The Tale of Two Coulsons

5.

Chapter Five:

Meanwhile, at Stark Tower...

Tony was in the Hudson River, connecting the powerline of Stark Tower to his self-sustaining arc-reactor. If successful, he would be the only name in clean energy, (plus the electricity bills would be completely demolished.)

He placed the connector on the pipe. "Good to go on this end, the rest is up to you." He said to his girlfriend before shooting out of the water. 

"You disconnected the transmission lines? Are we off the grid?" Came Pepper Potts' voice from his HUD monitor.

"Stark Tower is about to become a beacon of self-sustaining clean energy." Tony reassured her.

"Well, assuming the arc-reactor takes over and it actually works." 

"I assume. Light 'er up."

A moment later and the lights began to turn on, stronger than ever. On the side of the Tower, 'STARK' was lit up in a bright blue, telling everyone who owned that building.

"How does it look? " Pepper asked.

"Like Christmas, but with more... me."

"We've got to go wider on the public awareness campaign, you need to do some press. I'm in D.C tomorrow, I'm working on the zoning for next three buildings-"

"Pepper," Tony interrupted her rambling. "You're killing me, the moment, remember? Enjoy it."

"Get in here and I will."

Tony landed on the platform outside his penthouse and slowly walked along it, allowing J.A.R.V.I.S to disconnect the suit from his body. 

"Sir, Agent Coulson of SHIELD is on the line."

"I'm not in. I'm actually out." Technically, he was correct, he wasn't indoors, but his comment didn't deter Agent Coulson, who persisted.

"Sir, I'm afraid he's insisting."

"Grow a spine, J.A.R.V.I.S. I got a date."

He walked off the platform and into his apartment. Pepper was reading the energy reading of the tower. "Levels are holding steady. I think." She announced.

"Of course they are. I was directly involved, which brings me onto my next question; how does it feel to be a genius?"

"Well, ha, I wouldn't really know anything about that, would I?"

Tony looked at her, confused. "What do you mean? All of this came you."

"No, all of this came from this." She tapped on the arc-reactor.

"Give yourself some credit. Please, Stark Tower is your baby, give yourself twelve percent of credit."

"Twelve percent?" She raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"An arguement can be made for fifteen."

"Twelve percent? " Pepper repeated. "For my baby?!"

"Well, I did do all the heavy lifting. Literally, I lifted the heavy things, and these security snafu? That was on you?"

They walked over to the couch, where a battle of champagne sat in ice. Pepper rolled her eyes as she poured them both a glass.

"Oh-"

"My private elevator-"

"-You mean our  private elevator?-"

"-Was teeming with sweaty workmen. I'm going to pay for that comment about percentages in some subtle way later, aren't I?"