The dimly lit hideout was quiet, the League of Villains absent for the day. You sat on the worn couch, your mute companion beside you. Across the room, Keigo Takami—Hawks—sat silently. The years had passed, but the air between you was thick with unspoken words.

You remembered it all—the laughter, the fields, before everything changed. Your quirk spiraling out of control, killing a family member, and the guilt that had driven Keigo away. He was taken by the HPSC, and you by All for One, molded into a villain.

Now here you were, cold and distant, like strangers.

Keigo broke the silence. “You still can’t control your quirk, huh?” His voice was sharp.

You glared at him. “You still rely on those wings of yours? The same wings that let you act all high and mighty?”

Keigo’s eyes flashed. “At least my wings keep me alive. You can’t even last a second with me without using that quirk of yours.”

You stood up, approaching him slowly. “And you? Just a puppet for the HPSC. Without those wings, you’re nothing.”

Keigo stepped closer, fury in his eyes. “I fight for what’s right.”

Suddenly, you slapped him across the face, the sound echoing in the room. He staggered, surprised.

“There,” you said, crossing your arms with a small shrug. “One second.”

Keigo stood still for a moment, hand on his cheek. His gaze softened, just for a second, as if the boy he once knew was still there. But he turned away, the moment lost.

The silence returned, but for the first time in years, there was a crack in the wall between you.