You sucked in a deep breath as the door behind you closed, bending over to allow your racing heart to gradually slow down. You marveled at your newfound courage – who did you think you were, talking to the number two hero like that? This date had been a disaster from the start. After a moment and several more deep breaths, you finally felt your body relax. With a loud sigh, you straightened up.
Clutching the book tightly in your arms, you grimaced at your impulsive purchase. It was a book you'd been wanting to read, and you had secretly hoped to stretch this date out long enough to finish most of it without having to buy it. Unfortunately, he had proven to be a total ass, exceeding all your expectations. You'd stormed out before even finishing the fifth chapter. You'd be eating ramen until your next paycheck, but you could handle it. Being tight on cash wasn't new, and if today was any indication of your future, it certainly wouldn't be the last time. Besides, you wouldn't have allowed him to buy anything for you, even if he'd offered.
You took one more deep breath before turning and walking up the sidewalk. You didn't want to be there when he finally stepped out, and the fresh air would definitely help clear your head. It was far better than being stuck in a stuffy Commission car. You clenched your jaw as you heard the cafe door opening behind you, quickly ducking into an alleyway and pressing yourself against the wall. The last thing you wanted was for him to try and talk to you about what had just happened.
You held your breath, listening to the sound of his wings unfurl and beat the air. His shadow passed over you as you stood there, but he didn't stop. After gathering yourself, you inhaled another deep breath before exhaling with a sigh. You waited a second, making sure he was gone before sliding out of the alleyway and making your way up the sidewalk.
Tilting your head up as you walked, you allowed the sun to warm your face. The weather was pleasant, still early enough in the day that the summer heat hadn't taken over completely. You estimated it would be at least thirty more minutes before the Commission car would return to pick you up, and your apartment was only a twenty-minute walk away. It didn't seem worth bothering them to pick you up early, and you needed time to process everything before dealing with the fallout from your abrupt departure.
It was hard to admit, but he looked better in person than he did on TV. Blonde hair perfectly brushed back, amber eyes like two golden pools. Based on what you'd seen of his hero costume, you were willing to bet his body matched that perfection under the baggy clothes he'd chosen to wear. His wings had looked well-groomed, the crimson plumage so fluffy that you almost reached for them on impulse when you turned to greet him. You stopped yourself quickly, realizing how incredibly rude and intrusive that would be. He was only a few inches taller than you, but his wings made him appear much larger. You couldn't help but wonder how large they were when fully spread.
However, your interaction with him left much to be desired. You knew he was charming; everyone knew that. You'd seen the TV interviews and the way he seemed to flirt with the camera, making people fawn over him easily. He was popular, witty, and undeniably attractive, but he'd thrown all that away to act like a total ass.
You weren't naive; thanks to the Vice President's warning, you'd gone in with the knowledge that this wouldn't be a pleasant experience. To be honest, it wasn't so much what he said that was terrible. It was more about how he approached things, the coldness in the way he regarded you, and how easily he lied to you. It was such a stark difference from what you'd expect from any hero.
By the time you made it home, your stomach was rumbling, and you sighed, opening your fridge with a frown. There wasn't much left except some leftover pizza from a few days ago. Sighing, you took a slice from the box, throwing it on a plate to microwave. You watched it spin around before your ringtone distracted you.
You sighed as you glanced at the caller ID, accepting the call and bringing the device up to your ear. "Mr. Vice President?"
"Y/N, I am so glad you answered, and again, please just call me Jiro," he said, and you frowned at the tone in his voice. He sounded anxious, like he was worried about something.
"Yes, sorry, Jiro. Is everything okay?" You asked, quickly stopping the microwave before it beeped. Leaving your dinner to cool, you walked into your living room, settling yourself on the sofa as Jiro let out a concerned sigh.
"The Commission car had arrived to pick you up this afternoon, but you and Hawks had already left the cafe. We were hopeful that maybe things had gone well and you'd decided to go somewhere more, um, private, but from the information the driver gathered, it might suggest otherwise."
You stared at the wall blankly, trying to process what he'd just said. You and Hawks had just met, and they had already expected him to try and take you back to his apartment if things went well? You knew this was an accelerated program, with only a few more dates before they'd move you both into a Commission apartment, but even still, that seemed quick. Were you seriously expected to submit to him that soon if that's what he wanted? Had he done that with any of the other girls he'd been matched with? That thought alone was enough to turn your stomach, though you couldn't quite fathom why. What did it matter to you if he had been intimate with his other matches? It wasn't your business.
"Y/N?" Jiro asked, snapping you back to the present. You clenched your jaw before letting out a long sigh.
"It wasn't horrible. He was unpleasant like you said he would be, but I stormed off because I was tired of him trying to lie to me," you responded, and you could hear the man on the other end of the phone groan in response.
"What did he do?" he asked, his weariness obvious in the way he was speaking. You almost chuckled, imagining him rubbing his temples like a teacher who was tired of saying the same thing over and over, but the students refused to listen.
"Well, besides the way he spoke to me, it really bothered me that he pretended to like everything I didn't. I hate being lied to, and I probably wouldn't have noticed he was lying until he brought up his favorite season. There is no way someone with a bird quirk likes winter. Plus, I've seen what he wears when winter rolls around. The jacket is different, and most people don't notice, but the lining looks thicker. That's when I figured out he was lying to me on purpose."
"You're observant; I like that," Jiro said with a sigh. "You're absolutely right, Hawks does hate the winter. I have to say I'm impressed you noticed the difference in his jacket. It's thicker because there is a heating element built into it."
"That's actually... kinda cool," you responded, wondering how they managed to make that work, proud of yourself for noticing the difference.
"Yeah, it is pretty cool," he chuckled in response. "But that isn't the reason I'm calling-"
"I'm sorry," you blurted out, cutting him off. "I shouldn't have stomped away like that. Are you angry?"
"What?" He said, the surprise in his voice evident as you heard him shifting himself over the phone. "Of course not! I was calling to see if you were planning on resigning from the program. After the driver gave me the information he'd gotten, I thought maybe you were done. Nobody would blame you, of course. Like I said, you're not the first, and I am so sorry for his behavior. He was taught better than this. Does this mean you're not quitting?"
You sucked in a breath; this was your out if you wanted to take it. You didn't have to put up with his terrible behavior anymore if you didn't want to. This wasn't going to end in a productive relationship; that much was clear. He hardly talked to you, and how were you supposed to be intimate with someone who clearly didn't want you? Yet, despite everything, you wanted to continue. Despite needing the money to help in your upcoming legal fight, you were oddly curious. There had to be a reason why he was the total opposite of the person you'd seen on TV with the people the Commission was matching him with. What was the reason?
"No, of course not. One bad date doesn't mean it's a bad match," you said, trying your best to sound confident. "But maybe you could give me some tips? You said you know him inside out. How do I do this?" You had to make this work somehow, had to get the Commission to pay your debt so you could finally reach out to a lawyer.
"You are a miracle!" He exclaimed, his excitement palpable even through the phone. "An absolute blessing. Nobody has ever made it past the first date; it's truly spectacular. As far as tips go, honestly, he thrives on positive feedback and attention. Compliment him, especially his wings."
"Okay, yeah, I'll try that," you responded, making a mental note of it for next time.
"Perfect. Someone will be reaching out to you with the details of your next meeting. As a thank you and an apology, we've taken the liberty of depositing some money into your account. Hopefully, that makes up for his behavior. Thanks again, Y/N. You're doing great!"
The line went dead before you could even thank him. Your heart was pounding as you pulled the phone from your face and quickly opened your banking app. Your heart nearly stopped altogether as it loaded, the balance staring you in the face. Not only was it enough to cover your book from today, you would easily be able to pay your rent, get groceries, and maybe even some fresh art supplies. You sank into the sofa with a relieved sigh, tears pricking your eyes as you soaked it in. You could do this; you'd get him to come around to at least fulfill the Commission's objective. That's all you needed to do.