Iron Woman - Home?

Chapter 6

"Good," I replied, connecting a few wires. 

I had finished the entire torso by the time my first coffee mug was done. 

"Damn," I grumbled into my cup, before quietly going upstairs to make myself a new one.

There were some new rays of light from behind the Chrysler building, as I started the pot. The clock on the microwave read 4:50. 

It had really been 5 hours?! How slow was I moving!?

After taking a deep breath I realized how desperately I needed a shower - my coffee could wait.

I quietly went upstairs to my room, but the lights were already on. I stepped into the center of the room, just as Peter opened the door to the bathroom.

"Oh my God!" I exclaimed, turned away as I realized he only had a towel on.

"Sorry!" he exclaimed, closing the door. "One second!"

"Take your time!" I said, grabbing some trashy sweats and new underclothes. Peter's shirt was on my bed.

I'll admit that I flushed a little as I pictured him shirtless. I kinda wanted to see how muscular he really was... 

The door opened and I bit my lip a little. 

His abs and hips were so defined. Even wet his hair was cute. Scratch that. This kid was hot. H. O. T. And he was just as flushed as I was.

"Nice Iron Man pants," I commented, looking him up and down. I fought the smile tugging at my lips. I saw him relax into a faint laugh.

"Don't tell Mr. Stark," Peter requested.

"No promises," I teased. "But what are you going up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep," he said. I saw the papers on his bed.

"Couldn't or didn't?" I asked. 

He scratched the back of his head, and I knew the answer. We both laughed.

"Can I?" I asked, pointing to the bathroom.

"Uh yeah, sure," Peter said, moving out of the way.

"Thanks," I said, closing the door behind me. 

It was a quick rinse to get the grease stains and metal smell gone. I walked back out in sweats and my baggy t-shirt. I kept my combat boots on since I was going back to the lab.

Peter was working on something when I got out, my hair still a wet mop. I got an idea as I pulled my hair into a ponytail.

"Wanna help?" I offered.

"What?" he asked, looking up.

"Do. You. Want. To. Help. Me?" I asked, cutting my words.

"With what?" he asked.

"My suit," I told him. Peter stood up, clearly just a little eager.

"Are you sure?" he checked.

"Yeah," I said, waving for him to follow.

The elevator stopped at the main floor so Peter could get food and I could get coffee. But the second the door opened I smelt pancakes.

I hadn't had those since my aunt and uncle died. My stomach growled for them, and the memories of Christmas mornings with red and green pancakes burned in my mind. I shook my head out of the daze as Steve put them on plates.

"How long did you sleep?" Steve asked.

"Sleep? Never heard of him," I replied, sitting down and cutting my pancakes.

Parker smiled.

"Oh my God," I said, mouth half full. "These are amazing!"

"I'm glad," Steve laughed.

"Was the hammock ok, Mrs. Natasha?" Peter asked.

"Perfect, thank you," she replied.

The sun had come up all the way now at 6:15. Seriously? Where was time going? We ate our breakfasts and made small talk. After Peter was done, I took my coffee with us downstairs.

"Woah," Peter gaped as the doors opened.

"Pretty damn cool, right?" I said. I switched my playlist to the one with more modern songs, for Peter.

"Hey Cleo," he said, as she zoomed around our heads. "What can I do?" Peter asked.

"Ever use a welder?" I asked, putting my gear on.

"A small one in school," Peter said, "But I'm a fast learner!"

"Ok," I said, finding him a second set of gear.

"I'll connect the wires, and you wield the plates over them," I explained.

"Got it," Peter said, flipping down his visor.

I flipped mine down as well, and we set to work. I could sense the concentration under the welders mask, and I could see some of the muscles twitch under his shirt. Ok so maybe I stole a few glances in the two and a half hours we worked.

We were ¾ down the right arm when Cleo interrupted us.

"Ok you two cut the crap," she said out of the blue.

"What?" I asked, a bit shocked at her language.

"In the last two hours alone I've counted 31 stolen glances from the both of you!" Cleo said, as I flipped back my mask.

"Cleo do I need to clean your camera?" I teased.

The red peeking out from Peter's mask told me I didn't. My cheeks were a little warm too.

There was a quick moment of silence just before the monitor on my desk showed a call. I blessed the Gods and practically ran to answer it.

"Suit up," Tony spat out.

"Wait my new suit isn't done!" I protested.

"Can your old one fly?" he asked. I nodded.

"Do it's repulsors work?" Tony asked, and I nodded again.

"Then suit up," he said, cutting the line. I rolled my eyes.

*A/N*

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