Hawks Fried Chicken
Chapter 1
Lyla handed the signature KFC container to the red winged man, "Your usual order, the Family Size Combo with a side of Tenders." Her manager elbowed her, "Would you like your complimentary kids item today Mr. Hawks?"
Hawks couldn't help but smirk at the scene. He'd been coming to this same KFC for over a year now. Register worker 'Lyla' didn't care much for heroes. Or was it just him? Either way her disdain for having to ask him if he would like the kids meal toy is always the icing on the cake before having his lunch. He had asked once 6 months ago and the manager has made a point to go with it ever since.
"Why yes. I would."
Lyla pulled out the two options that they had this evening. Of course he would say yes. She looked at the line in the building. 'It's not like people are waiting,' she thought rhetorically.
"Would you like the dragon keychain with the flame flashlight or the princess with a wardrobe change?"
She watched as the man pretended to contemplate the life changing choice. "I think I'll take the dragon. Although undressing a princess sounds nice."
With an eye roll she handed the customer the toy. "Thank you Mr. Hawks. We hope to see you again."
Satisfied with his service he placed the keychain into his pocket and left.
Lyle did not like her job. And it was more than just the appearance of Hawks 2 to 3 times a week. In fact 6 months ago when he started showing up it was the highlight of her day. It was when one month turned to three that she realized that she was done with it.
No. The reason she did not like her job was because it wasn't what she wanted to do and she had worked there for 2 years and was STILL at the register. If it wasn't for the fact that they were what was helping her pay for school she would have quit.
But she was graduating this week and will officially be an architect. Almost, she still had to do her intern work but she wasn't going to be able to do both her intern work and work at the KFC.
She had made it back to her small apartment at the same time as her roommate, Haruto. He looked to be about just as done as she was with her day.
"Long day?" She asked him as he started to unlock the door.
He sighed, "Yuuki once again didn't notice my existence today."
Lyla tried her best not to roll her eyes. Haruto worked backstage as tech support at an idol concert hall. His primary reasoning for even getting the job was to get closer to his addiction. That is gushing over idols. But it wasn't till one faithful day that he chose ChuChuStar pop group idol Yuuki to be his number one.
They walked into the apartment that they shared. It was very small and Haruto's idol merch was everywhere. Lyla didn't mind that the whole apartment was decorated in her roommate's obsession. The japanese apartment had the hallway kitchen, a bathroom that doubled as the laundry room, and then the living space.
There was one bedroom and a loft. Lyla had the bedroom. It was in agreement that it could be her space since everything else was basically Harutos.
Slipping off their shoes they both made way to the living space and simultaneously sat on the futon together.
The room was silent and it was actually comfortable. They had been living in the apartment together for about 4 years and it was home.
Neither one really had any plans moving forward from the living space.
"You graduate this week." Haruto stated.
"Yes. I do."
"Are we going to celebrate?"
Lyla was a celebrator. For her celebrating would be sleeping in instead of waking early for school followed by work after.
"Nope, I don't think so." She replied.
She heard the shift next to her.
"Come on. We should do something. How about I take you out shopping?"
"Define take me out shopping?" Lyla looked over at her friend.
" I will pay for lunch and 2 outfits that are popstar ready."
She laughed, "I'm not graduating to be a popstar. How about architect ready."
Haruto pouted, "So business suits? Like every other japanese person."
Lyla snorted at that one, "How about popstar manager?"
The grunt next to her helped keep her mood up,"I'm sure you'll help find something for me to pop during my internship."
With those final words she got up and headed to her room. "I'll be showering first."
The rest of that evening went as usual. She hid away in her bedroom and flipped through books about restaurant structures. The place Lyla was going to be interning at was specific to opening up big name cafes and restaurants.
She sighed and laid back in her bed looking out the apartment window. In the window seal she still had a picture of herself standing with a green hair'd man with green horns. His quirk was that he was a fire breather.
Darian was on his way to becoming a firefighter for the city of Fukuoka but that was all in the past. Lyla wiped away the single tear that escaped her.
She sucked up her feelings and got out of bed. It was around 10 o'clock in the evening but she felt the sudden urge to have a sweet treat. There was a convenience store just around the corner that knew her name.
Walking through the apartment she could hear that Haruto must have been asleep up in the loft or just simply doing something quiet.
The weather was still filled with a chill in the evening and Lyla was sure to put on a jacket as she left the front door. She sped-stepped down the apartment staircase and then was gifted with a gush of wind when opening the door.
One of the reasons she had picked this apartment those years ago was because of its location. It was only a few train stops away from both her work and school. There was also a 711 and Lawsons down the street. If you walked even just a little bit further and made a right turn there was a park. Nothing huge.
It had a few benches, a flower bed and a one slide, one swing playground for the local kids. The amount of dirt field was mostly for children to run, practice sports, picnic and have open space. A space she would come sometimes to look over her school work. A place that her and Darian would come to.
With another shake of her head she had made it to the Lawsons. The change in temperature helped with clearing her mind. Thinking of her lost friend still happened from time to time. It never got easier but it was happening less often. It had been two years since her loss.
Lyla was headed straight for the candy section when she noticed the cover of a magazine. A familiar face.
She walked closer to the magazine rack fully aware that her eyes were starting to ogle. When she picked up the magazine it felt illegal. Like it wasn't something she should have been looking at. Hovering in a way to hide it.
'THIS is Hawks." She thought to herself. She was used to seeing him often but not in the way that the photograph depicted him. She actually often forgot that he even was a pro hero from time to time. He may as well have just been a man with some money and status for all she knew. The hero or even casual part of him was hardly ever seen for her.
Though she never sought out for more info on the customer. Probably because at the end of the day that's all that he was to her… a customer. An annoying one but still a customer.
She placed the magazine back and just watched it from a distance. He was attractive and his red wings seemed to naturally contrast with his body in the most complimentary way. Lyla wasn't sure how long she was just standing there watching but it ended awkwardly when a young teen cleared her throat.
"Ummm, Are you going to buy this? I have been waiting for this photoshoot to be released and it's the last one."
For a moment Lyla scanned the rack and realized that it was the last one.
"Uh, no. You can have it." Lyla answered exiting her Hawks Haze.
She turned down the aisle and got her peppermint patty and a box of chocolate biscuits for Haruto.
As she walked out of the convenience store she watched as the teen flipped through the magazine pages with excitement.
Although Hawks was an annoying customer to accommodate, it was nice to see that he could bring joy to people and help people.
To be a hero for other.
She felt bleak again thinking of someone else who wanted to help people but couldn't.