victory_road | Baby bird with a broken wing

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Baby bird with a broken wing

Who: Hawks, Izuku, maybe a brief cameo from Dirk?
Where: Pewter City, just outside a doctor's office
When: Backdated to hell and back to around 7/8
Summary: Izuku broke his wrist, but has been too anxious to get it looked at. Hawks concludes that hey, Izuku's a kid, maybe he needs an adult's presence to reassure him? (And if he doesn't, Hawks can just oversee things anyway to make sure Izuku actually gets his wrist fixed.)
Rating: PG, probably nothing worse than doctor-related stuff and broken bone talk

For a world with teleportation technology, reaching a city you've never been to before is way more of a hassle than Hawks feels it has any right to be.

Hawks can't necessarily regret the trip, even if his ride clearly does. The Mandibuzz apparently doesn't like anyone(Dirk had neglected to mention if that included himself, and Hawks had elected not to ask), and having to fly him and Dirk for days didn't do anything to improve her mood. But being up in the air again that much...it had felt like home. More so than any mere city, or even world, the air is where Hawks really belongs. And while it hadn't quite been like flying himself - it had certainly been less comfortable - it was still as close as Hawks has come since he woke up with the weight of his wings gone from his back.

Still, it had been so slow. Not just compared to what Hawks is used to, although it certainly was that - he didn't earn the nickname 'the man too fast for his own good' for compliment's sake - but in reference to what Hawks is making this whole trip for. There's a kid with a broken wrist at the other end of the journey, waiting on him. Considering the long wait, he'd have told Deku to go to the doctor without him if the kid hadn't already proved resistant to the idea. Whether Deku's genuinely as unsure as he sounds about the doctor credentials in this world, or - as Hawks suspects; surely people need doctors here who are just as competent as doctors in any other world? Humans don't have different health needs here that Hawks is aware of - that was more of an excuse for broader anxiety. For one reason or another, Deku either doesn't want to go, or is scared to. Either way, Hawks' presence will make sure the kid gets the care he needs.

Hawks wonders if he isn't pushing this so hard just to feel useful again. But at the same time...what kind of hero could he call himself if he saw a hurt, spooked kid and didn't do something to help him? If it's the first time he's felt genuinely useful in this world, well...that's a bonus, not the point.

Finally, after what feels like three years instead of three days, Salome the Mandibuzz touches down in Pewter, and Hawks hops off her back - and, wisely, out of beak range - almost immediately. He stretches himself to get the kinks out (sitting awkwardly on a flying bird with another guy for hours isn't the cushiest way to spend one's day) before scanning the area. Deku had said he'd meet them around here...

And then, sure enough, he spots green hair, not far off. He raises a hand. "Hey, Deku!" Not that the kid was likely to miss their arrival, but...

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It's definitely hard to miss a bird of that size coming their way. Izuku, admittedly, hadn't done much flying travel yet. None of his Pokemon had known Fly for quite some time, at least not until he got Snipe the Noivern. And Snipe was...let's say reckless when he flew, and didn't have that much care for the rider on his back. He'd hang on if he did a sick backflip! It was fine!!

Izuku preferred the ground for this reason. At least until he could get the move for one of his less hyperactive Pokemon, like Burnin' maybe. He's both relieved and a bit...anxious? Seeing Hawks land and hail him from afar. He's not trying to hide his arm anymore- the Tangrowth looming behind him has thanks for that- as she nudges him forward with one of her big vine arms.

"H-hey," he replies, stepping forward a few paces to meet the Hero so he doesn't have to go quite so far. He's holding his arm against himself carefully, cradled beneath his other so as not to jostle it around too much. "How was your flight?"

"I'm not going to complain about being able to be up in the air again," Hawks says easily. The unspoken postscript is especially to the kid who worried he'd be putting me out asking for my help. He's not going to give Deku any leverage to feel like he's inconvenienced Hawks with this. "Just wish it could have been faster, so you and that wrist weren't kept waiting as long."

His eyes flick down to the arm in question as they speak, noting the way Deku is holding it. If they were, say, out in the field, with no proper medical care around, Hawks might gently assess the damage himself - even if it was painful for Deku - just to get an idea what he was working with, and how best to proceed with some sort of on-the-spot first aid. But they're not in that kind of situation. There's a clinic right here, with medical professionals probably much better trained than Hawks to look Deku over and give him treatment. No field medic skills required. So he makes no move to touch Deku's arm, instead moving a hand to his shoulder and turning him toward the clinic doors, actually pushing the boy ahead of himself. "But now that I'm here, we can get things moving! Let's go get you looked at."

Hawks has never been a man who wastes time, and Deku's going to feel that keenly now. He's not looking to make small talk while Deku's just standing there with a busted wrist and they're doing nothing to improve that. Deku might have to wait until they're waiting to get called into the office, or waiting for the doctor to come in.

Over his shoulder, Hawks calls back to Dave and Salome. "Thanks for the lift! I'll catch up with you guys later to repay you."

There's no telling how long they might have to wait, but ultimately it probably won't be as bad as it might have been back home. It's not like people are in professions that might get them hurt left and right in this world, but that also doesn't mean people are just suddenly immune to needing medical attention.

Which is maybe something Izuku needs to learn first hand.

He allows Hawks to guide him forward, walking along with him easily without complaint, so there's that.

"When I poked my head in they said the wait shouldn't be too long...the doctor is with another patient right now, I think."

Not that it matters to Dirk at all, but a wrist injury is one hell of a reason to call up a complete stranger for a ride.

That's... something else. He doesn't even know what to call it. Sad? Sad works. There's room for plausible deniability in the terminology. Pathetic is also true, and gives him some leeway with the archaic root word, but... actually, you know what? He's just not going to say anything.

"You're welcome," he deadpans, running a gloved hand over Salome's wing before hopping back on--not astride her, as he'd rode in with 'Hawks', but with two feet planed firmly and one hand braced on her upper back as she takes off, launching the two of them skyward in a rush of wings.

If either of the two erstwhile heroes bother to watch his departure, they'll notice he is straight up standing on her back as she wings her way up into the clouds. Like she's a fucking skateboard.

Sick.

Not that Dirk asked Hawks, but Hawks would classify this as the difference between heroes and the almost-but-not-quites. Someone who only focuses on big problems in the name of the big picture will find that the picture they end up with isn't one worth viewing. Big pictures that are actually worth something are made up of little details; losing sight of that means losing a lot of other things, too. More than one might care to lose.

If one hurt, scared kid (no matter how small the hurt, or how silly the scare) isn't enough for Hawks to make an effort for, then what arbitrary number will move him? And is he even saving people at that point, or statistics? If one hurt, scared kid wasn't a call to action, then what is Hawks even being a hero for?

But Dirk didn't ask, which is just as well. If Dirk can't understand why Hawks made this effort, then they're not likely to see eye to eye on the subject through talking about it.

For the moment, Hawks guides Deku to some chairs. "Well, nothing to do but wait." He sits down with a sigh. "Y'know, I miss my wings every day, but I have to admit...being able to sit back in any kind of chair without thinking about it is pretty nice."

"Heh...I can imagine."

Just imagine, though. Hawks is one of the many heroes Izuku knows that not only has an impressive Quirk, but one that's relatively stand-out. Even though a lot of heroes might have wings or feathers or some type of Quirk that gets them airborne, Hawks is the only hero out there that has quite the features that he does. Namely, those striking red wings that are very obviously not currently present.

"Coming here and, uh...not having our Quirks...it's a little hard to get used to," he continues, though even in saying that it causes something of a nervous squirm to start in the pit of his stomach. Mostly because he's lying in some way, having not had</i a Quirk originally to lose to begin with.

"More than a little," Hawks agrees absently, leaning back in the chair to look up at the ceiling. No matter the world, waiting in a clinic is one of the most boring things it's possible to do. And Hawks, a hero known for his speed, isn't good with waiting or boredom. Heroism truly requires sacrifice...

"I can't help wondering how rough it'd be for other people with mutant quirks to wind up here. I mean, it was kind of awkward for me at first, and just not having wings anymore is - well, it's not a small thing, but it's a simple thing. No quirk means no wings. But I think of other mutants with more significant mutations, ones that change whole parts of their body, and I wonder what'd happen to them here...? For the ones whose mutations aren't tied directly to their quirk, I wonder if they'd keep them...like Tsukuyomi. His Dark Shadow isn't tied to his bird head. Would he keep the bird head if he showed up here? But people seem to be forced to look like your average human here, so maybe he'd have a human head...imagine how weird that'd be for him."

Really, Hawks is mostly thinking out loud, rather idly.

Izuku nods, because well...while there aren't any people here with mutant quirks...

"Yeah, like I can think of a few people who have gone through changes similar to that," he says, his good hand resting on his knee while his other remains held carefully against his chest. "Like Louie-san. He's normally a duck, but he's human now...though I guess that is a little different than the way Tokoyami-kun is."

"What, really?" Hawks looks over at Izuku with wide eyes. "There's actual bird people here? How come I didn't get the memo?"

This is half a joke to lighten the mood for Izuku.

"Knowing you? I would have thought you'd have met him by now," Izuku replies, smiling in spite of himself. "I bet you two would probably get along. ...Not...just because of the bird thing, I mean."

"Oh yeah?" Hawks folds his arms behind his head, looking sidelong at Izuku with interest. "So what's he like? I'm interested to hear what he's like...and maybe even more interested in what you think would lead to me getting along with someone."

He really is curious, too. Is Izuku a fan of his? They haven't interacted a whole lot in person for Izuku to get much of a read on him, unless the boy's a very quick study...but with Hawks being a public figure, it's not out of the question - or even that unusual - for people of their world to know him better than he necessarily knows them.

Hawks definitely hit on the fact that Izuku is a quick study. Not just with the people he meets, but especially with heroes. He's spent a good portion of his life studying the heroes of Japan, and Hawks is arguably one of the few he feels like he knows as much about as he allows the media to see. He's one of the top heroes after all, Izuku would be a pretty poor fan if he barely knew anything about him.

"Well, he's young...but he's very ambitious. Does that sound familiar?"

Hawks laughs. "I don't know, should it?" He leans back until those folded arms behind his head are resting against the wall behind him. "I know I probably seem like an ambitious guy, having come so far so fast so young, but honestly, I never climbed the ranks because position or status mattered to me. All that mattered to me was doing the best job I could and helping everyone I was able to, y'know? And between having a good quirk I'm good at using, and having good people skills, just doing those things shot me past a lot of people who've got way more ambition than I do.

"So I dunno. One of the things I'd like best is a world where heroes can just kick back and relax. As for rankings, I really wouldn't mind if I wasn't even in the top ten. Less pressure and all. And there's no shame in being a hero anywhere on the charts, as long as you're doing everything you can where you are." He looks over at Izuku. "I guess that just doesn't seem like ambition to me. I'd totally be lazy if I could get away with it."

He pulls a hand out from behind his head to wave it dismissively. "But never mind about me, anyway. What's this kid Louie's ambition?"

Wow. Izuku shouldn't be so surprised these days when he learns just how different all of the heroes he's idolized are compared to the personas they take on for the public as heroes, but...the Hawks you see out in the field versus the actual person really are two different things entirely, aren't they? Izuku would have never doubted before that Hawks had drive and dedication when it came to being a hero simply because he was so high in the rankings...but now that he has the actual real explanation, well. It makes just as much sense.

In fact, that's true for other facets of life as well. People who are naturally charismatic tend to do well even if they're not trying hard, and couple that with a useful and flashy Quirk and suddenly you're a shoe-in for the top spot.

"I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Being lazy, I mean."

Not that he'd even call it that, really. He's sure Hawks works his ass off to do his part, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered becoming a hero at all, would he? And it sounds like his priorities are solidly in order too, at least when it comes to helping people.

"And, well...it sounded like he wanted to make a lot of money," Izuku admits, which he's realizing sounds bad now that he compared Hawks to him. Oops.

"Yeah, being lazy's only a problem if it stops you doing the things you should," Hawks agrees with a smile. "I mean, taking it easy when it's not hurting anyone for you to do that isn't a problem! That's why I'd love a world where heroes can be lazy, too. It means a world where people don't need heroes nearly as much because they're not in danger."

He glances over at Izuku when the boy mentions Louie wanting to make a lot of money, and he can tell the kid's embarrassed - probably thinks that sounds kind of mercenary, put like that. He doesn't have to worry, though, because it just gets a chuckle out of Hawks. "There are definitely worse ambitions," he says. "Money is power in its own way, right? Someone with a lot of money can have a big impact on the world. He could do a lot of good if he gets rich, if he cared to...and even if he's only thinking of himself for right now, if he ever did get rich, I think he'd end up doing good with the surplus as long as he's a good person. And I get the feeling you're a pretty good judge of character. I heard you saw through Overhaul right away, didn't you? Even before you knew who he was?"

Honestly, Hawks makes a good point. Heroes deserve time to relax as much as if not more than anyone else, and isn't creating a world of peace enough to manage that sort of their entire goal anyway?

It's also a huge relief to see Hawks take that in stride, though maybe Izuku should have expected as much. He's definitely not one of the more rigid, uptight heroes out there.

The mention of Izuku's perceptiveness in terms of judging one's character is apt as well, leaving Izuku lifting a hand to toy with the curls curving over the top of his ear.

"Yeah...I guess you're right about that. If someone has bad intentions, I can usually tell...and Louie is still young. Young enough that it makes more sense that he'd be looking after himself more than anything," he muses. Not that he's a psychiatrist, but it's true that younger folk are inherently self-centered. They just haven't had the opportunity to expand their horizons yet.

"If I had to guess, I'd say that if he ever does make it rich, he'll find out that it's easy enough to pamper oneself as much as you could ever want, and still have plenty of money left over," Hawks remarks, looking absently up at the ceiling. "He'd indulge for awhile, as anyone would, but as long as he's a relatively grounded guy, he'd end up looking beyond that. And I think it's probably a lot easier for people who haven't always been rich to want to use the extra money they've got to help others. He'll know how much difference he can make to others, in ways that people who've never had to think about money can't comprehend and don't bother to think about."

Izuku nods as he listens, feeling even more hopeful for Louie than he had before. He knows well how not having something makes you appreciate the journey to get it all the more, so there's a lot of wisdom in what Hawks is saying.

He doesn't have a chance to reply, though, because as soon as he goes to speak one of the nurses at the counter calls for an "Izuku Midoriya".

"Oh...guess they're ready for me. Um...are you going to wait out here?"

Hawks, already on his feet, yawns and stretches languorously. "And do what, read the fascinating waiting room magazines?" he asks, cocking a lazy eyebrow at Izuku. "Catch up on some of the back issues of Goodra Housekeeping? Get tips for how to please my man from Cosmogpolitan? Flip through the editorials in The New Yamper? I think I might actually die of boredom. I'd rather tag along with you, thanks."

Of course, this is purely about Hawks' own disdain for lame reading material and sitting idle. It would never occur to him to make a clever excuse for why he could tag along with Izuku to a doctor he was nervous about going to see, letting him feel like there was an adult he knows and trusts watching out for him, so that Izuku could feel like he's doing Hawks a favor in keeping him occupied rather than feeling as though he's imposing, or even needing to ask Hawks for support. It's definitely Hawks' intense disinterest in waiting room magazines, and none of that other stuff.

Hawks is a master-class at making one thing sound like another, and because of that Izuku is none the wiser. He does feel his unease abate knowing that Hawks is going to join him after all, so he'll nod and head back to where the nurse directs him.

It's strange; Izuku had expected the facility to feel more like a vet's office than an actual doctor (considering), but it seems that his assumptions had been a little short-sighted. It would be foolish not to have facilities capable of healing people just as they can heal Pokemon, after all. He's just brought to a different examination room than the Pokemon might go to. Pokemon healing had become so streamlined and quick that most of the time the worst could be healed up using the machines and nothing more, after all, leaving plenty of space for people to come get themselves checked out.

Upon entering and sitting down- with Hawks having his choice of chairs by the wall- Izuku is told after just a brief once-over by the nurse he's going to need an x-ray, which...makes sense. His wrist looks pretty awful, swollen and bruised and pretty obviously sprained if not actually broken. It's so much routine for Izuku at this point that he's able to follow their instructions on automatic, waiting still as they take the x-rays needed and ferry them off to be developed.

Hawks waits until they've finished with the x-rays and taken them off to examine them before he speaks again, arms folded behind his head and propped against the wall in the uncomfortable visitor's chair that all doctors' and nurses' offices seem to have. Nice to see that some things are constants across all universes. "Y'know, I wonder how it is that pokémon can be healed instantly by what seems like functional magic, but it seems like human care in this world isn't that different from what we'd expect back home. Did all their tech get poured into making life easier for pokémon over people? Or is that tech just incompatible with humans somehow?"

"I'm not sure..." Izuku muses, looking down at his arm resting carefully against his leg. It doesn't really look much better than it had when he first hurt it; if anything, it's swollen a bit more. But at least it can't hurt any worse and has more or less settled into a baseline, dull throb. "I think...maybe it's more the latter? Pokemon function differently compared to people, so it makes sense. If they can fit into Pokeballs and PCs, then their biology must be different enough that whatever medicine heals them can't be used on us."

"I guess that's true," Hawks concedes. "However far technology has advanced back home, or in this world - and this world doesn't seem that much more advanced than our own except in terms of their technological developments in regards to pokémon - there's nothing even close to being able to store people on computers. So the fact that can be done with pokémon...they really must be a whole different kind of creature from us."

Hawks crosses his legs in front of him. "Still, it's a shame. It'd be crazy convenient for you to be able to healed like a pokémon, y'know?" He cocks an eyebrow at Izuku. "For one thing, if you could be healed like you never got injured in the first place all in an instant, you wouldn't have to keep taking it easy on that arm for awhile. Which you are gonna do, right? I'll enlist your team to tattle on you to me if I have to, just to make sure you're looking after yourself with that bad track record I've seen of it." He nods to Izuku's arm. His quick eyes had picked up on those scars along it when the doctor had been examining the boy. "And your arms don't look like they need any extra problems."

Hawks wouldn't have even had to point out his arm in such a direct way for Izuku to know what he was referring to. The scars he wears are a constant reminder of how careless he's been not just with his Quirk in the past, but with his own well-being. He'd been in a place where he'd gladly throw himself into any level of danger to rescue someone, even if it meant that he suffered for it.

He glances down at his wrist, flexing the fingers just slightly until he goes as far as he can actually bend them.

"I am...I promise. At least here it was just an accident...that's not how it usually goes, for me."

Hawks gives him a sharp sidelong look. The speed at which he goes from casual to being at full alert is so great as to be effectively instantaneous. "If getting hurt by accident isn't how it normally goes, are you implying that you usually get hurt on purpose? Or that it's not usually an accident when you get hurt?"

Boy, the implications there are so concerning and unfortunate that it's no wonder Hawks lanced across the spectrum of relaxed to alarmed at a fraction of the speed of light.

Edited 2022-04-03 16:11 (UTC)

"Wh- I mean-!"

Oops.

"I don't get hurt on purpose, no! It's just...during hero stuff, you know? So it's not totally an accident..." he quickly reiterates, though he knows that argument will only take him so far. Hawks is a hero too, so he knows how the work can get. Sometimes you get hurt, it happens and it's basically unavoidable in some cases. Izuku...is a lot more danger prone than most of the class, but he has been trying to do better in terms of putting himself in legitimate danger.

At least, as far as he's able to remember.

Hawks relaxes back in his chair a little, although his eyes are still sharp and alert as he studies Izuku. There's a not-so-subtle feeling in the air, that Hawks is not entirely off his guard and is assessing Izuku pretty closely right now. "Getting hurt in the line of duty isn't something that should be 'usual' either, especially for a kid who's only got a provisional license. Not that I don't know things have been weird for you and your class, you guys ending up on the front lines way more often than any kids should..."

He nods to Izuku's arms. "That's a lot of scarring. I know there weren't any significant injuries to students during the USJ incident...was that from that training camp incident, then?"

Why does it feel like Izuku is being given some kind of exam? Or interrogation? Clearly Hawks feels like he has some serious grounds to be nosy here.

It sure does feel like he's being interrogated, that's for sure. Not that he can't blame him for it. Izuku has been through more than any of his classmates in terms of grevious injury in the past, way more than should be allowed. It's a miracle- and he's been told as much- that he hasn't lost use of his arms at this point.

When Hawks points out his arms, both of them, Izuku finds himself drawing them a little closer to his torso, protectively.

"Yeah...there was, um. There was a little boy at camp that had been split off from the rest of our group during the attack," he explains carefully, his expression falling a bit as he looks at his fingers. "A villain had him cornered. And...that villain had killed his parents."

He pauses, balling the hand of his good arm into a loose fist.

"There wasn't any time to go for help. I had to do something then."

As Hawks listens to this honestly horrible story, his expression paradoxically relaxes. Sure, it's awful to hear about, but - well, hero work is about going into bad situations, so it's not like that's unexpected. More to the point, what Izuku is describing are circumstances that make sense. In that situation, any hero - or even hero-in-training - would go to just about any lengths to save an innocent kid, and if it required getting hurt in the line of duty to manage that then most (Hawks included) wouldn't even think twice.

Of course, Izuku never should've been in that situation to begin with...but it's not like Izuku had any control over that. All he could do was the best where he was.

"Makes sense," he says aloud. "Not ideal, but sometimes there aren't any good options. But how'd you get from there to your arms being all torn up, exactly? Or - " And this occurs to him a bit belatedly, because he suddenly remembers he's a lot more hardened to having been in life-or-death situations than a kid might be. " - would you rather not talk about it anymore?"

Izuku opens his mouth...before he promptly closes it, realizing in that moment that Hawks has unintentionally given him a way out of this conversation. It's less that he's adverse to talking about what happened- his injuries aren't a secret, they're very visible scars- but the reason for them...how they happened is a bit more complicated. He can't exactly just say "oh, it's because I have a Quirk that I can't control, and using it at full power literally tears my body apart". And sure, he's not a minority in that...a lot of other young folk have Quirks they struggle to control, but Izuku's? His isn't just any Quirk.

That somberness settles into his expression, and Hawks is free to take it however he will.

"Y...yeah. I think...I'd rather just leave it at that."

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Baby bird with a broken wing

This is so HORRIFICALLY late I am so sorry

SINCE DW ATE THIS NOTIF THE SITE CLEARLY DECIDED IT SHOULD BE EVEN LATER, ACTUALLY,

THANKS DREAMWIDTH...

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NO MY HTML

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The FOLLY of backtagging, Hawks HAS met Louie and likes him but it was AFTER THIS I THINK

ITS FINE TIME ISNT REAL

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Those magazine titles A+

I had to add them to the pun list, I'm very proud

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