[ENG]Shoto Todoroki : Modern-day Terrorist

Chapter 149 - Brothers

- Are you serious ?

Hawks, whistling happily, stopped at the sliding doors of the building, his hands in his pockets.

He smiled and pointed to the 'Higanbana Senior Residence' sign as if he'd been a TV presenter and the shithole behind him was the jackpot.

The way he chose to ignore the little scene I'd made the other day in his office was admirable.

- Welcome to Higanbana, where we look after your parents as if they were our own children !

- Is this your 'incredible' activity ?

Hawks dropped his hands.

- At least pretend to be happy

- I can't, I'm trying to stop being a liar

Hawks clapped his hands.

- Exactly ! That's the state of mind I want to see

- You told me this would be a great outing

Which, in Hawksian language, meant either an extended meal or hanging out in some obscure bar that smelled of air freshener, where I'd be bored stiff listening to him rattle on for hours about obscure stories whose protagonists I didn't even know half the time.

Hawks straightened up.

- Just because I've given you two days off doesn't mean you're on a vacation

That's exactly what I thought.

Still, anything's better than working in a suit that hasn't been washed since I was born.

Hawks lifted his hand to rub my hair: I took a step aside, irritated.

- Stop treating me like a dog

He raised an accusing finger.

- Remember that I could have taken you to an orphanage, but I took your tastes into consideration and decided to do you a favour for our volunteer day

- Say clearly that no orphanage wants a murderer hanging around its wards

Hawk's smile widened.

- Touché

He looked up at the windows, his wings low but not touching the ground.

He liked to complain that his wings took on all the dirt of the city and that it always took him hours to brush them and make them silky and shiny.

Over his shoulder, through the sliding doors, a bespectacled woman and two orderlies could be seen - their eyes on Hawks - clearly nervous but patiently waiting for him to finish his big show.

- You told me you had a grandmother you liked, didn't you ?

- I never said 'liked'

- Now's the time to learn a few things if you ever have to take care of her

The idea that Teka could get sick - or die - seemed absurd to me.

To me, this ageless creature would cling to her ageless beauty until she'd buried us all.

- What's your motto ?, Hawks asked.

- Humility, I muttered in a low voice

Hawks put an arm around my shoulders.

- Smile, Shoto. This is going to be a great day.

*

It was anything but a great day.

The old people smelled of piss and drugs, the green carpet was full of dark stains that I avoided stepping on, the carers were sprawled on chairs, cigarettes and coffee in hand, as if they were the ones who needed help.