Behind the mask [Discontinued]

Prologue

New York City, 2012

The first flakes of snow began to descend upon the busy streets of New York, forming a protective white blanket over anything it touched. A cold winter breeze whipped around Stark Tower, bright beaming lights shining out into the velvety darkness as Tony Stark lowered himself carefully onto the edge of the roof. For everyone else, snow was a dream this time of year but for Tony, it was messing up his schedule. The loud clunking of metal rang out, the ground beneath Tony's feet parting just as machinery ascended from deep within the tower.

Just as he began to make his way down the small steps, a voice rang out within his helmet. "Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line." echoed Jarvis, Tony's AI. With one simple roll of his eyes and an aggravated sigh, Tony removed his helmet before it was tossed deeper into the tower by another piece of machinery.

"I'm not in," Tony argues, his voice rich even when he stumbles upon a piece of discarded metal, quickly kicking it to the side before continuing on his course for the door. Once he's about halfway there, a larger robot arm, Dum-E, reaches for his chest where his Iron-Man suit still sits, pulling it away and folding it until it's in a small, compact box. "I'm actually out." A small chuckle comes from his sarcastic voice when he reaches for the small earpiece within his left ear, pulling it away and tossing it to the floor.

"Sir, I'm afraid he's insisting," shouts Jarvis from the earpiece on the floor. Ignoring his AI's pleas for him to answer the agent, Tony steps on the earpiece, crushing the wires beneath his foot as he wiggles it in place. As he reaches the large glass doors, he pauses a second and takes a deep breath. Finally, no interruptions. No agents.  Nothing but him and Pepper. Actually speaking of Pepper, he wondered if she'd finished decorating yet. After all, Christmas was only in a few days and Tony needed to beat Justin Hammer's decorations this year. If Justin had the best-decorated house two years in a row then Tony would never hear the end of it.

Pushing open the double doors, Tony steps inside the tower, warm air and the smell of hot cocoa washing over him almost instantly. He made his way further into the tower,  his eyes landing upon a rather large gingerbread house that sat upon the coffee table in the center of the room before they landed upon the Christmas tree. Standing at a good seven-foot-tall, red and white baubles hung from authentic pine branches that glistened with small sparkling lights as bright as the stars outside.

"Well, that's the last of the decorations up."

Glancing to the left of the tree, Tony noticed a ladder leaning against the back wall, a petit redhead clambering back down it. A smirk blossomed onto his face as he began making his way over to her, tossing his keys onto the coffee table, careful not to break the gingerbread house which he really hoped was authentic gingerbread. Being Iron-Man was making him really hungry.

"They look amazing Miss Potts," he compliments, smiling down at Pepper who beams back up at him. Small freckles dance across her nose, two deep blue eyes sparkling back at him. Her cheeks flushed a light pink as Tony planted a quick kiss on her soft cheek, her stomach bursting into butterflies despite the number of times he'd done that before. "Did you have fun putting them up?" he asks innocently, reaching behind her and grasping her cup of steaming hot cocoa from upon a small bench before taking a gulp of it. Hot liquid burns his throat a small hiss coming from him as he pulls the cup away and hands it back to Pepper.