Curate, connect, and discover
How many times do you think that Hawk’s S/O has walked in on either a shattered mirror or Hawks knocked out in front of a mirror because he’s mistaken it for an intruder?
Too many times. But things have gotten better.
You raised the handheld mirror right in front of his face, steeling your nerves to ensure that you won’t panic in case he reacts violently.
He stares at his reflection intensely while you study his body language. No shrinking of the pupils, no bristling of his wings...he’s handling it much better than last time. It’s time to ask the big question: “Who do you see, Hawks?”
Without missing a beat, he answers. “Me. It’s just me.”
Your shoulders slacken from relief. “That’s right. Good job.”
Next, you guide him to the bathroom mirror. His second test was the ‘intruder that likes to watch you groom yourself.’
“Who is that behind me, Hawks?” You ask.
He calmly watches himself. “Just me.”
You smile. “That’s right.” He’s making amazing progress, but there’s still one more test.
The two of you enter the bedroom and stop in front of the full-length mirror. So many times have you replaced this poor piece of furniture after getting heavily damage. So many times have you seen Hawks writhing on the floor, surrounded by shattered glass.
He may have passed the other two mirrors, but how will he handle his greatest enemy: the full image of ‘another’ handsome male?
You take a deep breath and say it. “Who do you see standing there, Hawks?”
One beat.
Unlike the previous ones, Hawks doesn’t instantly answer, and that makes you anxious.
Two beats.
You really like this mirror. Please don’t destroy it.
“Me.”
Wha...you can’t believe it.
“Hawks...Hawks, you did it!”
He lets out a silly squawking noise when you roughly embrace him. “Well, this is embarrassing. I really was just fighting myself this entire time?”
“It doesn’t matter,” you smother his face with rapid-fire kisses. “I’m so proud of you.”
--
The two of you celebrated at the nearby park, feeding ducks at the pond.
“Sorry that I’ve been stressing you out all this time. I always thought I was doing you a favor, keeping the house safe and all that,” Hawks said as he tossed seeds into the water. The ducks gulped them down in a flash.
You decided to feed the shy fish instead. “It’s alright, I know your bird instincts get the best of you sometimes. I’m glad we got through this together.”
“Gosh, this is worse than the time I picked a fight with that stuffed...” He trailed off.
You were about to ask what distracted him until you saw his face. He was frozen, glaring fiercely down at the water.
At his reflection.
Your cheerful mood quickly switched to something more terrified. “Hawks, no.”
He didn’t appear to hear you, choosing instead to threaten the mysterious figure in the water. “You got a problem, buddy?” His wings were slowly spreading out for extra intimidation. He smirked when his reflection did the same. “Tough guy, huh? I know your game. Trying to hide among the fish and pounce on my girl when I’m not looking, are you?”
Already panicking, you grab his shoulders to try and pull him away. “Stop, Hawks. It’s you. Just step away from the pond and calm down.”
“No,” Hawks turns to you. “Don’t fall for it, dove. This is the real deal, I can see it in his eyes. You think I’m stupid enough to get fooled by this reflection bullshit again?”
Your eyes awkwardly look to the side while your mouth opens, then closes.
For a second, Hawks looks genuinely hurt, but before you can say anything, he returns his attention to the water with newfound fury. “You made my own lovebird doubt me, you son of a bitch!”
It happened so fast. The ducks quacked loudly and flapped away in shock when he suddenly dove into the water.
“Hawks!” You watched him splash wildly in the water, at first attempting to strike at the rival that he could no longer see, but his anger was replaced by fear when he realized his situation.
“Help! I can’t swim!” The number 2 hero of Japan was screaming and flailing in a duck pond, in serious danger of drowning.
You didn’t even bother to take the time to appreciate how absolutely ridiculous this scene was. You already removed your shoes and hopped into the water, dodging his swinging arms and wings to grab and pull him back up on the grass. Thank goodness for his light hollow bones.
Hawks was shivering on his hands and knees, spitting out water and...a small unlucky fish that you quickly picked up and tossed back into the pond.
“Bastard almost killed me,” he sputtered.
“No, you almost killed you. This is no different than the mirrors, Hawks. My god, do I have to teach you how to not fight water now?!”
He shook out his wings while you squeezed out as much water as possible out of your shirt. “Baby, you didn’t see him. You didn’t see that annoying look on his face and those badass wings. He was a threat. I don’t know where he went but-”
You notice him eyeing the water again, where his reflection is slowly reappearing as the ripples calm.
“There he is!”
“Hawks don’t do it!”
He did it.
With another splash and more confused quacks, he was thrashing in the water again, and when he lost sight of the winged stranger for the second time...
“Help! I can’t swim!”