Everyone needs a little Hero

Trust Talk

Hero spent the better part of the night stretching, loosening his tight muscles from his long day of work. He managed to visit all of his friends in one day, hoofing it from the first floor to the eight in record time.

Now, thankfully, it was time to rest.

Being a hero was exhausting, but well worth the effort. He loved seeing the smiling faces of the humans he helped. It was heart warming to know so many wonderful, kind people were in the world.

What made Hero more excited, however, was getting his partner in crime back.

Rey had slowly but surely recovered from his injury, enough to climb and maneuver properly, and, finally, the two of them would be off helping people in the building.

Hero wasn't sure where their adventures and helping work would take them, but he was sure they could do a lot of good for both the Borrower and human community.

He drifted off to sleep with these thoughts fueling his dreams.

The next morning, stiff but smiling, Hero jumped out of bed, stretched, and gathered up his things to head out for the day. The teenage Borrower had barely taken three steps out of his room when he spotted his father sitting grimly at the table. No one was nearby, but his father looked contemplative, like he was mulling over something serious.

With his sixth sense, Casper, Hero's father, turned his head toward his son and smiled warily.

"Good morning Hero. Where are you off to so early?" he asked, turning in the wire and thread chair to face his son.

"Morning dad. Um... I was just going to see some friends. We were going to go exploring today," said Hero, wincing internally at his half-truths and lies.

"Is one of those friends Rey per chance?" asked Casper, his blue eyes hardening like cold stone. Hero knew his face gave it away the moment his father nodded in his slow, signature way.

"Well, we... we were going to meet up and explore some of the older passages and unused apartments," said Hero, panicking and adjusting his bag rather than ring his hands nervously. "Dad, I know you said to be careful with their family, but we're good friends and..."

"It's alright," interrupted Casper. Stunned, Hero waited for his father to follow up – which he did. "I suspected you two would get along from the moment he came through the door and some of the community commented on your work helping others with Rey at your side."

"You... you did?" asked Hero. His father merely nodded before standing up from his seat.

Oh no! Did he find out about his secret and Ashlynn talking to him? The slumber party? How could he know? Did he know?

"I would like to accompany you to Soren's home. I have a few... things I want to discuss with him."

Hero's jaw nearly hit the ground. He was safe! His father didn't know about him talking to Ashlynn, and it didn't seem like he knew about the slumber party with Rey. Hero felt his stomach drop all the same.

Go with him?

Out in the open? Or just to Ashlynn's home to see Soren?

Hero hoped to talk to Ashlynn again, but it would have to wait.

Without choice, Casper gathered his borrowing bag, hook, and a pin dagger before the two of them set off into the rafters.

Hero wanted to ask his father why he suddenly wanted to talk to Soren. The last time Soren came over was after the attack Rey told him about a few weeks ago. Was this a social call?