You spent hours underneath his lab in the one he built for you, just looking over everything and examining the suits, but barely touching anything. There was a smaller, wheeled machine that whirred curiously now and then – you're sure you heard the squeaks of it moving, but every time you whipped your attention to it, it was unmoving. But always in a slightly different position. It scared you the first time you thought your mind was playing tricks on you, but now you felt a comfort in it, and oddly, it made you smile.
You had texted Peter and Kate, giving them the short story sum up of what had gone down, and they both wished to be with you, but you knew Peter was supposed to be at work soon and Kate's message sounded more...you called her. You didn't even finish reading her text before you were pressing the call button.
"Hey! You called!" She greeted cheerfully, surprised to say the least, and you smiled widely, putting down whatever you were holding was called – not like wrenches were lying around to tinker with this stuff.
"Yeah, 'course," You assured, smile evident in your voice, "You sounded upset, you know, as much as I could pick up tone-wise in a text message," You heard her chuckle and your heart smiled, matching your expression, "Everything okay?"
"Just miss you." She hummed shyly.
"I miss you too," You didn't even realize how late it was until you heard her trying to stifle a yawn and you grimaced, "'m sorry, but I won't be coming back tonight."
"I figured," She brushed it off, "But how's everything going? How're you holding up?"
"'m better," You told her honestly, "Pepper's gone, so it feels...good. Feels better. Overwhelming as hell, but yeah. Managing."
"You said you found a...place?" She chose the word carefully and you smirked, glancing around the room from where you stood.
"Yeah, I'd say so."
"What's it like? You said it's yours? How do you know?" She rushed her questions like she was afraid you'd hang up all too soon before she got the answers and you smiled at her eagerness, knowing you wouldn't leave her hanging like that.
"It's big," You laughed breathlessly, letting the overwhelming capacity of the place settle into your bones for a moment, "It's...yeah, I mean, Kate, to be honest, it's insane. I can't wait for you to see it for yourself – oh! And I met some avengers earlier."
"You did?? That's so cool, what were – wait," She stopped herself abruptly and you frowned before she asked quietly, "You'd show me?"
"Yeah, 'course." You told her like it was obvious, because to you, it was.
Soon after that, you guys wished each other a good night and hung up, but you were still feeling restless. You decided to go out for a bite to eat or just to get some fresh air, so you climbed back up the ladder where Happy disappeared a couple of hours ago – thank the gods there's a bathroom down here and made your way out of the lab. You found it kind of funny that your lab was stowed away under his, but it made you feel comforted too. Your lab. Weird.
You pulled up Google Maps on your phone to try and find something that was still open as you stepped out of the building, hardly registering the car stopping in front of the building. People were coming and going constantly throughout the day and less in the night, but it still didn't faze you in the slightest. The sound of the window rolling down in front of your eyeline is what made you lift your attention to it and widen your eyes with a massive grin nearly splitting your face – running over immediately.
"Miss, I just have to say," She smirked, but her smile overtook her features, letting the façade drop even as she finished it, "You have the most beautiful smile."
"Babycakes!" You cheered and she chuckled breathlessly as you climbed inside the window to straddle her lap ungracefully.
She beamed up at you in amusement as you slouched over slightly and her hands went to your thighs as you played with the collar of her shirt before your hands snuck behind her neck, pulling her into a needy kiss. She immediately kissed you back, running her hands up your thighs to your hips, but the moment someone next to her cleared their throat, she was back to resting her paws on your legs again, pulling away from the kiss with a dark blush.
"I'm here too." Peter grumbled sassily from the driver's side, and you grinned at him cheekily.
"Yeah, totally noticed you," You lied, and he gaped at you in offense when you added, "Just didn't care that much if you watched."
"Love." Kate groaned, hiding her face by turning towards your arm nearest the window and nuzzling into it, pressing kisses there.
"I can't believe you guys came, what – how did you even-?"
"Hang on, lemme park." Peter told you distractedly when a car behind him honked their horn, and he didn't wait for you to sit in a safer position or anything before he was driving towards the parking garage.
"We brought burgers." Kate told you excitedly, looking absolutely adorable as she grinned proudly, and you kissed her again because you had to in that moment.
He parked the car, and you dragged them inside, right into the lab and for whatever reason, you immediately took them down into the hatch – creepy? Sure. But you were excited.
Kate looked completely baffled as she looked around with wide, bright eyes, and you watched her with a swell in your chest as you tore into a burger, but you couldn't ignore Peter as he started to tear up.
"Hey, you okay?" You asked softly, tugging gently at his sleeve to pull his attention to you.
"Yeah, um," He cleared his throat, rubbing lightly at his nose, but keeping his tears at bay, "It's just...a lot," He offered you a smile, but his chin was wobbly, "He meant so much to – uh, to everyone and it's good. It's good he has you to carry this. You're going to, right?" He asked, sounding hopeful, "You're going to be the next Iron Man? It's why he left this for you, right?"
"Yeah." You smiled, feeling it all at once for about the hundredth time that day, and he let out a sigh of relief.
"Good," He sounded confident and steady now, "You're perfect for it."
"Dunno about that," You huffed with a smile, "Think I'm probably the last person he should've chosen for this, to be honest."
"And that's why you'll do great." He whispered, mostly to himself, proudly, and then smiled knowingly as he glanced around the room again.
"Agreed." Kate smirked, just as proud, and you scrunched your nose up with a sniff, trying not to grin back too widely as you felt the warmth soar through you – only more so when she hugged your side, giving you a quick peck on the cheek.
"Aw, you're a couple of cheesy bastards," You cooed teasingly, waving them over, "Come on, bring it in, let's do this – it's been a long day."
They chuckled, moving to crowd your front, and you grabbed them into a hug, not knowing Peter had a three person hug like this not that long ago with his brothers, in the position you were right now, but now he had his sisters – that were dating – it's complicated, but you get it. And Kate, who's lost so much, having her mom betray her so truly, but she now had a girl she cared for so deeply and a boy who was quickly becoming one of her best friends. With all the shit you went through growing up with a mother who used you for her own vendetta, spending years believing you had a father who was the world's hero but wanted nothing to do with you, and finally getting the truth with your best friend and the girl you've fallen for by your side. Yeah, you knew deep down everything would turn out okay.
Because you guys were a kick ass, unstoppable trio.
