Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

  Dabi grins at the lamp that's shining golden through the curtains of a window on the third floor, picking up a pebble and throwing it, hearing a light smack. It should be enough to alert the person residing there, but just to be sure, he picks up another and chucks it at the window. It's satisfyingly accurate and clinks off of the glass to fall to the bushes below. He reaches for another one but pauses when he hears the window latch open and wood slide against wood. He smirks when a head pokes itself out, immediately finding Dabi in the glow of the streetlamp. 

  "Wherefore art thou, Romeo?" Hawks comments sarcastically, rolling his eyes when Dabi throws him a sly gaze. "It's midnight."

  "And?" Dabi retorts, raising an eyebrow. "That's never stopped you before."

  "I have work tomorrow," Hawks denies, reaching up to close the window. 

  "Oh, come on," Dabi calls, loud enough to wake the rest of the apartment building. Hawks shoots him a hot gaze that screams annoyance. "What? You're seriously not gonna come have a totally awesome time with a totally awesome guy? You're twenty-two, Hawks, make stupid decisions while you still can."

  Hawks' glare of annoyance softens to a smile and bright eyes. Dabi knew saying something like that would inspire him. Hawks slips out of the window, keeping himself in the air long enough to shut the window, before he falls to the ground and lands in a kneel, grinning as he approaches Dabi. 

  "You know," Dabi whispers in his ear as he comes closer. "You looked kinda like an angel doing that."

  "Shut up," Hawks complains and shoves Dabi's shoulder. "What's up with you and being romantic today?"

  "Felt like it," Dabi says with a shrug and grabs Hawks' hand. "Come here. I have to show you something."

———

  After walking through a tangled, dark with a very dim light (courtesy of the blue flame burning in Dabi's palm) the trees open up to a beach, which is littered with beach chairs and umbrellas. It's hauntingly empty, but the water looks cool and inviting and Hawks can't help but shoot Dabi a look, raising an eyebrow. 

  "Is this a private beach?" 

  "You know it," Dabi teases and pulls Hawks closer to the water, toeing off his shoes and rolling up the ends of his pants, motioning for Hawks to do the same. As he does, Dabi wades a little into the water, grinning as the cooled water laps at his ankles, toes digging into the sand. 

  "How many laws are we breaking?" Hawks inquires as he too steps into the water, shoulder bumping against Dabi's. 

  "Just one," the villain whispers, turning to bump his nose against Hawks', grinning as the hero's eyelashes flutter at the action, eyes dancing to Dabi's lips. Dabi leans forward to connect their lips for a short, dangerous kiss, a promise of what's to come. He pulls away and raises an eyebrow. "Two now."

  Hawks reaches down and splashes him with water, laughing when Dabi quite literally shrieks, surprised at the action. 

  "Oh, really?" he asks and splashes more at Hawks, grinning as the other splutters and wipes the water from his cheeks. 

  "Oh, it's on."

  "Bring it on, little bird."

  Hawks traverses a little further in the water, the bottoms of his jeans becoming darker with the liquid, as he cups his hands and mercilessly shovels water into Dabi's face over and over again. Dabi laughs and copies the action, before an idea comes to mind. He immediately stops and puts a hand over his eyes, wincing audibly. 

  "Shit, fuck, stop," he mutters and the incessant spray of water ceases, before Hawks steps closer. 

  "Are you okay?"

  "I think I got water in my eyes." 

  Hawks reaches forward to grab his wrist and Dabi smirks to himself, immediately swiping Hawks' legs from under him, pushing his shoulders so he falls directly into the water. He surfaces, spluttering and wiping the water from his eyes. Dabi couldn't stop his laughter if he tried, hearing Hawks huff as he leans over and rests his hands against his knees. After his lungs begin to ache, he takes a deep breath and stands up, glancing over at Hawks' sopping wet figure, chuckling at the pout decorating his lips.   

  "Oh, come on. That was good," Dabi pushes and Hawks rolls his eyes. 

  "I was worried-"

  "Hey, your shirt looks wet," Dabi points out uselessly. His gaze slinks to something more sly and clever, raising an eyebrow. "Maybe you should take it off."

  "Oh, you'd like that," Hawks comments as he stands, dusting the sand off of his hands and onto his pants. 

  "Absolutely," Dabi murmurs with a smirk, approaching Hawks and reaching for the hem of his shirt, tugging at it a bit, before he leans forward to taste the salt on Hawks' jaw. "Can I?"

  Hawks' breath hitches when Dabi's hands slip under his shirt and explore the skin above his waistband, before they move to his back. He tucks a finger under the waistband above his ass at the same moment he decides to dig his teeth into the soft skin of Hawk's shoulder. Hawks whines and his hips stutter forward, causing Dabi to huff a laugh against his collarbone. 

  "Needy," he teases.

  "I thought you were taking my shirt off," Hawks utters. 

  "I was," Dabi agrees, nuzzling his nose into Hawks' jaw. "I got distracted." 

  He decides to slip Hawks' shirt over his head, cautious of the wings protruding from his back, and tosses it back on the beach. Hawks gives him a look, something that says, your turn, so Dabi pulls his shirt over his head and throws it in the general direction if Hawks'. He doesn't miss the way Hawks' golden gaze follows the lines of his body, zeroed in as if he were a predator locking in on his prey. 

  "I like when you look at me like that," Dabi murmurs and the tips of Hawks' ears tinge pink. "Come here."

  Hawks steps forward until their chests are almost brushing, causing the corner of Dabi's lips to quirk up. He reaches up and cups one of Hawks' cheeks, something rising in his chest when Hawks leans into the touch, face softening into something more gentle. 

  "You have me wrapped around your finger, do you know that?" he murmurs and the corners of Hawks' lips tilt up. 

  "I figured."

  Dabi captures Hawks' lips between his and slides a hand into wet, blonde curls, the taste of salt on his tongue as he licks into Hawks' mouth, feeling the other's breath hitch as he places his hands gingerly on Dabi's sides. 

  Dabi can get a little lost like this. 

  Dizzied in Hawks' touch, his taste, his skin, the way his tongue piercing feels against Dabi's lower lip; entranced in the way Hawks' fingertips trail up and down his sides, nails digging into his ribs lightly as some sort of urgent message. Dabi has half the mind to fuck him right here, in the crystal moonlight, like some sort of romantic getaway. 

  He pulls away before he can indulge himself more and doesn't miss the pout Hawks sends him as their lips separate. Instead, he sheds himself of his pants and throws them back towards the beach, before swimming further into the water, until it reaches up to his chest. Hawks gives him some sort of look, something to hint that he wanted more out of that moment, but he peels his soaking pants off anyway and follows Dabi's path, his wings doing the majority of the work rather than his legs. When he reaches Dabi, he gives him a lidded gaze and licks his lips. 

  Dabi really wants to kiss him again. 

  Dabi leans forward until their lips are nearly touching, grinning when Hawks slides forward in desperation to connect their mouths. 

  "Don't be so desperate," Dabi teases in a whisper, pulling away to raise an eyebrow at Hawks, who looks downright unamused. To make up for it, he leans forward and presses a soft kiss to Hawks' warm cheek, placing his hands on Hawks' hips and running his thumb along his hipbone. Hawks' arms wind around his neck and play with the black locks at the nape. 

  "When did you grow so soft?" Hawks asks gently, eyes shining an entrancing amber in the silver moonlight. Dabi can't help but thinks they look a bit like whiskey, and he's never been so desperate to drown in something until now. 

  "What do you mean?" he muses. 

  "When I first met you, I thought you were going to kill me," Hawks admits, smiling sheepishly. "And many times after that, too. And now...now it's the middle of the night, we're at a beach half naked, and I'm quite sure you've kissed me breathless about twelve times." Dabi laughs at this. "Not to mention the whole rock throwing thing. And the angel thing. And when you said-"

  "Okay, okay, I get it," Dabi retorts, corners of his lips turning up when he sees Hawks' genuine, unabashed smile. 

  "You're just so different. I always thought you were this cold, apathetic villain with only a body count to his name and...you've shown me that you're so much more than that. Why?" Hawks asks and Dabi feels a lump rise in his throat, his emotions getting the best of him as he's left breathless for a few seconds. 

  Why did he open up to Hawks? 

  In all honesty, it wasn't his looks. Sure, Hawks is very attractive and quite stunning, but Dabi's not the type to fall for the knock-'em-dead smiles. He's got this aura about him, something alluring and dangerous at the same time. Hawks constantly lives life on the edge and too fast for those around him, he's reckless and dangerous, he's the cliff diving type, the type to have adventures with late at night, the type to do just the thing they're doing now. 

  Dabi feels like he needed someone like that. 

  Villainy is lonely. And not that Dabi is complaining, he's never quite minded being alone.

  Well, before he met Hawks. 

  Imagining being without him now hurts a little too much. 

  "I trust you," Dabi whispers genuinely, and Hawks' breath hitches. "More than I've ever trusted anyone, I think."

  Hawks gives him a soft look, and Dabi wishes he could read the expression in his eyes. When Hawks sends him a gentle smile, just a quirk of the corner of his lips, he can't help but lean forward and capture that tenderness between his. Dabi can't describe it as anything other than soft, too fucking soft, so gentle and loving he feels his eyes burn when it's over. 

  "I brought weed," Dabi blurts and Hawks laughs, sweet and bubbly. Dabi wants to drink it in and stay drunk on it. They make their way to the beach, where Dabi has haphazardly laid out blankets, towels, and string lights, a few lanterns hanging from posts around the set up. 

  "You really thought this through," Hawks teases and wraps a blanket around his shoulders, shaking the water out of his hair. "I think we can call this a date." 

  "Maybe," Dabi muses as he wraps a towel around his waist and ignites his fingertip, lighting the lanterns around them. When he's finished, he sits next to Hawks and bumps their shoulders together, giving Hawks a smile. "You'd like that."

  "Yeah," Hawks whispers, and Dabi frowns at the tone in his voice. "You ever think of what our life would've been like if I wasn't a hero and you weren't a villain?" 

  "You're not a hero," Dabi reminds and Hawks shakes his head. 

  "You know what I mean. If...if I didn't have to constantly watch my back for someone to see us, or if we didn't have to hide from going on dates in public." The melancholic edge to Hawks' voice is reminiscent of lost love, or something of the sort. Hawks knows he can't get out of Dabi what he truly wants, but he's sticking around anyway. 

  Dabi wants to say something, but he holds his tongue. Now isn't the time nor the place. 

  "Don't think about stupid shit like that," Dabi murmurs and settles the bong between his legs, packing the bud he had ground previously into the bowl. "It doesn't matter anyway."

  "Yeah," Hawks offhandedly agrees, and Dabi pretends he doesn't hear the sadness in his voice. Finally, Dabi's content with the amount in the bowl and hands it to Hawks. 

  "You get first hit."

  Hawks gives him a smile and settles it between his legs, pressing his lips to the glass as Dabi's fingertip illuminates blue and he presses it into the bowl. The water bubbles as Hawks inhales deeply, managing to get a few hits out of it before he pulls the bowl and sucks the rest of the air from the glass. He blows the smoke from his nose and throws Dabi a seductive smile.

  "I would say that was hot, but you do that nearly every time we smoke," Dabi retorts and Hawks scoffs, shoving Dabi's shoulder. 

  "It makes everyone swoon."

  "You know what would really make everyone swoon?" Dabi inquires and Hawks raises an eyebrows, tilting his head at Dabi. 

  Dabi takes a deep hit from the bong and cups Hawks' cheek in his hand, using his thumb to separate his lips, before he surges forward and connects their mouths. Hawks' breath hitches as smoke fills his lungs, eyes sliding closed as he wraps his arms around Dabi's neck, pressing him into the blanket below them. Dabi smirks against his lips when his hands explore the expanse of Hawks' back, paying extra attention to the sensitive baby feathers that line the border between wing and skin. 

  Hawks begins to feel the high rising in his mind, and he decides to abandon all sort of restraint here and now, before he has to later. Dabi's mouth accepts his tongue graciously and exhales a soft noise when Hawks' hand tugs at his hair, before pulling Dabi's head back so Hawks can lave at the expanse of his neck. Dabi hums when Hawks' lips press to the place where ivory skin meets marred purple, moving his hands to tangle themselves in Hawks' hair. Hawks' tongue presses to the dips in Dabi's abdomen, his lips soon to follow, and it feels like worship. When Hawks' eyes meet Dabi's, and those gold irises shine angelically, like some sort of siren, Dabi knows he's gone. He's so fucking gone, he's drowning in Hawks' wake, deeper and deeper, as Hawks nips at his hipbones and soothes the bites with his warm tongue. 

  It's then that Dabi remembers that's not what they're here for. As Hawks tucks a finger under Dabi's waistband, Dabi grabs his wrist. 

  "That's not why I brought you here," he protests and Hawks rolls his eyes. 

  "Don't act so sappy," he retorts, before his eyes soften as Dabi's gaze remains serious. "Okay," he whispers and abandons his endeavor, laying his head on Dabi's chest as he wraps an arm around his waist, nuzzling into the skin of his collarbone. "Hey, you just lost a shit ton of fucking weed," Hawks points out and Dabi quickly looks to where the bong has been knocked over, the finely ground leaves peppering the white sand. 

  "Whatever," Dabi brushes off, rubbing figures onto Hawks' shoulder with his thumb. "I wasn't too keen on getting fucked up anyway."

  Both Hawks and Dabi's eyes go to the stars, where they shine a little brighter outside of the city.

  If Dabi squints, he can point out a few popular constellations. Hawks takes the lead on this and points to a cluster of stars.

  "You see that really big one? The brightest one?" he asks and Dabi hums his answer. "That's Venus. The planet."

  "The planet of love," Dabi teases, digging his fingers into Hawks' side, causing the hero to laugh and wiggle away from his, turning on his stomach so he can look up at Dabi. 

  "Love, huh?" he asks, resting his cheek on the palm of his hand. His eyes have softened and he's looking at Dabi with that gaze he finds is reserved for him; soft, sweet eyes with flushed cheeks and the corners of his lips perked up. Dabi leans forward and brushes a stray blonde wave from Hawks' face, tucking it behind his ear.  

  "I meant what I said about being wrapped around your finger," Dabi admits, cupping Hawks' cheek and rubbing his thumb along Hawks' cheek bone. "You completely have me." 

  "Is that the high talking?" Hawks inquires and Dabi can't help but chuckle. 

  "Maybe. But it's still me thinking it."

  Dabi sits up and Hawks sits next to him, their eyes following the soft waves that lap at the shore, falling into their rhythm and the sounds of their heartbeats. Hawks leans his head against Dabi's shoulder and exhales softly, hand finding Dabi's and lacing their fingers together.

  Dabi admittedly does entertain the idea of him and Hawks together, in an openly romantic relationship. Oftentimes, reality is too soon to hit and the daydream is squashed before it can manifest. But tonight, in the salty cool of the summery air, Dabi finds he can daydream just a little longer. As long as Hawks is here. 

  He knows him and Hawks will have to abandon their taboo getaway. He knows Hawks will go back to his work of heroics and saving people, and Dabi will remain one of the most wanted criminals in the country. Later on, when the sun begins to illuminate the world, this spell will be broken and they won't see each other for days - maybe weeks - again. They will always be nightly escapades and not-so-sober kisses and dangerous touches. They will never be solid, or clear, they will always be achingly obscure, and Dabi will lie awake with the thought that Hawks is living some better life. 

  He doesn't have to think about that right now. 

  Not while Hawks is breathing against him, and the racing in Dabi's chest makes him feel a little more human. Not when Hawks squeezes his hand, a silent reassurance, and bumps their knees together. Not when Hawks presses his lips to Dabi's shoulder in a soft kiss.

  Dabi doesn't have to think about that. 

  "Hey, wanna know what would happen with us if you weren't a hero and I wasn't a villain?" he inquires and settles a little farther away from Hawks, letting go of Hawks' hand to grab a loose stick from beside the blankets. "Here's my theory." 

  Hawks laughs and focuses intently on the pointed end of the stick.

  "Okay so, this is taking place in a no-quirk world," Dabi theorizes and Hawks smiles a little. "I'm a circus performer, I do like the fire baton tossing and the eating flaming swords or whatever." He draws his best impression of a stick figure throwing a flaming baton and shrugs when it looks half-assed. "You work at the zoo. At the aviary. The animals love you - especially the hawks."

  "I dig it," Hawks agrees and leans his head against Dabi's shoulder as the man draws him with a blob-looking bird on his arm. 

  "Now, I'm assuming that without quirks, my father isn't a total shit show. So! We take a family vacation to the zoo, and I tag along. As we're walking towards the aviary, I see you. You and your weird camo get up and that tan jacket you always wear with a bird of prey sitting on your arm," Dabi tells, smirking to himself. "I instantly fall for you. You're the cutest thing since sliced bread-"

  "That's not how that saying goes," Hawks teases and Dabi rolls his eyes. 

  "Whatever. I use my little brother, who couldn't care less about birds, really-"

  "Awful taste," Hawks contributes. 

  "Right? Anyway, I use him to talk to you. And you're this cool punk dude and we really vibe with each other, we listen to the same music, like the same movies, stuff like that."

  That's not far from the truth. 

  It fills Dabi with something he can't describe to know he's relating to this alternative reality like this. 

  "You're just so cute that I can't take my eyes away, right? And I can't just leave without getting your number. Who would I be? So I ask for your number and you agree and I'm like holyshitholyshitholyshit." 

  He takes a deep breath and begins drawing the next segment. 

  "We go on a few dates. The first one's to an aquarium. The second one is you coming to one of my circus shows, and then we go out for dinner and a few drinks. We go back to my house, and we fuck."

  "So romantic," Hawks retorts, rolling his eyes.

  "I thought so too. And I'm just laying there, amused out of my fucking mind, because that was the best fuck I've ever experienced, and it was from a bird man."

  "Eloquent."

  "Anyway, we become official the next day. You made me my favorite breakfast without me having to ask-"

  "How did I know where everything was in your house?" Hawks asks and Dabi brushes him off with a wave of his hand. 

  "Unimportant. The point is, we date for three more years. On the day of our third year anniversary, I take you to the aquarium where we had the first date and I pop that good ol' ' question with a mediocre ring."

  "Bold of you to assume you'd be the one proposing," Hawks argues, grabbing the stick and putting the ring in his own hand. "Continue."

  "Alright, drama queen. So you pop that good ol' question with a mediocre ring and I say yes. We both cry. Everyone claps, including the fishes," Dabi explains and Hawks chuckles at that. "We get married in a vineyard, where we drink so much wine we start to act like my weird aunt that struggles with an alcohol addiction but makes it seem like one of those quirky, forever-alone things."

  "Oddly specific," Hawks contributes. 

  "For our honeymoon we go to Alaska - you've always wanted to see the different species of birds there."

  "How sweet," the hero muses. 

  "And we adopt three kids named uh...um..." Dabi devotes extreme thought to it. "Our oldest kid is Natsuo, named after one of my little siblings - in the alternative reality, of course - because he was the one that didn't like the birds but I forced to come with me. Thank you, Natsuo. And-"

  "Anakin," Hawks rushes out. Dabi pauses and chuckles at the response, raising an eyebrow. 

  "Our second kid is named Anakin?" 

  "Absolutely."

  "Alright," Dabi continues with a laugh. "And our third child is named-"

  "Kylo Ren."

  "No, Hawks, stop being weird. Anakin, I can let slide, but now you're taking it a little too far."

  "I want a divorce," Hawks says with a completely straight face. "Kylo Ren or we get divorced."

  "Fine," Dabi agrees, writing the name down. "I fucking guess. Anyway. They are no one super significant in the world and I die at age eighty-three from lung cancer, and you die a few days later from a broken heart. At our funeral, our only good child, Natsuo, read-"

  "Fuck you, Anakin and Kylo Ren were good kids," Hawks argues and laughs, before settling against Dabi's shoulder again. "What a nice, mundane life."

  Dabi has to agree. It does seem like an easygoing, domestic way to live. He couldn't imagine his only concern being what his husband named their children - and not when he was going to meet his match and lose, or turn around to find Hawks had betrayed the League. Mundane, soft things, like wine and going to Alaska and naming your children after your favorite brother. 

  Dabi almost misses it. 

  But how can you miss something you never had? 

  They fall into a soft silence as the sun begins to rise over the waves, painting the world in a delicate gold. Dabi wants to keep this moment in a little bottle and wear it forever around his neck. He never wants to let this go. 

  And when the sun peaks, Hawks puts his sandy clothes back on and gives Dabi a soft, lingering goodbye kiss, before the flapping of wings is all he hears and he is alone. 

  He is alone. 

  He watches the sunrise. The world begins to warm, and soon enough, the tide begins to rise. 
Dabi doesn't move until the doodles of their mundane, alternative life are washed away into the ocean, and the edges of his blanket are wet. 

  He pretends his eyes aren't burning when he packs up his stuff and blows the blue flame from the torches, putting on his half-dry clothes. He pretends his chest doesn't ache when he takes one last, long look at the beach of their getaway; the only remnants are his footprints in the sand, and soon enough, those will be gone too. 

  Dabi turns his back and swallows the lump in his throat.