Battle Scars {An Iron Man FanFic}

Chapter 34: Fix You

A/n: This is dedicated to @gabbyjordan321 ! Thanks for reading!! You're awesome :D

You guys are amazing, we are close to 9k reads :D This is a short and surprise chapter :D I didn't plan for it to contain a lot, but what it does feature is AMMAZZZIINNNGG, if I do say so myself ;)

. : ☼ : .

Chapter 34: Fix You

Andy POV

                I woke up when the world was still dark. I couldn't remember the travel home, but I must have come at some point. The wind was strong and, as I lifted my head up from my makeshift pillow, it funneled down into my little niche and carried my hair up. It was hot and suffocating, the heat of the summer powerful even when the sun wasn't yet up. I sat up and dropped my sheets around me, bunching them up at my back so I could lean against the wall comfortably.

                I stretched over groggily and grabbed my satchel from the floor, my suit parts lying carelessly next to it. I didn't consider fixing them though but instead sat back down on my bed and pulled my satchel onto my lap. I started to grab all of the quarter sheets from within it, scrunching them into fists. A sudden rage filled me up, strange and unfamiliar. I continued to ball up the sheets, catching random glimpses of my handwriting. Although I spent the majority of my time searching up Extremis, there was a lot of time before I knew what that even was. As a result, half of the pages recorded down theories and formulas.

                From basic math, multiplication in specific, to thermonuclear astrophysics and biogeochemical cycles, I tried to expand my knowledge to the max. I had searched long and hard, teaching myself things the same way I did when I was younger. But now all my hard work clung harshly to my open hand, slowly forming a large snow ball. Just as I reached for the last of the pages, I stopped myself. I had been breathing harshly, tears stinging at my eyes. I didn't know what came over me, but I didn't like it.

                Slowly, I started to unpeel the pages from the sphere, which had grown to the size of a large T-Ball. One by one I laid them out before me, keeping them down with small pebbles. My eyes scanned the numerous pages as I continued to place down more papers. I felt a cold shiver run down my spine as I realization dawned on me.

                Even with all this practice, all this training, Tony would never accept me. Intelligence is something you're born with, knowledge is what's attained. Although they can both lead to the same greatness, Tony only had eyes for intelligence.

                I unpeeled the last of the pages when an incredible gust of hot wind came pouring down into my little crevice. All at once, the pages lifted into the air and swirled around. They stayed within my reach for a few seconds but I made no attempt to grab at them. In the next moment, they all lifted out and into the air. Every single one of them, floated up into the air, and was taken by the strong gust of wind.

                I looked to my side, knowing before I moved who I was looking for. But when I wasn't met with Al's shining brown eyes, I felt myself fall back down to my bed roughly. I stared off into the darkness, only the dimming moon filling up the space with a faint glow. The sun was just barely beginning to make an appearance, so that the world was no longer a silky black, but a blurring gray, very dark, but with a different shade.

                I started thinking about Tony and Pepper, how I missed them. I had to find away to prove it to him, I could be good, I could be amazing. I just needed time. But, I thought sadly to myself, I don't have much time. Suddenly, a rush of memories crashed onto me. They suffocated me more than the warm air had, filling me with sick and lonely feelings as I recalled every awesome moment I had with them.