Chapter One:

She is going to kill me. She is going to worry. She is going to say that I was being stupid, which I was. I was being very dumb, but I was also being my usual self. The Avengers and I were on some stupid SHEILD mission that Fury sent us on. Birdbrain and Widow were breaking into some computers for some information while Brucy, Steve, Thor, and I were causing some big ass distraction.

All was join great until I decided to face one hundred people by myself. On a usual day, that would have been fine. On a day in which my armour was working perfectly, that would have been fine. But of course, my armour was not working perfectly. Just my freaking luck. JARVIS was working, but for some reason, my voice wasn't going through the mask, so I couldn't talk. I couldn't piss my enemies off to make them so blood thirsty that they were not cautious.

So I decided to take off my helmet and speak with them. I was halfway through my first sentence, when one of the enemies threw a bomb at my face. I was able to move my head away at the last second, but that didn't stop it from still hitting me. My shoulder took all of the impact and so as I threw my helmet back on, I killed all of them with one working armour arm. I didn't realise until after Bruce told me I wasn't injured by the bomb in my arm, and after I arrived at my California house that I share with Pepper, that I realised I can't hear anymore.

There was a lot of ringing when Bruce was checking me out, but now I hear nothing. Pepper is not going to be very happy with me. But I know she will want me to tell her. I take out a piece of paper and on it I write, JARVIS: start new file. Labeled Iron Ears. If I am correct, which I usually am. And i did indeed lose my hearing completely, than I need to find a way to fix it without too many people knowing.

I smile briefly, thanking my luck that Pepper is away on a business meeting and that I have the next three days off to try and make something that allows me to hear. Not only do I not want my team or the press to know, I also don't want SHEILD or my enemies to know. I do not want to have another weakness, because that is something that I can't deal with. I don't want Pepper to worry about me, so I just have to hope that I can create a working hearing aid before she returns in three days.

The next day, after I wake up, I realise how late it is. I open my mouth and say, "JARVIS why didn't you wake me up before four in the afternoon? We have a lot of work to do." But I don't hear anything that I just sigh. Then I remember what happened yesterday. My ears, the bomb, the new project I am officially starting today. Last night, before bed I had JARVIS download some new data.

Last night, I realised that I have three options. The first option is to create a pair of glasses in which JARVIS can see and hear out of and then connect them to a hearing aid so I can hear what he sees and hears. The second option is to create an attachable hearing aid, so I can just put it in my ear when I need it. If I make is strong enough and with JARVIS' help, I should be able to hear everything said. The third option was to just tell everyone that I can't hear shit.

I decided to chose option two since, option one would make me have to explain why I don't just wear contacts. The biggest issue with option two, is that I don't want to get surgery. That in of its self, makes this whole thing a hell of a lot more complicated. While JARVIS orders me two pizzas, I try to come up with an idea. In the end, I decide to create a new Mini BTE hearing aid (behind the ear). This way, I can take them off. (The hardest part of losing your hearing in both ears)

I spend the entire day creating the digital chip for the hearing aids, making sure that JARVIS can access it at all times. The only issue with this set up, is that JARVIS will be the only voice I actually hear, he will just translate everything for me. I spend the next day, creating a very, very small arc reactor so I don't need a battery in the hear aids. I don't sleep that night as I need to finish the hearing aids ASAP. When I do finish, I have JARVIS run some tests on them while I shower. After I finish my shower, I watch another video on how to read lips before putting in the new hearing aids.

"Check JARVIS, check." I mutter, surprised when this actually works.

"Does it work sir?" JARVIS asks and I grin.

"Yes it does. Now JARVIS just some ground rules."

"And what are those sir?" He asks.

"First off no mentioning this to anyone. Not SHEILD, not the Avengers, not Rhodes, and defiantly not Pepper."

"Why not sir?"

"Because that is an order, do not break it, or I will hurt you."

"Yes sir."

"Second off, anything that anyone says in the room you repeat to me in my head until I can update the devise enough to hear for myself. Third, you tell me when people arrive in a room, because I can't hear that ether. Four, you only repeat things into this ear piece, no one else hears it. Got it J?"

"Yes sir." My faithful AI tells me. I start drawing some more plans for updates when JARVIS alerts me, "Sir, Happy has just dropped Pepper at the front door. She seems stress about something."

What on Earth could be bothering her? I stand up and hide my update information before making my way up the stairs. When I reach the top of the stairs, I see Pepper glaring at me, clearly she was about to come downstairs. "Hello." I breath calmly, hugging my girlfriend to my side.

"What the hell Tony?" She asks, and I blink shocked.

"What did I do?" I ask.

"You didn't answer any of my phone calls. Bruce called after the mission and said that you have a bad bruise on your shoulder but other than that you are fine. So I decided to call the house on repeat to try and contact you. I must have left twenty messages, do you know how much you scared me?" A tear runs down her cheek and wets my shirt slightly.

"Sorry, I was REALLY tired and busy in the workshop. You know how loud my music is in the workshop, I didn't hear you call." I say, only half lying.

"Did JARVIS not tell you?" She questions.

"No. He didn't." I say, glaring at the ceiling.

"Sorry Sir." JARVIS says so Pepper too can hear it.

Pepper hugs me closer before heading off into the kitchen to make dinner for us. I smile, before following after her. I am happy that she now doesn't need to worry about me.

REVIEW?