Gift of the Goddess

Chapter 47 - The wilting flower

"Captain America would destroy Tony stark In a one, on one," I snapped.

"Pppffft as if! Tony would wreck that little boy scout. What kind of loser uses a shield as a weapon!? You don't even do that!" Zack snapped back.

"His shield has adamantium in it! Plus it's the best weapon for protecting people. Something Tony could never break!"

"Right, cuz the great Knight of the Alley uses a shield to fight." He huffed.

"You two really haven't changed have you?" Annual giggled.

We both stopped arguing and looked down to her. She was grinning ear to ear. I was surprised. I figured she'd fight us and try to force herself to walk. But she seemed rather content to have me pushing her around in her wheelchair.

Me and Zack both skipped school to take her to the mall. We couldn't manage to get a weekend free from the doctors to take her out. So we just agreed to do it the next day.

"Changing would imply that I could get awesomer than what I already was. And I'm already the Chad king Zack."

Chad king?

"Are you implying your gift wasn't an upgrade?"

"It's like adding diamonds on top of gold."

"More like adding a crown on a garbage bin." I muttered.

"Or adding whipped cream to a burnt brownie." Annual added.

And we both laughed at that.

"Oh great, the duo is back..." Zack huffed.

"It's not our fault you're so full of hot hair." I countered.

"Or that you're so roastable. I mean come on your head looks like a shih tzu!" Annual chuckled.

"You're one to talk when you look like Francine from Arthur!"

"Says the seventeen year old who can't even grow facial hair!!"

And suddenly we became a tourist attraction in the middle of the mall. We got all sorts of stares, and random workers laughing at the roasts they were throwing back and forth. It was odd, I never thought we'd get a chance to be like this again. It didn't feel real, none of it. Even though I was holding the wheelchair in my own hands. I was sure I'd wake up at any moment.

"Gnome!" Zack yelled.

"Gremlin!" Annual snapped back.

"Gnome!"

"Gremlin!"

"Gnome!"

Geez! I haven't heard these nicknames in forever! I think the last time I heard them was when I visited her at home the first time she got sick. I couldn't help it. I just started laughing. I stopped rolling the chair and leaned against it. Letting the waves of nostalgia fill me with this joyous warmth.

"The hell's your problem shield boy!?"

"It's nothing really. I just haven't heard you being called a gremlin in forever." I sighed as I took a breath.

"Whatever, I'm out. You two are too much nerd for me. Scaring off all the babes."

"....It's an early Thursday, what babes?"

"Wouldn't expect a shield boy to understand. I'm off." Zack moved his hands in his pocket and started walking off toward a churro stand. "Oh yeah, and no tongue you two!"

I felt the heat rise to my cheeks as he said that. Why did he have to yell that outloud!?

"Such a gremlin.." Annual sighed, I could tell her cheeks were a rosey shade as well.