Iris

Chapter 1

He wasn't Batman.

He was just some mutant blind kid with bird wings and a walking stick.

He wouldn't even need the walking stick if the Flock had come with him.

Unfortunately for him, however, they hadn't and he had to figure out the city by himself.

Iggy left the library with a stack of books. Some were on physics, bombs and chemistry and a couple were on raptors and one was on bats.

Why not, right?

I mean he may be part bird but he was more like a bat; he had to learn their secrets.

He had managed to fit a few in his bag, but he held the three remaining books in his hand. He trotted down the steps and suddenly he was knocked down as someone smashed into him from the side

"Hey, watch it!" they shouted.

"I can't," he yelled after them but their footsteps were already gone. Stupid New Yorker. He was left on his hands and knees searching for his books and walking stick on the cold concrete. "Well this is just fucking great!" He mumbled under his breath. "One... two... Damn it! Where's the third one?!" He felt around the sidewalk for the last book.

"Is this your book?" he heard an angelic voice ask him. He froze, looking vaguely in the direction of her voice. "Uh... What's it on?"

"I think it says something about hawks... A savanna hawk maybe? That looks like an S."

"You can read braille?" Iggy asked slowly.

"I dabble," she said lightly.

"And you know your raptors?"

"As do you," She said, returning his tone. "Here," She said softly, taking his hand and setting it on the book. He couldn't help but notice how small and warm her hands were. They were like tiny blankets.

Wait- was that weird to think? Thank God his little sister, Angel, isn't here. (she can read minds and enjoys embarrassing people)

He also took note of the feeling her hand on his gave him. It was almost electric.

Iggy slowly stood up, forgetting about his walking stick.

"I'm Jenn. With two n's," she said, sweetly, holding out her hand. She immediatley wanted to beat herself up, though. She brought up her hand and smacked herself in the forehead.

Iggy smiled as if he knew exactly what had just happened and held out his own hand for her to shake.

"Iggy. With two g's."

"That's a brilliant name," she mused. "Mine is so lame. I mean it's different because it has two n's but it's not really short for anything and Jen is such a common name. Like Jenny, Jenna, Jen, Jennifer. It's just so lame and... I'm... rambling..." Her voice slowly died out as she scratched the back of her neck.

Iggy's smile grew bigger when she said that.

"So are you from around here?" She asked him.

His smile fell slightly and he shook his head, "No, actually. I'm uh... I'm from..."

"You don't have to tell me," she suddenly said when she noticed him hesitating. "I was just making conversation..."

"What about you, then?"

"I'm from Texas."

Iggy rose his eyebrows. "That's quite different from here."

"Tell me about it," she sighed, sounding exasperated. She leaned back on her heels and stuck her hands in her pockets.

"Do you not like it here?"

"I'm not a fan, no." She spoke bluntly. "I can tell you don't like it much either," she added.

"It's hard to grasp my surrounding with all the sounds," he admitted.

"Oh! Your walking stick. Do you-?" she asked, suddenly rushing to pick it up.

"Might as well." he groaned, dropping his head.

"Needing a walking stick doesn't make you helpless, you know..." she said quietly.

"How would you know..?"

"I- My uh- my sister was blind." She held it out and guided his hand to the top of it.

"Oh. Was she born that way?"

"Sadly, no."

"She's like me, then."

"What happened to you?" she asked. After a pause she said, "I didn't mean to sound rude, sorry."

"Nah, you're good. I've had worse." he said, shrugging it off. "But If I told you, I'd have to kill you."

Jenn laughed, but Iggy's face was dead serious. She awkwardly stopped laughing and they fell silent.

"It's getting late," she said, breaking the silence. "Do you want me to walk you home?"

"I think I can manage," he said, re-positioning the bag on his shoulder.

"Oh... Okay... Well I guess I'll see you some other time, Iggy with two g's. Be careful getting home."

"You too, Jenn with two n's."

And with that, they went their separate ways.