Behind the mask [Discontinued]

Chapter 1

Malibu - California, 2018

A gentle summer breeze curves its way around Stark's mansion. The sun shines brightly in the blue sky, only the faintest clouds visible to those below. In the front garden of the mansion, Tony Stark and Pepper Potts enjoy the chirping of the birds as they lay back and make the most of the heat. The past summer hadn't been kind to the pair, rain hammering down on their roof almost every day making the pair wish they'd gone to France with their daughter. Pepper, who was admiring her artwork, took a sip of her glass of bubbling wine just when Tony leaned backward in his chair and sighed loudly.

After placing her glass back down carefully, Pepper raises her eyebrow at her partner and waits patiently for him to stop his huffing. When another sigh comes from his lips, she drops her paintbrush in the small cup of water, briefly swirling it without taking her eyes off Tony. "Okay, that is the third time you've sighed in the past ten minutes, Tony." Her voice is agitated despite the calm expression that washes over her face. The level of patience she has when it comes to Tony is somewhat spectacular. Sighing again just for effect, Tony crosses his arms tightly across his chest and pouts. "What's happened?" Pepper asks him, drying her paintbrush off on a small square of paper before continuing with her painting.

"I just..." Tony's voice trails off whilst he contemplates whether to tell Pepper the truth or not. Deciding it's best to be honest, Tony leans forwards until his elbows are resting on his knees. "I don't know how to please that girl." He rubs the bridge of his nose between his forefingers, closing his eyes against the headache that nurses within his skull. "I've given her money and clothes. I've bought her jewelry and a car. I've put an expensive roof over her head and then she turns around and has the audacity to tell me that she'd rather go to high school than have any of that." By the time he's finished ranting, Tony's voice has risen to a volume so loud that even the neighbors could hear him. And there's none of those for a good few miles.

Sensing her partner's frustration, Pepper leans over to his side and, using her only clean hand, gently rubs his shoulder soothingly. Tony grasps her hand, holding it tightly and shaking his head over and over. "Feel better now?" Pepper asks him. Tony drops his hand from his head, pouting slightly before shaking his head at Pepper. "What did you expect?" Pepper laughs lightly, placing her brush in the green paint before coating it on the painting of their garden in front of her. "Kay can't stay young forever Tony. She's a teenager now and wants her independence so we have to respect that."

"I know and I fully respect that. When I was a teenager I was a nightmare and I hated how my parents wouldn't give me my space I just..." His voice trailing off, Tony grabs his glass of Scotch before taking a large sip. Once he's slammed it back down on the table with a clatter, Tony collapses back into his chair once again. "I don't want my kid to go to high school."

A soft chuckle comes from his left before he turns to see Pepper raising her eyebrows at his yet again. He knew he was being dramatic, I mean, c'mon it's Tony we're talking about. He's always dramatic but this time, at least he had a valid reason to be. "Oh come on Tony it could be a lot worse." Pepper places her brush back into her paint pot and turns her body to face Tony head-on. She carefully reaches across to his shoulders before massaging them gently in an attempt to release the tension built up in them. "Kay could be staying out partying all night or she could want to bring a date back to the house."