Iris

Chapter 9

A lot had changed for Iggy after Jenn described herself to him. He had realized that he really liked her; more than just friends.

She was beautiful and artistic and fun and mysterious.

And what was he? Blind, 2% bird, and full of hooey. Whatever the hell that means.

It was times like this that he enjoyed his studies. He could just work on his pyrotechnics and get his mind off of Jenn.

Or at least try to.

He was finding out that the more the two of them hung out the harder it was for him to concentrate. Sometimes he would go as far as setting off tiny, harmless explosions in the lab. Iggy loved bombs and it was totally on purpose but he got away with it by pulling the blind card.

He wondered if he could pull the blind card with Jenn. He pictured himself kissing her and then if she pushed him away he would just say it was an accident because he was blind. Jenn would never fall for that; she's too smart. He laughed to himself as he rewired the car the dumb mechanics class was making him build.

As soon as class had ended for the day, Iggy was out. He picked up the bomb he had secretly made during class once he was done with his stupid little car and snuck off to a deserted location. After sweeping the area to check for any people, he set it off and shot up to the sky. He got up high enough and far enough away that the explosion itself didn't hit him but he got to feel the rush of the shock waves that tussled his short hair. He closed his pale blue eyes and took a deep breath.

Oh how he's missed this.

Best birthday ever.

Oh shit. His birthday. Jenn was going to take him out to celebrate.

He turned and flapped his wings as fast as he could, wishing for Max's warp speed.

"Please still have time. Please let me make it in time." He mumbled to himself. "Please oh please oh please."

He landed on the roof of his apartment building, almost crashing, and ran down the stairs just barely having the time to tuck in his wings.

Just a bit farther.

One more floor.

All of a sudden he was knocking someone down and he landed on top of them.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry!" He said, trying to get up. "I didn't see you. I'm- I'm blind."

"So you keep telling me," he heard a laugh and the lovely voice he's missed all day.

"Jenn!" He cried with a start, jumping off of her.

"Are you alright?" she asked him, amusement in her voice.

"Yes well- wait. Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

"Then why aren't you?"

He laughed in defeat. She always had this effect on him. He was constantly sarcastic but here she was, out sarcasm-ing him.

Wait is 'sarcasm-ing' even a thing?

Well it is now.

"I just hope you didn't break your gift," she said, breaking him from his thoughts. He heard the rustling of a bag as she checked on it. "Nope you're good."

"So what is it?" he asked curiously.

"I don't know if I want to give it to you now after you ran me over," she teased. "What were you in such a rush for anyways? Got a hot date?"

Sort of.

"Oh- Ah no. I just was on the roof and I wanted to change before we went out."

"Oh gotcha." He walked past her as casually as possible. "Yeah you might want to. I mean that shirt is all cut up in the back." It was all he could do to keep from freezing.

"Oh- uh yeah I forgot about that. I fell out of a tree in this shirt once," he lied, opening the door to his apartment and letting her in.

"Dang," she breathed. "How'd you manage that?"

"It was a new tree. So what's in the bag?"

"Something I kinda made."

"Well I kinda hope it's not a painting," he teased. "Cause as much as I bet it'll spruce up the place; it wouldn't do much good on my part."

"I brought it for me," she said, playing along. "It's just too dark in here. Everything looks like it's made of ebony and then you've got black curtains, a cherry dresser and then a mattress on the floor with grey sheets."

"Well doesn't that just sound depressing?" Iggy laughed, taking off his shirt.

He didn't notice Jenn freeze up and stare at his fit chest. For a tech geek he was pretty cut, she had to admit.

He didn't notice because he was too busy worrying about her seeing his wings. Luckily for him she turned away immediately, turning red.

"S-so uh- your- your gift," Jenn stuttered out. "I say I kinda made it because well it's a CD. I put all the songs on it, but they're not my songs. I mean I call them my songs because they have become a part of me but I didn't write them. I really don't think I have a right to call them my songs seeing as technically speaking they're not because- well I already said why but I love them all the same..."

Iggy finished changing and chuckled a bit, putting his hand on her shoulder and turning her around. "I know what you mean."

She stopped talking and smiled up at him. Then she held the bag out for him to take. "Sorry I kinda ruined the surprise for you."

"It's no biggie," he said as he ruffled her hair, his smile growing at the clear bashfulness in her voice. He took the bag and pulled out the CD case but as he did his fingers brushed against something else. "What's this?"

"Pull it out, silly," Jenn giggled excitedly.

He did so and realized it was a shirt.

"I didn't know your size but I got you a shirt that says 'I may be blind but I can still kick your ass.'"

"You know for all I know this could be a shirt with a dick on it..."

"Would it kill you to say thank you?"

Iggy laughed and pulled her in for a hug. "Thank you, Ma- Jenn."

"Did you almost call me Max?" Jenn asked, secretly not wanting to break the hug.

"Yeah. Sorry," Iggy said, not wanting to break the hug either but figured she did.

Jenn sadly stepped back when Iggy let go and she smiled up at him, "Don't be; I'm honored. From what you told me about her, she sounds amazing."

She always knew what to say. How did that even happen?

"So are you ready to go celebrate?"

"Can- can we just order pizza or something and we can sit and listen to your- well my CD. It may sound weird, b- but I would just rather spend my birthday here with you..."

Jenn blinked. "Yeah. No problem," she said, smiling, feeling ecstatic.