My Baby Bird

Ch 2

Hawks couldn't focus. His mind was clouded, his head was starting to hurt. Everything was confusing. He wanted to go home. He felt like he was going to vomit. Hawks tried to ignore all of those feelings.

He was pulled back into reality by a strange feeling. That was when he realized, he was wet. He was having an accident, in front of all the other pros. Hawks jumped up and ran to the nearest restroom, hoping and praying that no one saw what was going on.

Hawks slammed the door behind him, now in tears. He felt light headed. A wave of nausea washed over him and he collapsed to his knees emptying his stomach into the toilet. A knock came at the door, startling Hawks.

"Hey, Bird Brain, you okay?" It was Rumi.

" 'm fine." Hawks choked out, "G'way."

She had to know he was lying. She always did. He couldn't have Rumi finding out. Rumi would never tell anyone if he told her not to, but than she'd know the truth. That he shouldn't be a hero, that he's weak.

Next thing Hawks knew the door was open. Had he really forgot to lock it. Rumi could see everything. She'd be able to see that he was crying, that he'd wet himself. She was staring at him.

"Oh Hawks. Honey, you're sick." Rumi places her hand on Hawks' forehead, trying to check his temperature, "You're way too little to be here today."

"No! I'm not little! I'm big! I'm big!" Hawks sobbed, "I'm a good boy! I won't be little!"

"Hawks-" Before Rumi could finish Hawks had rushed out of the small room and then out of the building.

He pushed off and took to the sky. His mind was too foggy, his vision was clouded, he didn't know where he was going. Hawks stumbled into a landing on a roof much sooner than he'd extended to stop. He tried to take off again, he fell, why couldn't he get his wings to work.

Hawks managed to slow his fall and get a tiny bit of lift before finally hitting the ground. His hands and cheeks hurt, they were all scratched up from the landing. His knees hurt too. He began sobbing, everything hurt and he was all alone. At least he thought he was alone.

"You really need to watch where you're going." Hawks knew that voice, it was the man from that morning.

Before Hawks could even bring himself to look up he was hoisted to his feet. Finally face to face with the man. It was Dabi. How had he not noticed that morning? Was he that out of it? Hawks tried to back away, tripping over his own feet in the process. He fell onto his bottom, and continued crying.

"Shh, calm down kiddo. It's going to be alright." Dabi crouched down and kissed both of Hawks's scratched up palms, "Your friend is on her way."

"Hawks!" Rumi's voice called out.

Hawks turned toward the voice and when he looked back Dabi was walking away. Rumi didn't see him, Hawks was too stunned and little to follow after him.

Rumi hugged Hawks and inspected the cuts on his hands, face, and knees, "Oh, sweetie, your all scratched up. You can't run off like that. I need to get you home." She wasn't a caregiver, she'd been classified as a neutral but she was going to help her best friend anyway she could.

Rumi helped her friend to his feet and tried to pick him up. Hawks refused. She held on to his hand instead, which he thankfully didn't argue with. Hawks looked over his shoulder, searching for Dabi, but he couldn't see him. Rumi gently tugged on his hand telling him to follow and he did.

They reached the train station within a few minutes. The train was mostly empty, most people were still at school or work. The few people who were on in the car with them seemed to pick up on Hawks' being too little for them to crowd or ask for autographs. Hawks curled up on his seat and hid himself behind his wings. His mind began to wander, his eyes felt heavy, he was asleep before he could even register being sleepy.

When the stop nearest to Hawks' apartment came Rumi pulled her friend onto her back. She was surprised at just how light he was. She'd already expected that she'd be able to carry him, but she didn't think it would be so easy to do especially when he was unconscious. Rumi made a mental note to ask him about it when he was big again.

Rumi has already managed to grab the man's keys and wallet before picking him up, allowing her to unlock his apartment door without setting him down. She set Hawks on the couch so she could search for his little things. It proved to be more difficult than she originally thought.

"Where's all of his little stuff?" Rumi asked herself, not really wanting to rummage through all of his personal belongings.

Rumi frowned upon finding nothing in his closet or dresser. There wasn't a single item in his house to suggest that a little lived there. Sure not all littles needed the same things but it was apparent that Hawks was very young in headspace and should require a lot gear.

Rumi returned to the sofa to find Hawks curled up in a little ball with his thumb in his mouth. She picked him up and carried him the short distance to his bedroom. She set him on the bed to grab him a change of clothes, he couldn't stay in his wet clothes all day.

Hawks fell to the ground again, he could hear people shouting at him. He wanted it to stop.

His handler shouted, "Hawks! You need to focus!"

"Can't. 'm trying. 's hard." Hawks whimpered.

"Goddamn it! You stopped taking your suppressants again, didn't you?" His handler growled.

"Makes me feel yucky." Hawks replied.

"The commission needs the best Hawks. You're supposed to be a hero! Heroes aren't little!" His handler grabbed his wrist and began pulling him away.

"No! No! I'll be good! I'm sorry! I'll be a good boy!" Hawks pleaded, "I'm sowwy! I'm sowwy! I be big! I be good! Pwease no! Don't wanna go back!"

Hawks hit the cold concrete and a door slammed behind him. There was nothing he was alone. It was cold and dark. Hawks crawled toward the door, desperately trying to pull it open.

"I want out! Out! Out! Out! Pwease! I'm scared!" Hawks cried.

Hawks whimpered and curled up tighter, muttering something. It quickly turned from whimpers to cries. He was shaking. Rumi ran over to the bed, dropping the clothes she'd found. She shook his shoulders.

"Hawks! Hawks it's okay. Wake up, it's just a dream." Rumi pleaded.

Hawks jerked away and backed away from Rumi, "I sowwy! I sowwy! I'll be a good boy! 'm sowwy! I be a good boy!"

"Shh. It's okay." Rumi sat next he Hawks and reluctantly pulled him into a hug, he latched onto her, crying into her shoulder.

"I'll be a good boy." Hawks sobbed.

"It's okay, you're a good boy Hawks. You're a very good boy." Rumi whispered, she didn't know what the dream had been about but she knew what ever it was she wasn't going to let it hurt her friend, "I've got you, you're safe."

"Don' wanna go back to dark room." Hawks whimpered.