Hawks leaned back in his seat, wings shifting restlessly as another long-winded speech droned on from the stage. His fingers drummed a quiet rhythm on the armrest, golden eyes scanning the crowd of pro heroes seated around them. Most were attentive—some even clapped politely—but the subtle smirk tugging at the corner of his lips said he wasn’t quite as impressed.

He turned his head slightly, tilting it toward his companion with a conspiratorial gleam in his gaze. “Bet you twenty bucks they’ll mention teamwork at least five more times before this ends,” he muttered under his breath, his voice low enough to go unnoticed by the room. His tone carried that familiar playful edge, a clear sign that his patience was wearing thin.

The ceremony continued, but Hawks shifted in his chair again, letting out a barely audible sigh. As much as he valued the idea behind these events, sitting still for this long wasn’t exactly his forte. He glanced over once more, his grin softening just slightly. At least he had good company to survive the ordeal.