No Mercy

Fourteen

Hawk learned lots of new ways to fight in just a few days. He was learning pretty quickly. Of course it took him a lot of punches directly to the face to get stronger and some fainting but overall he was doing well. Their dojo might even compete in a tournament which was exciting. Hawk had promised to spend a day with Demetri but he didn't fulfill that promise which wasn't a shocker to Demetri. Deep down inside he knew his best friend was going to forget about what he had said. They only talked at school and when Demetri walked him to the dojo was the only real time they had to talk. It's been an entire week already of this new persona called Hawk yet it feels like years for Demetri. As school was finished the two teens walked alongside each other making their way to the dojo. Demetri was almost unable to come up with new conversations and questions to ask Hawk. Luckily today, Hawk actually spoke up first.

"Yo Demetri."

"Yes?" Demetri looks over at Hawk as they continue to walk.

"I'm sorry about not hanging out with you last week." That caught Demetri by surprise that he couldn't respond and so Hawk continued. "I've just been too tired after practice and had to get some things done."

"It's okay," Demetri appreciated the apology. "I'm just happy you remember."

For some reason that made Hawk feel ten times worse. "Sorry dude."

"You're fine." Demetri smiles. "So what things have you been up to?"

"Well," Hawk stops in his tracks and Demetri does too. "Check this out." Hawk removes his bag and tosses it to the floor. He begins to pulls his shirt up causing Demetri to jolt backwards.

Eli never liked to show skin of any sort so the fact that he was so easily lifting his shirt in front of him in the middle of the sidewalk caught him by surprise. Then again this wasn't Eli to be exact. It was Hawk. He fully removed his shirt and turned his back towards Demetri. His hazel eyes widen for a moment, a flare of sudden overwhelming emotion to which he could only stutter, his face turning a ghostly white. Hawk turns his head to the side attempting to see Demetri's reaction. "Sick right?"

Demetri's jaw dropped as he studied his best friend's back. It was covered in an enormous amount of ink in the shape of a hawk, wings spread far apart with a familiar blue mohawk on its head. Still no words could come out of Demetri's mouth. Hawk turned around fully facing his shocked friend before carefully putting his shirt back on. "It took fourteen hours to finish."

Demetri tried his best to respond but no words came out. Hawk smirked as he saw Demetri had no words. "I know, cool right?"

All Demetri could do was shake his head in disapproval causing Hawk's smile to fade.

"You don't like it?"

"It's not that." Demetri stumbled on his words. "It's just... does your mom know?!"

Hawk didn't even think about that. His face showed slight concern as he picks his bag off the floor. "N-no. She has no idea."

"So this is a secret?!" Demetri furrows his eyebrows confusedly.

"Yeah so don't say a word." Hawk's voice softened and it almost sounded like Eli. "P-please."

"I-I won't," Demetri blinks slowly a few times expecting to wake up from this wicked dream, but he wasn't waking up which meant this was real. "Did it hurt?"

"Nah," Hawk waved his hand dismissively. "It tickled."

Demetri could tell he was lying. "Suuuure."

The two continued to walk together while Demetri still tried taking in what Hawk had done to his back.

"Why a hawk?" Demetri questions. "Out of all the things you can tattoo. You chose a hawk?"