Requested by @Itz_HisWaifu
TW: Body image

Mutant. A word you heard all too often. And as much as you would like to deny it, it was the harsh truth. You were hideous, and you always reminded yourself of it. Your quirk was unlike any other mutant's, in fact, it was the worst and most hideous. People would never let it leave your mind—not like you would let yourself forget it. Your quirk was horrendous to look at to the point you got rid of anything that showed a clear image of yourself. You avoided your reflection at all costs.

But that changed when you met Hawks.

A hero so wonderful that you felt you didn't dare to be in his presence. Although, such efforts were ignored as Hawks tried to get closer to you. In the times he caught you in public, he made sure to greet you and briefly catch up with you. He was a kind hero alright, but even that kindness couldn't overpower the whispers and sneaky glances.

You weren't an idiot nor ignorant. You were aware of what they thought—what they said, even when Hawks was around. It would be a lie to say that it didn't affect you. It would be farther from the truth to say that it didn't make you think of what could be said, if you didn't look the way you did. If your damned quirk didn't make you look the way you did.

But that smile... that warm smile Hawks always gave you regardless of how busy he was. The chance you happened to catch even a glimpse of you, he would immediately go to you. His smile made you forget about the people who stole glances towards you and Hawks. Well, almost forget.

It was hard to ignore the words you managed to catch: "Ugly," "what is that," "should we help Hawks?," "that's a human?," "I can't look," "disgusting," "monster," "mutant," "disgusting." There were so much more but just remembering the looks on their faces was traumatic enough.

Until, enough was enough. You knew Hawks deserved better. You wanted to be someone Hawks could be proud around—to be comfortable with. And that's what led you to a man with a peculiar quirk. You happened to have caught an advertisement lost in the wind about a quirk that altered appearances permanently. The price and overall business was sketchy, but you were desperate. Oh, so desperate.

You had contacted him and followed his directions over the phone. You were lost in your desperate haze to look "human" that you didn't realize just what type of place the man was leading you. All you know is he lay you down on a reclining seat with a single bulb swaying above your head.

Poor unfortunate souls

He smiled down at you as he spoke to you, "You will look as beautiful as you should be."

In pain, in need

His gloved hands caressed your face. His perfect smile almost broke upon touching your mutant features.

This one longing to be thinner, that one wants to get the girl

His words were like velvet that slipped sweet toxins into your skin. "Relax and let me handle it all... when you wake up?"

And do I help them?

He carefully places an anesthesia mask over your face and held your hand. "You will awake as a new person, as someone you should have been."

Yes I do

It didn't take long to fall asleep. You were out like a light, and welcomed the slumber that overwhelmed your conscious state. You fell asleep happily, smiling at the thought you will finally be fixed—finally be human... and worthy to be around Hawks.

You didn't dream of anything, but when you woke up, you saw Hawks desperately calling out to you. You couldn't register what he was saying to you, but you weren't at the hands of the generous man. No, you were in a hospital.

As you were finally coming to, reality struck and you realized Hawks was with you. You hid yourself behind your hands in a desperate attempt to protect his eyes and everyone else's. You were prepared to hear the slander and piercing words of the usually crowd, but it was just you and Hawks in the room.

Hawks's hands carefully lowered your own from your face. His face was etched with worry but he never looked away from your eyes.

"Hey... how are you feeling?" He asked in a soft voice just above a whisper. You could feel his hands stroking your own, and they warmed you up.

"Did it work?" You asked no one in particular as you tried to jump off the bed to find something to see your reflection in. You had to see if you were still a mutant, or if you finally became human.

Hawks didn't let go of your hands and used as little force as possible to keep you in the hospital bed. "Did what work," he asked.

He wasn't reacting like he should be. You panicked again at the thought that the man didn't make you human. He failed. You were forever stuck as a disgusting mutant. A monster. You felt the tears prickle at the corner of your eyes and the lump begin to form in your throat. You could feel the contents in your stomach rise and you felt sick. You wanted to run.

"Hey, look at me, what happened? Did that man do anything to you?" Hawks asked cautiously as he tried to maintain eye contact with you.

"Stay away from me," you spat the words out.

Hawks seemed unfazed by your words, and his hold on your hands didn't falter. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked.

"Where did the man go? He didn't do his job," you asked as you scanned the room for anything. You just wanted to avoid looking at Hawks.

"Job? What job? Did you go to that man voluntarily? Can I ask why?" Hawks seemed perplexed and almost at a lost for answers. He couldn't understand your current state, and why he had found you with a villain in an underground garage.

"He was supposed to make me better—human," the words slipped from your lips like water in a broken faucet. You could feel your cheeks burn from the hot tears that finally spilled.

"What...? You already are human, what's better than you?" His words fumbled like he was still searching for the right words even though he already spoken them. He looked at a loss for words.

"I'm not... I'm a mutant, I'm disgusting, and you already know that," you confessed and it hurt worse hearing them out loud. You wanted to puke again as the memory of your own disfigured body came to mind.

"No, no, I don't think that at all. I would never think like that, especially about you," he said as his hands gripped yours tighter. His hands held yours tightly, as if he were to let go, you would be the one to fly away.

"I don't know what got you thinking that like, but I sincerely have not once thought of you like that. If anything, I was trying to get closer to you," he confessed softly and tried to maintain eye contact with you.

"Why?" You mumbled out without meaning to.

"Because you're so fun to talk to. Come on, Feather, you didn't realize I've been making time for you?" He said with a smile that made you forget about everything. You forgot you were in the hospital room, in a hospital bed, the man who promised your surgery, and the reason why you wanted to change.

"Why me?" You asked honestly when you remembered the answer for all those questions was in front of you.

"Why not you?" He countered, and didn't waste a breath to add, "I don't know what made you think going through that surgery, but if it's for someone... then they don't deserve you. You should never change yourself for anyone. And if you think you need to change to like yourself more, then let me give you reasons why."

He leaned in to whisper in your ear a list of things about you. With each word, his breath tickled your ear, and you could feel your heart racing, and butterflies fluttering in your stomach. You wanted him to stop because of how flustered you were, but at the same time, you wanted to head his voice even more. His hands caressed yours and he scoot closer to you.

Just as he turned to face you, a knock interrupted your moment together. Hawks didn't turn to the knock, but you did and were slightly thankful because you couldn't handle it anymore.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I have to check patient. Surely you understand, Hero Hawks?" The nurse said with an inquisitive eyebrow that was ignored by the man in question.

Hawks stood up with a reluctant sigh, but didn't let go of one of your hands. "We'll have a more serious talk when you are discharged," he said and gave the nurse a pat on their shoulder as he left.