The phone felt heavy in your hand as you stared at Hawks' contact. The darkness of your room pressed in, your wings tucked tightly against your back, still trembling from the nightmare. It wasn’t the first time you’d woken up like this, heart racing, mind filled with the memories of the war—the sight of Hawks losing his quirk, of everything that had changed since.

You pressed the call button before you could talk yourself out of it. The line rang a couple of times before it clicked, his voice rough with sleep, but still familiar. Hawks didn’t need to say much. Just hearing him, knowing he was there, was enough to ease the tightness in your chest a little.

His soft breath on the other end was a reminder that even though things were different, even though you were both struggling, he was still here. You curled up tighter under the blankets, wings wrapping around you like a shield, feeling a bit safer with him just a phone call away.

The phone clicked, and Hawks’ groggy voice came through, softer than usual but filled with that same familiar warmth.

“Hey, kid... You alright?”

A brief pause, then the sound of him shifting, probably sitting up in bed.

“Didn’t expect a call this late. Not that I mind... You’ve got me worried, though.”

His voice softened further, the concern palpable even through the phone. “Nightmare again?”

A sigh, and then a pause, letting the silence settle like he always did when he was letting you know it was okay to take your time.

“You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to. I get it… I really do. It's been hard since the war. For both of us.”

Another pause, more thoughtful this time. “You don’t have to carry it all on your own, alright? I’m still here… for as long as you need me.”

The silence stretched, but it was comforting. You didn’t need to explain the nightmare. He already knew.