"You were not born as you are?" he asked, interested in what she meant by that but then all too quickly caught up in her reaction to his reveal. He started slightly when she put her hand on his knee and laughed, watching her and feeling relief that she didn't react as every other person had to his form. Usually it was revulsion, followed by the sickest kind of curiosity. But this? This was genuine happiness about it. He didn't know why it made her so happy, but he couldn't help smile as well, blushing profusely.
"It does hurt, and it makes them less useful," he admitted, taking the other shoe off. He took a slow, deep breath, looking at a light pole nearby. Might as well go for broke, eh? He flexed his other foot, shoulders not hunching up so much now that both were free and stretching to recover, then stood up and walked over to the light pole. He took a deep breath, looking the long way up to the branch off that lead to the light, then in one swift movement grabbed the top of the base with one foot and surged upwards. He could make it to the model of the Blackbird with a single leap, but this was just a bit too high, so as he passed the pole he raised his feet, catching the cold metal and then swinging up and over the top, coming to rest upside down and swaying slightly. He hadn't done this in weeks, not since he'd finished his prized invention's smaller scale model, but it was just as fun as it had always been. If not a little nerve wracking to be doing in public.
Sure of his precarious footing Hank turned and looked over at Baba, unable to hide the hope from his face that she'd approve. His own mother had fainted the only time she'd seen him in such a way, and his father had yelled at him for very nearly an hour and then taken away his experiments and deserts for a week.