Clipped Wings

Fuck. I hate working on Rural cases. This time is some church? I'm not 100% on this case. I haven't had a break in days.

I yawn walking into the church.

"How dare you step into-"

"Scuse me" I send feathers to move everyone to the sides.

I look about and instantly wake up when I see it...or rather her. A woman chained to the wall. Giant white wings graced her back and the baren state of them alone was enough to make my blood boil.

I hear the other heros and enforcement behind me start the arrests while I stumbled forward.

Once I get close she flinched. She has...wraps over her eyes?

"Hey...are you hurt?"

She pressed against the wall panicked. She can definitely hear me.

"Hurt?" I say again kneeling down

"A- away from me!" She scrambled the wall her wings pulling around her

"I like your wings" I try

Now she's shaking.

"I have them too"

She stopped curiously, "R...really?"

"Yeah" I slowly creep a little closer. She tentatively reached out. I tried to grab her hand but she flinched when our skin touched

"Prove it!"

I reach a wing out pulling it around her. She looked panicked until she realized it's wings.

She shifted closer double checking before seeming hesitant again, "Why are you here?"

"Here to get you out of here" I use a feather to unlock the shackles.

She stumbled forward immediately clinging onto me.

"Ok ok, are you injured?" I look over her for anything

It was slow leading her out. First stop paramedics. They can check this head wrap too.

"No no no no!" She clung more when I tried to leave her grasp

"Sir, can you please wait with her?" The paramedic requested

"Of course" Sir? Seriously? Do I look that old? I'm Hawks! God fucking damnit

"Shit"

That's not good, "Whats wrong?"

"We don't know how long her eyes have been wrapped. It's been a significant amount of time though... with luck...her vision may be intact. In the meantime she'll be sensitive to light"

It was an hour later I realized the situation is even worse. She doesn't trust anyone. Except me. I try not to fumble as I feel her cling to my jacket sleeve.

"These people are good" I try

She shook her head hard clinging harder, "They- They are gonna rip me apart"

"What do you mean by that?"

"They'll take my feathers" she folded her wings close to her body and I responded without thinking pulling her closer to me and wrapping a protective wing around her

"No, they are good people. No one is going to do that"

She clung to me hiding her face in my chest.

"Look. I...im kinda a busy person. I need to go save people just like you.

I try and squat down so maybe she'll be feel less anxious but I yelp when she bowled me over the minute she lost contact from me.

She's fucking terrified...I feel bad but I gotta go back to the city. I have shit to do.

"Do you have anyone avian at your department?" I grab someone's attention

"Sorry but no" an officer passed by shrugging, "Your type are rare Fer good reason"

"My type?" I stop him raising a brow

"Yeah, mutants. We aren't big on you furries around here" he muttered

That...is crossing so many lines. That is a box I don't want to even unpack right now.

"So I'm guessing no safe houses?"

"She's taken a shining to you, you take her" he scoffed

I fucking hate Rural areas...fucking bigoted assholes. I forget mutant quirks aren't as accepted in some areas.

"Don't leave me" she mumbled, "Im not an angel...I swear"

I fucking hate being right, "Ok. It's ok. I'm going to take you with me...these fuckers dont deserve you anyway" I mutter lightly.

Getting back was a little harder than I thought. Turns out she can't fly. She never left that church and her wings are clipped. Not only clipped but many feathers missing.

It was a slow return. Koji arranged a car that came and got us. She slept the whole way to the city.

Koji also arranged for her transfer which went less than ideal. Wings weren't enough. They had to have feathers. Not only that but if I didn't act as if I know them well she was immediately against it.

So here I am still at work late into the night with Koji and her. Sorting things out. Though I finally feel less suffocated that she accepted my coat to pass out on the couch, with the promise I'd never leave without it and therefore her.

"The file transfer took fucking forever" Koji sighed plopping a folder onto my desk

"This all hers?" I raise a brow

"Everything the station had. Turns out they've known the churches antics for years. They just didn't have any proof until recently"

"What do you mean?"

"Just look at the file" he sighed

I open it curiously. (Y/N) (L/N). Quirk angel. Can heal the sick with just a touch. Has giant wings. They get smaller with each heal but progressively grow in size between healing.

Holy shit. They've had her in there at least 6 years. The authorities didn't get involved... because she's a mutant. Makes my blood boil. I feel nauseated at the thought.

"They waited... that fucking long?" I sigh trying to quell my anger

"They waited till they found clear signs of blood on a pastor"

"She-"

"It wasn't hers. Turns out they had another mutant...the congregation kicked to death"

I close the file and nod, "Ok. So what do we do with her?"

"She won't go with anyone else. I think its best you look after her" Koji relaxed in a chair, "She trusts you because you are similar. She's scared and unsure, literally blind for now. Plus itll be good for you"

"Dude, I have work. We have safehouses for this exact thing. I can't work and take care of her"

"That's why you get a month's vacation. You take her home and help her adjust-"

"Koji... this is a terrible idea. I cant live with another person, let alone take care of them. Plus...i feel word things around her"

"Like?"

"I get...awkward?" I scratch my hand, "I don't know man. She's clingy and I've never really been around that. People dont usually invade my space unless we are either taking a quick photo or fighting"

"Then conciter this a learning experience" I glare but Koji looks serious, "Take the fucking days off. The agency will be fine. You've been working none stop. And its not like you'll be slacking. You'll still be helping someone"

"I don't think I can trust myself with her. Fuck, I don't even take care of myself half the time what makes you think I can help her?"

"Dude... what other option does she have?" Koji shook his head

I give in and nod. It was the next day everything was set.

"This is the guest room you can stay in. Bathroom is the room next door" I explain

"Thank you" she felt around

The eye wraps are still on. But unfortunately that's how it's going to be. Every night I will shut off the lights and take them off for her. She can have gradual light. That's if her sight is even intact.

She seems pretty competent though. She feels around and makes her way around fine. I don't need to assist with much. She seems borderline comfortable here with me. Though I do feel a bit bad when I hear a thud.

Its the evening that catches me off guard. I was about asleep on the couch when a hand raked though my feathers making me jump, "What the hell are you doing?"

"It helps" she spoke so softly.

I was ready to argue until she started preening. My body locked up. It feels good but...its so weird. It's almost overwhelming.

I turn and grab her hands to stop her, "Lets not do that"

"Why not" she moved to sit next to me

"Touching wings...feels kinda weird" I try, "Lets get your wraps off and you can try to get some sight time? Need to gradually adjust to light"

Readers POV

Its dark but I can kinda see. It's like shadows in the darkness. I try to understand my surrounds but my eyes land back on the shadow of him everytime.

His wings are large and I can see the outline of feathers. He's really like me.

His hands are so gentle as he removes the last of the bandaging.

"Damn, it's hard to see" he shifted trying to put the bandages for the table by feeling for it.

I assist obviously seeing better being more adjusted to the dark. It takes a few but his eyes seem to adjust as he moves more freely messing with the bandaging.

"Your wings are pretty" I try for conversation

"Yours will grow back in and look much better than mine ever do" he chuckled

"If you care for them properly I'm sure they'd look amazing" I try to encourage

"You're very positive" he chuckled lightly

"Yeah...i kinda had to be" I mumble

We sat in silence for a while. It was awkward at first but grew more comfortable as I melted into the couch. It's been so long since I've been able to be like this. Comfort feels so...foreign.

"So...can you read or write?"

"I believe so. It's been a while but I'm sure I'll pick it up again pretty easily"

I miss reading. I miss a lot of things. I guess it's been a while since I thought such things were possible for me. I spent so long there. In the dark. Eating whatever was thrown at me. The humiliation alone....

"You seem much calmer now" he hummed

"...yeah. I guess the shock. I felt like I was in another nightmare at first. Waiting for someone to laugh and drag me back in. Lock me back up again"

"How long were you there?"

"I don't know" I mumble, "I think...4 years? I can only remember 3 Christmas congregations but I know I forgot at least one"

"We are estimating 6 years minimum"

"Dang..."

"How old were you-"

"I was 14. Parents were paid off. I was the first generation mutant to a family of great healers" He remained quiet so I decided to continue, "I was a late bloomer with my quirk. Didn't develop till I was about 7. By then I knew who I was surrounded by. Minute I found I had wings I tried to hide it. I healed constantly. I hurt myself to heal so they stayed small"

"You don't need to explain it all right now if you don't want" He tried

"Its fine. Really. I know you need it for the report" I sigh, "anyway, my parents found out I was hurting myself when they watched me take a swan dive off the roof to break my arm. I was about...i think 12? Yeah. They then kept a close eye on me. Then they saw the wings when I turned 13. Sold at 14"

"Im sorry"

"For what? You weren't the one who sold me. You saved me"

"I just wish I could have helped sooner"

"No point in dwelling in the past. There are a million what ifs you can question but none bring us forward"

I flinch when a hand gently pulled mine from the harsh grip on my feathers, "Exactly. So don't be so harsh on yourself"

I gawf but nod lightly. He has a point. I relax again and stare out.

"Are you able to see?"

"I can make out shapes. It's not too bad"

"Then tomorrow we'll try adding a little more light" he got up with a stretch

I can't help but stare at his wings, "Your wings, were you ever persecuted for having them?"

He looked over his shoulder at me before rubbing his neck, "Lets not talk about me. I think it's actually time for bed"

(Continue?)