Loneliness, and Lunch

The lights to Jun's living room stayed off as soft rays from the afternoon sun beamed through the old, rugged blinds shielding the top half of the sliding glass door. It led to a compact, decrepit, and poorly put together balcony overlooking the shadiest part of the city. From here she had the pleasure to view the city in all its reprehensible glory. Trash littered the street; the sidewalk had long been crumbling and decaying away. Ah well, who bases their choice of living solely on location, anyway? Besides, she had more important things to worry about.

Hundreds of wooden puzzle pieces littered the shabby antique study desk, an ancient radio played soft static in the background as Jun indulged in one of her favorite hobbies – being a recluse who is shut out from the rest of the world.

She had to have completed hundreds of jigsaw puzzles by now. There really wasn't much else for her to do anyway. She'd go as far as to say she was an expert at them by now, dryly chuckling to herself at those who still use the box art to guide them towards completion. And yet, there was something peculiar about this puzzle set, a display of a dozen red roses, its color washed out and faded with age. At least, that's what it will be once the pieces actually begin connecting together to resemble an overall image.

It was strange. Puzzle making was an activity she'd grown to find comfort in, but ever since meeting that winged pro hero last week, fitting the pieces together wasn't quite as satisfying. Jun still had that small but archaic radio nearby playing something softly in the background, but her mind refused to register it. She couldn't get that wavy blond hair and sharp, focused eyes gazing back into her tired ones out of her head. In one hand, Jun held a single piece to her puzzle, one out of hundreds. In the other, she twirled one of the pro hero's discarded red feathers that had assaulted her face that night. It had lost its plush texture and had matted together roughly from being toyed with all week long. And yet, she couldn't find it in her to throw it out. There was something… comforting about holding onto it.

Outside her window, something caught the corner of her eye - a salient figure, or rather, a blur in the sky, rapidly approached the apartment. Jun took one uninterested glance at it then turned back to her work, before jerking her head back to the glass door in a swift double-take. She swiveled the chair fully in the mysterious figure's direction before raising one leg to lever her out of the chair with a puzzled look enveloping her features. Before Jun had the chance to make it to her large window, the pro hero who had been occupying the space in her mind all week came crashing onto her balcony just outside her living room.

"Hey, chickadee!" Hawks announced in a thunderous voice as he stepped in to invite himself into Jun's apartment.

"H-Hawks…? What the hell are you-….wait, don't call me that," she interjected on herself. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"So, there I was, out on my usual patrol minding my own business when, just, the darndest thing happened," Hawks playfully smacked his palm against his cheek and held it there with his shut eyes exaggerating glee, perhaps a bit overselling it. "My stomach started making some strange noises. It started screaming at me. It was at that point I remembered that heroes gotta eat, too! I happened to be passing by your place and thought I'd swoop in and let you in on the ride. Whatcha say, kid? You feeling peckish?" He said with a genial yet confident grin while offering his gloved hand to her.

"You expect me to trust you after meeting you just once? How do I know you won't intentionally drop me then dispose of my body somewhere?"

"Yeah," he peered up at the ceiling, pretending to think about it. "The Number 2 Pro Hero, stopped in his prime after killing one of his beloved fans. I'll be honest, that doesn't really sound like my cup of tea. I'd rather just have a nice, relaxing time with a new friend."

"A… friend…?" Jun muttered in genuine disbelief while twiddling her thumbs out of nerves. "You want me as a-"

Hawks overpowered her meek voice with a brief chuckle. "Heh, of course I wanna be your friend! Why else would I be wasting my time here? I wanna show you what you've been missing – and see what our city has to offer-"

It was at that point the pro hero's sight wandered to the space around Jun, his self-assured smirk partially dropping in wonder as his golden colored eyes hastily scanned her living space.

It was so full of… stuff! Colorful and personalized things – stuffed animals, figurines, posters. This was supposed to be a living room/kitchen area, right?

His fascinated eyes then gravitated to the battery-operated golden lucky cat statue she had next to an old radio and some lame jigsaw puzzle – its left arm rose and dipped forward repeatedly in a mechanical motion. It was almost mesmerizing. It was to Jun, anyway. Its movements were rather slow, rhythmic, and tranquil. It wasn't quite Hawks' style, not by a long shot, but he found that it strangely matched her mood, at least when she was by herself.

"I really don't know, Hawks…" she replied as her hand rubbed at her neck apprehensively. Jun promised herself to leave the apartment only when absolutely necessary.

"Alright, hear me out," he voiced calmly, his earnest demeanor persuading Jun to spare him her full attention. "You really wanna stay cooped up here all your li-"

"Yes."

Hawks blinked, caught off guard at the interruption and certainty in her tone. "I'm just saying, it's nice to stretch out and get some air once in a while," he announced while lifting his arms to stretch while his large feathered wings extended and brushed firmly against her embarrassingly low ceiling. While doing so, Hawks peeked one eye open at Jun and inspected the anxious expression on her face while in serious contemplation.

I guess I do sort of owe him one…

The pro hero smirked. There was one more tactic he could try.

"Okay, alright, I tried. Seriously though, it's like an adorably decorated yet suffocating cage in here. So, if you're good, I'll be on my way," he hopped onto the balcony railing and bent his knees, preparing to take off. "But know that the offer's always on the table."

"W-wait-"

Still in his take-off pose, Hawks peered back at Jun, his eyebrow raised knowingly.

"I can go… for you. Um, I can make some time for you, I mean," she blurted out while stumbling over her words to which the winged hero grinned at the job well done.

"Well, alright! What're we waiting for?" He flashed Jun a delightful close-eyed grin and offered her his hand, only for them to open up in puzzlement upon sensing her hesitation to reciprocate and grab back.

"What's the hold up?"

"Do we have to fly there? Couldn't we just walk?"

"Yeah, we could. But this method's a lot more fun. You don't have a fear of heights, do you?"

Jun shook her head before the feathered hero eagerly gestured her over to the balcony. He then grasped her shoulders to position her just right, all while covertly noting how she had flinched from his touch. Physical contact was not something Jun partook in regularly.

"Hey, you can relax, dove. I won't hurt you."

"Okay. And don't call me dove."

Hawks then positioned himself behind Jun, a small red blush formed on her cheeks when his tight chest muscles pressed firmly against her back. That faint blush then morphed into a stinging feverish one as Hawks wrapped both of his arms around her waist before curling them safely around her stomach.

What… what is this feeling…?

"Ready, kid? I'll take it easy and won't fly up too high your first time!"

The pro hero's words fell on deaf ears. She was too distracted by these unfamiliar sensations rising within her. It was so unfamiliar – this fuzzy blooming sensation starting from her chest which then blossomed to spread to the rest of Jun's body as Hawks began his ascent, his large, powerful wings beating upward with her safely under his watchful eye and careful embrace.

Jun's eyes had squeezed shut, refusing to open in case she did so just in time to watch herself plummet to her death.

"Psst, open your eyes, chickadee. You won't regret it!"

Composed yet kind words stirred Jun into forcing her eyes open slowly, her vision blurred before clearing to see rooftops of the numerous abandoned and run-down houses in her neighborhood. Raising her head revealed that she was able to see streets leading to the nicer side of the city, where Hawks then soared by a skyscraper so closely that his wings almost grazed the windows. In its reflection, Jun watched her hair whip around ungracefully, but she didn't care. Flying truly was breathtaking. In that reflection, she peered at Hawks curiously and took note of the gentle smile gracing his lips as he flew with her securely in his arms, as if he felt right at home.


"So," Jun began, her sights setting on a rooftop he had chosen as his picnicking spot, and the wooden crate the two had set up as their makeshift table. "Interesting location for lunch."

He shrugged at the comment while unboxing the takeout he had stopped for along the way. "I have the feeling you value your privacy. You don't exactly strike me as a people person."

"Huh. I guess you do know a little about me after all."

The conversation started and ended there. Jun didn't know what to say. Hell, she was having lunch personally with the Number 2 Pro Hero in the entire country! There's no doubt that he's been around and has heard every iteration of small talk to exist. What could she say to Hawks that he hadn't heard already?

Conversely for Hawks, he was basking in the comfortable silencewhile leisurely observing the passerby below. All the while, Jun examined the pro hero, confused about the unfamiliar inner feelings that arose and spread in her chest the longer her gaze surveyed his features. She watched the breeze comb gently through his hundreds of feathers and golden rugged hair while ruffling the fuzzy white trim outlining his signature hero jacket.

The wooden end of the skewer hung from his mouth as he nibbled on it steadily. He twirled another skewer between his thumb and index finger, preparing already for his next bite. He had sensed her gaze on him, his own eyes diverting back to Jun and caught her red handed. She panicked internally, and quickly diverted her attention to the food in front of her with her mouth awkwardly in a straight line.

Hawks had been resting his head on his knuckles, and he straightened up while using the same hand to pluck the half-eaten skewer from his mouth. "What's that look for?" he asked casually with an eyebrow raised.

"S-sorry. I'm just not used to eating out in public," Jun partially lied to cover up her true intentions for staring.

Hawks' head dipped back to rest on his knuckles. "I'm not gonna lie, it's pretty cool how you're willing to come out of your comfort zone like this. I admire guts on people like you." His sharp, golden eyes then swept up and down her body before reconnecting with her face. "Especially when they're so fun sized." He chuckled, prompting a half-grin to slip onto Jun's lips as her attention shifted from him to the swarming and bustling street below.

"I didn't realize that there were so many people living on this side of the city."

"No kidding," he affirmed. "In all my time spent patrolling your streets, I don't think I've seen a single business that didn't get their windows shattered before coming to their senses and relocating here."

"Hm, yeah," she simply stated, passively allowing the budding conversation to die.

A short distance away, a child-like scream reverberated through the populated streets below, immediately followed by a piercing sound of tires screeching.

"Oh, half a sec." The pro hero calmly ushered his fingers over to his mouth and closed his eyes as a bundle of feathers unfastened from his extravagant wings before darting to the source of the commotion. His unworried attitude returned an instant later as exuberant cheers were heard from the crowd below.

"So how does someone like you make a living? With a room full of just stuff, the cash has to flow from somewhere," he prodded carefully.

"I inherited everything my parents had when they… um, passed," Jun muttered weakly while internally reprimanding herself for clearly displaying the hesitance in her voice over speaking about her parents. "It's not enough to live comfortably my whole life, though. So, a crap apartment in a crap part of town it is."

He raised an amused eyebrow. "Not financially stable yet you blow what you do have on stuffed bunnies and dull puzzles."

"Hey, I don't tell you how to live your life!" Jun yelled rather defensively, but Hawks' keen senses had picked up a hint of playfulness in her tone.

"Hey that's fair, more power to ya, chickadee." He waved his gloved hands around while shrugging to emphasize that he truly was not bothered by her hobbies. "It's not the most productive you could be, but I can respect what you do. Not to mention, you have luck on your side. Having all this time to yourself's a dream come true. All that leisurely time to yourself – you know in some ways, kid, I'm envious of you. But at the same time, I'm happy cause it shows that I'm doing my job right."

"It's… alright, I suppose," Jun conceded, even though she found it difficult to accept that this hero was jealous of the life she lived. It wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. "Though I figured someone as hasty and carefree as you would always need some sort of constant action."

"Nah," he waved off her flagrantly incorrect remark. "I'd rather make it so heroes have time to kill. That's my goal as a hero. It'd be nice to just be able to wake up in bed, roll on my back, and stretch these neglected feathers to my heart's content." He then voiced in a softer, more somber tone, "Not worrying about a thing."

Hawks knew that he had to be vigilant and not reveal too much about his true ambitions to Jun. It was bittersweet for him to confirm that he had her fooled to think that he was simply arrogant and lazy – but nothing could have been farther from the truth.

"Huh, that's different. And how exactly do you plan on accomplishing something like that?"

Hawks' eyes then went downcasted. "It's a work in progress, I'll admit. But I enjoy other things than just hero work, you know." Hawks intentionally diverted the conversation down a different path to avoid getting into the dark depths of what he has been tasked to do by the Commission.

"Alright, I'll bite. Like what?"

"Wellllll," he pretended to think about it, his index finger tapping at the stubble on his chin. "Sleeping's pretty fun!"

Well that was anticlimactic.

"Oh, screw off, you jerk, that's not a real hobby! And that's such a weird not hobby for a hero, don't you think?" Jun's usual trifling voice boomed with wisecracking energy that almost matched that of Hawks', much to his surprise and delight.

"There she is, I knew you had an inkling of fun in you somewhere," he teased her further and winked, to which Jun pursed her lips playfully at him in response, trying desperately to not crack a smile.

"You done eating? 'Cause I'll take those off your hands if you-"

"Oh, help yourself… um… Hawks."

Hawks then happily invaded her side of the crate and struck a wooden chicken and beef skewer between his knuckles as Jun gawked at him, praying that he'd take notice and initiate the talk which, to her dismay, he didn't for once.

"…Hawks," she called to him softly, her meek demeanor returning full force. "If we're actually friends, then could I call you something other than just your hero name?"

"Hmmm… yeah," Hawks stalled the question and mumbled with a skewer shoved between his lips before swallowing. "It's tough because that info's reserved for best friends only. You gotta work your way up the ranks for those privileges."

"So you're making all this effort to get to know me, and you won't even tell me your name?"

His eyes shut gleefully, voicing with boisterous energy, "Aw, I'm just messin' with ya! What makes you think that 'Hawks' isn't who I am?"

He had her there. If nobody else had any clue, what chance did Jun have?

"Well… what can I call you then? Other than your hero name… or bird brain."

"Ohoho, clever!" He teased while clapping mockingly, his upturned eyebrows imitating amusement. "You come up with that one yourself?"

"Well I wouldn't have to call you something so dumb if you didn't play stupid games with me!"

"Heh, you know what, kid? That's fair." Again, he pretended to think about it while pursing his lips, a finger tapping on his chin.

"You can refer to me as… Tani's Favorite Hero Forever and For Always. That sound good? Wait, I have more. Like…"

He listed off outrageous nicknames that Jun would never in a million years address him in such a way. Especially if he took pleasure in it.

"Take your pick, dove."

Her eyes squinted at Hawks in playful annoyance.

"Bird brain it is, then."

"Fine by me!" he announced with glee. "I wouldn't mind coming up with a cool nickname for you, too. Let's see… oh I got it, how about-"

"Jun."

"Repeat that?"

"My first name, it's Jun," she admitted, her eyelids slowly lowered solemnly as a small blush formed on her cheeks while peering down away from Hawks' surprised gaze. "If you're serious about being friends, then… you deserve to know it."

Jun's sudden confession took the pro hero completely by surprise. This whole experience and interaction had been a challenge and struggle for her, he could tell. But she chose to entrust him with something so personal to her. That, or she was trying to spare herself the headache of being labeled a humiliating nickname conjured by him that she'd have to live with for who knew how long. But Hawks had valid reason to believe it was the first option, because he spotted it the moment it began to happen.

Her walls were cracking.

"Hm," was all the pro hero could say at the revelation. "Jun. Thanks for that," he voiced with a soft smile and gentle gleam in his eyes.

"Come on, I'll fly you home. You need anything while we're out? Want me to stop anywhere along the way?"

It was at that point, Jun realized something. She had just had lunch with one of the busiest heroes in the city and now he was treating her like something special. What excuse could he have to waste all this time on her? To coax her into revealing something about herself? It just didn't make sense.

Jun couldn't comprehend being on the receiving end of attention.

"Hawks," she ignored his questions. "You-"

"Ah, ah!" He interjected while wagging his pointer finger at her. "That's 'bird brain' to you."

"No, I'm being serious. You keep trying to get to know me… but you've got to have more important things to do than this, Hawks." Jun muttered, thinking out loud while shaking her head lightly, trying to make sense of it. "Just, why – why are you trying so, hard? For me?"

The way Jun framed the question likely came off as rather accusing or ungrateful, and she surely hadn't meant to come off so strongly, but she was being honest and genuine.

Why would someone try so hard for someone they hardly even know? Especially when it's someone as dull as me?

Hawks blinked and thought about it for a moment – an action he admittedly didn't do in public very often. Just before an awkward moment could develop, he replied contently, "Hey, it's a hero's job to save people and watch over them, isn't it?" He flashed Jun gentle close-eyed smile. "It's just that some are special and need to be saved in a different way. I talk to you because you look like the kind of person who truly is special, and if I'm being honest, I want you to be a part of my life."

Jun's eyes grew wide and her lips parted slightly in astonishment at his answer. It felt as though someone had just wrapped her heart and mind in a thick bundle of nerves and warmth.

Maybe he is telling the truth. Maybe he actually does care about me…?

"Huh," she muttered in a strange blend of confusion and acceptance. "Okay. You can bring me home now."


A strong gust drafted against the balcony as Hawks descended onto it, instantly blowing away numerous dead and shriveled leaves in a flurry of wind. He stood there for a moment, his arms still wrapped around Jun as if he were hesitant about something before coming back to his senses and allowing his secure grip around her stomach and waist to loosen and she immediately wriggled out of his touch to make a beeline for the door as he silently watched her leave.

How strange. She was expecting and waiting for Hawks to say something witty or make some snarky remark at her before taking off and leave her in the dust. But he didn't.

Before parting ways, Jun's body ceased in the doorway, her hand resting against the side of the glass. She turned her head and shoulders around in his direction before offering him a genuine, healthy smile.

"That was… fun. I appreciate you finding the time to do that with me, Hawks," she recited in a clear voice, her usual gloomy and desolate eyes had a noticeable pleasant hospitality in them as she stared back directly into his. In Jun's eyes, there was a spark of sorts. The moment the winged hero's gaze connected with hers, he felt a similar yet foreign spark strike him at his very core.

Her body twisted back around to take one step into her apartment, all while Hawks looked on in bewilderment from the confidence boost in Jun's demeanor and tender glimmer in her eyes, as well as the foreign sensations transpiring in his own mind and body.

Jun spoke up one last time, her back now facing him. "Oh, and I forgot to thank you, for that other night… I needed that, too."

She wasn't sure if she was thanking him for the food, or for something else.

Without another word, Jun was gone.


The modest breeze flowed delicately through the pro hero's swept-back hair as he glided steadily to his home on the opposite half of the city. Hawks hadn't realized it, but he was in no rush to get home for once. His mind was distracted; overwrought with conflicting thoughts and emotions over what he had discovered today, both in terms of his mission as well as himself.

"Just, why – why are you trying so, hard?"

Jun's words permeated the winged hero's thoughts even as he stepped foot into his home. His head hung low; eyebrows creased in confusion. Why was he trying so hard?

His mission was to utilize his dashing good looks and charming personality to swoon Jun into relaying valuable intel about herself. This included gracing her with sweet if not almost inappropriate nicknames so he could butter her up and nab what he was after.

That's how it started, anyway.

But he had instead found himself going out of his way for her. Spending time with Jun was starting to crack open her walls, and Hawks found great delight in that. Not because it'd be easier to get intel on her, but rather, he was starting to catch sight of snippets of her true personality. Her fun side. A part of Jun that made his heart soar higher than his wings could ever hope to take him.

He could only wish of a leisurely life like that every day. Just him, her, and some chicken skewers that would just melt in his mouth. That's the life. Wait, Jun? He was just imagining his life with his new friend in it. And what's more – his thoughts were… genuine.

And what was he doing telling her that he wanted her to be someone in his life? He was lying, wasn't he? A good spy must always lie.

But the pro hero became increasingly despondent upon concluding that everything he has been telling Jun was true. Including wanting her in his life.

This wasn't part of the plan.

One of the first lessons that the Commission tried to beat into Hawks was to abandon all weak emotions and forbid any meaningful bonds or attachments with other individuals, especially civilians. This was done as to not risk prioritizing personal needs over obligation. On the outside, Hawks was insistent that he had tied up any strings of sentimentality he had left and vowed to not get distracted by relationships in favor of his hero work. Even though the Commission tried to meticulously purge sentimental feelings like guilt, the emotional burden burrowed into his very being much more often than should ever be allowed. Hawks' conscience was eating away at him. It was almost overwhelming enough to convince him to tell her –

To tell her that the League of Villains were after her.

"What the hell's gotten into me," Hawks thought out loud while slipping an ungloved hand under his visors to knead his fatigued eyes while sporting a lopsided smile. "I actually want to see her again."

If the commission ever got word of him even implying such a preposterous notion as that, there was no telling what they would do to him, or to Jun.

Although…

Hawks had conveniently 'forgot' to inquire about Jun's quirk during his little outing with her. "Well shucks," he mused while kicking back on his couch and resting his head on the arm rest, one of his wings blanketed over the back of it while his arms crossed behind his head to gape at the ceiling. "Guess I'll just have to go bug her for a third time, for the sake of the mission, of course," he joked to himself to try and disguise the unfamiliar and discordant emotions teetering deep within him, all while a confused grin pervaded his face.

"What a bummer."