Pepper Potts stepped into the sleek, dimly lit expanse of Tony Stark's home and halted, her brow immediately knitting at the sight before her.
A giant stuffed rabbit—easily six feet tall—stood absurdly near the entrance like a wooly sentinel. She blinked at it, stunned.
"I'm sorry I'm late, I was... wait, what the hell is that?" she murmured aloud, stepping around the rabbit with caution, like it might suddenly hop to life.
Her eyes found Tony sitting motionless on the couch—well, more accurately, the Iron Man suit was sitting on the couch.
"You're wearing this in the house now?" she asked, incredulous. "What is that—Mark 15?"
The helmet turned toward her slowly.
"Uh... yeah," Tony's voice crackled through the modulator. "Something like that. Y'know, everyone needs a hobby." His hand waved casually toward the hallway. "Rhiley's here. Passed out in the guest room. Sleeping like an angel."
Pepper's frown deepened. "She left the office fast. Seemed shaken." Then she narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "You're changing the subject. Are we really just ignoring the fact you're sitting in full armor in the living room?"
Tony rose from the couch and stretched like he'd just climbed out of bed. "Just breaking it in. Always a little pinchy in the gooey bag."
He shook his hips playfully. Pepper groaned, but the corner of her mouth twitched.
"Oh, did you get your Christmas present?" he asked brightly.
"Hard to miss the six-foot mutant rabbit outside," she replied, stepping forward. "Is it going to fit through the door?"
"Well, funny story—I got a team coming tomorrow to blow out that wall," Tony said with a wink.
Pepper sighed. "Of course you do."
Tony stepped behind her, hands reaching up to massage her shoulders gently. "Tense day?"
She let out a soft breath, letting herself relax for a moment.
"Ooh, shoulders a little knotty," Tony continued. "Naughty girl. So—real talk. Did I nail it with the rabbit?"
Pepper turned to face him, smirking. "It's... the thought that counts. Thank you."
They were close now. Her eyes flicked to the helmet.
"So, why don't you lift up the faceplate and give me a kiss?"
Tony hesitated. "Yeeeah... no can do. You could kiss it on the... facial slit?"
"I'll go grab a crowbar and shimmy it open myself," she said sweetly, walking toward the stairs to the lab.
"Wait! Radiation leak!" Tony called after her. "You probably shouldn't—"
"I'll take my chances."
"Could at least get you a suit or something!" he added helplessly.
But she was already halfway down the stairs when she stopped in her tracks.
There was Tony—in his tank top, mid-pull-up—sweating and very much not in the suit.
She turned slowly to look at the armor standing just behind her, its mechanical face staring blankly.
"This is a new level of lame," she said flatly.
"Busted," Tony replied with an apologetic shrug.
Her eyes moved to the half-empty tray of food in the corner.
YOU ARE READING
Radioactive | Bucky Barnes
Fanfiction"I want to go back to the time you first told me your name." Rhiley, the twin sister of Howard Stark, finds herself wrapped up with the one and only James Barnes. The next time she sees him is on her new assignment with the 107th Infantry Regiment...
