☀︎︎
𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑇𝑊𝐸𝑁𝑇𝑌 𝑆𝐼𝑋
𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛
☀︎︎
The letter had been held so many times that the paper was eternally scrumpled, torn slightly in places and yellowed in the corners. It seemed to be the very key to unlocking Eddy's fondest memories of his sister: all he had to do was clutch it between his fingers and skim his eyes over the swirling curve of the words and he could imagine her as he always did with pinned hair and fine-pressed suits. The letter was as good as any photograph, as any dream that'd seeped into reality.
Little brother.
It too made him think of Wanda's slip up when she'd almost called him by that name, just as Peggy once had.
It was times like these that he wished someone was with him in the compound. He hadn't spoken to Tony for more than a week, let alone seen him. He wasn't sure that he even wanted to, after the lecture he'd received last time. The more he thought on it, the more he appreciated it- not that he would listen though. His superhero persona was more alive than ever, despite what Tony Stark wished. Eddy missed Steve. It felt like he'd been ripped from him the moment they'd met. Perhaps that was destiny's doing, with fate finding some way to mess with him even more.
It was always the same. The moment loneliness hit, Eddy would find himself making his way through the barren hallways to Mr Stark's lab, pulling up all working files on his two current projects. To the right, by all the chemistry equipment, was his brother's jarring face. He couldn't seem to recognise him anymore, knowing his death had been a lie. To the left, was the faces of the missing Avengers, Wanda and Steve taking centre place.
He trawled through pages and locations for hours, distracting himself sporadically with random tiny experiments he found in the pages of an old notebook. The last he knew of Wanda was that she was detained in the Raft prison with most of the others. As for Steve, he'd last been seen by Tony in a Hydra facility in Siberia. Both had escaped and both were undoubtedly on the run. They were together though- at least that made it somewhat easier.
As he turned, readying to pull up another map outline, Eddy was startled by the synthezoid who stood by the doorway. Vision stared down at him, his eyes wide and curious. Eddy spun, flicking his hands to scatter the pages.
"Friday, wipe all screens."
As the holograms disappeared, Vision stepped down into the lab, his hands held firmly behind his back. "I know what you're doing."
Eddy's heart sunk like a stone.
"I- I don't-"
His mind whirled and raced for anything he could say, anything to argue that he definitely wasn't using Tony Stark's lab to find out about his brother's fake death and to locate Wanda and Steve's. But he was silenced- both thoughts and stuttering- but Vision's hand. The synthezoid's head inclined forward as if in understanding.
"And so I'd like to offer my help."
Eddy was at loss for words. "Your help?"
Vision nodded again. "I was once myself the mind that Mr Stark used as his database."
"Jarvis," he said, remembering the time he'd mistaken him for his old friend.
"Yes," he said, speaking in a tone that could be called soft. "I know how much Wanda means to you."
"Never as much as she would to you."
"Perhaps not. But still a great deal," Vision said. "I will help if you'll allow it."
"Of course you can help," Eddy said quickly. "Yeah, of course."
"Where do we start?"
Without wasting a moment, Eddy moved to his notes again and called on Friday, pulling up the screens of maps and notes and references. Vision observed them all with pointed eyes.
"I've gotten through to the national database. We already know their last locations. All we've got do is trace them to the next place they went and then we're good," Eddy said.
Vision nodded. "I think I can help with that."
His eyes closed for a moment and then opened again as his hands reached out to connect with the holograms. The search began.
☀︎︎
Eddy woke with a fright, his head smacking against the table he lay against. He was in the lab still, the blue holograms still lighting the room. Standing slowly, he stretched as he observed the screens. They'd made progress the previous day. Vision was more than helpful, being able to easily navigate Tony's systems and add suggestions.
Upstairs, there was clanging in the kitchen. Saturdays were reserved for sleeping, in Happy's books. For a moment, he thought Tony had returned, but then he saw Vision standing behind the bench, an apron pulled over his clothes and a plate in front of him.
"I made eggs. I can't say I'm sure they're edible, though," Vision said.
The plate of food in front of him looked uncooked, putting it lightly. Eddy pulled it toward himself, not wanting to look ungrateful, but his expression must have given him away.
"Not good?"
"A little raw."
"Wanda was always the cook," Vision said.
It was quiet as Eddy ate his toast. Outside, the day was calm with blue skies up ahead. The sun had just peaked above the treetops across the green, early to be so high in September.
"What time is it?"
"Eight thirty-two."
It took a moment for his lateness to register.
"Shit!"
"Is something wrong?"
"I'm supposed to be getting a bus right now," Eddy said as he shoved the last of his toast in his mouth and hopped from the stool. "Thanks for the eggs. I'll be back from the decathlon in two days. Keep looking for Wanda!"
In his room, his bag was waiting on the bed half packed. He slung it over his back, took one glance around the bedroom, and stepped forward, slipping through the dark world he was accustomed to. Eddy felt himself slipping and he tightened his grip on the strap of his bag as he hurtled through the swirling murk of colours, emerging seconds later behind the school. He ran forward, skipping stairs two at a time, spotting the yellow bus by the front.
Unsurprisingly, Flash's voice lifted through the air. "What?"
"He's taking your place!"
"Excuse me, can we go already? I was hoping to get in some protesting in front of an embassy before dinner," MJ said.
"Protesting is patriotic. Let's get on the bus. We're just waiting on Eddy."
Eddy rounded the side of the bus, only slightly out of breath. "I'm here, I'm here!" He shouted. "Sorry, I'm late."
"That's fine, on the bus."
Eddy rushed to climb the stairs and shuffle through the middle aisle, spotting Ned at the back. It was only as he slumped down on the two seats behind him, that he noticed Peter by the window. He sat up quickly, sticking his head through the chairs.
"Pete?" He grinned. "Thought you weren't coming."
"Last minute decision," he said. "Couldn't let you all lose this year."
"Focus up," Liz called from the front of the bus where she stood, flashcards flicking through her fingers. "The topic is the moons of Saturn."
His head lay back against the seat, his eyes cast to the window. Fatigue was already rolling in despite the fact he'd had time to sleep. Perhaps his emotions had been completely drained.
The bus gained speed as they drove through town, slipping beneath the long wires that strung from building to building. King's street, if he remembered rightly. It made him think of Spiderman, of the time they'd spent roaming the streets, balancing on the telephone wires as if they were tightropes, sitting on top of trains as they zipped through the city.
Eddy's eyes slid to Peter, who sat in front still, a bell in one hand, his other hovering above it.
"Okay, let's focus. Next one," Liz said abruptly.
"Liz, don't overwork them."
She ignored him and asked another question. Peter's bell rang and he swiftly shot out his answer. "Uh, strontium, barium, vibranium."
"Very good, Peter. Glad to have you back."
"Glad to be back," Peter said as he smiled and nodded, then his phone rang. "Can I take this real quick?"
Don't waste this time. It suits you. They don't want you to apologise for being you, anymore.
Eddy sighed as he lay his head back down again. Was this wasting it? The brushing of shoulders, the compliments, they weren't just nothing. He couldn't be imagining it.
The bus was pulling up to the venue before he could question himself anymore. Liz led them out and through the front doors. As the group of students reached the welcome desks, they fanned out, chins tilted upwards gazing at the wide, open glass roof.
"You kidding me? This place is huge."
Flash brushed past his side. "I've seen bigger."
"There's a bird in here!"
Peter joined his side, smiling as Eddy brought his gaze down from the upper balcony of the building to rest on his face. He blinked, finding his eyes dropping lower before he could pull them away again. Peter went to speak, but the quiet blaring of an alarm interrupted him. It took a moment for Eddy to realise it was him. He fumbled with his phone for a second before he saw the bright screen with Happy's name popping up at the top.
He closed his eyes as he sighed, holding in a groan of annoyance. "Do you mind if I take this real quick?"
As soon as he pressed accept, Happy's voice shouted down through the phone. "Are you at the school Decathlon?"
"Yeah, how did you know?" Eddy asked as he walked further away from the group, following them to their section of rooms from a distance. "Did Vision tell you?"
Happy hesitated for a minute. "Yeah, he did. Listen, tell us next time you leave, will you?"
"Yeah, yeah," Eddy said distractedly. "Any news on Mr Stark?"
Happy seemed to hesitate. "No, but it won't be long now."
"Okay. I've got to go."
☀︎︎
Space Song by Beach House is on loop every time I write this book :)