A Mockingbird In The Crows Nest

Cookie Cloud

He just shrugged, and pocketed his phone. "I mean- It worked, didn't it?"

"Wh- That's not the point!" Tommy insisted, his feathers bristling and glaring at the man as harshly as he could. "You're an avian too- how would you like it if I threw a blanket over your head, huh??"

To his dismay, the rouge just shrugged. "Meh."

He huffed and did his best to smooth out his feathers and comb his hair back into a more decent style. He cringes at the feeling of hairspray still lingering in his curls from the photo shoot, but wipes his hands off on his pants once he deems it fine.

As much as he hated to admit it..He did actually feel a bit better. His ears weren't ringing anymore, his head felt clearer, his limbs didn't feel as heavy. He felt more..Aware than before. But he couldn't just say that though; he had a reputation to uphold, afterall. But based on the smug smile quirking the man's lips, he already knows.

Bastard.

"It's Mockingbird, right?" Roulette asked after a few seconds of silence.

Tommy nodded. "The one and only." He drawled sarcastically, adjusting his sleeves.

"I've heard a lot about you." He hummed, almost off-handedly. But Tommy knew what that meant, and he fucking froze.

Prime, can't he have 30 minutes where he doesn't have to analyze every damn thing people say?

"Oh?" He replies, trying not to sound as nervous as he felt.

He nodded, and this time Tommy knows the rogue can see his unease. But he ignores it and pushes on. "My Chips haven't heard much, but..Well, you can see for yourself." Then he pulled a thin newspaper out of his coat. He unfolded it and held it up for him to see, and Tommy had to stare at it for a long moment to actually make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.

There was a picture of him and Sally being hauled out of the rubble of the News Tower on the front page. Above the photo was the headline "Newest Hero Mockingbird Saves Civilian In Devastating League Attack".

Tommy reaches out, and takes the paper from Roulette- and the man doesn't try to stop him.

He stares at the headline for far too long, because it's..It's not true, is it? Sure, he saved Sally from the tower- but that doesn't make him a hero. He's just..A normal person. No one normal would leave a person to be buried alive in the rubble.

There's a lengthy article beside the photo, and it continues on to the second page with even more pictures of him being guided to an ambulance and with Sally being checked by a paramedic. As he skims the article that was apparently written by Sally herself- Roulette starts talking again.

"I gotta say- I wasn't expecting the kid I bumped into in the elevator yesterday would be the very hero I was looking to talk to."