Everlasting • Tony Stark✔️

23 | best friend

WHEN Lyra made it back to the Malibu mansion way after three o'clock in the morning, she was not surprised to find Tony in his lab. He was tinkering with a new suit, already having finished one. She wrapped her arms around his waist causing him to flinch as if he had not realized she was there.

"Lyra?" he turned to make sure. He smiled. "Hey, you're back late. I was getting worried."

Lyra took a deep breath as she felt Tony wrap his arms around her back to hug her. Tony normally hated hugs from anyone else, but with her, he could take them any day. "I missed you," she mumbled.

Tony laughed, the sound vibrating his chest. "Missed you, too, honey. How was it?"

She looked up with a grin. "It was great."

He frowned as one hand reached the cut on her cheek. "How'd this happen?"

"It was a pre-training session to see where my hand to hand skills were at. I was flipped, and my necklace cut my cheek. No big deal," she said, watching him bite his lip. "So you had a lot of progress with the Stark Expo?"

He shrugged as he kissed her forehead. "Pepper is doing a great job taking care of it."

"I love that woman," Lyra admitted with a grin. "She's the greatest."

"She's wonderful," he agreed, "but I have to disagree with that last statement."

Lyra rolled her eyes. "Why? Is this some cheesy line where you say I'm the greatest?"

Tony pulled away. "What? No. Jarvis takes the role by far."

Lyra punched his arm with a smirk when he groaned from the force. "What? Did they pump steroids into you?"

She snorted a laugh as she pulled his hand away from his work. "Time for bed."

"But I need to—"

"Nope. Jarvis, shut it down for the night!"

"Will do," Jarvis replied as the lights began to power off as they made it to the stairs to the next floor.

Tony pouted when she pulled him all the way to the floor with his bedroom. Once there, she kissed his cheek before turning to walk to her room. He tightened his hold on her hand. "Nuh-uh, you're coming with me since you paused my work."

Lyra tried to pull away, but Tony's door slid open as he threw her onto the bed with a squeal. "I don't have any night clothes," she tried to get up and leave as she said this but Tony threw her the shirt he was wearing as he simply stripped. "Tone, we haven't done this in four years—"

"What? This is completely innocent," Tony said as he fell onto the bed with a hand to cover his eyes. "Change, honey. I'm not watching. See? I'm a good boy."

Lyra glared at him as she shimmied out of her pants and boots. She placed the knife on the bedside table, to which Tony peeked through to see what the clanking sound was. She yelled at him to cover his eyes as she began to peel off her shirt and bra to replace them with his shirt.

"I cannot believe I'm doing this," she murmured. "Taking it slow, my ass." She fell under the covers as she turned to flick off the lamp. Tony peeked through again to see her staring at him with an amused smile.

He grinned, pulling her to his chest. He gasped dramatically. "No bra? You temptress."

"Tony!"

"All right! I'm going to sleep, Ly," he said with a laugh after placing a kiss on her forehead.

The next week passed in a blur as Tony made sure Lyra was going to be well prepared for her two weeks without him—meaning he was preparing himself. He had disliked Clint the moment she told him about the archer, but she rolled her eyes at his words, knowing Clint was an all right guy just from looking at him.

Happy would not be accompanying Lyra to Washington, rather Rhodey was due to the fact that he had some business to attend to there. He was not, however, going to stay with her. He was just making sure she made it to the compound per Tony's orders.

Lyra walked into the living room to see Pepper sitting with her computer out. Pepper rose a brow at Lyra as the woman went straight to the bar. "Everything all right?"

"Nerves," she said, taking a bottle instead of a cup. Pepper pushed her computer aside with a tsking sound. She let Lyra take one swig before taking it from her. "You'll take care of Tony, right?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "It's my job to babysit and watch over the company. He'll be fine. As for you, you should be excited for the next adventure you're taking."

Lyra tried to grab the bottle back, but Pepper pushed it aside as she took a seat closer to Lyra. Lyra leaned her head on Pepper's shoulder as Pepper grabbed her hand. They sat in silence for a few moments until Lyra sighed.

"You think I'll be all right?"

"I know so, honey," Pepper said honestly.

"You know, you're my best friend," Lyra said absentmindedly.

Pepper smiled softly. "How much have you had to drink?"

"A cup or two in the lab. Tony was working... trying to ignore the fact that I'm leaving," she said with a snort. "I'm serious."

Pepper laughed. "Yes, well, you and Tony are all I have as well. I suppose you can say you're my best friend."

"I'm lucky to have you," Lyra said softly as there was a knock on the door. Jarvis unlocked it when Rhodey called out his name, and the man walked in to see the two women cuddled together. He rose a quizzical brow just as Tony walked up from the lab.

"Oh, no," Tony said dramatically, "did I miss the hot make out session?"

Pepper threw the nearest pillow at him, causing a boisterous laugh to leave Tony's throat. He rose his hands in mock surrender as he gestured for Lyra to join him away from the two for a second.

He pulled her in for a hug with a sigh. "If this Barton sends you home with another scratch, he'll meet Iron Man very soon."

Lyra snorted as she tightened her hold on him. "You're so irritating."

"Ah, but you love it," he said with a wink when she backed away. He kissed her once then twice before leaving a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Take care of her Rhodey."

"You know it," Rhodey said as he grabbed Lyra's bag. "We should go."

Tony pinched her butt as she turned to leave causing her to smack his arm with a grin teasing on her lips. He just shrugged as if to say it was right there. With a final wave to Pepper, she followed Rhodey out of the mansion.