Chapter 03: Cliche Sad Backstory

Here's a rundown of the dates, it's more for me than anyone else, but meh, you guys can see it too.

Alex's birth: 1st March 1987

Alex finds out about Tony: July 12, 1999, and not 2002. Alex is 12 years old at this point.

In this chapter, it is 2003, and Alex is 16 years old.

This means, by the time it's time for canon—2008—he will be 21 years old.

Here's the continuation!

—

Ever since I found out I was in the Marvel universe, I'd been working out, hitting Jim, and preparing for the worst. Let's be real, nothing can really prepare you for what this clusterfuck of a world has to offer. I lived in a small town with my mother far away from all the major cities, and I spent most of my time working on my computer. My mom and I live a simple life, and for a while, everything was normal.

Deep down, I knew that normalcy was just an illusion.

It had been four years since I found out I was living in the Marvel universe, and I'd spent all that time working on various things on my PC.

I've done research, tried to make tech, and even made a supercomputer ahead of its time. I knew I needed to be prepared for anything, so I focused on honing my computer and tech skills, my coding skills were already top-notch. The truth of the matter is, I'm just a regular guy with no powers, and all of this was just my best bet if anything were to happen.

But nothing had happened yet.

The town was strange as usual. It's like I'm on constant watch, and there's this "weight" on this place that I can't quite shake off. It's like the town itself is alive, and it's watching me. Despite all of that, I ignored the feeling and continued living with my mom.

My mom. She was everything to me. She was the reason I got out of bed every morning.

The only thing that kept me going was my mom. We lived a simple life together, just the two of us.

Lately, her health had been catching up to her, and it scared me. She was getting old, and it was difficult to see her struggle. The thought of losing her was unbearable. She was the only family I had, and the thought of losing her terrified me.

I don't know what I will do.

I was scared.

"Cough!"

The sound of my mother's coughing echoed through the hospital room, and my heart dropped as I rushed to her side. Her once vibrant eyes were now dulled, and her skin was sallow and almost gray. I could see the pain etched on her face, and it broke my heart. Her coughs sounded worse than ever, and her breathing was ragged. I held her hand, trying to comfort her.

"Ma, you okay?" I asked, my voice shaky.

She tried to smile, but it was weak and strained. "I'm fine, Alex," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, holding her smile.

I knew she was lying. She never liked to burden me with her problems, but I could see how much she was struggling. Her skin was pale, and her eyes had lost their usual sparkle. Her breathing was shallow, and each breath seemed like a struggle.

I tried to make light of the situation, and joked, hoping it would make her feel better.

"Hey, Ma, looks like you're giving Darth Vader a run for his money with that breathing," I said, trying to make light of her labored breathing, meanwhile, I slammed my foot on the button beside the bed, calling the fucking doctors. "Maybe you could get a job doing voiceovers for him."

She chuckled weakly, but I could tell it was forced. My heart ached at the sight of her like this, and I tried to keep up the banter, hoping to distract her from the pain she was in.

"Always the joker," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, as she brought up her hand and caressed my cheek. I could feel my eyes welling up with tears. It was difficult to see mom like this, so vulnerable and weak. I closed my eyes, leaning in on her hand.

I tried to keep up, but it was getting harder as I saw how bad her condition was. Her complexion was almost gray, and her hands were cold and clammy. I could see how much she was struggling just to breathe, and it was terrifying.

I wanted to do something, anything to help her, but I knew there was nothing I could do. I felt helpless and scared.

"Mama, I'm here for you," I said, squeezing her hand. "Whatever you need, I'll do it. Just tell me."

She looked at me, her eyes full of love and gratitude.

"I know you will, Alex," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You always have been my rock."

I could feel tears rolling down my cheeks as I watched her struggle to breathe. I slammed my foot in the button again and again, and finally the fuckers arrived.

I stayed by her side, holding her hand and talking to her until she fell asleep. Even then, I couldn't bring myself to leave her side. I knew that every moment with her was precious, and that I needed to cherish every moment we had together.

As I sat there, watching her sleep, I couldn't help but feel a sense of dread and despair wash over me. I knew that the end was near, and that soon, I would have to say goodbye to the woman who had always been there for me.

For now, though, all I could do was be there for her, to hold her hand and offer her some small comfort in this dark and difficult time.

I did not know what to do.

***

She passed away.

I sat there, numb and empty. I didn't know how to process what had just happened. The person who had always been there for me, the one constant in my life, was gone. It felt like a part of me had been ripped away, leaving behind a void that could never be filled.

I tried to keep it together, to be strong, but it was getting harder and harder. Dark humor had always been my coping mechanism, and even now, as I sat there, staring at my mother's lifeless body, I couldn't help but make a few bitter jokes.

"Well, Ma, I guess this is the ultimate way of getting out of doing the dishes," I said, a hint of bitterness in my voice, as I tried to make light of the situation. Deep down, I knew that the pain was real, and that no amount of jokes could make it go away.

The room was silent, the doctors had left us alone, there was nothing except for the sound of my breathing and the occasional beep from the machines. I sat there, lost in my thoughts, trying to come to terms with what had happened. It was like a part of me had died with her.

"Guess I'm an orphan now," I muttered, my voice cracking, as I wiped away a tear, chuckling. "That's a great origin story for a superhero, huh?" I whispered, leaning my head against the wall as I stared hazily.

All I felt was emptiness, a hollow feeling that consumed me. I had lost the person who had always been there for me, who had supported me through everything. Now, I was alone.

I sat there for what felt like hours, lost in my grief. The world around me had faded away, leaving behind only the memories of my mother. I couldn't shake the feeling that I had failed her somehow, that I could have done more to save her.

"I'm sorry, Ma," I whispered, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

I could have… This was Marvel, anything was possible. If only…

The words echoed in the empty room, and I felt a sense of despair wash over me. I knew that I would never be able to get over this loss, that the pain would always be a part of me.

For now, all I could do was sit there, lost in my thoughts, as I mourned the loss of the person who had meant everything to me.

I sat there for what felt like an eternity, staring blankly at the lifeless body of my mother. My mind was racing, trying to process the reality of her being gone. I wanted to scream, to lash out at the world for taking her away from me.

Instead, I sat there in silence, my body shaking with the weight of my grief. Then it hit me. The pain that had been building inside me since the moment I heard the news came crashing down, overwhelming me completely.

I broke down, tears streaming down my face as I sobbed uncontrollably. It was like a dam had burst, and all the emotions I had been holding back came flooding out.

***

After the formalities of getting the medical certificate, registering the death, and arranging the funeral, the real struggle began after all that was done. I felt like I was drowning in my own emotions, like I was stuck in a never-ending episode of Grey's Anatomy. Do you know what got me through it all? Music. Yep, good old tunes… and humor. Haha. Returning to it was the only thing I could do.

I started listening to all sorts of music, from pop to rock to classical. I found comfort in the melodies and lyrics, and before I knew it, I was lost in the world of music. Whenever I felt overwhelmed, I would put on my headphones and let the music wash over me, drowning out the world around me.

Of course, I couldn't help but make a few jokes along the way. "Well, at least I won't have to argue with her about the music in the car anymore," I chuckled to myself as I scrolled through my playlist, my eyes watering again before I collected myself.

It wasn't all dark humor. There were moments of lightness, too. Like when I discovered a new band that I couldn't stop listening to, or when I found an old favorite song that I had forgotten about. Music had become my escape, my solace, my everything.

Then, something happened. I heard that a famous performer named Dazzler was coming to town for a concert, and I knew I had to be there. I had never been a big concert-goer, but something about this one called out to me.

The reason was simple: I remembered Dazzler from my past life. She was a mutant using her powers to make her performances better. Marketing her light shows as a "technological secret". Well, it was less a secret and more a mutant power.

"I mean, who wouldn't want to see a mutant who can turn sound into a light perform?" I joked to my friend, who gave me a sympathetic smile. It wasn't just the superhero angle that drew me in. It was the promise of being surrounded by other music lovers, all lost in the same beat.

I wasn't really close to this supposed friend of mine, but we hung out a lot as of late.

So, I bought a ticket and counted down the days until the concert. When the day finally arrived, I put on my favorite band t-shirt, grabbed my headphones, and headed out the door.

As I made my way to the concert hall, I felt a sense of anticipation building inside me. I was nervous, sure, but also excited. This was going to be my first concert since my mom passed away, and I was hoping that it would be a turning point for me.

You know what? It was. As I stood there in the crowd, surrounded by other fans, I felt alive. The music was loud, the lights were flashing, and for a moment, I forgot all my troubles. I was just another person lost in the magic of music.

As the concert drew to a close, and Dazzler stepped off stage, I found myself smiling. It wasn't a big smile, but it was there, a glimmer of hope in the darkness. I turned to my friend and said, "Well, that was worth the ticket price. I think I'll survive this whole 'orphan' thing after all."

My friend chuckled and gave me a pat on the back. "You're a survivor, my friend," she said. "And if you ever need a break from the real world, you know where to come. Music is always here for you."

I wonder.

***

A/N: Oooof darker turn. Sorry for those who thought it will be a happy start. Well, humor is a way to cope I suppose, he's not

over her death, not in the least, but using humor and music is a nice way to cope.

I will appreciate powerstones guys... sigh... this isn't doing too well 😞

Top 10 monthly at the very least, please? 🥺🙏