𝐀𝐓𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐒: bnha x atla

⌞#𝟎𝟐𝟎⌝

𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑

𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐊𝐒 𝐒𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐃 above the sprawling cityscape of Musutafu, his wings slicing through the air with an urgency that matched the rapid beat of his heart. The Sports Festival was just a day away, and Iluliaq, was nowhere to be found.

Hawks had checked everywhere. Iluliaq's apartment, the beach, his favorite restaurants, the rooftop where he liked to brood dramatically about life with existential teenage angst—every possible spot he could think of. Nothing. It was as if the earth had swallowed him whole. Each location had greeted him with empty silence, and now, frustration was beginning to simmer beneath his usually cool exterior.

Hawks knew why Iluliaq was avoiding the festival. The boy loathed being on camera and despised the public attention that came with it. Getting him to engage with the world was like pulling out teeth, and the Sports Festival was one of the most-watched events in the world. They would have better luck trying to coax a shadow out into the sunshine than getting Iluliaq in the spotlight without any trouble.

Hawks had had to bribe Iluliaq to get him in front of a camera, to play nice for the public. It wouldn't surprise him in the slightest if Iluliaq eventually turned into an underground hero just to dodge the limelight.

"Hawks! Hawks, are you listening to me?" The shrill voice of Madam President pierced through his earpiece, yanking him back to the immediate crisis.

"Yes, ma'am, I'm listening." Hawks replied, his tone strained but respectful. His wings beat faster, propelling him toward the next potential hideout.

"Well, it doesn't sound like it! Where is Leviathan?" She demanded, using Iluliaq's hero name with the same detached indifference she always did. To her, he wasn't a person but a tool, an asset to be exploited.

"I don't know." Hawks admitted, his frustration barely contained.

"You don't know? How can you not know? He's your responsibility, Hawks! Do you understand what this could mean for us? For our public image?" Her voice climbed in pitch, each word a nail hammered into Hawks's conscience.

"I do understand, ma'am. I'm doing everything I can to find him." Hawks assured, though he could feel the futility of his words. The kid loathed attention with a passion that was actually quite impressive.

"Everything you can? Clearly, it's not enough! This was supposed to be our chance to elevate Leviathan's public profile. The people need to see him, to adore him! How do you expect us to control public sentiment if our key asset is missing?" Madam President's tone was icy, each word dripping with a venomous blend of disdain and urgency.

Hawks sighed inwardly. "With all due respect, ma'am, he has always been uncomfortable with media attention. He finds it... annoying and stupid. It's like a media circus to him."

"Annoying? Stupid?" Her voice now held a dangerous edge. "He doesn't get to find it annoying or stupid. He is our asset, and he will do as he is told. Do you understand me, Hawks?"

"Yes, ma'am." Hawks replied.

"If you don't find him, Hawks, there will be consequences." The President threatened, her voice now a low growl. "Do you hear me? Consequences."

"I understand." Hawks said quietly, his jaw tightening. He had always known the Hero Commission was ruthless, but the blatant dehumanization of Iluliaq was a bitter pill to swallow. "I'll keep searching."

"You'd better." Madam President snapped before the line went dead.

Hawks clenched his fists, his wings faltering for a moment before he regained his composure. He couldn't let her threats shake him. He had to find Iluliaq, not just for the Hero Commission, but for the boy himself.