--

Hawks sat on a chair. He was in a dimly lit room. In fact, the only source of light was the smartphone he was holding.

His body drooped on the chair, head hung low. His limbs sagged beside him. His facial features were the only thing that reveal his identity.

His phone showed a picture of Tokoyami, the teen's profile picture in a messaging app.

Tokoyami showed a rare smile, leaning on a pillar, glancing at the camera. His red eyes had a little gleam from a neon glow from the right. It was beautifully made, a picture that reveals the inside.

Looking at Tokoyami's little smirk, Hawks tried to control himself.

He wished Tokoyami looked at him like the way he looked at the camera. He wished Tokoyami revealed his inner self to him. He wished Tokoyami trusted him.

He exited the picture, revealing his private message with Tokoyami. Tokoyami's last few messages were announcing his arrival to his internship along with some questions about his quirk.

(Captain Falcon's iconic motto)

Dad... Oh how Hawks wished it wasn't sarcasm...

He imagined that it was genuine, making his heart tingle, but it was quickly replaced with pain.

Using all his willpower, he contained his emotions as he re-read the messages again and again.

"Thanks, Dad"

Hawks closed his eyes and placed the phone on a table, but it was embedded in his mind.

"Thanks, Dad"

He flinched as it didn't escape his mind. He covered his eyes with his hands, trying to add another layer of cover.

"Get out..."

The abusive sounds reappeared...

"GET OUT OF MY F**KING HEAD!"

Layers of noise ambushed his mind, drowning out his thoughts.

The coughing and hacking from Tokoyami... It was disturbing; as if any second now, dead silence might accompany it. His heroic instincts scream at him to help a non-existent person.

Hawks felt like gouging out his brain. He had already endured hours of torture mentally, unable to help his child.

"Thanks, Dad."

Now it sounds like mockery. Thanks, Dad. You didn't lift a finger to help me. Indeed he didn't. He didn't save Tokoyami and proceeded to end his life instead.

Tears mixed with guilt and regret flowed out of his eyes, flowing out of his eyelids. He curled up in his red wings, adding yet another layer of protection.

"I love you, Dad"

His words... It was his words, but it was mixed with Tokoyami's.

My mind's crazy... I'm crazy

"I love you..."

Hawks felt a rush of emotion. In one fell swoop, he grabbed his phone and texted.

Hawks lay on his back out of exhaustion after letting out his emotions. He wasn't expecting a reply, of course. It was inevitable. God doesn't exist.

He caught a glimpse at his phone, staring at a tick beside his message.

✅ (unread)

He stared at it as if it was those kind of disappearing illusions. (Disappearing pink dots illusion)

Hawk knows it's impossible but being in the state that he was, he liked to imagine it being true.

✅

Hawks dazed off, not wiping away the tears in his eyes. He imagined Tokoyami beside him, being his son for the first time. How Tokoyami's adorable face would've looked after he revealed that he would be his father.

✅

Looking at Tokoyami's face, he imagined Tokoyami smiling.

But he couldn't... When he saw Tokoyami's face, he wasn't smiling. There wasn't a memory of Tokoyami actually being happy. He couldn't imagine

All he could see was Tokoyami crying. That was clear. After all, he had constantly seen Tokoyami suffer...

Thank God that was just happening in his mind...

Tokoyami is just living his own life now... He isn't getting abused by anybody right now.

Hawks reassured himself without a thought.

... Then his smile disappeared

But he isn't. Tokoyami had actually been kidnapped. The hours of torture actually could've been true...

Something clicked inside him. As if his nightmare had become reality...

.

.

.

✔️

Hawks was shocked out of his daze. He gaped at the green tick, blinking twice.

It was still there, coloured.

He sat up in surprise.

This couldn't be!

He typed furiously, fearing that the other recipient might leave without a word.

✅

...

...

✔️

Oh thank god, he didn't leave!

He looked at Tokoyami's profile. The Tokoyami in the picture seems to be smiling at him almost as if it's a live video.

Hawks held his breath when he saw that word, he couldn't believe his eyes. His heart hammered in his chest, beating furiously.

Hawks heaved a sigh of relief, laughing out his worry.

However, after a while, tears of sorrow started flowing out his eyes...

Tokoyami replied, so why do I still feel sad?

Hawks took his phone and went into the toilet, wiping his tears with his hands.

He looked at his wasted self in the mirror.

Something about his eyes seemed off... It seemed different.

He walked away...

In the mirror, his phone was shown.

It was different.

.

.

.

(Tokoyami's replies were just a figment of Hawk's imagination. That's why 'Tokoyami' called him Dad and said he was coming home.)

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

✅

(It was never green.)

Hawks hysterical laughter could be heard echoing in the shower.

--

Author's note: Hey I'm sorry to say this but... I've just started school a few weeks ago. The next few chapters may be delayed. However, I will try my best to write it in the weekends if I can.

P.S. No comedy in this chapter sorry! I had to end the Hawks arc first.