𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 [𝖙•𝖘] [𝖎𝖒 - 𝖊𝖓𝖌]

²³. 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑠

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

DARK covered the entire cliffside of the former Stark residence, several hours passing after the sudden attack from the Mandarin. Firefighters and policemen were investigating on the case and walked through the rubble of the mansion, searching for any surviving belongings but found no sign of Tony Stark anywhere. Reporters were piling themselves around the entrance of the home, some focused more on covering the attack, and others more concerned on asking (Y/N) about what happened.

Pepper arrived at the scene not too long after the house had collapsed entirely, sprinting in her heels just to find (Y/N) emotionless, staring at the mansion dead in the eyes. When the blonde had approached her, the sound of the heels clicking against the floor had alerted (Y/N) and she nearly blasted her off if Pepper hadn't shrieked in time to announce who she was. It didn't take long after Pepper pulled her away from the harassing reporters and stayed by her side.

" — Is there no sign of him at all?" Pepper questioned one police officer after he'd done a whole inspection in the rubble. The officer shook his head in dismissal. "Not even those suits of his?"

The police officer opened his mouth to voice his thoughts but (Y/N) didn't want to be part of that conversation, already feeling the tension on her shoulders after what happened. She didn't want to move from her spot, but the curiosity got the best of her and her own two feet carried her into the rubble.

Burnt furniture and decor was thrown all over the mansion floor, and (Y/N) didn't want to admit that she searched for that humongous Christmas rabbit that Tony had gifted her. She should've told him that she appreciated it very deeply before it was too late. She avoided the police that were taking pictures and records from the remains of the mansion, and during that process she spotted something by the edge of her feet.

She reached down and picked it up, recognizing it before it got too close to her eyes. It was the helmet of one of his suits, the familiar red and gold colors weakly shining through. (Y/N) felt it heavy in her hands, not because of its actual weight, but because of how she'd probably never see him underneath the mask ever again.

As she cradled the helmet in her hands, she noticed a faint red light shining on and off from the inside of it, as if it was calling out to someone to put in on. (Y/N) was hesitant at first, but she turned it around in her hands and placed it over her head. Her eyes blinked a couple times to adjust herself to the helmet and several lights turned on, one shining in her right eye and two small holograms placed in front of her to see.

"Stark secure server," a female AI voice rang through her ears. "Retinal scan verified."

(Y/N) didn't have time to voice her confusion because another voice appeared and it caught her completely off guard. "(Y/N), it's me."