Chapter 6

Mimmy Stark :innocent: MEDICAL HIATUS 09/27/24

Hello, hello! Mimmy here with chapter 6 of The Runaway Sky! I hope you enjoy!

Word count

1470

It was secluded enough for them to be, a rooftop at a safe distance from any major towns and cities. They were safe, that was what Hawks had told Dabi. That was everything that matter as Hawks leaned against the wall, watching as Dabi gazed up at the starry sky. He could see a spark of awe in his eyes and, if he looked close enough, he could also see a hint of wonder hiding in them as well.

“It's not the same as seeing them through a window, is it?” He smiled, his wings flapping slightly, appreciating the way the wind ruffled his feathers gently.

Dabi took a few moments before looking away from the sky and at him. He was quiet for a moment, just gazing at him. “Yeah...” he said quietly, his gaze lingering on Hawks as the hero looked up at the sky, still smiling. Dabi wasn't sure what it was, but something about Hawks made it hard for him to look away from him.

Hawks slid down the wall and sat down on the concrete, glancing at him briefly and catching his gaze. “I knew you would like it.” He grinned, shifting a bit and looking back up at the stars. “Tell me they're not one of the most beautiful things you've ever seen.” He didn't glance at Dabi as he spoke.

Dabi appreciated that.

“It's not like I seeing much,” he said with an uncomfortable chuckle, dropping his gaze to his lap for a couple seconds. “But, yeah... I guess they are one of the most beautiful...” His voice was quiet, but Hawks heard him just fine.

Hawks couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn’t right. Watching Dabi gaze up at the stars, free from the weight of his past, Hawks couldn’t help but feel selfish. He was keeping Dabi in the dark, molding him into someone new, someone who could be... better. But was it fair? He pushed the thought away. The truth was a double-edged sword, and Hawks wasn’t ready for Dabi to who he was.

Silence fell upon them once again, the only sound around them being the rustling of feathers and the sound of small flames every now and then as Dabi activated his quirk, looking at the flames as they got hotter each time he used them. The comfort settled around them as neither said a word for a while.

Dabi's flames soon began to change color, the orange and red shade slowly began to flicker back and forth to blue.

“Hawks,” Dabi started, looking at the flames, although he didn't seem worried to see the fire change colors, as if he knew that was the way it was supposed to be all along. The blue glow was what caught Hawks' attention. “Why do I go by Dabi?” he asked, glancing up at Hawks with something in his eyes that was closer to curiosity than confusion.

Hawks hesitated. Those questions were getting out of hand at that point. He shifted a bit and avoided eye for a moment. “It's just how things are around here, most people get aliases, it's to keep things cool and mysterious.” He shrugged. “Some people keep their real names a secret from the rest of the world. You used to for a while, so even those who know your real name, they still call you Dabi.”

Dabi looked at the fire and back up at Hawks. “And you?” Hawks frowned a bit at the question and raised an eyebrow, as if asking Dabi to elaborate. “Do you keep your name a secret?”

“I used to...” He stood up and spread his wings, hovering a couple feet off the ground and sitting on the air. “My name has... bad connections, it wouldn't exactly help people trust me with their safety.” Not that they would now after saving one of the most notorious villains in the country from a deserved fate.

Curiosity grew in Dabi's eyes at that answer. He'd figured Hawks was a hero, but he didn't think he'd have anything to hide. He seemed like the safest guy to be around... at least without anyone to compare him to. “What is it?”

“Keigo,” he answered with hardly any hesitation. Everyone knew already, it wasn't like Dabi could ruin him and his reputation again... he honestly doubted he would if he managed to do things right. “Keigo Takami.” He watched Dabi's reaction carefully, trying to figure out if it stirred something within him. It didn't. “My father was a notorious criminal when I was a kid,” he said.

Dabi stared at him, processing the information in silence. The fire flickered again, turning blue once more. “I guess... I get that.” He frowned slightly, feeling a flicker of something inside — not quite recognition, but something close. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped, seeming to think twice. Instead, he quietly asked, “Do you think you’re anything like him?”

Hawks blinked, surprised by the question. He didn’t answer right away, his wings shifting restlessly in the air. “I don’t know,” he itted, his voice quieter than before. “I’d like to think I’m not. But sometimes I wonder if... if we’re all just stuck repeating the same patterns. That maybe, no matter how hard we try, we end up like the people who raised us.”

Dabi’s gaze lingered on him, something unspoken ing between them. It wasn’t just Hawks who felt haunted by the shadow of his father. Even without his memories, Dabi seemed to sense that same weight hanging over him, tying him to a past he couldn’t .

Dabi stared down at the flames flickering in his hand, feeling their warmth. The sight of the blue glow sparked something inside him, a faint stir of something... forgotten. He frowned, extinguishing the flames, the crackling sound cutting through the silence. “You know, you never really told me what kind of person I was before,” Dabi said, his voice quiet but clear. “Am I... better off now? Like this?”

Hawks hesitated, the question weighing on him. He landed softly beside him, his wings folding as he crouched down. His feathers fluttered nervously. He could hear the uncertainty in Dabi's voice, feel the unspoken plea for answers. But could he really give him the truth?

“I don’t know, Dabi. Sometimes I wonder if you’d even like who you used to be. You’ve got a clean slate now... isn’t that better?”

Dabi turned to look at him, eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m not sure. Maybe I need to know who I was... before I can decide if I want to stay this way.”

The silence that followed hung heavy between them, thick with the mix of unspoken thoughts and emotions.

Dabi’s expression shifted as he considered Hawks’ words, the weight of the unknown pressing on his chest. “Sorry, I just... I want to know who I am,” he murmured, looking away, his gaze drifting back to the stars. “Even if it hurts.”

Hawks felt a pang in his heart at Dabi’s vulnerability, guilt growing in his chest and crushing him. “Hey, I’m here, Dabi. Whatever you decide,” he offered softly, his voice steady despite everything.

Dabi glanced at him, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “And if I don’t like what I find?”

“Look at the bright side, man!” Hawks replied, a reassuring smile breaking through the tension. “You have the power to choose who you want to be now.”

Dabi nodded slowly, the stars reflecting in his eyes and a small scoff leaving his lips. Maybe there was a way to move forward, with memories or without them.

As the minutes ed, the air around them seemed to hum with possibility. Dabi leaned back against the cool concrete, his heart lighter than it had been in a long time. “Okay,” he said quietly, determination creeping into his voice. “Let’s see where this takes us.”

Hawks chuckled softly, his wings fluttering slightly in the night breeze. “That’s the spirit. And who knows? Maybe you’ll find some things you like about yourself along the way.”

"You’re different, you know?" Dabi said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. He wasn’t sure what he meant, only that it felt true.

Hawks smiled, though he didn’t look away from the sky. “You’ve told me that before.”

Dabi’s eyes widened slightly. "I have?"

Hawks nodded. “Back when you ed everything.” He finally turned to meet Dabi’s gaze, something deeper than amusement in his eyes. “You always said I was different... I hope that still means something.”

Dabi didn’t know how to respond to that. He felt... something, but he couldn’t put a name to it. Maybe it didn’t need a name. So instead, he looked back up at the stars and stayed quiet.