To Fate They Fall || HP

CH: 13 - Strike & Burn

The sun rose slowly into view of the windows from beyond the horizon, turning the dark sky alight with raw blue. All blended with a careful amount of pinks and reds, it painted a spectacular image.

One could call it gorgeous, and even not being a new phenomenon, Tony still found it beautiful in a dull, monotonous, naturey way.

As it were, Tony appreciated many things in his life. In terms of general appreciation, arguments, for example, were funny.

End of story.

Unless, of course, you were either losing an argument. Or if said argument dared to be about something Tony didn't want to speak on. Then it wasn't funny; it was irritating.

Simple concept, really; one of those hypocritical opinions that Tony was aware of but didn't care about much. Not like it bothered him or anything. Losing and Tony didn't go together in a sentence.

Walking from the elevator into the kitchen, Tony made a point of silencing his nagging naggy thoughts. Not hard as sleep was wearing at his body and his mind, but would he sleep? No, why ever would he do that?

"Morning." Tony half nodded his head in response, at least having the decency to acknowledge Bruce before continuing to walk towards the fridge.

Upon swinging the door open, Tony silently sent thanks to Pepper; they'd all live off stale chips and soda if they didn't have her organizational skills.

On the other hand, he still found the pizza box calling for him rather than those grueling ingredients that needed preparation and actual cooking.

Pizza box on the counter Tony picked the best slice and started eating, making up another batch of coffee while he was at it. Yes, he had a coffee machine in his lab, but it wasn't exactly convenient when one wanted a cup while in the kitchen. Otherwise, he'd have to get back into the elevator, go all the way to his lab, pour a cup, then come back.

No, thank you.

Did that make him lazy? Of course not. It just meant he had a brain and enough common sense to realize that he didn't have to travel so far just for coffee. Work smarter, not harder, as the saying went.

Finishing his second slice, Tony took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. In an attractive, Tony way, of course.

So maybe having coffee with cold pizza wasn't a brilliant idea. Ok, whatever, fine, one could live with that mistake, even though the after-effects tasted like- well, unpleasantness with a side of ew.

Unexpected as it may be, but this day was shaping up to be not half bad. Yes, his secret project might've nearly blown the nearby radius to smithereens a few times; still, it was uneventful at the very least. No mention-

"-be the director is wrong about this whole case?"

And just like that, like a fragile piece of glass, Tony's slowly lifting spirits splintered into shards. He could almost hear the sound of it shatter, like a bullet colliding into a window, mere words as a weapon.

"How can you not believe it?"

Stares were his only response.

"After everything we've seen and had to deal with- what is wrong with you?!"

In slow motion, a cup fell to the floor. Tangible shards of coffee-coated glass joining the tiny pieces that once were a guise of normality.

Little chunks were sticking out of Tony's hand, but he paid it no mind, too focused on keeping himself from lashing out. From attacking friends, foolish, foolish friends.