Birds of a Feather Collection

Time to Unwind

— Hawks' girlfriend works too hard. And when she's burnt out, he knows exactly how to make it better.

Hawks readily knew two things the moment he got home and crossed his door.

First was that his girlfriend was still holed up in the study—a room he emptied out in his own apartment after she moved in for her to work in—probably still working on the article her publisher had outlandishly told her to write about. An in-depth article about the past, current, and possible branching futures of hero society after it's foundation got dismantled. Or something to that effect. Hawks stopped paying attention the moment he caught the hint of politics in it. He just encouraged her the same way he always did, by standing by and giving her space to work the same way she did for him. Though he missed having her around after days of her being cooped up, Hawks had to admit that her stubbornness was something he admired about her.

It was cute to watch her slowly lose her mind in every sense of the word. Peeking into the small study, he tried his best to do as little noise as possible while opening the door. On the brightly lit room, there she was, staring onto a wall where she'd pinned numerous pictures written notes and other pieces of important information. Looking at those made his head hurt a little, but he could grasp her train of thought after a few minutes of studying her 'wall of red herrings.' Red herrings that she somehow managed to uncover with concrete evidence in her finished product. Seriously, with how much work she put into some of her articles, Hawks wondered why she hadn't become a detective or something.

Leaving her to herself, Hawks went on to prepare for what he knew well enough would inevitably come in a few hours. A routine he knew all too well.

Entering their bedroom to change out of his hero costume was where he found the other thing he'd known from entering their house. There, on its lavishly plush bed, laid her girlfriend's Alaskan Malamute that she'd brought in with her when she moved in. Junji was a nasty Mally who didn't like Hawks at first. When they first began going out and he would often visit her apartment, Junji would tackle him down as soon as the door opened and did so the first couple of times. Even after Hawks learned to expect it, Junji would continue to bark incessantly at the Winged Hero despite being floated in mid air by Hawks feathers. Mangy mutt was fearless, that was for sure. So after a while, and especially after she moved in with him, he and the mutt came to an implicit agreement to tolerate each other for her sake. Didn't mean that the asshole mongrel broke that silent treaty when it was convenient for him, like the one damn time he got on the table and ate most of Hawks' breakfast and got away with a mild scolding from her when he wanted to do so much worse. Had it not been for her, he'd already have a new carpet.

But after months of coexisting in each others' space made their relationship mildly better. Just a tiny bit. Junji growled at Hawks a little as he passed by and huffed once he crossed the room to the walk-in closet. Once done changing, Hawks took one of the treats from the jar next to her nightstand and waved it in front of Junji. The Mally perked up, its tail wagging like crazy at the sight of his treat.

"You want it, you mangy idiot," Hawks muttered, baiting the dog longer and longer until he had him hooked. "Then go get it." Just then he tossed the treat into the walk-in closet and watched gleefully as he chased after it only to smashed into the dead-end with a loud thud. Chuckling as he went out, he left the door ajar for the mutt and went along to the kitchen.

Step one of that routine: make dinner. Usually, he'd order take-out but with this being close to her deadline, Hawks knew that she'd need a better meal than that once she eventually burnt out. So he did his best to make his specialty, yakitori chicken. Though she chided him sometimes about the utter paradox that it was for him to eat chicken, she never once denied him his cooked meals. And knowing what would come in some hours, Hawks knew she'd have close to little energy to complain. Heavy footsteps trotted over to the kitchen before Junji jumped to lean onto the counter top and inspect just what smelled so good.

"No, you mongrel," he groaned, swiping at him with one of his wings. It worked to get him off the counter and away from the burning stove but not to deter the humongous Mal. The sudden bite that ripped a few of his feathers off his wing got him to jump and cry out a little. Thankfully, his grip on the knife didn't falter. Or perhaps regrettably. Hawks was ready to murder the mutt when he turned to find him with his red feathers sticking out of his mouth, slobber drooling all over them. More than angry about it, he swept the feathers out of his mouth and shook the drool out of them before chasing the mutt around the house to distract it. It barked when chasing after them and whined when they'd chase after him; the merry-go-round far enough from both the study and kitchen to not be a problem.

Dinner done with, Hawks checked the clock as he wiped his hands clean on a washcloth. Mm, just shy of twenty minutes left. It'd be enough surely. Sending his crimson feathers out on various directions, Hawks started putting the finishing touches to what'd be a long night. A few feathers stayed in the kitchen with him, bringing plates that he easily took to plate the yakitori which he then deftly gave back to be taken to the living room's coffee table along with a tall glass of tea for her and a beer or two for him. While he plated their dinner, the feathers chasing after Junji veered him towards the yard door where a few others opened the glass sliding door to let it out and close it quickly after he ran out. His feathers triumphantly 'high-fived' before returning to his wings. A whole bunch took to the room where they brought back a blanket and a pillow or two and laid it haphazardly onto the couch right across from the coffee table and the wide-screen tv, the pillow almost rolling off the couch onto the table but caught expertly by his feathers and put in place. One in particular went back to their room and snatched an over sized, knitted sweater of hers from the closet to leave it on the couch as well.

With five minutes left over, Hawks stretched his arms over his head letting some steam out of his sore muscles and headed to the tv to turn it on and set it on a preset list that he saved for days like these. Walking over to the study, he quietly turned to the knob only to leave the door open before heading over to the door that led out to the yard. Eyeing the clock one last time, he let his hand hang on the handle ready to pull the door open.

Hawks took a deep breath and smiled as he counted down. "Three, two, one."

On cue, a defeated shout came from the study and at hearing it, Hawks yanked the door open letting Junji dashed across the living room and make his way straight into the study where a subsequent, heavy thud resounded follow by an audible 'ow'. Hawks felt relieve wash over him at hearing her still alive and well before making his way after the mutt. By the time he got near the door, Junji was already pulling her out of the study by the leg of her leggings. Though she didn't protest, her groans of utter defeat told him exactly why.

"Fuck it," she called through her hands as they dragged across her face begrudgingly. "I'm never finishing this thing in time."

Junji brought her only as far as he could before he started lapping at her face happily and tearing her a little out of her own self-loathing. Hawks stood over the two with a lopsided smile. "You always say that but you always do." Bending down, he threaded his arms beneath her legs and behind her back to pick her up. "All you need's a break."

Junji followed along just fine since his owner was now out in the open. Sitting her down on top of the couch's back, he busied himself with taking off her stuffy shirt and putting on the knitted sweater. She easily let him do as he pleased with how crushed her mind and soul where at the moment. Hawks didn't mind babying her either. He lived for it, really. Once done, he brought her to a proper sit on the couch and molted most of his feathers to easily cover them both with the blanket. His red feathers fell around them and onto the floor, Junji even huffing at some that fell on his face or near his nose as he laid at the feet of the couch near her where he could easily just lift his head and lay it on the other side of her. As she busied herself with petting Junji, Hawks reached forward to grab one of his beers and crack it open while his feathers took the plate and brought it to her. Gingerly, she took it and set it on her lap, taking one and munching on it as Junji tried to slowly make his way to snatch one from the plate. The feathers near him smacked him on the snout and got him to back off as Hawks busied himself with the control, browsing through the list.

"What you feel like tonight, baby? Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind or 500 Days of Summer?" As he swept through the list, he landed on one. "Or how does some good old Princess Bride sound?"

"Princess Bride."

"The Princess Bride it is." Hawks started the movie and let it play as he took one yakitori for himself. When he saw that she suddenly stopped mid bite, he stopped in tandem and turned down to look at her. "You alright?"

Her head nodded vehemently before she turned up with one of those sweet smiles that he loved so much. "Thank you for doing all this for me. I really appreciate it."

Chuckling a little, Hawks leaned forward to kiss her forehead. "I do it gladly, sweetheart. So don't worry your pretty little head about it."

Leaning forward herself, she pecked him on the lips swiftly before turning back to take another bite of the yakitori just as the movie started. "You eating chicken is still weird."

With another chuckle, Hawks wrapped one arm around her shoulders and brought his hand to the other side of her head to bring her closer so he could kiss the top of it. With how often they were both engrossed in their jobs, it made cherishing times like these where they could just spend it in each other's company quite easy.

Truly, to him, their time spent unwinding after a long day was the best.