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Hawks put the cigarette he held between his fingers to his mouth and took a drag off of it. He exhaled the smoke a second later. He shivered as a breeze ruffled the feathers on his wings. It was colder than he thought tonight. That didn’t mean anything when he had a craving he had to sate, though. He took another drag and let his eyes wander over the city below. All the buildings and their shiny lights on this otherwise dark night were rather enticing.He wondered what all the little people down there were doing. Their lives were so simple compared to the one he lived. Part of him envied that. Another part of him wouldn’t want such a boring existence. There was so much going on in the world that regular people either ignored or knew nothing about. He couldn’t ever go back to living a life like that.Hawks knew that he could stand to take a few less risks but he supposed that just came with the job description. Hero work wasn’t exactly known for being the safest occupation. He tapped on the cigarette that he held so that the excess ash fell off the end and floated away. He scanned the buildings across from himself. Did anyone else out there have the urge to smoke on a rooftop at a time like this? No? He felt like an insomniac looking for a kindred spirit.The little hairs on the back of his neck stood on end suddenly and he realized that he was no longer alone. Hawks acted as unbothered as he possibly could. He simply sat there with his feet dangling over the side of the building and continued to smoke. He waited to see if the other person would speak.“That’s a pretty bad habit you’ve got there,” A familiar, gruff voice said.Hawks kept his gaze focused on the city as he brought the cigarette to his mouth once again. He paused just before it hit his lips then replied, “I know. An old friend got me hooked on the things before he went missing. Haven’t been able to kick the habit since.”Dabi sat down next to him but turned to the side so his feet didn’t dangle. He also looked at the lights across from them as he muttered, “They got you hooked on death sticks then disappeared? Sounds like a terrible person.”“What can I say? I’ve always had a type.” Hawks finally took another drag off his cigarette. He exhaled the smoke slowly as he let his own words sink in.“A type of what? Terrible friend?” Dabi asked.Something like that. Hawks exhaled the smoke and shook his head. He hoped that the little smirk on his face wasn’t noticeable before he’d managed to get control over it again. He tapped the cigarette so that the excess ash fell off the tip as he sighed, “That was so long ago that it feels like it was another lifetime. Though I often wonder if he ever thinks about me.”“If you were as close as you claim to have been, he probably does from time to time,” Dabi replied. His gaze shifted downwards for a moment before he looked back at the buildings across the way.“I’m honestly not sure if that’s comforting or not.” Hawks exhaled smoke. He was lost in his own thoughts as he mumbled, “I wonder if we’d even recognize one another on the street.”“Probably not since he sounds like a douche,” Dabi offered his two cents.Hawks snorted and shook his head. He smiled to himself as he said, “We’re talking about my first love here. You could stand to be a little bit less of a dick.”Dabi shook his head then mumbled, “I thought we were talking about your bad influence friend.”“Same thing,” Hawks sighed as he shook his head. He stared at the cigarette between his fingers and muttered, “It’s too bad I won’t ever see him again. There’s so much I never got the chance to say.”“No one can turn back time,” Dabi mumbled mostly to himself.“I know.” Hawks nodded. He would’ve done it by now if it was a possibility. There were a few things in his life that he’d like to take another crack at.“No matter how much they want a do over.”Hawks finally tore his gaze from the skyline and turned towards the villain next to himself. His enemy, as it were, but also his temporary ally. He didn’t know when his life had gotten this complicated and he hated that it was even more so than he cared to admit. His usual happiness-mask was nowhere to be seen right now. Sometimes his true feelings were just too strong to hide. He wished he could do something about the somber look he knew was in his eyes as he offered Dabi the pack of cigarettes and asked, “So, are they still your preferred brand?”Dabi turned to look at him and didn’t say a word. It was nearly thirty seconds later when he finally reached out to take the offered item. His fingers brushed up against the back of the blond’s and he paused.Hawks didn’t pull away from the touch. It was warm on the otherwise cold night. It was comforting in a way. He didn’t know how long they stayed like that and stared at one another. All he knew was that his brain yelled at him to say one of the million things he wished he could’ve years ago. Before everything had changed. Before he’d missed the chance. His voice didn’t seem to agree since no sounds came out. Eventually he averted his gaze and cursed himself silently. That was when he finally felt the warm hand leave his own, along with the pack of cigarettes.He knew that the other man didn’t need a lighter, so he didn’t ask. He stood up and then dropped his cigarette butt at his feet and stomped it out. Hawks stretched lazily, which included expanding his wings as far as they would go. Who they did or didn’t happen to smack when that happened was entirely out of his control. Probably. He held back a laugh when he heard an irritated grunt.Hawks held his chin in the air and declared, “You know, dwelling on the past would be about as ridiculous as stepping off this rooftop without wings.”“Says the guy with wings as he’s about to step off the rooftop,” Dabi snorted as best he could with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth.“I know! Ridiculous, right?” Hawks had an amused look in his eyes as he glanced at the villain over his shoulder. He flapped his wings once, totally not to hit the guy in the face again, then stepped off the ledge. He immediately caught an updraft and soared right back upwards just to do a flip above Dabi before he finally flew off.He knew that he had another pack of smokes at home, so he didn’t really care that he’d left the last one behind. He put a hand over his chest and willed his pulse to stop racing. There was no point to it. The boy he’d gone to high school with was gone. He knew that. More than anyone, in fact. And yet, the moment he’d seen Dabi he’d recognized him.No scars or dye job would ever be enough to hide those blue eyes. Hawks had spent too many hours daydreaming about them not to recognize them on the spot. He was glad that he’d been too stunned to move at the time, or he probably would’ve run up to him and hugged him. That would’ve been terrible. It would’ve ended his career. Heck, they would’ve both been in hot water because of his lack of impulse control.Hawks was glad that he’d had the time to come to terms with everything before they’d met again. That way he was prepared and could fight off his instincts the best way he knew how, by putting on a show. He acted like he didn’t even recognize the villain, which seemed to be mutual. He’d done his best to ignore just how much that stung at the time. Knowing that their time spent together had been so forgettable was, well, one of the worst things he’d ever felt.It wasn’t until he was tasked with infiltrating The League of Villains that he finally had the chance to speak to the guy again. This time they were alone. It wasn’t good for his health. Still, he had a part to play and he did his best to do so. He managed to get Dabi to agree to meet up with him again so he could vet him and determine his worthiness to join The League. All right. Good. That was progress.Hawks had turned to leave but found himself frozen in place when he heard Dabi mumble, “The cherry one.”He turned around as fast as he could but the guy was already gone. His legs threatened to give out on him as he stood there lost in the memory of the last time they’d seen one another. Back then, Hawks had been eating a cherry lollipop and kept on asking Dabi what his favorite flavor was. The guy had insisted that he didn’t like any of them, but Hawks wouldn’t take that for an answer. He’d made Dabi promise to tell him the truth one day. That was the last time they saw one another. He’d never gotten that answer… until now.So he did remember their shared past. That was as relieving as it was shocking. Suddenly Hawks was nauseous. He’d figured out how he was supposed to act around the guy thinking that he didn’t remember. He’d had no idea what to do knowing that he did. In the end there was nothing else he could do but continue to play it cool. It wasn’t like they could let the other members of The League or even his fellow heroes know about their former connection. So they acted the way everyone would expect when around one another.It was those rare moments they found themselves completely alone, as they just had on that rooftop, that they could finally be themselves for a moment. They could just be two former classmates that had grown up and gone down different paths. Heck, Hawks had even kind of confessed that he’d had feelings for the guy once upon a time. He supposed it didn’t matter, though. The boy he’d fallen for died years ago. The man he knew shared his face and memories, but he was a totally different person. One that Hawks could never have feelings for.Or so he attempted to convince himself as he flew home. The way his heart fluttered when Dabi was near was not the same as it used to be. It was a symptom of something else entirely. He would figure out the prognosis sooner or later. It would absolutely be different than his crush from high school. He had no doubt about that. * Dabi took another hit of the cigarette in his hand. He looked down and studied the pack that Hawks had just left with him. Yeah, they were still his preferred brand. Had been since as far back as he could remember. He didn’t even remember when he’d picked up smoking. Only that it was one of his earlier ways to rebel and he’d chosen the box with the cool blue stripes.He tossed the pack in the air and caught it again then squeezed his hand shut around it. He still remembered the day he’d met that silly bird like it was yesterday. Hawks happened to stumble upon one of his hiding spots where he liked to smoke. He’d had a cigarette between his fingers and a hairs breadth from his lips when he heard a surprised gasp.When he looked over and saw the blond he couldn’t help but snarl. The first thing he saw were those bright, red wings of his. Dabi had always hated the color red. It was fury, rage, and too many other intense bad feelings. Like that of a raging fire. Needless to say, he didn’t exactly give the intruder a warm welcome. Though he could admit now that it had mostly been out of instinct at the time.It had been a surprise to find the red-winged intruder didn’t turn tail and run. He seemed strangely curious. He looked like a moth drawn to a flame. Dabi hated that analogy since that made him the flame. Though he’d supposed it wasn’t so bad if he was a fierce, blue one. He maintained eye contact with the blond as he held up his finger and produced a blue flame from the tip.The way those red wings fluttered and his amber eyes widened at the sight would be something that stuck with Dabi for a long time afterwards. To his surprise, the guy stuck around. It was obvious that this was against the rules and yet he seemed to have no concern about such. He even attempted to start up a conversation. Dabi refused to bite.Next time he sneaked away for a smoke he found that same winged idiot in his spot. Dabi was ready to chew him out but there was something about the gleam in his eyes that gave him pause. In the end he determined the guy harmless. He hadn’t told on him yet, so he was all right. For now.It was the third time they met up that Dabi actually engaged in a conversation with him. It was barely even that since he kept his answers short and vague, but it seemed to brighten the blond’s world. Before they parted ways he’d asked what the other boy’s name was. A quick flutter of wings, wide eyes, and a smile from ear to ear accompanied a high-pitched response. Dabi had snorted and shook his head. He had an amused look in his eyes as he said, “More like Hawks with those mannerisms of yours.”From that an unlikely friendship blossomed. It was only a matter of time before the blond asked Dabi if he could try one of the cigarettes he was so fond of. He accused the blond of being too much of a goody two-shoes to break the rules. Dabi had been reluctant but ended up sharing when Hawks gave him a pleading look. Of course it hadn’t gone well at all and the boy was too overeager, which caused him to inhale way too strongly and go into a coughing fit. After that Dabi refused to share with him again on the grounds that he didn’t want to deal with the hassle of the kid ‘dying from his own stupidity’.Eventually Hawks wore him down with the reminder that he could just teach him to do it properly and there wouldn’t be a problem. Suddenly there Dabi was, teenager on the verge of being a delinquent, teaching a fellow teenager how to breathe properly while smoking. He had no idea how he’d ended up in that position. He also didn’t know why he didn’t actually mind it so much.They spent the next year and a half building the weirdest friendship ever in Dabi’s mind. Others also took to calling the boy by the nickname Hawks. It wasn’t all bad, he supposed. Eventually, the color red took on a whole new feeling for him. It was warm, soft, and determined. It was that of a feather floating on a summer breeze.Then came the day he had to go. It had been so sudden that he hadn’t even had the chance to say goodbye. He was there and then he was gone. Dabi barely understood it himself.Imagine his surprise five years later when he saw the silly little dork that had once admired him so much it was almost embarrassing on TV. Not only that, but as a hero. A hero named Hawks. That stupid nickname he’d come up with. That boy had become the ultimate kind of goody two-shoes. He’d been right about him all along. Dabi’s own path had lead him in the opposite direction. He was sure they’d never see one another again. That was ultimately for the best.Except they did.Against all odds, the two of them ended up standing before one another. Hawks knew exactly who he was the moment their eyes met. Dabi could sense it. That twitch of his wings and wide-eyed stare accompanied by the fact that he froze in place… there had been no mistaking it. Dabi did exactly as he was supposed to and acted like he didn’t recognize the guy. The hurt he’d seen flash in those amber eyes that day would probably haunt him for the rest of forever.Truthfully, part of him hadn’t recognized the blond at first. The cheery little dork he’d known had grown up into this capable, talented hero. He didn’t have that same aura anymore. He knew that the blond absolutely wouldn’t admire him anymore. Whatever friendship they’d begun to build had died years ago. They were enemies now, it was as simple as that.Dabi wished that had been true. It was a lot less complicated that way. If so, he never would’ve revealed the fact that he remembered their shared past. After that things changed between them. Hawks got him alone and actually teared up as he asked him a million and one questions about why he left so suddenly and how he’d gotten his scars. It quickly became obvious that Dabi didn’t want to talk about the subject and the blond was fine with it. He was simply relieved that they’d finally met again. It was a sentiment Dabi also shared but wouldn’t admit out loud.While Hawks had backed off the information gathering, he did seem to always be watching him. Dabi supposed that made all kinds of sense. He finally had to assure the guy that it was him and he had no plans to run off again so he didn’t have to worry about it. He’d never seen Hawks blush so quickly before. The sight had been… cute.He still remembered when he caught the scent of cigarettes on Hawks’ clothes. He hadn’t smelled it before so it must not have been something he did often. That or he changed clothes a lot. It was a hard call. Either way, he’d been quite surprised to smell his preferred brand. The corner of his mouth twitched as a smile threatened to spread across his face. Once a dork, always a dork he’d supposed. Dabi frowned and closed his hand around the pack of cigarettes in his hand. He stood up and dusted himself off. There was no need for him to stay on that cold rooftop all alone. He pocketed the cigarettes and then headed back to the stairwell. His mind wandered to the moment earlier when his and Hawks’ fingers brushed up against each other. The feeling it stirred within him had been dormant for a long time now. At least that’s what he’d figured. Maybe it had always been there but had no need to flare up.
We’re talking about my first love here…
Hawks’ words echoed through his head and Dabi’s frown deepened. He shoved his hands into his pockets and furrowed his brow as he continued down the stairs. The blond had made it crystal clear that he didn’t consider him to be that person anymore. And so what if he didn’t? Dabi didn’t care. He had no right to want anything from the guy, so it didn’t matter. He really wished that the feeling in his chest agreed with his brain. The tightness there whenever he thought about the guy was so freaking annoying. The next time he saw Hawks in a semi-private way was also on a rooftop. This time he’d been the one to get there first. He just wanted to drink and attempt to clear his head a bit. Everyone in the bar below had been so noisy and he pretty much hated them. He couldn’t be sure if that was the alcohol talking or not. He laid down and looked up at the sky when someone blocked his view. He blinked a few times before red wings and amber eyes came into focus. For the first time in his life he found himself thankful for alcohol blush.“So this is where you ran off to,” Hawks observed. It wasn’t more than that and he put a cigarette between his lips as he stepped out of the guy’s line of sight.Dabi turned his head and blinked at him. He watched the long, slow drags he took of the cigarette with interest. Even the way he flicked off the excess ash was enticing. He came to the conclusion that he’d had too much to drink. His mouth moved much faster than his brain could process as he muttered, “As it stands, I only have one regret in life…”Hawks glanced at him. “Yeah? What would that be?”“Never saying goodbye,” Dabi whispered. He turned his head so that he was looking right up at the stars and shut his eyes. “You deserved better.”There was silence after that. Good. Silence was the best. It should’ve been more respected for how amazing it was. Dabi was just about to drift off when he felt something cool against his cheek. Right afterwards he heard the flutter of wings. He opened his eyes and turned his head to see that Hawks was no longer there. The guy probably had some stupid hero crap to do. He lifted his right hand and placed it upon his cheek. The spot was still cool. It was nice. Sleep claimed him before he could even pull his hand away from his face. Dabi awoke what had to have been hours later judging by the jackhammer in his head. He groaned as he rolled over. The ground beneath him was hard and uninviting so he rolled right back onto his back. He did realize that he was extremely warm. He looked down at his torso and noticed that someone had covered him with a blanket. He grabbed the edge of it and squinted so he could get a better view of it. His whole face went blank when he saw the smiling face of a certain number two hero.Did that guy seriously…? From the scent of cigarettes and cheap cologne that suddenly hit his nose Dabi knew that his suspicion was correct. Hawks literally flew home and grabbed a blanket off his own bed then brought it back here to cover him up with. Dabi pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and pointer as he tried to alleviate some of the sinus pressure he suddenly had. The guy hadn’t aged a day mentally. He probably never would. * Hawks meandered into The League of Villains’ bar about two evenings after that little drunken rooftop meetup. He greeted those that he felt deserved it and glared at the ones that still seemed to have a problem with him. He wandered over to the bar and sat down next to Dabi then ordered a drink. He tossed it back before he finally glanced at the villain next to himself and muttered, “Hey.”“Do you seriously sleep with a blanket that’s a picture of your own face?” Dabi got right to the point. He wasn’t one to deal with pleasantries unless he had to.Hawks shrugged and motioned for the bartender to bring him another drink. “I mean, yeah. It’s made of the warmest, coziest material known to man. Speaking of–”“I’m not giving it back,” Dabi cut him off.Hawks’ eyes widened for such a quick fraction of a second that one would have had to been looking for it or they’d miss it. He scratched idly at his cheek and muttered, “I guess that’s…ok…if you wanna keep it you can…”“You clearly misread the situation. I already burned it and I doubt you’d want the ashes.” Dabi made sure that the air was as clear as could be. He tossed back the shot that had been placed before himself and motioned for the bartender to pour another.“Dabi that’s just cruel!” Hawks pouted. While the offense itself was mostly in jest he knew that his wings had drooped and given away that he was actually pretty sad to hear the news. He’d liked that blanket. Not to mention for a second there when he’d thought the guy wanted to keep it something hopeful fluttered in his gut. He furrowed his brow and cursed himself inwardly for such a childish reaction. “Where…”“Where what?” Dabi asked after he knocked back his drink.“Where’d you burn one of my favorite blankets so I can pay it proper respects!” Hawks exclaimed. He was tired of the games. It was clear what he wanted and it’d be better without all the extra nonsense.“Wow, you’re such a child. On the roof. It was more instinctual than anything else since I awoke to see your face.” Dabi shrugged and looked away from him. He waved a dismissive hand in the air and added, “If it was so important to you then leaving it with me was stupid in the first place.”Hawks heard the snicker of others around them. He growled softly to himself as he stomped off. Instead of taking the stairs he left the building then flew to the roof. He walked over to where Dabi had been asleep and looked around for scorch marks. Part of him couldn’t believe the nerve of that guy. On the other hand, he was just being the villain he knew him to be. Maybe this was all the confirmation he needed that the boy he’d known simply wasn’t in there anywhere. He bowed his head and sighed to himself. He didn’t move a muscle when he heard the door to the stairwell squeak loudly as it opened a few minutes later.“What’s that look for?” Dabi asked.“Can’t a guy mourn in peace?” Hawks asked back.“Mourning a blanket is stupid,” Dabi retorted as he stepped closer to the blond.“You really are a jerk.” Hawks turned to storm off but stopped when the other man caught his wrist. He stood perfectly still as the villain stepped up behind him.“Did I hurt your feelings, birdy?” Dabi asked, his voice a gravelly whisper. He bent down so that his voice was right next to the hero’s ear as he said, “Is it finally clear now? I’m not your old friend.”“I-I… know that…” Hawks felt the sting of tears as they pooled in his eyes. He’d known that all along. He’d just hoped that lying to himself would take away some of the ache. Turns out it only made it worse. He barely breathed as he stood there unmoving.Dabi’s voice was soft but full of conviction as he said, “That person you knew was just a stupid kid. The person standing before you is a man. Are you even capable of seeing that?”Hawks turned around slowly. He hadn’t realized just how close they’d been. There was almost no space between them. He studied the expression on Dabi’s face. He honestly didn’t know what to make of it. It was somehow hard yet vulnerable. He swore he could even see a glimpse of that boy he’d fallen for once upon a time. His voice was a shaky whisper as he replied, “Of course I am.”“You say that and yet…” Dabi’s voice trailed off. He turned his head away from the blond and scrunched his face as if he didn’t know how to finish the thought.Hawks saw something unreadable flash in his blue eyes and he didn’t like it. “Dabi what is it?”“I’m not him anymore. I can never go back to being him.” Dabi’s voice was laced with both regret and a hint of anger.“Why would you think you had to?” Hawks asked. He had no idea where any of this had come from. It could’ve been the alcohol talking, but something told him it was more than that.“Do you even remember what the text on that blanket said?” Dabi grunted.“Uhh…” Truthfully, he didn’t off the top of his head. He really had to think about it for a moment. usually that kind of merchandise had generic sayings like ‘believe in yourself’ or ‘anyone can be a hero’. Oh. He honest to god hadn’t realized. His eyes widened and he was sure all the color drained from his face. “D-Dabi, I’m–”“Just so elite these days. Mister high and mighty.” Dabi snapped as he cut him off.“N-no! You’re misunderstanding!” Hawks tried to explain. He shook his hands and head at the same time. Crap, how the hell hadn’t he paid attention to something so stupid?Dabi leaned in so that they were nose to nose. He glared at the shorter man and spat, “There was a time when you felt something special for me. Now that’s morphed into what? Pity? If so, you might as well turn and leave right now then never show your face here again because I won’t be merciful next time we cross paths.” Dabi scowled as he looked the shorter man over and added, “You’ll finally get to see what I’m truly capable of, hero.”Hawks choked on his own words as he watched Dabi turn and begin to stomp off. He almost couldn’t believe this was happening. He was about to lose the guy all over again. A sudden panic set in and he shouted the first thing that popped into his head. “I still feel something special for you, idiot!”Dabi stopped in his tracks then growled, “What’d you call me?”“Ah! Sorry! I just, uh, don’t know how to say this kind of thing. I’ve only ever crushed on one person before and that ended up… no, that’s absolutely not what I mean to say either. Ahhh! Why is this so hard?” Hawks was too flustered to organize his own thoughts. His gaze was fixed upon the floor as he tried his hardest to figure out what he should do.Hawks didn’t even know if the other man had left. He couldn’t bring himself to look up from the ground and check. He was basically thinking out loud as he sighed, “When I was young, I had a crush on a boy with the most beautiful blue eyes in the world and a list of bad habits a mile long. Then one day he was just… gone. My whole world came to a sudden halt. I had no idea what to think and even wondered if it had been my fault somehow.”He sniffed then continued, “After a heck of a lot of convincing I managed to get past that thought. However, I also closed myself off to any and all types of relationships after that. Everyone I got remotely close to was met with an inevitable wall they weren’t allowed to pass. As such, I’ve been… lonely for a long time…”He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand then continued, “Years later I met a man. This man should never have been on my radar in the first place. We didn’t mesh well. Our paths in life were completely opposite. It’d never work out on any level. Yet this man looked at me with the most beautiful blue eyes in the world and suddenly my wall began to crumble. I began to feel things I’d forgotten were possible. Even if I was nothing but a nuisance to him, the time we spent together, brief as it was, meant the world to me. For the first time in years, I began to forget what loneliness was.”Hawks paused and then gulped audibly. He’d come this far so he might as well get the rest off his chest. Even if he was talking to no one it’d still be a relief to finally say it out loud. He shut his eyes and added, “Guess the point of all this was that I liked you back then and I like you now. No time travel necessary. Though you could stand to learn some manners. Destroying people’s stuff is just rude.”“I didn’t destroy the stupid blanket you’re so hung up on, birdy,” Dabi admitted as he walked over to the blond. He stepped close enough so that there wasn’t any space between them. “But I’m also not giving it back.”Hawks gasped and looked up at him, tears still in the corners of his eyes. “Wh…why not?”Dabi brushed his blond bangs out of his face as he whispered, “Because it’s made of the warmest, coziest material known to man.”Hawks averted his gaze and grumbled, “You’re just messing with me.”“Of course I am. That’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.” Dabi snorted when Hawks’ wings puffed up slightly. He’d hit a nerve and it was just as cute as ever. “Truth is I’m keeping it so I can say I’m sleeping with the number two hero.”“What!” Hawks shrieked as his whole face turned crimson to match his wings. The smile that spread across Dabi’s face accompanied by the amused gleam in his eyes told Hawks all he needed to know. The guy was messing with him yet again. At this rate he’d beg him to burn the thing for real before he got a straight answer out of him. He pouted and furrowed his brow.“Fine, jokes aside, I just like it. Your smile has always made me feel, uh, good I guess? Or at least less shitty than normal. I dunno.” Dabi shrugged.“You mean… you actually liked me too?” Hawks’ eyes were impossibly wide. If younger him had only known. He might’ve died from happiness years ago.“Yeah, I guess I did. You were a lovable goofball.” Dabi admitted.Hawks tilted his chin upwards and asked softly, “And what am I now?”Dabi’s breath was barely above a whisper as he replied, “A real pain in my ass… well, one that I wouldn’t mind getting closer to in more ways than one.”Hawks was very aware of the shallow breaths the other man was taking. Just as he was aware that they both had half-lidded gazes. He looked up at Dabi and the other gazed down at him. It was clear as day what they both wanted. His gaze fell to the slightly parted lips above him. He leaned up on the balls of his feet and whispered, “You and I… we can’t…”“I’ve never been one to blindly follow the rules,” Dabi replied just as softly. He put his right hand on Hawks’ cheek and continued to watch him.“That’s true. You were breaking a rule when we met,” Then again when they reunited as adults. Hawks chose not to say that one since it was heavily implied.Dabi huffed softly in amusement. He maintained eye contact as he ran his thumb across the other man’s bottom lip and said, “You were all too eager to join me back then. The real question is whether or not you still want to break the rules with me now.”Hawks didn’t say a word. The both of them continued to slowly inch closer until their lips finally touched. The moment they did it was like a dam broke. Repressed feelings came flooding out of them and into one another as they kissed like their lives depended on it. This meeting of lips was years in the making and the pair could barely contain themselves as they did their best to breathe harshly through their noses.“Mmph… I…”“Shut up and kiss me,” Dabi immediately mumbled.Hawks didn’t need to be told twice. He melted into the kiss when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him and squeeze. It was just about as possessive as could be and his wings fluttered happily. He was thankful that Dabi had his eyes closed so he didn’t see that. The guy certainly didn’t need any more ammo to tease him with. Hawks slid his arms around the other man’s neck and attempted to pull him even closer as well.Dabi broke the kiss and had an amused gleam in his blue eyes as he asked, “How many times have you thought about kissing me before this? A million? Two?”“T-that’s not fair! You know I had a crush on you! What else was a sweet teenage boy like myself supposed to daydream about!” Hawks immediately yelped in his own defense. He was glad that he hadn’t been accused of doodling their names in hearts in his notebooks because he’d never survive the embarrassment of admitting that was true.Dabi tilted his head and raised an eyebrow at him. “Had? I must not be doing something right.”“That’s not what… ahhh…” Hawks’ voice trailed off as blush filled his cheeks. He pouted to himself since he couldn’t think of a comeback. He bowed his head and avoided eye contact with the other man.Dabi chuckled softly then lifted the blond’s chin and kissed that poked out lip. That was all the incentive Hawks needed to forget about their conversation and resume making out.Hawks had this exact dream countless times before. The fact that this was real was too incredible to explain. He realized that there was only one bad habit of his that he’d never been able to quit. Wrong as he knew it to be, he had no plans to stop. He’d been a good boy all his life and never asked for anything in return. Now that there was finally something he wanted for himself he absolutely refused to let it slip through his fingers. Consequences be damned.