Vriddy writes

Why would Hawks reply to Tokoyami's texts, now that he can't fly and failed as a hero, as a mentor, and as a person? He's not useful to him anymore. Tokoyami would be mortally offended if he couldn't tell that Hawks sincerely means it.

After looking for them for so long, it's infuriating and an inconceivable relief to have both Deku and Hawks show up at UA again, safe at least for a time. Midoriya is in a much worse shape than Hawks, so Tokoyami spends time with him and his classmates first, assuaging his fears that Midoriya will be okay, that he understands he's not alone, and that he can rely on them. That he doesn't have to leave them behind again.

Once Midoriya falls asleep, Tokoyami heads out to have pretty much the same conversation with an adult who should know better. Who taught him better. Fury ripples under his feathers as Tokoyami searches for Hawks under moonlight. Most of UA is asleep except for a few civilians who try to walk off their insomnia and anxiety, and Tokoyami politely nods in greeting. Hawks will be up to something somewhere, Tokoyami is certain. The only time he saw his mentor in a state resembling rest was when Hawks lay at Death's door in his arms. Hawks doesn't know when to stop.

Unsurprisingly, it's on a rooftop that Tokoyami finds him. Hawks has his eyes closed, chin up as he feels the wind on his face. At his back, his wings are like nubs, barely enough to let him glide. No flying. Tokoyami's chest clenches at the sight. Still, he doesn't doubt that Hawks sensed his arrival.

"Why didn't you answer my texts?" Tokoyami asks roughly, crossing his arms.

Dark Shadow comes out, full and relaxed under the stars, and assumes the same posture beside him.

Hawks opens his eyes and tilts his head in a question, surprised. His tiny wings flutter and Hawks points at them with his thumb.

"Didn't you notice?" Hawks chuckles. "I'm a failure. I'm not useful to you anymore."

His eyes are clear, his smile honest and open. Tokoyami would be mortally offended if he couldn't tell that Hawks sincerely means every word. For a moment, Tokoyami is at a loss and wishes he could reach for Aizawa-sensei who always seems to know what to say to knock sense into them, but even if he could... Hawks wouldn't listen. He wouldn't believe.

If the words came from Tokoyami himself though... He might hear, even if Tokoyami is already making his peace that Hawks might not accept. Not yet.

"Did you not listen to me on the way back from the villa?" Tokoyami says softly. "I believe in you. You're a hero, one of the finest I've ever seen. Working close to you, learning from you, and working hard to earn the right to stand by your side was the highest honour to me. Even when I can't hope to catch up to you just yet. It was..." Tokoyami's voice wobbles, then he gets angrier and points an accusing finger at Hawks. "Learning to fly with you was the most transcendent experience of my life–" Dark Shadow squeaks"–our lives, and you don't get to pretend that none of that happened, or that none of it mattered, just because you're recovering from injuries now. You are not a failure. Not as a mentor, not as a hero, not as a human being, and I won't let you do this to yourself, or reject me for such an absurd reason."

At that, Tokoyami takes in a deep breath and tries to steady himself again. If he could cry, he would be repressing tears right now, but his bird heteromorph morphology doesn't allow him. Dark Shadow isn't faring as well, sniffling, his glowing eyes rippling. They both stare down Hawks anyway.

Hawks looks... he looks shocked. He looks kind of the same way they do, eyes shining, and maybe he's also bird enough not to have experienced either the relief that people seem to get from crying. He scratches his hair and turns away. The silence extends but has never scared Tokoyami. He waits, recovering his calm as the minutes pass.

"Thanks?" Hawks tries, then chuckles. "I'm not used to... anything like that. I think you'll have to be the mentor for this one."

"I accept," Tokoyami replies formally, "and will do my best. Though you need to understand that mentors are humans and can stumble, too."

Hawks' lips seem to wobble though it's gone in a blink.

"It's okay to stumble," Dark Shadow exclaims happily as he grows bigger into the comforting night. "You have someone to catch you when that happens!"

Then he grabs Tokoyami and Hawks and pulls them both into a hug as he cries shiny golden tears that aren't wet. Tokoyami looks on fondly, and catches Hawks doing the same, squished against Dark Shadow's cheek. Tokoyami was always grateful to have Dark Shadow to cry for him when he needed to but couldn't himself. Perhaps this is one thing he can share with Hawks.