𝑭𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹'𝑺 𝑲𝑰𝑺𝑺 ➣ Hawks

backstory

 "Your dad?"

He nods.

"Was he a hero?"

You regret the words the instance they leave your mouth. His face changes, his eyes flicking away from yours the second you say it. It's like he starts to question whether or not he wants to say anything. He looks nearly hurt, nearly vengeful, as if just the mention of his father would send him into this spiral.

After a long pause, you start to say I'm sorry but he cuts you off.

"It's okay, kid. You have no reason to apologize. But, no. My dad was not a hero."

You simply mouth the words, "Oh." Instead of asking any further questions, you stare down at your freshly painted toenails. You don't want to pressure him to speak just for your sake, but that doesn't hide the fact that you are curious. What drives the heroes? Money? The fame? Or is it truly the need to save people?

"I was six the first time I saved people. I wasn't even looking for people to save. I was waiting for my dad."

Six? He saved people when he was six?

He looks over at you and it's as if he can see the questions swirling around in your head. He gives you a soft chuckle and says, "I know. So young. But what was I supposed to do? Let them die? I don't think so."

"How'd you save them?" you blurt out.

"The bus was on fire. There was a family of five and a driver on that bus. They had no way of escape and I couldn't just stand there anything longer listening to their screams. I hated it." He sighs, dragging a hand down his face, almost as if he was wiping the memories etched on his face away. "And so I lunged their way, my Endeavor plush held tightly in my arms. I knew my wings were strong, but I didn't know they were that strong. I was able to pry the doors open and escort each person off the bus and away from the danger before the bus exploded. Anyone left in there would've delt with severe burns if death didn't take them."

Wow. Just, wow.

A six-year-old child saved innocent civilians lives. He risked his own life to save those people. People he had never met before. People who never knew of his existence before. And yet, he went and saved them.

"I remember them thanking me profusely, asking my name, asking how to repay me, asking where my parents were. I just wanted to go home. I was holding back tears just trying to find my dad behind the crowds of people and paparazzi." With a quick deep breath to regain composure, he continues. "The hero agencies beat him to me. They swarmed me, begged me to join their program. They said I was going to do great things. They said I'd be the next top hero."

"So you agreed?"

"No. I was six. I wanted to go home. Not protect people."

"Then what happened?"

He shrugs. "They offered my dad money and that greedy bastard accepted."

"So that's why you're a hero?" Feels a little anti-climactic. Where's the revelation that protecting people was like a high for him? Didn't he say something like that in the newspaper. He loves saving people. Was that all a lie? A coverup?

"No," he chuckles. "You didn't let me finish."

"Oh."

"I was sent off to the hero agency to train at six years old. They put me in private school lesson to 'increase my knowledge' as they put it and so I could use critical thinking skills while in a battle. Now, my dad was shitty. I know that now. But as a six-year-old child, I wanted to be back at home with him. And my mom."