Chapter Text
The rain is a heavy downpour that runs along the streets in fast rushing streams, the clouds are deep and dark as thunder rumbles with lightning strikes on the far horizon. It’s an evening storm that no one wants to be caught in as evident by how scarce the streets are, the few people out are rushing to their destinations with hands clasped around umbrella handles or holding jacket collars closed as tightly to their body as possible to fight off frigid winds.
In short it’s a terrible time for anyone to be out and for 21 year old Pro Hero Hawks it’s downright miserable. First there’s the fact that his wings are soaked because of the rain. The unusual weight is bringing him down and messing with his flight patterns, ‘There’s a reason you don’t see birds flying during a storm’ There is also the fact that his coat is doing a lousy job keeping him warm, the fur lining quickly became disgustingly wet and clingy around his neck. And to add insult to his misery he almost got hit by a lightning strike when the storm was moving, a few feathers got scorched and he had to make a quick emergency landing on top of some family’s house.
“Of course I get stranded in a residential area with a konbini that actually closes for bad weather.” Hawks grumbles to himself as he squats on the roof of one of the bigger sized houses on the block, rain continues to pelt down on him making his hair sag and stick to his face as his goggles fog up from the cold air mixing with his hot breath. He squints at his surroundings as he takes in the quiet street, looking enviously at all the windows lit in the houses most likely full of warm, dry, happy little families sitting around a table eating dinner together. He grumbles and shuffles on his feet, curling his wings tighter around himself as he searches for a bus stop or anything he could take shelter under for even just a few minutes. He sneezes and sniffles pathetically to himself when he can’t find anything of the sort.
“This is pointless, what am I doing out here anyways. I’m not scheduled for patrol tonight and no villains would be out in this weather. I should get a cab and call it a night, can’t do much good in this rain as it is.” Hawks whines to himself fully aware that he wouldn’t do that. As much as his quirk would be limited he’d suffer through an entire stormy night getting soaked to the bone if there was a chance there might be someone out there that would be better for it if he was out here patrolling.
Behind him there is a quiet creak, a noise so soft that normally it would be lost to the sounds of the rain but Hawks has a higher sound sensitivity than most and his ears pick it out easily. Quickly he turns on the spot and pulls his two feather blades out, ready for anything as his eyes quickly scan the rooftop looking for threats. What he finds after a few seconds of tense silence is a bright green umbrella designed to look like a frog with two bulbous eyes stitched on top and a cute smile stretched across the front of it poking up from the edge of the roof. Confused Hawks continues to watch the umbrella as it stills for a moment then bobs from side to side as if someone was adjusting their hold on it, soon enough more of the umbrella is revealed as the holder continues climbing up the side of the house. Still on his guard Hawk watches as the next thing he sees pop up is a green rubber rain hat sitting snuggly on a head of dark curls, below that wide green eyes just barely visible where they curiously peek over the edge of the roof.
Yellow eyes meet green and they hold contact for a few moments only being interrupted by a strike of lightning overhead that makes green glow like acid and yellow shift into glittering gold. A curious head tilt at the colour change finally has Hawks lowering his feather blades as he realises that it’s just a kid, probably a good kid investigating the odd shuffling sounds coming from his roof at the word of his mother. Plastering an awkward smile on his face Hawks watches as the kid decides on whether or not to continue struggling with using only one hand to climb up what he assumes is a ladder on the side of the house. Seeing him make up his mind Hawks moves closer to help him up, can’t have a kid falling off a roof on his watch after all. As he leans over the edge of the roof to get a good grip on the back of the boy’s green raincoat to haul him up he sees that the boy is not only using one hand to climb up the roof but he is also climbing up from what looks like his bedroom window without any type of ladder to help him up. In rubber rain boots. In the rain.
Panic seizing him Hawks quickly pulls the boy up and away from the edge of the slippery roof, so quickly in fact the boy yelps at the unexpected loss of stability and hurries to grab hold of his rain hat lest it fly off in the sudden exposure to fast wind currents. Dangling a foot above the roof the boy comes face to face with the freaked out pro hero and he has the audacity to smile with dimples and innocent eyes as he quietly says hello and introduces himself.
“Hi! I’m Izuku, this is my house you're on and my mom always reminds me that if you go out when it rains to dress appropriately and take an umbrella. I noticed that when you were landing you didn’t have an umbrella and when I didn’t see you flying off I figured that you must be waiting out the rain a little up here. Is it because of your quirk? The air pressure is too drastic of a change, right, it’s causing your usual aerodynamics to be off and make flying really awkward, huh? Woah, are your feathers wet? I would have assumed that your wings would be water resistant like most birds are, though I suppose maybe you don’t have all the traits needed for that to happen. I don’t know a whole lot on bird anatomy but I think the water resistant wings come from preening, I assume that would be the time for specific oils that help with water resistance to be secreted, it just makes sense doesn’t it? I don’t suppose you have the right glands for that considering the state of them now. You ought to see a specialist to formulate an oil coating for your feathers so that they don’t get soaked during a storm like this. A little time, money, minor allergy testing and you could get a custom preening oil made for you. Do you preen your feathers often?”
Wide eyes blink at him patiently and Hawks is still caught on sweet dimples and the adorable matching rain outfit that he cannot answer more than an unintelligible “Uhhhhh.” Izuku’s unfazed head tilt and slight swaying feet remind Hawks that he’s still holding the boy in the air under his arms and he promptly sets him down, Izuku simply smooths down his raincoat and adjusts his hat as he looks slightly upward at Hawks. Green eyes slide from Hawks’ face to the left and catch the singed edges of feathers. Izuku makes a noise of concern and Hawks confusedly takes the suddenly offered umbrella, glad to be out of the rain for a bit, and shuffles closer to the boy to share the cover a little despite him being dressed in much more rain appropriate clothes. He smiles reassuringly when Izuku carefully looks him over and watches him bring his wrist up to his face after tapping a small pattern on a slim banded bracelet and speak into it.
“Cuppy, I need you to bring up the med-kit and ask Fruit for a warm bento.” Hawks listens to the beeps that Izuku gets in return and opens his mouth to tell the kid it’s not necessary for anyone else to come out in this weather but is interrupted by Izuku’s chiding tone replying to the beeps. “No Cuppy, Fruit cannot come out too. I didn’t finish reapplying his weather coating and I would hate for him to get water in his system, it’ll be a pain to drain it all out later.” Izuku hums seemingly satisfied with the string of beeps that follow his words and he lowers his wrist and smiles reassuringly at Hawks and Hawks can’t help the way his own face answers with a grin of his own.
Izuku looks off towards the edge of the roof and Hawks opens his mouth to ask what that was all about but is distracted by a sudden squelching sound and looks down to see the kid, Izuku his brain reminds him, absently rocking back and forth in a slowly growing puddle and he has to bite his inner cheek to hold in the coo fighting to escape him at the adorable action.
‘Oh this kid is precious, like a little chick playing in a bird bath for the first time.’
Before Hawks has to talk himself out of just taking the kid and flying away the sliding open of a window takes his attention and judging by the acknowledging noise Izuku made the kid had heard it too, a fact that Hawks catalogues as interesting in the back of his mind considering the overpowering sound of heavy rain still falling around them. But still he watches dutifully in the off chance that this is still a very elaborate trap or it’s not the “”Cuppy”” the kid is expecting to join them, and ‘isn’t that a strange name for someone’ Hawks wonders before he watches bewildered as a gleaming robot comes quietly whirring over the edge of the roof and heading straight for Izuku. He tenses for a second on reflex, caught off guard and a moment away from dropping the umbrella and swinging the kid safely behind him but is stopped when Izuku happily calls for the robot.
“Cuppy, good boy! How’s the new coating feel? No leaks detected? Ah right, let’s patch up Hawks and give him something warm first before we go over that. Hawks?” Izuku is looking up at him expectantly and once again all Hawks can offer him in response is an,
“Uhhh”
Which Izuku of course takes as permission to do as he pleases and smiles sweetly as he tugs Hawks to the ground by his coat sleeve, takes the umbrella out of his hand and replaces it with the steaming bento handed over by Rice Cup. Slightly off balance Hawks jumps as Rice Cup’s arms come out and begin setting his singed feathers back into proper place but a humming from Izuku keeps him from turning around to bat away robotic arms. Instead Hawks has to look up from his seated position to where Izuku stands over him dutifully holding the umbrella to cover him and his wings that are being gently massaged and preened by his beeping robot, green eyes carefully keep watch over the handling of his wings makes Hawks relax further. He allows a full body shiver to run through him at the tender care he’s receiving and Izuku meets his eyes in curiosity and Hawks grins cheekily up before popping the lid on the bento open and taking a look at what he’s working with.
“Ohhh karaage and rice!” Hawks happily digs in after a quick thanks and Izuku beams.
“Kacchan dropped that off earlier! I was testing out a new food compartment for a possible upgrade on my senpai's companion bot, ah but that’s not important right now” Izuku waves away the questioning tilt of Hawks’ head as he continuously stuffs his face. “But! Kacchan made this for me so there should be a little secret rolled omelet under the rice.” Izuku explains excitedly as he moves to comfortably squat down in front of the hero to stare intently at the bento waiting for the omelet to be uncovered, his shorter form makes him awkwardly hold the wobbly umbrella higher than he would normally to make sure Hawks is still covered and while the gesture is appreciated and maybe necessary while the “medical attention” is currently taking place Hawks has to fight the urge to shuffle closer to the kid and hide him away under a damp wing. Giving into the smile fighting its way onto his face Hawks choses to humour the kid and switches his focus from the chicken to eating away at more of the rice to try and uncover the secret omelet. At the first sight of golden rolled egg Izuku gives an adorably smug noise of triumph at being right.
“Mmh, Kacchan thinks I don’t eat enough of my rice so he hides my omelet under a mountain of it!” Izuku informs him with a sweet, lightly chagrined smile and Hawks just about dies. “Ne, Hawks do you like rolled omelet?” Izuku questions excitedly and while Hawks likes them just fine he can’t bring himself to say that to Izuku and instead tells him.
“Not really, kind of find it weird myself to eat eggs.” He gives Izuku a joking smile and instead of looking at him weird and accusing him of being a cannibal for happily eating chicken just a moment ago the kid just widens his eyes and nods in understanding.
“Ah! I see, I suppose hawks in the wild don’t really eat eggs either. Not when there are better things to eat. Like the bird that laid them for instance!” Izuku lets out a tinkling laugh like he made a joke and didn’t just make Hawks feel more comfortable and accepted about his favourite food than anyone’s ever made him feel before.
“Y-yeah.” Hawks’ voice cracks and he clears his throat and self-consciously deepens his voice for his next question to make up for it. “Do you wanna take this rolled omelet off my hands for me, kid?” Green eyes bright and a grin stretched across freckled cheeks is his reward as Izuku happily nods and stares at the omelet, mouth open to receive the delicious food.
Bird brain kicking in Hawks can’t stop the trilling noise escaping from his mouth as he feeds the omelet and ever one to go with the flow of things Izuku doesn’t even bat an eye at the sound and swallows the egg to give a short happy little whistle in response.
The air is stolen from Hawks as he internally melts at how cute and chirp-like that was and immediately claims the kid and places him into the family category in his mind.
“Aww, sweet bird! Who’s a sweet little birdie?” Hawks coos in that high annoying voice that triggers him when he’s being teased by his friend but he really just cannot help himself. Likewise, Izuku cannot help his quick response to questions like this because his father often does it to him as well.
“I’m a sweet little bird!” As soon as it’s said Izuku’s eyes widen and an embarrassed blush takes over his face turning him tomato red and he quickly stands and moves behind Hawks pretending to be busy looking over Rice Cup’s work. Hawks makes a funny wobbling grin, like he knows that Izuku didn’t consciously mean to answer like that and can’t quite muffle his amused snort. But he tries to cover it up with a cough and he returns to eating his quickly cooling bento as Izuku begins muttering under his breath about better materials for a proper weather resistant coat that’ll work with Hawks’ quirk.
“Ahem, don’t worry about it kid. Happens to the best of us.” Hawks calmly assures Izuku after a minute, he bites into a piece of chicken and savours the rich flavour before continuing. “My friend Rumi does it all the time and gets me if I’m not expecting it.” Izuku can hear the grin in his voice and giggles as he imagines Hawks telling anyone that he’s a pretty bird.
“Um your wing looks better now! Cuppy realigned your feathers for you so flying should feel a tiny bit better but I think you should really get a preening oil made for you. I can ask Papa if he can do it or if he knows any good specialists he could refer you to if you want! He’s usually booked far in advance but I think he’d do it for you if I asked him.” Izuku tells Hawks as he comes back around to stand in front of him, slowly moving to stand on his tippy toes to hold the umbrella higher as Hawks gets up off the ground to stretch his wings out.
“Your dad?’ He questions lightly as he continuously shifts his wings testing mobility. Izuku watches with a careful eye and lightly wobbles at the sudden gust of wind pushing him from behind. Hawks quickly puts a hand on top of Izuku’s head to secure his rain hat and gently takes the umbrella from Izuku so he’s not struggling to keep Hawks’ wings covered as much as possible. Izuku nods happily straightening out his hat once more.
“Mmhm! Midoriya Hisashi, he’s the best quirk researcher and he sometimes does quirk consultations and stuff to help people manage their quirks!”
Hawks, fully aware who Midoriya Hisashi is, loses his grip on the umbrella handle in his shock and it quickly slides down hitting him on the head and top of the wings making him jump in surprise.
“Midoriya Hisashi is your father?” Hawks’ wings puff up as much as possible still being as damp as they are. And Izuku just tilts his head in thought, his father might be the most sought-after quirk specialist and the leading researcher in the field of quirk studies but he isn’t a household name, most heroes aren’t aware of him and an even smaller population of civilians have ever needed his services personally so Izuku finds it odd that Hawks would know of him but he puts the thought aside and hums in confirmation.
“Yes. And you’re Hawks, 21 years old, current number 3 hero, and part time model.” Izuku grins with a glint in his eye that screams barely controlled mischief, no doubt having picked up on Touya’s budding attraction poorly disguised as irritation on the clearly infatuated Hawks during their many gaming sessions where Izuku asks questions about Touya’s day.
“I-… Yes? Not everyday that civs will include modelling in my description.” Hawks asks in a leading way.
“Mmh! T-“ Izuku quickly catches himself and fakes a sneeze to cover up his near slip, a devious little plan formulating in his mind, “Nii-san has worked with you before and he tells me how much work goes into modelling so it’s only appropriate to include your modelling career as well!” Izuku smiles extra sweet, dimples on display, freckles pronounced on his rosy cheeks and ruddy nose. While it distracts Hawks marginally it’s not quite enough to shift the curiosity from the mysterious nii-san as Hawks knows well that Midoriya Hisashi famously has only one child that he adores, though the man is always careful not to mention him or his wife by name publicly to avoid any incidents.
“And who is this mysterious nii-san, birdie? Maybe I remember him.” Hawk questions lightly.
“Ah! Nii-san doesn’t like when I talk about his work to others, he thinks it’s embarrassing and he doesn’t want anyone to get the wrong ideas about him so I think it would be best not to say.” Izuku frowns apologetically and Hawks buys his big doe eyes.
“Ah! But maybe in the future you could come to a game night and I can introduce you two properly!” Izuku grins brilliantly before he seemingly remembers himself and he dramatically sags his shoulders. “Oh, well I-I mean only if you wanted to and aren’t too busy… You know being a hero and all, Hawks-nii…” Izuku quietly shuffles his feet and peeks up at Hawks from under the brim of his rain hat, eyes big and round and innocent.
Hawks falls for it.
“Just tell me when!” Hawks drops the umbrella and pulls Izuku off the ground and up to his chest, wings coming up to lightly wrap around them shielding them from the wind. “You’re my new favourite person just give Keigo-nii a time and place I’ll be there, birdie.” Izuku, face hidden in the scruff of Hawks’ jacket collar, smirks as his genius plan officially begins. He turns his head so his chin is resting over top of Hawks’ sternum and gives him a small happy smile and Hawks lets loose another quick coo at the cute face. Behind them Rice Cup has picked up the fallen umbrella and hovers over Hawks’ shoulder to provide more coverage from the rain.
“Mmhm! Keigo-nii~!” Izuku gets squashed ever closer by an ecstatic Hawks who is internally celebrating the new bond he’s made on such a gloomy, stormy, evening.
‘Otouto! Otouto-kun! Ahhh he’s so cute and sweet!! Izuku-chan! Little birdie Izukkun! Izu-tan! Gah! Izu-bou!!’
As Izuku is thoroughly enjoying the tad-too-tight hug, not that Izuku will complain about it after all Izuku doesn’t know the last time Hawks got to hug someone so maybe he’s just getting his fill until the next time he can visit, Rice Cup interrupts with a chime. Izuku looks over Hawks’ shoulder and notices Rice Cup’s stubby little antenna sticking out signifying a line request from Fruit Cup downstairs and he’s quick to open the connection as it can only be his mother calling.
“Mom? Hello!” Izuku cheerily answers and feels Hawks turn them more towards Rice Cup in curiosity.
“Izuku sweetheart, come back in now it’s getting darker and the rain isn’t going to let up anytime soon.” Izuku makes to answer but is cut off by a very real sneeze and it’s only then that Izuku notices he’s started shivering, Inko of course hears the sneeze and makes a dissatisfied noise. “I’ll get the bath ready, don’t want you to catch a cold now do we? Katsuki will just be worried sick if you do, the poor dear.” Embarrassed but pleased Izuku hums confirmation and Hawks squeezes him, reluctant to let him go but knowing he needs to.
“Hm. Keigo-nii too, Mama?” Izuku asks sweetly and Hawks stiffens while Inko only giggles fondly at her boy.
“Yes, Izuku. Him as well, no one should be out in this weather. Come inside boys.” Inko ends the connection and Izuku grins as Hawks just stares wide-eyed at Izuku. Soon enough Izuku wiggles to be released and Hawks is quick to let him down.
“Well we better get down there, Mom will probably have tea ready for us!” Hawks nods and helps to quickly gather everything that Izuku and Rice Cup brought up for him. Rooftop cleaned up Hawks yelps and is quick to grab Izuku as he notices the boy begin to haphazardly scale down the side of his house, Hawks maneuvers them to Izuku’s bedroom window that opens with a click once Izuku gets them close enough to hold his bracelet up against the frame. Right behind them Rice Cup zips inside and makes a short beeping tune and the windows shut and lock with a click.
Standing awkwardly in the middle of Izuku’s bedroom and slowly dripping water onto his floor Hawks watches as Izuku moves around the room replacing things in Rice Cup’s storage compartment as Rice Cup also moves around the room picking out dry pajamas and shower things for Izuku. Soon enough Rice Cup hands him a hand towel and Hawks absently dries his face and runs the towel over his hair to keep it from dripping over his face soaking it again as he looks around Izuku’s room more and wonders what the various scribbled nonsense he has written on bits of papers and open notebooks scattered all around his room are.
Hawks’ wondering eyes are interrupted by the soft knocking at Izuku’s open door and he turns to take in the short woman holding a large towel and what look to be a set of soft men’s clothes that will be too big for Hawks but they’re dry and that’s what matters as far as Hawks is concerned, assuming they are in fact for him. He hopes they’re for him.
“Boys- Oh! Izuku, you didn’t take the number three hero away from his patrol did you?” Inko lightly asks but the teasing grin and laughter gleaming in the winking green eyes assures Hawks that Inko is teasing Izuku and does not mind his presence in her home. Relaxing tense shoulders Hawks gives Inko an easygoing smile to assure them both that he didn’t have a patrol and was just caught in the storm, getting a nod from Inko she turns to Izuku and chases him off to the bath before he catches cold and the boy obediently shuffles off after a quick kiss to his mother’s cheeks and he gets one at his temple in return.
Left alone with Inko Hawks shuffles in place awkwardly for a moment but before he can say anything Inko beats him to it.
“Sorry Hawks-kun, you’ll have to wait until Izuku is done with the bath to use it. His immune system is a little weak and he’ll catch sickness easier than either of us, why don’t we have a cup of tea while you wait. Did Izuku get you something to eat yet? Dinner will be ready soon enough if you’re still hungry.” Inko smiles and turns to lead him down the stairs to the kitchen.
“Oh! Right, here you go Hawks-kun. These are my husband’s, he doesn’t wear them since he runs hot and they’ll likely be big on you but they’ll be better than what you’re wearing now.” Inko turns to hand off the towel and set of soft fleece pajama pants with short sleeve shirt. She absently eyes his wings and frowns lightly. “If you need to cut the shirt in the back feel free to do so, Hawks-kun! Like I said, my husband doesn’t wear this set.” She smiles and Hawks flushes in a small amount of embarrassment, wings flutter behind him once.
“Ah thank you, Midoriya-san. It won’t be necessary though if you have a place I could just uh..” Hawks gestures helplessly with his hands as he commands a handful of his feathers to detach from his back and to float around him. Startled for a moment Inko just nods and thinks for a moment before humming and leading the way to a wide living room with an electric fireplace crackling away.
“Will this do, Hawks-kun?” Inko smiles at him and Hawks nods gratefully as more of his feathers shudder before detaching and flying to lay themselves neatly in front of the fire to dry, leaving him with only the soft downy feathers close to his back.
“And please, call me Keigo. I’m off duty, no need to be so formal.” Hawks says nonchalantly with an easy smile while internally he’s nervous about opening up so freely like this. Inko just smiles warmly, nodding as she leads them back to the kitchen.
“Of course, Keigo-kun. You may call me Inko or auntie, whichever you prefer. I’m sure that we’ll be seeing each other often now that Izuku has claimed you as his brother.” Inko giggles as Hawks puffs up in happiness. Inko turns back once more and catches his glowing grin, her smile softens and she turns back with a warm heart at the thought of her baby boy making someone so happy to be called his big brother. Quietly, almost to herself, Inko says one more thing before she is distracted by lightly admonishing Izuku for loudly skidding into the kitchen with a towel hanging around his neck to catch stray drops of water dripping from his still damp curls, calling out for Hawks.
“Welcome to the family, Keigo-kun.”
“Keigo-nii!!! The bath is all yours!”
Hawks’ breath catches in his throat as an overwhelming warmth spreads through his chest. He swallows and the next breath he takes is the easiest one he’s ever taken as he smiles looking at Inko in the kitchen checking on dinner and Izuku sitting at the table happily typing away at his phone. Hawks grips in one hand the borrowed clothes and with the other he ruffles Izuku’s hair as he passes him by to head upstairs to take a quick warm bath before dinner, his first homecooked family dinner that he can remember.