Chapter Text
“Are you drunk, Jack Hartmann?” Iris’s voice crackled through Jack’s phone speakers, her tone not entirely unjudging. There was silence for about ten seconds, before Jack let out a breath.
“I just-.” He began, barely concealing a giggle, “I’m just- I love you, y’know? I’m so happy. You’re such a good sister, I’m so- I’m giving thanks.” He failed to contain his giggle then, which was met with a snort from Iris over the phone.
“Jack. Thanksgiving was so long ago, I think you’re actually closer to being early next year.” The woman giggled, her voice unusually soft, “Are you okay? Are you home?”
“I’m at work. We- We’re at the tower!” He exclaimed, only for someone to shush him.
“Jack, who’s there with you?” Iris asked cautiously, furrowing her eyebrows. She never approved of Jack’s friends. Liz was an idiot, Dylan was an aggravating, idiotic, *stupid* wet noodle of a man, and Brent was the only one she could slightly tolerate. Nonetheless, she knew Jack would have told her if the group were going out that night, and since becoming an Avenger, he hadn’t been one to indulge on a whim. This must have been pre-planned, but with whom? Someone responsible? Someone safe? Someone-?
“..Aurora is *so* drunk.” Jack laughed, which was followed by the sound of someone hitting his arm, cloth ruffling under the touch.
“Iris! Iris don’t listen to him! He’s such a-” Aurora hiccuped, then laughed, “He’s such a liar! He drank *way* more than me!” She accused, pulling another laugh from Iris.
She was happy Jack was happy.
She wasn’t always.
When they were teenagers, they were so bitter, so angry at each other for everything, for no reason at all. They did love each other, they just forgot about it for a while. One memory in particular stuck out to Iris, from when Jack was eighteen and Iris was seventeen. It was their final year, Mom was out for work, Iris was studying for the HPAT, and tensions in the house were high.
“Are you drunk?!” Iris accused as she swung Jack’s bedroom door open. It was a stupid accusation, because Jack was such a goody two-shoes, he would probably never get drunk before 21, never mind under their Mom’s roof, but she made it all the same, because she was so angry. So angry at his stupid, perfect life. In the Hartmann household, Christmas was the event of the year. Their mother, *the* Kim Hartmann, SHIELD director and businesswoman, let her inhibitions go for one night and was simply a mother. She joked with them, she got wine drunk and shared stories that would usually stay tightly locked behind her classy red lips. They were allowed to invite their friends over and share the festivities, but what had once been Jack’s favourite holiday was beginning to morph into a time of contention and anger between him and his sister. He knew it was the way she was, Iris had IED, she was angry, she was *traumatised*, but sometimes, he just got so angry. He was only on his phone, talking to Dylan about their festivity plans for the following day, but apparently, that was too much for Iris.
“What are you talking about?” Jack furrowed his brows, already irritated. He wouldn’t usually be so quick to rise to his sister’s temper, but as of recent, it had been *constant*. She was always angry, she was always shouting or punching her knuckles bloody, she was always angry.
“You’re so loud! You’re so fucking loud! I’m trying my best to actually make something of myself next door, and you keep talking!” She yelled, throwing her arms up in exasperation, “What is wrong with you?!” The girl huffed, only for Jack to throw his phone down in a frustrated manner. He sat up, scrubbing a hand through his hair. He always tried to be the bigger person; he *wanted* to be good, but did anyone know how exhausting it was to be the good one all the time?
“What’s wrong with *me*?” He rebutted simply, making Iris yell in frustration,
“Right! Cause what the fuck could be wrong with Jack Hartmann, O woe is he! God bless the boy with his career fucking laid out for him by his Mommy! God bless the boy who doesn’t even need to do well in his finals, cause Mom will just give the job to him! You basically already work there! All those agents love you, with your stupid little coffee runs and the way they all basically fall at your feet!” The girl shouted, pointing a finger at Jack.
“What do you want from me?! Seriously, what do you want?! It’s not *my* fault you chose medicine over SHIELD! You’re acting like we don’t literally have the same Mom!” Jack finally shouted back. There was silence for a moment before Iris suddenly turned and walked off, slamming the door hard enough to knock a neatly wrapped Christmas present off of Jack’s table. He looked at it for a moment, then decided to leave it there.
“..Dude. Your sister is, like, crazy.” Dylan mumbled through the phone, making Jack realise he had never hung up. He sighed, then rubbed his eyes, picking up his phone and dropping onto his back.
“Yeah.” He groaned, “I know.”
Sleep didn’t come easily to Jack that night, except it wasn’t because of the usual Christmas excitement. Why did Iris have to be so mean? Why couldn’t she just.. Control it? Realistically, Jack knew why. There was something different in her brain; it made her lash out, it made her nasty. Nobody in school spoke to her, and for some, like Summer Klein, it bothered Jack, because she was mean to Iris, but with others? He could kind of understand. He and Iris may have originally met because they were close in school, but Jack highly doubted they would even talk to each other had his Mom not decided to adopt Iris when he was 8, and she was 7. At first, he was excited, then he didn’t want her, because their Mom only cared about pretty, smart, girly Iris and not her *real* son, but he did love her, he had good childhood memories with her. At around 12, Jack was awoken to his bed shifting, and because he was taught to be vigilant always, he jumped up to a sitting position, only to see Iris sitting at the end of his bed. She was in her pyjamas, and her knees were tucked up to her chest, with her head resting on her knee so she could look at Jack.
“I’m sorry.” She whispered, not moving her head. Jack paused, then adjusted his position slightly.
“It’s okay.” He responded, on instinct, even though it wasn’t. He knew it wasn’t, so why did he say it was? Jack had always been a people pleaser, so ready to bend over backwards for those he loved, even though it hurt him.
“It’s not, though, is it?” Iris asked, raising a brow at him from where she sat. He pursed his lips, then looked away instead of answering. She nodded, then positioned her head so that her chin sat on her knee and she could look out of his window. “I think I’m stressed. The HPAT is a lot, and school, and just.. General, y’know?” The girl paused, then nervously began twisting a strand of her hair between her fingers when she heard no response from Jack, “I don’t have anyone to bring tomorrow. That’s probably why I was really angry. Just.. You and Dylan, talking through the wall about how awesome your day is gonna be, talking about all the friends you wanna see? Nobody really talks to me anymore. I don’t think I have any friends.” She sighed. Jack was silent for another moment before he slowly pulled back the covers and scooted up to sit beside Iris, also looking out of the window.
“I mean.. We’re friends, right?” There was silence for a moment, and Jack feared he had ruined everything, before Iris finally replied,
"Yeah. Best friends."