Date: 24/12/1991
Location: Long Island
The snow coated the road as a radio play Smells like Teen Spirit by Nirvana softly. The brand new 1991 Cadillac sedan trailed carefully the icy straight.
"I'm just saying, Maria. He could do better than those toys he makes." the man complained, his grey mustache moving as he spoke, defensive of his point. His blue, brown eyes glance away from the road for a moment to check his passengers before staring back at the road. The passenger sighed, grabbing the toy that had fallen in the back seat.
"He's not a child anymore, Howard. Let him make his own decisions," her voice was a bit resigned but cooed towards the end as she handed a Captain America action figure to a two-year-old in the back, her little miracle. Said child smiled at her, a smile reminiscent of her own. His face lighting up with joy as he took hold of the toy and resumed playing as his parents argued over his older brother.
His mouth formed sound effects of explosions, gunfire, and war cries. The figurine moved along the window like it was trudging through the snow. His icy blue eyes followed the horizon only to stop at the sight of a black truck that seemed to dim its lights as the car passed by. His gaze stared at it as it disappeared into the snow.
Then, before he even noticed, the car jerked, his small body moving forward as the car tilted, swerving off the road and slamming into a large tree. The passenger being thrown out of the car through the windshield. The driver slammed into the wheel and the child's head was rained upon by glass, shards cutting into his arms and forehead. For a few moments, the only sound one heard was the constant beep of the horn, and the steps of snow crunching and compacting as a black clad figure stalked over from the middle of the road.
A soft moan of 'Maria...' was heard as the driver, now regaining his consciousness, lifted his head only for the door to be pulled open and he was dragged out of the car by the hair and pushed into the snow.
"Where is it?" The figure asked, his metal prosthetic reflecting the light of the motorcycle nearby.
"No, I don't know. Please. please don't do this" the man begged, already guessing what this was about as he glanced toward the car, then gazing back to his assailant. His eyes widened in recognition. "Seargent Barnes?" It was all that he got out before his head was crushed in by the instigator's fist. Once the man took his last breath the figure turned to where the passenger was thrown and shoot two precise shoots into them as they stirred awake. The passenger screamed in pain only to be silenced by a final killing shoot.
He stared at the two for a moment, before turning back to the car. His eyes caught sight of the small child in the back, his eyes blinking weakly as his gaze remained on the stranger's figure. Instead of sending him as he did to his parents, the stranger turned away, took something from the busted truck, and left the scene.
The child, still alive, stared out at the retreating form of the stranger before blacking out. He was found a few hours later, his dirty blonde hair caked in blood and was nonresponsive.
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Date: 06/01/1992
Location: Malibu, Children's Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA)
"I'm sorry but, it would seem that due to the ... incident, Matthew has gone temporarily mute or selective in his case as he seems to trust you enough to speak but freezes up with anyone else." The psychologist started, "This is common in children, especially in children who have witnessed loss, but it won't affect his growth. As I said, it is temporary. Right now, all he needs is support from you."
Tony didn't know what was worse. The fact that Stark Industries is currently an extreme hot potato that would either break or make him, or the fact that his little brother can barely communicate if he even knows where he is.
"Yeah... Temporary" Tony looked through the glass partition that his brother was on the other side of, seated with one of the nurses and just staring blankly at her. No longer smiling. No longer happy. No longer the same child.
He entered the room and kneeled in front of him.
"Hey Matty, you ready?" The child turned to him then nodded.