Disclaimer: I do not own the Marvel universe at all, kthnx.

Warnings: Men attracted to other men, arguments, Tony Stark's mouth (that should be a legitimate warning).

Author's Note: I am loving getting into different character's heads, learning how all the cogs work, then trying to get those cogs work on the page. And it is really rewarding when I can actually hear the character's voice narrating my words. It's… magical. Writing is magical.

BITTER SIRENS

PART I: PUTTING THE WORLD BACK TOGETHER

CHAPTER III: CONTROL

"We were wondering, Mr. Stark, if Stark Industries was going to foot any of the repair cost for Manhattan."

Tony stared down at the podium, pencil in hand. He finished drawing the curve of a wall, tilting his head to the side. The reporter cleared his throat, finally pulling his gaze back up.

Press conference. Right.

He really did not want to be doing this right now.

"It's not enough that I took a nuclear warhead that was aimed for Manhattan and flew it through an intergalactic portal, saving the city from being completely obliterated?" Tony let his gaze roll over the gathering, cameras flashing like strobes from all sides. He should be used to this by now. He had been. Right now, he really couldn't care less.

Tony looked back down at the small stacks of papers he had. Normally, this would all be digital. Normally, he wouldn't be completely ignoring a press conference—okay, maybe that was false—but they could not have picked a worse time.

"Sir, what happened to the war criminal who led the invasion?"

That brought his eyes back up again. A plain looking man in a brown suit had his hand raised. He was probably the one who'd asked. Thankfully, Tony had been prepared for that question.

"I am not at liberty to discuss that topic. Classified information." Tony forced a smile. "And would you look at that, time is up. Pack up everyone. Out. Out. Out." Tony waved, going back to his drawing.

0

"What are you working on?" Pepper kept one arm wrapped around her, the other holding up a fluted glass. She pressed her lips to the rim, but did not drink. Her cheeks were already dusted pink, a warm flush. She was glad she had already toed off her shoes and was wearing jean cut-off shorts, otherwise it would be entirely too warm in there.

Tony pushed his hands apart on the table-top screen, files unfurling under his touch. Sometimes she still marveled at how fast he could work with holographic images. She was still getting used to them. Even then, she preferred a phone in her hand, or an actual computer. Sometimes she wondered if Tony even knew what a normal computer looked like.

In a matter of moments, a 3-D hologram of the Stark Tower stood on the table. Pepper walked up beside him, looking down. The files spread out looked like floor diagrams, each of them slightly different.

"When did you become an expert in architectural design?" Pepper took a ship, nudging Tony with her hip. Despite that, he kept concentrated, picking out details here and there, turning them, spinning them, no doubt analyzing them before she could even get a good look at them. The neon lines were a little difficult to concentrate on.

"Making some modifications to the Tower."

"I noticed." Pepper reached out, grabbing one of the floors. It was nothing like the floor she remembered being there, but it did match one of the files. "What are these places?"

Tony grabbed the floor back from her, slotting it back into the whole.

Giggling, she swiped at the top of the tower, cleaving the whole R&D department off the display. Tony finally glanced up, brown eyes focusing on her.

"Press conferences don't normally get you this worked up."

"It wasn't the press conference." Tony frowned at the display, picking his penthouse off it and whisking it to the side. The floor beneath it matched another one of the files. That one had a hawk seal on it. It almost looked like the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo.

"Was it S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Pepper let out a little oops sound, pressing her fingers to her lips. "Not that I know anything about it."

Tony rolled his eyes. He reached out, sinking his fingers into the building. With a twist, he pulled the layers apart. They scattered, falling easily apart. It looked so easy, to pull send the tower flying into pieces. The wonders of technology.

Speaking of the wonders of technology, Tony didn't seem to be responding to anything but. Pepper put on her usual smile, tapping the edge of the glass against her lips. "Tony… I'll be in bed. It's late. So." She reached over, leaning as well. Tony didn't even turn.

Downing the rest of her glass, she set it down on the table, walking quickly away.

Tony didn't come to bed. He wasn't even in the penthouse in the morning. Figured.

0

The Tower was like a hive, a buzzing, writhing hive, and the coffee wasn't done brewing yet. Tony sagged against the counter, staring at the pot. Thick, dark coffee spilled into the carafe, but not nearly fast enough. He groaned, lowering his head to the counter with a thump.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents were everywhere. The construction zones, the offices, the labs, everywhere.

Tony grabbed the pot, yanking it out. The drip stopped, a few drops splashing on the heating pad. He slopped coffee in his mug and shoved the pot back in, the stream starting again. Tony took a rough gulp. It was dark and bitter. Exactly what he needed right now.

"Hello… Mr. Stark?"

Groaning, Tony turned his head. The man was wearing a black suit, pressed white shirt, and straight black tie. Tony glanced at his nametag, squinting. Couldn't make it out. Tony turned his face back to his coffee mug, slurping loudly from it.

"Sir, I am here on behalf of Director Fury."

Tony sighed. It was too early to deal with Nick Fury. It was too early to deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. and its agents. It was too early to be functioning, unless he was in his garage, at which point he probably wouldn't have slept at all, so it wasn't early, it was just time to work.

"What?" Tony knocked back the second half of his coffee back like a shot. That was a thought. There had to be whisky somewhere nearby.

"Director Fury would like to extend a formal thanks for allowing a S.H.I.E.L.D. field office to find its home in your tower." The man smiled. Tony rolled his eyes. "And he would like to thank you for the technological advancements you have given to S.H.I.E.L.D. over the past two years."

"He's paying me." Tony sloshed more coffee into his mug. He needed a bigger coffee pot. And a faster one.

"Yes, but—"

"No buts. Out." Tony tipped the mug back.

"Sir, I work here."

"That's nice." Tony downed the second cup. This wasn't even his record. He wouldn't be slacking, but the coffee pot couldn't keep up. It was starting to trickle. If JARVIS was hooked up to the coffee pot, this wouldn't be a problem. He should actually do that.

"Sir—"

"You know what, I'll leave." Tony dumped the last of the coffee in his mug the moment it stopped dripping, pushing himself up off the counter. "I can't concentrate with you here anyway."

The agent looked baffled, but didn't say anything else. That was good, because the caffeine was starting to hit his bloodstream. He could feel the synapses speeding up. It was glorious. Tony sauntered out, going straight to his private elevator—which was empty, thankfully—and punched up to his penthouse.

It looked like the perfect day to go on a flight. To Malibu. For a long time.