Chapter 28: Fun and Game

The refreshing spring air flows through his Fierce Wings as he sits on top of the hill looking down at the recruits starting to gather in the open field below him. Still stewing from his conversation with Logan earlier that morning, Hawks lowers his back to the ground to look up at the sky, longing for the day he could fly again. The thought of joining the recruits in their training was so… degrading. Is Logan just doing a power play to intimidate/undermine me? What is his problem?

Suddenly, in the distance, Hawks sees Jean join the recruits. While Logan and Hank line the south side of the field, Jean, the X-Men, and the recruits line up on the north side. Jean begins looking around the field, seemingly anxious, then stops when she sees Hawks from the distance. She runs up the hill towards him.

"Are you coming or what?" She says through her panting after just having sprinted up the hill.

"To what?"

"To Logan's training. He said he invited you."

"Oh, that? I mean, who does he think he is, anyway? How degrading!"

"Keigo, it was actually my idea to have you join."

"What? Why would you-"

"The best way for you to learn to use your quirk again is to be exposed to a fun situation when your reflexes will take over. For training today, we're playing dodgeball. That's it. The goal of today is just to have fun and kick some serious butt."

"Wait, your training is just to play games today?"

"Yeah, we've actually found games to be one of the most effective training tools. Come on, I showed up because I am hoping to be your partner."

"My- partner?"

"-for the game, I mean."

"Oh, yeah, of course. For the game."

Jean and Hawks look at one another for a moment, then Jean breaks the awkward silence.

"So, are you in or what?"

"Huh, uh, yeah, of course I'm in! Let's go kick some serious recruits' butt!"

. ****** ***** ****.

Logan's booming voice cuts through the loud chatter of the recruits. "Everyone, bring it in and we'll begin today's training."

"Looks like the fun's over," Iceman says as they walk towards Logan.

A group of recruits see Hawks and Jean walking towards the group. Disregarding Logan's command, they race over to meet Hawks and Jean.

"Hawks, are you here to help? What are we doing today?" Cannonball exclaims more loudly than intended.

"Yeah, and is it something fun?" asks Multiple, almost equally as loudly.

"No way, I bet it's boring if Logan thought of it." Berzerker counters, loudest of all.

Jean looks up, hoping Logan cannot hear the insults from the recruits. To her dismay, Logan is looking over at them. Hawks, noticing Logan's glance too, tries to buffer the situation.

"I hope you guys brought your A game. Jean and I are joining you guys for training today."

"Yes!" Jean responds. "And we better get over there before Logan gives the instructions!"

Then Hawks, Jean, and their entourage run over to join the recruits for Logan's instruction.

"Okay listen up! We're going to try something different today."

The recruits look around at each other rolling their eyes.

Logan chuckles. "Hold your judgements until you hear what we are doing. You guys might like this one." he says, pulling out a red rubber ball from the bag.

"It's called Mutant Dodge Ball!"

"Alright!"

"Yes!"

"Oh, I'm so good at this game!" Iceman boasts.

Logan tosses the ball to Iceman. "Oh, and extra credit whoever hits the ice-cube." he laughs. Everyone races to grab a red ball.

"Wha..." Iceman says as the other recruits start chasing him.

Soon after the game begins, a ball flies towards Hawks' head. He clumsily jumps out of the way, falling to the ground and skinning his knee. Hawks scrambles to his feet, hoping not many people noticed.

Another ball comes flying from his blind side. Again, Hawks dodges it, but clumsily falls to the ground. Hawks looks up at the group of energetic recruits and X-men enjoying the game.

Logan comes over to Hawks.

"Feathers, you good?"

"I'm just- no, this is horrible. Why are you doing this to me?"

"Feathers, you're too serious. Stop thinking so much. Just go have fun."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. This is completely humiliating."

"Who is judging you?"

"I mean- I'm sure everyone. I was supposed to come in and show them what the Number Two Hero is made of, but I'm just stumbling around, hoping not to be the first one eliminated."

"Feathers, I know you're used to having a lot of attention back in Japan, but here, nobody is trying to be the best, we're all just trying to be our best. The team is the strongest when each of us build one another up, not tear one another down. We all just want to see you heal, improve, and have a little fun, for crying out loud."

"Uh… thanks for the pep talk, I guess?"

"Just trust me on this one. Go play. Be a kid for the first time in your life."

Hawks looks back at Logan tearfully and smirks. Getting up from the ground, Logan dusts off Hawks' shirt and playfully slaps his back. "Go get 'em, stud."

Hawks hesitantly renters the game. Another ball, another clumsy fall, another search to make sure nobody witnessed. As Hawks picks himself up off the ground, there is an explosion behind him.

Flashing back to Dabi laughing over Hawks' burning body, he whips his head around, sure to see Dabi on the other end of the fire. Hawks' heart feels like it is going to beat out of his chest. His breathing becomes more shallow and everything starts to go dark.

I'm not there. He tells himself. I'm at the mansion and training with the recruits. I'm with my friends and my family. Hawks' breathing slows as he musters up the courage to reopen his eyes. He sees Amara standing behind the flames, frustrated at her failed attempt to control it.

Hawks looks over at Logan, who seems unphased. Jean's voice telepathically cuts into his mind.

'We've gotta get Drake! I'll distract him, you take him from his blind side.' Hawks looks over to her as she gracefully catches a ball, then throws it at another recruit effortlessly. "This is going to be so humiliating." Hawks says defeafedly.

Jean glances over at Hawks and smiles. Seconds later he spots a ball flying towards Jean's head from her blind side. Hawks' wings spring into action. He sends a feather to intercept the ball and flies to intercept Jean. Feeling the wind through his hair and the woman in his arms, suddenly nothing mattered.

"Nice one. Thanks, Keigo." She says. "Let's go get Drake."

"That's not fair! You two were working together!" Iceman blares moments later. Jean and Hawks, after flawlessly executing Jean's plan of attack, begin knocking out every other player one-by-one. Quickly the game becomes Hawks and Jean verses everyone else.

Before they know it, Hawks and Jean have eliminated everyone. They look at one another, then realize their allegiance would have to be broken to determine the dodgeball champion. Jean smiles at Hawks as she grabs her ball. The recruits are split down the middle, half cheering for Hawks, half for Jean.

The evenly matched duo go back-and-forth. Hawks' cheeks hurt from laughing so much. Suddenly, the field goes silent. Hawks realizes he has all the balls on his side of the court, leaving Jean defenseless. Hawks picks up a ball and tauntingly points it towards Jean. He then winds up to throw his final blow.

Much to his dismay, Jean, in a showcase of her incredible natural talent, makes a diving catch and intercepts Hawks' almost perfectly thrown ball. Hawks throws himself on the ground in disbelief.

Jean helps Hawks to his feet, both still laughing. "I don't know what is more satisfying, watching you fly and having fun or beating you!" Jean says teasingly.

"Just you wait until I'm healed, Red."

"I'm red?" She responds playfully. "You should see your cheeks!"

Hawks wrestles Jean to the ground and both resume their belly laughter. The recruits and X-Men stare back at the duo dumbfoundly. Never before had they seen either of the two so carefree.

"Who would have thought, of all the people, Logan would be a matchmaker?" Professor X says to Storm as they watch from the window.

"He reminds me of his mom." Professor X says. "Keigo's' audacity to look for the best in people is uncanny. They are such optimists, and it is going to get him in trouble just like his - mom." Professor X barely gets out the last word before his bottom lip begins quivering.

Professor X and Storm watch as Hawks hovers over the X-Men and recruits, looking down at them with his Fierce Wings fully outstretched, glistening with the light of the sun as he smiles widely.

"I can't lose him again." Professor X says through his tears.