean that some people don’t decide to postpone relationships or go their separate ways or even form two or three separate packs instead of one. But outright rejection? Super rare.”

“Thank you.” Fumikage whispered, his fingers already clicking on the links to bring up the articles into separate browser tabs. “This might help settle some of my fears.”

“Can I offer one other piece of advice? Just as a friend to another friend?” Midoriya asked and Fumikage nodded while slipping his phone away. “Hiding things? Keeping secrets? Lying? All of it is poison to relationships. Whoever your soulmate is, they’re obviously close to you and are obviously someone you care about very much. Trying to keep this important piece of information from them will do harm, not only to your friendship, but to any possibility of anything further.”

“Which is what I told you.” Dark Shadow said with a huff and a little nod of his head. His eyes widened and he turned to Fumikage like he couldn’t believe that he had said that. “That was supposed to be an inside thought.”

Midoriya, to his credit, just laughed, having become used to Dark Shadow’s slip ups here and there. It made life very difficult. Growing up, if Fumikage thought a girl was pretty? Or a boy? Dark Shadow would agree with him and verbalize it instead of keeping the conversation between the two of them. 

Fumikage nodded in understanding, beak clacking together softly as he considered Midoriya’s words. 

“Last question. Do I know them?” Midoriya asked and he couldn’t think of any good reason to keep the information from his friend who had just given him so much good advice. 

“Of them, probably.”

“Oh, a hero then.” Midoriya said to himself with a little nod. “I won’t think too much about it and ruin your surprise, but I’m glad it’s a hero. No decent hero would break your heart.” 

The beta unfurled his legs and nodded to Fumikage before giving him a little wave and a whispered promise of, “See ya later, Tokoyami and Dark Shadow.”

Fumikage returned the wave and sighed, eyes going glassy as he went back to watching his movie. 

He really hoped Midoriya was right. 

- Later That Night - 

The view from the roof of the high rise Fumikage was perched on, was breathtaking. He was high above the bustling town, the lights from car headlights and apartment windows lighting up the night like stars. He was sitting on the edge of the building, not the least bit concerned by the height or the danger of falling. 

- What if he doesn’t come? -

- Then we find him in his office and raise hell -

The thinly veiled anger from Dark Shadow made Fumikage chuckle. It was always a bit of a risk to be out at night, in the darkness without a direct light source to keep Dark Shadow under control. But recently, the spirit had been tame and agreeable, though occasional episodes of darkness and violence poked through their connection as a reminder that left unchecked, the spirit would be happy to unleash chaos on the world. 

Up so high, the wind ruffling his feathers and blowing his cloak around him, made it difficult to pick up the soft crunch of boots on gravel until the footsteps were directly behind him. It was a familiar sound, something he had listened to countless times, the steady rhythm of the footfalls never failing to make his heart race in excitement. 

- You love him - 

- You love him - 

- Yes. I’ve never kept that a secret. - 

And it was true. Dark Shadow had been vocal about his attachment to the hero. Had waxed poetic about him for ages, despite Fumikage’s pleas for mercy. Dark Shadow had no need for sleep, but Fumikage certainly did. Something that was made incredibly difficult with the spirit whispering about blonde hair and golden eyes throughout the night. 

“Little past your bedtime, isn’t it Tokoyami?” Hawks asked as he settled himself down next to Fumikage. He was so close their thighs brushed together and the simmering omega thoughts bubbled over, becoming a whirlwind of:

Alpha. Mate. Mine. 

His scent attacked Fumikage’s nose. It captivated his mind and had him leaning toward the pine and honey scent like a starving man scenting food for the first time. 

He knew that Hawks used chemical scent neutralizers; a medication that would dull a person’s sense of smell to nearly the same level as an unpresented teenager’s. It was uncommon for alphas to use them, since it was usually betas that become overwhelmed, but Fumikage had never asked about it other than to inquire about the tablets that Hawks washed down with every meal. 

Fumikage wondered if his own scent would ever enrapture Hawks. He wondered if the hero could get even the barest whisper of it through the medication. 

“You okay, kid?” Hawks asked softly, leaning his body in closer and Fumikage looked up to find concerned eyes and a wide smile directed down at him. 

Hells, he was pretty. 

- He was rated the sexiest male hero of the year, twice.- 

-Shut up. - 

-I know you didn’t buy the magazine with the photoshoot images, just for me. - 

A distressed trill left him and his eyes widened as he blinked up at Hawks’ increasingly worried expression. Anyone else wouldn’t have realized what the sound meant. But Hawks was like him, a bird heteromorph that was prone to making his own non-human noises at inopportune times. 

“It’s your birthday today. Right?” Hawks whispered, his eyes flicking over Fumikage’s face as though trying to figure out if something dramatic had changed. “Did something happen? Are you okay? What can I do for you to make it better?”

Good Alpha  

The inner omega voice sounded so different from Dark Shadow. It was needier, hungrier, and sounded almost breathy in Fumikage’s brain.  

Wonderful, he had multiple voices in his head. No reason to worry. 

“I’m fine.” Fumikage finally answered. “I promise, I’m fine.”

“Physically.” Dark Shadow huffed and he snapped his head to the side to glare at the spirit. He had promised that Fumikage could explain and handle this conversation. He was the one in control here. 

Dark Shadow did not make eye contact with Fumikage, instead, he shrank down and hid himself at the back of Fumikage’s neck like the cowardly creature of darkness he truly was. 

“What does he mean?” Strong hands moved up to cup the sides of Fumikage’s face, smoothing over his feathers, over his head and down his neck as though trying to find something wrong, despite being told there were no wounds to discover. “Talk to me.” Hawks pleaded and his eyes were so wide and pleading, liquid gold irises staring directly into Fumikage’s soul, that he knew in an instant that there was no way he was ever going to be able to keep a secret from this man. 

Instead of answering, he reached up with his right hand and gripped Hawks’ right wrist. The fingers in his feathers immediately released him and allowed Fumikage to bring their forearms out in front of them. The angle allowed for the streetlights to illuminate their skin and glint over the matching red markings. 

It took Hawks a moment to realize what Fumikage was doing. He still had his eyes zeroed in on the omega’s face and it took a gentle nod of his head downward to get the hero’s attention where Fumikage wanted it. 

He knew when Hawks realized what he was looking at. He felt the way the alpha tensed, how he breathed in and refused to let it out again. 

- I won’t be able to handle it if he rejects me -

Dark Shadow didn’t respond, but there was a vaguely warm feeling that built behind his sternum, which he had come to recognize as Dark Shadow trying to comfort him. 

“I’m so sorry.” Hawks whispered, his tone almost awed . Famikage jumped as soft fingers brushed over the mark, tracing along the delicate swirls and over the large moon. Every touch made a shiver of pleasure race down his spine, a similar sensation to when someone helped groom his feathers. It was wonderful. 

The contrast between Hawks’ words and the sensation was enough to take his breath away. 

“What do you mean by ‘sorry’?” Dark Shadow growled, bolting out from behind Fumikage’s neck and growing until the spirit was a giant head, nearly the size of a fully grown adult. “Are we not good enough for you? Are you rejecting us?”

A few months ago, the sight of Dark Shadow growing so large and being so obviously angry, would have frightened Fumikage. He would have been terrified of the spirit taking control of him and causing mayhem. 

But now? Now he knew that they were a team. Neither would override the other. 

Hawks however, looked terrified. Not necessarily at the massive spirit glaring down at him, though. His golden eyes widened and he whipped his head between Fumikage and Dark Shadow as his hands waved in front of himself frantically. 

“No!” Hawks exclaimed. “Nothing like that. I’d never reject you. Never. I’m just sorry because I’m not a very good alpha. You both deserve so much better than me.”

“There is no one better than you.” Fumikage said softly, his hand reaching out for Hawks’ fingers. “You’re perfect.”

Hawks was brave and strong and handsome and kind and funny and flirty and smart and all of the things that Fumikage wanted in a mate. To him, the hero was perfect, no matter what the self-depreciating little laugh that Hawks huffed out, tried to imply. 

“I’m so far from perfect, it’s laughable. Fumikage, I would never reject you. But I also wouldn’t hold you back from leaving once you realize how bad of a mate I really am.”

“You can’t know that.” Dark Shadow said softly, shrinking down to his more usual size. He moved forward and pressed his purple outline along Hawks’ side to comfort the hero, seeming to nuzzle into his shoulder. 

“I do.” Hawks clutched at Fumikage’s hand, his grip bordering on painful as a look of pure anguish settled on his handsome face. He never wanted his alpha to feel like this. It hurt him to see it, made his insides ache and his eyes mist over. 

He trilled softly and rubbed the side of his face against Hawk’s forehead, as close to a kiss as he could manage without lips. 

“You’re a good mate.” He told him. “Who in their right mind would say otherwise?”

“My pack.” Hawks answered and Fumikage felt his mouth go dry in an instant. A pack? Okay. He knew this was a possibility. But Hawks had already said that he wouldn’t reject him. So this was good news right?

- A pack means more love. A larger family. A bigger flock - 

Dark Shadow sounded endlessly pleased in Fumikage’s mind and he was in agreement. The only issue with Hawks having a pack would have been if he was rejected because of it. This was a great thing. 

“You have a pack.” Fumikage breathed and could feel his body trembling excitedly as he met Hawks’ grief filled eyes. 

“Not anymore.” Hawks whispered and the words were like fireworks exploding in the air around them. Loud, surprising, and breathtaking. 

- Not anymore? - 

“What do you mean?” That didn’t make sense. Who would reject Hawks? Perfect, beautiful, amazing, Hawks?

Tears seeped out of Hawks’ eyes, trailing down his cheeks as he let out the most heartbreaking, screeching sob that the omega had ever heard. 

“I killed them, Fumikage. They were mine and I killed them.”

~Touya Todoroki  -  January 18th - 7 years ago~

Touya was sitting across the table from his best friend and to his side, was the most beautiful omega that Touya had ever seen, let alone been blessed enough to know. Turning sixteen had been exciting and nerve wracking all at once, but knowing who his soul mate was immediately upon waking up? Nothing would ever be better than that. There would never be a better feeling than looking down at his wrist and knowing in an instant that he was the luckiest man alive. 

He could feel his cheeks aching as he smiled down at Hikari, taking in his fluffy white hair speckled through with strands of black and large yellow eyes that stared right back up at Touya like he was the center of his omega’s entire world. 

“We’re mated.” Touya whispered, pulling his eyes away from his soulmate to look over at the golden gaze of his best friend. “That’s not going to make things weird between the three of us, right?”

The three of them had been inseparable since their first year here. They ate every meal together, studied together, even spent their breaks together. Touya didn’t want that to change now, not over something like this. 

“Of course not.” Keigo told him gently with a wide, glittering smile that would never fail to make Touya’s heart flutter. “I’m happy for you both.”

“And we’ll still help you find your soulmate too.” Hikari promised with a wild nod of his head. “As soon as you feel comfortable showing us your mark we’ll start scouring the world for them.”

Touya didn’t miss the way that Keigo’s smile faltered and his eyes lost their shine for just a moment before he seemed to slide the mask right back on. He knew that his friend had a difficult relationship with soulmates. His parents had been a small pack of two betas and the toxic relationship they formed boiled over into an equally toxic home life for Keigo. 

But once he found his own mate he’d realize what Touya had been taught his entire life. Soulmates were sacred and were to be treasured.

“Thanks Kari, when I’m ready, I’ll let you know.” Keigo presented both of them with another wide smile and turned his attention back to the lunch tray in front him. Touya looked down as well, but his attention was solely focused on the brand new mark on his forearm. 

The dark red crescent moon surrounded by stars and artistic little swirls.

 It was the most beautiful thing Touya had ever seen. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami- 

Fumikage still felt numb all over. Hawks’ words replayed in his mind over and over again. 

“I killed them.” “I killed them.” “I killed them.”

Hawks had offered to fly the pair of them back to his apartment to sit and talk and maybe it said something about Fumikage that he readily agreed despite hearing that his soulmate believed he had killed his previous pack. 

- To be fair, he wouldn’t kill us.-

- Ten minutes ago, I would have said he wouldn’t kill anyone. - 

- I mean he couldn’t kill us, Fumi. We have him outnumbered. 2 to 1 in our favor.-

-We’re the same person. -

-Are conjoined twins the same person? We’ve had this discussion. Two consciousnesses, means two people. Respect my anonymity. - 

- I apologize for my callus oversight.-

-Forgiven.-

“It’s super weird when you two do that.” Hawks said conversationally as they landed on the balcony of a penthouse apartment. “Like I can tell you’re both having a silent conversation, but I can’t hear it and I’m forced to just watch your facial expressions. I’m guessing you’re trying to determine the likelihood that I’ve lured you to my lair to murder you?”

“That’s correct.” Fumikage agreed and stepped away from Hawks, though every fiber of his being begged to press himself against the hero again and request that Hawks wrap his arms around him. 

“Would it make you feel better if I said that I panicked and my words came out much worse than I intended?” Hawks sent him a wide smile, the same one he used to politely divert reporter questions back on track. “I didn’t actually kill my pack. I know that but-” A shaky hand came up to brush through his blonde hair and he twirled around in place until he was facing the sliding glass door that was covered in a variety of reflective vinyl stickers. 

Like the ones people used to prevent birds from running into their windows. 

“Lets go inside where it’s warm. I’ll put the fireplace on and we can sit down and chat. If we’re going to talk about this, I will also need a drink.”

“Aren’t you on patrol?” Dark Shadow asked, sounding every bit as disapproving as Aizawa. 

“Not anymore. But good catch. A+ observation skills. I’ll put that on your report.” Hawks’ face turned ashen in a moment and Fumikage panicked, thinking the hero was about to take a tumble off the balcony. He reached out and gripped Hawks by the shoulders and kept him steady, until his color finally returned.  “Shit. I’m technically your teacher. This is gonna be so fucking complicated…come on. Drink .”

Hawks walked off into the apartment, his gait a little unsteady and forcing him to grip at passing furniture. Fumikage followed silently, watching his alpha with wide, unblinking eyes and tracking his every movement like he was afraid that the other man would run away or fall or do something stupid. 

- You just like watching him, Fumi.-

-Shut up. Now is not the time to be having impure thoughts.-

-You’re always having impure thoughts with him around.-

- Dark Shadow! We are in his home . Stop that.-

-I don’t see the harm. He can’t hear us. We’re not being impolite or… wait, is that his nest over there?-

Fumikage snapped his attention to the side of the large studio apartment and felt his skin starting to heat up when he laid eyes on the object of Dark Shadow’s fascination. Yes. That was absolutely Hawks’ bed. And yes, it was absolutely piled high with pillows and soft blankets and arranged into the perfect nest. It was slightly rumpled, suggesting that it was actually used for sleeping and not just for-

- No impure thoughts, Fumi. - 

“If the two of you keep doing that, you’re going to give a guy a complex.” Hawks’ voice rang out, dragging Fumikage’s attention back to the alpha on the other side of the apartment. 

While he and Dark Shadow had been having their silent conversation, the hero had lit the large fireplace in front of the sitting area and was now standing awkwardly next to the bar near the large windows overlooking the city. In his hand was a crystal glass filled with amber liquid and his golden eyes were locked on Fumikage like a predator staring at a meal. 

- He’s a raptor.-

Fumikage hadn’t considered that before. He was a raven heteromorph as far as he could tell but Hawks was…well he was a hawk and hawks occasionally preyed on smaller birds…like ravens. He didn’t think Hawks would actually harm him but instincts were odd and could manifest in the most unusual of ways in heteromorphs. 

“Maybe instead of eating you, he just wants to eat you .”

Fumikage didn’t understand the difference. 

Hawks snorted and Fumikage’s eyes widened as he stared at his mate’s smiling face; horrifying realization hitting him all at once. Dark Shadow had said that out loud. 

Darkness swallow him whole . He would not survive this. 

“If it makes you feel better, I don’t want to eat you at all.” Hawks laughed softly and stepped forward in the direction of the brown leather couch in front of the fireplace. “And I’m flattered that you and Dark Shadow are apparently talking about me . All good things I hope? Admiring my feathers? Does my hair looks nicer than usual? The dark circles under my eyes have-”

“You have a nice nest.” Fumikage cut him off, desperate to have his alpha stop. Because now that he’d mentioned it, Hawks’ feathers were shiny and the most perfect shade of red. His hair was perfectly tousled and golden and the dark circles under his eyes had finally faded and he looked so young and bea- “We were talking about the nest.”

“Which led to thoughts of me eating you?” Hawks’ smile widened, becoming brilliantly bright and Fumikage felt hypnotized by it and was unable to look away. “Naughty boy.”

That honeyed voice, smooth and soothing as it traveled down Fumikage’s spine, made everything inside of him ache. Was this his own reaction? Dark Shadow’s? His omega’s? 

- All three probably-

He slammed his eyes shut and tried to breathe through these sudden and overwhelming feelings. He was here to talk with Hawks. To figure out what he meant when he said he killed his mates. That was the mission here; not devolving into a mess of hormones and instincts. He was better than this.

A handful of moments passed, the only sound in the apartment being the crackling of the flames and the tinkle of ice hitting the side of Hawks’ glass. When he opened his eyes, Hawks was sitting on the couch, his feet pulled up under him as he stared into the fireplace. 

Fumikage stepped toward him, his eyes flicking over the seating options before making the decision to sit down right next to his mate, their bodies just a few inches apart. He didn’t miss the way that Hawks smiled at that and turned toward him with a glimmer in his golden eyes like he was looking at something incredible. 

“I’m sorry I panicked on the rooftop and I’m sorry if I scared you.” Hawks whispered, his features softening as his gaze traveled over every inch of Fumikage’s face. “This is a little bit overwhelming.”

“I understand. You don’t have to apologize.” Because hadn’t Fumikage panicked as well? He had been considering lying to Hawks, to his friend because he was so scared. He can forgive someone else for being overwhelmed by similar emotions. 

Hawks nodded and took a large gulp of his drink, his eyes darting back to the fireplace. Fumikage watched the orange and yellow lights dance across his mate’s face, a face that was pensive and tense, like Hawks was thinking very hard about something very serious. 

It wasn’t a look he was used to seeing on the carefree hero. He was usually all smiles and grins and innuendos. It was more than odd to see him so reserved. 

“I can’t tell you the whole story.” Hawks sighed after what felt like a lifetime. “I’ve never told anyone the whole story at once. You’ll have to be patient with me.”

Fumikage nodded. For Hawks, he would do or be anything he needed. He’d take whatever his alpha could give him and be satisfied. 

Hawks took another gulp of his drink, nearly draining the glass and Fumikage watched intently as that pale throat bobbed with the movement. He wondered what it would feel like to lick over the blonde stubble or run the side of his beak over the soft skin. 

- What’s that?-

Oblivion.  

Fumikage’s eyes widened and he tried to scoot away from Hawks as fast as he could, before the alpha would realize that he was leaking slick. And not even for a good reason. He’d just been looking at his neck . Who in their right mind became aroused by that?

“Pretty sure I could smell that from anywhere in the apartment.” Hawks chucked and turned his head to look over at Fumikage, who was now pressed against the opposite arm rest, as far as he could get from Hawks while sitting on the same couch. “Thankfully, the couch is waterproof and easily cleaned.”

Was it possible to die of embarrassment? Because Fumikage absolutely felt like he was going to explode from the overwhelming emotions surging through him. He’d leave little black feathers all over Hawks’ beautiful apartment. 

As impossible as it seemed, Fumikage could feel Dark Shadow roll his eyes in annoyance with him. 

“Is my trauma arousing for you?” Hawks continued to tease, a bright smile focused on Fumikage. He even went so far as to lean toward the omega ever so slightly and Fumikage made a terrified “squawk” at the movement and very nearly launched himself over the armrest. 

“I am a victim of my hormones and new secondary gender.” Fumikage said frantically, desperate for the alpha to stay on his end of the couch. “I apologize for any offense.”

Hawks’ lips thinned and his eyes widened impressively as he fought back the urge to laugh. He nodded his head in understanding and leaned back with a long, shaky exhale. “You’re endlessly amusing.”

He was amused by Fumikage’s internal struggles?  

- He thinks you’re cute, Fumi. Embrace it. Use it to your advantage.-

- You’re the worst influence - 

- I know - 

And darkness below, Dark Shadow did not need to sound so incredibly proud of that fact. 

“I’m sorry.” Hawks said after an uncomfortably long period of silence while Fumikage was at a complete loss as to what to say. “I shouldn’t flirt with you before we’ve really talked. Flirting is my primary communication type and I don’t usually mean anything by it. But with you, I absolutely mean something by it, and I shouldn’t have said that. I am going to shut up now.” 

Hawks was staring at the fireplace still, like he was unable or unwilling to look at Fumikage. He also had his body pressed so close to the arm of the couch, that the pair of them were as far apart as they physically could be without one of them getting up and moving to another seat. 

“You can flirt with me.” Fumikage whispered and ignored the little silent cheer that Dark Shadow let out in his brain. “I don’t fully understand the process of it or why you’d want to. But I don’t mind.”

“He actually likes it a lot.” Dark Shadow tagged on and Fumikage couldn’t even bring himself to be annoyed. His other half was going to embarrass him at every turn, he should just get used to it. 

Hawks tilted his head toward them, his lips pulled up in a smile and his eyes crinkling softly in the corners. “Noted.” He said softly and Fumikage watched as his body relaxed away from the armrest, allowing him to be just the tiniest bit closer to the omega. “But we were talking about what I said, right?”

Fumikage just nodded silently, unable to verbalize a reply that would be enough.

Hawks’ eyes closed and he bit at his lips as they twisted up, down, and around his face, like trying to beat them into submission and make them say the words he wanted. Fumikage watched intently, so unaccustomed to the movement.

“I met my soulmates when we were both 16 in hero training. I made the decision to focus on school and my career and wanted to wait to start a relationship until we were older.” Hawks started, and Fumikage was tempted to respond that this was reasonable. To tell Hawks that he certainly wasn’t the only young person to make a decision like that. 

- Don’t. He’s uncomfortable. Let him talk until he stops. If you interrupt him, he might not finish. - 

He could admit that sometimes, Dark Shadow made sense. 

So instead he listened. 

“They misunderstood. They thought I rejected them completely.”

Fumikage was frozen, eyes wide and unblinking as he stared at his friend and mentor. With every word he spoke, he seemed to shrink, curling in on himself like he was trying to protect his softest area from an incoming attack. His knees had drawn up to his chest, giving him a place to rest his chin as he looked only at the fireplace in front of him. 

“They killed themselves, Tokoyami. Both of them took their own lives because of me. I don’t even remember what I said, I think I blocked it out of my brain. But I know whatever it was must have been horrible and cruel to drive them to that.”

Tears reflected the light of the fireplace, trailing down Hawks’ cheeks like liquid gold. 

Fumikage didn’t know when he started sliding across the couch toward Hawks, but once he saw the tears dropping down Hawks’ skin, there was only a few inches between them. He closed the gap and pressed his body along the side of Hawks’, his brain still processing his alpha’s words.

“So that’s what I meant when I said I killed them.”

Hawks turned, finally looking away from the fireplace to look into Fumikage’s eyes. 

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something like that happened to you.”

He was struck speechless. What was there to say to something like that? What words could Fumikage say that would soothe a wound so great? 

As he processed it, he leaned forward and pressed his forehead against his alpha’s, breathing in the muted scent that was far too distant for Fumikage’s liking. But it was Hawks and it was home. 

“It’s not your fault.” He finally whispered, needing to say it, even if it did nothing to help. “I promise that no matter what you say to me or do to me, there is nothing that you could do to force me to harm myself. You couldn’t force anyone to do that. Not unless you have a quirk I don’t know about.”

Hawks huffed out a soft, watery laugh, his eyes staring so intently into Fumikage’s that it took everything inside of him to keep from breaking the contact and looking anywhere else. It felt like he was falling into the abyss and being devoured by a black hole. But it didn’t feel bad. 

Actually, it felt really really good. 

“Just because I didn’t force them, doesn’t mean it wasn’t my fault.” Hawks whispered and he was close enough that his breath ghosted over Fumikage’s face, smelling like alcohol and a little bit like chocolate. 

“Pretty sure that’s exactly what it means.” Dark Shadow responded and hearing his shadow’s voice for the first time in several minutes, was enough to make Fumikage blush and try to pull away from Hawks. He didn’t know why he was suddenly embarrassed to be so close to the alpha. Like Dark Shadow would judge him for these odd, swirly feelings in his gut. 

Hawks’ hands came up and gently grabbed Fumikage’s shoulders, keeping him from moving too far away, even as his eyes flicked over to Dark Shadow hovering a few inches away. 

“We can’t control people’s choices.” Dark Shadow continued. “And while I’m sure it's easier to blame yourself than it is to blame them, that doesn’t mean that their choices weren’t their own, Hawks. You didn’t force them to do anything.”

Hawks just stared at Dark Shadow, his eyes wide and unblinking despite the tears building up at the corners. He didn’t look away when those tears spilled down his cheeks, not even when Dark Shadow shrunk down on himself, becoming nearly invisible. 

“Thank you for saying that.” Hawks finally said with a soft smile and pulled away from Fumikage, his hold falling from the omega’s shoulder and leaving him feeling chilled to the bone. He hadn’t realized how warm Hawks was, until he was gone. “I’ve never told anyone that. Always assumed others would blame me as much as I blame myself.”

“That seems impossible.” Fumikage told him and met Hawks’ eyes again. He watched as the golden eyes darkened and his eyelids drooped. Watched as pupils flicked down to Fumikage’s beak and then over his neck. 

- He wants to kiss you -

- I don’t have lips - 

- Pretty sure you could figure it out - 

Something inside of Fumikage’s chest wanted . His mouth watered, his skin prickled, and images flooded his mind of the kisses he had seen in movies and on TV. Mouths slotted together, tongues flicking back and forth. 

“I think you should leave.” Hawks whispered, the words deep and gravely and his breath blowing across Fumikage’s face, making him instinctively open his beak like he could taste him. 

Wait. Leave?

He pulled back and tilted his head to better see Hawks. Like he could find a clarification written out on his face. 

“Why?” Fumikage asked softly. “I thought we were talking.”

“If you stay another moment, there won’t be much talking, Tokoyami.”

“Fumi. Call me Fumi.” Fumikage told him. “And what do you mean, we won’t be talking?”

“Kissing, moron. He wants to KISS you.” Dark Shadow’s voice hissed out and Fumikage groaned and slammed his hands over his face. 

“Inside thoughts need to stay inside.” He groaned and even when he felt the hands trying to pull his wrists away from his burning face, he couldn’t bring himself to move them. Dark Shadow had said that in front of Hawks. Had implied that Hawks, the most beautiful person he had ever seen , wanted to kiss him. There was no living this down. 

Hawks let out an amused huff and when he determined that moving Fumikage’s hands was impossible, he instead placed a soft kiss to the side of Fumikage’s face. “Fumi, you don’t have to be embarrassed around me.”

Fumikage’s breath caught in his throat. His chest seemed to seize up and make it impossible to breathe. Hawks just- He just-

Fumikage lowered his hands and looked up at the alpha next to him, head tilting quizzically. 

“You have five seconds to stand up to leave or I’m going to kiss you again.” Hawks’ voice was deep and gravely again, so different from his usual playful tone. This was darker and seemed to have the magic ability to send chills down Fumikage’s spine. 

Hawks was going to kiss him. 

Because there was no way that Fumikage would stand up now. Not with a promise like that, hanging in the air between them. 

“Then kiss me.” Fumikage whispered. 

- Touya Todoroki - March - 7 years ago - 

“Kiss me.” Hikari depended softly, his soft lips pursed and his face tilted up to Touya. 

The pair of them were snuggled up on Kari’s bed, their notebooks in their laps and they had been very diligently studying for their upcoming exam. But as Touya was starting to learn, Hikari was physically unable to remain on a single task for more than a few minutes. 

“We’re studying.” Touya sighed. “Kisses after we get through this chapter. You’re still struggling with-”

Soft lips that tasted like the cherry chapstick, sealed over Touya’s mouth and cut off his attempts to redirect his mate’s attention. He released a good natured sigh and relaxed into Hikari’s side, opening his mouth and letting his omega kiss him as deeply and roughly as he needed. 

“We can study later.” Hikari whispered and pushed Touya’s books out of his lap before moving over to straddle the beta. “I need you. And after the week I’ve had, I deserve to be kissed into oblivion by my mate.”

Touya grinned as he stared up at Hikari’s handsome face. His features were thin and angular and would have been bird-like even without the large orange eyes and white feathers intermingled with his fluffy down-like hair.  The omega was one of the most beautiful people Touya had ever seen and there was no way that the beta would deny his mate anything. 

“Have you still been feeling off, baby?” Touya asked softly and let his hands smooth down Hikari’s shoulders and arms before resting on the older teenager’s waist. “Or is something else going on?”

“No, it’s the same feeling. It just feels like something is missing and I don’t know what to do about it.” 

“It sounds frustrating.” Touya told him, “I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“There is. You can kiss me and hold me and if you’re feeling adventurous-” Hikari wrapped his arms around Touya’s neck and leaned forward to brush his lips over the beta’s ear, “-you could fuck me.”

Touya’s breath caught in his throat and he tried desperately to take in air, only to find that system was completely offline. No breathing for Touya. 

Because he and Hikari hadn’t done that yet despite the several weeks they had been together. Not for a lack of wanting on either of their parts, there just had never been the perfect time. 

“You sure?” Touya asked and pressed his lips against the side of Hikari’s jaw. 

“Hm mhm.” Hikari hummed and Touya felt that his heart would beat right out of his chest when the omega’s fingers danced down his chest and started working at the button of Touya’s pants.

“Not now.” Touya whimpered and cursed his own brain for realizing it was a school night and that dorm checks would be occurring soon. “I don’t want to rush with you, beautiful. Want to take my time.”

And do an embarrassing amount of research.

Hikari pouted and looked every bit like Touya had given him some kind of devastating news. But he didn’t immediately argue back, so Touya took that as a win. 

“Another time then.” Hikari sighed and nuzzled his face against Touya’s neck with a little purr. “Hold me at least? And kisses? We have time for that.”

“Yeah. We do. We have plenty of time.” Touya agreed and nuzzled his mate back with a smile as the omega’s purr intensified. 

Chapter Text

Fumikage Tokoyami

Fumikage didn’t know what had come over him. He definitely should have taken Hawks’ offer to leave and let this evening come to a close. He’d learned some heavy things about his mate and giving them both time to decompress and come back together at another point, with clearer minds, would have been the best option. 

But his alpha was right there. 

And he wanted to kiss Fumikage and there was a small part of him that was terrified that if he left, he’d never get the opportunity again. 

He was also endlessly intrigued by how exactly kissing would work. 

Hawks’ eyes darkened, turning nearly black as he stared at Fumikage’s face and his hands moved to gently clutch at the omega’s shoulders. Fumikage stared right back, hoping he came off half as confident as he hoped. He’d never done this. Never dreamed of this.

“Tell me to stop if you need to.” Hawks whispered and his eyes flicked down to Fumikage’s beak before he was leaning forward and pressing his lips against the side of it. 

Dark Depths. 

He could feel the warmth of Hawks’ breath, the soft pressure of his mouth and could taste the astringent taste of the alcohol the hero had partook in. Fumikage sighed softly and let his eyes slip closed as he relaxed into Hawks’ hold. 

“I’ve never done this with someone with a beak. Have you ever…” Hawks whispered, his lips still pressed to Fumikage’s beak as he pressed light kisses along the length of it. 

“Never.” Dark Shadow whispered back, voicing the words that Fumikage couldn’t have communicated. His brain was absolute mush and nothing but alpha was being processed. “He’s never- We’ve never -” Dark Shadow stammered and Fumikage realized then how soft and breathy the spirit’s voice was. 

It sounded like Hawks’ voice had when he’d talked of-

- Do you want to kiss Hawks? - 

- Of course. But I can’t and I’m satisfied with watching and feeling him kiss you - 

- You can feel him kissing me? - 

- Yes, now please go back to it so I can watch two beautiful people in peace. -

Fumikage paused and pulled away from Hawks to turn to look over Dark Shadow. He was off to the side, stretching out several feet and floating in mind air in a shapeless dark orb. He’d felt something strange in his chest when Dark Shadow had spoken and he needed to clarify it now. Before he was distracted by the feel of Hawks’ mouth. 

“Do you want to kiss me ?” He asked, not fully processing that he was speaking aloud, unitll the words were leaving him. 

“Inside thoughts, Fumi.” Dark Shadow chuckled. “And yes I do. But like I said I can’t . So go back to kissing our Adonis of an alpha so I can live vicariously through you.”

Hawks laughed softly into the feathers of Fumikage’s face, his mouth leaving soft little kisses down the omega’s face and toward his neck as he and Dark Shadow stared at each other in silence. 

“You’re both adorable.” Hawks finally said. “Dark Shadow, I’ve seen you interact with your environment. So yes, you can kiss. And Fumi-” Strong hands gripped his face on either side and pulled him over to look directly into Hawks’ eyes. “If you’ve never kissed anyone and don’t know what feels the best for you, then I want to experiment. How do you feel about that?”

How in the abyss was he supposed to say anything but-

“Okay.” He croaked out, his voice breaking and becoming a hitch-pitched sound. 

“Good. Is it okay if I get assistance from Dark Shadow?” 

Fumikage nodded his head in agreement, though he wasn’t sure what help Hawks was referring to. He prayed that his trust in his alpha wasn’t misplaced. 

“Come here.” Hawks whispered and Fumikage watched as the alpha reached a hand out to Dark Shadow and wiggled his fingers like he was trying to entice a stray cat toward him. Dark Shadow floated over slowly, his eye holes wide and flinty as he inched his way over. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. My brain is just reeling with so many possibilities and I just- I want to try everything the two of you will let me.”

“I’m not opposed to that.” Fumikage replied. 

“Neither am I.” Dark Shadow said in a whisper so soft that Fumikage was temporarily worried that the shadow had just telepathically relayed the words instead of speaking them aloud. 

But Hawks smiled at the pair of them, a beautiful, bright smile that seemed to make Fumikage’s heart light on fire in his chest. What he wouldn’t give to just stare at this man forever. 

None of this felt real. It was like he was in one of his wildest dreams and never wanted to wake up again. 

Dark Shadow finally made it to Hawks and let out his own gasp of surprise when the alpha’s fingers gently pressed to the side of his…form and pulled him even closer. “I’m going to kiss you. I want you to form around my lips, okay? Think you can do that for me?”

“Yeah.” He whispered breathily and let himself be pulled even closer, until Hawks’ mouth pressed to the portion of shadow that he usually had in the appearance of a beak. 

Fumikage watched, endlessly intrigued as Dark Shadow rippled and morphed until the darkness molded around Hawk’s lips until it truly looked like the pair of them were kissing softly. And if the sight wasn’t enough, Fumikage could feel the kiss like a whisper. The warmth of Hawk’s mouth, the softness of his lips, the electric tingles that shot through Dark Shadow’s form and down Fumikage’s spine. 

A soft moan left his mouth before he had a chance to stop it and Fumikage felt his eyes slip closed as he enjoyed the feeling of being kissed. A feeling he had assumed he’d never be able to experience. 

“Can you feel that, Fumi?” Came Hawks’ voice, his lips brushing over Dark Shadow’s form with each word. When Fumikage just nodded his head, words having been long lost from his brain, Hawks chuckled and pressed his mouth more insistently to Dark Shadow’s. “Interesting.”

The single word was punctuated by the warm, wet swipe of Hawks’ tongue over Dark Shadow’s - rather their - lower lip. 

“Oh.” Fumikage gasped and opened his eyes just enough to once again, take in the sight of his mate and shadow kissing deeply. Hawks had one hand on Dark Shadow and the other resting gently on Fumikage’s knee and Dark Shadow had two, hand-like blotches reaching out to the alpha. Fumikage watched as they slid into blonde hair, the strands sliding over the darkness as smooth as silk and making Fumikage whimper when he realized that he could feel that too. 

It felt like he was kissing Hawks with his hands in the alpha’s hair. 

Maybe he was selfish or wanton, but despite the feeling, Fumikage still wanted more. He wanted to be in control of making himself and Hawks and even Dark Shadow, feel good.

He raised a hand and gently placed it on Dark Shadow’s back before petting downward in a soft stroke that made gooseflesh appear on his own skin. They both whimpered at the contact and Fumikage let out a needy gasp before leaning forward and pressing the side of his beak against the side of Hawks’ neck and instinctively rubbing against the soft skin. 

He didn’t expect for Hawks to bark out a laugh and run his hand up Fumikage’s leg to forcefully grab at his thigh. “Gods, you’re perfect.”

Fumikage’s inner omega preened at the compliment. 

“Both of you. I didn’t expect-come here.” The alpha cut himself off with a little shake of his head and leaned back against the couch. With his hold on both Fumikage and Dark Shadow, he gently requested that they move forward. Fumikage followed his mate’s request and rose up onto his knees before straddling the blonde and settling himself on his alpha’s lap. 

It felt obscene and wrong. Like he was doing something dirty. 

But Hawks’ wide, golden eyes staring up at him with so much awe, was enough to wash away any speck of shame that may have creeped into his brain. With a little wink, Hawks leaned closer to Dark Shadow, pressing their mouths together again. Fumikage was struck by a moment of indecision before he finally decided to just go and do whatever seemed like a good idea. Hawks would push him away if it was bad right? He’d be honest and tell him if something was wrong?

Trust Alpha.

The omega voice in his brain agreed and Fumikage let out a little trill sound as he leaned in and rubbed his beak affectionately over Hawks’ hair, letting some of the golden strands run through his beak in a lazy preen of his mate. 

The explosions that went off in his brain. The feeling of “right” and “mate” and “flock” were overwhelming and all consuming, especially when contrasting against the physically pleasurable sensations coming from Dark Shadow.

When Hawks let out a beautiful little groan, the sound vibrating against Dark Shadow’s lips and through Fumikage’s chest; he felt something snap inside of him. Suddenly, all he wanted in this world was to be the cause of more sounds like that coming from Hawks’ mouth. He wanted to make his mate feel good in any way he could. 

He moved his attention from Hawks’ hair and pressed the smooth side of his beak against the alpha’s neck and let out a little puff of air before flicking his tongue out to finally get a taste of the man’s salty skin. 

And he was instantly addicted to the clean, salty flavor exploding over his tongue. He opened his mouth wider and let more of his tongue come out so he could swipe the flat of it up his mate’s neck from the collar of his shirt to the curve of his scruffy jaw. 

“Fuck Fumi.” Hawks moaned loudly and Fumikage flicked his eyes up to see his alpha with his head tilted back and away from Dark Shadow as he stared up at the ceiling with glazed over eyes. “You’re either a natural or a liar. That feels so-”

Fumikage kept his eyes on Hawks’ face as he lowered his head and licked another line up Hawks’ throat, this time, moving over his adam's apple, over the point of his chin and ending with a little flick over the alpha’s lips. 

“His hours of porn watching are paying off.” Dark Shadow whispered and the words were so out of left field that they made Fumikage freeze and glare up at his friend while Hawks laughed and wheezed under the omega’s tongue. 

“Dark Shadow!” Fumikage hissed once his mortification had simmered down to a manageable level. “That is not something we discuss in polite company!”

Fumikage would have gladly gone his entire life without Hawks ever knowing that he had watched such indecent and morally despicable materials. It was soul crushing that even Dark Shadow knew, but that was an unfortunate side effect of being literally conjoined with your own sentient quirk. 

“Good thing, I’m not polite.” Hawks whispered, his voice becoming dark and gravely again, like his inner alpha was trying to growl, but was being pushed down by the prescription strength suppressants the hero was on. The sound made a shiver travel down Fumikage’s spine and he let out his own omega whine of submission. He looked down at his mate and flushed at the needy, wanton expression on Hawks’ face. It didn’t seem possible that he had caused that look. 

Then hands were grabbing the nape of his neck and the back of his head and pulling him forward into Hawks’ space until there were a scant few inches separating their faces.

“I want to try something. Don’t cut me with your beak okay?”

Fumikage would never . 

He nodded silently, his heart hammering against his ribs as he watched Hawks’ eyes drift down to his beak before slowly leaning forward and pressing his lips to the tip of Fumikage’s lower mandible. The soft brush had Fumikage instinctively opening his beak wider in a silent gasp as his eyes fluttered closed in pleasure. 

It was different from the echoed kiss from Dark Shadow, softer, more muted since his beak wasn’t nearly as sensitive then Dark Shadow’s form. But it was nice, more real, his. 

The first touch of Hawks’ wet tongue against the end of his beak was like an electric shock to his system, eliciting a soft moan from his throat and making him instinctively rock forward to press his chest more firmly against Hawks’. His reaction made Hawks chuckle softly and he confidently flicked his tongue into Fumikage’s mouth and rubbed against the top of Fumikage’s tongue, like a puppy asking to play. 

He curled his tongue upward, entwining with Hawks’ as they let out matching groans of pressure and little breathy sighs. When Hawks’ tongue tried to escape him, pulling back into Hawks’ mouth as the alpha moved his lips over the tip of Fumikage’s beak, the omega quickly chased after him, thrusting his tongue into Hawks’ warm mouth and opening his beak wider to give himself more room to work.

He loved the moans that each flick of his tongue over the roof of Hawks’ mouth earned him, loved the twist and turns of Hawks’ shorter tongue as it tried to curl around his own and mimic the movements that Fumikage experimented with. 

In the corner of his consciousness, he could feel Dark Shadow off to the side, could feel his quirk staring at him and Hawks. He could sense the spirit’s happiness and arousal. It was weird, but definitely not unpleasant. 

Fumikage was rubbing the tip of his tongue along the length of Hawks’ and reveling in the sensation of big, warm hands clutching at his waist and sneaking up under his shirt, when a pair of lips attached themselves to his neck, placing a soft kiss to the skin. 

- This okay, Fumi? - 

- Yeah. I- I think so. - 

He suddenly remembered the hunger and the want that had radiated through their bond. 

- How long? -

Even in his own mind, the question seemed to come out breathless and needy. It sounded more like a groan than a statement, likely due to the fact that Hawks was now thrusting his hips upward, rubbing their groins together and adding another level of pleasure to Fumikage’s lust-addled mind. 

- For as long as I can remember. How could I not want you? You’re beautiful and strong and kind and smart and so…perfect - 

Dark Shadow’s mouth continued pressing kisses down the length of Fumikage’s throat, occasionally flicking his tongue out to lick teasingly. It felt different than Hawks’, like Dark Shadow was trying to remember what the alpha’s own tongue had felt like and was trying to mimic it, but hadn’t quite perfected it yet. 

And it did something obscene to Fumikage’s gut. Made want curl and twist inside of him until slick was leaking into his underwear, making the air explode with the scent of it as he moaned into Hawk’s mouth and gripped at his alpha’s hair. 

- I’m so far from perfect - 

- Not to me - 

A cold touch to Fumikage’s cheek directed him away from Hawks and Fumikage was so floaty and happy that he just let himself be led, turning his head to the side and accepting the cautious kiss that Dark Shadow placed on his lower mandible. It was tentative and soft, barely enough for Fumikage to feel; like Dark Shadow was scared that he was doing something wrong. 

He pulled Dark Shadow closer, grabbing onto and through his form and yanking him over. His tongue confidently requested entrance to Dark Shadow’s mouth in an effort to convey that this was okay. Sure, it was weird. It definitely felt like he was kissing the back of his own hand, like teenage girls did in movies, but it wasn’t bad. If anything, it was better, because he could feel his own pleasure mixed with Dark Shadow’s, the two sensations melting together until all his brain could process was good.

“God the two of you are gorgeous.” Hawks whimpered and Fumikage jumped when warm hands finally ducked under his shirt and pressed against his lower back. “Could watch you forever.” Despite the words, Hawks leaned over and pressed a wet, open mouthed kiss to Fumikage’s neck and nuzzled his face into the neckline of the omega’s shirt to kiss and lick as low down as he could get. 

Oblivion. 

He was going to combust. It wasn’t possible for one person to feel so incredibly good. This had to be a fragment of his overactive imagination, a hyper-realistic dream that he would wake up from at any moment. 

As if conjured by his pessimistic thoughts, Fumikage’s phone alarm started blaring into the silent apartment, startling all three men away from each other with a trio of gasps. 

He realized that the sound wasn’t his alarm, it was his ringtone. Someone was calling him. 

This was real. He had been- He had been kissing Hawks. His soulmate. His alpha. His friend. He had turned Hawk’s emotional moment and turned into a vile display of lust-

“Stop spiraling.” Hawks ordered. “Whatever negative, dark thoughts that are going through your brain need to stop right now. Because I will not have my beautiful soulmate regretting a second of what just happened.”

Those warm fingers on his back started massaging him in time with the ringtone still blaring through the apartment. 

“Take a breath and answer your phone. It’s late, someone is probably worried about you.”

“It’s Aizawa-Sensei.” Dark Shadow whined and there was a cold brush against the back of Fumikage’s neck as Dark Shadow ducked inside of his shirt as though to hide from their teacher. Their teacher who was calling him. 

“What do I tell him?” He asked, voice  betraying his panic as his shaking hands dug into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out his phone. The screen was lit up with Aizawa’s name flashing up at him along with a grainy photo of the teacher in his yellow sleeping bag. 

“The truth.” Hawks answered simply and let his hands migrate up Fumikage’s spine before dragging them back down in a gentle pet. “Unless you want me to be your dirty little secret?”

Fumikage paused as he battled with the idea internally. He didn’t want to keep Hawks a secret, but he was terrified that there was a chance Hawks would regret tonight and he’d have to explain to everyone that he had been rejec-

The phone was plucked from his hand by thin, agile fingers that had slipped out from under Fumikage’s shirt. He watched, wide eyed and slightly horrified as Hawks swiped over the screen and held the device up to his ear. 

“Fumi’s phone, this is Hawks speaking.”

Darkness below. 

There was the muffled sound of a voice on the other line and Hawks pulled the phone away from his ear and pushed a button on the screen before holding the device between them. 

“You’re on speaker, Aizawa-san. Fumi is here. On my lap. Safe as could be.”

He did not just tell his teacher that. Fumikage let out a squawk of fear and tried to get off of his mate’s lap, just to prove the other man wrong, but Hawks’ hand on his hip was like an iron bar holding him in place. 

“It is 2am. My student is out of the dorm without permission. This is not the time to mess around, Hawks. Tokoyami, where are you? Are you safe? Explain. Now.”

Oh he sounded mad. 

Like really mad.

Almost as mad as he had been when Bakugou and Shinsou had shown up to class with new piercings that they obviously hadn’t discussed with him before getting. 

“I’m perfectly safe.” Fumikage whispered. “I am at Hawks’ apartment. We lost track of time.”

“Time does fly when you’re having fun.” Hawks added with a wide smile up at Fumikage. The omega choked on his own saliva and felt his eyes try to bug out of his skull. He slammed a hand over his mate’s mouth, which just caused the man to mumble and moan .

“Why are you at his apartment? Tokoyami, you are 15 years old in a grown man’s home in the middle of the night. Give me one reason not to come over there and rain hell down upon him.”

It was kind of flattering to hear someone so obviously worried about him and willing to fight the number two ranked hero over an assumed slight to his honor. 

“I’m sixteen.” Fumikage corrected and Hawks’ golden eyes rolled up toward the ceiling as he mumbled and hummed exasperatedly against Fumikage’s palm. “Hawks is my soulmate.”

“Awe.” Hawks hummed, the word the first thing Fumikage could understand. It was followed by more jumbled sounds that were completely lost on him. 

Aizawa was silent on the other end of the phone, just his soft breaths sounding through the apartment. 

“Are you staying the night there?” Aizawa finally asked with a sigh that Fumikage swore he could feel in his soul. “It’s unorthodox, but it’s Hawks . So I know you’re safe.”

“He is.” Hawks answered firmly, having had enough of playing at being silenced and turned his face away from Fumikage’s hand. 

“Come back with him tomorrow morning. You’ll need to speak with the principal and work out details in case something like this happens again.”

“Yes sir.” Hawks replied with a little grin up at Fumikage. He looked every bit like a cat that had caught a canary and the irony was not lost on the omega. 

A deep sigh echoed from the phone’s speakers before the line disconnected and the screen went black. 

In the new silence, Hawks and Fumikage stared at each other. Neither speaking, though Hawks was communicating incredibly well with just wiggles of his blonde eyebrows and twists of his lips in all directions. 

“Can we sleep in the nest?” Dark Shadow asked softly, his form peeking out of the collar of Fumikage’s shirt.

“Of course.” Hawks replied with a nod. 

“And we can cuddle?”

“What’s a sleep over without cuddles?”

“And-”

“We can do anything you want, okay?” Hawks finally laughed and turned his gaze back up to Fumikage’s face. “You okay with nest cuddles or should I sleep on the couch?”

As if Fumikage would make Hawks sleep on the couch in his own apartment. 

“Far be it for me to act shy now .” Fumikage sighed and let out a surprised yelp when Hawks’ arms wrapped around his knees and back and lifted him right off the couch like Fumikage weighed absolutely nothing. 

Strong mate.

The omega voice whispered. 

“Gonna cuddle you so hard.” Hawks whispered against Fumikage’s neck, his face nuzzling into the omega’s skin as he made happy little trill sounds. “Wrap you up in the nest and keep you so warm and happy you’ll never want to leave.”

Fumikage smiled and met Dark Shadow’s eyes as they were gently settled onto the soft bed with Hawks spreading himself out over top of them. 

“We’re already happy.” Dark Shadow whispered and nuzzled his form into the side of Hawks’ head, ruffling his blonde hair and making little purring sounds. “Alpha.”

Touya Todoroki - 8 years ago

“I still want to be a hero.” Touya said softly as he watched his father’s fingers expertly apply the prescription strength burn cream to his arms and hands. He had been training by himself, something Enji had forbidden months ago, since he was diagnosed with quirk incompatibility disorder. He had lost control of his quirk again and had ended up with more burns that he hoped wouldn’t scar. He already had so many ugly, discolored patches on his arms. 

“I know you do.” His father replied, just as softly, the words barely making it to Touya’s ears. “But you have to understand that it’s just not possible.”

Anger burned inside of Touya. He’d been training for years . He’d tried so hard to be perfect, but now his father was going to give up on him at the first setback?

“Would you be saying that if Shouto wasn’t born?” Touya hissed. “If I was your only option, would you be so willing to toss me aside?” He tried to stand up and storm out of the room, but Enji’s hands clamped down on his wrists, careful to avoid the new burns, and pulled him back down. Touya plopped back down on his bed with a huff and glared down at his father kneeling in front of him, looking up at Touya with wide, frustrated eyes. 

“You know damn well that I don’t care if you or Shouto become a hero.” Enji told him. “If anything, I’d prefer neither of you go into this career, but both of you wanted to train and I needed to make sure you would both be safe. Fire is dangerous, Touya.” Thick fingers tightened around Touya’s wrists, making the teenager hiss and try to pull away. 

Enji looked terrified at the sound and immediately released him and deflated, sitting back on his heels with an exhausted sigh. 

“I can’t watch you destroy yourself for a career.”

“What about support items?” Touya pressed. “Remember what that commission guy said when I was at your office last week? He said that they’re coming up with new technology every day to keep heroes safe from their own quirks. He offered me a spot in that new training school they’re setting up.”

“And I very clearly remember telling you that it wasn’t worth the risk.” His father replied. 

“But it’s the Safety Commision.” Touya argued and crossed his arms over his chest to stare down at his father with the most intense glare he could manage. He and Natsuo had been practicing them and apparently Touya’s was “intimidating as hell.” “They have the best scientists, the best doctors, the best quirk specialists. If there was any way for me to be a hero, it’s with them.”

Enji wasn’t affected by the words or the glare. 

“You’re everything to me.” Enji whispered and leaned forward to press his forehead to Touya’s, letting their matching eyes meet. “My little prince.”

“Ugh.” Touya groaned at the stupid nickname his parents had given him as a baby and had let it linger over the years. 

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something happened to you.” Enji continued. “Touya, just let it rest.”

“I can’t.” Touya told him honestly. All he could think about was being a hero. He wanted to save people and make the world better. He knew there were other ways to do it, but everything inside of him screamed that being a hero was his calling, his purpose, his reason for being here. “Dad, this is all I’ve ever wanted. I can’t give this up. I’ll fight every day to get a chance.”

Enji sighed and sat back, letting himself completely settle on his rear, his legs out in front of him as he stared at Touya. His eyes flicked over his face and his body, taking in the burns covering his forearms and palms and even the little burns that had crept up his neck and were starting to lick up his jaw. 

“Touya-”

“Please dad.” Touya whispered, letting all of the need and desire out in his voice. “Please.”

He watched as the older man let his head sag forward into his own palms as he let out a loud sigh of frustration. “Don’t make me regret it.” He finally said and Touya felt his cheeks ache as his lips spread in a wide smile. “And if I hear of one self-inflicted injury, Touya. I’m pulling you out.”

“You won’t regret it and I’ll be super careful. I promise.” Touya rushed the words out and threw himself at his father, wrapping his arms around the larger man’s shoulders and hugging him as tight as his young body could manage. His heart was racing in his chest, pure joy cascading through his system as he realized that he was finally getting his chance. He was going to be a hero. 

The best hero the world had ever seen. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Fumikage awoke slowly, his eyes blinking up through the early morning sunlight to see a pair of gold eyes looking down at him. 

“Good morning, beautiful.” Hawks said brightly. “Sleep okay?”

Fumikage was currently surrounded by a small mountain of Hawks scented bedding and felt like he was laying on a cloud. He’d had one of the best nights of sleep of his young life. 

“Yes.” He was still drowsy and his inhibitions were nearly non-existent and he confidently reached a hand up to cup the side of Hawks’ face, marveling at how incredibly beautiful his mate was as his thumb caressed the alpha’s cheek bone. “You’re pretty.”

“Thanks, baby bird.”

“Fumi’s shame takes a few minutes to wake up.” Dark Shadow commented as he twisted up and around to lay himself next to the humans. 

“Don’t give away all my secrets.” Fumikage gruffed but kept his sleepy eyes on his alpha, watching as his fingers traced over the man’s face and then moved up into his messy sand-colored hair. 

“Does this mean you’re more likely to succumb to my advances, first thing in the morning?” Hawks asked with a little smirk and hungry eyes that he raked over Fumikage’s sleep rumpled body. They’d slept fully clothed and they rarely touched except for Hawks’ arms around his waist and the alpha’s nose pressed against the nape of his neck. 

“You’d hardly need the morning in your favor for that.” Fumikage whispered and pulled gently at his alpha’s neck to bring him down close enough that Fumikage could run his beak though the man’s hair and ghost the side of it down his mate’s neck. “I am enthralled by you.”

“You are so incredibly tempting.” Hawks’ lips brushed the side of Fumikage’s face, mouthing at the feathers and pressing soft kisses downward toward the omega’s neck. “But we have to get up and get you back to school before I have Eraserhead breaking down my door.”

“Kiss first.” Dark Shadow whimpered and tilted his eyes and form upward expectantly. 

“Tough negotiator.” Hawks laughed and turned his head to press a gentle kiss to Dark Shadow’s conjured mouth, the touch sending a small spark of pleasure down Fumikage’s spine. The kiss ended quickly and Hawks was bringing his attention back to Fumikage, his lips closing around the lower tip of his beak. Unable to reciprocate in any other way, Fumikage lightly flicked his tongue over Hawks’ upper lip, trying to be light and sweet, like Hawks was being. 

- Though watching you shove your tongue down his throat last night was enlightening. - 

- You’re a menace-

- Uncontested- 

“Think I’ll ever be able to break you two of that habit? Or am I doomed to always watch and wonder what my soulmates are talking about?” Hawks asked, his words vibrating against Fumikage’s beak. 

Soulmates. 

Multiple. 

Him and Dark Shadow. 

Fumikage could feel the happiness and joy radiating from Dark Shadow. He’d never considered his shadow having his own soulmate. In fact, Fumikage had never imagined Dark Shadow as a sexual being at all. Sure, they talked about pretty boys and girls and Dark Shadow made little comments about Fumikage’s bodily reactions and needs. But he’d never considered Dark Shadow participating with his partners, let alone had his partner so eager to include him. 

It was nice. 

“Dark Shadow was just being shameless.” Fumikage told Hawks. “Nothing important, I promise.”

“I dunno, shameless Dark Shadow is something I thoroughly enjoy. Sounds important to me.” Hawks teased and pressed a last kiss to Fumikage’s forehead before rolling away with a little huff. “Alright you tempting little minxes. Up up. I’ll find some clothes for you to wear, Fumi.”

He turned and sauntered over to the closet, his wings flicking and fluttering out behind him. 

Fumikage hadn’t gotten his beak on those feathers. Hadn’t been able to smooth them down and redistribute Hawks’ oil to keep the feathers bright and shiny. He mourned the lost opportunity, but realized that he’d have plenty of opportunities to groom his mate another time. 

“How do you take care of your feathers?” Dark Shadow asked while the sound of clothes hangers clanging together reached them. “Fingers?”

“Yeah, it’s not as effective as it would be with a beak, but we have to use what we’re given, right?” Hawks turned, two hangers in his grip and made eye contact with Fumikage still laying in the nest. “Though I’m not opposed to pretty omega helping me out with them.” He sent Fumikage a wink and handed him the hangers. 

“Go get dressed in the bathroom. I have to change and I’m not strong enough to resist either of you if you start drooling over me.”

Fumikage didn’t even bother to deny that he and Dark Shadow would drool over the sight of a nearly naked Hawks. He just nodded and walked off toward the single bathroom in the apartment, his assigned clothes held close to his chest. 

Dark Shadow followed behind him, but Fumikage didn’t miss the way the spirit’s eyes flicked backward toward Hawks, like he was hopeful that the hero would start undressing before they were out of sight. 

- Do my omega hormones affect you too?- 

- Possibly. I can’t remember being so…intense in my attraction to someone.-

-Other than me-

- Other than you, yes.-

-Which is something we’ll need to talk about eventually. -

-I understand if you don’t feel the same. I understand it’s weird and I’m sorry if I upset you by sharing that. I should have controlled myself better. -

-The only thing that upset me was that you’ve been keeping this a secret from me. - 

Fumikage started undressing and didn’t miss the hollow eyes that zeroed in on his chest and arms. Had Dark Shadow always looked at him like this? Had he really been so blind as to not notice it?

- I’ve been terrified that if you knew, you’d think I was gross or that the idea of us together would be wrong. We’re stuck together, Fumi, I didn’t want to make that harder for you.-

Fumikage nodded in understanding. He had felt similarly when he found out his soul mark matched Hawks’. Hadn’t he been terrified of ruining their friendship or making things weird between them? Dark Shadow must have experienced it ten fold. 

Silently, he pulled on the clothes that Hawks had given him, all black and nearly his size. They spoke to the fact that Hawks had specifically chosen these for him, knowing his preferences, and it made the omega part of Fumikage’s brain purr . The clothes even smelled like his alpha, encasing him in Hawks’ mild, fresh scent that had Fumi pressing his beak into his shirt and wrapping his arms around his middle. 

-You look beautiful. I demand that you start wearing Hawks’ clothes exclusively.- 

Fumikage snorted at the idea and exited the bathroom after scooping up his clothes. Unfortunately, Hawks was fully dressed when Fumikage spotted him by the door as the hero shoved his feet into tan work boots. 

“There’s a spare night bag on the bed if you want to take your clothes with us. Or you can leave them and I’ll wash them for you.” Hawks said without turning around from the mirror he was staring into and running his fingers through his hair to try to tame it. 

Fumikage looked over and spotted the bag and dumped his dirty clothes in before zipping it up and tossing the strap over his shoulder.

“Not gonna let me cuddle with your laundry at night?” Hawks asked and Fumikage paused to stare up at him with wide, unblinking eyes. 

“Did you want to?” 

Hawks smirked over at him before crossing the space between them in a handful of giant strides punctuated by little flutters of his wings to push him faster. The alpha’s hands settled on Fumikage’s waist and tugged the pair of them together. 

“I plan to convince your principal to let you stay here every night, so I can settle for cuddling you instead.” Hawk’s face nuzzled into the side of Fumikage’s neck and placed a teasing kiss there before letting him go. 

“It’s a little far for classes.” Fumikage whispered, stuck on the idea of staying here, in Hawks’ apartment every night. 

“I’ll have to fly you to campus. Oh the misery of carrying a handsome omega in my arms every morning.” Hawks sent him a cocky little grin and gripped Fumikage’s hand tightly. “Dark Shadow wouldn’t mind the commute.”

“Small price to pay for nest cuddles.” Dark Shadow agreed as he floated along beside Fumikage as the teenager was gently pulled across the apartment and toward the double doors that led to the balcony / landing platform. 

“Two against one, Fumi. That means you're staying over. I’ll get a key made.” 

“I didn’t say I was against the idea. Just that logically speaking it would be more difficult than staying in the dorms.” Fumikage argued and let out a little squeak when he was pulled tightly against Hawks’ chest. 

“So you’ll stay?”

“If Principal Nezu allows it. I could be convinced.” Fumikage whispered and stared up at his mate’s golden eyes. He was entranced by the happiness he found there and the little smile tugging at the corner of Hawk’s lips. Fumikage wanted to kiss him. Wanted to feel the alpha’s lips on his beak and his tongue pushing against Fumikage’s. 

Instead, he leaned in and gently ran his beak through Hawk’s hair with a soft little coo of contentment. 

“Perhaps we should get going? Before you two get distracted?” Dark Shadow asked, sounding endlessly amused. 

“Yes. Let's go and get permission for me to lock you in my nest and never let you go.”

Abyss swallow him whole.

There was absolutely no reason for Hawks to sound so giddy about that idea. 

And no reason for his inner omega to rise up and roar like that was the best thing it had ever heard. 

-

“It’s not unheard of for this to happen.” Principal Nedzu explained a few moments after Fumikage and Hawks had made themselves comfortable in the chairs across from his desk. “The most important thing for me is that you’re both happy with this new development.”

“Very happy.” Hawks answered quickly and snapped his hand out to clutch at Fumikage’s hand tightly. “It was unexpected, but definitely welcome.”

Fumikage nodded in agreement and tried not to fidget in his seat. He and Hawks had landed near the front entrance of UA to find Aizawa-sensei waiting for them and looking more irritated than usual. He had led Hawks and Fumikage straight to Principal Nedzu’s office and had all but thrown them inside and slammed the door closed behind them. 

“Tokoyami, you’re currently under the guardianship of St. Sebastian’s, correct?” 

Another silent nod from Fumikage prompted principal Nedzu to continue. “I will contact them to inform them that you’ve found your soulmate. I’ll also get all the paperwork together for emancipation for you.”

“Emancipation?” Hawks asked, leaning forward toward Nedzu and flicking his eyes over to Fumikage, “You were living in a group home?”

“Yes. I have since I was toddler.” Fumikage answered stiffly, unsure how Hawks would react to that information. Most people looked at him strangely when they heard he lived at St. Sebastians, stranger still when he told them it was a group home for abandoned heteromorph children. 

He’d learned a long time ago to keep that information to himself. 

“Well now that you’ve found your soulmate, you can be considered an adult. You can live on your own.” Nedzu explained and Fumikage nodded eagerly at the idea. He had temporarily forgotten that orphans could file for adulthood if they had a soulmate and now that he had been reminded of that fact, he was eager to get the process started. 

“Live with me.” Hawks corrected simply. “But yes, we can get that process started, if you’re able to get him the paperwork, we’d both appreciate it.”

“Of course.” Nedzu dipped his head in agreement. “Now that leads us to the main reason for our meeting this morning. Living arrangements. Students, even adult students, are required to stay on campus during the school week. This is non negotiable.” 

Hawk’s mouth opened, like he wanted to ask a question or complain, but principal Nedzu continued on, like he didn’t see the hero trying to get a word in. 

“However, given the circumstances, I can arrange for Tokoyami to move into one of the pack rooms and provide blanket permission for Hawks to stay on campus overnight if that’s agreeable. I wouldn’t want to separate new mates if it can be avoided.”

We could make a nest for alpha. 

-Nest Cuddles - 

Good to know the voices in his mind liked the idea. 

“That seems more than reasonable.” Fumikage responded while vague whispers of ideas ghosted through his brain. Images of Hawks and Fumikage tangled in soft sheets, their naked skin pressed together, the barest brush of red feathers over his limbs. 

The sweet scent of slick and the heady scent of arousal wafted up around them, causing Hawks’ attention to whip the side to face him as his nostrils flared. Fumikage immediately tried to wiggle as far away as he could, but he was limited by the armrest of the chair and eventually just hung his head in embarrassment as the scent swirled around him. 

“I’m in agreement with that.” Hawks added after a moment and he tore his eyes away from Fumikage and focused his attention back on the principal, who was leaning back with a knowing smirk on his face. “He can still stay with me during the weekends, correct?”

The idea of Hawks wanting him in his home made a warm, fuzzy feeling build up in his chest. He made it seem like there was no way in the dark abyss that he would want his own alone time, away from Fumikage. 

Good Mate

He barely managed to swallow down the high pitched croon of happiness that tried valiantly to escape his throat. 

“Of course. We’ll write up permission slips for Tokoyami to stay off campus whenever he desires.”

A soft rumble of satisfaction came from Hawks and Fumikage felt himself leaning closer, instinctively wanting to press himself up against his alpha and nuzzle into him. Hawks sensed Fumikage moving closer and without pulling his attention from the chimera, he leaned over the arm of his chair and brought his shoulder close enough to Fumikage that the omega could rub their shoulders together softly. 

“Here.” A keycard was slid across the desk toward Fumikage, pulling his thoughts away from his alpha and the ever-increasing need to rub his scent into his alpha’s very soul. “Pack room seven is clean and has basic furnishings. Feel free to get your things moved in as soon as it’s convenient.” 

Fumikage took the plastic card and held it gently between his fingers as he stared down at the white plastic and the generic UA logo. He was given a room that he could share with Hawks. A room that Hawks seemed eager and more than willing to share with him. It didn’t feel real. Like at any moment he was going to wake up and realize the last twenty four hours was a fever dream. 

- It’s all real, Fumi. You’re not dreaming, you’re wide awake - 

- Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago -

The commission’s training program was different from UA. If someone had told Touya that before he started, he would have rolled his eyes at the obvious statement and thought nothing of it. Of course the programs were different.  UA was training kids for limelight hero work. Kids with quirks compatible with heroics and personalities to match. 

The commission’s training program was focused on more underground heroics. Training often consisted of lessons about minimally using quirks for maximal effect, escape maneuvers, and hand to hand combat. 

All of this was fine with Touya. At least at first. Afterall, using his quirk in large explosive maneuvers usually ended up with him, and those around him, hurt. Even using the prototype suit the commission had gifted him, didn’t completely eradicate the risk of going overboard. 

But eventually, training became more…violent. 

Seminars on how to torture someone without leaving marks started and soon morphed to how to kill someone without leaving evidence. 

Slowly, but surely, Touya had started to realize that the training program wasn’t training heroes, but rather quirked spies and assassins. Neither of which Touya had any intention of being. 

He would have left the moment he found out. He often thought of how easy it would be to call his dad and beg the man to take him out of training. Touya wasn’t like most of the other students, he had a family that could fight for him and plenty of other career choices he could consider if he left.

Touya would have left, if it wasn’t for his two best friends. Hikari had befriended him first, during their first week of classes, he had plopped himself down next to Touya and asked what kind of color correcting shampoo he used to keep his hair so white. The teenager’s bright smile and kind eyes had eaten away at Touya’s soul and wrapped him around the other boy’s finger, instantly. 

The pair of them had been inseparable and eventually managed to annoy the ever brooding and reclusive Keigo into being their friend too. 

It felt wrong, incomplete, to only have one of them as his soulmate. 

Touya scanned his eyes over the class and focused on Keigo sitting next to him. He was actually listening to their teacher, taking notes with a serious look on his face and not even noticing Touya’s eyes zeroing in on his wrist. 

Keigo said that his mark was private, but that no one in school had one that matched. And at first, Touya had accepted that. He had been high on life and so freaking happy to have Hikari as his omega that he would have believed that the sky was green if Keigo had said it. 

But now? Now the idea itched at the back of Touya’s mind. He needed to know what his friend’s mark was. Needed to confirm that they were mates, for the anxious mess of a beta inside his chest. 

“Firestarter.” His chosen hero name was snapped out with such venom, that it made Touya jump and whip his head over to the front of the room where their teacher, a middle aged man with a voice that could put anyone to sleep. “Am I boring you?”

Actually…yes.

“No, sir.” Touya answered quickly, his heart hammering in his chest and sweat beading up on his palms. 

Dark eyes narrowed in Touya’s direction as the teacher tapped his pointing stick against his palm over and over. “Eyes in front or I’ll send you for behavior adjusting.”

“Behavior Adjustment” was the term that the training program used for “beating children until they need medical attention”. Touya had scars, both mental and physical, that would never heal from the adjustments he had experienced during his time here. 

He nodded his head once in the affirmative to show that he understood and kept his eyes focused intently on the teacher as he turned back to the lesson on reconnaissance protocols. But even as he outwardly appeared to be paying attention, his brain was reeling, considering that may lay underneath Keigo’s wrist wrap. He wanted to reach over and tear it off. He wanted to see unmarked skin or the stark unfamiliar shape of another mark. 

Touya wanted to be able to play off the scent of pine and honey and mate and home as a coincidence. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami -

Fumikage felt like he was floating. Like he was filled with so much happiness and euphoria, that the feelings were literally lifting him up and preventing his feet from touching the ground. For someone that had thrived in darkness and gloom, these new emotions were exotic and new. 

And it was all because of Hawks. Because the man he’d been in love with for close to a year, was actually his soulmate and was thrilled about that. 

Speaking of Hawks. The hero looked equally happy and when Fumikage looked down, he couldn’t control the fond chirp at the fact Hawks was literally walking on air. His feet weren’t meeting the ground, and while it certainly looked like he was walking, he was actually being propelled by his feathers. 

- He’s ridiculous - 

Yes. He absolutely was ridiculous and he was Fumikage’s. 

“I like seeing you happy.” Hawks said as Fumikage led them toward his dorm room. The blonde alpha had offered to start helping Fumikage bring his belongings to the pack room and hadn’t taken no for an answer. He’d tried telling the hero that he could handle it, that he didn’t even have much to bring. It wasn't like had brought in truck loads of furniture like the other students, or jam packed an All Might collection into every inch of his space. All he had were some clothes, a couple of knick knacks that would fit in a single cardboard box, and that was about it. 

There was also something…obscene about letting Hawks into his room. The space where Fumikage slept, studied, and relaxed. 

- You were in his bed last night but him seeing your dirty laundry is too much for you? - 

- Shut up. - 

“How could I be anything less with you beside me?” Fumikage asked, pointedly ignoring the amusement cascading through his bond with Dark Shadow. “It still feels like I’m in a dream.”

“Waking up next to my ugly mug, I’d think it’d be more like a nightmare.” Hawks smirked over at him and Fumikage thought his heart would beat right out of his chest. How was it possible for a single person to be this attractive and perfect? With his perfectly tousled hair and the little playful smirk playing at the corners of his lips and the relaxed curve of his body as he shrugged down with his hands in his pockets. 

“If that’s your attempt at fishing for compliments, I’m disappointed.” Fumikage replied. 

“Sometimes a boy just wants another boy to tell him he’s pretty.”

“You’re the most ethereal being we’ve ever laid eyes on.” Dark Shadow whispered, moving away from Fumikage’s body to wrap his form around Hawks’ shoulders. “An angel fallen from heaven, too good for us mere mortals.”

Fumikage fought back the urge to roll his eyes at his demon-shadow-quirk-best-friend-boyfriend. 

- Way to lay it on thick. -

Hawks laughed, a light and carefree sound and scratched his fingers over the back of Dark Shadow’s head, sending pleasure down Fumikage’s spine. “Never stop. Feed me all the nice words.”

“Always.” Dark Shadow whispered back and pressed his mouth to the side of Hawks’ neck. 

- We are in PUBLIC - 

-So?-

-So stop mouthing at him, you fiend - 

“Fumi thinks I’m being inappropriate. Wants me to stop.” Dark Shadow said in a soft, conspiring tone. 

“So that’s what you were talking about.”

“How can you tell we’re talking?” Fumikage asked, completely ignoring Dark Shadow’s mission to kiss every inch of Hawks’ neck before they got to Fumikage’s dorm. “No one else has ever caught on.”

“Your face squishes up a little.” Hawks told him and gently moved his hand over to Fumikage’s, touching their finger tips together lightly before intertwining their fingers and pressing their palms together in a firm hand hold. “Maybe no one else stares at you as intently as I do.”

Heat flushed up Fumikage’s neck and over his cheeks. The idea of Hawks watching him and noticing something so small, was heedy. It made his inner omega whine and writhe in his brain and demand that Fumikage drag the alpha back to his bed and hide him away under the covers. 

Thankfully, he didn’t start producing slick, otherwise he would have been forced to change his name and flee the country out of pure embarrassment. 

“He likes the idea of you watching him.” Dark Shadow said softly, revealing all of Fumikage’s secrets like the traitor demon he was.

“Naughty.” Hawks replied with a smirk, his hand tightened around Fumikage’s and thankfully, his response ended there. 

They arrived at Fumikage’s dorm a moment later. The door was the same off white as all the others, but Fumikage had decorated it simply with black vinyl cut outs in the shape of a crescent moon surrounded by bats mid-flight and a single bolt of lightning. 

“I’m starting to think that you’re drawn to darkness, Fumi.” Hawks told him playfully with a soft hand squeeze. “My little goth raven.”

“We’ve known each other for a year. If you’re just now realizing that my soul is shrouded by endless night, then you haven’t been paying attention.” His tone was all seriousness, even though he knew that Hawks had just been playful. Certainly he hadn’t missed the massive chunk of Fumikage’s personality. 

“I’ve been paying attention to other things.” Hawks replied as Fumikage opened the door and stepped inside. He had barely crossed the threshold when warm lips were pressed to the side of his neck and he was being roughly pushed further into the room and engulfed by a pair of strong arms around his middle. 

“Hawks!” Fumikage gasped, surprised at the sudden lust-attack. “Someone could see-”

The door slammed shut and Dark Shadow zipped back over to Hawks and Fumikage’s sides after flicking on the lights. 

“I don’t care if the entire world sees. You’re mine, Fumi, and it’s been ages since I’ve tasted you.” The words were groaned against Fumikage’s neck as Hawks continued kissing and licking over his skin. “You’re so gorgeous. Wanna lock you up in my nest and never let you leave.”

Darkness save him. 

That sounded perfect. 

Soft feathers skimmed over his sides and over his back, making him groan and toss his head back in ecstasy to give Hawks more room to work. He felt like he was being consumed and it was terrifying and perfect.

All at once it stopped and Fumikage could have sobbed at the loss. He instinctively reached out and tried to grab onto Hawk’s clothing, but the alpha was already stepping away, turning to look around the room like he hadn’t been turning Fumikage’s brain to mush, just a moment before. 

“You’re a tease, alpha.” Dark Shadow huffed and extended himself out until he was able to wrap around Hawks’ neck and glare up at the older man. “Getting us all fired up and stopping just as it was getting good. So mean.”

Fumikage 100% agreed. 

“Not teasing, just providing a little…amuse bouche. A taste of what’s to come later.”

“Tease.” Fumikage murmured under his breath, though he couldn’t help but smile softly at his curious mate as he peered around the room taking in his surroundings like he was at a museum rather than a teenage boy’s sparse bedroom. 

Fumikage had kept a few collapsible boxes in his closet, a habit that had been built into him after years of moving from room to room at the orphanage. It wasn’t uncommon for them to be shuffled around when new housemates arrived and Fumikage and the others had taken to being ready to migrate at the drop of a hat. 

He pulled them out and quickly tossed his clothes into one of the bins, making an overflowing pile of black fabric. The second bin he carried over toward where Hawks was examining his small bookshelf containing a handful of second hand books and the few momentos he dubbed important enough to carry with him. 

“I am mildly concerned by the spread of interests here.” Hawks commented and picked up each of the books with gentle fingers before laying them in the box that Fumikage brought over and laid at his feet. “The gothic classics, Frankenstein, Carmilla, The Secret History. All expected.” He looked up at Fumikage with a little amused smirk and turned one of the books toward him, so that the omega could see the cover. “But the modern gay romance with zero plot, all smut, is a little jarring.”

“I have varied interests.” Fumikage shrugged and tried valiantly to ignore the stirring in his gut at the incredibly sexy smirk and eyebrow raise combination that Hawks was sending him. 

“The more embarrassed you get, the cuter you are.” Hawks finally told him as they packed up the last of the belongings. “You are the sexiest creature on earth and it’s maddening that you don’t realize it.”

“Ahm.” Dark Shadow cleared his throat loudly . Popping up between Hawks and Fumikage with a mock glare in the alpha’s direction. 

“You and Fumikage are tied for the title.” Hawks laughed and pressed a kiss to the specter’s forehead. “And don’t act like you don’t think he’s drop dead gorgeous too.”

“Just wanted to make sure you didn’t forget I was here.”

“Never.” Another soft kiss to Dark Shadow’s face, the sensation of which, ghosted along Fumikage’s skin. “Jealous is a good color on you. I wonder how far I could push that.”

A deep, bone chilling growl from Dark Shadow was his only answer and Fumikage was appalled by the sound. He opened his mouth to apologize for his manic demon companion, but Hawks looked so amused that the apology died on his tongue. A tongue he nearly swallowed when Hawks pressed his forehead against Dark Shadow’s and growled right back. 

“Let's get everything moved.” Fumikage finally said, his words coming out a little breathy and needy as the tiniest stream of slick slipped from his body. Thoughts of Dark Shadow and Hawks growling, rolling around in their shared nest, fighting over Fumikage. 

Oblivion. 

He needed to stop this train of thought before the entire floor of betas could smell him. 

“Yes. I want to check out our new dorm before I have to head off for patrol this afternoon.” Hawks agreed, his entire demeanor changing and becoming happy and carefree in a flash. He pressed a soft kiss to Dark Shadow’s forehead before picking up the box of books and heading toward the exit. 

- I want to lock him away so he can never leave. - 

- We’ve talked about this. No kidnapping. That’s villain behavior.”

- Kidnapping implies abduction. He’ll come willingly. - 

- False Imprisonment then. Still illegal. - 

- Only if he reports us. - 

“Come along boys, stop talking about me.” Hawks sang cheerfully and Fumikage looked up to see him holding the door open with his foot and staring at Dark Shadow and Fumikage with a soft smile on his handsome face. 

“We’re not talking about you.” Fumikage replied, heat traveling up his neck and over his face.

“Liar. Come on. If you hurry, I’ll let you stare at my ass the whole way.” Hawks motioned for Fumikage to pick up a box and the teenager sighed before doing as his alpha requested. There was no use trying to fight Hawks, the hero seemed to see right through him. 

Dark Shadow grabbed the last box and the three of them headed off toward the pack room. True to his word, Hawks made sure to walk a few feet ahead of Fumikage the entire way.

-

“I don’t know if this bed is really necessary.” Hawks commented as he and Fumikage stepped into the bedroom of the pack room seven. The space was massive, nearly four times the size of Fumikage’s previous dorm and a majority of it was taken up by the beds pushed close together. Three king sized beds that could have easily fit a half dozen people without any of them touching. It was definitely overkill for just Hawks and Fumikage, but something about all that space, prime for nest making, that made his inner omega purr. 

“We can utilize the space.” Fumikage said, walking further into the room and running his hand against the plain wood tone footboard of the huge bed frame. 

“For gymnastics?” Hawks asked playfully. 

“Why would we be doing gymnastics in bed?”

“Oh you sweet child.” Hawks whispered, his golden eyes wide and amused as he stared at Fumikage, a little smirk pulling at his lips. “I’m going to enjoy corrupting you.”

“I believe Hawks was alluding to energetic sex.” Dark Shadow said directly into Fumikage’s ear. “Not true gymnastics.”

“Ah. Dirty joke. Got it.”

Hawks approached slowly, his body swaying enticingly with every step, and stopped just a few inches from Fumikage. He was close enough that Fumikage could feel the heat of him but far enough away that he was desperate for his alpha to be closer. 

“It’s mind boggling that someone so beautiful could be so innocent. You’re so perfect, Fumi. I should want to protect you and keep you pristine, but all I can think about is how amazing it would be to ruin you.”

- Ruin is being used in a sexual context. - 

- I got that. Thanks. - 

- Just trying to be helpful. - 

“How would you ruin him?” Dark Shadow asked, far too bright and inquisitive for this situation. “For research purposes.”

Hawks looked like his birthday had come early. Like someone had presented him with the magnificent gift and he couldn’t believe that he was the one that got to open it. 

“I’ve got a few ideas.” He said slowly, stepping forward so that his chest was pressed against Fumikage’s. His face was so close that Fumikage could have leaned forward and pressed their cheeks together or ran his beak over that beautiful neck. But he was frozen, his eyes wide and staring up at Hawks and hanging on his every word. 

He wanted to know what ideas Hawks had. In explicit detail. 

“But I have patrol in ten minutes and I’m not a big enough tease to get you that riled up and leave you high and dry.”

Fuck. 

The whine that left his mouth was high pitched and so incredibly needy that it would have completely horrified Fumikage if he was clear headed. “You’re still teasing me. A beautiful demon come to pleasure and torture me in equal measure.”

“Maybe just a taste.” Dark Shadow whispered. “Something for us to look forward to when you come back.” He was pressed against Fumikage and Hawks, his face pressed to the top of Hawks’ blonde hair as he rubbed his form against him lovingly. “Please.”

“Gah.” Hawks groaned and leaned forward to press his forehead against Fumikage’s. Like this, they were staring deeply into each other’s eyes, scarlet meeting gold and igniting a flickering flame of want in Fumikage’s belly. “As if I could deny the two of you anything.  Since we’ve explored kissing, I think I’d start the ruining process by exploring your body next. Touching every inch of skin I can, devouring you with my eyes and even my mouth if you’d let me. I want to make you scream, Fumi. Make you feel like you’re flying. ” 

“Abyss.” Fumikage croaked, because this close to Hawks, it was impossible to miss the hunger in his eyes. Impossible to be unaffected by his earnest want. 

“Would you let me do that? Let me worship you?”

“Yes.” Fumikage and Dark Shadow answered in unison. 

“Good. Now be a good boy and make us a beautiful nest while I’m gone.” Hawks pulled away after the lightest little peck to Fumikage’s forehead. He danced away from Dark Shadow’s attempt to ensnare him with his shadowy form. “I’ll be home by seven.”

Home. 

Without asking what he meant, Fumikage knew. Knew that he was referring to this bare dorm without any of Hawks’ possessions.

 He meant Fumikage and Dark Shadow. 

Good alpha. Good mate. 

His inner omega whispered to him and Fumikage found himself nodding numbly as he watched his beautiful mate turn and walk away with a gorgeous smile thrown over his shoulder. Fumikage didn’t miss the single red feather that shot out to landed softly on their new bed. 

- Touya Todoroki - March - 7 years ago - 

Touya felt a little bit like the spy that the commission was trying to turn him into. He had taken to following Keigo around the compound and watching his every move and trying to catch the tiniest little peak of his friend’s mark. He didn’t need a lot, just a flash of color other than red or the silhouette of a different shape. Something that proved that Keigo wasn’t lying to him. 

Because Touya was starting to feel insane. He kept catching little whiffs of Keigo’s scent, a scent that made everything inside of Touya scream “ mate, alpha, mine ,” but then, the scent would disappear and he’d be left thinking his mind was just playing tricks on him. 

At first, he’d thought that it was just wishful thinking. But it was becoming more and more frequent and Touya just needed some peace of mind so he could go back to calling himself insane and ignoring his nose. 

Keigo was a good liar, Touya realized after a week of following him. He acted like a carefree, flirty kid during the day, but the moment he was alone; the smiles fell and darkness seemed to cascade over his features. He spent most of his free time training. Which was weird as fuck because who in their right mind would train all night after training all day?

And night time Keigo was…brutal. He kicked, punched, stabbed, and sliced at the training dummies with the precision of an assassin. A far cry from the kid pulling his punches and playing around during classes. 

“What are you doing?” A voice whispered softly to Touya’s left and he whipped his head to the side to discover Hikari perched lightly on the roof next to him. He hadn’t heard him approaching and a quick glance at his back revealed the white wings retracting into the omega’s back. 

Hikari looked completely human most of the time, other than the scattering of feathers in his hair. But his quirk was the ability to modify his body into that of an owl. He could grow wings for short periods of time, change his eyes to massive orange orbs with incredible night vision, and even elongate his fingers and toes into wickedly sharp talons. He had all the makings of a perfect spy, which is probably why Touya didn’t realize he had his own stalker this whole time. 

“Nothing.” Touya replied on instinct. “Just…enjoying the weather.”

“On top of the mess hall? Overlooking the training field where only our best friend is training? Try again, Firefly.”

Firefly. God, he loved that nickname. He loved how Kari summarized his quirk into something cute and harmless when in reality it was an unstable clusterfuck trying to kill him at every turn. 

Touya stared at his mate, afraid to say why he was here, watching another man instead of cuddling up with him on the couch in the common room. He loved Kari. Loved him more than he thought it was possible to love anyone. Hurting him was unthinkable. It made his heart ache just thinking about it. 

Lying was easier.

“I was just-”

“You can smell it too, can’t you? What am I saying, of course you can. You’re a beta, if my omega nose can pick up on his scent, then of course you’ve noticed too.” Kari breathed, cutting Touya off before the younger man could finish his half-baked lie. “He’s ours, isn’t he?”

All he could do was stare into beautiful orange eyes. There was a small smile on Kari’s face, one that never failed to make Touya’s heart feel like it was going to beat right out of his chest. 

“I think so. That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” He finally replied. “He smells like he could be. But without seeing his mark, it’s nearly impossible to know for sure.”

“He is.” Kari told him gently and a warm hand reached out to wrap around Touya’s fingers. “I think I knew the moment I presented. I could sense a connection to both of you. I didn’t understand why he didn’t come to me on his birthday. I thought that I had mistaken, but if you feel it too…”

Touya felt like his brain was spiraling. Kari thought Keigo was theirs too? Maybe Touya wasn’t crazy, but this was somehow worse. 

“Why would he lie to us?” Touya asked, breaking eye contact with the omega and turning his head to look out over the training area. Keigo was elegant and strong as he whizzed through form after form, cutting down dummies like they were made of nothing but paper. He was beautiful and dangerous and Touya knew without an ounce of doubt that he had secrets. Buckets of them that he hid so deep down inside himself that it would be a miracle to uncover them all. 

But Touya wanted to try. 

“Let’s find out.” Kari whispered, his breath ghosting over the side of Touya’s face and his body pressing against the beta’s back.

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami -

Fumikage and Dark Shadow made quick work of making a nest. It wasn’t perfect and didn’t hold a candle to the beautiful, soft space that Hawks had made in his apartment, but it was Fumikage’s. It was made from the few possessions he had: comforters from the bed, the clothes Hawks had leant him and a handful of soft sweaters from his own closet. 

“We can go to one of those nesting stores.” Dark Shadow offered softly, his body rubbing up against Fumikage’s side like a giant demon cat. “Get you piles of soft blankets and pillows in all the colors you’ve ever wanted.”

“Black.” Fumikage whispered, making Dark Shadow chuckle and rest his head on top of Fumikage’s. 

“Black then. Maybe a bit of dark purple if you’re feeling adventurous?”

“Maybe.” Fumikage turned his head to the side and tried to run his beak over the side of Dark Shadow’s neck, but huffed out a startled laugh when he went right through him instead. 

“Hey! Warn a guy. I have to concentrate to give myself a physical presence, Fumi.” He was a little ashamed to say that he had forgotten about that. 

Thankfully, when he moved to repeat the motion, Dark Shadow was solid. A bit cold and void of any texture or scent, but it was still comforting to rub his omega scent all over his companion. Dark Shadow made a soft humming sound and leaned closer into Fumikage and manifested a bit more weight so that it felt like the spirit was truly resting against him. 

“Do you want to test it out?” Dark Shadow asked softly. “We could cuddle up in the center of it and rest a little.”

Fumikage lifted his head and stared down at the blank void of Dark Shadow’s eye holes. “Just rest?”

A tiny smirk appeared on Dark Shadow’s face, his mouth twisting up despite his beak, in a way that only a spirit could. “I’m open to ideas. Hawks was kind enough to leave me with some inspiration if you’re interested.”

Fumikage gulped loudly, his throat bobbing and his mouth suddenly going bone dry. Dark Shadow had always been the more outgoing of the two of them, always quick to speak his mind or act without thinking through the consequences. To have that spontaneity directed toward him was thrilling. On par with the magnetism of Hawks. 

“Maybe I should eat first.”  He finally replied, after what felt like centuries. “It’s been a long day and if I don’t wish to perish, I’ll need sustenance.”

“Food is required for energy.” Dark Shadow agreed with a slow nod of his head. “And if you get into that nest with me, you’ll need all the energy you can get.”

Darkest night. 

Unsure of what to say to that, Fumikage turned on his heels and walked out of the room fast enough that he was sure he’d be able to escape Dark Shadow…if the demon spirit wasn’t permanently attached to his neck. 

“I didn’t make you uncomfortable, right?”

Fumikage just rolled his eyes. Dark Shadow could feel every one of his emotions, could read his thoughts if he was so inclined. He knew that Fumikage was far from uncomfortable. 

“The only thing uncomfortable are my pants.” Fumikage said softly, the words sound crass and foreign on his tongue. Like something one of his classmates would say, but never would have come out of his mouth normally. 

It had the expected effect that Fumikage was hoping for. It made Dark Shadow  wheeze and laugh, the sound thunderous and bright as it echoed through the nearly empty dorm. “I freaking love you, Fumi.”

The soft nuzzle of Dark Shadow’s face into the crook of Fumikage’s neck was comforting and warm. 

“I love you too.” Fumikage whispered back, his hand coming up to rest on the back of Dark Shadow’s head, his fingers splayed wide over the soft, cold surface of the spirit’s form. “Wish we realized what kind of love it was before now, though.”

“One of us is a big purple coward.” Dark Shadow whispered and Fumikage shivered at the soft kiss that was pressed to the side of neck as the pair of them stepped out of the dorm and headed off toward the kitchen. 

-Dabi - 

Dabi was sick and tired of the bullshit known as “court”. TV had led him to believe that court hearings took a single 30 minute episode to complete, but he was starting to realize that in the real world, criminal cases took far longer. Especially when the defendant was a certifiably insane mass murderer and the son of the newly named top hero in Japan. 

He was three months into the process and every day that went by, he was sure it would never end. The only bright side was that he had been remanded to Endeavor’s custody after a new set of quirk inhibiting cuffs had been sautered (literally fucking sautered) around his wrists. So at least he got to listen to Natsuo tell him about medical school and watch Fuyumi cook their weekly family meals. If he was really lucky, he got to sit in silence with Shouto for hours, neither of them saying a word and communicating fully through eyebrow raises and hand gestures. 

As it was, today was a court day and that meant that Dabi’s brain was literally melting inside his skull as lawyers talked and talked, trying to either make him out to be a villain or into a misunderstood hero. 

No one had considered that he might be neither. 

“If there are no further statements, the jury will be left to deliberate. Session will restart once they have made a decision.” The judge said firmly and Dabi fought back the urge to groan and slump down in his chair like a four year old. 

He just wanted to go back home and sleep for the rest of his life. Or die…that was an incredibly likely option as well now that the prosecution was pushing for immediate execution if he was found guilty. 

Either way, he didn’t want to sit here and wait. Waiting was boring. 

“Can you at least look remorseful and engaged?” Endeavor hissed from behind Dabi’s chair. 

“I’m not a good actor.” Dabi replied just as softly. “And I don’t think acting sad now will gain me any sympathy. But maybe, if you look sad enough for the both of us…”

“You’re a terror.”

“You love me.”

“To pieces.” Then Endeavor did the most horrifyingly disgusting thing that Dabi had ever been subjected to. He leaned forward and pressed his fucking lips against the back of Dabi’s head in a soft little kiss. 

Fucking parents. 

Thankfully, Dabi managed to keep himself together and not gag or try to wipe the germs off the back of his head. 

-

The jury didn’t take long to decide, which Dabi assumed was a bad sign. Because there had to be at least one person there that thought he was guilty, there was no way they would change someone’s mind in less than an hour. 

🎶 Hello execution, my old friend. 🎶

“We the jury in the case of Japan vs Touya Todoroki in the case of 115 charges of murder, we have found the defendant not guilty-”

Dabi was fucking shocked. He nearly fell out of his chair, but the firm, white hot hand on his shoulder, kept him upright. 

“-by reason of insanity.”

That made more sense. All was once again right with the world. 

“Jury recommendation is life long quirk dampening and court mandated psychiatric care.”

So not execution. Dabi could work with that. 

The judge nodded along with the juror’s statement and once the man sat back down, she addressed the room with a firm look that reminded Dabi of a high school teacher that was absolutely done with her students’ nonsense.

“I am in agreement with the jury’s recommendations with minimal additions. Todoroki-san, your innocence was determined, in part, thanks to the testimony of your psychiatrist, Iato-Sensei. Because of this, I will give you the following stipulations. You are to remain under the care of your father until such time as Iato-Sensei determines you are safe to live alone.”

She gave Dabi a pointed look and Dabi tried to look obedient, but was sure that he just looked constipated. Oh well, A for effort. 

“Your quirk cancelling cuffs will remain in place indefinitely. You are eligible to appeal for their removal or for their decreased potency in 5 years. As you are well aware, they are equipped with anti-tamper technology, if you’re found tampering with them, you may find yourself back in this courtroom and facing jail time.”

Dabi nodded, well aware of the spiel they had given him while welding the damn things around his body. 

“Also, all of Iato-Sensei’s notes will be sent to your parole officer, miss an appointment, raise your voice to him, look at him wrong, and you will be here again, do you understand?”

A grey eyebrow lifted and Dabi assumed that meant the question wasn’t rhetorical. 

“Yes, ma’am.” He gave her his most charming smile, the one that could get him free water at the bar if he asked nicely enough. 

She didn’t look charmed. Oh well. 

“Lastly, I would like to commend you, for sharing your past with us over the course of this trial. This is a very high profile case and is being recorded and documented for the world to see. Your plight is not unique. Mate rejection is the leading cause of suicide in the world and I hope that by sharing your story, it can bring recognition to this issue and encourage others going through this to seek out help. 

However, being hurt does not give anyone the right to hurt others. I would like to state for the record and anyone watching this or looking back on your case in the future. In this case, there were extenuating circumstances, including your partial transformation into a nomu by the villain doctor Garaki and manipulation of your mental and physical state by the league of villains. You are being given a second chance, but you will not be given a third.”

Dabi nodded again, his heart hammering in his chest as his new reality flashed before his eyes.

He wasn’t going to prison. 

He wasn’t being killed. 

He was going to go home with his family, live in the pristine house that smelled like childhood and happiness. Sure. he couldn’t use his quirk. He’d live. Sure he had to see the doctor but he wasn’t too annoying and he gave Dabi the good meds, so he’d accept that. 

It was more of a life than Dabi had ever felt like he deserved. 

A stupid fucking tear leaked from his eye, trailing thickly down his cheek and landing in a bright red glob on the white table he was sitting at. 

He was free. 

Keigo Takami - December 28th - 7 years ago (3 weeks before Touya’s birthday in chapter 1) 

Keigo awoke on the morning of his birthday to find the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. His soulmark was a red crescent moon with tiny stars trailing up his forearm. He had recognized it immediately as the same one Hikari had. 

It felt like he’d won the lottery. 

Hikari was beautiful and kind and smart and funny and he was one of Keigo’s best friends. Saying he was thrilled would have been an understatement. 

He didn’t know what his secondary gender was, he couldn’t feel slick anywhere, but would he have woken up covered in it out of the blue? He doubted it. And honestly, it didn’t matter to him. As long as he had his beautiful omega, he’d be happy. 

Keigo jumped out of bed and rushed to pull on any clothes he could reach, not caring if they matched. He didn’t bother with brushing his hair and just ran a hand through it while swishing mouthwash before nearly sprinting out of his dorm and toward the next building over, the one where the presented students stayed to keep omegas, betas, and alphas separated. 

He was out of the dorm and sprinting down the sidewalk toward Hikari’s dorm building when Nakamura-Sensei stepped off of the front landing and directly into his path. 

“Takami-kun.” Nakamura said firmly, her dark eyes stern and almost angry. “Why are you out of your dorm? Breakfast is not until 9am.” Those angry eyes flicked down and landed on Keigo’s mark a moment before her nostrils flared and she snapped her gaze back up to Keigo’s face. “My office. Now.”

“I just need to talk with-”

“Now.” She reached out and grabbed Keigo’s left arm hard enough to bruise, her long artificial nails digging into his skin like talons and dragged him away from the dorm buildings. She hauled him to the main school building and through the empty halls before shoving him into her office. 

He didn’t understand what he had done wrong. Having relationships with other students wasn’t forbidden. There were even other mated couples in his class. Why was she so upset with him?

“You’re an alpha.” Nakamura snarled and stalked toward Keigo until the teenager was pressed up against her desk, his spine arching as he tried to stay away from her. “You’re a disgrace.”

Alpha. 

Oh. Panic filled him as he contemplated climbing over the desk and out the window. Would she catch him? What would she do if she did?

The commission had a very old fashioned view of secondary genders. Betas were thought to be the preferred secondary gender for heroes. No extra instincts to contend with, level headed, easy going. Perfect. 

Omegas were acceptable. Emotional, but not usually aggressive. 

Alphas were… Well, alphas were villains. Hotheaded, aggressive, violent. Keigo didn’t think that was him at all though. He was usually well composed, he was friendly, he was nice, he was going to be a good hero. 

“I couldn’t help it.” He gasped, realizing how stupid it sounded, only after he had said it. 

“I know that.” Nakamura hissed. “But that doesn’t erase the fact that this is one more mark against you, Hawks. Villainy is in your blood, you’re a heteromorph, and now an alpha? Do you have any idea how impossible it’s going to be to convince anyone that you’re a hero?”

Keigo just gaped at her, his mouth opened wide and his breath coming in short little frightened gasps. 

Teachers were allowed to use physical violence if “necessary” but Keigo had come to realize when it came to the commission, "necessary” was a very subjective word.

“I’m sorry. I’ll work harder, I’ll-”

The fist that shot out and slammed into his cheek was unexpected and Keigo took the full brunt of it with a groan of pain. The force knocked him sideways and if it wasn’t for the desk pressed against the back of his thighs, he would have fallen over. 

“And now, on top of that, you want to mate with an omega? Increase the aggression in both of you?” Nakumara laughed, a humorless, scary sound. “No. I won’t allow it. The commission won’t allow it. If you want to ruin your own career, that’s on you. But you can’t ruin his.”

Keigo would never hurt Hikari or his career. 

Why would mating change anything? Increase their aggression? Keigo had never heard of that before, was that even true or just some outdated prejudice that the commission functioned under? 

“I don’t understand-“

Nakamura stormed around the desk, opening one of the drawers with enough force that Keigo flinched away and started inching toward the door. Maybe while she was distracted he could-

She snapped her head up and glared at Keigo before throwing a silver package at him. The kind of packaging you got with cold medicine, little individual pills in foil. He stared down at it blankly, his hands shaking and everything inside of him screaming at him to run out of this room and never look back. 

He wanted to press his face into his omega’s neck, breathe in his scent and wrap his body around his mate. Wanted to lay in his nest until the world made more sense. 

“You’ll start taking those, right now.” Nakamura growled at him, bringing herself back up to her full height and glaring up at Keigo like the teenager was scum under her shoe. 

Keigo stared down at the pills and finally noticed the little alpha symbol on the back of the package. Suppressants. Okay, he could do that. Keeping his instincts under control would probably be a good idea anyway while he was still in school and-

“And you’ll stay away from Hikari Sato.”

His head snapped up and he snarled over at the older woman, ready to fight her for daring to suggest he stay away from his omega. His mate. 

Her fist slammed into his nose faster than Keigo’s alpha controlled mind could track, causing his head to snap backward. But she didn’t relent, she stomped into his space, grabbing Keigo by his throat to hold him in place as a knee made contact with his gut. The impact knocked the air out of him and made him wheeze and cough as he struggled to get air back in through the hold on his neck. 

“I could expel you right now for that.” Her voice was calm and collected again, deadly serious in her threats to Keigo’s hopes and dreams. “But out of the kindness of my heart, I’ll forgive you for your lack of control this once. Know that I’m serious when I say to stay away from Sato. We have plans for him and can not afford for him to be distracted by a bull headed alpha. You’ll ruin him , Takami. And if that happens, I’ll ruin you. You’ll be kicked out of the program faster than you can blink.”

His breath caught in his throat and he stared into Nakamura’s dark eyes in disbelief and fear. He’d been training with the commission for 10 years . They had raised him. Had made him into a killer before he was a teenager. Had promised him that in the end, all of the hardship and pain would be worth it. Could they really toss him aside because of a soulmate?

He’d seen the commission do so much worse. 

“He’s my soulmate.” Keigo whispered, pleading with Nakamura to understand. “I can’t stay away from him. Our scents-”

“Leave here and see the nurse.” She explained coldly. “She’ll give you supplies to keep your scent hidden. If it becomes a problem, you shut it down. Understood?”

No. He didn’t fucking understand. 

“Yes.”

“Good. Because you know what would happen if you were expelled.”

He did. 

Hawks knew too much. He’d done too much. If the commission decided he had outlived his usefulness…then he’d be dead or in handcuffs before he could leave the campus. 

Keigo nodded silently, numbness settling over his mind and body, making him feel floaty and detached. All of the happiness and excitement from twenty minutes ago had evaporated and it left him feeling so incredibly empty

Mate . Omega.

A soft voice whispered through his mind, the tone nearly a whine as Keigo popped one of the red capsules out of the silver packaging. 

Not now. Keigo whispered back. We’ll figure out a way. But not now. 

The high pitched, heart-broken whine that echoed through his brain made his heart clench and left a bitter, acidic aftertaste in the back of his throat that had nothing to do with the suppressant he swallowed down dry.

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Fumikage ran his fingers over the side of Dark Shadow’s face and down the cold sides of his form. The spirit was laying on top of him in their nest, a soft weight on Fumikage’s chest as he stared down with wide eyes that seemed filled with awe despite being completely blank voids. 

“You’re so pretty.” Dark Shadow told him gently and leaned forward to press his mouth to the side of Fumikage’s neck. “I never thought I’d get to touch you like this.” Cold fingers caressed over Fumikage’s sides, wiggling under the hem of his shirt to press against his skin. The contact had Fumikage arching up under Dark Shadow, a small gasp of surprise leaving his throat and making his friend chuckle darkly into his neck. 

“No more hidden feelings.” Fumikage replied and turned his head to nuzzle his beak into the side of Dark Shadow’s face. “No more secrets.”

Honestly, it was rather impressive that Dark Shadow had hidden this from him for so long. The quirk spirit seemed barely able to keep himself from shouting out every thought that crossed his mind. But if Fumikage was being fair, it was highly likely that he had gotten little hints of romantic feelings from Dark Shadow and had misunderstood them as friendly affection or odd issues in their connection. 

“Agreed.” Dark Shadow told him as he manifested a tongue to lick lazily at Fumikage’s skin. “I love you.”

The words were nice. But didn’t hold a candle to the deep, romantic affection that flooded their connection. The overwhelming emotions had Fumikage arching up again, his hands clutching at the back of Dark Shadow’s head and pressing him in closer to his neck. 

More . 

The omega voice whispered and Fumikage didn’t know if it was talking to him or Dark Shadow. 

“Both probably.” Dark Shadow answered the silent, unasked question. “Stop thinking so hard.”

“So does one simply stop thin- Gods .” Fumikage gasped out a shaky moan, his hips thrusting up into the hand Dark Shadow had wiggled down under the waistband of his jeans. Cold fingers wrapped around his cock and were now stroking him softly, experimentally. 

“Relax, Fumi. Let me explore a little.”

Dark Shadow’s fingers kept stroking him while his mouth started littering kisses down Fumikage’s neck, toward the collar of his shirt. 

“Well isn’t this a sight to come home to.” 

Fumikage jumped, his heart hammering in his chest as he turned toward the open bedroom door where Hawks was leaning against the frame. His arms were crossed over his chest, his wings tucked tightly to his back, his ankles crossed and a little smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. At his feet was a comically large duffle bag and he had changed out of his hero costume and was back in his civilian clothes of a pair of dark jeans and a red shirt. 

Fumikage tried to sit up, to greet his alpha appropriately instead of just laying there with Dark Shadow’s hands pressed to his most intimate places. 

“Oh no.” Dark Shadow laughed and pushed Fumikage right back down. “I’ve worked all day to get you horizontal. No sitting up. No running away.”

“But Hawks is-”

“Intrigued by what is occurring here. Please continue.”

Darkness save him. 

He was not going to survive having Dark Shadow and Hawks in his life. He was going to spontaneously combust eventually. 

“Why don’t you distract Fumi? He needs to get out of his own head.” Dark Shadow said conversationally as he continued stroking Fumikage’s cock, like they didn’t have a sexy hero staring at the pair of them. 

“I can be a distraction.” Hawks smirked and Fumikage watched as the alpha whipped his shirt up and over his head in a blur of movement. “How's that for a start?”

Hawks was still smirking, his eyes focused intently on Fumikage’s face like a raptor watching its prey before an attack. It may have been unsettling under different circumstances, but in that moment, with pleasure sparking up Fumikage’s spine and his brain slowly turning to mush in his skull, the expression was exhilarating. 

“I believe he’s sufficiently distracted.” 

Fumikage barely heard the words as Hawks approached, his scent flooding the omega’s nose and his skin so close that Fumikage couldn’t control the hand that snapped out to press against the center of Hawks’ chest. 

For someone so thin and lithe, he had incredibly well defined muscles. The feel of them under Fumikage’s hands made the omega’s mouth water. He wanted to lick across those gorgeous pectorals and flick his tongue over the ridges of Hawks’ abs. 

He just needed to be a little closer. Because while Fumikage’s tongue was definitely longer than the average person’s, it was not the length of his arm. His fingers gently grasped at Hawks’ waist and he tried to pull him closer to the edge of the bed. The alpha came willingly with a soft chuckle at Fumikage’s open-mouthed awed expression. 

Just as Fumikage was leaning forward, completely intent on licking his alpha and saying to hell with any semblance of self control he was trying to hang onto, his cock was enveloped by icy, cold wetness that made Fumikage scream in surprise and instinctively try to crawl away. 

“Sorry sorry.” Dark Shadow whispered and Fumikage looked down his body to find his shadow demon laying on his legs, his head hovering over Fumikage’s uncovered groin. 

When had he gotten Fumikage’s pants off? Was the first thought he had. The second was how incredible Dark Shadow looked over his lap like that. 

“What did you do?” Fumikage asked, a little breathless after the scare of his life. His erection had instantly flagged, his cock now soft against his thigh. 

“Tried to give you a blow job.”

Fumikage.exe has stopped responding. 

“Probably didn’t get the temperature right. Your body is naturally cold when you manifest.” Hawks sounded endlessly amused by the situation and Fumikage watched as he reached out and gently took Dark Shadow’s hand and pulled it up to his mouth. “Try to mimic this.”

Hawks popped Dark Shadow’s finger into his mouth like it was nothing. Like he wasn’t being the sexiest creature on the planet and he was actively turning Fumikage’s head into an empty pile of feathers. 

Fumikage watched as Hawks, the devious hell-creature that he was, swirled his tongue around Dark Shadow’s finger and sucked it down to the last knuckle before swallowing around the digit again and again. 

Fumikage collapsed back on the bed and covered his eyes with his hands to block out the sight in front of him. Soft fingers stroked over his head comfortingly, and that just made it so much worse. His cock was becoming increasingly interested in the soft tender touches and the rhythmic sucking sounds coming from Hawks and Fumikage wanted to melt away and disappear. 

Or have one of them reach down and touch him where his body was desperately craving contact. 

“Stop being embarrassed.” Dark Shadow chuckled. “Open your eyes and kiss Hawks while I experiment a little.” The moment the words were out, Fumikage felt a warm wetness envelop him and he snapped his eyes open wide to stare up into Hawks’ golden gaze. 

“Hello there, gorgeous. You okay?” Hawks asked softly, those fingers on Fumikage’s head moved down his face, the hero’s thumb resting on the side of Fumikage’s beak. 

“Yeah. Fine. Just never done this before.” Fumikage whispered. 

Hawks’ pupils dilated, his eyes becoming hungry as he stared down at Fumikage with his soft little playful smirk. 

“What can I do to make you more comfortable?”

Fumikage wasn’t uncomfortable . He was embarrassed because he was laying here, half naked with Dark Shadow doing something to his cock and looking up at the most gorgeous human on the planet. Would Hawks think he was attractive like this? Would he be turned off by his lack of experience?

“Cursed Shit.” Dark Shadow hissed and the sensation around Fumikage’s cock ended, causing him to look down his body at Dark Shadow glaring up at him. “Fumi, you’re gorgeous. We’ve both told you that. Neither of us care if you’re a virgin. If anything, we both think it’s sexy as hell. So get out of your own head and just enjoy, okay? Stop spiraling or I’m going to broadcast catchy jingles into your brain for a week straight.”

“You wouldn’t dare. ” Fumikage hissed and tried to sit up more so he could reach down and grab at his quirk demon and threaten his soul with eternal damnation if he even considered that. But large hands pushed him back down on the bed with another amused chuckle and Fumikage watched in awe as Dark Shadow lowered himself back down Fumikage’s shaft. 

It didn’t quite look like how a blowjob did in porn. Dark Shadow hadn’t really manifested a mouth so it just looked like a black void with a pair of eyes staring up at him as his cock was enveloped in a moist heat again. 

It certainly felt like a blow job. 

The stray thought made Dark Shadow hum happily and do a little wiggle as he kept bobbing his form up and down Fumikage’s dick. 

“Let's get this off of you.” Hawks whispered and Fumikage’s attention was pulled away from Dark Shadow as fingers pulled at the hem of his shirt and eventually pulled it straight up over his head. “You have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

Golden eyes raked over Fumikage’s chest and down his body to where Dark Shadow was working diligently. Fumikage watched Hawks, his heart hammering in his chest as he watched the alpha fight some kind of internal battle, his lips twisting up to the side as he chewed on the inside of his cheek. After the deliberation was complete, Hawks swooped forward like the bird of prey he was named after. 

His lips latched onto the side of Fumikage’s neck and the last of Fumikage’s brain cells officially fizzled out as the hero started kissing down the length of his neck and toward his chest. 

“Oh.” Fumikage whispered and dug his fingers of one hand into Hawks’ soft, blonde hair as the other clutched at the alpha’s naked back. 

“You’re so pretty.” Hawks moaned as his tongue flicked out to run over a perked nipple. The sensation had Fumikage arching up under his tormentors, a throaty groan leaving his beak as his eyes rolled and his eyelids fluttered. “Want to devour you.” His mouth latched onto the omega’s chest and sucked. 

He felt like he was going to tear Hawks’ hair out with how hard he was clutching and pulling at it, hanging on for dear life as stars exploded in front of his eyes and every nerve in his body sang. 

Cautiously, he peaked his eyes open, intent on begging Dark Shadow to stop before he came inside of the demon. Where would his come go? Could Dark Shadow swallow things? Would it pass through him like he was a ghost? 

But his gaze was drawn to brilliant red feathers. 

Hawks’ wings were out, fully expanded on either side of his body to show off the impressive wingspan. However, they weren’t just hovering in the air, they were…fluttering. The wings moved and swayed in intricate little patterns in the air and Fumikage was entranced by them. They were gorgeous, he wanted to touch them and preen then and nuzzle them. Wanted to take the shed feathers and lay them in his nest so he could lay with them forever. 

“Hawks, are you courting me?” He asked softly.

Hawks just trilled softly, a cute little needy sound and looked up at Fumikage with massive, pleading, golden eyes. 

Fumikage’s body clenched and arched up with a strangled groan as he came, unable to hold back after learning his mate was using his beautiful wings to try to entice Fumikage into mating with him. Sure, Hawks was here, he was with Fumikage and had accepted him. But this was the avian side of Hawks’ brain that wanted and accepted Fumikage. It was heedy and perfect and once he came down from his orgasm-high Fumikage realized he was making his own little chirping coos in between gasps of air.

“For educational purposes, I would like it to be known that I cannot swallow.” Dark Shadow said seriously, breaking Fumikage’s trance and pulling his attention down to where the shadow was resting on Fumikage’s legs and staring at the cooling puddle of come on the omega’s thigh. “I did attempt and I am saddened by my own limitations.”

Fumikage huffed out a soft, mortified laugh that soon became nearly hysterical as he realized that his sentient quirk had just given him a blow job with their alpha right there. 

“Oh, more for me, then.” Hawks commented nonchalantly, and before Fumikage could even process the words, the alpha was leaning over Fumikage’s body and slurped up the come like it was some kind of sweet treat.

“Abyss.” Fumikage groaned and pressed his forearm over his eyes to block out the sight. “I can’t believe you did that.”

“I did say I wanted to devour you, Fumi. I make good on my statements.” Hawks laughed and Fumikage jumped when fingers wrapped around his arm and pulled the limb away from his face. “No hiding. Not from me.”

He just nodded slowly and drug his eyes down Hawks’ body, his gaze pausing at the top of his jeans. “Do you want me to-” Fumikage nodded toward Hawks’ groin and moved his hands over to gently tug at his mate’s waistband. But before he could undo the buttons keeping Hawks from him, large hands covered his, pausing his movements. 

“I want you to be comfortable.” Hawks answered the unasked question when Fumikage looked up at him. “I already got what I wanted. Got to see you come and got my mouth on you. Now we can just cuddle.”

Well that certainly wouldn’t do. 

“I’m not uncomfortable.” Fumikage repeated. “Do I not get to explore? Do I not get the pleasure of my mouth on you?”

Hawks stared down at him, unblinking and quizzical. His head cocked to the side and he let out a soft coo before he snapped his attention over to Dark Shadow, who was patiently floating off to the side just watching the pair of them. 

“He’s not uncomfortable.” Dark Shadow told him, somehow understanding that Hawks was asking. “He really does want to touch you. No coercion or guilty feelings.”

“I’m insulted that my word is being questioned.” Fumikage huffed out sarcastically. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

“Allow me to be noble just once.” Hawks whispered and looked over to Fumikage with a soft expression before his hands fell away to allow the omega to continue working at his jeans. “So I don’t have to feel guilty in the morning after I’ve covered you in my come.”

“That sounds filthy. ” Fumikage said absent mindedly, his eyes focused on the peak of bright red boxers that appeared once the button of Hawks’ jeans were undone. “Help me get these off.” He yanked at the jeans with a little whine when they wouldn’t budge. Cursed things were too tight. 

The words had been meant for Hawks. But Dark Shadow swooped in like the beautiful chaos demon that he was and used wisps of purple energy to yank and tug at Hawks’ pants, which ended up unsettling the alpha and causing him to fall back onto the mattress with an excited laugh. 

“Give me a second!” Hawks wheezed. “I’ll get them off.”

Fumikage was convinced that those energy whisps were just tickling Hawks at this point as the alpha laughed and wiggled around as the jeans slowly migrated down his legs. It looked like so much fun that Fumikage couldn’t resist crawling over to the pair and running his fingertips over Hawks’ sides to make him squeal and squirm. 

“Mercy, please!” Hawks screamed out between laughs. “I can’t take it. 

Fumikage noted that the black jeans were now in a small heap on the sheets and Hawks was just squirming around in his underwear. And gods was he gorgeous. All beautiful tanned skin that contrasted perfectly with the bright red boxers that matched his wings that were tucked tightly against his back with just the occasional feather peaking out. 

He ceased his tickling and felt Dark Shadow do the same as he crawled over his alpha to lay himself completely on top of him. Chest to chest, Fumikage had the perfect view of Hawks’ tear filled golden eyes and the wide, carefree smile on his handsome face. 

Mine. 

“Mine.” Fumikage whispered, echoing the needy, omega voice inside his brain. “My alpha.”

Large hands grabbed at his waist, pulling him closer so that his and Hawks’ groins collided in an explosion of sparks and pleasure. Fumikage was still soft from his orgasm just a few minutes prior, but Hawks was rock hard and the line of his erection was like an iron bar pressed up against Fumikage. 

“How can you act so coy one minute and then say things like that .” Hawks growled low in his throat, his hands becoming like talons as they gripped at Fumikage’s waist.

“Like what?” Fumikage whispered back, leaning his face forward until his beak was rubbing gently at Hawks’ cheek. A little thrill went through his chest when Hawks shuttered, like what Fumikage was doing to him was euphoric instead of cringy. He moved his hand slowly in between their bodies, pressing the palm of it against the length under him. “Like the fact that the sight of your wings is what made me orgasm? That they’re the biggest, most beautiful wings I’ve ever seen and that the way you moved them proved to me that you’re the best alpha for me?”

Hawks was frighteningly still, his breaths coming in short little gasps as Fumikage kept whispering into his ear and moving his hand slowly up and down the alpha’s erection. 

“That your display made me desperate to be your mate and to let you breed me.”

He should have been embarrassed by the words coming out of him. But for some reason, being in control, feeling that what he was doing was affecting Hawks, made him feel powerful. He would have gladly sung a little tune or danced an embarrassing dance if it would make Hawks feel good. 

“Fumi.” Dark Shadow groaned a moment before Fumikage was being flipped over onto his back and Hawks’ face was hovering over his, the alpha’s expression twisted up as he growled. 

“Keep talking like that and I’m going to fuck you.” Hawks snarled and tightened his hold on Fumikage’s hips as he thrust his hips forward, rubbing himself on Fumikage through his underwear. “Holy shit, you are sin incarnate.” 

Slick leaked out of Fumikage and down onto the sheets below him, going from the slow seep that always happened when he was aroused, to an astonishing gush that made Fumikage stiffen as he watched Hawk’s nostrils flare. 

The little omega voice in Fumikage’s brain was screaming at him to roll over and toss his ass up into the air for Hawks to mount. Even the avian instincts were in agreement after Hawks’ beautiful courting display.

“Next time.” Dark Shadow said as he appeared at Hawks’ side, his mouth pressing kisses to the alpha’s neck as his eyes locked onto Fumikage’s. “I want to watch you smear your come all over him. He’d look beautiful with his feathers covered in you.” 

Hawks groaned loudly, his hips moving more intently against Fumikage’s, rocking back and forth rhythmically. Fumikage reached down, his gaze never leaving Dark Shadow and Hawks, and used his fingers to blindly push away the pre-come soaked fabric from Hawks’ erection. 

The feel of him, hot and hard against Fumikage’s skin was as sinful he’d expected. It had want curling in his gut and he knew that if Dark Shadow wasn’t there, seeing inside his mind and keeping him in line, that Fumikage would be asking (begging) for Hawks to claim him and fuck him into the mattress. 

“Yes.” Fumikage finally whispered and ran his beak over Hawks’ bare shoulder. “I want you to mark me, alpha. Rub your scent into me and our nest so no one can ever forget who I belong to.” Then he did what he had been dreaming about for months. He raised up and took one of those scarlet feathers into his mouth, running the edges of his beak over it in a gentle preen. 

“Fumi.” Hawks groaned deeply. “Fuck fuck fuck. Fumi.” Fumikage couldn’t stop preening, now that he had started, and moved from one feather to the other. Cleaning his mate’s beautiful wings as the alpha thrust against him. “Gonna make me come from that.”

“Then come.” Fumikage whispered. “Please, alpha.” He moved his beak up through Hawks’ hair before drifting down so that he could flick his tongue out and run it over the shell of his alpha’s ear. The move made him shutter and groan as Hawks’ body stiffened on top of Fumikage’s. 

Hot, thick come spilled between them as Hawks let out a symphony of sounds, a mix between human groans and bird-like chirps and coos. Fumikage loved every one of them and he cataloged them all in the back of his brain, intent on pulling them out of his mate again and again. 

“You’re going to be the death of me.” Hawks whispered several moments later, after he had gotten his breath back and the come covering his and Fumikage’s stomachs had started to cool. 

Fumikage just chuckled softly and let himself relax into Hawks’ body with a content hum. 

Death by sex didn’t sound horrible. 

Dark Shadow’s icy side cuddled close to them as he let out a little throaty coo sound of his own. Like an inquiring cat asking for affection. 

Fumikage’s and Hawks’ hands brushed as they lightly stroked down Dark Shadow’s head and over his back. 

“Is it rude of me to ask if you get aroused, Shadow?” Hawks asked softly, his breath tickling Fumikage’s face as it brushed over his feathers. 

Dark Shadow went very quiet and Fumikage turned his head to take in his demon. The purple mist appeared contemplative, or at least, he did to Fumikage. Anyone else would just be looking at a shapeless cloud/mist/spirit that lacked all human-like features. No eyes. No beak. No limbs. Just a dark blob of color. 

Like he said. Contemplative. 

“I don’t get physically aroused.” Dark Shadow’s voice said, though no mouth appeared and there was no outward movement from him. “I’m a sentient quirk, Hawks.” The last part was said jokingly, though neither Fumikage or Hawks laughed. 

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Dark Shadow continued. “I get…mentally aroused. If that makes sense. Like I can clearly see that you and Fumi are attractive and I desperately want to touch you and do things to you. But I don’t have a desire for either of you to do those things to me. Also, I can feel Fumikage’s pleasure, so it’s actually better for me to just feel it through him.”

“It makes sense.” Hawks reassured him and reached out to place another stroke down the spirit’s back. “But kisses you liked, right?”

Dark Shadow formed a head in an instant and nodded rapidly. “Yes. Kisses are good. Pets are good. Cuddles are good.” As though to emphasize his statement, Dark Shadow moved forward to plant a firm kiss to Hawk’s mouth. 

- Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago - 

Having Hikari on his team for their self-imposed mission of uncovering Keigo’s mark, was the breakthrough he needed. Hikari had zero shame and had no qualms going right up to the alpha, pressing his smaller body against him and running his fingers over the bandaged mark like it was nothing. At first, Touya had been confused, both by the fact that he wasn’t the least bit jealous of his mate rubbing up on another man, and by what Hikari hoped to accomplish with the move. 

Turns out, Hikari was an expert at the “long game.”

“Eventually he’ll get so used to me touching him and being in his space, that he won’t even flinch. That’s when I’ll yank that stupid wrap off his wrist.” Hikari explained with a soft giggle as he sat on Touya’s bed, his back resting against the headboard and his feet crossed over Touya’s lap. 

“We could just hold him down and remove it.” Touya pointed out. “That would be faster and less complicated.”

“He’d wipe the floor with us.” Hikari disagreed. “You saw him during his private training sessions. He pretends to be on our level during classes, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s already working for the commission on underground missions. He moves like a trained assassin already.”

Touya paused, his hands resting heavily on Hikari’s socked feet as he lost track of the massage he was giving his omega. Keigo was so young. Touya’s age. How did a sixteen year old become a human weapon?

He thought back to what he had gotten out of his friend about his childhood. He knew he grew up with two beta parents that were the scum of the earth. He knew that Keigo had been a ward of the commission since he was young-

Was the commission using child soldiers?

Touya glanced up to Hikari, who was now humming happily and reading through his latest romance novel. Hikari became a ward of the commission when he started in the hero program here. 

“Would the safety commission train and use someone so young?”

He asked the question, but Touya knew in his gut what the answer would be. 

Hikari’s orange eyes were cold as they flashed up to him over the top of his book. “Definitely.”

Looking back on it. The look in his mate’s eyes, the heartache and the pain that Touya swore he could feel radiating off of him, was the first crack in his pristine illusion of heroes and the laws surrounding them. 

“Get back to work, Firefly. I was promised a foot massage that would be nearly orgasmic .”

Touya tried to smile back at him, but knew the look fell flat as he turned his attention back to the adorable feet in his lap. He wrapped his hands around them gently, letting his fingertips press into the arches, and running his palms over the tops of Hikari’s toes. 

“Fuck you’re good at that.” Hikari moaned softly, the book forgotten as it dropped to the bed. 

-

It only took a month of constant touching for Hikari to get Keigo’s wrap off. It was during a training session, their entire fourth period class was practicing the newest hand to hand moves they had been taught and Hikari had cheerfully volunteered himself as Keigo’s partner with a firm look in Touya’s direction. 

After that, Hikari only needed two rounds of mock fighting before the black wrap was in his hand and his eyes were wide and glazed over as they stared at Keigo’s forearm. 

At the familiar red mark that Touya had seen thousands of times. 

It should have been a relief. To finally know that the little whiffs of scent he had been getting from Keigo weren’t just olfactory hallucinations. To know that his best friend was his soulmate and that the two people he loved more than anything were meant to be with him. 

But it wasn’t. 

Because Hikari looked horrified and angry and Keigo didn’t look the least bit better. He was pale and hyperventilating as he tried to hide his arm, like that would somehow erase Hikari’s memory. Touya realized at that moment that Kiego hadn’t even glanced at him. He had no idea that Touya saw the mark just as clearly as Hikari. 

“You’re my alpha.” Hikari whispered, his face morphing into a serene, happy expression. Like the disbelief was wearing off and he was now realizing that while Keigo may have lied to them, he was still their soulmate. “I knew it, Keigo. I’ve known it this whole-” He stepped forward, back into Keigo’s space but the alpha took a massive step back, assisted with a little flutter of his wings that carried him to the other side of the sparring area. 

“Give me the wrap back, Hikari. You’re confused, it’s a similar mark, but it’s not the same.” He held out his left arm, his fingers trembling as though he expected their omega to just hand over the wrap and fall for the obvious lie. 

But Hikari wasn’t a submissive little omega. He was bold and explosive and dangerous. 

So it wasn’t a surprise to Touya when he lunged at Keigo with an avian screech of anger. If it was anyone else, Touya knew that Hikari would have his talons out, but even angry and hurt, the omega kept them sheathed and instead clutched at Keigo’s shoulders with blunt, human fingers and shook the alpha back and forth angrily. 

“Don’t lie to me, Kai. It’s the same mark. I’m your soulmate, I can feel it.” 

Keigo’s eyes widened and his head swiveled back and forth, taking in their classmates with a look of absolute panic. 

“Ito-san, is it okay for us to discuss this in private?” Touya asked their teacher, a short woman who was watching Hikari and Keigo just as avidly as the rest of the students. 

“By all means,” she replied. “None of you need the extra practice anyway.” She waved Touya off with a little flap of her hand and turned back to the rest of the class and motioned for them to get back to work. 

Touya raced to Keigo, grabbing him and Hikari by the backs of their gym uniforms and dragging them away from the sparring circles and toward the open field beyond. 

“Don’t fucking touch me.” Kiego hissed and slapped Touya’s hand away, but they were far enough away now, that the beta didn’t fight to keep ahold of him. 

“Start talking, birdie. Or I’m going to sick Hikari on you.”

Speaking of…the omega looked near feral. He was growling softly, his chest heaving with exaggerated breaths, and his hands were changing back and forth between talons and fingers. It was never a good sign when the older teen started losing control of his quirk.

For a moment, Touya was terrified that Kiego would try to run from them or at least try to lie; but then he saw the alpha deflate, his cold exterior morphing back into the soft and warm friend Touya had come to know. 

“I’m not in a position to have a soulmate right now.” Kiego whispered, sounding more like a politician than himself. Maybe all of the ice hadn’t thawed afterall. 

Good thing Touya was there. 

“Fuck off.” He stepped into Kiego’s space faster than the alpha could pull away, pressing himself up close to his friend and staring down into his stupidly pretty golden eyes. “We’re your friends. Your soulmates apparently. Don’t talk to us like we’re strangers. Why the hell did you lie about your soulmark?”

“Was it me?” Hikari whispered and the soft, broken tone of his voice tore at Touya’s heart. It made him want to turn and hold his omega close while also urging him to rip Keigo apart for hurting him. 

“No!” Keigo breathed out, wide eyes turning to Hikari as he shook his head rapidly. “The fact that I had your mark was the best thing to ever happen to me.”

“Then why? ”

Touya didn’t have to turn to know that Hikari was likely to the point of angry, heartbroken tears. 

“I hid it because I can’t have a soulmate right now, Kari.”

What the fuck did that even mean? Touya wanted to grab at Keigo and shake him until something that actually made sense started coming out of his mouth. 

“Right now?” Touya asked. “The hell, Keigo. Right now is when the bond is fresh, when it should be nurtured, not hidden away like a dirty little secret.”

“Kari.” Kiego whispered and Touya took a step back at the something in his tone. Like he was trying to send a message using more than words. But it was a message in a language Touya didn’t know. “ I can’t.”

The alpha was looking over Touya’s shoulder at Kari and for the first time, his expression was open, honest. 

“Not right now.” Hikari responded, just as softly, like he understood the message from Hawks loud and clear. He sounded…empty and Touya spun to him in concern to find that his omega was so much smaller than he remembered. 

Like all of the happiness and energy that usually made him seem larger than life, was just gone. And now he was just a small sixteen year old that was having his heart broken on a random Tuesday afternoon. 

“I need to focus on my career.” Keigo continued and Touya felt like he was in a dream where everyone around him was speaking another language and just expected him to understand. “Kari, it’s important that I graduate.”

“I understand.” Hikari told him and Touya spun back around to face Keigo with barely contained rage simmering under his skin. 

“I don’t. Keigo, you’re the top student here. Being with us won’t hurt your chances of graduating and it certainly won’t hurt your career of all fucking things. It certainly doesn’t explain why you felt the need to fucking hide it from us. You’ve known for months. You lied to us.”

And that was the real stab in the gut wasn’t it?

Because Touya loved Keigo. Had loved him since the first time he was gifted one of those adorable little flirty smiles that made his heart feel like it would explode out of his chest. To know that the alpha would lie to him so easily, like it was nothing…it was soulbreaking. 

“Firefly, he can’t right now.” Hikari whispered just as a set of hands appeared on Touya’s waist, tugging him back against a firm chest so that his omega could resist his chin on the beta’s shoulder. 

“You keep saying it like I’ll finally understand.” Touya hissed and pulled away from his mate to storm off, needing to get distance between both of his best friends. Nothing made sense anymore, not even the two people he loved more than life. “When either of you can talk to me like a fucking person instead of a computer malfunctioning, then come find me.”

He let his eyes flick between his soulmates, hoping one of them would suddenly remember how to speak Japanese effectively. 

But they didn’t. They just stood there, eyes filled with something that Touya couldn’t name, but not saying a fucking word to get him to stay. 

So he left.

Chapter Text

-Fumikage Tokoyami-

Hawks had been all smiles and giggles and kisses when Fumikage had woken up on Sunday morning after the best sleep of his young life. He had thought that sleeping in Hawks’ nest had been incredible, but sleeping in his own nest? Sleeping in his own nest after his first sexual experience and a sexy shower with the most gorgeous alpha on the planet? 

Life changing.

Hawks and Dark Shadow must have conspired against Fumi, something the teenager feared would become a common occurrence in the near future, and after being rushed to get dressed, he had been pulled out of the dorm at lightning speed. Because Hawks apparently had friends in odd places. Like in upper management of the nesting store in the local mall. 

Fumikage didn’t fully understand how his mate had made it work, but he had somehow convinced the store owner to open the shop an hour early, just for the pair of them. So that Fumikage and Hawks could walk hand in hand down the aisles and the omega could have uninterrupted time to stroke pillows and blankets and cushions and stuffies to decide on the softiest ones. 

“I like these.” Dark Shadow demanded and perched himself ontop of a pile of dark purple pillows in the shape of crescent moons. Fumikage ran his fingers over the material and after finding that they were incredibly soft, he picked two of them up and tossed them in the cart that was overflowing with black material. 

“We need more purple then.” Fumikage replied softly. “They will look out of place in a black void. I will leave you in charge of finding more purple accents.” His response earned him a happy little cry from Dark Shadow as the spirit wrapped himself around Fumikage’s shoulders and pressed cold kisses to his feathers. 

“I love you. Thank you, Fumi.”

“It’s our nest, right? Your opinion matters.”

More kisses were pressed to his face and over his beak until Fumikage was squawking in distress and trying to get the wild demon off of his head. This just made Hawks snort and laugh, the sound reverberating through the large, empty store. 

“So I can pick out whatever I want too? Since it’s our nest?” Hawks asked with a cheeky little grin. The hero hadn’t made any outright suggestions yet, though he had been helpful in picking between similar items and acting as the final word of reason. 

“I do have it on good authority that you have excellent nest making skills, so yes. But, I want to keep the colors complementary. I will not tolerate a bright pink nest.” Hawks looked mock-affronted, his hand pressed against his chest and he fluttered his eyelashes. 

“I would never dare to sully your cave of darkness.” A little twitch to his lips was entrancing for Fumikage and he found his eyes zeroing in on the movement. Hawks had amazing lips. So plump and pink and soft and Fumikage wanted to run his tongue over them again. “I will make sure our nest is a gothic bird omega’s wet dream.”

“Never a sentence I thought I’d hear.” Dark Shadow commented. 

The pair of them were ridiculous. 

“I’m going to look at heat pads.” Fumikage sighed and turned to push the cart down the nest aisle which was stuffed with shelf after shelf of slick proof materials that were meant to be used during an omega’s heat. He wasn’t too proud to admit that after last night, he was endlessly interested in what a heat with Hawks would be like. Sue him for wanting to be prepared.

“Do we embarrass you?” Dark Shadow whispered into Fumikage’s ear as the omega was busy inspecting the thickness of a black water-proof nest pad. The sign next to it claimed that it was big enough to provide a base for a nest that could fit four people. Plenty big enough for him and Hawks and maybe Dark Shadow if he decided to sleep fully manifested. 

Happy with the thickness and the plush fabric, Fumikage tossed it into the cat. 

“Yes.” He replied simply and moved on down the aisle. 

“Because we’re endlessly horny for you?” Hawks added as he appeared at Fumikage’s side and wrapped an arm around the younger man’s waist. 

“Because you’re both ridiculous.” He shook his head in amusement and looked over to the front of the store where the single employee was standing and staring down at her phone. Surely the woman could hear everything the chaos duo was saying. “But I love both of you, so I must bear the constant public embarrassment.”

Hawks’ eyes widened and Fumikage realized what he had just said. 

He told Hawks he loved him. 

They’d only been mates for 2 days. Only been together for maybe 36 hours.

Curse his dopey, happy brain.

“Oh, so I embarrass you and am indecent in public.” Hawks said softly, leaning over Fumikage until the omega was pushed back into the shelves with Hawks pressed against his front. “But then you say things like that. How am I not supposed to ravage you, Fumikage?” The golden eyes that stared down at him were hungry and dark, speaking of how “not angry” the alpha was. 

“You’re the most tempting creature on the fucking planet.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips to the side of Fumikage’s beak, his breath exhaling in one, long, earth-shattering, sigh. “And before you freak out and self-destruct. I love you too, little bird. How could I not? You’re mine.”

A low growl bubbled out of Hawks’ throat and Fumikage’s self control snapped. He flicked his tongue out and licked gently at Hawks’ lips. Hawks immediately parted them, sucking Fumikage’s tongue into his own mouth as he tilted his head and pressed his lips more firmly against Fumikage’s lower mandible. 

Their tongues twisted and caressed each other, Hawks’ seeming to playfully request Fumikage to move in deeper and deeper, until the omega felt like he had his tongue literally down his mate’s throat. 

But Hawks just kept moving his lips and pressed himself further into Fumikage with little soft moans of happiness. 

Dark Shadow appeared at their sides, pressing kisses to their necks and over Fumikage’s face, his dark fingers traveling over Fumikage’s shoulders and into Hawks’ hair. It was wonderful and perfect and heedy and Fumikage never wanted it to stop. 

“Sirs?” A soft voice said, ringing through the otherwise empty store like a bell being run over their heads. “We don’t want the merchandise to pick up any scents-”

Oh darkness…Fumikage was leaking slick. His underwear were wet and slippery and he realized that he was absolutely covered in the substance. And he was pressed against brand new nest base covers…the staff were going to have to wash them because of him. 

“Stop spiraling.” Hawks whispered against his mouth, a moment before he pulled away and grabbed all of the fabric pieces off the shelf that Fumikage was leaning against. They were in a variety of colors and Fumikage watched as Hawks loaded them all up into the cart with a wide, happy smile. 

“These are for me. I’m going to lay them out and roll around on them until I smell more like your slick than I do myself.”

Fumikage froze and just stared up at his mate in a mixture of shock and disbelief. Surely he was kidding…

But Hawks just grinned down at him and took control of the cart, pushing it away from Fumikage with a little butt wiggle - wing flutter combination that made Fumikage salivate. 

“I think we’re done anyway, Aimi.” Hawks said cheerfully as he directed the cart to the checkout counter. “Sorry about that. Newly mated. Hormones, phermones, all that jazz.”

Aimi smiled softly at him, like an older sister that was tired of her baby brother’s nonsense. 

“Doesn’t help that you found yourself two cuties, either, does it?” Aimi grinned down at the fabric bundles as she expertly moved them over the scanner and started ringing up their purchases. 

Fumikage was still frozen in the aisle, staring down toward the front of the store, his hands numb at his sides and his facial skin burning in a dark blush that he was thankful was hidden by his feathers. 

“Definitely not. How’s a boy like me supposed to resist?” He looked over his shoulder at Fumikage and winked. “He’s even building me a nest. He’s perfect.”

“He didn’t like the one you built him?” Aimi looked over now, a teasing smile on her face. “Makes sense, you always chose the most abhorrent colors. Thankfully your omega seems to have taste.”

Fumikage knew she was kidding. That she and Hawks were friends or at least friendly. But something inside of him bristled at the idea that someone else was commenting on his mate’s nest making skills. Whether it was the avian genetics or the omega side of him that was upset, was impossible to tell. 

“His nest is gorgeous.” Fumikage spoke up, taking large steps forward toward the counter so that he could quickly press himself against Hawks’ side. “We just want two.”

“No offense meant,” Aimi smiled at him with a shake of her head and scanned the last item from their cart before stuffing it into a plastic bag with other pieces. The total on the screen nearly made Fumikage’s eyes bulge and sweat beaded up at the back of his neck. 

But Hawks didn’t even bat an idea, just passed over a sleek black card, like it was nothing. 

“Look at him, Aimi. My fierce, beautiful omega coming to my defense. I’m the luckiest guy in the world.” Hawks leaned over and pleased a kiss to the top of Fumikage’s head and even gave a similar one to Dark Shadow, who was small and pressed to the side of Fumikage’s neck. 

Fumikage could feel his quirk’s exhaustion, the desire to de-manifest and rest. He had been out nearly non-stop since Fumikage’s birthday and it was starting to drain on him. 

- Rest.- 

- I don’t want to miss our first date.-

- It’s not a date. We’re just shopping. - 

- We made out in the store and he’s buying us a small fortune’s worth of nesting materials. It’s a date Fumi and I’m not missing a minute of it. - 

- Even if you’re exhausted and dragging? - 

- Even then. - 

Well alright then. Far be it for Fumikage to try to control Dark Shadow. 

 “You’ve got yourself a good one, kid.” Aimi said as she handed the bags to Fumikage and Hawks over the top of the counter. “Hawks here is the only unmated alpha I’ve seen come in here. Must have known he needed to hone his nesting skills for an omega out there somewhere.”

Having seen many of Hawk’s avian instincts come through in his day to day life, Fumikage was much more inclined to believe that his nesting was bird related instead of mate related. But he nodded anyway, noting the slight frown to Hawks’ mouth like the woman had said something that saddened him. 

It was gone in a flash though, making Fumikage think he had imagined the expression. 

“Definitely lucky.” Fumikage agreed and with his hands loaded with plastic bags, he and Hawks turned and left the nesting store and stepped out into the main area of the mall. 

So early in the morning, many of the stores were still closed or were in the process of opening and that meant that the halls were mostly empty. The few people that the pair of them passed, did stare and do a double take, at seeing Hawks in civilian clothes with Fumikage at his side. His first instinct was to move away and put space between them, to prevent anyone from putting the peices together that he and Hawks were- were-

- Mates. Lovers. Boyfriends.- 

Together, he finally decided on. Because all of Dark Shadow’s suggestions were… a lot. 

Hawks wasn’t having any of that, though and when he noticed Fumikage drifting away from him, he wrapped an arm around the omega’s shoulders and tugged against his side and kissed the side of his head, loudly. 

“You’re my mate, Fumi.” Hawks said loudly, like he was making a declaration to the mall as a whole. “I’m not hiding you.”

The words made Fumikage’s heart clench and for heat to rise to his face. He let out a soft little coo of happiness and laid his head against his alpha’s. 

Oblivion, his mate was perfect. 

Hawks even let out his own little chirp in reply and Fumikage melted into him, letting his alpha lead him through the mall and toward the main entrance. 

It was only a few minutes later that Fumikage was jerked out of his perfect little happiness bubble when Hawks suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and became the perfect imitation of a stone statue. 

“What’s wrong?” Fumikage asked softly and looked up at his mate to see his attention zeroed in the front window of an electronics store. The window displayed several large TVs that were all playing the same channel, the morning news. On the screens, it was a clip of Dabi being quickly escorted out of the courthouse by security guards and Endeavor. Under the clip was a news headline, “Touya Todoroki ‘Dabi’ found innocent by jury”. 

“Touya?” Hawks breathed and it was like the alpha was in some sort of trance as he walked slowly toward the window, dragging Fumikage with him by the hold on his shoulders.

“Yeah, it’s shocking right? Dabi was Endeavor’s son this whole time. It still doesn’t feel real.” Fumikage said and when Hawks didn’t look away from the screens, his golden eyes so intently focused that it made Fumikage glance back at Dark Shadow in concern. “Did you not know about this?”

It seemed odd that Hawks wouldn’t know that Endeavor’s son was on trial or that Dabi’s secret identiy had been discovered. But surely someone didn’t react like this just because of a jury determination. 

“No.” Hawks whispered. “I didn’t know. I thought-” He paused, his lower lip quivering before a soft, mournful trill left his mouth. “ Touya.”

Fumikage flicked his eyes over Hawks’ face, trying to put all the peices together. Wide, glassy eyes. Lips trembling and moving like he was trying to speak, but could only make soft little sounds. Sweat was building at his temples and a look over the alpha’s shoulder confirmed that his wingers were wavering and flickering in agitation. 

- He knows him - 

- Of course he knows him. Dabi was a wanted villain for years. - 

-Not of Dabi. He knows Touya.-

Oh. Fumikage raised a hand to Hawks’ shoulder, intending to comfort his mate and maybe pull some information out of the alpha. But Hawks turned before the touch could land, his eyes wide and wild as they looked down into Fumikage’s. 

“I have to go. I’ll be back. I promise.” The bags in his hands were dropped to the mall floor and then he just turned away from Fumikage and ran. 

- Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago -  

Touya had never been so angry. It was like a disease - a cancer- that was eating away at his body, mind and soul. Anger clouded everything around him, made it hard to sleep without his teeth grinding together, made food taste like ash in his mouth, and set his quirk on edge. 

Control was never Touya’s strong suit. His anger took his lack of control from inconvenient to downright dangerous. 

Flames roared around him in the training room now. The suit the commission had made for him kept the worst of the heat from burning him, but he could still feel the hairs on his arms sizzling as they burned off. He kept his fingers crossed that he still had eyebrows after this was over. They were one of his best features. 

The room’s fire neutralization system turned on, spraying everything inside with white foam that immediately extinguished the flames and made Touya feel like he was drowning in shaving cream. 

“Living up to your name today, Firestarter.” Nakamura-sensei told him coldly over the room’s speakers. “If I let you try again am I going to have a training room for the other students?”

“Probably not.” He told her honestly. At this point, he’d gladly take a fist to his face or a foot to the stomach. At least he’d finally feel something other then anger and pure, unfiltered rage. 

His alpha didn’t want him. 

His best friend, his soulmate lied to him. 

He wanted to wrap his hands around someone’s throat and squeeze. Wanted to feel the ache of his fingers breaking as he slammed his fist into a cheekbone or sternum. Wanted to see someone evil bleed. 

Nakamura-sensei was a bitch but she was an observant bitch. 

“We have a prisoner in cell 8 if that’s more to your…liking today.” Her voice said and Touya could just imagine the nasty little spark in her dark eyes. “Class C is there with them now, but I can let them know you’re coming. Dismissed.”

Torturing some poor soul wasn’t usually Touya’s idea of a good time. Not even when it felt like his skin would burn off under the heat of his own anger. 

But it was safer than literally burning himself to ash with his quirk. 

He exited the training room with a little huff, glad that the hallway was empty and that the other students were still in their solo training rooms. The walk toward the prisoner cells was short and Touya slowed as he approached the designated cell, which had a small group of students huddled around the opening. 

“Touya.” Aiko-sensei said as he spotted him through the gathered students. “Nakamura called and said you had some aggression to work out? Issues with quirk control?” Touya nodded, a short, clipped movement as his fists clenched at his sides.  “Then by all means, come on in.”

The crowd parted for him and Touya shuffled his way through and into the cell. It looked like all the others in this row, a dark box with concrete walls and a single metal chair in the center. 

Tied to the chair was a man. 

His dark hair was dirty and matted and his skin was covered in dried blood and bruises. When he heard Touya walking closer, he looked up and Touya paused as he stared into bright golden eyes.

“Care to demonstrate for the class? We’re working on non-permanent interrogation techniques.”

“What are we trying to learn?” Touya asked softly and started walking around the chair, eyeing the prisoner from head to toe. He didn’t look too bad overall. Other than the bruises and a handful of cuts, he didn’t seem to have been too roughed up. No broken bones or lacerations that would need stitches. He still had fingernails and all of his digits. 

“From him? Nothing.”

“What did he do then?” 

“Human trafficking and pedophilia.” Aiko-sensei said simply. “Commission thought he’d make a good practice subject.”

“Please.” The man finally croaked out, his throat rough and his words coming out raspy. “I didn’t do anything.”

Touya stared down at those golden eyes and watched as they blinked up at him, becoming glassier and glassier until tears finally tipped over the lower lids and down the man’s cheeks. 

“That’s what they all say.” All Touya could see when his fist connected with the man’s cheekbone was gold. 

Chapter Text

- Hawks - 

It was an odd sensation. To know that you’re fucking up while in the process of fucking up, but unable to stop fucking up. 

Everything inside of him had screamed when he’d turned away from Fumi. His very soul had demanded that he turn back around, drop to his knees and beg his omega to forgive him for even thinking about leaving him in the middle of the mall during their first date. 

But Hawks’ entire world had just changed in a fraction of a second. He didn’t know if he was going to cry or scream or hit something or lose his fucking mind. He couldn’t be around his soulmate in that state. 

So he’d left and now he was walking into the Hero Public Safety Commission's headquarters and trying to act like he had any plan at all. Currently, he was debating between mass murder and arson. 

He thought arson would be fitting.

“Sir?” A soft male voice asked and Hawks felt a hand on his arm pull him to stop just outside the elevators. “Who are you here to see? You don’t have an appointment.”

“I need to speak with the president. Now. I’m the number two hero in all of Japan, do you think you can stop me?” He snarled down at the short, dark haired young man that still had his hand clutching at Hawks’ bicep. “I’m also kindly asking you to get your fucking hands off of me.”

The man pulled his hand away like he had been burned and Hawks darted away toward the elevator like the demons of hell were at his heels. 

“Hawks! Sir!” Voices cried and he snarled in response while slamming his hand over the elevator call button. 

“Call the president and tell him I’m coming up. Cancel his meetings. Rearrange his schedule. I don’t care, but he’s going to see me.”

The ding of the elevator prompted Hawks to step forward and to jam his finger into the button for the top floor. Shocked faces stared at him as the doors closed and he smirked as everyone in the main lobby started scrambling around in panic. 

By the time he arrived at the top floor of the building, Hawks stepped out to be greeted by a flustered looking woman with that same panicked look in her eyes. But unlike the employees in the lobby, she didn’t try to stop him, she just scurried after him with little click-clacks of her heels on the marble tiles. 

“Sir, can I announce your arrival? I can let him know what you’re here for and maybe schedule a better t-” Hawks reached the door of the president’s office and didn’t wait to hear out the assistant. He just opened the door, stepped through, and slammed it shut behind himself before she could enter. 

Usually, she’d be present to take notes, but there was nothing he was about to say that he wanted on record. 

The commission president was an older man in his late fifties. His grey streaked hair was brushed back from his face and he was sitting calmly at his ridiculously massive desk. Hands were folded on top of the shiny wood and light spilled into the office from the large windows behind the president that overlooked the city. 

He looked like a super villain from a movie. 

Something that Hawks had always thought in the back of his mind, but now? Now it was even more fitting and it made Hawks seethe. 

“How long have you known?” He barked out and nearly shot a feather out in the president’s direction when the man just raised a single dark eyebrow like he had no idea what the alpha was talking about. 

“Good Morning to you as well. Coffee? Tea? A seat?”

One of the chairs in front of the desk slid back in offer but Hawks just growled and remained standing, his glare never leaving the president’s face. 

“How long have you known that Touya Todoroki was alive?”

“Ah, so that’s what this is about.”

“Yes, Daichi. That’s what this is about. So answer the fucking question. How long has the commision known that my soulmate is alive?”

Hawks hoped that he’d hear “we just found out”. He wanted to believe that the commission hadn’t actively been trying to control and manipulate every part of his life for longer than he could remember. 

But he knew better. 

“Three years.” Daichi said, just as cold and unfeeling as ever. Like the news wasn’t akin to a punch to Hawks’ gut or a slap to his cheek. 

Three years. 

His beta had been out in the world, known to an entire organization but not one of them had thought to tell Hawks. No one thought to soothe the ever present pain in his chest or finally put his guilty mind to rest?

“Like I said. Why don’t you sit down and we can chat.” The president offered after several moments of silence with the only sound being the rapid breaths that Hawks was sucking in as though that would prevent him from losing his fucking mind. 

“I don’t want to ‘chat’. I want to know why this was hidden from me. I had every right to know that my soulmate was out there. Keeping that from me is against the-”

“He’s not your soulmate, Keigo.” Daichi replied and he finally stood from the desk, as calm and collected as ever and meandered toward the coffee bar off to the side of his office. “No laws were broken and I would appreciate it if you sat down and took a cup of tea.” 

He came back to the desk holding two teacups, each with a tag from a teabag hanging from the rim. One of the cups was placed in front of the empty chair that had been pushed out for Hawks prior to him returning to his own chair. 

Hawks finally decided to take the seat with a huff and allowed several of his feathers to fly out and surround him, the sharpened tips pointed threateningly toward Daichi. 

“Explain before I get angry.” Hawks said softly. His emotions were a whirlwind inside of him, a twisting mass of elation, sadness, confusion, anger, and guilt. It felt like he’d be ripped apart at any moment. 

Daichi just stared at him, dark eyes half lidded and relaxed as he sipped on his tea, which hadn’t even had a moment to seep, so it probably tasted like dirty wash water. Fucking weirdo. 

“Our facial recognition software identified Dabi as Touya Todoroki three years ago when he started to work with the league of villains. Our informants also brought back another piece of interesting information.” Daichi leaned back in his seat and reached over to one of the drawers under his desk. 

Hawks watched as the president kept sipping at his drink, even as his fingers flicked through what sounded like file after file. Eventually he must have found what he was looking for and he pulled it out before tossing it across the shiny desk toward Hawks. 

For a moment, he just stared at it. Obviously the president wanted him to take it and that, in principle, made Hawks hesitate. 

Daichi motioned to the folder with an exaggerated nod of his head and Hawks used a feather to gingerly slide it closer so he could reach it without bending forward. 

He flipped open the cover and felt his breath catch in his throat and his heart clench painfully as he took in a photo of Dabi. It had obviously been taken from a distance and zoomed in. It was painfully blurry, but it was obvious who was showcased. The dark hair and the scars bordered by shiny staples. Blue flames danced along his hands and in that moment, looking down at this photo, Hawks realized how stupid he was. 

He’d seen photos of Dabi. He’d seen videos. He’d been in the same fucking room as him and he’d never noticed. It was laughable. Because looking at him now, it was so obvious. Even with the hair color change and the scars, this man couldn’t have been anyone else but Touya. 

Next to the surveillance photo was another, smaller photo, this one of Touya, probably aged 15 right before he started hero training. He was bright eyed and his lips were stretched wide in a bright smile. It pulled Hawks back to when the world made sense, before everything had turned gray and sideways. 

“Third page, I believe.” Daichi said, as though he was just describing the weather outside his massive fucking windows. 

Hawks didn’t growl or snarl at him, which was a massive fucking win, thank you very much. 

He turned to the requested page and couldn’t hold back the soft, sad little trill that escaped his lips. Because there, in full color, printed in crisp detail, was Touya’s wrist. Scarred and disfigured and so obviously unmarked that it made Hawks’ heart ache. 

“He apparently burnt it off on Sekoto peak. Which makes him officially markless and we were well within our right to keep that information to ourselves.”

Hawks’ teeth ground together as he snapped his attention back up to Daichi. The president looked so fucking full of himself that it made Hawks’ blood boil. 

One of his feathers soared forward, sharpening to a deadly point before it pressed lightly against the skin of the president’s neck. 

Daichi didn’t even flinch. Because he knew as well as Hawks did that the hero wouldn’t kill him here, in his own office that was crawling with cameras. He knew that Hawks was capable of a lot of things, but cold blooded murder in a fancy high-rise office, likely wouldn’t be one of them. Not anymore.

“Unmarked does not mean markless.” Hawks hissed. “Removing or covering a mark does not eradicate the bond. You know that just as well as I do, Daichi.”

Daichi just shrugged. 

“Your bond with him was never official. His mark was never recorded. How in the world was anyone supposed to know that you were soulmates? Try as hard as you’d like, Hawks, but the fact of the matter is that the commission did nothing wrong in withholding this information. It was under the strictest security clearance given his family connections.”

“You’re right.” Hawks agreed and let the feather finally fall. He stood up and allowed the chair behind him to screech across the floor. “How silly of me to forget the checks and balances that keep the commission running. I’ve even gone so far as to forget what year we’re in. Thankfully all of this excitement has reminded me.”

The file in Hawks’ hands crumpled as he tightened his grip and took a single step forward, his thighs brushing the edge of the desk. In this position he could look down on Daichi and see the small glimmer of worry in the president’s eyes. 

“It’s been what? 17 years since the commission took me in?” Hawks slowly walked to the side of the desk, circling the man behind it with the gaze of a bird of prey tracking a mouse. “Pretty sure my contract said 15.” He kept walking until he was directly next to Diachi, leaning over his chair and forcing the older man to tilt his head back to keep looking at him. “I’m fucking done.”

“We never forced you to work past your contract length.” Diachi said simply, like a robot spitting out a single phrase it had been taught. 

“I never claimed you did.” Hawks replied and turned away from the president to stalk back toward the door. “I’m keeping this by the way.” 

He lifted the folder high above his head as he stormed out of the president’s office and out into the hallway beyond. 

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

The walk back to UA took less than an hour. But every step was like a small reminder that he wasn’t being princess carried through the skies in a fraction of the time. Which led to thoughts of his alpha staring at the television screen like his heart had been broken in half right in front of him. 

- Touya is his mate. - 

Dark Shadow’s tone was calm and collected as the words traveled through Fumikage’s mind. He said it as though the idea wasn’t absolutely preposterous. Hawks would have told him if Dabi - or rather Touya - was his mate. They’d just had a heart to heart about his previous pack a day ago. 

Hawks wouldn’t lie to him like that. 

- Maybe he didn’t know.- 

- How would he not know? Hawks isn’t stupid, Shadow. He would have known his mate was alive this whole time.-

-His mate that turned to villainy because of his deep seated grief? His mate that was assumed dead and living under a false name? Not to mention that Hawks himself would have been grief stricken himself after the loss of their omega. It seems perfectly plausible that Hawks truly didn’t know.-

Fumikage thought about the little snippets of the trial he had seen over the last few weeks. Hadn’t Touya revealed information about being rejected by an alpha mate? That the pain of that and the subsequent loss of his omega had prompted him to try to break his soulmate bond?

Hawks said his mates killed themselves. 

Everyone assumed Touya died that night. 

- Fuck - 

- Glad you’ve finally put the pieces together, Fumi. I was starting to judge you a little. You’re not usually a moron. - 

- That’s rude as hell, you cursed little demon- 

- You love me. - 

Fumikage didn’t answer with words, just pushed those soft, lovely feelings across their bond and hoped they made Dark Shadow feel all nice and warm inside. Not that the asshole deserved it. 

 - Do we confront him about this? - 

- No. Let him tell us. I can’t imagine what he’s going through. He’ll tell us eventually, we’ve just got to wait for him to work it out, first. - 

Fumikage nodded and tilted his head back to stare up at the blue sky above them as he let out a big sigh that sounded suspiciously like a groan. 

- He’s hot though, right?-  

- Who? - 

Because Fumikage’s brain was still reeling and he was trying to figure out what he must have done in a past life to deserve this level of complication. 

- Dabi. Touya. Eldest Todoroki. Flame guy. Hot as fuck villain. Ring a bell?- 

Fumikage’s hand paused in his trajectory to open the front door of the dorm building. 

- His appearance is irrelevant.-

-Hot - 

- That is so far from the most concerning issue here. Our alpha is likely spiraling. He’s out there in the world, alone, probably blaming himself and doing something stupid.- 

- We can’t control what Hawks is doing. But we can collaborate on the attractiveness of Touya. Remember when he called you “pretty bird” that was HOT Fumi. Admit it. - 

-Okay. He’s hot. Now shut up about it. - 

Fumikage pushed his way into the main common area of the dorm and paused mid step when every eye in the room turned toward him. 

He’d gotten off lucky yesterday. He’d somehow managed to avoid his classmates during his single trek out of the dorm for sustenance. 

Apparently, his luck had run out today, because the entire class was spread out along the couches, bodies turned toward the TV, despite their eyes locked onto FUmikage in the doorway. 

He could just back out. Surely they wouldn’t chase him. 

- Be fearless, Fumi.- 

Fumikage did not miss the fact that this was big talk coming from a sentient quirk that had dematerialized and left Fumikage to face down his rabid classmates alone. 

“Hawks, huh?” Ashido squealed. “And a private pack room? Tokoyami, get your feather butt over here and tell us everything.” She motioned to the chair across from her and sent him a blinding smile. 

“I’d rather not.” Fumikage whispered and slowly started to creep past them, hoping to get to the back hallway and make a run for his new dorm. “And my butt is not feathered.”

“Come on. Pleeeeeeease.” Kaminari whined, his blonde head poking up as he rested his chin on the back of the couch and sent Fumikage a wide-eyed pleading look. “I want the details. Not everyday one of our classmates becomes the soulmate of a pro-hero.”

“ You’re the soulmate of a pro-hero, sparks for brains.” Bakugou huffed. 

“Pfft. Zawa doesn’t count.”

Fumikage used the small argument that broke out amongst Kaminari, Bakugou, and the rest of their pack, as a distraction and made a break for the back hallway. He sprinted down toward his pack room with the sound of Dark Shadow laughing in his brain. 

-

When Hawks finally came back to him, it was in the middle of the night. Fumikage was bundled up in his new, all black nest and cuddling the crescent moon shaped pillow that reminded him of Dark Shadow. His quirk had de-manifested, finally, and Fumikage had felt endlessly alone until he’d felt a warm body wrap itself around his back and the soft scent of his alpha invaded his nose. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” Fumikage asked softly and wiggled back against Hawks to silently request those strong arms hold him tighter. 

“Not right now. But I’ll tell you everything later.” The words were whispered into Fumikage’s neck. They were soft and broken and Fumikage was overwhelmed with the need to turn and tell his mate that he already knew. That he didn’t have to hold onto whatever burden he thought he was responsible for carrying. That there were no secrets that needed a grand reveal. 

But he didn’t say a word. He’d let his mate feel however he needed to feel. Process however he needed to process. And Fumikage would be here, a safe space for Hawks to escape to when he needed it. 

“Don’t leave campus alone.” Hawks said a few moments later, when Fumikage was drifting peacefully in that place between sleep and wakefulness. 

“You’ll tell me why later.” Fumikage whispered back. Not a question, but a soft demand.

“Yes.”

Hawks buried his face into Fumikage’s neck and took a deep inhale. Fumikage pretended not to hear the little shaky sob or the soft “I’m sorry” breathed into his feathers. 

- Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago -  

Hikari was smaller now. 

Touya didn’t know how or why or even when it happened. But one day he was sitting on Hikari’s bed, playing with those soft white strands of hair and ruffling the fluffy feathers and he realized it. 

His mate had shrunk.

He’d gone from this larger than life figure, filled with energy and excitement, to this hollow husk of a teenager curled up in bed and looking like the entire world was pressing in on him. Crushing him beneath it. 

“You still have me.” Touya said softly, breaking the silence between the pair of them. 

That was another thing that had changed. Hikari had always been so loud. Always talking. Always laughing. Always moving. But now he was quiet and he was still and it made Touya’s insides ache. 

“What are you talking about?” Hikari asked and flipped over onto his back so he could look up at Touya’s face. “I know I have you.”

“I just mean that even though Keigo rejected us, it’ll be okay. We still have each other. A pack of two.”

Hikari looked up at him, his orange eyes narrowed like he just couldn’t process what Touya was telling him. It made the beta feel like he was speaking another language. 

“He didn’t reject us though.” Hikari responded. “He just can’t be with us right now.”

Now it was Touya’s turn to be confused. Kari was suffering . It was plain to see now that he knew what to look for. His mate was fading away. What could do that other than mate rejection?

Was Kari in denial? Was this his brain's attempt to mediate the destruction that Keigo had caused?

“Baby.” Touya said softly and pressed his fingers against the soft skin of Kari’s cheek. “If you’re not upset about him, then why aren’t you eating?”

Kari froze in Touya’s hold, his chest rising in quick little movements as the omega started to panic. 

“Why have you been so quiet?”

Hikari didn’t answer. 

“If it’s not Keigo, then what is wrong?”

“Nothing. I’m fine, Touya.” He tried to sit up, to escape Touya’s hold on him and the beta wouldn’t have it. Something was wrong with his mate and he needed to fix it. 

“Kari. My love. My baby.” Touya took the omega’s face in his hands and leaned down to press their foreheads together. “Please tell me what I can do to help you.  I can’t just stand back and watch you waste away.”

“I’ve just been stressed, Touya. End of year exams are coming up and it’s taking a lot out of me.” He was so earnest, like he desperately wanted Touya to believe him. “If you want to make it better, then just be with me. Hold me. Love me.”

“Always.” Touya promised. “I know something else is going on, Kari. I can feel it. But if you can’t tell me now, then I can wait. I’ll be here for you, okay? Whatever you need, I’ll give it.”

Hikari was strong. The strongest person that Touya had ever met. If he was battling something, Touya knew he would win and he would stand at his omega’s side, his loving general, his faithful servant.

“Just love me.”

“Always.” Touya repeated and pressed a kiss to his mate’s lips.

“Even when it’s hard. Even when you’re disgusted with me. Even when you hate me. Please, just love me. ”

Hikari wasn’t crying. But it was a near thing. Big orange eyes looked up at him, shiny and emotion filled and Touya felt like he was falling into them. How could this beautiful creature think that Touya wouldn’t love him with his very soul for as long as they both lived?

“I promise.” Touya whispered. 

The kiss that Hikari gave him was salty and wet and tasted a lot like heartbreak. The mystery of why Hikari was suffering wasn’t solved, but Touya resigned himself to not knowing the answer. For now, he’d hold his mate and keep him safe. 

Kari would tell him when he was ready. Touya was sure of it. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami -

Fumikage was not a particularly patient person. 

Dark Shadow even less so. 

So it went without saying that both of them were suffering. Because it had been nearly two weeks since they had figured out Hawks’ secret. Since they’d realized that Touya Todoroki was their mate. 

And Hawks hadn’t said a fucking word about it. 

He was affectionate and kind and so perfect that Fumikage would often find himself forgetting about the alpha running away from him. About the feeling of abandonment that had pulled at his heart and made him feel…unworthy. 

But even the kisses and the cuddles and the soft smiles and carefree laughs and dates and nights spent watching horror movies weren’t enough to soothe the darkness of Fumikage’s mind. He wanted Hawks to tell him. 

To be honest and fearless and to look Fumikage in the eye and say, “We have another soulmate and I don’t know what to do about it”. 

- My plan to let him come to us may have been poorly thought out. - 

-Ah, so you’re a moron too, then. - 

- Birds of a feather, Fumi. - 

Fumikage watched as Hawks paced the dorm living room. It was a Friday night and while they absolutely could have been settled in Hawks’ apartment, Fumikage had started to think of the dorm as theirs and it was comforting to be in their home, especially when Hawks was out…doing whatever it was he did in the evenings. 

Because it wasn’t patrol and it wasn’t completely nefarious (Fumikage wasn’t too proud to admit he had scented Hawks to hell in back the first time his mate had disappeared and he hadn’t smelled anyone else on him.)

“I have some paperwork I need to complete back at the office. You won’t kill me if I take off for a few hours right? I’ll bring dinner back.”

Fumikage had his homework splayed out over the living room table and he glanced down at the book in lap as he tried to shove down the desire to snap and howl. 

“I won’t kill you.” Fumikage replied softly. “But you better bring back something delicious.”

“And we will both expect for you to make it up to us. Enthusiastically.” Dark Shadow added and Fumikage snapped his attention up to glare at his horny demon. 

- Calm down, you heathen. - 

- Never - 

Fumikage was startled when Hawks appeared at his side with a wide, gleaming smile. A kiss was placed on his forehead and a hand ruffled through his feathers lovingly. 

“A delicious meal for you and a tasty treat for me, then.”

“Oh? Are you going to get more of those crunchy fruit and nut sticks from the pet store?” Fumikage asked, purposely misunderstanding Hawks’ comment about treats. 

Hawks’ lips pursed as he looked down at Fumikage, his eyes bright and nearly glowing.

“Is that judgment I hear? Bold words from the man that ate half of the package when he found them.” 

Hawks’ fingers dug into Fumikage’s sides, tickling until the saddest, faintest little laugh wheezed out of him and he playfully shoved the alpha away. 

“I didn’t realize what they were. How was I supposed to know you had bird treats in your apartment?”

“There was a parakeet on the package.”

Fumikage just stared up at his mate and tried to keep a flat expression. 

“But yes, even though you’re acting coy. I will bring dinner and the snacks and be prepared for any other treats your heart desires, when I get back. Because I love you, even when you’re both being little evil demons.” Hawks flicked his tongue out and licked over Fumikage’s beak. Fumikage opened his mouth to reciprocate, but his mate danced away with a little flutter of his wings and a bright smile. 

“You say the sweetest things.” Dark Shadow laughed and wrapped himself around Hawks to place an exaggerated kiss to the top of his head. “Now go before we trap you here and never let you go.”

Hawks smiled at him and rubbed his forehead against Dark Shadow’s before turning and walking out of the dorm. 

Fumikage and Dark Shadow watched him close the door softly behind himself and turned to each other with matching, wide eyed expressions. 

“Get dressed, Fumi. We have a mate to stalk.”

Fumikage tossed his book onto the table and bolted to the bedroom. He pulled on a random assortment of black items and wrapped his cloak around his shoulders. 

- You put the tag on him? - 

He could feel the imaginary eye roll from Dark Shadow. 

- Yes, but we have to find him before he finds it, or this whole operation is null. - 

Fumikage nodded and quickly darted over to the lone window in their bedroom. It was dark outside, with not even a moon to see by, and windy enough that the bushes were brushing gently against the glass. 

- You’re sure you’re strong enough to carry me? I don’t want to explain to anyone why I’m in the middle of town with a broken leg if you’re not. - 

- Hop your sexy ass out that window and I’ll get us to where we need to go. I won’t drop you, Fumi. - 

Warmth and love washed over him like a cozy blanket. 

Message received. 

Fumikage managed to shuffle out of the window without falling completely on his face and as he picked out leaves from his feathers, Dark Shadow helpfully replaced the screen and closed the opening up behind them. 

The demon-spirit wiggled himself under Fumikage’s cloak and without the tiniest warning, they were off, floating up into the air like a hot air balloon. 

- You drive and I’ll track - 

- I don’t think any other arrangement would be safe - 

- I hate you - 

Fumi pulled out his phone and pulled up the tracking app that was linked with the tiny tracker that Dark Shadow had placed on Hawks at some point during their interaction. As expected, the hero was already a few miles away and without even needing to verbalize what he was seeing, Dark Shadow turned and headed off in the needed direction. 

What surprised him the most was that Hawks didn’t go far. Now, Fumikage was under no impression that Hawks was actually going out of town to his office, but he certainly hadn’t expected for the hero to fly ten minutes away from UA and just stop. 

- Land here and we can walk the rest of the way. - 

Dark Shadow agreed silently and landed a little less than a quarter of a mile away from the blinking red dot on Fumikage’s phone screen. 

- I can scout ahead - 

Dark Shadow didn’t wait for a reply and instead blended into the nearby shadows and disappeared entirely. 

Fumikage walked in the direction he knew Hawks was and found himself curiously looking around the area he found himself. It was an upscale residential area, with traditional homes lining the streets, but there were also small shops and restaurants a few streets over. 

Noise from the businesses was muted and soft and told of a busy Friday night, but wasn’t loud enough to disturb the families settled in the homes around him. 

It was a nice area. A place he always dreamed about growing up in. 

- Fumi. Hurry. Northwest. RUN - 

Dark Shadow’s voice was terrified and immediately set Fumikage on high alert. His feet moved before he even fully processed the words drifting through his brain. He just focused on his connection to Dark Shadow and sprinted in that direction. 

- What’s happening? - 

A vague image appeared in front of Fumikage’s eyes. Hawks pressed against a brick wall, a pale hand wrapped around his throat. 

Why wasn’t Hawks fighting back?

Dark Shadow couldn’t fight from this distance. The further away he got from Fumikage, the weaker he became. Sure, he might be able to communicate and stay materialized, but combat with a quarter mile between them was impossible. 

Fumikage skidded into the alleyway and stopped dead in his tracks at the scene in front of him. 

Hawks was still pressed to the wall, his entire body limp and sagging against the man holding him up with two hands wrapped around his throat. 

He was dark haired and tall. From this angle, standing behind him, Fumikage didn’t recognize him, but the identity of the attacker was the least of his worries. 

“Let him go!” He screamed and ran at the pair as Dark Shadow let out a terrifying battle cry that had the dark haired man spinning around to lay bright turquoise eyes on Fumikage. 

“Pretty bird?”

- Dabi - 

Dabi sipped at his impressively large coffee and lazily strolled through the darkened streets of his childhood neighborhood. The tracker in his quirk cancelling bracelets only allowed him to stray two miles from his home in any direction. This limited the activities he could get up to. 

Which meant his idea of an exciting Friday night was grabbing a coffee from the local cafe that thankfully stayed open late for the night shifters, and walking around to enjoy the November weather. 

Staying home was also an option. But someone could only play so much Stardew Valley and watch so many TV shows, before their brain turned to mush. And Dabi had limited healthy brain to ruin, so he had to pace himself. 

So walks were his solution. 

The problem was that most evenings, Dabi had a stalker following him. They had started trailing him the day after his trial and Dabi thought it was freaking adorable that Hawks thought he was being sneaky.

As if Dabi wouldn’t feel the little hum of their bond and recognize it immediately. 

The way he saw it. There were a few different reasons for the stalking. The first being the most obvious. Hawks was here to kill him. He was an assassin after all. A slave under the commission’s thumb and brainwashed to do anything they asked. 

But when Hawks didn’t immediately kill him, Dabi assumed that wasn’t the hero’s intention. 

Then maybe he wanted to confront Dabi? But he never made himself known. 

Was he tracking him? To what end? Dabi walked from his home to the coffee shop and back every night. Nothing worth tracking him night after night for. 

It was after two weeks of feeling Hawks’ eyes on him, that he finally snapped. 

“Do you plan on ever growing a pair of balls and confronting me? Or do you get off on watching me walk?” He spun on his heel and lifted his eyes up to the top of the nearest building, where he could feel Hawks, but couldn’t see him. 

Dabi leaned back to rest against the all of the alley and kept his eyes trained on the inky blackness of the sky. With a little smirk he took an exaggerated slurp of his coffee. 

“Keeeeeeeeigo. Here birdie birdie. Pspspsps.”

“I’m not a cat.” Silent as anything, Hawks landed in front of Dabi, his bright red wings splayed out behind him in an impressive warning display. “How did you know I was there?”

“I always know where you are. Soulmates, ya know. Fucking sucks.” Dabi’s fingers gripped at the paper cup, threatening to squeeze the lid off and splatter him with hot coffee. He wanted to dig his fingers into Hawks’ eyes. Feel the little pop of his retina’s detaching and the warm ooze of blood over his fingers. He wanted to rip those golden orbs out of the hero's skull and burn off those ridiculous little black markings that looked like permanent eyeliner. 

Hawks just stared at him, like he could see the gory scene playing out in Dabi’s mind. 

“I didn’t know you were alive.” Hawks finally whispered and stepped closer to Dabi as he let his wings drop down into a sad droop. “I couldn’t feel you. I didn’t realize-”

“We’ve been in the same room together a dozen times. You didn’t recognize me as you tried to kill me? Didn’t have the smallest little inkling of what we were? I’m disappointed in you, Hawks. You used to be an excellent liar.”

“I’m not lying.” Hawks whispered and stepped even closer, his body only a few feet away from Dabi’s. It made his hands itch to reach out and touch him. Claw at him. Hit him. Burn him. “I truly thought you were dead, Touya. I didn’t-”

“Would you have preferred that?”

Dabi’s hands shook as he lifted his coffee back to his lips and forced himself to take another exaggerated sip. His turquoise eyes glared at Hawks over the lid, narrowing dangerously as he watched the alpha’s face twist and morph. 

“No! What kind of fucking question is that?” Hawks moved forward again. This put him close enough that he could reach up and place a rough hand on the side of Dabi’s face, his fingers stroking over the scarred skin. “I love you. If I had known you were alive, I would have torn the entire world down to get to you. I would have done anything for you.”

Fuck freedom.

Fuck being alive. 

Fuck ALL OF THIS. 

Dabi’s coffee went flying across the alley as he released it from his grip so that he could wrap his hands around Hawks’ throat. He squeezed with every bit of strength he possessed and pushed out as much of his quirk as he could manage, which allowed his hands to heat up enough to hurt, but not leave permanent marks.

Hawks’ eyes fluttered as he gasped and tried desperately to take in a breath. Dabi smirked down at him and swung the hero around so that his back was pressed against the brick wall and Dabi was now pressed against his front. 

“You don’t know me .” Dabi hissed, his fingers aching as he squeezed as hard as he could. “You ruined my life, Hawks. You took everything I loved from me and now you stand here, look me in the eyes and tell me that you love me? I hate you .”

Dabi assumed that Hawks would fight back. The hero was stronger than him, even without their quirks and Hawks’ feathers could stop him in a blink of an eye. 

So when Hawks didn’t struggle and instead just looked up into Dabi’s eyes with wide, tearfilled golden irises and slumped bonelessly into his hold, it was startling to say the least. Startling enough that it made his hold loosen just enough that the alpha could take in a big inhale of air. 

“Let him go!” A voice screamed from behind him, followed by a monstrous scream of rage that sent a wave of fear down Dabi’s spine. 

He whirled around to face the newcomer and paused at the sight in front of him. 

Bird-kid stood in the alley opening, his demon quirk large and intimidating behind him. He looked enraged and scared and he was breathing hard as though he’d run here. 

“Pretty bird?” He asked, confused by the student’s appearance. He vaguely remembered the raven heteromorph’s name being Toko-something. Shouto had mentioned it a few times during his visits, but he’d never expected to actually meet the kid and had dumped the information from his brain almost immediately. 

“Fumi. Run.” Hawks gasped softly and Dabi watched as bird-kid’s eyes flicked over to him, becoming more and more angry with every desperate breath Hawks took in.

His scent hit Dabi like a freight train. A physical force that nearly knocked the villain off his feet. 

Fresh baked cinnamon cookies flooded his senses along with the soft scent of omega and the overwhelming certainty of mate.

Dabi’s heart hammered in his chest, his nostrils flared and sweat beaded up on his face and neck as he stared at the teenager in front of him. He was posed for a fight, all of his weight balanced on the balls of his feet and his quirk-demon hunched and nearly vibrating with the need to dart forward and destroy.

“You mother fucker.” Dabi hissed and spun back to Hawks, his hands reappearing at the hero’s throat. He mentally did the math…The chances of murdering the alpha before he was ripped apart by a sentient quirk were low, but not zero. Worth the fucking shot. “YOU REPLACED HIM WITH A FUCKING CHILD?”

He changed his hold on Hawks as he heard the demon approaching. He wrapped one arm around the hero’s head, the other around his shoulders, intent on snapping that stupid bird neck and ending his own suffering in one fell swoop. But before he could twist, he felt an ice cold sensation wrap around his torso and rip him away from Hawks. He was picked up off of his feet and landed hard on the concrete several yards away. 

Fuck. 

Dabi gasped and struggled to take in a deep breath as he rolled onto his knees and stared over at Hawks. He was slumped against the wall of the alley, eyes closed and cheeks wet with stupid fucking tears. Bird-kid, Fumi, or Toko-something, was kneeling over him, his hands running over the hero to check for injuries. 

They were mates. 

This kid couldn’t have been much older than Shouto. So sixteen, nearing seventeen at most. 

Hawks had just fucking accepted him? Because bird kid was nuzzling into Hawks’ neck and grooming his hair and Dabi doubted the hero would let random kids do that unless he was fucking them. 

And that made Dabi’s blood boil. 

Hawks had rejected him and Kari. He’d ripped out their hearts and nudged Kari to his suicide. He’d ruined Dabi’s life over a fucking soulmark. But here he was, accepting a fucking child like it was nothing. 

Dabi wanted to rip his fucking wings off. Wanted to snap each feather until Hawks’ throat bled from screaming. He wanted to ruin him.

“How could you hurt your own soulmate?” The voice belonged to the demon-quirk-spirit that was floating over him, a silent threat that he’d attack if Dabi felt the need to move. “He told you he loved you and you tried to kill him.”

“He’s a fucking liar.” Dabi hissed. Not that he owed spirit-quirk an explanation, but he knew that bird-kid and Hawks could hear him too. “He rejected me. Rejected Hikari. He never came to find me over the seven years I’ve been suffering. Then he has the gall to say he loves me after he’s replaced both of us with a new omega? That’s not how you treat someone you love.”

“I didn’t reject you.” Hawks whimpered. Actually fucking whimpered like some kicked dog. 

It made Dabi want to actually kick him to give him something to whine about. Dramatic bird-brained asshole. 

“You certainly didn’t accept us either, Hawks.” Dabi snarled. 

“And he didn’t know you were alive, Dabi.” Bird-kid added, like it fucking mattered at this point. “He was distraught when he found out.” The omega crooned softly and rubbed his beak over the top of Hawks’ golden hair. The sound was familiar, something Dabi hadn’t heard in years, but instantly made his body relax and sag down against the concrete. 

Hikari used to sound like that. He’d made little bird noises into Dabi’s neck and in his hair. It had been so long, that he’d forgotten how at peace the sounds made him. 

“I don’t care.” Dabi finally hissed out, once he was able to roll himself over onto his knees and shakily stand up. “I don’t want to lay eyes on either of you ever again. Get the fuck out of my neighborhood.”

The spirit zoomed closer when Dabi took his first step, but as he started walking away from his soulmates still kneeling on the ground, the quirk let him go with a little annoyed huff that ruffled Dabi’s dark hair. 

Every step away from them ached. 

- Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago - 

When Touya awoke, the first thing he became aware of was cold. The sensation had him sitting up in bed with a gasp as he clutched at his chest. It felt like a block of ice had replaced his heart and when he closed his eyes and forced air into his lungs, he could feel the dark, never ending hole inside of him. 

Dread cascaded through him and he catapulted off of his bed and out of his dorm at breakneck speeds. His room was on the second floor, where all betas were housed, and Hikari’s was the floor above him. He took the stairs three at a time as panic washed over him and sweat covered every inch of skin. 

“No. No. No.” He whispered to himself as tears rolled down his cheeks uncontrollably. “You didn’t.”

Hikari’s door was unlocked when he got to it and Touya shoved it open with a frantic cry. “Kari!”

Two round orange eyes stared straight at him. Dull and unblinking. Touya felt his soul break into a thousand tiny shards. 

“Baby?” His hands shook as he reached out to press them against Hikari’s ice cold cheeks. “Baby, no. No. No. No. No. You promised you wouldn’t do this.” Touya numbly tried to untie the knot in the rope suspending Hikari in the middle of his dorm. But he quickly decided that burning through the rope was easier and he gently took his omega into his arms the moment the rope released. 

He laid him down on the floor and without a moment of consideration, placed one palm in the center of HIkari’s sternum and interlocked his other fingers with them. He put his full body weight into the first compression and the sharp crack of bones snapping made everything so very real. 

Touya stared down at Hikari’s grey, emotionless face and couldn’t fight back the sobs and heart broken screams that tore themselves from his throat. 

“Baby, you can’t leave. You’re my soulmate Kari, you can’t leave me. Baby, please.”  

After a handful of compressions that did absolutely nothing - Was he supposed to see a difference? Was something supposed to happen? - Touya started screaming for help. 

He needed someone that knew more than he did. Needed someone that could save his mate. Because Touya couldn’t lose him. He wouldn’t lose him. 

“He’s gone.” Someone said from behind him, but the words didn’t register. They didn’t matter. All that mattered were the compressions that Touya was counting in his head. 

40, 41, 42, 43…

“Todoroki, he’s dead.”

53, 54, 55, 56…

Arms wrapped around his waist and tugged him off of Hikari. Touya screamed and kicked out with his feet, trying to get back to his omega looking straight at him with those sightless orange eyes. He had to save him. 

When kicking didn’t work, Touya resorted to scratching and letting his quirk rage. He would burn his attacker until they were nothing but ash. Nothing but dust in the wind-

“Hurry! Give it to him!” 

Touya would burn this entire fucking school to the ground if it would get him back to Kari. If it would bring the light back to those beautiful eyes. 

A sharp stick of a needle in his neck made him roar and thrash in the arms holding him. Several pairs now, he realized. Several people were holding him, restraining, preventing him from getting back to his soulmate. 

He would kill them all. He would cremate every last fucking-

Touya’s vision went from the haziness of an adrenaline rush to the tunnel vision of an impending black out. 

No. No. No. No. 

He needed to save Kari. He needed to-

Blackness surrounded him and Touya slumped bonelessly into his captor’s arms. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

“How long have you known?” The words were whispered into Fumikage’s feathers. He and Hawks were still kneeling on the ground in the alleyway and Hawks had his cheek pressed tightly against Fumikage’s as they held each other. 

Dabi had left a few moments ago, storming away into the darkness. A part of Fumikage wanted to chase after the beta. He wanted to shove him around like he had shoved Hawks, wanted to grab him and strangle him and demand answers. 

- Careful, Fumi. Your darkness is showing - 

But instead, he was being a good mate. Caring for his shattered alpha and crooning softly to him. 

“Since the mall.” Fumikage whispered back. 

“So I’m not nearly as secretive and mysterious as I like to think then.”

“I’m just incredibly perceptive.” Dark Shadow corrected. “You were very sneaky.”

Hawks didn’t respond with words and instead just pulled Fumikage closer, nearly toppling the omega into his lap and cooed into neck. 

“Lets go home.” Fumikage suggested softly. “It’s too cold to be sitting on wet concrete. I want to cuddle in the nest.”

Hawks gripped him tighter and cooed louder. “I’m sorry.”

“No sorries.” Dark Shadow huffed. 

- Pick him up. I’ll carry you both home. - 

- Are you capable of that? Bird bones break easily and I need my limbs.- 

- You have human bones, so your point is stupid. Pick him up and lets go. - 

Hawks was still cooing and chirping softly when Fumikage shuffled them around and managed to get an arm under Hawks’ knees and around his back. Picking up the alpha was startling. Because it should have been a struggle with all of that dense muscle on his frame. 

But the alpha was feather light. A princess carry strained Fumikage’s forearms and shoulders, but nothing that he couldn’t handle. 

- I might have human bones, but he does not. - 

- Noted. No dropping Hawks. - 

- No dropping us - 

- I’m literally attached to your neck. I couldn’t drop you if I tried. - 

- I hate you - 

- Kisses - 

Fumikage scoffed at Dark Shadow and shivered at the warm, loving emotions that washed over him. 

“I’m impressed.” Hawks whispered when they were in the air. “Have you been practicing without me?”

“Well you’ve been out every night for weeks. I couldn’t just stop training.”

Hawks buried his face into Fumi’s neck and tightened his arms around the omega’s waist while Dark Shadow gently flew them back toward UA. 

“I’ve been a bad mate, haven’t I? It hasn’t even been a month and I’m already fucking this up.”

Fumikage wished they were on the ground so he could hold Hawks’ face in his hands or pull his hair or push himself back so that he could look into golden eyes and see him. 

As it was, all he could do was hold Hawks tighter and croon softly while using his beak to gently groom his hair. 

“You could never fuck us up. We’re forever, Hawks. Our souls are entwined for the rest of eternity.  This is just an emotional Friday night.”

“Maturity becomes you, Fumi.”

“I can scream and purposely miscommunicate for the drama, if that better meets your expectations.”

Hawks pinched Fumikage’s side hard . The omega let out a little huffy laugh in response and held his mate even tighter. 

“Promise not to drop me if I tell you another deep dark secret?” Hawks whispered and dread cascaded over Fumikage. He didn’t know if he’d be able to deal with more dark secrets. He was still trying to process the first one, thank you very much. 

“I won’t let him drop you.” Dark Shadow responded, speaking the first time since they took to the air. 

“I have more of those treats you like in my drawer in the bedroom.”

“You’ve kept them from me!”

Hawks was a traitor. Good of him to finally admit it. 

“I buy them online in bulk so I don’t actually have to go to the pet store and get them. I have pride, Fumi.”

“I feel endlessly betrayed.” Fumikage whispered. “My soul shall never recover from this slight. Death by heartbreak awaits me.” He barely got the words out before he was chuckling softly into Hawks’ hair and reveling in the answering laugh from his mate. 

-

Fumikage and Hawks settled into the couch cushions in the dorm, a small selection of different sushi rolls and nigiri laid out before them. Neither of them had touched it and instead, they stared at the little clear containers, chopsticks posed, and bodies frozen as their minds raced. 

“You’re going to have to tell us everything.” Dark Shadow finally said to Hawks after several silent minutes. The shadow was nestled along the back of the couch, curled around both Hawks’ and Fumikage’s shoulders like a cat mixed with a shawl. His cool presence against the back of Fumikage’s neck was a silent comfort, a reminder that he wasn’t alone. 

- You’re never alone. - 

- Some people would find that terrifying - 

- You’re not “some people”, Fumi. - 

“I know.” Hawks whispered back. “I’m trying to find the courage to start.” The alpha sighed loudly and gently placed his chopsticks down on the table, having given up on the idea of eating. He curled his legs up underneath his body and rearranged himself on the couch so that his back was pressed against the armrest and his torso was turned fully to Fumikage. 

“Would it be easier to start at the end?” Fumikage asked. “Where have you been going the last couple of weeks? I can imagine, but why don’t you confirm that for me?”

Fumikage never understood the idea of starting a story at the beginning. Especially when the beginning was so hard that it inhibited telling the story at all. He’d gladly settle for a disjointed, staggered retelling.

Hawks released a breath of air and Fumikage watched as his entire body relaxed. It was like he realized that Fumikage wasn’t going to push on bruises or twist at broken bones. 

“I’ve been following Touya. I thought I was doing it sneakily, but apparently neither you or he were fooled.” Hawks had his eyes glued to the hands in his own lap and Fumikage wanted to grab at him, force his head up so their gazes could meet. But he restrained himself. Even if that meant digging his fingernails into the thick material of his black jeans. 

Dark Shadow soothingly stroked at his neck in an attempt to soothe him and it was endlessly appreciated. 

“I just needed to see him. I needed to look at him and recognize Touya instead of Dabi. And once I saw him, Fumi-” Hawks paused to look up at Fumikage. “-I couldn’t stop looking. He’s my soulmate and I’ve missed him so much.”

“Our.” Fumikage corrected without thinking. The word slipped through his beak like water through a sieve. “He’s our soulmate. Of course I understand the need to see him. If you were gone for a day I’d hunt you down. Years? I’m surprised you didn’t tie him up and drag him back here to keep in our spare bedroom.”

- Kinky - 

“Kinky.” Hawks grinned and the simultaneous responses had Fumikage rolling his eyes up toward the ceiling. “I like this possessive Fumi. Can I keep him?”

Fumikage brought his eyes back to Hawks, meeting his golden gaze that was soft and kind and filled with wonder. “As if you could ever get rid of me.”

Hawks leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Fumikage's forehead. 

“But don’t think you can get out of continuing your story.” Dark Shadow added, breaking the cute moment into a thousand pieces. “Like Fumi said, it doesn’t have to be in order. But it all needs to come out. Now. Dabi tried to kill you. We deserve to know why.”

Hawks sighed and leaned back against the armrest. “We’ll have to eat and talk.” He finally said, picking a roll at random and pulling the container into his lap. “Because it’s a long story.”

Fumikage just nodded in agreement and brought over his own container. When silence spread through the room, he pointedly picked up a piece of sushi and popped it into his mouth, his eyes never leaving Hawks’. 

“I used to work for the Hero Public Safety Commission.” Hawks began, his chopsticks picking at the food, but making no move to actually grab a piece of food. “Not like how all heroes work with them. I worked for them. I was raised by them to be an ‘agent’, which is really a nice way to say ‘weapon’.”

Fumikage felt like the single piece of food he had eaten was stuck in his throat. He didn’t know where this was going, but everything inside of him said that it wasn’t good. Hawks’ tone, the slow, monotonous cadence, was like a red flag waving in front of Fumikage’s face and exclaiming “danger”. 

“I was a spy for them. I infiltrated villain organizations and even foreign governments to obtain information for the commission. But my main role was that of an assassin. They would send me on assignments with nothing but a name, a picture, and a preferred cause of death and it was my job to make it happen.”

A soft croon left Fumikage and he felt his eyes widening with every word that left Hawks’ mouth. A part of him wanted to argue and tell Hawks that he was wrong. The HPSC was supposed to protect heroes and the civilians of Japan. The idea of them ordering hits on people and sending heroes out to gather information from other governments, was impossible. 

But Fumikage could see the truth in Hawks’ eyes. Could see it in the way the alpha was deflating in on himself, like he was remembering painful memories. 

“Unknown to most was that the commission actually has a training program for heroes. It’s their own school to train agents under the pretense of training them to be ‘underground heroes’. It’s not open to the public, but they have connections to help recruit the children of known heroes or promising children that just didn’t meet the requirements of other schools for one reason or another.”

“Since I was raised by the commission, I was enrolled in this school. It’s where I met Touya and-”

Hawks paused and looked up at Fumi with tearfilled golden eyes. He opened and closed his mouth several times like he was trying to say something, but his very body was denying him. 

“It’s okay.” Fumikage whispered, knowing that his alpha was trying to say his name. The name of the omega that Dabi talked about in the trial. The one Hawks had told him about that first night, weeks ago. The one that wasn’t here anymore. 

“No. I need to say it.” Hawks denied and he closed his eyes tightly before taking in a big breath and letting it out slowly. “ Hikari . I met Touya and Hikari at the commission training program.”

Hikari. 

Light . 

“Hikari presented first out of the three of us and I was so desperately in love with him, it was surreal. When I presented as an alpha a few months later. I was elated. But the commission owned me . I was forbidden from pursuing a relationship with him. If I had broken their rules or gone against their orders, they wouldn’t have hesitated to kill me. At the time I was disposable. A paper napkin already smudged and crinkled, throwing me away would have been nothing to them.”

The container of food fell to the floor with a soft crash as Fumikage leaned forward and all but threw himself into Hawks’ arms. He swore he could feel the pain that Hawks was experiencing. It was like a stake through his own heart and he just wanted to soothe it. He wanted to make all of that discomfort go away. 

Fumikage crooned and cooed and used his beak to frantically groom at golden hair and even move down to run over crimson feathers that he could reach. 

Hawks chuckled and clumsily grabbed at Fumikage’s waist and stroked his fingers over the omega’s clothed sides. “I’m not done with the story. It gets worse.”

“Then I’m going to sit here and get these casings off. I know you can’t reach them.”

“That may be a bit distracting.”

“Is that a request for me to stop?”

Because he would. He’d tear himself away from Hawks and sit back in his seat on the other side of the couch, if that was what his mate wanted. 

“No.” Hawks whispered, his breath ghosting along the side of Fumikage’s face and making the omega coo softly at his beautiful, strong mate. 

“Then get to talking.” Fumikage dove in between scarlet feathers and started grooming away as Hawks’ hands rubbed up and down his back. 

“After I presented, I was told to stay away from Hikari. I was forced to take suppressants and olfactory descentsizers and had teachers watching my every move. So I stayed away and covered my mark. 

But Hikari and Touya were persistent and eventually found out I was their mate. Looking back, it was all a big whirlwind of emotions and stress. But I thought I got through to Hikari and made him understand that the commission was keeping me from him. I couldn’t just say that with the tail they had on me, but at the time, I was so sure Hikari understood, even if Touya didn’t.” 

Hawks’ hands paused in their rubbing and grasped tightly at Fumikage’s hips, like he was trying to keep his emotions in check. Like he was hanging onto anything he could reach and Fumikage just happened to be the lucky winner in this situation. 

A dark part of his brain that reminded him suspiciously of Dark Shadow, hoped that the firm hold would leave beautiful, finger-shaped bruises. 

“Hikari hung himself a few weeks later. He didn’t leave a note so there’s no way for us to really know why he did it. But Touya blamed me and he spiraled. He became erratic and he was so incredibly angry…I truly thought he’d stop at nothing to kill me. So, it was a shock when I was told he had destroyed himself on Seneko Peak.

I was taking so many medications at the time, Fumi, I couldn’t hear my alpha. I couldn’t even feel the loss of Hikari. So there was no way I would be able to feel that Touya was still alive.”

“I know.” Fumikage whispered. “I don’t think you purposely ignored him. I know you, darling.” He sat back on his heels and brought his hands up to Hawks’ hair to hold him in place. Hawks was ashen and cold and his golden eyes were flicking across Fumikage’s face like his brain couldn’t decide what to focus on. “You never have to convince me that you’re a good person. Never, ever defend yourself to me.”

Fumikage had seen darkness. The memories of Dark Shadow first appearing, roaring and eager for blood and pain were still fresh in his mind. The all consuming need to destroy everything in his path still haunted his nightmares. In contrast, Hawks’ goodness was blinding. 

- Sorry, Fumi - 

- You don’t need to apologize either. You were out of control. That’s not your fault. -

Hawks’ lips parted, like he wanted to say something; but just as quickly, they closed again and the alpha pressed his forehead against Fumikage’s with a soft sigh. They sat like that for several calm and peaceful moments before Hawks decided to finally put voice to the thought that had been twisting at his mouth.  “You wanna fuck me?”

The squawk that left Fumikage’s beak was loud enough to shatter eardrums. He threw himself back, pinwheeling his arms to prevent him from completely summersalting off the end of the couch. “You can’t just say things like that.”

“Fumi’s virgin heart may explode.” Dark Shadow agreed. “We have to slowly acclimate him to this kind of talk.”

“Apologies.” Hawks smirked at Fumikage like he was anything but sorry. Like the dramatic reaction was exactly what he was going for. It certainly changed the tone in the room, Fumikage would give him that. 

“If you’re done with a topic, you can just say that.” Fumikage whispered and pressed himself as far from Hawks as he could.

“I could. But you’re cute when you’re panicked.” Hawks replied in that same “I’m-not-the-least-bit-sorry” tone. “And I figured it would be a good time to shoot my shot. What better way to soothe my sorrows than to have my mate fuck it out of me?”

Fumikage’s breaths came in little puffy gasps as he stared at his golden, insane mate. Was he messing with him? Or did he actually want Fumikage to-

“But you’re an alpha.”

Alphas topped. That was just how the world worked, according to Fumikage’s romance novels. 

- News flash, maybe the world isn’t like a smut fic.- 

- Romance Novel - 

- What you read isn’t romance, Fumi. It’s SMUT. Embrace your inner hoe - 

“I don’t conform to stereotypical gender roles.” Hawks explained and slowly crawled forward across the couch. Slow enough that Fumikage could have escaped, but he didn’t. He just sat there and watched his alpha move closer and closer until he was caged in by strong arms and a beautiful face was hovering over him.  “I like what I like. And what I’d like more than anything is to have you inside of me.” 

His face lowered, his lips just barely brushing against Fumikage’s beak in a promise of a kiss, without actually kissing him. Fumikage released a shaky breath and sneaked his tongue out, intent on swiping it at his mate’s mouth. But Hawks moved away, too far to reach and Fumikage huffed out an annoyed sigh and glared up at him. 

“Or we can just cuddle. I don’t want to push my beautiful little vigirin om-oomph.”

Fumikage surged up and lapped at Hawks’ smirking, devious mouth. 

- Kiss him please.- 

Dark Shadow swooped in with a happy little wiggle and melted against Hawks’ mouth, kissing him deeply and ferociously. 

“Bedroom.” Fumikage whispered into Hawks’ ear and smirked at the answering moan of agreement. “I’m not losing my virginity on a couch.”

Arms wrapped around Fumikage’s waist and in the span of a heartbeat, Hawks was lifting him up, his mouth still occupied with Dark Shadow and started walking the three of them toward their bedroom. 

 - Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago - 

Touya blinked his eyes open and stared up at the white ceiling that he was unfortunately very familiar with. The infirmary. 

It took him a few moments for the memory of how he came to be here, to flash through his mind and once it did, he bolted upright and frantically looked around the empty beds. Surely Kari was here. 

But there was no beautiful omega in any of the infirmary beds. It was just Touya, sitting there in his sleep clothes and the school nurse sitting at her desk in the corner. 

“Where is Sato?” He croaked out, his throat rough and sore like he had been screaming for hours. 

The nurse looked up, her dark eyes locking onto Touya as her head tilted to the side in confusion. “Sato is dead, Todoroki. His body was taken off campus. We don’t have a morgue here.”

Dead. 

Hikari was…

“No.” Touya shook his head, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over his bottom eye lids. “I did CPR, we could have saved him.”

The nurse’s gaze softened and she stood from her desk before slowly stepping toward Touya. He watched her every move, confusion and pain making his brain foggy. Nothing made sense. THe world was tilted on its side and Touya didn’t know how to navigate it. 

“Todoroki. By the time you found him, he had been dead for hours. There was nothing anyone could do. I’m very sorry.” 

Her hand on Touya’s shoulder was like solid ice. His entire body felt cold and numb. The longer he sat there, staring blankly at the nurse’s sad face, the deeper the ice seemed to reach. 

It was when he turned his mind inward, reaching for that warm, blazing flame that connected him to Hikari, only to find it completely extinguished, that the reality really set it. 

His mate was dead. 

He looked down at his trembling hands and glared at the red mark staring back at him on his wrist. Flashes of Keigo’s wrist flicked through his mind again and again and again. 

“I can’t, Hikari”

Touya shrugged off the hand on his shoulder and stood, nearly knocking the nurse over in his haste. He didn’t say a word and just stormed out of the infirmary with murder on his brain. 

It felt like a dark cloud was surrounding him, a physical manifestation of the spiraling thoughts and emotions inside of him. Of the anger and the sorrow and the pain of a fractured soul. The students he encountered in the halls of the school, gave him a wide berth, nearly pressing themselves against the opposite walls in an attempt to keep away from him. 

Good. Because he felt ready to cremate anyone that got in his way. He itched for it. His fingers twitched and spasmed with the need to conjure flames and burn them brighter and brighter until there was nothing but ash in his hands. 

Keigo was where he usually was. On the fucking training field. 

Like the death of their omega didn’t even matter. He didn’t even take a moment to fucking mourn. 

Flames erupted out of Touya as he raced at Keigo’s back. Red and orange and yellow surrounded them and just as they were moments away from catching Keigo’s scarlet feathers, the alpha spun and looked at Touya with wide, red rimmed eyes. 

“Touya? What the hell?”

“YOU KILLED HIM!” Touya screamed, a stream of fire shooting out toward Keigo, who jumped out of the way and spun up into the air. 

“Touya.” Keigo whispered, the sound barely audible over the roar of flames and Touya’s cries and shouts. “I didn’t-”

“You rejected him!” The next wave of flames caught on a few of Keigo’s feathers and the surge of elation that curled around his heart at Keigo’s scream was enough to make ignoring the burns crawling up his own arms, easier than breathing. 

He’d burn them both to ash. Create a fitting end to their disaster of a pack.

Keigo’s eyes were wide and fear-filled as he dropped to the ground with a little roll, landing in a stupid hero-pose that nearly had Touya rolling his eyes. “Touya. I didn’t reject him. He knew that. I don’t know why he-” 

“Killed himself.” Touya hissed. “He killed himself because of you.”  Keigo shook his head in denial, jumping and spinning out of the way of Touya’s flames but never approaching. Never coming in close enough to land a hit or try to stop him. 

The next flame that hit Kiego, caught him on shoulder, making the alpha hiss and curl around himself in pain. “Please.” He whispered, begged really, as he stared at Touya. Through the anger coursing through Touya’s veins, he could see the despair and the hurt and the grief inside of Keigo. But it wasn’t enough. 

Because Keigo had no right to pity.

He caused this. He ruined everything. He deserved every ounce of pain he was experiencing. More, actually.

The flames in his hands burned brighter and brighter. Touya didn’t want Keigo to walk away with a few burns and a sob story. He wanted him to be ash. He wanted to feel that dead bond where the mocking brightness sat in his chest. 

He pushed more and more power into the crackling flames, eyes never leaving Kiego’s golden gaze, even as the flickering orange gave way to bright, electric blue. 

Touya pushed the flames out and watched in morbid fascination as they soared toward Keigo. Like a blue serpent twisting and twirling in the air. 

But they never hit their mark. A wall of earth surged up between the pair of them, blocking the flames from consuming Kiego. 

“Takami and Todoroki!” The deep, thundering voice of Iato-san, screamed. “What the fuck?”

The older man appeared with several other teachers, all of them angry and tense, obviously prepared to fight and subdue the students if necessary. 

“Sorry.” Keigo apologized and Touya watched as he pushed his shoulders back and let his expression morph into a blank, emotionless mask. “We were sparring.”

“Bullshit.” Nakamura hissed and stormed toward Kiego, grabbing him by the back of his uniform and physically pulling him off of the training field. “Infirmary, now.”

Touya was left alone, panting and enraged, once the pair were gone. The teachers stood several hundred yards away, their faces displaying their anger as they glared at him. 

“A month of behavior correction.” Iato hissed. “And quirk dampening for the rest of the semester. This behavior is absolutely unacceptable.”

“He killed Hikari.” Touya argued, stepping back when the teachers stepped toward him as a group. An unyielding line of force that made Touya’s subconscious scream. “I deserve retribution.”

“Sato killed himself. I’m sorry for your grief, but it’s not an excuse to attack other students.” Iato took another step forward and Touya mimicked the motion, trying to get away. “Come inside, we’ll get your burns looked at and you can rest.”

Touya didn’t want to rest. He wanted to burn the entire world down. 

Now that the burns had been mentioned, Touya felt them. The pain overtaking the rage in his brain. He looked down and stared at the pink marks covering his forearms. Near his wrist, the marks were darker, more purple. A part of Touya knew that these were from the blue flames. 

The purple spread over his soulmark, completely obscuring the top of the crescent moon. While the pink burns allowed the mark to shine through. 

He could burn it off. 

He could make flames hot enough to burn off a soulmark. He’d never have to see it again. The stark reminder of Hikari’s pain. Of the alpha that had torn away his happiness and destroyed Touya’s soul. 

He flicked his eyes up at the approaching staff members and decided in an instant that he wasn’t going back inside. He wasn’t going to subject himself to behavior adjustment. He wasn’t going to continue to stay here and pretend that he was going to be a hero. The two reasons he had for staying were gone. 

So he turned and ran. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Hawks carried him into their room, kissing along Fumikage’s throat the entire way as Dark Shadow latched himself to the nape of Hawks’ neck and tried valiantly to suck a permanent mark into the pale skin. 

Fumikage was floating on a soft cloud of good feelings and lust, but was rudely brought back to earth when he was gently tossed out of Hawks’ arms. He let out a surprised squawk at the sensation of flying through the air, but it only lasted a moment before he was crashing into the soft blankets of his nest. 

Hawks followed him down, crawling over the bed so that he could press his chest firmly against Fumikage’s, even as Dark Shadow continued attacking the alpha’s neck. “You’re getting more gorgeous by the day.” Hawks whispered down to him, his eyes raking over Fumikage’s form, like the heat of his irises could burn away the omega’s clothing. 

“You’re just getting older. Eyesight is failing.” Fumikage squawked out a laugh when Hawks immediately dug his fingers into Fumikage’s sides, tickling him relentlessly. “We’ll have to get you glasses soon.” He continued, wheezing out the words in between laughs and shaky sobs. 

He twisted his body and tried to get away from Hawks, but the older man had him pinned completely. Their legs were entwined and Fumikage’s hands were useless as they tried to push at Hawks’ broad shoulders. 

“I’m twenty-three, you foul beast.” Hawks faux growled and leaned forward to run his scruffy jaw over Fumikage’s neck. This was another tickling technique that they had recently discovered and the mix of tickle with the white-hot flash of arousal, had Fumikage screaming . 

“Okay, okay. I give.” Fumikage gasped for breath and was still sobbing out little laughs as he let his body go slack under Hawks and tilted his chin back to present his neck. “I’ll be good.”

“I like you naughty.” Teeth clamped down on the side of Fumikage’s neck and the omega gasped as his hips jerked upward and his hands instinctively grabbed at Hawks’ hair. 

Mate. Alpha. Claim. 

Fumikage pressed Hawks’ face closer and tilted his head back further. Everything inside of him was burning and begging for those teeth to bite down harder. For his alpha to bite him and claim him and make their bond permanent. He wanted to be more than just soulmates. He wanted to be husbands. He wanted to be a flock. 

“Do it.” He whispered.

Hawks seemed to deflate, like the words had brought him back into reality. His teeth disappeared and were replaced by soft lips that kissed the sensitive skin. “Not yet, Fumi. I’m sorry. I’m weaning off of my old suppressants and I guess I’m a tad out of control.”

Fumikage’s brain was a little hazy. So many emotions had built up and left him, that it was hard for him to connect the dots of Hawks’ words. 

“You’re coming off suppressants?”

“Mhm.” Hawks replied, still kissing and now licking at Fumikage’s neck. 

Suddenly, his teenage mind was filled with thoughts of alpha Hawks. Possessive Hawks. Growly Hawks. Rough Hawks. Pick-me-up-bend-me-over-Hawks. And abyss, he wanted. 

Slick wetness appeared at his opening, coating between his asscheeks and flooding the room with a soft, floral scent. What would Hawks do when he smelt Fumikage’s slick once he was off suppressants and he was full alpha? 

An image of Fumikage bent over their couch in the living room entered his mind. 

 - Shadow - 

- You don’t know that was me. You have a very active imagination - 

- You are a nasty, horny demon. - 

- Yes - 

“Technically I’m just reducing doses.” Hawks moaned against Fumikage’s neck and thrust his hips down against Fumikage, making the omega groan softly and arch up off of the bed. “I want to scent you properly.”

Fumikage nodded out his full hearted agreement and nipped lightly at Hawks’ neck. “Get naked, alpha.”

Dark Shadow didn’t even wait for a response, before he started yanking at Fumikage’s pants. Intent on getting them naked as quickly as possible. 

“Yes, sir.” Hawks laughed and sat up so that he was straddling Fumikage’s waist. A waist that was only covered by a thin pair of boxers now that his pants had been removed by cold demon-quirk hands. 

Hawks’ eyes widened, his mouth quirking up in a happy little smirk before he rocked his hips back and forth, sliding his ass over Fumikage’s rapidly hardening cock. 

“Dark Shadow, you’re like a little sex gremlin and I’m very thankful.”

“Always happy to assist.”

Dark Shadow punctuated his statement by wrapping himself around Hawks’ back, his claws zeroing in on the hem of Hawks’ shirt before pulling it up and over the alpha’s head. The moment the fabric was off, Hawks’ head turned and he pressed his mouth to the closest section of Dark Shadow’s form. The quirk spirit melted and remolded himself until it was his mouth pressed to Hawks’ so the pair could kiss deeply. 

Fumikage loved it when they kissed. He loved watching the pair of them clutch at each other, their mouths moving urgently and in sync. But he also loved the ghost of pleasure that whispered across his beak and down his spine. 

His own hands traveled up Hawks’ thighs, one came to rest on Hawks’ hip, hanging on as the alpha kept moving himself back and forth. The fingers of his right hand, however, migrated up Hawks’ body, pressing against hard abdominal muscles before trailing up to settle in the center of his alpha’s pectorals. The rise and fall of the blonde’s chest with every little gasp into Dark Shadow’s mouth or forceful buck of his hips, was rhythmic and soothing. 

“Pause.” Hawks whispered, the sound high pitched and incredibly needy. He rolled off of Fumi and landed on his back, where he immediately arched up and started wiggling out of his pants and underwear. 

Fumikage laid next to him, head turned to the side as he watched the alpha undressing with wide, scarlet eyes and soft little coos of delight. Every inch of skin that was revealed was like a little treasure just for Fumikage and he indulged. 

He scanned his eyes over every ridge of Hawks’ bunched stomach, flicked them down over the sharp points of his hip bones, the sculpted lines that formed the mouth-watering “v” leading down to a nest of golden curls and Hawks’ cock which bobbed enticingly as it was released from his cotton prison. 

Fumikage had only gotten the tiniest lick a few days ago and his tongue lolled out with the sudden and overwhelming need to get a taste of that salty, musky skin. He leaned forward, tongue extended, but a hand on his forehead pushed him back down onto the bed. 

“Clothes off, Fumi. Then you can play.” Hawks appeared endlessly amused by the glare that Fumikage shot at him. 

Thankfully, Dark Shadow was there, his fingers scraping over Fumikage’s chest and pulling at his shirt to finally yank it over his head. The momentary blackness of the shirt over his eyes, gave way to the blinding brightness of Hawks’ smile as the alpha looked down at him. “Can I take these off?”

Fingers pulled at the elastic waistband of his boxers, picking at the material and causing it to rub gently at Fumikage’s skin. 

“By all means.” Fumikage gasped out and lifted his hips enough to let his mate pull his underwear off and leave him completely naked in their nest. 

Hawks’ eyes raked over him, like he was some beautiful piece of art that needed to be admired. 

- Or a deity to be worshiped - 

Dark Shadow sounded breathy and excited in Fumikage’s brain and before he could ask him about it, cold lips were being pressed to his jaw. Kisses ruffled his feathers and were scattered across his face softly and lovingly. 

He turned to face Dark Shadow, beak opening to urge his friend to kiss him, which he did eagerly. 

His tongue was deep inside of Dark Shadow’s form when he felt a hand wrap around his cock and gently stroke upward. He released a surprised squawk and whipped his attention to Hawks, who had his eyes locked onto Fumikage and Dark Shadow. 

Fumikage reached up and snagged his alpha by the back of the neck and dragged him down, licking at his mouth and wrapping his free arm around the blonde’s waist. Hawks let out a soft chuckle, his hand never pausing in its mission to drive Fumikage to the edge of insanity with gentle little strokes. Dark Shadow moved in to kiss Hawks roughly, the force of it making the alpha tilt his head back and tore a soft groan from his lips. 

Not one to be outdone, Fumikage leaned forward, snaking his tongue in between the pair of them and letting it dip and swirl into each of their mouths as they kissed. 

“How do you want to do this?” Hawks gasped, as he tore himself away from Fumikage and Dark Shadow. His hair was disheveled and his lips were red and raw and he looked absolutely sinful. 

“Do what?”

Because his brain was currently focused on one thing. Trying his best to make Hawks choke on his tongue. 

“How do you want to have sex with him?” Dark Shadow replied helpfully and butted his head against the side of Fumikage’s face with a soft croon. 

“However you want.” Fumikage whispered. “I have no idea what I’m doing.”

“Surely you’ve seen something in porn or read something in one of your books that you’ve wanted to try. Any positions that you’ve dreamed about?” Hawks smirked down at him knowingly and there was no doubt in Fumikage’s mind that Dark Shadow had whispered all of his secrets to their alpha. Probably even showed him the highlighted passages in his books and the favorited videos on his phone. 

 - I would never.-

Fumikage was not convinced. 

“Think about it for a minute. I’ll be right back.” Hawks brushed his fingers lovingly over Fumikage’s head, stroking his feathers before he rolled away and shuffled off of the bed. Seeing him walk away, the perfect round globes of his ass on full display with red feathers swaying gently with every step, ripped a sad trill from Fumikage. And once he started, he couldn’t stop making sound after sound begging his mate to come back. 

One of those red feathers zoomed over to him and flicked gently over his beak, like it was trying to soothe him. 

“Literally just grabbing lube, Fumi. It’s okay.”

“You could have used the feathers to grab it.” Dark Shadow huffed. 

“It’s in a zipped bag in a drawer in the closet.” Hawks argued back as he disappeared into the walk-in closet. “My feathers are good, but this will be infinitely faster.”

Feathers. 

Bright red feathered wings that were big and beautiful and powerful and belonged to the best alpha he could ever ask for. Fumi made a soft, cooing sound in the back of his throat as he imagined those wings spread wide over him. 

He loved the way something inside of Hawks demanded that he show off, flapping them, waving them, entrancing Fumi with their color and size, every time he saw the omega looking. 

Fumikage was still thinking of those little fluttery movements, Dark Shadow helpfully supplying little mental images while humming against his neck, when Hawks reappeared. He sauntered toward the bed, looking every bit like a fiery incubus, sent from the underworld to corrupt Fumikage’s soul. 

- Worth eternal damnation - 

- Absolutely - 

The bed dipped as the scarlet and gold alpha entered the nest and slowly crawled toward Fumikage. He was still laying out on his back, starfished out in the nest with Dark Shadow curled up next to his neck, like a spectral cat. There was a little spark of embarrassment that clawed at his stomach, twisting and begging for acknowledgement and for Fumikage to try to curl in on himself to hide his body from Hawks’ gaze. But he fought it down, trying to project an outward confidence as Hawks’ eyes raked over him like he was a banquet set out for a starving man. 

“How did I get so lucky to have the two of you?” Hawks breathed as he laid himself back on top of Fumikage. “So gorgeous.” His lips pressed against the feathers on Fumikage’s jaw, kissing along the sharp line until he made it to the omega’s beak. 

“I’m going to prepare myself.” Hawks whispered against Fumikage’s beak. “Wanna watch or-”

“Can I do it?” 

He’d never done it before but he’d read enough…romantic scenes (He ignored the loud scoff from Dark Shadow) to know the basics. He’d figure it out as he went. 

Hawks’s entire face lit up, his eyes nearly shining as they flicked up to meet Fumikage’s. “You can do whatever you want to me.”

“Dangerous words.” Dark Shadow hummed softly. 

Hawks just chuckled and pressed another kiss to Fumikage’s beak before strong hands snaked behind his body, grabbing at his back a moment before the pair of them were rolled over, switching their positions and putting Fumikage on top. 

“I said what I said.” Hawks said, his voice deeper and huskier than Fumikage had ever heard it. “ Anything you want.”

Depths. 

The words paired with the mental images flicking through his brain at lightning speed, took Fumikage’s breath away. He panted out great gasps of air into Hawks’ skin and tried to control the fine tremble working its way through his body. 

Hawks didn’t say a word, just ran his fingers through Fumikage’s feathers and chirped soothingly. 

- One thing, Fumi. Start with just one thing. - 

Wordlessly, Fumikage relayed his understanding. No need to become overwhelmed by the ocean of possibilities.

And he knew just what he wanted to start with. 

Fumikage slowly shuffled himself down Hawks’ body, letting his tongue roll out to run along the hard panes of muscle. There was something powerful about the way goosebumps appeared along Hawks’ skin, the way his muscles jumped under Fumikage’s tongue, the soft noises of pleasure escaping Hawks’ mouth, and the tightening of Hawks’ fingers against the feathers of Fumikage’s head. 

What did it say about him that a part of him ached to have his alpha rip those feathers out? To feel the short-lasting pain inflicted by loving fingers that he knew would rub at the spots to make the sting fade away. 

- Should I ask him to? - 

- Not now - 

- Next time then -

- Hedonist Demon -  

- Why thank you - 

“Feeling left out.” Hawks whined. “New bedroom rule, if your tongue is touching someone, then mental communication is off limits.”

“Tentatively agreed.” Fumikage replied, and darted down Hawks’ body to finally get his tongue on what he wanted. 

Hawks’ cock was beautiful. Not a term he considered using to describe someone’s external sex organs, but it was. Long and thick and a gorgeous shade of soft pink that was shiny and glistening in the low light of their bedroom. How could he not want to taste it?

The first swipe of his tongue over the hot length was euphoric. Salty and bitter and perfect and Fumikage let out a happy chirp before diving in again for another taste. And another. And Another. 

“Fuck, Fumi.” Hawks whimpered, his hands tightening in Fumikage’s feathers. “Think you can multitask?” Before he could ask what his alpha meant, a plastic bottle was being pressed into his shoulder. 

“Divide and conquer, I think.” Said Dark Shadow and the weight of the bottle was suddenly gone, a moment before Fumikage felt Dark Shadow slither down beside him. 

The pop of the bottle top opening was like a thunder clap and was followed by the wet sound of lubricant being poured out. 

Hawks gasped and his hips jerked up into the air and Fumikage knew that Dark Shadow was inside of him. 

“He’s very tight and very warm.” Dark Shadow said nonchalantly, like the words being uttered were not filth incarnate . “He’s going to feel amazing around your cock.”

Fumikage couldn’t fight back his groan as he wrapped his tongue around the base of Hawks’ cock and rubbed his own forgotten erection against the soft blankets underneath him. 

“Holy Shit, Shadow.” Hawks gasped, his entire body bunching and relaxing as he moved back against the…finger that Dark Shadow had manifested, and Fumikage’s tongue curled around his length and moved up and down. 

“You said no mental communication.” Dark Shadow explained, a moment before Hawks tensed and released an earth shattering moan that had Fumikage pulling away and staring up at his mate in concern. 

His head was tilted back, the strong line of his jaw pointed up toward the ceiling, and his wings splayed out wide across the bed. Thank goodness for the massive bed that provided support for his full wing span. They were too precious to hang over the edges of the mattress. 

“Didn’t realize you had such a filthy mouth.”

“Odd since I have never restrained myself.”

“You’re right. Should - AH - have known what you and Fumi were talking about.”

“We do use our mental communication for the smuttiest, nastiest conversations.” Dark Shadow continued and Fumikage would have cut in that they talk about more than just sex, but his tongue was otherwise occupied. “Trade off?” Dark Shadow offered and Fumikage turned to watch a pair of dark, spectral fingers pull away from Hawks’ body. 

“Sure.” Dark Shadow smeared the leftover lubricant onto Fumikage’s fingers before diving down to swallow Hawks’ cock down to the base. 

The blonde alpha let out a soft, breathy sound as his hands moved off of Fumikage’s head to clutch at the blankets around him. 

“Fumi, fingers. Now. Two then three and then your cock, or so help me, I will -” Hawks’ growling demands were cut off as Fumikage gently inserted two fingers into Hawks’ slicked channel. 

“It doesn’t feel very different than when you’re doing this to yourself, does it?” Dark Shadow asked Fumikage without removing his mouth from Hawks’ cock.

“Shadow, please stop divulging my masturbation habits to our mate.” Fumikage was thankful for his feathers as his face heated up to nearly boiling. The worst part was that Dark Shadow was right. It didn’t feel that different. Sure the angle wasn’t the same, but the soft, warm, tight channel around his fingers was achingly familiar. 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.” Hawks whined, nearly throwing himself backward onto Fumikage’s fingers when the omega curled his fingers ever so slightly to press into a spot Fumikage knew always made him see stars. “Screw it. Two fingers is enough. Cock, inside of me. Now.”

“You’re an incredibly bossy bottom.” Fumikage whispered under his breath before letting out a startled yelp when a small army of feathers erupted from Hawks’ wings. All of them were gentle as they pushed at Dark Shadow and Fumikage. 

“Mind if I take what I want? Show you how bossy I can be?”

Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. 

Surely, it had to be the omega inside of Fumikage that was so overwhelmingly thrilled at the idea of their alpha being more assertive. All that was missing was -

“Think you can add a little growl to really make Fumi soak the nest?” Dark Shadow asked Hawks while rubbing himself along Fumikage’s neck. Bold of a traitor to try to soothe him mid betrayal. 

Hawks smirked at the two of them, his face flushed, hair rumpled, and eyes sparkling in clear amusement. Then he did exactly what Dark Shadow asked, he let out a deep, rumbly alpha growl before reaching out and pushing Fumikage onto his back, using a single hand in the center of his chest. 

“So?” He asked, smirk still glued in place as he settled himself over Fumikage. “Mind if I fuck myself on your cock? Or were you sold on-”

“Please.” Fumikage whispered. “Please do whatever you want.”

Hawks’ head tilted to the side, looking every bit like a bird investigating its prey. “Do you prefer it when I tell you what to do? Make it so you don’t have to think about anything but feeling good?”

Oh. 

Fumikage hadn’t really considered that. Being Submissive. But suddenly, the idea, namely, the idea of being submissive to Hawks, sounded divine. No embarrassment. No wondering if he was doing something okay or wanted. 

“I think so.” Fumikage whispered, slightly afraid that by admitting it, he’d push Hawks away. What if that was a turn off for him?

“You’re hot as fuck.” Hawks told him, his smile widening until Fumikage swore he could feel the joy coming off of him. “Now shuffle around so your head is on the pillows.”

There was a little bit of fumbling to get the pair of them into position, but eventually, Fumikage found himself nestled in his cozy nest, Hawks straddling his waist and Dark Shadow twisting around the pair of them, his head resting on Fumikage’s shoulder so they could both stare up at their beautiful alpha. 

Their beautiful alpha who was smiling softly down at them as he applied more slick lubricant to Fumikage’s cock. “It’s been awhile,” was whispered out a moment before Hawks’ body was lifting up while his hand was holding Fumikage’s cock steady and lowering himself down on top of him. 

Deep Depths. Abyss. Darkest Night. Curses to all deities of the underworld. 

- Fuck - 

Yes, that too. 

Fumikage and Hawks released twin groans as the alpha’s body greedily accepted Fumikage’s cock inside like it was made to be there. He was warm and tight and slick and there was a real, overwhelming fear inside of Fumikage, that he would come on the spot. Because this was so different from his own hand or Dark Shadow’s touch or Hawks’ mouth. 

He wanted to live inside of Hawks. Wanted to nestle his cock inside of him and the pair of them would just need to make life work, somehow. Between Dark Shadow and Hawks’ feathers, he was sure they could manage. 

“You feel fucking amazing.” Hawks groaned and Fumikage was entranced by the way he reached his arms up and grabbed the headboard over Fumikage’s head. Those beautifully muscled arms covered in a fine layer of sweat that made Fumikage’s tongue loll out as he was hit with a need to lick the salt from his mate’s skin. 

Then Fumikage’s brain officially shut down. 

Because Hawks released his wings. He let them spread out fully on either side of him, twitching and trembling from pleasure as Hawks’ head tilted back so he could stare at the ceiling with wide, golden eyes. 

He could have sat there forever, staring at this god on top of him, his hands on the alpha’s hips and his fingers instinctively rubbing circles into his skin. But then Hawks moved. 

And if the sensation of Hawks’ body moving up, along his cock, before slamming back down hard wasn’t enough to break him, then the sound Dark Shadow made, would have been. 

He’d never heard Dark Shadow moan, that low, throaty sound that made goosebumps spread along his arms. He knew that his quirk got whispers of pleasure down their bond, but he’d always been so reserved and quiet.

“I assume that means you’re both enjoying this?” Hawks laughed, breathy and manic as he used his strong legs to lift himself up and down on Fumikage’s lap. 

“Pretty sure it’s impossible not to.” Fumikage groaned and tightened his hands on Hawks’ hips, his nails digging as he fought back his urge to thrust up into his mate’s warm, welcoming body. “We’ll have to do this more often.”

“All the time.” Hawks agreed. “Your education will suffer, but it's worth it.”

Fuck, that little hip swivel was going to kill Fumikage. 

- Definitely still worth it - 

Dark Shadow’s whimper in his mind had Fumikage arching up, his beak snapping open and closed as a string of chirps tore themselves from his throat. 

“I’m going to come,” he finally managed to breathe out. His eyes were tightly closed, head tilted back as he held onto Hawks’ hips for dear life. “I’m sorry.”

Gentle fingers smoothed over his face and Fumikage peaked his eyes open to see Hawks smiling down at him. His face was flushed and his hair was dark with sweat, but he was still the most beautiful thing Fumikage had ever seen. 

“If you come before I do, it’s your responsibility to finger me until I come screaming.” He was presented with one of Hawks’ gorgeous, blinding smiles and Fumikage felt like his heart would truly stop in his chest. So overwhelmed with love and affection that it would just give out in the middle of the most amazing experience of Fumikage’s young life. 

“No complaints.” Dark Shadow agreed and Fumikage watched as Dark fingers reached out and ran through Hawks’ wet hair. “I’ll make sure you’re well satisfied. 

Hawks grinned and nuzzled his face into Dark Shadow’s palm. Then he sped up his movements, his entire body tightening and bunching as he moved up and down on Fumikage’s cock, fucking himself like his only priority was to make Fumikage come. 

So of course he did. With stars exploding behind his eyelids and every nerve in his body screaming in pleasure. His nails dug into Hawks’ hips, holding him in place as his instincts had him snapping his lower body upward while he let out animalistic squawking-screams. 

He only had a moment to breathe and relax back onto the mattress, his heart hammering in his chest, before Dark Shadow was ghosting over him. The quirk settled himself over Fumikage, molding over his body, like a second skin. It was when he felt the subtle chill of Dark Shadow’s form around his softening cock, that he lifted his head and looked down his body in confusion. 

“What are you doing?”

“Taking over.” The words were paired with the whisper of pleasure traveling through Fumikage’s groin and up his spine. 

“Fuck.” Hawks whispered. “Warmer, please, Shadow.”

- You’re inside of him? - 

- Was that not obvious? Surely you can feel it. - 

And he could.

- I thought you said you didn’t get physically aroused?-

- I don’t. But I can manifest my body into anything. And while I might not enjoy this the same way you and Hawks do, I do enjoy it.

- Fuck, I love you-

Fumi nuzzled his face into the side of Dark Shadow’s neck and flicked his eyes up toward Hawks’ blissed out face. 

He was flushed and sweaty and trembling as he rode the hardness inside of him. His eyelids were flickering, the whites of his eyes barely visible under his lashes and he looked every bit like the incubus Fumikage referred to him as. 

“I think between the two of us, we could fuck you forever.” Fumikage said conversationally and reached out to wrap his fingers around Hawks’ red and weeping erection. 

“Shhhhh.” Hawks groaned and removed one of his hands from the headboard and pressed it against Fumikage’s beak. 

“I have a beak, the hand isn’t going to work.” Fumikage chuckled darkly and nipped at the fingers clutching at him. 

“Only way to shut him up is a ball gag or to tape his beak shut.” Dark Shadow agreed. “I’ve thought about this intently.”

Hawks moaned and whined, squirming on Dark Shadow and Fumikage’s lap. “If the two of you keep talking, I’m going to come.”

“Pretty sure, that’s the whole point.” Fumikage pointed out and fisted his hand around Hawks’ erection to start stroking him with purpose. 

“Five points if you get come in Fumi’s feathers.” Dark Shadow added conversationally. 

“Ten if it gets in my mouth.”

“You are both filthy.” Hawks gasped, his back arching as his hips thrust forward to bury his cock in Fumikage’s hand. “Perfect mates.”

Fumikage watched Hawks shudder and twitch, his hips moving faster and faster as his breaths became more and more shallow. His alpha was feeling good because of him . 

- And me - 

Them. 

It was heedy and weighty and made his head spin in a way that had nothing to do with the ghost of pleasure in his groin. Fumikage leaned up, resting his weight on one elbow, to allow himself to get closer to his mate. Close enough to run his tongue up the side of Hawks’ neck and coo softly into his skin. 

“Come.” Fumikage whispered. “Please. Please, Alpha. Come for me. I want to feel it.”

Strong hands clutched at his neck and shoulders, pulling Fumikage closer until his chest was pressed to Hawks’. Fingers tugged at the feathers at the back of his head, pushing and pulling until Fumikage’s face was nestled against Hawks’ throat, with the alpha’s own head tilted back as he whined. 

“Fumi. Dark Shadow.” Hawks groaned, his voice high pitched and so needy that it had goosebumps spreading down Fumikage’s arms. “Love yo-ah!”

The come that dribbled down Fumikage’s hand was searingly hot and Fumikage didn’t stop stroking his moaning, shuttering alpha until sharp teeth nipped lightly at his jaw. 

“No points.” Dark Shadow whispered mournfully. “We’ll have to try again another time.

Hawks huffed out an exhausted laugh against Fumikage’s feathers, his breath coming in short, gasps as his muscles shook and convulsed post-orgasm. 

“Give me an hour.” He finally sighed. 

“Deal.” Fumikage whispered back and nuzzled his face into the soft downy feathers closest to Hawks’ shoulders. 

- Touya Todoroki - 7 years ago - 

Touya didn’t know where he was going. His mind was a spiraling pit of despair, loneliness, and more than a little madness. His first thought was home. But he shrugged it off. 

He couldn’t go back to his childhood home. His parents would ask questions, they’d look at his mark and wonder if he knew his soulmates. And in his current state, Touya didn’t think he could lie. He’d tell them about Hikari, about Keigo. He’d tell them how hopeless he felt, how lost. 

They’d lock him up. Say it was for his own safety. Maybe the meds and the doctors and the time would make him feel better. 

But Touya didn’t want to feel better. He wanted to hurt and rage and destroy. He couldn’t do that at home, with his tiny siblings and stupidly understanding parents. 

His body instinctively took him to Sekoto Peak and he thought it was endlessly fitting. This was where he and his father would train. They’d practice control, while surrounded by kindling and as far away from civilians as they could get. It was a second home. A home where he could be alone, where he could suffer in peace. 

It was dark, pitch black without even the light of the moon to guide him, but Touya managed. The forest was as familiar to him as the back of his own hand. He could navigate it with his eyes closed and he made a beeline for the clearing that he knew sat in the center of the forest. It was a large, grassy area, surrounded by trees on all sides with a tiny little creek that weaved through the center of it. 

It was peaceful. Perfect for its purpose as a meditation spot. 

All of the emotions that had been spiraling and growing inside his chest, exploded out of Touya as he fell to his knees in the center of the clearing. He screamed into the darkness until his throat ached and he cried until his head felt filled with cotton. 

His mind was filled with visions of sightless orange eyes. 

His chest was cold and empty and in that moment, surrounded by pain and darkness, it felt impossible to ever feel warm again. 

Touya was still sniffling, when he pulled his phone out and used its screen light to look at the traitorous mark on his forearm. 

He wanted it gone. That was the main priority and that was why he had come here, right? It was a safe space where he could let his quirk burn as hot as it needed to. 

The moment the thought floated through his mind, he had his hand over the mark and pushed out as much power in his quirk as he could. 

When he screamed, it was with a combination of mental and physical pain. It felt like his skin was melting, his bones turning to ash. Part of him wondered if he could burn his entire arm off. No question of whether or not the mark remained. 

But it didn’t matter how much he pushed, that glimmer of his bond with Keigo remained steadfast in his chest. 

Not even when he lost all feeling in his right arm and his phone revealed that the skin was blistered and purple in a clear demonstration of a third degree burn. There was no mark to speak off, covered entirely by the burn, but the bond didn’t budge. It didn’t even seem to be affected. 

Soulmarks are the physical confirmation of a soulmate bond. However, it is not the bond itself. Losing a mark or limb will not result in the loss of a bond, it will simply make it more difficult for soulmates to recognize each other.

How had Touya forgotten that basic piece of information? His primary school teacher’s voice repeated the paragraph again and again in his broken, spiraling, confused brain. 

He let out a heartbroken sob as he collapsed onto his back in the clearing. Tears dripped down his cheeks while his blurry eyes remained locked on the silver stars in the sky above him. 

Touya’s entire body ached. His arm, his chest, his stomach, his head. Every part of him seemed to scream that he was dying. That he was a boat in a wild ocean, being forced against the rocks again and again.

He just wanted to sink. To finally let himself be pulled under the surface and feel the cool relief and peace that he was sure awaited him on the seafloor. 

There wasn’t a lot of critical thinking happening in Touya’s brain. He was acting mechanically, going from idea to execution with no consideration for consequences or alternatives. 

In hindsight, he would realize he was in shock and traumatized. But at that moment, he just felt lost. He wanted his mate. Wanted to wrap his arms around his smaller frame and bury his nose in soft hair to inhale his scent. 

He was still staring up at the stars when he pushed his quirk out, pushing more and more energy into the blue flames until they burned hotter than he could ever remember producing. The grass under him caught immediately, followed by his cotton clothing, then the rest of the clearing in a matter of seconds. 

The last thing he could remember of that night was that the flames consuming his skin didn’t hurt nearly as bad as he imagined. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Fumikage thought through his plan in his mind, easily a hundred times before the fateful day arrived. Dark Shadow had suggested it first, because Dark Shadow always seemed to be thinking of ways to embarrass Fumikage to an early grave. But once it had been presented to him, the omega had realized that it would likely be the only way to get what he wanted. 

He stepped into class, earlier than usual. In general, he would have preferred to stay in bed and cuddle with Hawks until the last possible second. But this morning, it was vital that he arrive well before they were set to begin. 

As expected, Bakugou, Midoriya, Todoroki, Kaminari, Kirishima, and Shinsou were all present, sitting in the back, their desks pressed together as they talked. 

Angry red eyes flicked up at Fumikage when he walked in, narrowing in suspicion as the omega slowly stepped closer and closer to the pack. Once he passed his own desk, without any sign of stopping, the conversation happening between the six of them stopped and everyone looked up to stare at him.

He could do this. 

He had to do this. 

For Hawks. 

- For yourself -  Dark Shadow corrected smugly 

Fumikage ignored his quirk. He was doing this for purely unselfish reasons. 

- There is nothing pure about your intentions, Fumi.-

- If you speak out loud about this, I will have to quit the hero program and resign myself to working as a waiter at a fried chicken restaurant. - 

- Good choice, the guilt from the patrons would increase your tips -

 Fumikage trusted Dark Shadow to be silent as he finally stood in front of the pack and lifted his eyes to meet Todoroki’s mis-matched gaze. 

“Can I talk to you for a minute?” Fumikage asked and Todoroki just raised a white eyebrow and tilted his head to the side in interest, “In private.”

“Anything you say to him, you can say to the rest of us.” Bakugou huffed out as he sat back and glared at Fumikage with his arms crossed over his chest. “Come on, out with it.”

“Kachaan.” Midoriya hissed disapprovingly. 

“Agreed.” Todoroki said before Midoriya could continue. “There’s no one else here. And anything you say to me will likely come back to the others anyway.”

“He’s horrible at keeping secrets.” Shinsou agreed with a nod of his head. “Just save him the trouble and tell all of us.”

“But it’s private.” Fumikage didn’t care if Todoroki told his pack about their conversation, but that didn’t mean he wanted to discuss this in front of all six of them at the same time. He had barely managed to get the courage to speak to the other omega alone. 

- Be Fearless, Fumi - 

Again, much easier for Dark Shadow to say when he was de-manifested and watching the entire ordeal through Fumikage’s eyes as he laid back and relaxed in the “other” realm that he resided. 

“Oh, is it omega related?” Kaminari asked. “Don’t worry, we’ve got you. Come on, Shou. Do you still have that slide show I sent you?” He stood and pushed away from his desk, all the while looking at Todoroki expectantly. 

“No!” Fumikage exclaimed, so mortified that his classmates thought that was wanted to talk about, that it literally forced him to take a step back like he could distance himself from the idea. “It’s nothing like that. I just-”

He sighed as he realized that his plan was going horribly wrong. All of them were staring at him like he was a weirdo, confusion clear on their faces. There was no way they were going to help him now, he should just leave and-

The scrape of a chair sounded behind him and Fumikage turned to see Dark Shadow pulling over his chair and bumping Fumikage in the knees with it until the omega fell back into it. He was then pushed even closer to the pack, with Dark Shadow settling the chair in front of Todoroki. 

“Just tell them.” He sighed and de-manifested with an unneeded flare of dark purple spirals. 

- I hate you - 

- Love you too - 

“Yami?” Kirishima asked as he reached up and pulled Kaminari down with a firm, but gentle, hold on the omega’s shoulder. “Whatever it is, man, we’ll keep it between us. Judgement free zone.” 

He sent Fumikage a wide, friendly smile and even though it seemed to go against every alarm bell going off in his head, Fumikage decided to take the plunge. 

“I need Dabi’s phone number.” Fumikage finally breathed out and ducked his head so he wouldn’t have to see the reaction that his statement caused. 

The room became so silent that Fumikage could hear the soft “tick tick tick” of the second hand on the clock on the other side of the classroom. 

“Why?” Todoroki finally asked. “I mean, obviously, I have it. But I’m not going to give it out to people just so they can harass him.” 

Harass him? Fumikage would never. 

- You would. - 

Fumikage mentally glared at Dark Shadow. It was really more of a combination of anger, irritation, and exhaustion all pushed across their bond. But the intentions were the same. 

“It’s… Complicated.” Fumikage replied. “I just need it.”

He risked a glance up and noticed that all of the faces turned toward him, looked unconvinced. There was no way he was getting away with not giving them every bit of information he could. 

Sourly, he wondered how hard it would have been to find the phone number online. Surely, he could have figured it out. 

- Finding his phone number as just Dabi would have been impossible. Dabi AND Endeavor’s son? Come on, Fumi. You know this is the only way. Get talking. - 

“He’s my soulmate.” Fumikage sighed and winced at the shouts of surprise from the group in front of him. 

“What the fuck? How do you even know that?” Bakugou asked. “I thought your mate was Hawks?”

“Hawks is my mate.” Fumikage confirmed and raised a hand to scratch at his feathers nervously. “I found out about Dabi when I ran into him last week.”

“He didn’t say anything about it.” Todoroki said, his voice giving absolutely nothing away. “Why wouldn’t he just give you his number when he saw you?”

“The meeting didn’t go well.” Fumikage lifted his eyes to meet Todoroki’s, trying to push his earnesty through his eyes like he would his bond with Dark Shadow. “I just want to talk to him.”

“If he’s your mate, then he’s Hawks’ mate as well.” Midoriya said, as though to fill the silence in the class. “Was Hawks the alpha that-”

“No.” Fumikage answered, too quickly and with too much panic in his voice for anyone to believe him. “He found out when I did. But they have a history you know? It didn’t go well, so I just want to talk to Dabi to clear things up.”

- Smooth - 

Todoroki stared at Fumikage like he was trying to stare into his very soul. His gaze was cold and unfeeling, empty. It made Fumikage shiver but he didn’t dare look away. He wanted his friend to believe him, to help him. 

“I can’t confirm your claim, Dabi doesn’t have a soulmark.” Was the final determination from Todoroki as he blinked and sat back in his chair. 

“We recognized each other through scent. Or rather, he recognized me. Please, Todoroki. I need to talk to him.” He had never heard that soft, pleading tone to his own voice and from the slightly widened eyes of Todoroki and Bakugou, they hadn’t either. “I promise I won’t harass him and if I do, I live two doors down from you, you can all come fight me to defend his honor.”

“He has no honor.” Kirishima laughed. “Dude probably needs someone to harass him a little, he’s been bored out of his mind.” He turned toward Todoroki, laying his head on top of Bakugou’s blonde spikes while giving his omega big, red, puppy dog eyes. “I say give him the number. If nothing else, it’ll spice up the next family dinner.”

“Attempted fratricide is not the spice we need to encourage.” Shinsou commented softly. He was leaning back in his chair, an arm thrown around Kaminari’s shoulders and looking endlessly bored by their conversation. 

“He’s a declawed kitten.” Bakugou scoffed. “I’m not fucking scared of him.”

Fumikage thought back to the speed at which he had wrapped his hands around Hawks’ throat, the strength in his forearms when he went to snap the alpha’s neck. Even without a quirk, he was definitely someone to be terrified of.

- What does it say about you that you find the danger attractive? - 

- That I’m fucked up, probably - 

Because Dark Shadow knew that he had dreamed about those pale fingers wrapped around his own throat. Of that gravely voice whispering filthy things into his feathers as he struggled to breathe. 

Definitely a little fucked up. 

“If you think he needs a quirk to kill, you’re delusional.” Todoroki sighed and Fumikage watched as the other omega took his phone out and started swiping through as Midoriya and Bakugou squabbled over Dabi’s “danger scale”. Apparently they had a 1 to 10 scoring system that they used to rank villains. 

- Nerds - 

The comment made Fumikage scoff instinctively and when multiple pairs of eyes turned toward him, he tried his best to school his features into something smooth and relaxed while widening his eyes innocently. 

Thankfully, his phone dinged in his pocket a moment later and he was saved. He pulled out the device and saw that he had been sent a contact from Todoroki with the name listed as: “Crispy Brother”. 

“Sibling humor is above me.” Fumikage whispered, mostly to himself as he saved the contact under “Dabi” like a normal human being. 

“If you can’t make fun of the people you love, is it even love?” Kaminari asked. “Meaner the insult, the stronger the bond.”

Fumikage nodded like he understood. Though he absolutely did not. 

- It’s like when you tell me you hate me. - 

- But I do hate you. - 

 - It would be convincing if I didn’t live in your brain. - 

“Thank you.” Fumikage finally sighed out, nodding his head to Todoroki. “I appreciate this.” He held up his phone to indicate the phone number. 

“Don’t tell him I gave it to you.” 

With that, the rest of the class started filing in and Fumikage gave the pack a friendly nod before Dark Shadow manifested and started dragging Fumikage’s chair back toward his desk. 

“That went better than expected.” Dark Shadow whispered.

Fumikage agreed and silently hoped that this was just the first of several things that would start going right for him. 

- Dabi - 

Dabi laid in his bedroom, sprawled across his large bed that he had demanded once he moved back to Endeavor’s house. He was too achy and old to sleep on a bedroll on the floor, afterall. 

He stared up at the ceiling, his headphones blaring heavy metal music as he contemplated life’s mysteries. 

His fingers were tapping rhythmically against his stomach, his head bobbing and in that moment, he was truly at peace. 

Then the loud, ear piercing “DING” of his phone echoed through the headphones and scared the living shit out of him. The single sound was followed by another and another and Dabi pulled his earphones off with a frustrated huff. He grabbed at his cell phone and looked down at the home screen and glared at the notification indicating a text from an unknown number.

If it was another spam text, ruining his evening of solitude and relaxation, he was going to murder someone. 

He didn’t know who yet, but someone.

Dabi slammed his finger on the notification with a little growl and stared at the three messages waiting for him in a new chat. 

Unknown Number: Hi, this is Fumikage. 

Unknown Number: Your soulmate.

Unknown Number: [sent picture]

He stared down at his phone screen in disbelief, his eyes trailing over the red design that was so achingly familiar. 

When was the last time he had seen that mark in its entirety? He was struck with the intense desire to reach through the screen and run his fingers over the little stars and spirals. It wasn’t until his fingers actually connected with the glass of his phone screen, that he pulled himself out of his trance and glared down at the conversation. 

Dabi: Leave me alone. 

The best option would have been to ignore the texts. To refuse to give the bird kid…Fumikage… confirmation that it was really Dabi on the other end. But he wasn’t known for making the best decisions. Or good decisions. Or even “Not that bad” decisions. 

Another ding. 

Unknown number: No. We’re soulmates. You’re stuck with me. Love me or die. 

Well that was violent. 

Dabi was in the middle of writing a comical, sarcastic reply, when another message came through. 

Unknown number: Sorry. That was Dark Shadow. I’m not that forward. 

He deleted his earlier response. (Which was incredibly evil and funny)

Dabi: Who the fuck is Dark Shadow? Your cat?

Unknown number: Meow

Unknown number: No. He’s my quirk. 

Dabi thought back to the purple spirit demon that always appeared with Fumikage. So his name was Dark Shadow. And he was apparently sentient enough to text Dabi on Fumikage’s phone. 

Interesting. 

Dabi: Both of you leave me the fuck alone. 

Unknown number: We’re soulmates. I just want to talk. 

Dabi: No

The little dots indicating that Fumikage was typing popped up and disappeared a half dozen times, before finally disappearing permanently. 

Good. Dabi had scared him off. He didn’t need that pretty little hero texting him. Not when he was entangled with Hawks. The pair of them could go off and be goody two shoes without him. 

He’d just stay here, alone in his room, and be happy. 

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

“Who are you texting?” Hawks asked over Fumikage’s shoulder and the omega let out a little squawk of surprise as his phone went flying through the air. Thankfully, it was saved from being shattered against the wall by Dark Shadow. “Ooooooh, are you doing something naughty?”

Hawks pressed a soft kiss to Fumikage’s neck and held a hand out to Dark Shadow. 

The traitor didn’t even hesitate before dropping the phone into Hawks’ hand. But to Fumikage’s surprise, Hawks just gently handed the phone down to Fumikage with a soft smile on his handsome face. 

In answer to his confused coo, Hawks explained, “I’m nosey, not controlling. You looked very pensive, so I’m curious to see who is causing that reaction. But I’m not about to look through your phone without permission. I’m not insane. ”

In all honesty, Fumikage really didn’t care if Hawks looked. The alpha was always turning his own phone screen toward Fumikage when they were cuddling on the couch and urgent messages came through. He was now privy to endless high security threats and missions that he had no right to know about. 

So Fumikage getting turned down by their other soulmate? Hardly something worth hiding. 

He opened up his conversation with Dabi and held the phone out to Hawks. “I am trying and failing to fix our flock.”

Hawks’ eyes flicked over the screen and Fumikage didn’t miss the soft chirp that the alpha let out when he realized what Fumikage was doing.

“You are fighting an unwinnable battle.”

“Probably. But I have to try.” Hawks nodded in understanding and pushed the screen back toward Fumikage. 

“He’s your soulmate. Of course, you should try.” Hawks came around the side of the couch and sat down next to Fumikage, so close that their sides were pressed together. “But I don’t think he’s ever going to forgive me. And with you and I being so close, I may have ruined your chances with him.”

“Well I’m still going to try.” Dark Shadow came over to curl around Fumikage’s shoulders and he nodded his head in agreement with Fumikage’s statement. 

Hawks tilted his head to the side and his mouth twitched from side to side. Somehow he always managed to look birdlike, even with his completely human face. 

“Well far be it for me to stop you.” Hawks finally said. “But just know that when he accepts you and not me, it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay!” Fumikage exclaimed and turned to fully face Hawks. He grabbed his hands and held them tightly as he fought back the urge to shake his alpha until he took back his words and admitted defeat. “We can be a flock, he’s just hurt right now.”

Hawks brought their conjoined hands up to his face and pressed kisses along Fumikage’s knuckles and ran his scruffy chin over the skin of Fumikage’s hands and wrists. 

“And maybe he’ll eventually heal.” Hawks whispered. “But if he doesn’t. Or if it takes a lifetime. I don’t want you to feel like you need to stay away from him. You can have us both.”

Fumikage froze, his entire body going preternaturally still as he blinked massive scarlet eyes up at Hawks’ earnest face. 

- That’s kind of hot to think about. - 

An vivid idea played through his mind. Of Fumikage leaving Dabi’s house disheveled and crawling back into his nest with Hawks. 

- Being soulmates isn’t all about sex. - 

- Agree to disagree. - 

“If I have you both it’ll be as a real trio.” Fumikage answered with a firm nod of his head. 

“Okay.” Hawks said with a wide smile. “Far be it for me to argue with you. But, my offer stands. I love you, little bird, anything that makes you happy, makes me happy.” He pressed one last, lingering kiss to Fumikage’s knuckles before leaning forward and kissing the omega’s forehead with an exaggerated sound. 

- Touya Todoroki - 6 years ago - 

Touya knew only pain. 

Every muscle, bone, organ, and strand of hair ached . Was this what dying felt like? Was he already dead? Was this hell?

The word around him was silent, and Touya ached to hear something . To have anything distract him from the pain that felt like it was melting his brain in his skull. 

Every time he tried to open his eyes, he was met with agony and his eyelids refused to cooperate. But today, for some reason, was different. 

When he blinked his eyes open, all he could see was green. Bubbles drifted up through the translucent green liquid surrounding him, like he was being boiled alive. 

Was that why he burned and ached all over?

Touya’s brain was foggy and slow and unconsciousness dragged him back into slumber. 

Chapter Text

- Dabi - 

The next text message arrived at nearly 2-fucking-AM. Dabi grabbed his phone, intent on raining fire and brimstone down on whoever was disturbing his desperately needed beauty sleep. 

But then he paused. Because the photo was unexpected. 

Unknown Number: Could be you, but you’re playing hard to get.

Unknown Number: [Sent an image]

The photo was of Fumikage’s face relaxed with sleep and his beak tucked under a pale chin. If he ignored the fact that it was Hawks that Fumikage was cuddled up to, he could admit that the picture was cute.

He found himself wondering if the kid’s dark feathers were as soft as they looked. How would they feel between his fingers or under his tongue?

Unknown Number: [Sent a video]

The sudden sound of a new text, paired with the appearance of a video on screen, startled him out of his thoughts. 

The starting image of the video appeared identical to the photo that had been sent and Dabi’s sleepy brain didn’t even consider ignoring it. He pressed play and was instantly enraptured by the sounds. 

Fumikage was cooing and trilling and making little clicky-chirps in his sleep. All of the sounds were soft and soothing and Dabi felt his chest ache as he recalled the way Hikari would make similar sounds when they were napping together. They had always made Dabi feel safe and loved and he hadn’t realized how much he missed them until he was hit in the face with a reminder of them. 

Dabi: Dark Shadow I presume?

Unknown Number: No. It’s Fumikage. I’ve just perfected the art of sleep-texting

Dabi: Impressive.

After a moment, Dabi sighed and sent a follow up message like a fucking simp. 

Dabi: You’re not going to leave me alone, are you?

Unknown number: Not unless you block us. But I also have a plan for that, so I wouldn’t recommend it. 

Dabi: How does Fumikage’s alpha feel about the pair of you texting me? Trouble in paradise?

Unknown Number: If you want to talk about Hawks, I have plenty of questions. Should we begin?

Dabi whistled lowly as he fought back a grin. 

Dabi: Touche

Dabi: Okay, fun twin. What do you want? Other than annoying the shit out of me at 2am. 

To be fair, Dabi’s sleep schedule was already shit and losing a little rest was a reasonable price to pay for the ever increasing level of entertainment. He didn’t spend a lot of time speaking with people and human interaction was nice (he would murder anyone that dared accuse him of this) and the fact that this little omega was also Keigo’s omega and there was a chance of completely destroying the alpha’s relationship, was just a bonus. 

Unknown Number: [Sent a GIF]

Dabi nearly dropped his phone as an image popped up on screen. A cute little hamster drinking water from a dispenser. But then the loop started playing and - WHY DID IT NEED TO SUCK DOWN THE ENTIRE NOZZLE LIKE THAT?

Obviously it was supposed to mimic a blow job.

And Dabi didn’t know what to do with that because he didn’t think anyone had propositioned him since he’d been pieced back together like humpty dumpty. And prior to that, he’d been a literal child.

Unknown Number: Political answer is that I would like us to hang out. 

Dabi: You’re deranged. 

Unknown Number: I’ve been told. 

Unknown Number: Sleep on it and tell us where and when you want to meet. Good night, cutie.

Cutie? 

Never in his life had anyone called Dabi a cutie. He was pretty sure it was a federal offense and he was momentarily frozen as he contemplated what the reward would be for turning the kid into the proper authorities. 

He didn’t respond to the last message and instead just rolled over in his bed and tossed his phone back into the nightstand charger with an annoyed huff. It wasn’t until he was drifting off to sleep that he realized he never actually agreed to meet up with the deranged little quirk demon. 

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Fumikage stared down at his phone in horror. He was curled up on the couch with Hawks pressed against his side and the alpha’s arm around his shoulders. He should have been comfortable and happy, but instead, he was staring at his conversation with Dabi and realizing that Dark Shadow was the worst thing to ever happen to him. 

“Woah, think like you love me.” Dark Shadow snarked at him as he poked his head up from behind Hawks. The quirk had wrapped himself around the older man and had pressed his head into the alpha’s neck for a little nap. 

“Hard to do that when you’re sexting on my phone while I’m sleeping.”

Dark Shadow didn’t even look ashamed. He just stared back at Fumikage with wide, emotionless, blank eyes like the omega was the problem here. 

“It wasn’t sexting.”

Hawks just flicked his eyes back and forth between the pair of them and sipped on his cup of tea as quietly as possible. 

Fumikage clicked on the GIF that Dark Shadow had sent Dabi and flipped his phone around so Hawks and Dark Shadow could see. 

“Ooomph.” Hawks cringed and looked up at Dark Shadow before putting his head gently. “You were sexting. Kind of a hoe thing to do after only a few messages back and forth.”

“Exactly!” Fumikage squawked. “And suggesting we meet up? Dark Shadow! He’s a villain that tried to kill Hawks!”

“You suggested a meet up already? Shadow, you whore.” Hawks commented before slurping his drink louder than strictly necessary. “I approve.”

“Hawks!” Fumikage gasped, meeting his alpha’s golden gaze. “How could you be okay with this? It’s so soon and he’s dangerous and-”

“He’s quirkless. If he tries anything you and Dark Shadow would have him beat in a second.” Hawks shrugged like the idea of Dabi actually hurting Fumikage was laughable. Nevermind the fact that he had nearly been killed by the same villain less than a week ago. 

- To be fair, I believe Hawks was emotionally distraught and suffering a little bit of PTSD - 

- Semantics - 

“As far as it being soon? I had you in my lap within an hour of finding out we were soulmates. I have no qualms with you meeting up with him. In fact, if you do, make sure to rub his scent all over you so I can lick it off when you get home.”

Dark Abyss. 

There was no fucking reason for Hawks to sound so giddy. 

“You say scent, but what you really mean is-”

“DARK SHADOW!” Fumikage bellowed, completely and utterly mortified by the conversation. He met Hawks’ eyes and ignored the playful little smirk on his face. “I thought you’d be on my side.”

Hawks lunged forward and grabbed Fumikage around the waist and dragged him fully into the alpha’s lap. Fumikage squawked softly at the sudden movement and flailed out before settling himself on his knees, which here pressed into the cushions on either side of Hawks’ thighs. 

“I’m always on your side.” Hawks whispered as Fumikage wrapped his arms around his alpha’s neck. “Don’t do anything you don’t want to do. I’m just trying to be playful and remind you that you can have everything and anything you want.” Lips pressed to Fumikage’s neck and suddenly, his worries and fears just didn’t matter. 

“What if what I want is to have both of you in my nest?”

The lips didn’t stop pressing soft, loving kisses along the column of his neck. 

“Sounds like you and Dark Shadow are going to have to spend a bit more time sexting, then.” Hawks whispered, his breath ghosting along that delicate area where feathers graduated to skin. “Or we can kidnap him and tie him up in the guest bedroom. Whichever your morals allow.”

“Sexting.” Dark Shadow answered. “Fumi is very against villain behavior. Though I do find it important to point out that Fumi does think about villain behavior quite frequently. It’s the execution of his dark thoughts he has a problem with.”

“Having evil thoughts occasionally is normal.” Fumikage defended. “Thoughts are not actually criminal offenses. Actions, however, are a different story, so I do draw the line at committing illegal acts.”

Hawks just stared down at him like he was the most adorable thing he had ever seen. Like Fumikage was something wondrous and magnificent and he couldn’t believe his luck at being able to call the omega his. 

Fumikage knew that look. It was the same one he imagined his face making every time he so much as glanced at his beautiful hero. 

“A shame.” Hawks commented softly, several long seconds after Fumikage’s statement. “Life is more fun with a little villain behavior.”

________

“You didn’t tell him I was the one that gave you his number, right?” Todoroki asked as he came up behind Fumikage in the common room of the dorms. The sudden question, which came during a high suspense moment of the movie he and Koda were watching, had Fumikage squawking in surprise and spinning around so fast, he felt his neck and brain protest. 

“What?”

“Dabi. You didn’t tell him I gave you his number, correct?” Todoroki looked as unimpressed and impassive as he usually did. His hands were in his pockets, his shoulders slightly hunched forward like he was fighting back the urge to stand up straight. 

“Of course not.” Fumikage breathed out, his heart rate slowly coming back down to a normal speed. “He didn’t even ask where I had gotten it.”

Todoroki nodded solemnly. 

“Probably because it was fucking obvious.” Came Bakugou’s voice as he and Kirishima walked around the corner. 

“Probably.” Todoroki agreed with a long sigh. 

“Did he say something?” Fumikage asked softly, his eyes flicking between the three teenagers. Sure, Dabi had seemed aggravated about being contacted. But he hadn’t been outright hostile, surely he hadn’t -

“He threatened to melt my face off.” Todoroki explained, far too calmly and with much fewer emotions than that statement warranted. 

“And I told him I’d blast his dick off.” Bakugou replied. “Brotherly threats done.”

“It’s cute that you add yourself in there as a brother.” Kirishima added with a soft smile down at Bakugou as his hand reached up to rest gently on Todoroki’s shoulder. 

“He’s our fucking brother in law. Which means we have to rag him 10x as hard.”

Todoroki nodded along to Bakugou’s statement, adding credibility where Fumikage doubted there was any. 

“Speaking of…” Bakugou turned to Fumikage, an evil grin on his face that made Fumikage’s blood run cold. “We’re having a family dinner next weekend at the Todoroki house. Our whole pack is going and Shouto’s siblings are having their packs over and since it’s clear that you get under Dabi’s skin, what do you say about coming over to cause some chaos?”

Fumikage just stared at the alpha in front of him. There were sounds of murder and mayhem blaring from the TV and the other occupants of the common room were incredibly quiet. 

- Chaos. Chaos. Chaos. - 

“I don’t think that’s-”

“Let’s do it.” Dark Shadow interrupted, manifesting with a burst of purple energy and curling around Fumikage’s head so that any attempt to speak was muffled. “Text us the information whenever you get a chance.”

Todoroki and Kirishima met Fumikage’s panicked eyes. 

“That okay, dude?” Kirishima asked. 

- Say Yes. - 

- Shadow, I swear to all that is dark, that I will end you. We’re not going to his house to harass him. - 

- Harass is a strong word - 

- An accurate word. - 

- Please. Do this one thing for me. Go to the dinner, show Dabi how hot you are, and work your birdie magic to get him in our nest. - 

- If he murders us? - 

- I will forever be your loving hell servant. - 

- Fine. - 

The energy around his beak thinned and Fumikage tried valiantly not to roll his eyes as he whispered, “Sounds great.”

None of them seemed fully convinced. 

“Hawks can come too.” Todoroki added and Fumikage swore that Dark Shadow would vibrate right into the next dimension. 

“Absolutely not.” Fumikage replied with a firm shake of his head and fully intended on fighting Dark Shadow with fists if he tried to cut in. “Chaos is one thing but property damage and murder are something else entirely.”

“He’d be cool with you coming alone?” Asked Bakugou and there was a touch of true caring in his voice that made Fumikage pause and glance over at him. “Cause I don’t want to start shit between the two of you.”

Fumikage thought back to the way Hawks had talked about licking the scent of Dabi from Fumikage’s skin. He didn’t think it was possible to taste a scent but -

- 80% of what we taste comes from smell. So it’s completely possible - 

-but the idea of it was incredibly hot. Was Hawks just acting okay with him meeting with Dabi? Would it bother him if it actually happened?

- He would literally just smile at you and ask for photos.- 

“He’ll be fine with it.” Fumikage finally answered. Because Dark Shadow was right. Hawks wouldn’t be the least bit concerned. Or at the very least, he wouldn’t act like it. 

And if he ended up getting jealous?

Well then Fumikage would be very happy to show his mate why those feelings were absolutely unneeded. 

- Touya Todoroki - 5 years ago - 

The second time Touya woke up after his incident on Sekoto Peak, he was no longer floating the strange green liquid. Instead, he was laying on his back on a cold metal table and staring up at a generic white hospital ceiling. 

His entire body felt like it was on fire. Everything from the top of his head to the very tips of his toes burned and ached and Touya let out a tiny, pitiful cry as he tried to curl in on himself. 

But his limbs were restrained to the table with thick leather straps and when he tried to pull his quirk to the surface to burn the damned things off, he found his fire…missing. He felt empty inside, like there was absolutely nothing for him to call on. 

“It’s no use.” A soft voice said from beside him and Touya looked over, through hazy, tearfilled eyes to see another person on an identical metal table a few feet away. 

The older man was in his early twenties from what Touya could guess by his human facial features. But what caught his eye was the rest of him. 

Nausea rolled through Touaya and he snapped his head to the other side as he dry heaved and gagged. 

“Wow, super offended dude. I knew it was bad, but that bad?” The other man let out a soft laugh and that eventually turned into a ragged, wet cough. 

Touya couldn’t turn back to look at him. Not yet. 

He was an amalgamation of…parts. Each limb and section of his body was a different color or even a different species. One arm was a wing, one leg a tentacle, his torso was several skin shades darker than his face and his heart was laying on top of his chest instead of being hidden away behind protective ribs, muscle, and skin. 

“What is this place?” Touya whimpered, shutting his eyes tight as though that would erase the image from his brain. 

“Hell.” The other man replied with another humorless laugh. “I’m sorry kid.”

His heart raced and he tried to take in slow, deep breaths to calm himself down, but panic gripped his very soul and he tugged harder at his restraints, uncaring if it sent waves of agony through his entire body. 

“I have to get out of here.” 

“There’s only one way out.” The mystery man beside him whispered. “Just pray it happens quickly.”

A quick glance at the man’s face, showed that he was facing the ceiling, his eyes tightly closed.

Touya was horrified and breathing shallowly. He felt like he would pass out at any moment and the entire world started taking on an ashen, gray overtone. 

His panic was interrupted by the sound of a heavy metal door opening and slamming closed again. 

“Hello?” Touya called out. “Help! Please! Help us!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his companion shake his head sadly. 

“Ah, pleasure to see that you’re finally awake.” A short, heavy set man appeared at Touya’s bedside, blocking out some of the blinding lights and making the teenager squint to look up at him. “I’m Dr. Garaki and you’re a guest in my lab.”

Fuck. 

This was the villain that had…what? Kidnapped him? Saved him? Drug him from the forest and somehow managed to keep him alive?

None of it made sense. Touya’s chest hurt and his lungs ached as he tried to take in small little breaths of air. 

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here to help you.” Thick, sausage-like fingers reached out and ran over Touya’s cheek, leaving an agonizing burn in their wake. “I’m going to make you better than you’ve ever been. I’m going to help you evolve.”

Definitely sounded like some kind of super villain bullshit. 

Touya growled low in his throat and turned his head just enough to sink his teeth into the “doctor’s” finger. He didn’t even get the satisfaction of tasting the metallic twang of blood, before the hand was wrenched away and a palm came down heavily on his other cheek, snapping Touya’s head to the side. 

“You’re an ungrateful child.” The villain said calmly. “We’ll change that. You’ll be thanking me for my help in no time.”

Touya doubted that. He’d fight and make this man regret ever laying a hand on Touya Todoroki. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami -

“No. Absolutely not.” Hawks huffed angrily. His feathers were scurrying around his and Fumikage’s bedroom like little red tornadoes. All the while Hawks sat in the center of the bed, staring at Fumikage as the omega stood in the doorway of their closet. “You are not wearing sweatpants to dinner with Endeavor.”

“Todoroki said ‘casual’ and ‘relaxed’.” Fumikage argued, trying to sound sure of his decision, despite his nervous fingers tapping at the door frame. “I don’t want to look like I’m trying too hard.”

“Trying too hard and trying at all are two different things.” Hawks sighed and he motioned to the feather that came zooming out of the closet, holding a pair of black skinny jeans. “These are casual but actually nice.”

“They’re too tight.” Fumikage huffed out and didn’t even bother to take the offending garment, which led to the feather dumping them on his head before zooming back into the closet to start ruffling through the other clothes. 

The jeans were date night jeans. The ones Dark Shadow picked out for him because Fumikage would have never chosen something so form fitting. He wore a cloak 24/7, showing off his body was not something Fumikage was familiar with. 

“They make your ass look nice.” Dark Shadow commented softly. “I agree with Hawks.”

“I don’t want or need my ass to look nice.”

“You do, since it’s a date.” Hawks told him with an exasperated sigh and flung himself back on the bed and starfishing out. “Fumi. You want him in the nest, right?” He lifted his head up enough that Fumikage felt comfortable just nodding in confirmation. “Then we have to entice him.”

“It’s not a date though.” Fumikage groaned and fought off Dark Shadow as the quirk demon grabbed the too-tight jeans out of Fumikage’s hands and started pulling at the sweatpants to get them off. 

“Anything can be a date if you make it a date.” Hawks shrugged. “Dinner with the family turns into coffee, then dinner alone, then fucking in a back alley then finally, NEST.”

“Why can’t the fucking take place in the nest instead of a backalley?” Fumikage gulped. “I don’t want to have sex in a back alley.”

“You’re focusing too much on the words, not the intent.” Dark Shadow sighed as he tossed the sweatpants back into the closet and started forcing Fumikage’s feet into the dark denim.

Deciding that fighting his mate and quirk was useless, Fumikage finally let Dark Shadow dress him like he was an overgrown doll. 

“Right. All I’m saying is that this dinner can turn into other dates, which can turn into mutual sexual attraction, which you can use to manipulate him into our nest.”

“I don’t want to manipulate him either.”

“Usually I’d admire your pure soul, but right now, it’s killing me.” Hawks groaned, settling his head back into the pillows. “Just look sexy so that he wants to come to the nest. That’s it.”

“I will handle the manipulation part.” Dark Shadow added. 

“Exactly, let Dark Shadow handle the manipulation part. You just sit there and look cute and fuckable.”

Something inside of Fumikage loved the idea. Of looking sexy and enticing and drawing Dabi’s attention. 

He could do that. 

As long as Dabi liked goth boys with bird heads. 

- Pretty Bird -

The reminder of Dabi’s nickname sent a chill down Fumikage’s spine.

Okay, maybe he wasn’t not interested. 

Fumikage and Dark Shadow could work with that. 

“What shirt do you think would be best?” Fumikage finally sighed as he stared down at the jeans nearly painted onto his legs. 

Hawks sat up so quickly that Fumikage had a real fear that the alpha would tumble right off the end of the bed. His golden eyes were bright and excited and he clapped his hands together in joy just as another feather zoomed over holding a piece of black clothing. 

He took it with a sigh and slipped it over his head, with his eyes closed as he tried to control his breathing. He was going to trust Hawks and Dark Shadow. 

Because Fumikage felt like a fool in the t-shirt with artistic rips along the sleeves and over his belly, which were filled with black mesh material. 

“He’ll love it.” Hawks promised him, obviously having seen the dark look in the omega’s eyes. “Wear one of your cloaks on the way there, though, because I don’t want anyone else looking when I’m not there to cut hands off.”

Fumikage turned his head to the side to better analyze his mate. 

Hawks was different lately. More…free. 

He’d always been playful and prone to the off color joke, but over the last couple of weeks, the jokes had gotten a bit darker. He didn’t know it was because of his exit from the commission, the appearance of Fumikage and Dabi back into his life, or something else. 

But Fumikage liked it. 

“Your inner villain is showing.” Fumikage commented with a shrug as he settled a cloak over his shoulders and stepped closer to the bed to give his mate a farewell kiss. 

“Oops.” Hawks replied, not sounding the least bit sorry or ashamed. He leaned forward and pressed his lips to Fumikage’s beak and gently touched their tongue’s together when Fumikage wiggled his out for a taste. 

Dark Shadow zoomed forward the moment they separated and slammed his and Hawks’ mouths together in a deep, obscene kiss that had Fumikage gasping and clutching at the bedroom door to prevent himself from falling over. 

Abyss , these two needed to warn him. 

“Okay, okay. Please control yourselves or we’re going to be late.” Fumikage snapped out shakily. Want and desire were curling in his gut and slick was threatening to start flowing and eventually ruin the pants Hawks and Dark Shadow had valiantly fought for him to wear. 

“Fine.” Hawks huffed and wiggled off of the bed to step over to his bedside table. “Before you go, I got this for you.” He pulled a canister out of the top drawer and Fumikage tilted his head inquisitively to the side. The container looked like a spray deodorant. Was Hawks saying he smelt bad?

Rude. 

“Scent Neutralizer.” Hawks explained when he turned back and noticed the confused look Fumikage must have been wearing. “Spray this all over after you leave the dorm. It’ll erase my scent from your clothes.”

Fumikage let out an instinctive, sad trill and stepped away from the offered canistered. 

He wanted his alpha’s scent on him. Hawks was his mate. Erasing any sign of him felt wrong and Fumikage fought down the sudden nausea that punched him in the gut. 

“It’s for Dabi’s sake.” Dark Shadow whispered, his body curling around Fumikage’s shoulders. “He’ll be more receptive if Hawks’ scent isn’t all over you.”

“And it’s a nice blank canvas for you to hopefully pick up his scent to bring home.”

Hawks’ eyes became dark and hungry and Fumikage sighed before taking the canister. If it was something that could put that look on his alpha’s face, then he’d try it. 

- Can you imagine him rolling around all over you? Licking up any molecule of scent he can pick up? - 

Okay okay, he was already on board. There was no need for Dark Shadow to play dirty. He would wear the stupid scent neutralizer and squash down his inner omega’s cries of misery. 

“You’re lucky I love you.” Fumikage told Hawks and didn’t even try to get away from the hands that pulled him into a firm hug and the lips that pressed slobbery kisses all over his face with little “Thank you” and “Love you” and “best mate” comments in between each one. 

______

Fumikage felt a little out of place traveling with the Kirishima pack. He had never been around large packs and it was odd being the eighth wheel on the outskirts of their conversations and playful banter on the short train ride. 

The oddest thing was that Aizawa-sensei fit in perfectly, adding to the conversation and wrapping his arms around the back of Kaminari and Shinsou’s seats. Fumikage would have assumed the teacher would act like a pack-dad or chaperone, but he was perfectly content to let Bakugou handle keeping the group together.

The whole trip to the Todoroki house was short. He had barely had time to spiral and work himself into a panic before he was walking up to the front door of a traditional looking house in the familiar neighborhood that he remembered from the unfortunate showdown between Hawks and Dabi. 

- He’s under house arrest. Makes sense that he’s not able to travel very far.- 

He silently nodded in agreement with Dark Shadow’s comment and followed behind the pack as they entered the house. 

“You can put your cape and shoes here.” Todoroki offered, pointing to the long line of shoes on the floor and the wall of hooks holding jackets. 

Part of Fumikage wanted to keep his cloak on. Even if the house was incredibly warm. What was a little sweat if he could keep his dignity? 

But Dark Shadow sighed softly and removed the cloak for him and placed it on the hook before Fumikage could pull it back. 

It turned out that his fears were unfounded because Todoroki and the rest of his pack didn’t even glance at his outfit. 

- Because you’re the only one that thinks it’s inappropriate - 

- Half my torso is on display - 

- Less than a quarter is visible. Man up a little. You look nice. - 

Fumikage tried not to huff at his quirk as he toed his shoes off and lined them up with the others before following after his classmates into the house. 

“We’re here!” Todoroki called out and there was a small thunder of voices that rang out in a cheer. Followed by the sound of heavy footfalls coming their way. 

Just how many people were here? To Fumikage, it sounded like a small army hidden behind paper walls. 

An army of Todoroki’s. 

Hell help him now. 

- Breathe and be brave. - 

Fumikage kept shuffling forward through the house until the hallway opened up into a large dining room that was full of people, but thankfully, wasn’t an army like he feared. However, Endeavor himself was standing near the doorway and was shaking hands with each of the pack members that came in. Except for Todoroki who got a hug and Kaminari who insisted on a fist bump. 

Then it was his turn and Endeavor stared at him with a confused pinched expression before turning his attention to his son with a raised eyebrow. “Another pack member?”

“No!” Kirishima wheezed and shot a sheepish look at Fumikage. “This is Fumikage he’s actually-”

CRASH

All eyes turned to the sound of porcelain hitting the hardwood floors to find Dabi standing across the room with an angry, shocked expression on his handsome face. At his feet was a small pile of plates that he must have been bringing in for everyone. 

“He’s actually Dabi’s soulmate.” Kirishima continued. “Hope it’s okay that we asked him to tag along.”

Endeavor looked down at Fumikage with wide turquoise eyes, and Fumikage shuffled uncomfortably under the hero’s gaze. 

Was he going to be tossed out? Had Dabi told his father about Fumikage and Hawks and how he wanted nothing to do with them?

Oh abyss, was he going to die here? In his slutty clothes and without his alpha?

Just as the panic started to set in, Endeavor surged forward and wrapped Fumikage in a bone crushing hug that had the omega squawking in instinctive protest. 

“Really?” Endeavor asked. “You’re his- Touya! Did you know?”

“I knew he existed.” Dabi said through a clenched jaw. “I didn’t know my brother invited him to dinner.”

“Surprise.” Kaminari exclaimed and did a “spirit fingers” motion with his hands, allowing sparks of electricity to dance through his digits. 

“Come in, come in. Sit down. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Enji Todoroki.” Endeavor said excitedly and pulled Fumikage into the room and all put pushed him to the end of the table and motioned for him to take a seat. 

“Touya.” Endeavor snapped and pointed to the spot next to Fumikage. 

“I’m not hungry. I’m going to go to my room and slit my wrists.”

“Sit.” The hero’s tone left zero room for argument and Dabi shuffled his way over like he was walking toward his execution. 

Fumikage felt his feathers bristle at the lack of enthusiasm from his mate. 

One of the unfamiliar people in the room, a young man a few years older than Fumikage, stood from the table and swept his arms into big circles. Fumikage watched as the broken plates repaired themselves and lifted up into the air before landing in a neat pile in the man’s arms. 

“I’ll put these in the sink and exchange them for paper plates.” He said sheepishly and ran through one of the doorways like the hounds of hell were on his heels. 

“Well. While we wait. We can do introductions.” A silver haired woman said gently. “I’m Rei, Touya’s mom.” She pointed to her left to where a small group of women sat smiling like they were endlessly entertained by the drama occurring at the table. “This is Fuyumi, Touya’s sister. Then her mates Aiko, Miu, and Reina.” 

Each of the girls waved and sent him a small smile. 

“Then there’s Natsou, Touya’s brother and his pack Saburou, Isami, Juko, then Arata is in the kitchen.”

Fumikage nodded to each of them and tried to breathe through his social anxiety at being the focus of so many people. 

“I’m Dark Shadow.” Dark Shadow offered, making himself a little bit bigger to be more easily spotted around the table. “I’m Fumikage’s sentient quirk and best friend.”

A few of the faces seemed a little taken back by the purple blob suddenly speaking, but everyone quickly calmed and even waved across the table like Dark Shadow was just another guest. 

That was the time that Arata appeared with the plates and passed them around the table. Food was already present in the center and they were urged to start eating. 

“I hate you.” Dabi hissed into his feathers as he leaned forward to scoop rice out of a container. “How dare you ambush me in my home. ”

“We were invited.” Dark Shadow hissed back and went so far as to wrap his form around Dabi’s shoulders and just rest himself there like that was his new home. 

Fumikage made his plate while fighting back the urge to laugh at Dabi’s subtle attempts to shake the quirk off of him. 

“So Tokoyami.” Fuyumi said, drawing the omega’s attention away from Dabi. “Forgive me if I’m wrong. But did I see an article about you being mated to Hawks?”

Dabi froze and Fumikage feared that the beta wasn’t even breathing. 

“I am.” 

“Oh. Then he’s Touya’s mate as well?”

Dabi started shaking . Like his inner rage was desperate to be released but he was trying to keep it under wraps with his family. 

Fumikage just nodded and instinctively leaned against Dabi’s side in an attempt to comfort him. But of course, the beta leaned away like Fumikage had burned him. 

“You should have invited him as well.” Endeavor said. “We could have gotten the whole family together.”

“He’s not a part of this family!” Dabi snarled and all eyes turned to the rage filled, trembling Dabi. 

“If he’s your soulmate then-” Endeavor started but Fumikage cut him off. Something that he would cringe about for the rest of his life, he was sure. 

“Hawks and Dabi have history. It’s complicated.”

Endeavor raised his hands in surrender. “Fair enough. I won’t press.”

Fumikage relaxed, but Dabi remained as stiff and still as a marble statue. Not even Dark Shadow purring softly and rubbing himself along the back of Dabi’s neck helped.

He turned his head to eye the beta as discreetly as possible while conversation started up around the table. Since his capture in August, Dabi had changed quite a bit. Something he had noticed that night they had run into each other, but not something he had a chance to really evaluate at the time. 

Dabi must have gotten top-tier medical care. The previously necrotic patches of skin were now closer to his true skin tone with just a hint of lavender undertone. The stables had been removed, leaving hundreds of small circular scars in their wake. Dabi had replaced the stables with true piercings along his cheeks, his chin, through his eyebrow, and on the corner of his lip. A half dozen rings decorated each ear and every time Dabi moved his head, the jewelry caught the light and made Fumikage salivate.

Shiny

Something primal inside of him made Fumikage want to lean over and tongue at the shiny little pieces of metal. Thankfully, Fumikage was not fully ruled by his instincts and managed to redirect his attention to the food on his plate and the flavors exploding across his tongue. 

Fuyumi had cooked, and praise was heaped upon her by everyone at the table, Fumikage included, though Dabi sat still and silent next to him. 

“Do you prefer Dabi or Touya?” Fumikage asked softly after several minutes of tense silence where every tiny movement from Fumikage was met with an exaggerated attempt to escape from Dabi. 

“Doesn’t fucking matter.” Dabi hissed under his breath and honestly, he was just happy to get a response. 

“It does.” Dark Shadow argued. “It’s your name. I’d like to use the one you prefer.”

“I’d prefer for neither of you to talk to me ever again. I thought I made that abundantly fucking clear through texts.”

“You did. Which is why we jumped at the chance to see you in person and change your mind. Now… Touya or Dabi.” Dark Shadow was able to speak directly into Dabi’s ear, in quiet hushed tones that no one else could hear, which left Fumikage looking innocent and composed when Dabi’s entire being transformed into the personification of anger. 

Dabi didn’t respond right away and Dark Shadow rubbed himself over the beta’s head and neck, ruffling his hair and dipping below the neckline of the man’s shirt. 

“Dabi.” He finally hissed out. “If you’re going to fucking talk to me, then at least call me by my actual name. Touya died a long time ago.”

It didn’t escape Fumikage that Dabi’s entire family called him Touya. Did he have a preference of name depending on the person? Did his family just not realize his preference to be called Dabi? Did they not care?

- Questions for another time, Fumi. - 

Fumikage silently agreed and leaned forward to press his side against Dabi’s and bring his beak to the man’s ear. “Thank you, Dabi.” He whispered and didn’t miss the tiny little shiver the comment earned him. And because he was feeling daring and powerful and knew he had exactly ten seconds before the feeling ended, he added “Good mate” and a tiny chirp. 

No one at the table could have missed Dabi’s moan. 

- Touya Todoroki - 5 Years Ago - 

The pieced together man was named Yuto. 

He died the day before. 

Touya had watched in utter horror as the older man had laughed and cried when he realized his restraints weren’t as tight as they usually were. Then, after a quick, “goodbye, kid,” he had rolled onto his side, which had displaced the heart that had been perched on top of his chest.

The organ had fallen to the floor with a splat that would forever live in Touya’s memory. As would the sight of the veins and arteries disconnecting, spraying blood all over the room and Touya, like high pressure water hoses. 

He had never been squeamish about blood before. 

But the heat of it against his still recovering skin, the smell of iron in the air, the metallic taste of it in his mouth, was one of the most horrifying experiences of his young life. 

The “doctor” didn’t even bother to clean him up. He left the blood to dry into a burgundy shell on his sensitive skin that Touya couldn’t escape unless he kept his eyes tightly closed. 

After that day, the rest blurred together. Most of them were spent alone, in never ending silence. 

But then the doctor would arrive and staple more skin to Touya’s body without anesthetic. Or he’d inject him with chemicals that would make his heart race and fill him with utmost certainty that he would die. 

Every time he regained awareness, it was accompanied by more than a little sadness that he hadn’t died during his unconsciousness. 

Chapter Text

- Dabi - 

Dabi was mortified. He had just let out that embarrassing little sound that his family definitely heard if the sly looks and poorly hidden smiles were any indication. It was all because of that little chirp and the husky, breathy voice in his ear. It wasn’t fair that he was being subjected to this temptation while sitting here in front of his parents and siblings. 

Because Dabi was weak to bird heteromorphs. It was something he had realized about himself early on, before he even realized what sexual attraction meant. 

So having an adorable little bird sitting next to him, his quirk rubbing all over Dabi like it was it’s god-given right, and hearing those soft little sounds leaving his mouth was torture. 

He breathed in deeply through his nose and released it through his mouth as he turned and faced the omega beside him. He met his scarlet eyes and glared as hard as he could manage. 

“Try harder.” Dark Shadow whispered lightly into his ear. “He’s been a bad, bad boy.”

“When we’re done here, I’m going to wring your thin little chicken neck.” Dabi hissed out between his clenched teeth. 

“Don’t threaten him with a good time.”

Holy fuck. 

Dabi snapped his attention back down to his plate, which was now full of dessert and tried not to look at his soulmate at his side. If he didn’t look at him or feel him against his skin, then maybe he could pretend like this was all a horrible nightmare. 

“Dark Shadow is more forward than I am.” Fumikage said and Dabi glanced over to see the omega looking at Denki and Izuku having a conversation next to him, while delicately spooning cake into his mouth. 

“Uh-huh. You’re a fucking liar.” Dabi hissed and grinned in satisfaction at the offended glare that the omega shot him. Oh, so that was how to get to him? Odd pressure point, but Dabi could work with that. 

“I am more forward than he is.” Dark Shadow whispered, his breath tickling against the side of Dabi’s face. “He’d never tell you that he wants to flick his tongue over each and every one of these little shinnies.” The spirit punctuated the statement by flicking or licking or touching or something at the rings lined up along Dabi’s cartilage of his ear. 

Licking. 

Because the sensation was definitely warm and wet and a drastic change from the icy touch of the spirit’s body along his neck and shoulders. 

Ew. 

“But me?” Purple demon continued, draping himself over Dabi and somehow managing to put weight onto him. “I have no shame in telling you what I want and taking what I know you’ll give me.”

“Sexual harassment.” Dabi whispered under his breath. “I am being bad touched by a quirk.”

“Tell me how I can make it good then.” Dark Shadow whispered back, just as dark and growly as any hell demon that had appeared in Dabi’s nightmares. 

“Touya?” The sound of his name drug Dabi out of his own head and had him instinctively looking up to his mother. She was sitting across from him, her lips thinned and pressed together like she was trying not to laugh. “Are you volunteering to help with dishes or would you rather give your… friends a tour of the house?”

“Make sure to close your door!” Endeavor’s voice thundered from somewhere down the hall. 

That’s when he realized the dining room was empty.

The only ones still sitting at the table were himself, Fumikage, Dark Shadow, and his mother. Though Rei had her hands full and most of the dishes had been cleared, so she must have been working on cleaning up while Dabi…chatted with a horny sex demon. 

Or he was going insane and losing track of time. 

Could be either. 

Or both. 

Probably both. 

Fumikage turned his head and tilted it ever so slightly to the side. The expression on his face was endlessly amused and he blinked wide eyes up at Dabi, silently questioning how he was going to respond. 

He was tempted to take his mother up on the offer to help. 

But dishes …

“Come on, birdie.” He sighed and stood up from his seat cushion, not pausing to wait for this tormentor before stalking off, deeper into the house. 

“You’re bad at tours.” Dark Shadow said conversationally as he wrapped around Dabi’s neck again, halfway down the hallway. “You’re supposed to tell us what all these rooms are.”

“I agree.” Fumikage added and even had the fucking gall to giggle when Dabi shot a glare over this shoulder. The sound was chirpy and cute and did horrible things to Dabi’s chest. 

It made him want to pull the little bird kid into his arms, tuck that feathered head under his chin and hold the cute omega close to him.

It was a disgustingly fond sensation. He hated it. 

Dabi took his anger out on his bedroom door, slamming it open and holding it ajar with one arm before motioning for Fumikage and Dark Shadow to enter his space. 

To his credit, the kid wasn’t as stupid as Dabi feared. He paused mid-step, scarlet eyes wide as he peered inside of the tidy bedroom with a soft sound of avian interest. 

“Scale of one to ten, how likely is it that I will get murdered if I go in there?”

“Seven.” Dabi motioned Fumikage forward, sweeping his arm through the doorway with a cocked up eyebrow. 

The omega released a soft sigh of irritation that made Dabi feel victorious before he stepped forward and entered Dabi’s room, following behind Dark Shadow. The quirk demon immediately zoomed around, peering at shelves, opening drawers, even digging through the miscellaneous papers on Dabi’s desk. 

“Curious little hell spawn.”

“Yes?” Dark Shadow answered, like Dabi’s whispered sigh was actually an attempt to call him . 

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Fumikage was impressed by Dark Shadow’s ability to pester someone into giving him exactly what he wanted. By some small miracle, he had somehow managed to get the grumbling beta to bring them into his bedroom and all it had taken was a little sexual harassment and distraction. 

He looked around Dabi’s room and noted that the space was large and clean with dark toned furniture and emerald green fabrics dotted around in the form of his bed sheets and curtains on his single window. It was masculine and simple and Fumikage liked it immediately. 

- Dark Green wouldn’t look atrocious with the purple and black - 

The omega part of his brain agreed enthusiastically with Dark Shadow and was already considering how he could smuggle out some pieces to add to his nest. 

“Sit.” Dabi’s voice commanded and Fumikage turned to see the beta sitting at the foot of the king sized bed and pointing to the mattress, near the headboard. “As long as you’re both done being nosey.”

“I’m not being nosey.” Dark Shadow denied, though his statement was accompanied by him opening another drawer in the dresser and peaking inside. 

Dabi sighed and Fumikage swore he saw his mate’s eye twitch. 

To appease him and hopefully keep the former villain from actually murdering them, Fumikage shuffled across the room and delicately sat on the bed at the spot indicated. 

“You’re the good twin.” Dabi told him softly and the little smile that accompanied the statement was enough to make his heart flutter.

“For now.” Fumikage replied. “But I hate to break it to you that we’re not actually twins. At least, I don’t think we are.”

“I could be the remnant of a twin that you absorbed in the womb.” Dark Shadow commented and started floating over in a formless blob. “Wouldn’t be the worst theory we’ve heard to explain us.”

It wasn’t. 

But it was horrifying. After everything they’d done…after how deeply Fumikage’s love had become for Dark Shadow…to think that the quirk was a family member was nauseating. 

“From the fact you just turned an exciting shade of green, I take it you fuck your quirk?” Dabi asked, like filth wasn’t falling out of his mouth. 

- Another partner in my attempts to horrify you - 

- All of my soulmates are plotting to eradicate all sense of shame from my body - 

- It’s it great? - 

He swore he heard Dark Shadow giggle. 

“Put your feet up here.” Dabi demanded as Fumikage and Dark Shadow had their silent conversation. He patted his lap and motioned for Fumikage to turn so that his legs were on the bed. 

What did it say about Fumikage that he just did as his mate asked, not even hesitating or asking a simple “why”?

- That you’re a good boy. - 

Once his black socked feet were on Dabi’s lap, the beta wrapped his hands around them and dug his thumbs into Fumikage’s arches. 

Oh. 

No one had ever given him a foot massage before and he couldn’t fight the soft croon that escaped him as he sagged back against the pillows. 

“So you fuck your quirk and you fuck Hawks, but you still feel the need to pester me for attention?” Dabi asked conversationally as he continued rubbing Fumikage’s feet. “Do they and UA not keep you busy enough?”

Abyss. 

Fumikage’s brain was mush. Words were locked away in some secret compartment and were functionally impossible. 

“You’ve melted Fumikage’s brain.” Dark Shadow sighed and settled himself on Fumikage’s stomach like a giant cat. “But to answer the question I think you’re trying to ask in the crudest way possible: Fumi isn’t after more attention or sex. He just wants to know you. Because you’re his soulmate and for him, that means something. He’s never going to accept losing you, especially if he never fights to have you in his life.”

“The only way to do that is to cyber stalk me and pit my brother against me?”

“All is fair in love and war.”

Dabi sighed and he stared down at Fumikage’s feet like they held the answer to all of life’s mysteries. “If I tell you to get out of my house and never contact me again, how likely is it that you listen?”

Dark Shadow may have answered with words. 

But Fumikage beat him to the punch by letting out a heart-wrenching trill and pulling his feet out of Dabi’s grasp so he could get his knees underneath him and lean over into Dabi’s space so that their faces were only inches apart. 

“Please.” Fumikage whispered once the omega and avian parts of his brain finally faded away, leaving him staring into bright blue eyes and feeling like his heart was going to beat out of his chest. 

- Fight Dirty - 

“Please don’t reject me.” 

Fumikage watched as something inside of Dabi cracked; exposing a softness in his features that he didn’t think many people had ever witnessed. 

“Please.” He repeated and let out a soft croon before leaning forward those last inches separating them and running his beak through inky black strands. 

Which was a horrible fucking idea. 

Because the temporary dye in Dabi’s hair tasted absolutely foul which made him sputter and cough and push himself away to avoid hacking into his mate’s face. 

- Super sexy, Fumi. - 

- You were supposed to seduce him. Not me. My job was to sit here and be cute. - 

- And not cough in his face. - 

Fumikage mentally glared at Dark Shadow, who had disappeared during the whole fiasco, and was only pulled out of his mental conversation by the wheezy, breathless sound of Dabi’s laugh. 

“I wasn’t expecting the hair dye.” Fumikage whispered. “I was trying to groom you. I’m sorry.”

Dabi kept laughing, his head thrown back and his arms around his stomach as he hiccuped and wheezed again and again. When blood started dripping from his closed eyelids and trailing down his cheeks, Fumikage made a surprised noise in the back of his throat and reached out with shaky fingers to press them against the side of Dabi’s face. 

“You’re bleeding.”

“I’m crying from laughing.” Dabi wheezed out and fluttered open his pale eyelids to look at Fumikage with a soft smile. “Don’t be sorry, it was fucking hilarious. Do you need a glass of water?”

His voice was gravely and he was still letting out the occasional hiccup between words, but Dabi seemed to be gathering himself. 

Fumikage nodded. “Water would be nice.”

He was given a soft look and a gentle push to his chest to move him backward before Dabi stood from the bed and left the bedroom all together. 

- Steal - 

- You are a horrible influence - 

But even as the thought went through Fumikage’s mind, he was getting to his feet and made a beeline for the dirty clothes hamper. There were a handful of t-shirts and Fumikage picked one near the middle of the pile and pressed it to his face to take in a giant inhale. 

There it was . 

The muted scent of his beta mate. Under the scent of a raging fire was a soft floral note. 

Lavender

He folded the shirt up into the smallest square he could and shoved it into his pocket. Damn Dark Shadow and Hawks for making him wear this tight clothing. The pocket bulged noticeably and there was no way Fumikage was getting out of this house without Dabi realizing his attempt at thievery. 

 - I’ll cover you - 

Satisfied with that idea, Fumikage sprinted back to the bed to get himself back into his previous position. Just barely managing it before Dabi walked in with a clean face and a glass of water. 

The drink was passed to Fumikage silently and Dabi retook his seat, patting his lap, which Fumikage took as his signal to put his feet up again. 

Neither of them said a word as Dabi massaged Fumikage’s feet with strong, experienced fingers and the omega sipped at the water to get the foul taste out of his mouth. 

“I won’t reject you.” Dabi finally said with a sigh that seemed to wrack his entire frame. “You’re a devious little monster to even suggest it. You knew it would trigger me.”

“I panicked and said the only thing I thought would help me.” Fumikage admitted with a shrug. 

“Hmm.”

“I may have suggested he play dirty.” Dark Shadow added as he manifested himself and settled back on Fumikage’s stomach. 

“There he is. The real mastermind behind the evil plot.” Dabi whispered and his warm fingers traveled up Fumikage’s ankles, dipping under the elastic of his socks to rub gently at the skin there. “How would it work between us?”

At the question, Fumikage’s eyes sprang open and he stared down his body at Dabi, who was watching his face inquisitively. 

“If you’re asking me how relationships work, then I’m afraid that I have to tell you that I’m woefully inexperienced.”

“I meant how it would work with me and Keigo wanting to murder each other.” Dabi scoffed and he kept rubbing those delightful little circles into Fumikage’s ankles, making him feel all floaty and relaxed and stupid. 

“Who’s Keigo?”

Dabi’s fingers paused and he looked at Fumikage like the omega was an absolute idiot. Then he tossed his head back and covered his eyes with his left hand as his entire body was ravished by those little wheezy sobs of laughter. 

“You’ve been fucking Hawks for how long? And you don’t know his name is Keigo?”

Keigo. 

He liked it. It was a nice name. But it wasn’t Hawks’ name. 

“He goes by Hawks.” Fumikage told him as he watched Dabi pull himself together and go back to his self imposed task of massaging Fumikage’s feet until he became a permanent stain on Dabi’s sheets. “Maybe Keigo is as dead as Touya is.”

“That’s deep, birdie.” Dabi’s eyes rolled as he said it. “Doesn’t erase the question. How does it work with three soulmates when two of them can’t stand each other.”

“Technically Hawks still cares about you.” Fumikage argued. “You’re the only one that’s the problem.”

“Being the problem is probably the only thing I’m good at.” Dabi agreed. “Is Hawks going to be upset if I only want you?”

I’ll lick his scent off of you. 

“No.” Fumikage told him honestly. “He accepted that when I sent you the first text.” Dabi nodded like the statement made perfect sense to him. “But I’ll be upset.”

Fumikage didn’t know why he had to say it. 

Why he had to throw a grenade into a conversation that was going better than he ever expected. But he had been honest when he told Hawks that he wanted a flock. 

Dabi met Fumikage’s gaze and just stared . His eyes were cold and unblinking, looking into Fumikage’s very soul and evaluating whatever it was he found there. It made him ache to take back his words, to laugh them off as a joke and say he’d take whatever scraps Dabi would give him. 

Fumikage flicked his eyes over Dabi’s face, taking in the shiny pieces of jewelry, memorizing the sharp line of his jaw, the way his hair fell over his forehead, how his mouth twisted up in a little smile. 

“Five minutes to convince me.” Dabi finally said and resumed his massage of Fumikage’s soles and even started to rub at the balls of his feet. “Because if I had it my way, you never would have walked into this house and I would live the rest of my life alone.  But you’re here and you’ve appealed to the tiny piece of decency I had left. So tell me why I should even consider playing nice with your hero?”

Fumikage stared, dumbstruck and speechless, at his soulmate. 

The answer wasn’t no?

He wasn’t being thrown out of the house?

“Four minutes and forty-five seconds, Fu-mi. ”

Dark Depths. The way Dabi said his name should have been illegal. 

“You won’t like anything I tell you.” Fumikage gasped and tried to pull his feet out of the man’s grip, but it was like two pieces of iron keeping him trapped. Dabi sent him an irritated glare and simply raised a single dark eyebrow that only lowered once Fumikage stopped trying to escape. 

“Fine. The commission threatened to kill Hawks if he told Hikari about them being soulmates.” Fumikage watched as Dabi stilled, his eyes staring unwaveringly at Fumikage’s face. “They forced him to take suppressants and olfactory desensitizers.”

“Desensitizers are for betas.” 

Fumikage didn’t even see Dabi’s mouth move. His face was frozen in a firm, cold, expression. He wasn’t even blinking. 

“Exactly. They help bring a beta’s sense of smell down to that of an alpha or omega. But when other genders take them…they reduce a sense of smell to that of a non-presented teenager. Sometimes, even worse.”

Other than a faint uptick of Dabi’s eyebrow, there was no outward sign that the beta had heard him. 

“He didn’t want to reject Hikari. He tried to tell him that. Tried to tell you both that.”

“Two minutes. Pick up the pace, little bird. Make me feel something .”

“When he found out about you being alive, he stormed the commission headquarters.” The hands on Fumikage’s feet started to heat up. “He essentially told the president to get fucked.”

“Bold of him to act angry when he was the one that ignored me for seven years.”

“He didn’t ignore you!” Fumikage snapped, irritated and desperate enough to finally yank his feet out of Dabi’s grasp. “He didn’t fucking know, Dabi! I just told you he was on so many meds for so long he couldn’t have smelled his own body odor or felt his own alpha instincts. How the fuck was he supposed to know you were still alive in the world?”

- I love angry Fumi. - 

“And after losing both of his soulmates, he was so depressed that he stopped giving a fuck. He didn’t fight them on the meds or the assignments or the little micromanaging bullshit they forced on him.” Fumikage met Dabi’s eyes and held them, his hands clenching in the sheets on either side of him, prepared to reach out and yank Dabi’s gaze back if he dared to glance away. “He didn’t leave them after finding me. He left because of you. Because he loves you, Dabi.”

Dabi continued staring at him, so still it was clear that he wasn’t even breathing. 

“He would have let you kill him that night in the alley. Not because he didn’t want to raise a hand to you, which I believe is true. But also because he would give you anything you asked for, even his death.”

It was awfully romantic, when Fumikage thought about it. 

He probably would have been jealous if he didn’t believe in his very soul that Hawks loved him just as much. 

Dabi took in a deep, shuttery breath before he snapped a hand out and grabbed Fumikage’s ankles and dragged his feet back to Dabi’s lap. His fingers were hot, but comforting when they got back to work massaging him through his socks. 

“Let’s pretend I believe anything you just told me.” Dabi started, no longer looking at Fumikage and instead, looking straight ahead at the wall across from the bed. “Let’s pretend that I agree to try with Hawks, because of you , because I’m a sap and can’t bear the idea of another omega feeling rejected. What if it doesn’t work? What if there’s too much between us to ever overcome it?”

“We’ll figure it out.” Fumikage said simply. “But just because it could end in flames, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try.”

- Are you using book quotes in real life? Where did you read that? - 

Fumikage ignored Dark Shadow’s amused commentary and watched Dabi’s face as he twisted his tongue around in his own mouth and let his features twist and morph. Then he looked up and met Fumikage’s gaze and those turquoise eyes were tired and soft. 

“Shouto and his pack are staying the night.” Dabi said and Fumikage’s head snapped back like the change of topic was a physical force. “If Hawks left the commission, then he doesn’t want you out alone, does he?”

Fumikage shook his head no and Dabi nodded his own in understanding. “Call him. Tell him he’s meeting us at our alley in twenty minutes to pick you up and take you home.”

His feet were released and Fumikage sat up on the side of the bed so he could pull his cellphone out of his pocket. A part of him was sad about his night ending prematurely, but the knowledge that Dabi was willingly meeting with Hawks again, made up for it in spades. 

As the call rang, the sound blaring through the phone’s speakers; Dabi started looking around his room, spinning and turning like he was trying to find something. 

“Everything okay?” Hawks’ voice asked the moment the call picked up. “Do I need to come pick you up?”

And oh, how the sound of his alpha’s voice calmed Fumikage’s anxious brain and made everything in the world seem simple. 

“I’m fine.” Fumikage told him and watched as Dabi picked two t-shirts out of the clothes hamper, held them to his face and breathed in. “Dabi asked that I have you pick me up in that alley. He’s going to walk me there.”

“Why? What happened?” Through the phone, Fumikage could hear Hawks forcing his shoes on and a moment later, there was the gentle sound of a door closing. “What did he do?”

“Wounds me that you assume I did something when it was your omega sexually harassing me at dinner.” Dabi snapped and marched over to Fumikage before tossing the t-shirts toward the omega’s chest. 

“It’s good to hear your voice, Touya.”

“Dabi.” Dabi corrected and spun to walk back across the room, away from Fumikage and the cellphone. 

“He’s been a very good host.” Fumikage whispered into the speaker. “Just meet us in the alley in twenty minutes, okay? Love you.” 

“Love you too.”

“Love you three.” Dark Shadow added. 

When Fumikage disconnected the call, it was to the sound of Dabi faux gagging in the doorway.  “I think I’m going to be sick.”

“What are these for?” Fumikage held up the shirts he had been thrown, completely ignoring the beta’s commentary on his and Hawks’ affection. 

“Your nest. If you want them. Now come on, kid, we gotta sneak you out of the house.” Dabi was leaning against the doorway now and he crooked his finger at Fumikage to draw him closer. More like beckoning a lover than trying to urge him out the door. 

“Why do I have to be snuck out? Why can’t we just walk out the door like two normal people?”

“Because I want the plot to thicken.” 

- Translation, he just wants to be dramatic - 

- Yes, I understood, Shadow. - 

Fumikage rolled his eyes so far back in his head, he made himself dizzy. But he did follow his insane mate out of the room. 

- Keigo Takami - 7 Years Ago - 

Keigo felt like this very soul had broken into a million little pieces. The world around him was grey and cold and not even the soft fabric of Hikari’s nest could bring warmth back to Keigo’s heart. 

When Touya had run from campus, Keigo’s first instinct was to be relieved . He’d thought the beta would go home, where it was safe and Endeavor could protect him. He never expected for him to…

He never expected to lose both of his soulmates before he ever even got to have them. He’d dreamed about being in Hikari’s nest; about the three of them wrapped around each other. Of being utterly and completely whole . Instead, he was in this mockery of a nest. 

The fabric had been snuck out of Hikari’s room before the teachers could clear it out. The omega’s lingering scent clung to the blankets but it was fading by the day and Keigo feared the day when he crawled into his poorly made nest and realized it only smelled like him. 

He felt like he was hanging on by a thread and Keigo was terrified by what would happen when finally snapped. 

Chapter Text

- Fumikage Tokoyami - 

Hawks was already waiting for Fumikage and Dabi by the time they arrived in the alley. He was slumped against one of the brick walls, his wings pulled in tight enough that Fumikage couldn’t see them, but there were a dozen red feathers hovering around his head. 

Another feather grazed past Fumikage’s cheek, gently brushing his feathers as it sped back to its owner. 

“Unexpectedly prompt.” Dabi commented coldly. He stopped several meters away from Hawks, while Fumikage kept walking toward his alpha, not pausing until he was pressed against the blonde’s side. “Were you excited to see little old me?”

“Traffic was lighter than expected” Hawks answered, his voice soft as he wrapped his arms around Fumikage and rested his chin on the omega’s head to look over at Dabi. “I’m also interested in what you three were talking about that concluded in our little meeting.”

Dabi didn’t step any closer, but he did lean his long body against the alley wall and leveled a not-so-scary glare at the pair of them. “You have yourself a very cute omega.”

And wow, Fumikage really did not like the way that statement sounded. He didn’t belong to anyone. Hawks didn’t have him . 

A vivid image of Fumikage on his knees flashed through his mind. He was wearing a red leather collar around his neck, which contrasted nicely against his black feathers.

- Stop thinking about sex. - 

- I’m always thinking about sex, Fumi. It’s a disorder - 

“I do.” Hawks replied firmly and his hands tightened their hold on Fumikage’s sides, pulling him back firmly against the alpha’s chest. “He’s perfect.”

Dabi just looked at them. 

His blue eyes made Fumikage feel naked and vulnerable. It made his feathers ruffle and if Hawks wasn’t holding him so tightly, he would have crossed his arms over his chest to hide away. 

“He’s willing to try being a triad.” Fumikage finally whispered, because he couldn’t stand the silence. Between the heart pounding against his back, the eyes feeling like lead on his shoulders, and his own anxiety weighing him down, it felt like he was suffocating. 

He felt Hawks freeze against him, his arms turning into steel beams around his middle. 

“Really?” Hawks breathed, so softly that Fumikage could barely hear him. 

“Yeah. Kid said that was the only way I’d ever get to fuck him.” Dabi said nonchalantly with a little shrug. “And look at that ass, how was I supposed to resist?”

Fumikage squawked and squirmed and tried to break free of his alpha’s hold so he could turn to face him and explain. That he could look into golden eyes and call their soulmate a fucking liar . 

“Fumi would never.” Hawks laughed as he rubbed his cheek against the top of Fumikage’s head. 

“I would though. And I agree. No fucking Fumi without trying to be a flock.” Dark Shadow added helpfully and zoomed over toward Dabi to wrap himself around the beta’s shoulders. 

Dabi didn’t even try to hide his smirk. 

“You see? My hands are tied.”

Hawks didn’t respond, he just kept running his face over Fumikage’s head. Distantly, he realized the alpha was scent marking him after Fumikage had used the neutralizer when leaving the dorm. 

Then, Hawks suddenly released him and Fumikage had only a moment to coo and turn to his mate in concern, before he was watching Hawks stalk across the alley like a man on a mission. 

Dabi straightened up to meet Hawks. His body went tense and he subtly adjusted into a more defendable pose. 

Shit. Shit. Shit. 

Fumikage did not want to watch his mates figh- 

Oh. 

Dabi grabbed Hawks by the front of his jacket and spun until the hero was slammed into the brick wall. Their faces were so close that their breaths were mingling and Fumikage thought for sure his heart was going to explode.

From his position, Fumikage couldn’t hear a word when Dabi started speaking. But thankfully, Dark Shadow was a beautiful little spy and relayed the conversation directly into Fumikage’s brain. 

“Why did you leave the commission?”

“Fumi told you.” Hawks responded, breathless and needy as he stared up into Dabi’s eyes. 

“Yes, but I want you to tell me. You gave your entire life to them. You gave up Kari and me for them. Why did you leave?”

Fumikage watched as Hawks snarled and grabbed two handfuls of Dabi’s shirt before spinning them around and reversing their positions. The solid slam of the beta’s body against brick was enough to make Fumikage wince, but Dabi didn’t seem the least bit affected. He just stared at Hawks, as bored and uncaring as ever. 

“I didn’t give them anything.” Hawks growled and pulled Dabi close just to slam him back again. “They took everything from me. When I found out they took you-” He pressed his forehead against Dabi’s and moved his hands up to cup the beta’s face in his palms. “That they hid you from me all these years…I had to leave.”

“You should have destroyed them.” Dabi whispered and there was something about the dark, secretive tone in his voice that made Fumikage shiver and want. 

Hawks snapped his attention to Fumikage and he had a sudden fear that Hawks knew what he was thinking. Knew that he was on the brink of leaking slick and ruining this very emotional moment for the pair of them. 

But then, Hawks looked back toward Dabi, leaning in until his lips were brushing against the beta’s ear, and whispered so incredibly softly: “What makes you think I don’t plan to?”

What?

Fumikage was frozen as he stared at his alpha in confusion. 

Hawks was-

Was he planning to-

The HPSC was the governing board for heroes. They were the letters embossed in Fumikage’s provisional hero license. The people that ensured their entire society didn’t come crumbling to the ground. 

And Hawks was casually discussing destroying them. 

“Um…I’d love to watch the pair of you start making out.” Dark Shadow commented from his position around Dabi’s waist. “But Fumi is going to pass out.”

Fumikage glared at Dark Shadow, because he absolutely was not going to pass out. He was just lightheaded. 

And hyperventilating. 

And was the world spinning?

“Shit.” He heard Hawks curse a moment before strong arms were wrapped around his waist and the planet seemed just a bit more stable. “Such a little eavesdropper.” His alpha nuzzled Fumikage’s face and his scent helped to calm the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions spinning around in his mind. 

“Is it true?” Fumikage whispered. “Are you seriously considering-”

“Yeah.” Hawks whispered back and pulled away far enough that he could take in Fumikage’s face. “Probably should have warned you that I was going full super villain, huh?”

“Vigilante.” Fumikage corrected softly and looked over Hawks’ shoulder to see Dabi, still in the mouth of the alley, his arms crossed across his chest and a concerned expression on his face. Dark Shadow was still wrapped around him, almost like he was acting as a leash to keep the beta from running away.  

“I should have told you about taking up vigilantism then.” Hawks cooed and scented Fumikage, running his jaw over the top of the omega’s head again and again and again. 

“Or just kept it a better secret. I swear to God, Hawks, you’re a fucking spy.” Dabi snapped and then let out a little annoyed huff when Dark Shadow started slowly reeling the beta in closer and closer. 

“Never said I was a good spy.” Hawks shrugged. 

“I like that you can’t keep secrets for very long.” Fumikage told him gently and stroked his hands down his alpha’s back. “Lies are exhausting.”

“Touching. Heart felt. Really, I’m crying tears of joy at the beauty of this moment.” Dabi snarled out as Dark Shadow literally tossed him against Fumikage and Hawks’ sides, forcing the three of them together like a toddler playing with barbies. “But I’m going home. There’s too many feelings here for me.”

“Let him go, Shadow.” Hawks sighed and gently tapped his hand against Dark Shadow’s form. Once the shadow released Dabi, Hawks stepped around Fumikage so that he could press his chest firmly against Dabi’s and lean in so their faces were nearly brushing. “I’m going to call you and we’re going to talk.”

“No promises. I’m very busy.”

“Good Night, Dabi.” Hawks whispered and Fumikage watched in absolute awe as his alpha closed the gap between them and placed a gentle kiss on Dabi’s mouth. 

Of course, Dabi snarled and smacked his hands out to push the alpha away while wiping his mouth on his shoulder. 

Hawks just smiled at him and reached out to run his wrist over Dabi’s neck, scenting him for a moment before the former villain could dance far enough away. 

“Good Night Fumi and Evil Twin.” Dabi walked backwards out of the alley and it wasn’t until he was standing in the mouth of it, his hands in his pockets and a little grin on his face, that he added: “You can give Hawks my number, but make him work for it.”

Then he was gone. 

- Dabi - 

Dabi walked back into his house and immediately realized he would have been better off walking into a war zone. Because sitting in the living room, taking up an entire fucking couch by himself, was Endeavor. 

This wasn’t a new sight. It was the man’s house after all, but the knowing look on the hero’s face alerted Dabi that they were about to talk . 

Fuck. 

“Come sit down, Touya.” His father patted the arm of the sofa next to him and Dabi immediately started calculating his chances of running and getting to his room before the older man could catch him. He was big, that would be a disadvantage in the close quarters of the house. Dabi could probably make it. 

He sat down on the sofa with a grunt and shuffled down so that he was hidden by the arm of the couch and didn’t have to look at him. Because he already knew that this was going to be embarrassing. They were going to talk about feelings and soulmates and gooey shit and Dabi did not want to look Endeavor in the eye during that. 

“Hawks was the alpha that rejected you when you were sixteen.” Endeavor said a few moments later, not even asking Dabi, but telling him. Like Dabi hadn’t lived and suffered through it himself. “That’s why you’re so prickly about him and Fumikage.”

“They should increase your salary.” Dabi huffed, sinking even further down. “A hero and a detective all rolled into one. Here I thought you were all muscle, no brain.”

A hand reached over and patted Dabi on the top of his head. Maybe it would have gone for a comforting arm touch if he was actually fucking sitting up. 

“I’m going to ask you this just once and I want an honest answer, Touya.” Endeavor said, so serious that it actually had Dabi straightening up and turning toward the hero with a concerned expression. “Do you want me to kill him? Would that help you feel better? Heal some of your suffering?”

Holy shit. 

Dabi just blinked and stared at his father. Certainly the number one hero in Japan had not just offered to murder his colleague and the number two hero.

“Is this a test? Cause it feels like a test.”

“Not a test. Just a question. He hurt you, and I would do anything to protect you. If he wasn’t your soulmate, he’d be gone already.”

Aw. He was feeling all warm and fuzzy and shit. 

“You’re a big softie.” Dabi sighed and knocked the hand off of his head with a growl. “Don’t hurt him. I don’t think what happened was fully his fault and I’m starting to realize there was more going on that I originally understood.”

Endeavor nodded, like the response was expected, but then he glanced at Dabi out of the corner of his eye and gave his oldest son a little, knowing smirk. “You smell like him, you know.”

“How the fuck do you know what he smells like? You sniffing all your coworkers?”

“The way he flints around and touches everything ? His scent is forever imprinted in my brain.”

Something about that made Dabi bristle and a little growl rumbled out of his chest. His stupid bird brain alpha shouldn’t be going around scenting anything or anyone other than him and-

Not his alpha. 

Not his problem. 

I dropped off Fumikage with him. We’re working on a shared custody arrangement, all mature and grown up and shit.”

“He’s your soulmate.” Endeavor responded, that stupid fucking smirk still in place. “You can say you let him scent you. You can say you saw him. You can say your feelings are complicated. You don’t have to hide it.”

He said it like they were still a family. Like years hadn’t ruined whatever relationship they used to have. 

“I hate him.” Dabi whispered and jolted when his mother walked into the room with two cups of water, one that she placed in front of Dabi before perching herself on the arm of Endeavor’s sofa. 

“You were supposed to wait for me before we interrogated him.” Rei smiled down to Endeavor and placed a kiss to his red hair. “Did you already offer to dispose of his alpha problem?”

Fuck. 

Both of his parents were insane. At least now he knew he came by it honestly. 

“He turned me down.” Endeavor whispered up to her and placed his own kiss to her cheek. 

“I’m going to leave now. Don’t worry if you don’t hear from me for awhile, I’ll just be dead in the shower or something. No bigs.”  Dabi stood to leave the room, but a gentle hand on his arm pulled him back. 

“Touya, pretend we’re your parents, please? Instead of your enemies?” Rei’s eyes were bright and shiny and dammit, she knew that Dabi couldn’t deny her anything. He loved her and shit. 

“I hate Hawks. Some days it feels like I’ll explode with it. But other times-” Dabi paused and looked away from his mother to stare at the far wall “-sometimes I think about him and it feels like my soul aches without him.”

“You love him.” Endeavor said simply. Like the comment wasn’t the single most insane thing he’d ever heard. 

Dabi just scoffed because there were no words that the statement deserved. 

“You love him and you’re angry with him.” Rei agreed and dammit, those cold fingers taced down the side of his face all loving and kind. “It’s a complicated feeling, isn’t it?”

It would be. If he actually fucking liked Hawks. 

“I think you’re doing the right thing trying to reconnect with him, in whatever way you can.” Endeavor continued when Dabi pointedly didn’t. “It’s not good for a person to live without their soulmates. It breaks something inside of them.”

“And you’d know something about that.”  To be fair, Dabi hadn’t meant to be a complete asshole. It just came out. 

In Endeavor’s position, Dabi would have snarled and glared and said something soul crushing to his idiot son.