Healium (dad Hawks)

4: What it's like to fly

Fortunately the day was easy and I got payed some money with which I bought an extra blanket for the night.
Suddenly night fell, but instead of going to the apartment I stayed standing on a rooftop, wondering what I should do.

As I looked down I wondered what it would be like to actually fly.
Carefully I spread my wings, then my arms and mimicked how you'd fly.

At the sound of someone landing behind me I froze up, quickly jumping to look behind me.
"Hawks?" I said confused. Didn't I leave the hero behind ages ago?

"Thought I was a chicken." Hawks said as he neared me. He sat down over the ledge carelessly, getting more to my hight that way.

"You are." I nodded.
Then I simply had to ask, "What's it like to fly?"

Hawks smiled excitedly, "You want to fly with me?"

Disappointed, I shook my head "I can't fly, I'm not strong enough."

Shaking his head, Hawks held out his hand, "I'll lift you up."

The conflict inside of me had me almost decline. I shouldn't trust people, a grown up no less. But my curiosity won over my fear as I grabbed Hawks his hand.

He lifted me up carefully and asked, "You ready, feathers?"

I nodded and Hawks suddenly jumped, making me gasp in surprise before he spread his wings and magically as if someone lifted us, he glided trough the air.

As he flapped his wings we went up and I spread my arms, Hawks had to adjust how he held me so I wouldn't fall.
Finally he stopped at a balcony.
He put me down carefully and smiled at my grin.

"What happened to having to go home?" Hawks then asked. It wiped the grin right off my face.

"Nothing." I said quickly, the worries of even finding a home haunting me.

"You know," the hero crossed his arms, "I've got a feeling that you're lying."

"I'm not." I insisted, "Not at all. In fact, my parents are expecting me home as we speak so you simply must excuse me." Agiain, I doubt it's normal for a six year old (nearly seven) to use this wording.

"You simply must?" Hawks asked amused, definitely knowing I was lying. Back then I was convinced of my lie working, so I nodded.

"Definitely. Amazingly." I said, flapping my wings to show my urgency, or more my wish to be out of the situation.

Hawks sighed, "Why, if you're in such a hurry, I should bring you home, how about we fly?"

The idea of flying again came first, but then I realised... I couldn't go to the apartment with Hawks!
My mouth opened, but then closed.
I had been tricked.

"Now will you tell me the truth?" Hawks asked at my silence.

I glared up, "No."

"Feathers..." Hawks sighed and opened the door of the balcony, "At least let's get inside, it's cold."

"Where are we?" I asked the hero cautiously.

"My apartment, it's where I live." Hawks explained as he walked in.

When he looked back to see whether was following, I realised I wasn't. My feet were frozen to the ground.

"I... I can't." I shook my head. My wings hugged me tightly, keeping me safe. I shouldn't be in the same house as someone stronger than me.

"It's alright," Hawks crouched down to my hight and held out his hand, "I won't hurt you."

At that sentence I wondered if it even was possible. Some hope filled me, and before I could push the hope away I had already grabbed the hero's hand with childish need.

The hero smiled and got up with my hand still in his. He walked inside and I followed.
The apartment was big. Huge even. On one side there seemed to be rooms, from a kitchen to what looked like guest rooms. They sat in landings which you could see from the living room where we walked into. On the other side was a big window, looking out over the big city.

"You like it?" Hawks said at my big eyes.

"It's brilliant," I said excitedly, "I love how it's so big!" (I'll admit, the book I got all the fancy words from was Harry Potter...)

Hawks nodded and went to sit down on the couch. I glanced at it, but only after Hawks offered me a seat did I dare to sit down.

"What's it like being a hero?" I asked the hero, "Is it worth the money?"

Hawks put a finger to his face in thought before he answered, "I think it is, but I've been trained so much that being a hero is easy, almost boring."

"It's boring to fight people?" I asked in surprise, "Isn't if supposed to be exciting?"

Hawks smiled, "It's supposed to be, yes, but I think being a hero is more about saving people."

I felt my wings shift as a small o formed on my mouth.
"Do all heroes have such a big home?" I then asked.

With a frown, Hawks looked around, "I don't know," he admitted, "Maybe? What about you, have you got a big home?"

I frowned, "No."

"It's small then?" Hawks asked.

"No." I repeated.

"Average?"

I paused, "I don't live at home." I admitted softly. Then once more I remembered to be cations and flapped my wings as if it would reset the last few moments, "And stop prying into my life, chicken."

The hero didn't smile, making me nervous. Did I offend him?
"Then where do you live?" Hawks asked, his wings showing sadness.

I bit my cheek at the sadness, "I had a place..." I then showed the small backpack I had dragged all the way here, "It's going to get sold... I won't be able to live there anymore."

Hawks sighed, "What about your parents?"

My feet kicked slightly as I looked down at my knees, "Prison."

"Prison." Hawks repeated. The he sighed again and said, "Oh feathers."

"What?" I whispered, scared of what the hero would do to me.

"How about you spend the night here? You can't possibly sleep outside again."

This made me hopeful, but then I shook my head, "It's not safe." I told myself more than Hawks.

"Of course it is, you can trust me." Hawks said.

I shook my head again, more forcefully this time, "You're stronger than me."

That was when Hawks seemed to get an idea, "How about this, I make sure you're able to lock the door."

This made me tilt my head, "You would?"

Hawks nodded, "If it makes you feel safe."

I considered before I nodded.

That was one night I thought I would never forget.
The bed Hawks offered me was soft and big, it was warm and had many pillows.
I fell asleep quite immediately, and once I woke up I build a fort out of the pillows, wishing I would never have to leave the room.