Behind Closed Doors
Chapter Summary: With the Stark Tower undergoing massive repairs after the damage from the invasion, Tony overworks Jarvis to the point of noticing something off about the alleged supercomputer. [TonyxJarvis]
Note: Happens around the same timeline as 'Re-crossing Paths', but a little earlier.
Note 2: Our muse for Jarvis here (yeah, he's not actually a supercomputer nor a butler) is Johnny Depp.
A/N: Yo, Shoutaro here! This is the second part of our Avengers collaborative stories, so if you wanna keep updated on any new pairs we'll be publishing, go ahead and put us on Author Alert. We're pleased with all the faves and story alerts so far, so thanks for those. Philip will be happy for sure. Look forward especially to the upcoming ThorxLoki fic Philip will be writing soon too!
As for this fic in particular, if you like it so far don't hesitate to review and give us your thoughts!
"Jarvis, where are we at with the repairs?" Tony Stark asked from his desk, looking over some files on his holographic computer.
"Repairs are at 80% completion sir," Jarvis' computer voice reported.
"Glad to hear. Keep me posted. I wanna get started on our next big project once we're back at full capacity," Tony instructed.
Jarvis unintentionally groaned through the mic before saying, "Of course sir."
Making sure it went unnoticed, Tony looked around for a moment, sweeping the entire floor. "...Did I just hear you groan Jarvis? 'Cause I know that wasn't me," Tony asked in confirmation.
There was a distinct pause that never happened. "You must be mistaken sir," came the reply.
Tony had slowly risen from his chair and started looking around, trying to pinpoint a location along the wall that would give way to a room of some kind. "You sure?" he prodded.
"Of course sir," Jarvis replied smoothly, though there was now an obvious tone of irritation that he was trying hard to mask, and easily failed in doing so.
"Uh, I beg to differ," Tony retorted, moving towards a certain panel along the wall where he noticed the light switch held a small, hidden button that he reached out for and pressed. With a whir, a hidden door slid aside as Tony found himself looking at a man monitoring several monitors and keyboards with an earpiece lodged in his right ear.
The man was too preoccupied, having muted his mic as he mumbled incoherent ramblings as his fingers typed rapid commands to his droids that were taking care of the repairs.
Tony wondered for a moment before turning away from the little room and said, "Remind me how you plan to clean up the mess, Jarvis?"
"With the help of the droids sir. Naturally," Jarvis answered, his voice layered over with its usual computer voice. He was completely oblivious to his boss watching his every move.
Tony was going to change that very quickly. Raising a hand, he cleared his throat loudly, hoping that it would get his computer's attention.
The sound of rapid typing halted before Jarvis wheeled around and locked gazes with Tony. Jarvis wore glasses that he otherwise awkwardly adjusted sitting on the bridge of his nose. Not to mention his hair was an absolute mess. So much awkwardness.
"So you weren't a supercomputer," Tony pointed out. Funnily enough, it was far from a question. In fact, it even resembled a statement. Something Jarvis was not hoping for.
"Hello sir," Jarvis greeted, showing signs of nervousness.
Tony stared at him a few moments more before he reached out and grabbed Jarvis by the arm. Just for a touch. "Get out here," the billionaire insisted.
Jarvis was adamant and resisted. "I prefer staying here," he pointed out.
"Don't be silly. The last thing I want is be accused of keeping someone locked up in a confined space," Tony chided.
"You haven't, so you are innocent of all charges," Jarvis answered pointedly.
"Okay, seeing you talk and hearing the computer voice? Totally sucks. Turn the morpher off," Tony instructed.
"I prefer my voice be masked," Jarvis reasoned out, reaching a hand up and attempted to tame his otherwise wild hair.
Tony was not having any of it and reached out and found just the button. "Why? So you have something to hide behind?" The CEO pressed the button and the blue light from the earpiece finally dimmed to null. "Or maybe... You don't want me recognizing you?"
Jarvis' frown at this was very evident. He did not approve of Tony's robust methods in getting someone to confess things to him; at least when it came to Jarvis personally. Otherwise, he was more than happy to be of assistance. "Am I to imply that you-"
"Finally remembered after all these years?" Tony interjected with a small smirk.
Damn him. Tony was too smart for his own good. Jarvis was peeved about it more often than not. But he had learned to keep himself from showing it.
"Jarvis Denver," Tony suddenly said, snapping Jarvis out of his thoughts once more. How the philanthropist managed this feat so many times was beyond comprehension for even Jarvis.
"Yes, that's my name sir," Jarvis confirmed.
Tony wasted no more time and took Jarvis by the wrist and promptly pulled him from his confined space and out into the open. "How can you sit there for hours and-"
"Weeks," Jarvis cut in immediately.
"...Weeks and not stretch your legs even just a bit?" Tony finished.
"Because I grew accustomed to it," Jarvis answered simply. "Naturally, you wouldn't prefer this response."
"Hell yeah," Tony agreed unforgivingly. "Especially since I had a big crush on you back in university," Iron Man admitted point-blank, giving Jarvis a cool mix of seriousness and snarky in his facial expression. Regardless, this was Tony Stark.
"If I recall, I was the one with the infatuation sir," Jarvis corrected.
"Okay, you know what? I don't wanna hear you calling me 'sir'. That's for all the formal stuff, but it's only us here so let loose would ya?" Tony complained.
Jarvis frowned. Tony was asking for too many adjustments. "I-I'll try s-Tony," he replied with an accompanying sigh.
Oblivious to this sigh, Tony nodded and pulled Jarvis off towards his bedroom. "You're taking a nap," he instructed.
"But the repairs-"
"Are being done by the bots you already put on auto-pilot," Tony cut in pointedly, kicking the door open. "Get inside."
"But that's your room."
"And I have a big bed, so no complaints," Tony fired back smoothly, dragging Jarvis towards the bed and pushed him onto the soft mattress.
Jarvis was unsure when he had last experienced something this soft. If anything, he gave out a sigh of approval and found a more comfortable position. Before he could though, he felt another body plummet onto the bed beside him as he turned and saw Tony there, already with his eyes closed and out like a light, snoring soundly.
For a while, it actually amused him that Tony had kept himself awake long enough to drag Jarvis back to bed with him. Realistically speaking, Jarvis would normally try to wriggle and slither back into the hole he came from, but something about Tony's arms wrapping over him and the hot breath that came through Tony's steady breathing on his neck was both reassuring and relaxing. Instantly, the annoyance he had felt prior to Tony's discovery of him had vanished, and all he had left was the fatigue and the unsung appreciation he wanted to impart to his benefactor.
'In time I hope I can refer to him as more than just that... Into something that we can be,' Jarvis thought blissfully to himself. But he wouldn't dare rush anything. This WAS Tony Stark, after all. Jarvis could afford withholding his intentions of jumping his employer until the childish genius was ready.
