Of Lettuce and Low Self-Esteem
Ron threw his cape over the back of the sofa, hurdled it, and landed with a groan on the cushions. It had been a long day of flying around saving people after the mother of all storms, which looked, for once, to be natural. It was bizarre, not having mouldymort to keep in line any more - not that he was complaining. Everyone could breathe easier now that bastard was in his grave.
Still, Ron sometimes wondered if this was all life was ever going to be. Shadowing Harry being a superhero, just like he'd always shadowed his brothers.
But what else was there? He wouldn't know where to start.
He decided to shelve that thought before he started wallowing, and then smacked his fist into his head. He'd meant to pick dinner up on the way home, and neglected to do so.
He sighed and went to strip off his uniform, choosing jeans and a t-shirt to go to the supermarket in. It felt good to walk, for once, and he entered the shop in slightly higher spirits. No matter his musings on his status, it felt good to have done good today, and to be somewhat anonymous, even if his flame red hair was something of a giveaway.
Speaking of.
"Hey, hey, I know you!" An excited voice said at his left elbow. "You're King!"
Ron smiled tiredly. "Hey, kiddo," he said. "Yeah, that's me. Just… buying some lettuce." He waved it awkwardly and dropped it in his basket.
"You're so cool!"
Ron turned pink to the tips of his ears. "I am?" He asked, but the boy wasn't listening.
"Mum, can we try lettuce too? Can we?"
A tired-looking mother looked over and smiled thinly. "Sure, darling," she said. "Anything to get you to eat your greens. Sorry," she added to Ron. "Colin, don't overwhelm the poor man."
But Colin was brandishing a magazine, and chattering excitedly about what Captain and King had done recently. "You make me want to be a sidekick," he said earnestly. "You're always doing good things in the background of all the photos of Captain. You're helping people or mending things all the time. Will you sign it? Please? And could we have a picture?"
Ron, utterly bemused, took the proffered pen and squiggled his spiky signature on the page.
"Wicked," the kid said, examining it. He grinned up at Ron. "Thanks, King. You're the best."
Ron snapped a picture on Colin's toy camera, and then one on his own phone for posterity. Then he spent a while discussing some of the merits of various vegetables, in response to Colin's mum's comment and because the boy appeared enraptured by anything Ron said, on any topic.
Eventually, his mother said they were expected home. Ron handed the kid the basket full of vegetables they'd picked out together.
"To grow you big and strong for sidekick school."
Colin grinned and fist-bumped him, nodding enthusiastically. And then he held out his hand, which Ron - oddly touched by such a grown up gesture from such a small human - took, and shook formally.
"When you want some tips or a hand getting into sidekick training, you come to me. Okay? I'll remember you."
Both Colin and King left the store beaming. Neither had ever had a better day.