Legend

Domesticity rules

Work went better the next day since I wasn't operating a fog of tiredness. Hestia had indeed slept on Damian's bed.  I smirked when I went up before going to work. Poor boy was tired, but he could rest. A small desk, computer, and desk chair had been delivered to the lab, and I moved it into a corner, the only clear space for it. But not to fear for Madison; one of the walls was the expansive windows that overlooked the city, so she shouldn't feel banished. When she showed up, we had a chat about her work days--Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school, so she'd be leaving at the same time I did. HR had checked her references and she seemed like a good kid, but Tony was a little concerned about industrial espionage in all of his labs and a new camera was installed that specifically focused on her desk. Her computer access was restricted to what she needed to do her job, naturally, and like every computer except for maybe Tony's had tracking software installed. This provided protection for both the employee and the company.

Tony came down to discuss the preliminary data we had from our first tests using natural versus artificial light, then asked about my new idea. He nodded and told me to continue the research. "It's a real opportunity for you to put your stamp on the work," he said. "Besides, if I take charge you'll get dependent on me. I won't be around forever, you know."

"Did you get bad news at your physical?" I asked, worried. He'd bitched about his annual exam so much you'd thought they were actually going to take him apart and examine him inch by inch.

"No, I'm healthy as can be--for my age." He sighed, and with shock I noted that he was starting to look his age. He usually hid it with his vitality and forceful personality. "But it's come to my attention that I'm going to have to cut back on Iron Man. I can't take as much G force as I used to, and there's only so much the suits can do." I nodded, remembering trying to compensate for Colonel Rhodes' injuries. "Pisses me off," he muttered, kicking the partners' desk.

"Cutting back on Iron Man doesn't mean that you have to stop leading the Avengers," I said.

"Couldn't if I wanted to, there's nobody who can take my place. Pete's learning how to run the business, he hasn't got time to learn how to run the Avengers too. Barnes is out of fieldwork anyway, and he's older than dirt, we need somebody younger. He still can't get over the Dodgers moving from Brooklyn." He snorted. "We need strong leadership now more than ever, with interstellar threats as well as the human idiots. It's just that I don't like this long slide into decrepitude."

I laughed, irritating him. "Bucky understands why the team was relocated," I said with affection. "He just doesn't like it. It's a sentimental thing for him. You're hardly decrepit," I told him with a measure of fond exasperation. Somehow Tony had achieved a measure of friendly affection. "You're just going to have to work smarter, not physically."

"I hate it when you're right," he said moodily. We sat across from each other at the enormous desk and chatted awhile. He wasn't unguarded, he never let down his guard completely as far as I knew, but he did relax more than I'd ever seen him. We talked science for awhile, both our projects as well as other stuff, and some slightly more personal things as well. When he left for a meeting, he'd recovered his usual rocket-like momentum and I wondered if he had anybody just to talk to. Scuttlebutt said that he used to be attracted to Emma, but since she'd married my uncle, his interest had faded. Not in her cooking, though; he'd talked her into stocking his very own cookie jar, which he kept in his private office rather than the lab. And the three of them worked closely together in the business as well as the Avengers, but somehow I couldn't see him and Bucky just sitting down over beers, just shooting the shit. Or Emma, for that matter. She didn't just hang out much either. She almost always had a purpose. I shook my head and pulled out my knitting. I was making a light sweater, nothing really complicated, but I found it helped to keep my hands busy while my mind thought about other plans.