Inferno [avengers: endgame]

6| chase

After my whole meltdown, Rhodey kept eyes on me everywhere. I felt like I was a bomb that could go off any second, tearing this compound to pieces and reducing it to nothing but ashes. The Avengers steered clear of me. I was perfectly okay with this. The last time we interacted did not go well at all. 

I spooned a piece of cereal into my mouth. The food was fruity and was in the shape of tiny little pebbles. Rhodey called it something weird, but I really didn't care that much. I was sitting in the middle of the kitchen at the island while Rhodey was at the stove cooking some eggs for himself. He was humming a tune and I was listening with intent. It sounded really familiar, and Rhodey told me that it is one of his friends listened to it a lot. It was called, Back in Black.

I smiled as he turned to me and gave me a little shimmy. His body danced awkwardly and I giggled a little bit more, trying to swallow my cereal before I spit it all over the place. He smiled back at me with a hint of something in his eyes. I didn't catch it before he turned his body away from me.

"You're a bad dancer," I muttered, trying to keep my voice quiet. I didn't like how it echoed through the walls. It made me feel like an ant.

"Oh, really?" He scoffed, placing his hands on his hips after scooping his eggs onto a plate that was next to the stove. I hummed in response and he turned to face me fully after turning the stove off. "I'd like to see you dance, then." I dropped my spoon in the bowl and my face began to flush a deep red. I shook my head and he laughed. "Come on, I'll even put on that song." I hunched over to try and cover myself.

"No," I whispered. I shook my head again and Rhodey cupped his ear.

"What? I could hear you over my awesome dance moves." He looked around confused before speaking again. "Friday, play Back in Black." I looked around for someone named Friday before the music began to blast out of the walls. I jumped from the chair, preparing for an ambush. Rhodey laughed and came over to me. "Time to show off your moves, Scaredy-cat."

He grabbed my arms and began to shake them in weird motions. He called one of the moves the Wave or something. I smiled before trying to awkwardly move my body to the beat. Rhodey smiled and danced with me to the obnoxiously blasted music. I began to jump into more and dance. I spun in circles and began parading around the island.

This was a weird experienced. There was a strange feeling forming in my heart that felt really good. I wanted to chase that feeling. I wanted to chase it with everything in my soul. Is this what happiness was? I never had this with Father-

The music stopped and I stopped dancing immediately. "What the hell?" a very breathless voice came from the side and I turned my head to look at the noise.

In the doorway stood a man who was very thin and sick looking. He had glasses perched on his nose that were shaded. He looked shocked and a little angry. He was wheeling a suitcase behind him and he was leaning against the doorway as if he needed it to stay standing up.

"Tony-" Rhodey began to speak before this man named Tony held up his hand.

"Adira," he breathed out and I recoiled quickly. He started to walk towards me and I stumbled backward, trying to get away from the man approaching me. This all felt very deja vu-esque.

"Tony, stop," Rhodey jumped in front of me and pushed back Tony. Tony grabbed his arm and huffed out a breath, his voice quivering as he spoke.

"Y-you're alive?" I swallowed and looked at the man closely. He was shaking, and his eyes held a type of joy. "You're alive."

"Tony," Rhodey spoke, "there's something you need to know." Tony looked at Rhodey with anguish and stopped pushing against him. I pressed my body against the cabinets and my eyes darted around for an escape. I could already feel my breath beginning to quicken. 

"What?"

Rhodey looked at me with sad eyes and I pleaded with him to send the man away, although I didn't dare breath a word. "Her name isn't Adira."

"Are you shitting me, Rhodes? I know her!" Tony raised his voice loudly and I started to shake. "You think I wouldn't recognize someone I love?" I froze and my entire body went cold. Someone he loves?

"Who the hell are you?" I asked, keeping my voice low. I was so sick of being afraid of these people. Tony's eyes darted to me and his body seemed to crash. He looked like he was about to be sick to his stomach. Betrayal shone in his eyes and he narrowed his eyes at Rhodey.

"What is she talking about? Adira, it's Tony. You-you know me," he whispered, voice disbelieving. 

"Tony, I think you should sit down for this."

Rhodey explained everything to Tony. I sat quietly by the cabinets. I didn't move an inch while Rhodey talked to Tony. I sat there, listening to him replay my whole story through the whole thing.

Tony looked like he wanted to vomit. His face was grief-stricken. I held back my words, no matter how much I wanted to interject and speak my words. Rhodey told the story perfectly. Except, he left out the part about Thanos being my father. I felt weird calling him my father in the presence of this man. It made me angry.

"You're telling me she has no idea who I am?" Tony whispered while pointing at me. Rhodey nodded and I brought my eyes up to look into Tony piercing gaze. His eyes were hurting. He looked like he was in so much pain. I wanted to apologize, but anger was too much for my sorrow. "This is bullshit. Bullshit." There was that word again. I almost wanted to laugh at it. 

"It is bullshit," I agreed, my voice only above a whisper. They both looked at me and I kept my eyes trained down. I felt weird with their gazes on me. An uncomfortable feeling boiled in my veins again and I clenched my fists. "This is utter and complete bullshit."

Rhodey just sighed and rubbed his forehead with his fingers. Tony gave him a look before resting his head on the table. I looked around the room and the aroma of defeat overcame me. For the first time since I had been alive, I truly felt defeat.

My father taught me that what we did was right, it was meant to be. But, now that I'm here, I feel like he was wrong. I hate the thought. It burns my brain and scorches my skin. The feeling is making my stomach cave in and feel empty. 

I looked at Rhodey's face. Worry lines creased every inch and his face held no sense of the joy we were just having minutes ago. The pit increased in my stomach and I dropped my gaze down to my hands. This feeling was eating me up and I hated it. It was making me angry. It was a plague. 

Tony lifted his head and squeezed his eyes shut. He was trying to cover his face from me and I wanted to peak through his fingers and look at his face. The middle of my chest began to hurt as I stared at the weak man. His shoulder hunched forward and he finally removed his hands. His eyes glistened with tears and he closed them, letting one tear fall. I squeezed up my face, trying to get rid of this emotion. Tony stole a glance at me before shaking his head and standing up. I watched him with reddened eyes and Rhodey did as well. 

All he did was turn away from us and walk out of the room. 

May 13, 2018