Marvel Cinematic Universe Oneshots (slow updates)

The Most, The Least, The Inbetween

tw: mentions of drug and alcohol addiction, mentions of death, canon typical violence.

1. Rhodey

Rhodey had the most. The most memories, the most years spent by his side, the most time.
They had met when Tony was a 17 year old alcohol and drug addict, sure to die before he did anything worthwhile.
Rhodey found a broken boy, all those years ago. A kid three years younger than him, but already with more on his plate than Rhodey had ever had.
The mission he chose was to fix the broken boy, glue the pieces back together.
He tried. So hard. In the end, you can glue as much as you want, but it will never be the same as before it was broken. Some cracks can't be fixed.
So, the drinking stayed, but the drugs did not. The late night parties stayed, but the drunk driving did not. The playerish tendencies stayed, but the emptiness inside the broken boy shrunk a little.
When the brokenly glued together boy's parents died, Rhodey stayed by his side when the cracks leaked, and was there when the cracks needed to be held together.

2. Happy

Happy was second. He had only slightly less than the most, only slightly less years, memories, and time.
Happy met Tony when he was a brokenly glued together boy, held together by the only one who had more.
His mission was to take some of the strain off of the holder, and to glue some more cracks.
Some cracks will always break in the end. Some were meant to be there from the beginning. But once they're reinforced it is easier.
So, he was able to provide a second shoulder for the boy to cry on, he was able to glue a few more cracks up. He was able to help quicker than the first.
When the slightly less broken boy fell in love, Happy was there with Rhodey, to help him figure it all out. To let him cry.

3. Pepper

Pepper was third. She had more than most others, but less than some. Time. Memories. Years.
Pepper met Tony when he was a slightly less broken boy than before, propped up by the first two.
Her mission was to let him open up, to show him that sometimes it's okay to let your cracks shine through, if they shine with light.
On the inside, there is light and dark. If you let the light through the cracks then good things will happen. Darkness brings the opposite.
So, she was able to get through to him in ways the first two hadn't been able to. She provided a shoulder and a reason to stop. He just had to let the light shine through, rather than the darkness.
When the man with mainly dark cracks realised just how dark they were, all three searched. But, for a moment he had no one.

4. Yinsen

Yinsen was fourth. But, unlike the previous persons, he was cursed to have the least. Least years. Least time. Least memories.
Yinsen met Tony when he was a man with mainly dark cracks. The others were not here at this time, but he knew that this man had others.
His mission was to teach him about the darkness, to show him the light which would guide him in the future.
It is difficult to change from dark to light, light to dark. But when the light is begging to be let through, it is not as hard to banish the dark.
So, the cracks that were left changed from dark cracks to light cracks slowly, until they were mostly light.
When the man with mainly light cracks lost one of the four, the other three were there to provide support. To let the light shine.

5. Harley

Harley had almost the least amount of time. But, his was split into moments. The main one being over a period of hours. The second least amount of time. Memories. Years.
Harley met Tony when he was a man with mainly light cracks. The other four were unavailable, but they had taught him that it was ok to ask for help.
His mission was to teach him how. How to ask, how to give. Teach him that it's alright to join up your cracks with others. That sometimes it helps.
Usually cracks are opposed to this, and after so long without it is even more difficult to get them to agree. But it is possible.
So, the cracks gradually learned to open up, to share with others. Eventually they gave light and dark to others, too. Mostly light.
When the man with cracks that shared had to rebuild, the original three were able to share with him. The fifth, too.

6. Peter

Peter had a reasonably large amount of time, for the age of his cracks. Still, not many. Years. Memories. Time.
Peter met Tony when he was a man with cracks that shared. One of the five were readily available, the fifth always there, but the man was held by this one the most, at that time.
His mission was to teach him that when light is stolen and replaced with dark, you can let it eat you up or you can grow. You can grow, let more light shine through, be better.
Sometimes people take, sometimes they share their darkness just to take the light. But when you have enough light, this does not matter. You keep the dark and the light, and you grow.
So, the dark brought to the surface was quashed by the light inside, the light which flooded the cracks which shared, the light which promised good things.
When the man with all light cracks, cracks which shared, was met with the upheaval of all that he truly knew, no one was there. At first.

7. Nebula

Nebula was an odd case. She was there for a short time, but she kept coming back. Kind of. Memories. Time. Years.
Nebula met Tony when he was a man with all light cracks, cracks which shared. The others were not immediately available, and she was the only one there.
Her mission was to preserve him. To preserve the light, the sharing, the glue which had dried and become brittle. To keep him safe, just for now.
It is difficult, nearly impossible, to stop the inevitable. The inevitable, in this case, is that the sharing would stop, the light would be replaced with dark, and the glue would stop the last of its stick. However, it can be done. With a lot of effort.
So, she managed to preserve the sharing, keep the dark at bay, and stop the glue from unsticking. It was extremely hard, but it helped her cracks too, in the end.
When the man with his preserved willingness to share, light, and glue, returned, he had two easily reachable, two far away, two dead, and one who had been born of necessity.

8. Morgan

Morgan was the last, but did not have the least. Technically. Years, time. Yes. Memories? Well, there were many more stories than memories.
When Morgan met Tony, he was a man preserved in his prime.
Her mission was to teach him to hold together others. Or, to glue the cracks before they could take hold, to let the light shove away the dark, to share and be shared back to.
This, perhaps, is the most difficult thing of all. But, he had the memories of three, the calls of one, and the on scene advice from three to help him.
So, she taught him to teach others. Taught him the last thing on the long road he'd stepped onto when he was 17.
When he met his final day, he left behind six people who had taught, shared, and loved. One he went to meet. And one who would have to walk the road alone. This one, he could not be there for forever. Nor for very long. But, she had others to help her. And she would meet more who would do what these eight people had done for him.

Afterall, she is a Stark.
And what is a Stark if not resilient?
But, to know you are resilient, you have to have cracks. Cracks which must be glued, held together, shone through with light, taught to share, love, and eventually, cracks which must teach. A preserving agent is often also helpful.

Besides, what are resilient people but broken dolls dreaming of people with glue? (though that is just the beginning)

Partially inspired by this quote; "She was another broken doll dreaming of a boy with glue."
-Atticus

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Thank you for reading this far! If you have I hope you enjoyed. Any and all constructive criticism is welcomed, as well as any requests you may wish for me to write.
I won't update often, but requests I shall try to finish asap.

pd: jan 16 2020
wc: 1495

- Cassie