[Third Person Pov]
As the Mandarin plummeted through the shattered earth, the stabilized black hole gripped firmly in his grasp and dragged him downward like a relentless anchor, he clenched his jaw in raw fury. The gravity ring on his finger hummed to life, its intricate shape glowing with an otherworldly intensity. With a surge of willpower, he reversed the catastrophic trajectory of his fall, the ground around him erupting in violent tremors that sent shockwaves rippling outward.
Tony Stark lay sprawled on the debris-strewn battlefield, still catching his breath from an uncontrollable fit of laughter. His chest heaved as if he had just sprinted through a marathon, the armored plates of his suit rising and falling rhythmically. A wide, irrepressible grin split his face behind the glowing faceplate. “That might have just topped me recreating the sun among some of my all-time top ten moments. What do you think, Friday? Be honest.”
“I think you should prepare for immediate retaliation,” Friday replied in her crisp, unflappable tone, already scanning the environment for threats. “The Mandarin—as he insists on calling himself—does not strike me as the type to take that level of public humiliation lightly. He’s inbound, boss.”
“Oh, come on,” Tony sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes as he pushed himself up on one elbow. “You know that’s not at all what I meant when I asked for your opinion. Throw me a bone here.”
“You didn’t design me to be funny, boss,” Friday responded, her synthetic voice carrying a hint of weary patience. “You built me to be helpful.”
“I actually made you to be both—” Tony began, but the words died in his throat as the ground beneath him started to tremble violently. Jagged cracks spiderwebbed outward in every direction, splitting the ruined pavement.
Without warning, the Mandarin exploded upward from the earth, rocketing into the sky while clutching the miniaturized black hole before him. Massive chunks of stone and rubble levitated in a deadly orbit around his body, swirling with controlled gravitational force. His face was flushed a deep, furious crimson, veins bulging at his temples as he seethed with unrestrained rage. “You… How dare you! Have you completely lost your fucking mind?!”
“Friday, don’t you dare say it,” Tony warned quickly, already anticipating the AI’s response as he scrambled to his feet, repulsors humming softly in readiness.
“Like you said, boss—you also made me to be humorous,” Friday chimed in, a playful lilt entering her voice as she rubbed it in with impeccable timing. “So… I told you so.”
The Mandarin snarled, his eyes blazing with hatred. “Here, since you want to play ball so badly, you can have it!” With a contemptuous scoff, he hurled the black hole back toward Tony with a devastating pulse of gravitational energy, the miniature singularity warping light and space around it as it hurtled forward.
Tony activated his boot thrusters instantly, launching himself upright in a blur of motion. He caught the black hole mid-air, his armored hands clamping down on its perimeter. The immense weight dragged his feet backward across the fractured ground, carving deep grooves into the earth. Gritting his teeth, he poured power into his stabilizers and thrusters, finally halting its momentum. His arc reactor pulsed and shifted modules with a mechanical whir. “Friday, send this back to the base. I want to keep it as a souvenir—might make a nice paperweight.”
A shimmering warp gate materialized in front of him. Tony shoved the black hole through the portal with a grunt of effort. As the gateway snapped shut, he refocused on his opponent. The swirling rubble that had once encircled the Mandarin had vanished, drawn away in preparation for his next assault.
“Since you seem like a spoiled child who deeply enjoys outer space,” the Mandarin snarled, his voice dripping with venom, “here’s a meteor shower just for you!” He made a sharp pulling motion with his hand, channeling the full power of the gravity ring.
Chunks of earth and stone ripped free from the devastated landscape, igniting from atmospheric friction as they streaked downward like a barrage of apocalyptic fireballs. Each fragment burned with deadly precision, locked onto Tony’s position with unerring intent.
“Aww, you really shouldn’t have…” Tony said, flashing a stiff, sarcastic grin as the glowing inferno reflected off his polished faceplate in dancing orange hues. “You reeeeeaaaally shouldn’t have.”
With fluid precision, Tony brought his hands together in front of his chest. The liquid metal of his nanotech suit flowed and reshaped seamlessly, merging into a massive, oversized energy blaster that dwarfed his arms. The suit’s internal systems cycled rapidly, rerouting power to a pure energy module as the weapon charged. The entire armor flared with blinding brilliance, arcs of raw power dancing across its surface like contained lightning.
A colossal pulse erupted from the blaster, a roaring beam of concentrated energy that lanced skyward. Tony guided the devastating shot with expert control, systematically reducing the incoming meteors into harmless molten slag. The burning rocks disintegrated one by one, raining down around them as glowing, liquid droplets that sizzled harmlessly upon impact with the ground.
Enraged beyond measure, the Mandarin dropped from the skies, closing the distance in an instant. He collided with Tony in a brutal tackle, slamming him backward across the ruined streets in a screech of metal and scattering debris. “You’re your father’s son, alright—arrogant and a complete nuisance, thinking you can treat this as some kind of joke!”
“Oh god, not another flashback!” Tony exclaimed, his voice laced with exaggerated exasperation even as he fought. He seized Wenwu’s arm in a vice-like grip, pivoted smoothly, and flipped the Mandarin over his shoulder, slamming him hard into the fractured ground. “What is this, an episode of Family Guy?”
…
[Flashback]
Maria supported the young Wenwu with a steady arm around his shoulders, carefully guiding him down the hallway toward the nurse’s office. The soft echo of their footsteps the only sound breaking the stillness. Wenwu moved stiffly, clearly in pain but trying not to show it.
“She isn’t here at the moment, it seems,” Maria said gently after peering inside. “Sit down for a minute. I’ll see what I can do for you.” She helped him settle onto the examination table, then began searching through the neatly organized cabinets. “I don’t think the nurse would mind if I use some of these supplies.”
Working with quiet focus, Maria cleaned and bandaged the worst of his injuries—scratches on his face and nose, a split lip, and several bruises already blooming across his skin. Once she finished, Wenwu gingerly touched the fresh bandaid on his lower lip, his fingers lingering on the tender spot.
“You’re quite good at that…” he muttered softly, a hint of genuine admiration in his voice as he tested the ache.
Maria stared at him with a straight, almost deadpan expression. “I just put on a bandaid. It doesn’t really require much skill.”
“I meant the whole thing—nursing an injury, not just slapping on a bandaid,” Wenwu clarified, offering an awkward, lopsided grin that pulled at the fresh bandage.
“Oh. Yeah, I’ve had lots of practice,” Maria admitted with an embarrassed smile, her gaze drifting away slightly as a faint blush colored her cheeks. “I tend to be very clumsy, believe it or not. Always tripping over my own feet or running into things.”
Wenwu’s eyes drifted down to Maria’s hand resting beside him on the edge of the table. For a moment, the room felt smaller, the air thicker. He glanced up at her face, then slowly reached out, his fingers brushing toward hers.
“Ahem. What exactly are you two doing?”
A sharp voice cut through the moment like cold water. Howard Stark leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. He was the spitting image of his father—sharp features, confident posture, and an unmistakable air of authority even at his young age.
Maria and Wenwu both jolted in surprise, pulling back instantly.
“Howard!” Maria exclaimed, her face lighting up with a bright, genuine grin. “What are you doing here?”
“I heard some people talking about how they saw the two of you walking together toward the nurse’s office and got worried,” Howard replied, a slight frown tugging at his lips. His eyes flicked briefly toward Wenwu—barely a glance—before locking fully onto Maria. “Are you okay?”
“I’m not the one who’s obviously injured and covered in bandaids, silly,” Maria said, rolling her eyes with an amused smile playing on her lips. “You should be asking Wenwu that.”
Maria stood up smoothly, brushing her hands together. “But it’s great that you’re here now. I was worried about leaving to find the actual nurse and having to leave him by himself.”
“He’s not a baby, Maria,” Howard scoffed, his frown deepening as he shot a pointed glare in Wenwu’s direction. “You don’t have to baby him. He can clearly take care of himself.”
“Oh, stop it,” Maria chided softly, placing a gentle hand on Howard’s arm. Her tone was warm but firm. “He’s your brother. You should show him a little more concern. If you won’t stay here for him, then stay here for me… please?”
Howard let out a long, reluctant sigh, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly under her touch. A small, unwilling smile finally broke through. “You know I can never say no to you.”
“Thank you,” Maria said, beaming at him with grateful eyes. “Don’t worry, I’ll be quick.” She gave his arm one last squeeze before rushing out of the office, her footsteps fading down the hall.
The moment the door clicked shut behind her, the warmth drained from the room. Howard’s expression hardened as he fixed his gaze on Wenwu, who was deliberately looking away, staring at the wall instead.
“Don’t make me say it,” Howard warned, his voice low and far from friendly—anything but brotherly.
“Say what?” Wenwu shot back, finally turning to meet his eyes, glaring out from behind strands of messy hair.
Howard exhaled heavily, stepping further into the room. “Looks like I really need to spell it out for you. You’ve been nothing but trouble and a nuisance since the day you arrived. Maria already has enough on her plate—she doesn’t need more problems added to it. So, for her sake and your own, stay away from her.”
“You sure you don’t mean your benefit?” Wenwu scoffed, his eyes burning with open hatred as he glared up at Howard.
“You’re right. I do,” Howard admitted with a shameless shrug, completely unapologetic. “So for everyone’s benefit—yours, hers, and especially mine—keep to yourself, yeah?”
Wenwu’s lip curled in disgust. “Who Maria wants to hang out with is her decision to make. It isn’t mine, and it sure as hell isn’t yours.”
“I’m not controlling who she associates with,” Howard said coldly, stepping closer until he towered directly over Wenwu. “I’m controlling who you associate with. Hang out with whoever you want—some dumpster cat, a prostitute, I really don’t care. Just keep Maria out of it.” His voice dropped to a menacing growl, the threat unmistakable as he loomed over the seated boy.
“I’d like to see you try and stop me,” Wenwu growled back, his jaw clenching so tightly the muscles stood out in sharp relief beneath his skin.
In a flash, Howard grabbed him by the collar, yanking him forward and leaning down until their faces were inches apart. “Don’t worry,” he hissed, eyes blazing with warning, “I won’t have to try very hard.”
“Howard? What are you doing?”
Howard’s head snapped around. Maria stood in the doorway beside the school nurse, her expression a mix of surprise and concern.
“Hm? Oh, nothing,” Howard replied smoothly, releasing Wenwu’s collar with practiced ease. He patted the younger boy’s head with exaggerated affection, flashing a warm, brotherly smile. “I was just trying to get him to show me his injuries, but he was being all shy about it.”
“Well, since the nurse is here now, you’ll be back on your feet in no time. Get well soon, hermano,” Howard added cheerfully, ruffling Wenwu’s hair one last time before stepping back.
“Bye, Wenwu. I’ll see you later, alright?” Maria called with a wave, her smile warm and infectious as the nurse stepped forward to take over.
Wenwu managed a faint smile in return, lifting his hand in a small wave. But the expression froze on his face the moment Howard casually draped a possessive arm around Maria’s shoulders.
From his seat, Wenwu watched helplessly over the nurse’s shoulder as Maria glanced at Howard in confusion. “What are you doing?” she asked, eyeing the arm around her.
Howard leaned in closer with a flirtatious grin. “My arm’s feeling a bit heavy. It needed a place to rest. Mind letting me lean on your shoulders? I promise it’ll only be for a minute.”
Maria’s ears turned bright red. She pushed his face away with a laugh. “Don’t think I don’t know about your history with women, Stark. I know exactly what you’re doing, and it won’t work on me.”
Wenwu stared down at his clenched fists, knuckles white, as their voices carried down the hallway.
“I’m a woman of class,” Maria added in a mock haughty tone.
“Are you now?” Howard replied smoothly, his charm practically dripping from every word. “Then I’m pleased to tell you that I ace all my classes. You don’t have anything to worry about.”
The sound of their shared laughter echoed down the corridor, growing fainter as they walked away together.
[End Flashback]
---
Back in the present, Tony groaned loudly in pure exasperation, throwing his head back. “Dude, oh my god! I honestly don’t care about the crush you had on my mother! What do you think this is—Harry Potter and you’re Snape?!”