Chapter 17
Promise
.:+:.
... I should never have let myself...
.:+:.
"... yes, she's alright. She's home.
... I think that would be best, yes. She'll need at least a few days just to resettle. Thank you for understanding...
... hmm..? No sir I'm fine, just a little bruised-
-but it's such short notice, and I really don't-
... yes... alright... thank you, sir. Yes... Goodbye...
... Oi..."
.:+:.
Spirit-Sensei
...(9:34 am)...
...
That would be fine! My mother doesn't mind either.
...
Alright. Hawks is sending a cab to pick us up
from the train station and take us to his
Agency Building.
...
Okay, I will see you then..!
...
...
...
...(5:06 pm)...
...
I'm running a late, will you be
okay to take the cab by yourself?
I'll have to meet up with you at
Hawks' Agency instead, I'm sorry
...
Oh, no worries Spirit-Sensei, that's fine..!
I'm sure I'll be able to find the cab myself.
...
Alright, I am sorry for changing plan this quickly.
I'll be there as soon as I can manage.
...
It's really not a problem...!
And no need to rush, I'm okay to spend time
with Mr. Hawks and Tsukuyomi for a little.
I'll see you a bit later.
...
Yeah, see you in a bit.
Anima bit the inside of his cheek a little, his eyes scanning the messages on his phone and the stamp of the current time at the top of the phone; 5:43
The cab ride to Hawks' Agency building had taken a good 15 or so minutes since he'd been picked up by himself at the train station. The cab driver had waved him over shortly after arriving, and clearly recognizing him by his Hero Uniform. The driver had inquired as to where Animal Spirit was, though, and he'd had to explain the change of plan. The driver simply shrugged, and drove off with Anima in the back and little word else the whole ride.
Anima was now standing outside a very large, very striking, several story building in Heiku and one that looked... well a little barren. There were construction people milling about the outside, repairing things and replacing signs, altering bits of the decor and the building itself in a constant drone. He stood for a moment in silence on the sidewalk in front of it, looking around the bustle of workers and the people looking on as they moved up and down the street around him, his hands clutching to the straps of the backpack on his shoulders. He felt rather out of place truth be told, especially with not having Animal Spirit around like she had been the last few days- but more so just being here... he'd been to Heiku a few times of course, but never on his own. And he surely had never been to a Pro Hero's Agency building before, least of all Hawks'.
He was excited to see what the evening would bring, teaming up with Mr. Hawks and Tokoyami both. Tokoyami was one of his closer friends in class 1-A and one of the seldom few that actually understood Sign Language and he could talk to easily, so spending time doing Hero Work with him was going to be really nice. And working with one of his favorite Heroes (and at current teacher), and the ever popular Hawks?
There were few things he could think of anymore exciting than this, and he was both brimming with energy for it, and nervousness too. Though at that very moment he found himself wondering where Animal Spirit was, and why she was running late? She'd been very punctual the last few days and had always arrived to meet him on time... actually she seemed to be there early everyday, so her being late and changing plan at the last minute seemed a little strange.
Though he did suppose all of this 'plan' involving Mr. Hawks was sort of last minute too... Well, he hoped it was nothing serious that had her lagging a bit.
He placed his cell phone back in his suit pocket and forced himself a long, deep breath to try and settle his nerves, before taking a few jolting steps toward the stairs leading up to the doors of the building. He earned the eyes of the construction workers nearby and averted his gaze as best he could, quickly moving up the stairs and eyes trained ahead and slightly down.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside it's confines, revealing a large open lobby that seemed much more put together than the outside of the building, though there was no shortage of people milling about shifting furniture, working on walls, or whatever else you might expect in renovation. Though he stopped again just beside the door, because he saw no sign of anyone he recognized among the many and he really hadn't any idea where he was supposed to go...?
A man in a suit covered in paint saved him from standing there too long, easily catching sight of the young boy looking a bit lost and smiling as he approached. "Hey, you're Animal Spirit's Intern, yeah?" The man hummed pleasantly, and Anima nodded quickly. "Right, Hawks mentioned you two would be comin' today. He'll be up on the top floor waitin' for ya. The elevator will take you right up." He explained, before pausing a moment a blinking. "Hmm? Animal Spirit's not with you?" He asked, and Anima shook his head.
"U-Uh no... she's running a little late..." Anima explained quickly, though his voice was a little too hushed. The man seemed to catch the words though, and nodded.
"Ah, well then you feel free to head up." He hummed, "I'll be sure to tell her where ya are when she gets here. For now follow me, I'll take ya to the elevator." He murmured, turning slightly and gesturing ahead and a bit to the right, pointing out a set of elevators near the back wall, of which were on the other side of a pair of desks and... what looked like security gates?
The man paused for a small second, before starting to walk with Anima following quickly behind him and sticking close as they made their way through the mess work of boards and paint cans and people. They drew up a bit as they got near to the opening between the desks and the little archway spanning it, the man pulling out a laminated keycard and tapping it lightly against a sensor on the side. The archway shown with green light at the top as he did so, and the man waved Anima forward, gesturing for him to walk through.
"There, the alarms won't go off, and the elevator is right there." He hummed, "Top floor. And it shouldn't be too hard to find Hawks from there." Anima nodded and stepped through the gate quickly, mumbling a small thank you to the man and waving at him as he started toward the elevator. The man waved back politely, "Have fun, and good luck today with your Hero work."
"O-oh, ah.. t..thank you...!" Anima called back quietly, before the man nodded and walked off back to what he had previously been doing. The young boy turned his attention on the elevator keypad, and pressed the up button. The elevator dinged as it came to a stop on the floor and opened, Anima moving inside it's silent confines and being shut in a few moments later after he pressed the topmost floor's button, and the elevator began to climb up.
He wrung his hands together in front of him pensively as he waited, and glanced up slowly as the last floor grew closer, and the movement of the elevator slowed down with it. It came to a halt and the doors opened slowly with a light, clear ding of a bell and revealing another lobby of sorts that consisted of pretty much just an empty room, with a few windows overlooking the city outside and which broke off in only two directions- a hallway on the left and on the right that curved out of sight.
Anima stepped out of the elevator and paused, glancing both ways and again finding that he hadn't any clue which way to turn. He was beginning to panic a little when movement from the corner of his eye caught his attention, and he turned left to see a bright red feather floating on the air toward him in a deliberate line. The feather twirled in air, circling Anima once and then pausing before him, shifting back in forth, before slowly starting back the way it had come. Anima started after it quickly to the left, leaving the empty foyer behind and moving through the hallway and the series of doors and offices bordering either side here and there and all looking near as empty as the first floor lobby had, and all dark with the lights switched off. The hallway curved enough to do a quarter circle, before straightening out again and leading straight toward a single large door at the end- of which was left open and light was coming from inside.
He followed the feather all the way to the threshold of the door before slowing up a bit, his eyes widening as the room opened up large, round and spacious before him and was lined with big, high windows on near all sides. Pressed against the wall directly to the left of the doorway was a small, clean looking kitchenette with minimal appliances installed at the moment, and a bit further ahead and to the right was a lone coffee table and some armchairs. Directly across from the door and near in the center of the room, close to the windows and a small balcony was a big desk, and a lone couch set near it with two end tables on either side of it. All the rest of the room's floorspace was barren and empty and the little furnishings made the room itself seem ten times more vast than it was... and it was a big room, so that was saying something.
The feather kept on ahead of him and joined up with the rest of the vermillion sea that was Hawks' wings, the Pro Hero looking up from where he was sitting on the top of the desk and smiling as he caught sight of Anima in the doorway. Tsukuyomi glanced up from where he was leaning against the back of the couch as Hawks raised a hand in greeting, the avian boy's head turning in tandem with Dark Shadows to match eyes with Anima too.
"Yo~!" Hawks called brightly, "Nice to see ya kiddo, welcome to my Agency~! Forgive the mess downstairs and the looks for now, it's still a bit of a work in progress ya see~" The No. 15 smiled, before waving his hand a bit in his direction. "Come on over, don't be shy~! We ain't gonna bite ya, hehe~!"
Anima started forward into the room slowly, nodding in acknowledgment of Hawks' words, though honestly his eyes wandered the room and the windows without really thinking about it. The view of the city outside was... well, spectacular.
Anima drew up beside the couch where Tsukuyomi was standing and smiled shyly at him. "Good to see you." Tsukuyomi told him lightly, dipping his head a bit in greeting and Anima smiled a little more, nodding back as his hands rose and started in a familiar series of gestures.
'Nice to see you too.'
Hawks blinked a bit, his eyes latching immediately to the large boy's gesturing hands and his head tilting in intrigue at it. He hummed a bit under his breath at it, but let it go for now as his easy-going smile made a reappearance after briefly fading for a moment.
Because let's be honest, the very first thing Hawks noticed about Anima's arrival was not the movement of his hands or what seemed his inclination to Sign Language.
"Sooo, I see Spirit's not with you~?" Hawks chirped, rounding attention back to himself with utter ease. Anima glanced his way quickly, Tsukuyomi and Dark Shadow's attention finding the Winged Hero in no time at all too. "I was under the impression you two were coming together~! There a change of plan~?" Hawks asked lightly, and Anima blinked, his hands fidgeting.
"O-oh... Spirit-Sensei texted me a bit earlier, she's running late..." Anima explained quietly, his hands gesturing slightly with the signs of the words even though he opted to reply verbally right then. Hawks eyes widened a bit at that, his head tilting. "S-she said she would be meet me here instead... I... I think she should be here soon..." Anima went on softly, and Hawks let out a small humm,
"Hmm, interesting." He murmured lightly, "Well, not a worry, we aren't in any rush~! Go ahead and make yourself at home, I'll take your stuff for you and set it away for now, cool~? We'll have plenty of fun just chatting 'til Spirit gets here~!" Hawks said brightly, easily pushing himself off from sitting on the desk and extending a hand for Anima's backpack, all the while wearing that signature smile of his. Anima blinked at his hand, looking a little stunned for half a second, before quickly shrugging the bag from his shoulders and handing it to the No. 15.
"... ah.. t..thank you..." Anima mumbled as Hawks took the bag, and the Pro smiled still with a little nod.
"No problem~!" He chirped, already walking off toward the door and waving a hand behind him at the two UA students. "I'll be back in a jiff, you two go ahead and settle in~! Sit down, relax~! You'll be on your feet plenty enough once Spirit gets here and we head out for patrol tonight~!" He called brightly as he headed off, chuckling to himself as he did so. "Might wanna take the chance to be off your feet now while you have it~!"
Both Interns exchanged glances with one another, though Hawks never looked back to see it. They paused for half a second, before settling down on the couch and the sound of Tsukuyomi's soft voice started up as Hawks left the room behind.
The Winged Hero shift the backpack under his arm a bit more, while his other hand fell into his pocket and his smile faded a bit, humming under his breath a bit more as he glanced sideways at the elevators as he passed them by. "Runnin' late, huh Spirit~?" He murmured to himself, "Now that doesn't seem like somethin' you do very often, ya know~"
He sighed a bit, shaking his head at himself as he continued walking and heading down the right hallway that Anima had avoided earlier.
He was definitely talking to himself. It was a bit of a bad habit, and one that had been a habit even before meeting Spirit... admittedly though it had gotten worse since meeting her.
"Ah well~! Just don't keep me waiting too long, Spirit~! Tonight's definitely gonna be interesting, I've been excited about it all day~" He hummed brightly to himself, his wings fluttering slightly behind him.
"See ya soon, Sunshine~! Wherever you are, hehe~"
.:+:.
30 minutes earlier-
BLIIING!
Spirit jolted forward a bit, her eyes snapping open and heart rate immediately picking up to an alert, tense rhythm. Her mind rushed to make sense of and focus on the waking world she had been so rudely pulled into by that god-awful noise... what the fuck even was that?
BLIIING!
Oh wait, that's the alarm on my phone-
She grumbled, gritting her teeth a bit at the persistent noise and pushing herself up off her bed. She only sat up a bit as she reached for the ringing object, and slammed her thumb against the dismiss prompt to render it into silence once more. Once silence reigned once more, she huffed and sat up straight, running a hand through her hair and sighing heavily.
... mmm... the ringer is way too loud...
... but oh well... I'm kinda surprised I slept long enough to be woken up by it... I guess I really needed the sleep, after everything with Oki... with Sasaki...
... Hmm...hopefully managing that many hours of sleep will put me in a better mood to deal with Hawks today...
She shook her head at herself and shifted, her feet moving off the bed and finding the floor before she paused. Her hand moved to lift her shirt a bit and take a look at the stab wound from the Hero Killer, biting the inside of her cheek as she did so.
It wasn't as red or inflamed as it had been after getting punched last night, and the throb had whittled away to nothing with the sleep she had managed between now, and being awake briefly at around 8 or 9 this morning to settle the last of the plans with Anima and Hawks about tonight.
Good, it's not hurting enough to bother me... though my hands are a different story.
Those cuts and scrapes from last night across her knuckles were badly bruised and scabbing over by now, sure- but they were swollen, the joints stiff and aching... she had the feeling she'd sprained more than a few fingers after punching that Hardening Quirk guy so hard. Even bending her fingers closed and open was painful, but not enough to warrant not moving them- it was just a bit of a nuisance.
Oh well, I'll live... and maybe the more I move them the less it'll hurt. They're probably all stiff from sleeping right now.
She cast the thoughts away and stood up, stretching a little before grabbing her phone out of reflex, and intent on heading to get ready- only to halt when she tapped the phone screen and it came to life, and her heart dropped at the same instant her mind seemed to stall.
5:05 pm
She blinked, staring for a few seconds as a cold lump began to form in her core, and she felt herself bristle.
5:05 pm
What...?
Her eyes went wide, her mind moving again in little time at all and panic slamming into her full throttle.
WHAT?!
I'm supposed to meet Anima at the Train Station in ten fucking minutes?!
SHIIIIITTT!
She hissed, her thumbs tapping madly against the screen and shaking her head at herself furiously. All lingering drowsiness from waking up vanished in the next few seconds as she quickly started into the messages and began mad-dashing a coherent sentence into the input bar.
'I'm running a late, will you be okay to take the cab by yourself? I'll have to meet up with you at Hawks' Agency instead, I'm sorry'
She tapped the send button a bit too hard and was already moving away from the bed in the next instant, darting to pick up her Hero Outfit and get changed, cursing to herself in a constant stream of profanities and hateful comments toward herself, and her alarm- which clearly hadn't gone off at the right time! It was supposed to wake her up at 4 damn it!
FUCK ME
She had to get ready, and fast. She was already super behind, not even dressed or fully packed or anything- and there wasn't a way in hell she'd be able to make it out of here and to the train station in time to meet Anima or catch that stupid cab Hawks had insisted on sending for them.
SHIT SHIT SHIT
Her phone buzzed and she swept it up off the bed where she had tossed it a minute or two before, and having already managed to pull herself into the fishnet leggings and one-piece of her Hero Suit- though lacking the sleeves, straps and boots still.
It was a reply from Anima, and she grimaced to herself as she darted into the bathroom and typed her own reply simultaneously as she walked.
Anima
...
Oh, no worries Spirit-Sensei, that's fine..!
I'm sure I'll be able to find the cab myself.
...
Alright, I am sorry for changing plan this quickly.
I'll be there as soon as I can manage.
...
It's really not a problem...!
And no need to rush, I'm okay to spend time
with Mr. Hawks and Tsukuyomi for a little.
I'll see you a bit later.
...
Yeah, see you in a bit.
She set her phone down on the bathroom counter and began combing through her hair at breakneck speed, silently thanking whatever was out there listening for Anima being such an easy-going and understanding kid. And that when he said it was fine he probably actually meant it.
But fucking hell, of all days for her alarm not to function properly?! It had to be today?!
"Ugh... Fuck, fuck...!" She hissed through gritted teeth, ignoring the sharp pain that ignited through her hand with every bend to grab something, and every tug at the strands of hair to bring it all up into a familiar ponytail.
She had little to no choice but to slow her rushing down when it came to painting the usual markings on her lips and under her eyes, lest it look wonky and terrible- and last thing she needed was to show up and look ruffled in front of that Bird-Brain and the Interns. But once she was done with that endeavor, she dodged back out of the bathroom, stuffing her phone in her suit pocket, and then quickly pulled on the rest of her Hero Costume. She strapped the small bag that matched with it (and had been using the last few days) to the small of her back, and her eyes snapped over toward another (larger) bag sitting on the floor at the end of her bed.
Small miracle she had had the better sense to pack everything inside of that one earlier that morning, when she had been awake, and she hadn't had to scramble further to put together the necessitates right now.
... oh, right- she was packed up and prepared to spend the night at Hawks' Agency Building tonight, rather than having Anima pack up at like 2 in the morning for a train ride home. You know, despite being dead-set on not 'sleeping over' at all.
She'd only ended up giving in because she was no longer set to go to work at the Club after Patrol now. She'd called the Club Owner earlier that morning and explained what had went on last night with Sasaki (Okita), and those men in the alley- and the scuffle that had ensued on Spirit's part. And despite numerous assurances that she was okay and able to work as planned, the Owner had given her no choice in the matter and had pretty much forced her to take the next few days off... and had threatened punishment if she tried to show up before he had told her to come back.
So yeah, her night was free and she was sure Anima would do better staying in Heiku, instead of trying to go home super late, so she gave in... though telling Hawks about this that morning had earned a very over the top, and somewhat smug reply from the Bird-Brain. Needless to say, he had seemed... excited, and maybe a bit too overjoyed with it.
Oi... she just hoped he'd contain himself later tonight. And silently promised to put him in his place if he didn't, the feathery fucking twat.
So anyway, in preparation for her (unwanted, and unplanned) night out, she'd packed a change of clothes and a few other things she might need for the night, and tucked them away in that previously mentioned bag.
Spirit picked it up and moved back toward her living room/kitchen, headed straight for the singular window up on the wall that was level with the ground outside, and the accompanying alleyway it dumped into. She paused to glance outside of it as she reached it, scanning for anyone she might be able to see, before opening it up and pushing the bag she was holding to through the opening and out onto the pavement outside the window. She then hooked her hands on the lip of the window frame and her body blurred, fractured and jittery as she Shifted into the familiar form of a cat, and pulled her body the rest of the way through the window and outside, grumbling under her breath at the sting of her front paws on the ground.
She nudged the window closed again with her paws, before angling her ears back, checking once, twice, and a few times more for sight or sound of anyone lurking or maybe looking. Satisfied with the silence, she Shifted back into her human form and picked the bag up off the ground again. Fractured, crimson-black reality swirled at her back, engulfing her shoulder blades, bits of black like soft snow as the haze grew and then slowly sharpened into a recognizable form. Large, powerful wings of a slightly see-through nature attached to her back in a Partial-Shift, identical to the one she had summoned up that night with the surprise paparazzi photo of herself and Hawks.
She probably could have managed to Shift all the way into a bird and carried the second bag in her talons well enough, but it would have made for slightly awkward flying- and look a little awkward to boot. This way she still had her hands and could easily take to the sky and still hold on to it in an easier way. She would still make good time too- which speaking off, she could feel it ticking by faster and faster.
Time to go
She lifted off quickly, clearing the confines of the alley and the buildings in mere seconds and climbing higher than was probably needed. But she had to be fast and get out of direct sight, lest anyone wonder why the hell Animal Spirit seemed to pop up out of nowhere in the Red light District.
The flight to Heiku would take several minutes despite how fast she pushed it though, and a bit longer still to get to the address that Hawks had sent her for his Agency Building... she had a rough idea of where it was, being so familiar with Heiku, though even then it might take her five minutes to pick it out of all the other surrounding buildings.
She sighed slightly, the buildings and streets whipping passed below her, but she didn't even spare the ground a second glance.
Well this is a wonderful way to start off this whole Joint Intern thing...
I'm gonna have to figure out why my phone didn't go off on time later...
... oi... I hope this is the only part that goes awry for the rest of the night... please let it be. I deserve a break from things going screwy for once, after this and what happened with those assholes last night... and Sasaki finding out who I am...
She shook her head at herself, eyes narrowed against the wind and biting down on the inside of both her cheeks.
... yeah, let's avoid anything else like all of that, okay...?
Not that she had much hope her wish would come true mind you, not with the track record she had, and with just how messed up her life was.
Whatever Spirit, just do your best to enjoy as much of this as you can! The Internship with Anima has gone really well the last few days, even despite the hiccup with the car that one day! There's no reason things shouldn't go well today either! Not even with Feathers around...!
Oh he is not gonna ruin things today, I won't let him. And I sure as hell won't let him keep treating his own Intern like crap either, not on my watch!
Hmph, we'll see if the feathery twat actually has the capacity to really 'try' like he said he would last night...
She shook her head again, and stalled all thoughts of the like before she got truly agitated and worked up.
The harsh and closely knit buildings and views of the Redlight District gave way to cleaner buildings, taller structures, and an abundant more people out and about in the streets and the sidewalks of Heiku- about twenty or so minutes later. Spirit dropped in air slightly, not much worried about being spotted in her regular Hero Workzone now and her red eyes tracing the winding streets below in a mental map of where she was headed. She had the address memorized, and she also knew it was in a portion of the city that played home to lots of corporate offices and buildings and whatnot- some of them pretty big too.
And knowing Hawks, he probably went all out on his 'official' Agency headquarters, so she wasn't likely to miss it even among the many.
By the time she came upon the address, she found that she was right. The building was massive, easily towering over the ones neighboring it and even a few streets over, and she found herself staring at it from a few stories up, fluttering in air and expression flat.
... did he actually buy this entire building? There's gotta be like 30 floors in this thing, why would he need that much room?
Scratch that, how much money does he even make to afford this? And all the renovations that seem to be going on?
He doesn't even have a set employee roster, does he? All I've seen of his 'Agency' is just his dumbass and those two sidekicks that were with him... and he goes through sidekicks like it's nobody's business.
So what? Does the almighty Winged Hero's Agency literally just consist of the Bird-Brain all by himself?
Somehow she didn't doubt that, and she grimaced, her eye twitching.
He just throws money around, doesn't he?
Idiot
She forced a sigh and slowly dropped in air, lighting down on the top of the steps just outside the front door and ignoring the instant eyes, glances and murmurs she earned from the construction workers and the people on the sidewalks. She headed inside the doors quickly and didn't look back- she wasn't looking to draw too much attention, especially by being seen outside Hawks' building by a bunch of people. Because even those few seconds outside the door was bound to start up even more of that ridiculous gossip surrounding herself and the Winged Hero, and she really hadn't the patience to deal with any of that right then.
It was as busy on the inside as the outside had been, and more heads turned as she slowed up in the foyer and glanced around quickly for a place to go. Her red eyes matched with a man who smiled and waved her over, and she quickly wound her way through the mess and the supplies and the people toward him, smiling politely to those whose eyes she caught on her way, and nothing more.
The man quickly greeted her and lead her to a security gate, waved her through and told her to head up to the top floor- wasting little time on pleasantries or trying to keep her attention (which she was grateful for, she was late still...). So she stepped into the elevator and pressed the topmost button, grumbling a bit under her breath as it began to climb and she pulled her phone out to check the time;
6:09
.... I'm so late...
To her satisfaction the elevator actually climbed quite fast, and she'd not been inside of it more than a few minutes before she stepped out and was left wondering if she should turn left or right... But she wondered for only a few seconds, before the sound of voices reached her from the left, and she turned that way.
"... Oooh, so you two stuck together during that whole USJ thing, huh~?" Hawks' familiar voice reached her as a door came into sight at the end of the hall. "I didn't realize~! I suppose that makes sense why you seem like pals~! Fightin' Villains does have a way of bringin' people together~"
"... I suppose it does." Tsukuyomi replied lowly, though he seemed rather less amused than Hawks did. And there was no reply from Anima (not that Spirit expected one), so she assumed he simply nodded to the comment instead.
(Though she was a little intrigued by the words- about Anima and Tsukuyomi being together during the mess with the USJ... she'd wondered about it before this Internship started, because she had known Anima was in the class that got attacked. But she hadn't asked anything, even if she sort of wanted to- it wasn't likely a very pleasant topic for the boy, but Hawks didn't seem to care, or have the restraint she did on the matter...)
She tossed those thoughts away as she reached the door, and took in a silent, deep breath to prepare herself for... well, all of it.
But mostly Feathers.
She spotted Hawks and the Interns settled around a desk with a single couch set next to it, the Interns on the couch itself while Hawks sat on the edge of the desk, his legs swinging back and forth (kinda like a child...). The Winged Hero was wearing one of his signature smiles as he faced the two younger boys, already starting into the next topic of conversation (something about the Sports Festival...), while the Interns listened quietly, answering (mostly Tsukuyomi) when prompted every once in awhile. All in all it seemed a very one-sided conversation, which didn't surprise her in the least, and she could see both Interns looking a slight bit exasperated and nervous with it all.
Spirit shook her head, already walking inside and lifting a hand as she cleared her throat in an attempt to draw their attention to her instead. "Ah, sorry I'm late..." She started slowly, sighing again when Hawks' mouth snapped shut in an instant and his wings fluffed, instantly alert. "... I didn't mean to be, hopefully you haven't been waiting too long-" Spirit kept on, only to break off as Hawks turned a bright, and much too cheery smile on her, his hand lifting in a wave.
"Oh, not a worry~! It's great to see you again, Sunshine-!" He called brightly, his eyes trailing passed the Interns to land on her- but his voice broke off and his smile cracked too when he did, the brightness of his expression suddenly shifting to shock and even bits of worry for a few seconds. It was a reaction mirrored in the Interns as they turned their heads to catch sight of her, though they didn't hide it as well as Hawks did- once he recomposed himself after a second or two there.
Spirit didn't pause though, and in reality she hardly noticed the looks at all, she was still stuck on the being late bit. So she kept walking till she was standing at the edge of their little group, her hand falling on her hip and shaking her head again. "... yeah, well I am sorry for being late nonetheless." She told Hawks softly, waving off his 'not a worry' comment and he blinked, smiling wryly for a moment.
"S-Spirit-Sensei...?!" Anima stammered quickly, pushing himself to his feet and eyes glittering as she stopped next to the couch. His eyes darted quickly over the terrible bruising and scabs and cuts across her hands, and the very noticeably split lip she sported. He became increasingly all the more frantic the more he saw of them, his hands hovering in air and fidgeting quite a bit. Tsukuyomi even looked a little unnerved with the injuries, and more so since they hadn't been there at all when seeing her last night. What had happened between now and then to have the Ebony Hero showing up looking like that..?
"O-oh my, a-are you okay..?!" Anima asked quickly and Spirit blinked at him, a little unsure of the question for a second... before realizing why he was so freaked out all of a sudden, and why it was Hawks had even seemed to deflate at her arrival for a moment.
Oh... right, I forgot about how that all might look, my hands and lip being all banged up... ugh, I didn't even think about it.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Spirit told him easily, offering up a small and reassuring smile. "Really they're just a few scrapes and bruises, they aren't all that uncommon a thing in my line of work- and they aren't a problem either. You don't need to look so worried." She hummed,
"B-but what happened...? You didn't get into any really big fights, did you...?" Anima asked breathlessly, and Spirit shook her head a bit.
"No, it was just a little scuffle with someone last night who had a Hardening Quirk. Fighting with him earned me a few cuts and things, but that's it." Spirit explained,
"Hmm? I don't remember hearing anything like that in the news or anything~" Hawks commented, his head tilting at her and smiling pleasantly- though he was clearly intrigued, and trying to get more information about the 'incident' from her, just not so bluntly. Either way Spirit knew instantly what he was trying to do and she shot him a slightly warning stare.
"It wasn't a big thing, and certainly not worth mention in the news or whatever." She answered him flatly, and he smiled, shrugging a bit, but clearly not about to just leave it alone... Well, at least not entirely. For now though?
"Ah, well I am happy you resolved it with little fuss- even if it did earn you a few bumps and bruises in the long run~" He replied all too easily, and Spirit huffed quietly.
Stupid prying, suspicious Bird-Brain... Oh there was no way in hell he was gonna let it go that easy, regardless of how he acted.
Did he not get the hint the other day? You know, when she threatened to kill him, and threw him to the ground?
Tch...
"Well then~! Allow me to take your things madame, and set them away for now~" Hawks chirped, extending a hand toward Spirit and the other falling on his chest as he dipped his head toward her in a soft of mock gesture of politeness and 'chivalry' (made all the more apparent and ridiculous given he referred to her as madame just then). Spirit's teeth grit in slight annoyance at the childish behavior, before forcing a sigh and handing her bag over to him- though not before giving him a rather pointed stare that clearly said; 'Don't you dare rifle through my things'
He took the bag from her with ease, smiling at the stare and nodding. His wings fluffed up a bit as he took a step sideways, "Thank you~!" He hummed, "I will be back shortly~! And then from there we can head out for Patrol, if that sounds okay with you Sunshine~?" He asked brightly, and Spirit grit her teeth at the nickname.
"... That's fine." She replied lowly, for the moment deciding against snapping at him about the 'Sunshine' thing, because it wasn't worth it in front of the Interns. Plus he clearly seemed determined to just keep calling her that no matter how many times she snapped at him about it, and she doubted doing it again right then would make any sort of difference.
Hawks nodded and walked off, slinging the strap of her bag over his shoulder and humming to himself as he moved to exit the room... All the while his wings fluttered and moved as he did so, almost in a giddy, dog tail wagging sort of way.
"... S-Spirit-Sensei... Are you sure you're okay...?" Anima pressed softly, his expression still nervous and concerned as Spirit looked away from the retreating Hawks and toward the young boy. "... I.. I mean... You don't usually get hurt in any of your fights unless you go up against someone... Someone powerful...! A-are you sure you're alright...? If it was such a small fight..." He mumbled quickly and Spirit shook her head a little, offering up a small smile.
"Relax, I really am okay." Spirit hummed, "He just got a lucky hit in, and the rest of it was just regular wear and tear from fighting someone as hard and rough as a rock." She explained, "Even for me, it'd be hard to get out of a scuffle like that without a few cuts and scrapes." She hummed,
"... Especially given your close combat fighting style." Tsukuyomi intoned quietly, and Spirit smiled a bit more, her red eyes flicking toward him and nodding.
"Yep, that's a good point. It'd be easier for Pros with long to mid-range fighting styles to handle a Hardening Quirk without getting roughed up in the process." She agreed quickly and he blinked, looking a little surprised she had heard him at all or bothered to reply. "But since I fight solely with my body- instead of with a Quirk that would let me fight at a distance- getting a little bruised is just an inevitability, since I always fight in close quarters." She hummed, smiling a bit more As Tsukuyomi nodded stiffly before avoiding her eyes altogether, and Spirit let her attention find Anima again. "And these scrapes aren't even all that bad, so you really don't need to worry." She assured the young boy again, and he paused, nodding a little, though he looked concerned nonetheless.
"... I suppose I didn't think of it that way..." He mumbled quietly, his eyes falling from her and to his own hands as he tapped his fingers together in front of him. "... I guess then Mr. Hawks and other Heroes with Long Distance Quirks earn minor injuries less often than someone like you, or Miruko..." He mused softly and Spirit blinked in surprise at the name, before smiling a bit softer and nodding.
... Though grant you Miruko is a lot more reckless than I am, so she ends up banged up fairly often... Not that an injury here or there will stop her that easily.
... She's extremely hardcore...
Spirit smirked at the thought, before shaking her head and tossing them away.
"Anyway, are you two ready for today?" Spirit hummed, changing the subject with ease. Anima perked up a bit and nodded, while Tsukuyomi did the same, though a bit more subdued.
"... Yeah...! I'm actually kind of excited...!" Anima replied with a shy smile, his voice breathless and hands moving again in flawless execution of the signs.
"... I am as well. I hope to learn as much as I can from you, and Hawks-Sensei." Tsukuyomi murmured levelly, and Dark Shadow at his shoulder gave her a thumbs up, chuckling a bit.
"I'm glad you're looking forward to it, and we'll do our best." Spirit smiled, though inwardly she figured she would probably have to remind Hawks on his behavior at least once tonight... Ugh.
"Hopefully it'll be an interesting evening." She hummed, casting the thought off and making sure neither her voice, nor her expression gave hint to the flash of annoyance that suddenly ignited in her core.
"Oh I'm sure it will be~!" Hawks' sing-song voice rung out behind her as the blonde reappeared in the room, a signature smile on his face and steps light and nearly giddy as he quickly moved back up to their group. "I think any sort of team-up between the two of us is bound to come with something exciting, huh Sunshine~?" He smirked, stopping at Spirit's shoulder and tilting his head toward her as he said the words. Spirit blinked once, suppressing the urge to snap at him for the incessant nickname once more.
"... If you say so." She mumbled and he smiled further, but said nothing in reply to the comment.
"Well then kiddos, ready to hit the streets~?" Hawks asked next, his eyes flicking to the Interns and earning their immediate, and stiff attention. "I have a feeling tonight is gonna be full of stuff for us to do, so let's hop to it, hmm~?" He chirped, and the Interns nodded slowly. "And don't you two worry~! If anything pops up that's a little too wild, you can be sure Spirit and I will take good care of ya~!" Hawks assured, and Spirit blinked, shooting him a glance from the corner of her eye, before looking at the Interns and nodding to what Hawks had said.
"Everything will be fine." She told both Interns coolly, "Just remember to do your best to stay out of the middle of any big fights, alright? Let Hawks and I handle anything like that, and you can help with crowd control and evacuation if anything does crop up. We'll keep any Villains away from you, I promise." Anima and Tsukuyomi nodded solemnly to her, their eyes shinning and Hawks beside her smiled, shooting the Ebony Hero his own glance and humming under his breath.
She looked so calm and collected, and her voice was nothing but steady- and he could see both Anima and Tsukuyomi immediately intent on what she said. She grabbed their attention so easily, and she didn't seem hesitant or unsure of herself either... Hawks smiled a bit more, before looking away from Spirit again.
... you know, I might have been wrong when I didn't figure you as the teaching type, Spirit... I'm actually excited to see more of this side of you~!
"Understood." Anima and Tsukuyomi replied in unison, and Spirit nodded.
"Good." She murmured, her eyes moving to rest on Hawks. "Are your Sidekicks joining us tonight?" She asked and he blinked, before shaking his head.
"Nah, I gave them night off~!" He hummed, "I figured between the two of us we'd be totally good, so they could just relax for tonight~" He explained, and Spirit blinked, nodding slowly.
She was fairly sure he'd not given them the night off just because they had enough 'manpower' or whatever between herself and him. If anything he'd probably let them have the night off just to get them out of the way, and make it so he could focus more of his attention on her and this little Joint Patrol, than anything else.
Idiot... but whatever
"Alright. Then if you're ready to head out, I am too." She told him levelly, and he smirked, nodding quickly.
"Totally~!"
.:+:.
"So Sunshine, mind if I toss my next guess about your #1 your way~?" Hawks chirped, smiling with his hands in his jacket pockets and turning toward Spirit as they walked- which resulted in him now walking backward a few paces ahead of her as their group continued down the sidewalk.
They had all only been out meandering the streets for about half an hour now, slowly winding their way through the crowds and paying little to no attention to what interest they earned from bystanders (though there was a lot of it, unsurprisingly... I mean, Hawks and Animal Spirit out on Patrol together? With their Interns? OMG)
They kept on, slowly making their way in a direction away from Hosu, and more toward where Shinjuku bordered Heiku. They'd left Hawk's Agency building behind and just started walking, and had been doing so in relative quiet- well actually, not really. The only quiet ones were the Interns and Spirit, Hawks on the other hand?
He really can talk, like a lot... and nonstop. Ever since stepping into the elevator to head to the first floor of his Agency, he'd immediately started into asking questions of her- and only mundane things for the moment. 'How was your day?' 'Which direction would you like to go?' Blah blah blah...
Spirit blinked, shooting Hawks a silent stare and quirking a brow as she sighed silently to herself and the question. "You do know we're on Patrol right now, right?" Spirit deadpanned, and he smirked.
"Of course~! But just because we're on Patrol doesn't mean we can't have a friendly chat~!" He replied with ease, "If you're worried about my divided attention or something, you needn't be! I am a great multitasker ya know, and I'll be sure to keep a few feathers circulating around as extra coverage~" he hummed brightly, still walking backward ahead of her, and Spirit's teeth grit.
Oh, you mean having your feathers fly around doing your 'not-so' spying?
Yes, she had noticed a certain flurry of feathers pulling away from his wings and taking off in all directions the minute they exited his Agency Building. And he hadn't even batted an eye as they moved off, he just kept asking his questions and talking- and it had irked her. But it irked her more now that he just casually admitted it and didn't find anything wrong with it.
Seriously, it was like he'd already forgot about all she'd said to him about privacy and spying- you know, back when she threatened to kill him-
"Besides~! I was gonna throw this guess your way last night, but you turned me down~!" He added cheerfully, clearly unaware of the way her jaw had clenched or the agitation that had suddenly began to bubble up in her core. "I've given this next guess a lot of thought, and I'm really excited to see if I'm right- or even just close~!"
Tch... He's nothing if not fucking persistent-
"Feathers, I have told you two dozen times now- You. Will. Not. Guess. Right." Spirit grumbled, he just chuckled.
"Ah, you don't know that for sure ~!" He smirked,
"I am 99% sure." She shot back flatly, "With the 1% being reserved for you guessing through sheer dumb luck, or simply coming to the correct answer by exhausting all possibilities."
"And what makes you so sure of that percentage division~?" He asked coolly, and she shot him a small glare. "The way I see it, I have about a 85% of getting it correct with my next three guesses~!" He smirked, holding up three fingers and looking oh so very confident in himself- Spirit scoffed.
"Yeah there's a 0% chance of that." She replied instantly, he laughed, though only once.
"Oh, harsh~! Do you really have so little faith in me~?" He smiled, "I think my chances are good, but why are you so sure I'll fail~?" He hummed and Spirit simply gave him a flat stare for a moment or two.
Because the reasoning behind all of your guesses is completely off.
You've assumed I picked my favorite Hero based on them having a Quirk similar to mine... and you're sort of right, but it's not in the way you think.
And you'll never know that, so you'll never guess it right... you just can't.
She sighed and looked away, shaking her head slightly and waving a hand at him in exasperation. "I just am." She mumbled, "But whatever, make your guesses Feathers, just don't pout when you can't get it right in three." She sighed and he blinked, his smile fading for half a second and titling his head at her- because he was pretty sure she meant to say something else there...?
Spirit's attention on Hawks diverted as Anima tapped her shoulder lightly, earning her eyes as she glanced right toward him and he smiled sheepishly, looking unsure. His hands raised quickly in a series of gestures and she blinked, 'I'm sorry, I hope this is okay to ask, but what is Mr. Hawks trying to guess..? Your #1 what...?' He signed, Tsukuyomi on Anima's other shoulder glancing their way and carefully following the gestures with his eyes. He nodded as Anima finished, letting out a small breath and catching Spirit's eye for only a second.
"I am wondering that as well." Tsukuyomi told her quietly,
Hawks hummed under his breath, his eyes darting between the two Interns and looking quite intrigued- he of course had no idea what Anima asked, he didn't know Sign Language- but Tsukuyomi clearly did, as did Spirit... Not that it caught him entirely off guard.
"He's trying to guess who my #1 Favorite Hero is." Spirit explained quietly, and the Interns blinked in surprise.
"Yep, that's right~!" Hawks intoned cheerfully (now that he was caught up on what had been asked..), "And it's proven a bit more challenging than you might think~! I've gone through all the obvious choices and come up short, but I'm betting I'll get it figured out real soon~!"
Not happening
'... So... Your favorite Pro must not be... All Might, then?' Anima signed, and Spirit shook her head at him in silent answer. He blinked in mild surprise at the answer, before looking away and letting out a soft 'huh...'.
"... How many have you guessed already?" Tsukuyomi asked of Hawks, slowly almost as if he was still debating if he should pose the question or not.
Better not to have asked-
"Quite a few!" Hawks chirped brightly, a little too pleased it seemed to have been asked. "I've already ruled out All Might, Endeavor, Bryzair, Ryukyu, Selkie, Gang Orca, Edgeshot, Death Arms, Best Jeanist-" Hawks started up, counting on his fingers as he did so and Spirit fought the urge to groan aloud.
He's listing them... Seriously...?
"-Crust, Hound Dog, Yoroi, Wash, Crimson Riot, Uwabami, The Wild Wild Pussycats, and a few other older and retro Heroes with shapeshifting and animal related Quirks you kids probably haven't heard about~! Ah, and of course I already guessed myself~!" Hawks continued chipper as ever, and the Intern's eyes slowly widened further with every name.
"... That is... rather a lot..." Tsukuyomi murmured slowly, and Anima nodded in agreement.
'... And he still hasn't guessed correctly...?' Anima signed, though he didn't seem to be asking it of anyone in particular.
"... I told him from the very beginning he wouldn't be able to..." Spirit mumbled under her breath, and much too low for anyone to hear it.
"True~! But I am confident I'm gonna narrow it down pretty quick now~!" Hawks hummed back to Tsukuyomi's comment, before his eyes darted over to Spirit again. "So how about it Sunshine~? Ready for my next guess~?" He hummed,
"... Did Hawks just call her 'Sunshine'...?"
Spirit's teeth grit, her eyes darting away from Hawks and toward a pair of women walking side by side down the path in the opposite direction their little group was. They passed the Pros and the Interns just as Hawks asked to make his guess, and immediately picked up on that- the nickname. And they were instantly pressed closer together and whispering to each other in hushed voices (though not quite enough Spirit didn't hear) and casting furtive glances back their way.
"... Aww, that's a cute nickname...!" One of them murmured quickly, hiding her mouth only slightly behind a hand, as her friend did the same and nodded vigorously in affirmation.
"... Yeah! They must really be getting close if he's got a nickname for her...!" The second said much, much too excitedly. They both grinned and their hands linked together between them, hearts in their eyes and looking so very pleased.
"So adorable...!" The woman nearly squealed, and Spirit's jaw clenched tightly, her eye twitching.
That stupid fucking nickname is going to be floating around the Internet by the end of the day, how much do you wanna bet?!
FUCKING BIRD-BRAIN!
Though neither Hawks nor the Interns seemed aware of what the retreating woman were fangirling about- and if they had actually managed to hear any of the exchange like Spirit had, they certainly didn't show it.
"... You can ask, if you stop calling me that!" Spirit grumbled back at Hawks through gritted teeth, though she did manage to keep her tone sort of calm. He smiled a bit more, looking quite excited she had agreed... though it seemed immediately clear the bit about the nickname-
"Great~! I thought long and hard about this next one~! Having to sit on it for two days has been torture~!" He chuckled with a small shrug, and Spirit's teeth grit so hard they threatened to crack.
-yeah, the part about not calling me 'Sunshine' totally just went over his head, the feathery fucking twat.
"Ready~? Here it is~!" Hawks kept on, snapping his fingers a bit and pointing her way. "Is your #1 Feral~?"
...
...
...
His smile faded slightly as the silence stretched on for one, two, and then three minutes- all the while his walking slowed to nothing as Spirit and the Interns slowed with him. And the whole time Spirit just settled him with an utterly unreadable, and flat stare.
"... I have no clue who that even is." Spirit deadpanned after a few seconds of them all stopped on the sidewalk in silence, and his smile fell the rest of the way at the response.
"... Hmm...?" He mumbled, almost a little lost and Spirit grumbled internally.
"I have never heard of a Pro Hero named 'Feral'." She repeated a touch impatiently,
"... Nor have I..." Tsukuyomi imputed quietly, with Anima nodding in agreement. Hawks' hand slowly fell from having pointed at her earlier, and instead found a place on the back of his neck, seeming to muse quietly for a few seconds, before that signature smile returned and he nodded.
"Ah, well not a worry~!" He hummed brightly, "Even wrong, that guess was still helpful~! As for who Feral is- she was a really popular Pro in New Zealand, up until a few years ago when she retired~! She was pretty badass, real wild, and an excellent hand-to-hand fighter~! Though I'm not super surprised you haven't heard of her~!" He explained easily, and Spirit and the Interns blinked in a mix of surprise and confusion.
... a Pro... from New Zealand...?
Spirit's eyes narrowed, her mind whirling slightly and trying to come up with some logical reason for why he would have guessed a Pro Hero from another freakin' country.
Seriously, what was the thought process behind that one...?
"Well, now it looks like I'm down to two guesses~! I'll sit on the next one for a little while~" Hawks announced, and the Interns exchanged unsure glances between themselves, Hawks, and the utterly unreadable expression that had fallen on Animal Spirit's face.
... what the hell are you thinking, Feathers...?
She hadn't much time to wonder about it, or the insanity of the guess though- Hawks was already spinning on his heel to turn the right way around and walk forward again, and on to the next topic. "So anyway~! I was thinking maybe in a few hours after a bit of footwork, we can hit up a foodstand or something~? We're bound to work up an appetite~!" Hawks hummed,
Spirit didn't move to follow him right away as he began walking though, her feet hesitated for half a second as she found herself staring at his back and wings... Before she realized she need not stand there like an idiot, and quickly followed after him with the Interns close by. "... if you guys get hungry later, that's fine." Spirit mumbled lowly with a glance away from Hawks and toward the Interns. They nodded slightly at be addressed, and her eyes moved back toward Hawks.
"Great~!" He chirped, "Just let us know kiddos~!" He told the Interns lightly, and again they just nodded stiffly to the offer. Spirit sighed internally,
... I still wanna know why he picked a Pro not in Japan... I understood most of all the rest of his guesses, but that one was kinda out of nowhere... what the hell...?
She grumbled a bit under her breath and shook her head at herself, shooting Hawks' back ahead of her a small half glare and hating him and his hard to follow thought process. Because she was pretty sure she could brood about it all night, but there was little chance she would ever really understand what that dumbass was thinking... oi.
So better to just leave it alone for now, and focus on what they were supposed to be paying attention to- the Patrol, and the Interns.
Speaking of-
"By the way, Tsukuyomi." Spirit hummed suddenly, her eyes shifting toward said boy. Tsukuyomi stiffened, his heart skipping a beat and immediately alert (and somewhat tense) under the voice of Animal Spirit, and the fact that she had addressed him so out of the blue. He glanced over toward her much faster than he meant to, though Animal Spirit didn't seem to notice his sudden and slight unease or surprise at all.
"... yes..?" He asked softly, his head tilting a bit.
"I already told Anima this, but if you have any questions or anything while we're out and about, feel free to ask." Spirit told him coolly, a small, faint smile appearing on her face as she caught his eye. "I'll do my best to answer anything you need." She murmured, and he blinked in surprise, almost stunned for a moment, before slowly nodding.
"Alright... Thank you." He replied levelly with a small dip of his head, Spirit simply smiled a bit more and nodded in return.
Hawks cast a silent glance over his shoulder at Spirit, blinking once and expressionless as he caught sight of the smile she gave Tsukuyomi, and the way the young boy looked away from her quickly... And even the way that Anima seemed to smile at Tsukuyomi and his reaction to Spirit's offer to answer anything he wanted.
Tsukuyomi had asked and said little the last four days, even when Hawks was around and available to be spoken with. And even today he'd purposely spent more time around Tsukuyomi than normal, and still the younger had said little to none. He pegged the kid as just quiet and reserved by nature, and he was certain that was true- but... Well, he guess maybe he'd never actually said out loud and plain that asking questions was okay, and expected?
He'd just been waiting for Tsukuyomi to buck up and ask what he needed, to be frank... But then again, the whole tough love and waiting for the kid to toughen up on his own had been the major thing Spirit scolded him about the night before.
Huh... Maybe I should say something~?
Hawks glanced toward his Intern with a smirk and waved a hand back at Tsukuyomi, who blinked at it, immediately aware of the gesture. "Feel free to ask anything of me too~!" Hawks hummed brightly, smirking a bit more before shrugging a bit nonchalantly. "I can't promise I'm as knowledgeable as Spirit, but I think I get by just fine~!" He chuckled lightly, and Tsukuyomi blinked in surprise, almost a little caught off guard by the offer, and Spirit was a little taken aback too, to be honest.
(And a little annoyed- because he was pretty much bandwaggoning on what she was offering... And he should have already offered to answer questions long before now, damn it)
Though she didn't let the annoyance linger too long, because him saying that now was sort of like him 'trying'- as he had promised to do the night before. So... He was kinda trying, and he had yet to flutter off ahead of their little group and give into his habit of leaving everyone behind- so that was sort of(?) progress, she supposed.
(Though grant you he wasn't likely to take off with her here, seeing as how he had proven himself much too obsessed with being around her thus far. So he wouldn't be likely to just up and leave- no, because that would cut into his 'hanging out with Spirit' time...)
Spirit sighed internally, but decided not to bother calling Feathers out on any of the aforementioned... Because maybe he was doing his best to try, and hell if she would tear him down for it. Plus?
"... Ah... Right... Thank you for the offer, Hawks-Sensei..." Tsukuyomi mumbled quickly, his eyes dropping to the ground and gleaming, though he kept himself quiet and did his best (it seemed) not to let his pleasure at the offer be too noticeable. Spirit let out a small breath at it, while Hawks just nodded, his hands falling in his jacket pockets and smiling placidly.
"Yep~" The Winged Hero hummed back easily. Anima beside Spirit smiled slightly at the way Tsukuyomi dipped his head away from Hawks' words, the taller boy clearly able to see what she had- the subtle hint of appreciation in Hawks' Intern just then.
Spirit sighed silently one more time, her eyes fixed on Hawks' back ahead of them and the sea of vermilion feathers.
... Maybe this patrol won't be so bad after all... Maybe... If he does stick to his word...
She blinked, her eyes narrowing to slits as she bit the inside of her cheek.
... Though to be entirely honest... She really didn't know if he was the sort of person to keep his word or not.
Sure, he had said and done things before now- but never much of a promise... All he had promised her thus far was he would try to do what she told him with this Internship, and that he would never spy on her or anything like that. And since it hadn't been long enough on either end to know if he planned to keep the promises, she had no real way of knowing how likely he was to fulfill or break them, like at all.
She just... Didn't really know anything about him.
She glanced up a bit, her eyes leaving his wings and catching his eye from the side as he turned his head a bit, smiling still and golden eyes glittering as they matched gazes.
In nearly a month now since having met him... I still don't know anything about him at all... At least nothing substantial anyway.
There's a lot about him that pisses me off, sure, and he acts like a child... He likes Endeavor, is obsessed with yakitori, and he and Best Jeanist have a rocky relationship... But other than all that, I honestly don't know anything else about him...
... Not a thing...
She hummed a little under her breath, still holding his gaze for a few seconds.
... Do I even... Want to know more about him...?
I don't... I don't know if I want to get that close... At all...
... So why... Why do I feel like I should know more by now...?
She finally broke their eyeline and glanced toward the street instead, looking at nothing in particular but at least she wasn't looking at him anymore.
... Probably because I learned more about Mamoru in just a few hours than I have in weeks about Hawks...
... And talking with him last night, and Sasaki brought up the realization that I just... Really don't have sort of social life at all...
She sighed internally, shaking her head slightly at herself.
... Not that starting up a 'social life' with Hawks sounds all that pleasant...
BANG
Spirit's thoughts cut off as her attention snapped straight ahead, immediately on high alert and stopping in her tracks, with Hawks and the Interns doing much the same. The sudden burst of noise came from further up the street and likely around the corner, and near immediately everyone around was either turning toward the sound, or scurrying away from that area altogether.
"Well, looks like we're getting action straight away~!" Hawks said almost too brightly, the blonde turning to glance back at Spirit and the Interns, smirking.
No, not almost too brightly at all- he really does look a little too pleased with that sudden commotion... Oi
"Ready to get to work~?"
.:+:.
"... Thank you so much..!" The blue-haired woman (maybe 23-25) said brightly, and almost breathlessly as she bowed not once, but several times to Hawks standing in front of her- the Winged Hero all calm smiles and radiant, yet placid demeanor. "I appreciate your help so very much...! And that you're working so hard...!" She kept up, still bowing as Hawks waved a hand at her a bit dismissively, though his smile was assuring as ever.
"Ah, no need to thank me, it's all part of an honest day's work~!" Hawks told the woman brightly, "It's a pleasure to be of assistance~"
Spirit grit her teeth a bit at the words, her back facing both Hawks and the woman, and instead standing in front of a police officer (of the several that were around and picking up the group of wannabe teenage 'rebels' or whatever that had attempted to gang up on said woman and steal her bag... And were now all wrapped up in an array of vermilion feathers), and the officer who was going over the last of the report of what had happened. Hawks had detained the group of teens long before their own party on Patrol had ever reached the street- naturally as he had some of his feathers flying around in all other directions while they walked, 'keeping an out'. Which meant every little incident happening 3-4 streets over he picked up on right away, and completely dealt with before he, or Spirit, or the Interns ever arrived in person.
Well, 'little incidents' meaning those that could be over and done with by just using his feathers the tie up the troublemakers... Which had thus far been all of the incidents.
For the last three and a half hours.
Every. Single. One.
He finished, and captured, and dealt with every single one long before any of the rest of them even had a clue of what was happening... And damn it, it was starting to irk her- like a lot.
Because maybe yes, he'd not actually physically run off ahead and left the rest of them behind, he did seem quite glued to their little group. But he was still handling everything all on his own, and leaving little but cleanup and report writing for her and the Interns. So basically he was just continuing in his bad habits, and the fact that he had fallen back into them right from the start was royally frustrating.
And it was made all the more frustrating because he couldn't seem to keep his mouth from running. He had scarcely paused for breath the last few hours- and the constant stream of chatter and questions and whatever else have you was just making her more and more annoyed. She actually missed the pouting and the silence from that first patrol a few days prior- even if it had started those stupid 'coffee date' rumors.
"Alright, that should be all." The officer told her evenly, his eyes moving up from the small stack of papers (an Incident Report) he had previously been filling out with her. His voice brought Spirit's attention back from her own agitation, and caught the attention of Tsukuyomi and Anima standing a bit to her right. They been standing there quietly just watching as she talked, somewhat to observe what she was doing, and somewhat to avoid Hawks' fangirl.
The officer smiled at her politely and dipped his head a bit. "Thank you for the report, and your help. We'll take it from here." He told Spirit, and she nodded in return. "Good luck on the rest of your patrol." He told her with a glance toward Anima and Tsukuyomi as well, the Interns nodding quietly in return.
"Thank you." Spirit murmured and the officer headed off. She was about to turn to look back at Hawks, but Tsukuyomi clearing his throat a bit caught her attention instead, and she quickly looked his way.
"... Spirit-Sensei, I have an inquiry, if that's alright?" The avian boy murmured softly and Spirit almost faltered at the sudden appearance of 'Spirit-Sensei'. He hadn't called her that before, and doing it so suddenly was a surprise- mostly because she wasn't technically his teacher or his Mentor at all for this Internship... Even Hawks' attention broke off from the woman where he stood behind them, his head twitching slightly as Tsukuyomi's voice caught his ear.
Spirit only thought on it for about three seconds though, and she certainly never noticed Hawks- she just nodded at Tsukuyomi calm as can be. "Go for it." She replied with ease,
"I was wondering if it's standard procedure for you to fill out Incident Reports after every situation you resolve?" He hummed, "I've not seen Hawks-Sensei nor his Sidekicks doing so out in the field, other than to simply run through the bare minimum of what occurred... But there is a fair amount of paperwork to be done, yes?" He murmured, and Anima beside him blinked in surprise, before nodding his head, his hands moving.
'Oh, that is a good question, I didn't even think about it..' Anima signed quickly, Spirit cocked a hip and crossed her arms over her chest.
"... Yeah, there is a steady flow of paperwork and things to fill out for every event you get involved in as a Pro." Spirit told him lightly, "I won't bore you with all the details, but it's pretty much an everyday thing and it doesn't stop. You are required by law to fill out Incident Reports and send them in to the local police office for record, and you generally have a grace period of about two or three weeks to get them filed and turned in... Most Pros get them done within a few days or a week though, unless they're really busy or backed up." She let out a small breath, "I always try to get them filled out and filed on sight when the police arrive, and usually they take the report back to the station with them for me, so it's done and over with right away. But I think generally most of the paperwork for the reports get sent directly to whatever Agency a Pro is working at, instead of doing it right off." She murmured, shrugging a bit.
"Usually Agencies have a whole separate department set up just for doing reports and paperwork, so the Pros themselves don't handle them all on their own... usually, anyway." She murmured, "... But since I'm Independent, I have to do all the paperwork and logistical stuff that Agencies would usually handle through other people, all on my own. So it's just easier to do them out in the field, rather than wait and risk them piling up." She explained and both Interns nodded slowly in understanding.
"... I see." Tsukuyomi murmured.
'... What... What other sort of things do you do on your own then...? The things that would be handled by someone else, if you were a part of an Agency...?' Anima signed his question next, and Spirit blinked at it.
"... Well, I communicate with Dispatch calls directly, instead of them getting wired through an overhead. And I manage my own hours, and file insurance claims and damages stuff on my own too." Spirit murmured (though the insurance stuff wasn't something she did often at all- it was damage insurance all Heroes were required to have in the event they caused structural damage to the city or private property when fighting or whatever... And she seldom ever caused any damage like that, albeit a few cars here and there, and even then she only ever had to get really involved on the insurance stuff if it was something major).
"I also have to keep correspondence between myself and Dispatch and a few other government branches to keep them updated on my current schedule and whereabouts- so they can make requests for help or assistance accordingly. Or assign me to public events, or other things like that... I also manage all the financial stuff that comes with being a Pro- like taking care of keeping my equipment in good shape and getting it sent to Support for repairs and modifications and things... If I were involved in any, I would also have to manage marketing contracts for merchandise and media time, and other things like that too. But since I don't often do anything like that, or sell anything with my namesake- that's not an issue." She murmured and Anima blinked, looking a little surprised and almost daunted.
'... It seems... Like a lot...' He signed slowly,
"I suppose, but you really wouldn't need to worry about any of that if you signed on with an Agency. A lot of the overhead gets taken care of and you don't have to manage it all yourself- you'll have other people to help with that." Spirit told him with a small, reassuring smile. "I know it sounds really complicated, but it isn't really- and it'll all be much easier than you realize when you get into it later on, trust me."
"Yep~! Signing on with an Agency makes life as a Pro much easier! You'll have better hours, and more time off if ya want it. It also pays pretty well to be in an Agency too- Agencies get tax cuts and reduced prices on Damage Insurance and other things like that from the government, so you don't have to pay as much as you would being Solo." Hawks chimed in brightly out of nowhere, apparently done with the woman now and popping up at Spirit's shoulder- and also apparently listening in on the conversation. "You also get more deals on merchandise contracts and air time too for news and talkshows, sometimes even movies and television~!" He hummed brightly. Spirit actively had to keep herself from rolling her eyes at his quick addition of all the fanfare stuff that came with being a Pro.
Of course all of that comes as a bonus for him-
"Plus you'll always have plenty of help to call on from other Pros in your Agency if ya need it~! And you have a place to go at the end of the day without getting overwhelmed by fans and everything! They're also a nice place to spend time with other Pro Heroes and just relax, chat with, the works. Lots of Agencies have spaces just set up for sleeping, eating, training, and stuff like that- sometimes they're like a home away from home~" Hawks kept on, and this time Spirit paused a bit in surprise, casting the Wing Hero a curious glance from the side.
... And what would he know about making nice with other Pro Heroes? Or even relaxing for that matter? He literally doesn't seem to do anything but Hero Work, all day, every day... And do it by taking care of everything by himself, the dumbass.
She kept her mouth shut though and simply looked away from him again. The Interns on the other hand kept their eyes locked on Hawks, listening to what he had to say with just as much attention as they had when Spirit said her piece, and they nodded in tandem with each other as Hawks finished up.
"I understand, thank you both for your explanations." Tsukuyomi told both Animal Spirit and Hawks, dipping his head to them in that formal way he seemed stuck too. Anima followed suit with a nod and dipped his head too, whilst quickly signing 'thank you'.
"You're welcome." Spirit replied coolly and Hawks smiled, giving them a quick thumbs up.
"You bet~" he hummed brightly, before settling that same smile on Spirit. "All done here, so ready to head out when you are Sunshine~!" He told her brightly, and she grit her teeth instantly at the name.
I'm gonna claw him in the face-
"-how about we take a small break for awhile, maybe stop by a foodstand like you mentioned earlier?" She said instead of acting on the urge to hurt him, though she didn't manage to keep her tone near cool enough. It was low, and somewhat strained, but even still and he surely didn't seem to pick up on the anger barely hidden beneath it- or even stop to question why she suggested the break so suddenly either. Because she only suggested it now so she could pull Hawks aside and have a quick word with him about his 'do it all by myself' behavior, and try to redirect it if she could.
"Are you two hungry at all?" She asked of the Interns without even pausing for Hawks to say anything, and both younger boys seemed to hesitate, before slowly nodding their heads.
"... I could go for something to eat." Tsukuyomi murmured, Dark Shadow nodded vigorously on his shoulder, and Anima's hands moved in his reply.
'Yes, I could too.'
"Alright then, that okay with you?" Spirit hummed, glancing back at Hawks, who smiled and nodded eagerly.
"Totally good with me!" He hummed, and Spirit nodded.
"Follow me." She murmured, starting forward and leading the way out of the barrier of police cars and back out on the the adjacent street, Hawks and the Interns following close behind. "We'll head over to a street with several foodstands, so you have a variety of things to choose from." She told them lightly over her shoulder, and the Interns smiled slightly and nodded, while Hawks stuck his hands in his pockets and just hummed.
"Sounds great, I bet there's plenty of yakitori stands for me to choose from~!" Hawks chirped happily. Spirit sighed, her posture wilting and even Tsukuyomi seemed to do the same, the young boy and Dark Shadow looking incredibly exasperated... And enough so Anima noticed the behavior in both his classmate, and his Mentor- and the large boy glanced between them both in confusion.
'... Is... Something wrong...?' Animal signed slowly toward Tsukuyomi, who only shook his head.
"... Better not to ask..." Tsukuyomi mumbled, Anima seemed all the more confused though. Spirit on the other hand just stifled a groan, her head tilting back as she rolled her eyes at the indigo, and quickly darkening sky overhead.
Him and his damn yakitori obsession...
"So, you guys know Sign Language pretty well, huh~?" Hawks asked of the Interns as he drew level and started walking in tandem with them both at Tsukuyomi's right. Both younger boys glanced his way upon being addressed (rather shyly in Anima's case), and blinked at Hawks' question. "Did you learn in middle school, or just on your own?" The Winged Hero asked lightly,
"I learned in middle school." Tsukuyomi murmured quietly, and Anima looked hesitant for a moment, before tapping his fingers together nervously.
"... I... I started learning on my own in elementary... But I took a few classes in middle school as well..." Anima replied in a quiet, hushed voice and Hawks nodded at them both,
"I see." He hummed, "So I figure you're major language classes are in learning English at UA now, yeah~?" he hummed, and the boys nodded.
"Yes." Tsukuyomi replied, Hawks smirked.
"Ah right, well hopefully English isn't giving you too much trouble so far~! It can be a bit hard to learn at first with all the rules and everything, but if you two can get sign language down I'm sure English won't be too bad, hehe~" Hawks chirped, his hands in his pockets and as at ease as one possibly could be. "Speaking of though, what about you Spirit~?" He kept on, turning his attention ahead toward Spirit leading them, and she blinked at suddenly being addressed, glancing over her shoulder toward him.
"What about me?" She mumbled, he smiled at her.
"Well you seem pretty well-versed in sign language too, did you learn it in school?" He asked lightly, "Was it classes, or just a hobby you picked up on your own?" He hummed and Spirit sighed internally, slowly winding her way around the corner and through the sparse few people still walking around now that the sun has been down for a good long while. "Or maybe it was something to fill in for your English language classes in high school?" Hawks asked lightly,
Spirit's feet halted, her walking stopping almost too abruptly as she reached the edge of the street and the crosswalk a few feet further still (and the light red, as well as void of any people as the crowds thinned to nothing for the moment). She drew up short of the crossing, her eyes stuck straight ahead, silent and rigid as her heart almost skipped a beat at the question, and for half a second her mind washed almost completely blank.
"... I'm sorry?" She mumbled slowly, turning toward Hawks and the Interns, who had all stopped behind her when she suddenly quit walking. Her tone was calm, and low, and near almost emotionless as she asked it- and her expression was unreadable too as she settled a quiet, cool, intent stare on Hawks. He tilted his head at her, letting out little but a small 'hmm?' in reply, and her eyes narrowed just slightly.
Tsukuyomi and Anima blinked, exchanging quick glances between themselves and the two Pros, not quite sure why Animal Spirit had stopped so suddenly...?
"That part about 'filling in' for the English classes in school." She elaborated evenly, "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, that~!" He hummed, perking up near instantly. "Well I just figure you wouldn't have needed to take English classes back in school yeah~? Since you're originally from someplace else where the native language is English, right?" He told her with ease, and Spirit's teeth grit, her eyes narrowing further and a bit of her unreadable expression giving way to wariness. But as always, he just kept on, oblivious as ever to the change in Spirit, or the surprise and question from the Interns.
"I've been to lots of different countries on my tours ya know, and I've gotten pretty good at picking out different accents and regional language variances~!" Hawks explained, "I actually first noticed it that day we had dinner up on the building! But I've not been a 100% sure, since it's not always easy to pick up on the little cues and things from you! Your Japanese is pretty flawless most of the time, so it's hard to notice anything even a little off~! But I have noticed you use a lot of words and phrases pretty common for European countries, and you even get a bit of an accent too when ya get mad or annoyed~!" He kept on, before smirking and chuckling to himself a bit. "Though to be honest, it's all the curses and names you've called me when you get mad that really confirmed it! You do it a lot- and you're mad at me a lot too, hehe~! You've several times called me a 'git', 'prat' and 'twat' and you use 'bloody' a lot too! 'Bloody hell' and 'right bloody now'- oh, and 'bloody fucking per'-!"
"Alright enough, I get the point." Spirit cut him off quickly, saving him finishing the last one and all too aware of the shocked, and slightly incredulous looks that were being earned from the Inters.
Had Animal Spirit really called him all of that? And Hawks seemed completely okay with all the foul names and language...? Did Animal Spirit really have that bad a mouth...? It seemed impossible to them both, because she had never been anything but calm and friendly and polite to both UA kids the whole time she'd been around them... It was another hint of whatever this weird relationship between Hawks and Animal Spirit seemed to be- and one both Interns had been trying to piece together since yesterday, and all through Patrol today.
Hawks just smiled more as Spirit cut him off, completely at ease and expectant as Spirit's eyes dropped from him. She sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and shaking her head a bit, while raising one hand enough to pinch the bridge of her nose.
... Shit... No one has ever... Noticed it that fast...
... Grant you, nobody has ever made me as annoyed and angry as often as he has either... And that is when it shows... But hell.
She cracked one eye open, settling Hawks with a steady stare from around her hand, silent for a few seconds more.
... He is actually a million times more perceptive and intuitive than he let's on...
... Is it all just an act then...? Being so bright and carefree...?
Does he just pretend to be more oblivious than he is...? To throw off suspicion...?
She grit her teeth a little, other eye opening as her gaze flashed, and the wariness and suspicion ever present in her heart sharpened a bit more.
... Did he plan this...? To ask about this, and to pry, and make sure we weren't alone and the Interns were around... So I wouldn't get mad at him? Because he knew I wouldn't act like that, in front of them...?
... Or is he just being curious...? Only for curiosity sake...? Just making conversation...?
She didn't know, and she hated the uncertainty.
She hated that she couldn't tell if he was... Dangerous or not. And she hated that she even hesitated to take the simple way out- the safer way- and just stop...
She sighed again and her eyes dropped, her hand falling too as she shook her head at herself one more time.
... Stop letting herself give in, and stop giving him more and more chances. Stop herself from... What?
... Thinking... Maybe this isn't what I'm afraid it is...? That he's not actually... A threat...?
... Damn me... Why can't I just...?
"... So, Sunshine- am I totally off or nah?" Hawks hummed brightly, apparently the few moments of silence getting a bit too much for him and his patience. Spirit glanced away from him and to either side, but the street was as empty as it had been beforehand, leaving them alone on the sidewalk still- the crosswalk light still red, waiting.
"... No, you're right..." Spirit murmured at length, her eyes slowly moving back toward Hawks as his eyes shone at the confirmation, while the Interns' eyes widened in surprise. "... I wasn't born in Japan... I didn't actually move here until I was 7 or 8, so I already knew English beforehand, and had to learn Japanese when I got here." She explained quietly, biting the inside of her cheek as she shot Hawks a halfway annoyed, halfway exasperated look for just half a second.
"... I don't go telling anybody about all of that though, and I rarely have to... As it is, you're only the third person to notice any sort of accent or anything since I got here, Feathers." She muttered lowly,
Well, of those who didn't already know where I'm from, anyway...
Hawks seemed both pleased, and extremely intrigued with the information- especially so at being only the 3rd person in what, 12ish years?
"Ah, really~?" He chirped, "Can't say I'm surprised- like I said! Your Japanese is pretty much perfect~! I suppose it'd have to be, if you've lived here for so long, hehe~" He chuckled, Spirit just let out a quiet huff.
"W-wait, really Spirit-Sensei...?!" Anima popped into the conversation, unable to keep himself from voicing the question, and much too shocked with the news to stick to sign language rather than using his voice. And of course he couldn't help but be shocked and overzealous just then- why not?
He was a fan of hers, and for it knew a lot about her, and all the things she had ever let be public in her time as a Pro... Which of course was comparatively little when compared to others- but still!
All impressions, trivia, notes, information and thoughts about Animal Spirit had her as a young, capable, quickly rising in the ranks Hero- and one who had gone to a high school with a Hero Course that was in no way known for churning out popular Pros. And certainly not ones of such a high rank as Spirit was, so she was an outlier twice over for that, and simply being as highly ranked and as young as was (similar to how Hawks was). Details on her personal life and her Quirk had always been very hard to come by, since she wasn't much into talking with the media or anything. But it had always been the public's assumption (and Anima's) that she was like most other Heroes in Japan- Born and raised in Japan.
Foreign Heroes were not unheard of to come to Japan for a time and work there (Captain Celebrity for example, about 12-15 years back), and there were of course Heroes that were not originally Japanese citizens too... But Animal Spirit?
The thought had never crossed his mind (or anyone else's for that matter), and not just because of a lack of knowledge of her. Like Hawks had said- her Japanese was perfect, her mannerisms, all of it! Anima hadn't even noticed even the faintest fluctuation in her speech or accent the whole time he had been Interning with her, not once. And having it pointed out, and confirmed now?
"... Y-you're really from another country...?" Anima asked in a hushed, quiet voice, taking a single step her way and hands clasped together against his chest. Spirit's red eyes moved over toward him slowly, and she nodded, calm as can be now.
"Yeah." She hummed, "But like I said, I don't ever mention it because usually nobody calls me out on the way I speak or anything." She mumbled,
"... Where are you from originally, if you don't mind my asking?" Tsukuyomi inquired slowly next, and Spirit glanced his way, hesitating for half a second it seemed, before letting out a small breath.
"... England." She answered softly,
"Aha! That was gonna be my second guess~!" Hawks said brightly, snapping his fingers in air and pointing at her with a carefree smile. "I had it narrowed down to New Zealand, England and Australia~!" He hummed, and Spirit blinked.
... Is that why he guessed a hero from New Zealand for my #1...? Because he was working under the assumption... I'm not originally from Japan...?
She let out a silent breath, quiet in place for a few seconds more.
... Huh...
"... yeah, well anyway- I would appreciate if none of you told anyone else about this." Spirit murmured, glancing between Hawks and the Interns, and her eyes lingering on Hawks a few seconds longer as she said it. They all blinked at her and the words, and Spirit clapped her hands together in front of her softly, her eyes falling closed. "Not that I'm saying you would, but still... I don't really want a lot of people knowing about me being from a different country... so please keep it to yourselves?" She murmured quietly, dipping her head as she kept her palms pressed together lightly before her, and the Interns and Hawks all seemed to freeze at the gesture for a few seconds.
Anima and Tsukuyomi froze at the gesture of her hands and the request, whilst Hawks was almost (and only almost) completely taken aback by how politely she asked... even pleading, almost. Because on any other day, and when the Interns were not around- he was quite sure Spirit would have demanded he keep his mouth shut, and even threatened him too. But there she was, just asking him nicely to keep the information to himself, and even going so far as to have her hands together like that and lower her head to them.
Hawks had of course immediately noticed a lack of fiery temper in Spirit with the kids around, and he knew fairly well she was doing her best not to snap in front of them... though whether that was out of self-consciousness, or not wanting to scare the Interns, he wasn't altogether sure. But any which way, she had been much calmer when talking with him the whole night, and she hadn't actually snapped at him at all- she'd even mostly refrained from using the collection of nicknames and jibes he had become used to from her ('Bird-Boy' and all other variants... even being referred to as Feathers had been a much rarer occurrence tonight too...).
But the sudden politeness was just... well, kinda weird honestly. Not that it wasn't intriguing- the whole shift in attitude she seemed to have when just he and she were alone, and when other people were around.
"... O-of course we won't say anything, Spirit-Sensei...!" Anima was the first to speak up, nodding quickly toward his Mentor as Tsukuyomi and Dark Shadow did the same.
"You have our word, we will keep it to ourselves." Tsukuyomi murmured levelly, Spirit smiled slightly at both Interns, nodding just a bit in return.
"Thank you." She murmured, her hands falling slightly and her head raising back up. Her smile faded to nothing as her red eyes moved toward Hawks expectantly, and he smiled coolly as their gazes met.
"Your secret's safe with me, Sunshine~!" He told her lightly, giving her a quick thumbs up as his eyes flashed. "I'm not gonna go around telling anybody, promise~!" He chuckled, and Spirit nodded slightly to him,
"... Alright." She murmured, turning and tilting her head toward the crosswalk they had previously been heading toward, before stopping. "Come on, let's go get that food, yeah?" She hummed,
"Alright."
"Aiyo~!"
"Y-yes..!"
"Lets~!"
.:+:.
"... here, you two go ahead and order whatever you want, from whatever stand you'd like." Spirit murmured lightly as she faced the Interns, their small group standing at the edge of the fairly busy, and warmly lit street full of stands and food. It was the same street full of vendors that Spirit had taken Anima to on the first day of his Internship, though being it was already night it was less busy than it had been then- but still busy enough there was a fair amount of maneuvering to be had to get through the crowds.
Anima and Tsukuyomi blinked as Spirit handed some money over to them, Anima holding his hands out to take it from her just from instinct, while Tsukuyomi stood at the larger boy's shoulder (with Dark Shadow looking around at all the stands and paying no mind to Spirit at all...). "Hawks and I are gonna hit up a stand a bit further over that way, we'll meet up with you at that eating area we went to before- do you remember?" Spirit asked, her eyes on Anima as he paused for half a second, before nodding quickly.
"Yes, I remember Spirit-Sensei." He murmured softly, and Spirit smiled.
"Great, we'll see you in a bit." She hummed, and both boy's nodded in confirmation, before slowly turning and walking off, their attention falling on the stands and the choices to be had in terms of a meal. Hawks, who was standing just two or three steps behind her and with his hands in his pockets just watched the Interns go in silence, before his eyes landed on Spirit as she turned back toward him.
"You have a place picked out for us then, huh?" He hummed coolly, and Spirit sighed.
"Yeah, there's a yakitori stand over this way that's good." She mumbled, already stepping passed him and gesturing for him to follow. He followed happily, placing himself at her right shoulder and walking in tandem with her through the small crowds of people. Both he and Spirit gave none of the bystanders any notice, though they certainly earned near everyone's eyes- she groaned internally at it, but let it go for now.
"Cool~!" He hummed, "You in the mood for yakitori too, Spirit?" He asked, and she bit the inside of her cheek, casting him a sideways glance as he placed himself at her shoulder (a bit too close for comfort really), before looking ahead again and on where she was going.
"I'm not picky, so yakitori will be fine." She murmured in reply and he blinked, his head tilting. "And besides, I'm not just bringing you this way for the food- you and I need to have a word, Bird-Boy." She added lowly and his eyes narrowed slightly in question, following still even as Spirit redirected their path away from the center of the street and toward a more secluded area at the side, a small alley settled between two buildings.
"Hmm? A word about what?" He hummed reflexively, but Spirit didn't answer straight away. Instead she stopped as they reached the alley and moved far enough from the street as to avoid being heard, and faced him as he stopped in front of her. Hawks paused for a half a second as she settled a stare on him, before shooting her a small, almost embarrassed smile, his hand lifting to rub the back of his neck. "... Ah, if this is about me asking about your English, I wasn't trying to make you mad or anything, or-" he started quickly and Spirit shook her head rather sharply, cutting him off.
"It's not about that, though since you brought it up- stop asking me so many personal questions." She muttered and he shut his mouth, quiet in his spot as his hand reflexively closed around the collar of his jacket. "I already told you I don't like people prying, and if I wanted to share anything with you, I would do it on my own time. So stop trying to coax things from me by asking so many questions, got it? You're gonna piss me off, and if you keep it up you're gonna blow it- you only have one more chance, remember?" She grumbled lowly and she saw him visibly stiffen at the mention of the 'chance'- before his shoulders seemed to sink slightly as he nodded, just once.
"Yeah, I hear you Spirit... and I'm sorry. I'll try to quit pestering you so much." He mumbled, and she let out a huff, shaking her head a bit and setting her hands on her hips.
She was miffed at him and the whole conversation he'd started about where she was born, and whatnot, because they were prying things, and she hated those. And she hated them more after she had many times made it clear she didn't care for his prodding... But she wasn't that mad about it... well, at least not near as mad as she had been when she'd thought he'd been spying on her.
And her anger now was lacking only because she had been called out on her little slip-ups in her speech before now, and by other people- not just him. So in a way, it was inevitable someone else mentioned it eventually.
(Not that she was altogether pleased it had been Hawks to piece it together... but whatever, it wasn't worth it right then.)
"Fine, now away from that." Spirit muttered, and he blinked as she lift a (still badly bruised, swollen, and scraped up) hand and pointed a finger at him. "I realize this isn't exactly easy for your dumbass, but you're still doing a lot of that stupid shit I told you not to do!" She snapped at him lowly and his eyes widened, his head tilting as he blinked several times.
"Hmm? What do you mean?" He asked instantly, "I've not run off or anything, I've stayed behind with you guys the whole night instead of staying ahead." He pointed out, "Plus I've totally been a lot more friendly with Tsukuyomi and your Intern too, chatting and answering questions, and taking interest- wasn't being more personable with everybody what you wanted? And not running off ahead all the time?" He asked, looking almost incredulous now and Spirit felt a flash of annoyance run through her.
He can't be this oblivious, can he?
I mean really?
She grit her teeth a bit, her eyes flashing as she fought the urge to smack him upside the head.
How can this idiot notice the tiniest things about someone's speaking habits, but be so clueless to his own actions and bad habits?
Bloody fucking hell Feathers... Ugh!
"Alright first- you only started answering questions after I offered to do it." Spirit told him slowly, while working rather hard to keep her voice as level as possible.
"... Well yeah, but I kinda thought the asking questions thing had been implied from the very beginning." He hummed with a small shrug, "I mean Tsukuyomi knows he's supposed to be here learning, so asking questions was just a given, right? I'd have answered anything he bothered to ask before now, ya know. Given he did actually ask~"
"Tch, whether you think it's a given or not- you still should have told him outright you would answer what he asked." Spirit muttered,
"Yeah, I kinda figured that after you brought it up, that's why I made the offer right after you did~! I told you I'd do my best to take pointers from you, remember~?" he smiled easily and she growled under her breath. "So you can't be mad at me for following your lead, I'm just doing what I said I would- and you agreed, Spirit~! Plus now I'll totally remember not to make the same mistake next time, so that's a step in the right direction too, yeah~?" He smirked, Spirit huffed.
"Fine, you've been doing a little better- and no, I can't yell at you much for making a sort-of positive change." She grumbled, relenting just a little and he looked all the more pleased with it... Which irked her, but she wasn't done. "And yeah sure, you've been much better about not running off and leaving us all behind- but you're still doing the whole 'take care of everything myself' shit that I specifically told you to quit doing!" She snapped hotly and his smile faded again in clear question, and confusion, and she grit her teeth at the look.
"We've been out here for four hours already, and I and the Interns have done literally nothing other than file Police Reports, and cleanup work! Because you've gone ahead and subdued and captured every single troublemaker, and fixed every single issue long before we ever even get to the locations!" She snapped hotly and his feathery brows raised as his eyes widened, and it seemed to dawn on him (finally) what she was so worked up about. And he just stood there looking somewhat lost for words as Spirit fought the urge to let her voice raise out of frustration.
"Like I've told you several times now, you can't just take care of everything all by yourself! You gotta let other people do the work too- we aren't just here to clean up after you, so quit making it impossible to do anything else!" She snapped, still pointing a finger at him and red eyes blazing. She leaned in a bit and jammed her finger against his chest just once, all barely muffled annoyance as he jumped slightly at the contact, his eyes growing wider than ever and mouth shut tight as he just held her gaze. "And maybe just once, can you let us actually get to someplace and see what's going on before you try and handle everything?!" She hissed furiously, and he blinked, looking a touch embarrassed now as his hand closed around the collar of his jacket and he pulled it over his mouth, looking away from her entirely and stiff as a board.
Spirit faltered, her red eyes flashing and mouth snapping shut as nearly all of her burning annoyance and agitation seemed to vanish near all the way- like a switch had been flipped.
What the fuck-?
"... eh, right... sorry Spirit... I totally get your point now..." Hawks mumbled from around the coat collar, his eyes still avoiding hers as he glanced left and to the alley wall. "I guess I've been a bit overzealous with my Hero-ing today, and moving a bit too fast trying to solve things, heh..." He mumbled softly, looking a bit embarrassed still, his feathers fluffed up slightly. "... My bad, Spirit... I'll do better, I promise...! I'm sorry for grating on your nerves the last few hours though, and not realizing it...!" He chuckled sheepishly, his voice still muffled by the collar over his mouth and Spirit stared, her posture growing slightly slack and... Stunned, maybe?
No that's not right, I'm not stunned... But why did I do that though? All the anger just vanishing when he-
Her eyes flashed and her teeth grit, her whole body stiffening as she shook her head furiously at herself, her hands balling into fists at her sides.
"Tch, yeah well... You damn well better quit it...!" She snapped quickly, though the words were much more jerky than she liked, and he glanced her way, eyes glittering. Spirit shook her head again, instantly more annoyed with herself and spinning on her heel, promptly turning away from him and heading to the street again. She waved a hand hotly over her shoulder, though she didn't look back at him. And for a moment or two Hawks just stayed where he was, quiet and surprised, as well as maybe a little confused...?
Why did she seem... Flustered more now, than angry? Was he reading that right...? Maybe...?
... I can't be, she's just still annoyed... Yeah...?
Spirit hissed, fists still clenched and shoulders hunched as she kept walking, and absolutely refused to look back. She couldn't look at him, not right then. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction- damn me.
"... Now you better remember everything I just told you, Feathers! I'm not gonna deal with anymore of your stupid shit tonight! So don't muck it up..!" She snapped back at him, her hand falling from waving at him and still walking- and very aware he hadn't started to follow just yet. "Tch... Now hurry up, let's get the food and head back to the Interns, Feathers." She muttered crossly, and at last Hawks blinked, and then quickly began to follow her, his hands falling in his jacket pockets and eyes fixed on her back in front of him, intrigued.
... Is she not looking at me for a reason...? Or is she really just that mad she doesn't want to look at me?
He tilted his head at the thought, humming quietly to himself as he quickly caught up to walk just behind her. His eyes traced along the slightly hunched ridge of her shoulders, down to her clenched hands, and then back up again at the back of her head, peering slightly left to try and catch a glimpse of her face- but no dice.
Hmm... Oh well~
He shrugged to himself and smirked, abandoning the musing and falling right back into the comfortable laid-back persona in no time at all. As well as shaking off all his embarrassment, and Spirit's ire, so very easily.
"As you wish, Sunshine~!" He chirped, "And I promise, I'll do better the rest of the night!" He told her, and Spirit huffed ahead of him. He smiled at it though, his head tilting back a bit as he glanced at the dark sky overhead, searching for stars that couldn't be seen with all the lights of the street and city around them. "Who knows? Maybe something really exciting will happen still?" He hummed aloud, chuckling. "If it does, this time around I'll be sure to let you and the kiddos have your turns too~! It'll be cool to see you work closeup~!"
"... Don't hope for anything too crazy Feathers. I don't wanna get into a big fight with anyone tonight." Spirit sighed, still rather crossly.
"Hmm? Not in the mood after your scuffle last night, Spirit~?" He asked curiously, and though he didn't see it, she grit her teeth rather hard at it. Because of course he found an opportunity to bring up what had happened last night- even after she clearly wanted him to drop it, the twat.
"Tch, it's not like that." She shot back immediately. "The Interns don't have Licenses, so legally they wouldn't be allowed to fight any Villains you start with. It has to be self-defense, and even then I don't wanna get into a situation where they'd have to fight in the first place." Spirit grumbled, glancing right as Hawks sped up enough to walk directly next to her, and she said nothing of it, just glanced back ahead and away from him. "... You do remember this is their first time out in the field, right?" She grumbled, and he smiled slightly.
"Well I get the License thing, and I don't want anything too out of hand either! But something a little more exciting than what we've seen so far wouldn't be too bad, would it~?" He hummed, "Besides, even if something like that did come up, I'm sure you and I would have no trouble keeping the kiddos safe!" He told her brightly, "...Pluuus! You gotta remember, they aren't totally without experience! They did face Villains back at the USJ, so they aren't totally green or anything, they can handle themselves in a pinch! They've done it before~"
"... Even so, it'd be better not to have to get into a situation like that tonight." Spirit grumbled, "... Even if you and I keep an eye on them, sometimes things just get really out of hand..." She muttered and he blinked, rocking his head back and forth, musing.
... Besides, with my track record the last few weeks- things have a ridiculously high chance of going screwy to an extreme...
Oi... Please don't make anything super crazy happen tonight... Gimme a break for once...!
... but shit... does constantly asking for it not to happen, just jinx it into happening anyway...?
Fuck me... maybe...? Ugh...
Spirit sighed, shaking her head at herself slightly and Hawks noticed it- but didn't say anything (for once).
"Well I can't say for sure nothing will happen- but if it does, don't you sweat it Spirit!" Hawks hummed, his usual bright and cheerful demeanor still there- but it wasn't as carefree this time around. Instead his tone seemed a touch more serious all of a sudden, and Spirit glanced right toward him quickly in surprise. He held her red eyes steadily, smiling slightly and completely more cool now- resolute even- as he gave her a firm nod.
"If anything serious comes up, I'll protect all of you with everything I have." Hawks told her, and she blinked, her eyes widening. "Nothing will hurt you or the Interns on my watch, I promise you." He murmured, and Spirit felt herself stiffen. She slowed up in her walking without meaning to, her eyes fixed on him and quiet, and suddenly unable to break her eyes away from him... and... and how completely earnest he was being.
... where did... this come from...?
... he's never so... not cheery, and all smiles and things...... he's being genuinely serious right now... about promising...?
"If you're in trouble, I'll be there- no matter what comes." He promised steadily, she blinked. H nodded at her, smiling coolly and golden eyes shinning.
"I promise, no matter what, I will be there for you whenever you need me, Spirit."
Spirit's eyes flashed, a shiver running up her spine out of nowhere as her heart skipped a beat, his voice almost managing a way to reach her very core, it felt like.
... what the... hell...?
She didn't say anything, and quite frankly it was something of a miracle her feet kept moving. She just stared, him smiling still so calmly and his eyes glittering as he faced her, and for a moment or two there was nothing but that heaviness that seemed to have been born of those words... that vow, even. And one, and the behavior, that just came out of nowhere- his whole demeanor and attitude had done a complete 180 and she was reeling for it.
... this is... so... out of the blue...
... the way he's acting is... almost like yesterday, when I yelled at him...
Hawks smiled a bit brighter after another moment, chuckling lightly under his breath as he stuck his hands in his jacket pockets and ruffled his feathers a bit.
"... That being said, I remember what you told me about handling everything on my own, so I won't if I don't need to... You're a badass Spirit, and a hell of a Pro, and I know that. So don't think I'm trying to cast you in the role of 'damsel in distress' or anything, I wouldn't dare." He chuckled, shaking his head. "To be honest you're probably a lot better at taking care of yourself than I am, so I'll let you do what you do, and totally rock as usual." He smirked, shrugging slightly. "I'll let you do your thing and I won't get in your way... but if ever you do need me- even rare as it'll be- I'll be there, quick as can be." He hummed, and Spirit bit the inside of her cheek, her eyes glittering, though her expression was utterly unreadable... and better for it.
Because... well what the hell? What was she supposed to do with that? All of that completely out of nowhere, insane change?
Why say that, now of all times? Say it and... and sound like he really meant it, more than all the other times he'd promised to protect and serve and whatever?
Why say it now? What prompted that?
Was it just him trying to make up for, and sound cool and sincere after royally ticking her off? About all the handling everything by himself, about him prying about the way she talked, where she was from? Was he just trying to toss some words and promises at her to try and get in her good graces again? Were they just empty promises meant to smooth things over between them, and nothing else...? Promises and praises thrown her way to make all the things he'd done and messed up with fade a little in her mind...?
... or... was it actually genuine...? Real...? Honest...?
... a bit of him, and a side of him she wasn't familiar with...? A deeper part...? One that maybe... tapped into the inner portion of him that truly wanted to be... a good Pro...? An actual Hero...? One that put everyone at ease, like he said he wanted to...?
... Was it just too put her at ease, and with no ulterior motive...? Or was it... Or was this simply just...
... The real him...? The true... Hawks...?
She bit the insides of her cheeks, her eyes narrowing slightly as she swallowed.
There was that realization again- she hadn't a clue who he really was, at all. Not his motivations, not his true self, not what he did, or why, or even anything altogether substantial... he might have been an even bigger mystery than herself.
... Shit ...
She looked away from finally, focusing her attention on where they were walking and just nodding stiffly in reply to everything he had said. She said nothing, and she didn't look at him again either- she nodded and dropped it, and Hawks tilted his head at it, intrigued with the silence... but he dropped it too.
He couldn't read her anymore than she could read him, and the constant being in the dark when it came to Spirit's thoughts and feelings... well, as he'd said before- that just made her all the more interesting for him, and it made him want to know her all the more too.
Maybe one day he'd understand her... and what the reaction was, and what it meant. Even if not today- that one day? That would be enough... for her, he could be patient, and just wait, and learn and see more in time. Just as long as he kept having that time with her.
Hawks smiled and shook himself out a bit, his head lifting as he sniffed at the air, and his smile grew excited as his mouth watered. "Mmmm...! I can smell it from here..!" He said wistfully, clapping his hands together and nearly drooling. Spirit beside him cast him a quiet look from the corner of her eye, her red gaze glittering at that soft, bright, and utterly mesmerized look on his face.
... how does he do that...? Shift attitude so quickly...?
... One minute nothing but smiles, and then serious the next...?
... I don't...
Her eyes softened as the Winged Hero let out a pleasurable sigh, his golden eyes shinning and looking nearly like a kid in a candy store for a moment.
"Yakitori here we come~!"
Hello!
I hope you enjoyed this (extra) long chapter! And enjoyed the Hawks and Spirit interactions this chapter too! qwq
**It has come to my attention that Shoko's (Okita's) last name- Sasaki- is indeed Sir Nighteye's last name as well! This is pure coincidence, and doesn't hint to any sort of relations between Shoko and Sir- sorry! Lol I just thought 'Shoko Sasaki' sounded nice, lmao
Anyhoo! Thank you all for reading! The next chapter will have more action in it, and even more Hawks and Spirit time! (As well as some angst...)
Thank you for reading! Please, follow, fav and Review if ya can! Thank you!