Feather Bound

Chapter 4

He sighed, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet on his desk, his gaze drifting toward the window. The clear sky and the warmth of the summer sun filled his office. It was almost intoxicating, and he had half a mind to stretch his wings, basking in the rays to warm his feathers. Yet, he couldn't allow himself that luxury, unable to fully relax after his last conversation with Mamoru.

It had been almost two weeks since his handler had informed him about his new match, yet the Commission hadn't sent any information about her. The last time he had been matched, they were relentless about how fast they wanted him to move. He had received the girl's profile within the hour, forced to plan a date for that very same weekend. This time, however, there had been nothing but radio silence. It was starting to put him on edge as he tried to figure out what was going on. Perhaps she had quit the program before it even began, or, if he was really lucky, the President had finally come to her senses and given up on trying to match him.

Unfortunately, when it came to the Commission, he was never that lucky, and he nearly groaned as his desktop chimed with an email notification. Sitting up, he hoped it was just something mundane, perhaps a reminder about paperwork deadlines or ensuring he adhered to the agency's mandated break policy. He grabbed the mouse, shaking it to wake up the screen before opening the tab that held his email. With a clenched jaw, he read the subject line of the latest message, and with a resigned sigh, he clicked it open, filled with dread as he read through it.

Hawks,

Attached is the profile information for the new match we discussed. You are expected to study the profile information and plan a date for this weekend. This is your top priority this afternoon, and your sidekicks have already been instructed to cover your patrol this evening. Please send plans to me for approval, and for heaven's sake, don't fuck this up.

-Mamoru

He rolled his eyes at the last line in the email, nibbling his lip slightly. After his last confrontation with Mamoru, he should be cautious. He should just follow orders like the obedient little soldier he was trained to be. Of course, he didn't want to be sent for retraining, and he certainly didn't want to get Mamoru fired for his disobedience, but he also didn't want this woman to suffer. He really was trapped between a rock and a hard place.

He clicked open the document, and his breath caught at the picture. It was the girl he'd seen leaving the building a few weeks ago, the one who'd been jostled by the crowd on the street. He rubbed his face in astonishment as he looked at her headshot. He'd encountered many different women before, but where on earth did they manage to find someone who looked like her?

He had to admit she was stunning, with healthy looking h/c hair that he was sure was soft to the touch. Her face was soft with e/c eyes that seemed to bore into him, their intensity rivaling his own. The Commission had clearly gone all out with this one.

"Fucking hell," he muttered, finally tearing his eyes from her picture and scrolling down to read through her information. Y/N L/N. He tilted his head in curiosity as he read through her details. The quirk section was left blank, and he couldn't help but wonder what that might mean. Was she quirkless? He continued scrolling, scoffing in disbelief as he read her job description. How was it possible that she only worked in a coffee shop with her looks? He sighed as he perused her likes and dislikes, surprised to find they had a few things in common, unlike anyone else he'd been matched with.

Sighing, he pushed his chair back to prop his feet up again, gazing out the window. This woman was undoubtedly beautiful, seemingly nice, and somewhat relatable, unlike the others he'd been matched with. In another world, maybe he would have asked her out on his own, gotten to know her better, but not this time. He couldn't let this woman get caught in the Commission's game; she deserved a genuine match, someone who could give her the happy marriage and family she deserved.