While you were in Tokyo on a mission, a film buff and stutter bug was getting ready for his big moment. He had practiced none stop with his drones and he even managed to say everything without stuttering. Quentin looked at himself in the mirror and smiled at his outfit. A green shirt and a normal pair of jeans. He had to throw on his jacket since it was still cold outside. He looked at himself again and debated about rather or not the plum color went with the green shirt. He just shrugged.

Surely something as small as this wouldn't matter.

He grabbed his bag and headed out of his apartment. It had been empty since his father was now spending most of his time in the labs. He didn't mind though. He enjoyed the privacy. He locked the door just as his neighbor opened her apartment. She was an older woman named Betty. At least, Quentin thinks so.

Betty: Oh, you look nice.

Quentin: T-thank you. D-do you need h-help?

Betty shook her head and looked down at the fresh flowers she was holding. She grabbed one and held it out towards Quentin.

Betty: Here. You are meeting with that Pym girl right?

Quentin looked at the flower and gladly took it.

Quentin: T-thank you. I a-appreciate it.

Betty smiled sweetly before dissappearing into her apartment. Quentin tucked the flower away in his bag. Give her a flower, nice touch. He would have to make Betty some brownies for that one. Quentin began his descent down the stairs. He didn't want to use the elevator because he wanted as much exercise as he could get.

He emerged onto the streets and looked around for a moment. He checked the time on his phone. He had 15 minutes to get to the station which would take him to Nadia's. He had made this trip hundreds of times before. This time was different. This time he was finally going to confess his feelings to his best friend. No pressure.

He entered the subway and took a seat. He looked down at his phone. The lockscreen was of him and Nadia after she got first place in the 8th grade science fair. Quentin actually came in second. The two of them were smiling.
~~~~~~~
Nadia: Quentin! Quentin!

Quentin turned around just in time to catch Nadia who jumped on him. She threw her arms around him with a smile from ear to ear.

Nadia: I won! My experiment won!

She let go and showed him the big golden ribbon she was given. First place. Quentin expected nothing less.

Quentin: C-cool! I g-got second.

He held up his blue ribbon which made Nadia smile even more.

Nadia: You should have gotten first. I mean, you made a lazer.

Quentin: B-but you m-managed to s-solve an u-unsolvable theory. T-that should g-get you a n-nobel peace p-prize or something!

Nadia just smiled before taking out her phone. She held it up and pulled Quentin closer to her.

Nadia: Say cheese!

She snapped the photo.
~~~~~~~
Quentin still stands by his word that she deserved first place. He would never take that back. It was a good day for her which had become increasingly rare around that time. Her Bi-polar Disorder had caused her to lash out more and there had been a few times were Quentin was actually worried about she might do if she was alone. He did everything he could to help.
~~~~~~~
Quentin knocked on her door but got no response. She wasn't at school again and he had came by to give her the notes she missed. He tried knocking again.

Nadia: Leave me alone!

Quentin sighed. It was a bad day then. That was fine. He had grown used to them.

Quentin: I-It's me. I c-came to g-give you the n-notes from M-Mr. Ericson.

He got no response. Her step mom did say that she was upset about something. Something small no doubt.

Quentin: I c-can leave t-them here.

He began to set the notebook down but stopped himself. He slowly stood back up and sighed. It wasn't like she was going to read them. He gently knocked on the door.

Quentin: I-I'll just g-give them to J-Janet.

He turned away and headed down the stairs. She needed space. He would give her space.
~~~~~~~
Quentin exited the subway and headed up the stairs. He knew that she lived in a nice house with her father and step-mom. She had told him many times before that she saw Janet as a real mother and a lot of their mannerisms and characteristics matched. Quentin also learned that her mental problems came from her father Hank. They were a nice family all the way around and had welcomed him all the way back when he was 7.

Hank actually taught him a few things here and there and he was constantly praised by him for his inventions. Since Hank worked so close with his dad, Quentin found Hank to be like a uncle of sorts.

He never really had many friends and his father was his only family. He had a sister but she had passed away in the same car accident as his mother. He was only 13 at the time. He missed them but he knew that they were watching over him somehow. Even though he wasn't very religious himself, Quentin liked to belive that his mom and sister had gone to a better place.
~~~~~~~
Nadia: Are you sure you're ok?

Quentin silently nodded. He had just gotten out of the apartment for the first tims since the crash. The silence had become to much for him and he needed to see his friend.

Nadia: You know we're always here for you. If you need anaything....

Quentin: I d-don't need a-anything.

He looked down at his melted ice cream. She had bought it for him in the hope that it would cheer him up. It only numbed his tounge.

Quentin: I j-just want t-them back.

He felt those damn tears form in his eyes. He wasn't going to cry. He had done enough of that. Nadia placed her hand on his fists.

Nadia: It's ok Quen. Let it out.

He did. He ended up crying harder than he did before. He missed them so much. He just wanted them back.
~~~~~~~~~
He finally did recover. It took some time and a oot of ice cream but he did recover. He didn't think about them as much. Especially not around Nadia. He finally reached the Pym household and sent a text to Nadia that he was there. He walked up to the door and rang the doorbell.

???: Coming!

He heard footsteps before the door opened.

Janet: Hey Quentin. Nadia told me you were coming over.

Quentin: H-Hey Mrs. v-van Dyne.

She let him into the house that he had become so familiar with.

Janet: Nadia should be in her room. She was talking to someone on the phone.

Quentin: T-thanks Janet.

Janet: Will you be staying for dinner? I'm making steak.

Quentin shook his head.

Quentin: I a-actaully have w-work to do.

Janet: I swear. You kids will waste your youth away messing those gadgets.

Quentin just laughed as Janet dissapeared into the kitchen. Looked like Mr. Pym wasn't home. He didn't really mind since he had nothing new to report. Quentin headed up the stairs towards Nadia's room. He smiled as he passed by photo frames of the family. He was even in some of them. This place really did feel like home to him.

He finally reached Nadia's room and took a deep breath. He reached into his bag and pulled out the yellow rose Betty had gave him. He smiled at his confidence and raised his hand to knock.

Nadia: I don't want a relationship right now.

Quentin froze. He could hear Nadia on the other side talking on the phone.

Nadia: I just have a lot on my plate right now....you know.....yeah, that thing....I just can't juggle a relationship and work.

Quentin slowly lowered his hand. What was she talking about? He knew she worked but she still balanced it with Film Club.

Nadia: Quentin?

Quentin looked up at the mention of his name.

Nadia: Well, he's my best friend.....yeah....we'll I've known him since we were little kids......of course I care about him.

Quentin slowly smiled at her words.

Nadia: But I could never date him....he's like a brother to me.

And just like that, his whole world shattered. He suddnely felt his breath stuck in his lungs and the words he had spent so much time practicing, were trapped in his throat. He let the flower drop before rushing back downstairs. Janet said something but Quentin didn't hear her. He just left the house and walked to the station. His mind was racing again. Make something to distract himself. Think about anything else. Anything.

Then you popped in his head.

Was it because of you? Did you say something or do something? Why is it that everytine Quentin thought about how things changed, you popped up. He didn't mind when Nadia would talk about you because you were his friend to. He refused to hate you for something like this.
~~~~~~~~~
Nadia: Y/N was really cool.

Quentin looked up from his drone. He lifted up his goggles and saw that she was on her phone texting someone.

Quentin: Y-Yeah. He is. H-He really l-likes movies to.

Nadia: He does. The way he talked about them with so much passion was really neat. His vocabulary was impressive to.

Quentin had to agree to that.

Nadia: And not to mention how kind he is. He was polite through the whole thing.

Quentin: He d-did stand u-up for me a-against Eli.

Nadia: That's another thing to. He's really brave.

Quentin agreed. Although he agreed with everything she had said about you, he couldn't help but feel jealous. Did she ever talk about him like that?

Quentin: I-If I didn't k-know better I-I'd say y-you had a c-crush on him.

Nadia rolled her eyes.

Nadia: He's with Felicia.

That wasn't a no. Quentin wondered why she didn't just say no. She used an excuse instead.

After the first Friday you joined the club, Nadia began to have more good days than bad. Why did that hurt Quentin so much?
~~~~~~~~~
Quentin began to bite his thumb. He couldn't blame you. You didn't do anything. You were his friend. Why was he so damn jealous than?! Was it the way Nadia talked about you? The way she looked at you? The way shot down the possibility of the two of them ever dating but never about you?!

He calmed down as he reached his stop. He ended up walking back to his apartment in frustration. No matter what he thought about, it all led back to you. He didn't want to hate you. He had to keep telling himself that.

He ended up bumping into someone while he was lost in thought. He turnes to apologize but instead found Chester galring at him. He was one of the hockey players that picked on him.

Chester: Well if it isn't Q-Quentin.

Quentin always hated his stutter. It didn't help that he's been picked on for it all his life. Chester grabbed his shoulder and pushed him against the wall.

Chester: Looks like your friends aren't here. What're you gonna do? Cry?

No. He was going to run. He managed to escape his gasp and run down the street. Chester gave chase. Quentin ended up in the alleyway behind his apartment which was dead-end. He turned around and began to rummage through his bag. He pulled out his head band but before he could give a command, Chester swung his fist into Quentin's jaw. Quentin fell to the floor where Chester continued his assault.

He was right after all. Quentin didn't have his friends. He couldn't protect himself. He was going to get beaten here in this dirty alley and left for dead. Nadia wasn't going to save him. You weren't going to save him. No. He just said the first thing that came to mind.

Quentin: Hitchcock, protect me.

The drone in his bag activated and flew up. Chester stopped kicking Quentin to looked at the flying drone.

Chester: The hell is this?

Quentin: Do, what, it, takes.

The drone's green light turned red and Quentin heard something activate. He sat up against the fence just as a loud pop echoed through the empty alley. Quentin felt something wet yet warm hit his face. Chester fell over, a sharp piece of metal was embedded into his skull.

Quentin looked in horror as Chester bled on the floor, lifeless. Quentin looked up at his drone shich turned back to green.

Drone: Target, Destroyed.

Quentin never programed that into it. He never added anything like that. Why did it, kill? Quentin reached up for the headband and found that it was stabbing into his skin. Chester must have messed it up. The drone had read his mind. Did what he wanted to. Quentin looked back at Chester's body before standing up. The drone returned to his bag and Quentin began to shake. He grabbed his bag and rushed off. Everything was a blur. He didn't remember running up the stairs or entering his apartment.

He dropped the drone onto his bed and began to hyperventilate. His mind raced as he finally realized that he killed Chester. He killed Chester.

He killed.

He defended himself. He pulled off the headband and looked at it. He didn't even have to say anything. He just thought it. He managed to save himself without your or Nadia's help. He placed the headband back on his head and activated the drones. Hitchcock and Spielberg came to life which made him smile.

He reached out to touch Hitchcock, and it didn't back away. He started up the projectors which showed you and Nadia.

Quentin: I d-don't need y-you to d-defend me.

He than glared at you.

Quentin: I'm s-strong now. I-I won't f-fail behind.

He turned off the holograms, leaving him in the dark room.

Across the globe, you woke up to start your day.