A/N – Okay, chapter 3 up. As Miss America of the USA guessed correctly, there was a chapter where Tony's suit goes missing. And she also guess correct as to who the culprit is. Ah, but don't go look under the reviews to see who it is. Try to guess for yourselves.
Enjoy~
Chapter 3: Where's my suit!
"Where's my suit!" came a choked yelp from the elusive Stark room. "It's gone!"
Clint who happened to be walking that way ran into the door, tapping quickly for permission to enter. The doors slid open and there stood Tony. He gripped the empty case where he suit normally stood. Clint placed one hand on the man's shoulders. He was shaking. With worry.
"What happened?" Clint asked, all facts.
Tony shook his head. "I don't know. I left my suit in its depository box as always. Went for a half an hour stroll and then when I came back…my suit gone." Tony shuddered and stumbled. Clint helped the man into a seat and passed him some water.
"Firstly, calm down." Clint said sternly. "Panicking won't help."
"You're right." Tony said hurriedly, inhaling and exhaling as if his life depended on it.
"Now who had access to your room?" Clint asked.
Tony thought for a moment. "All the avengers and the high officials of SHIELD."
"And can they just put the suit on like that?" Clint continued. "I mean, doesn't Jarvis normally configure putting the suit on?"
Tony shook his head. "It used to be just me who could put on the suit, but now all the avengers can as well…" He pursed his lips. "Well except for Thor…he doesn't exactly fit."
"Okay. So let's say it was one of the avengers…that narrows it down a little." Clint mused. But then he realized it probably didn't. After all the Avengers were all roamers and could be anywhere from the Shwarma joint in Manhattan to his forty-fifth hideout in New Zealand. "I take that back."
They both sat in silence for a moment. Then Tony's brain clicked into action. "Of course!" he exclaimed.
Clint looked at him quizzically. "I have a tracker on my suit." He explained. And then he suddenly deflated. "Uh…but it broke. That's why I was wondering about base. To look for the spare parts I needed to repair it…"
Clint sighed. It seemed they had hit a dead end until suddenly there was a loud buzzing of chatter from outside. Curious, Clint popped his head out of the room and caught snatches of a conversation. "Did you hear-" "suit of armor" "Stark's suit" "Basement 4"
"Let's go Stark." Clint ordered. Tony scrambled to his feet, confused. "From the sounds of outside, someone spotted your suit walking about."
Tony's face brightened. The two men walked outside and Clint grabbed the shoulder of the woman who seemed to be gushing the news out. "Tell me what you know." He ordered her.
Everyone fell silent immediately. They always did that when the Hawk was in the vicinity. But the lady followed her orders. "I was telling everyone I saw Stark walking around in his suit…only rather…clumsily." She stammered. The stopped as she saw Tony appear behind Clint. She looked perplexed. "Stark?" she said.
Clint ignored her. "Where did you see the suit?"
"Basement four."
"Thank you." He said, then grabbed Tony by the arm and set out for the elevator.
Basement 4…
Clint strode out of the elevator. His eyes zeroed in immediately on the bustling crowd of people. Reluctantly though, he shoved his way through the crowd and…found Tony's missing suit.
Because there was the suit – stuck between elevator doors – and struggling. Clint sighed.
"Whoever is in that suit." He commanded loudly. "Get out of it."
"I…can't" came a strangled voice, muffled by the suit. "I'm…stuck."
Tony by now had caught up. He walked up to where the suit was fidgeting and yanked off the helmet...to reveal Steve's flustered face.
"Steve?' Tony sounded surprised. "Why are you wearing my suit?"
"Get me…out of here…first." He huffed.
Clint walked over to the elevator and pressed the open button. Immediately the doors slide open and Steve fell over. Tony dragged him away from the doors and squatted down next to the red-faced man.
"Why you fighting with the lift?" Tony raised an eyebrow. "It doesn't have a quarrel with you."
Steve blushed. "I was kinda…walking into the lift and then it closed one me…" he sounded embarrassed. "Then I tried to get out, but I got stuck instead."
"And why were you wearing Tony's suit?" Clint asked, folding his arms before him and looking even more imposing than before.
If Steve could get any redder he does so then. "Um…it…looked…rather…mmmdmsufhi" he mumbled.
"I can't he-ear" Clint complained, mockingly putting one hand to his ear as if he had trouble hearing.
"Oh alright!" Steve narrowed his eyebrows. "Because I've always wanted to try on his suit. Okay!"
Tony smothered laughter. Steve just looked in the opposite direction, trying to not to match the same color as a tomato.
"Y-you wanted to t-try on my suit." Tony choked out between laughs. "You – Captain America – wanted to try on my suit!"
Steve pursed his lips. "Well…every guy wants to become a superhero even if it's for one day."
"Steve." Clint couldn't help laughing now. "Did you forget that you're a superhero yourself?"
Steve paused. Thought about it and then looked sheepish. "Yeah…well…it's just…the tech was… pretty cool. Like real superhero style…" he said. "Not just a human…but Stark kinda…looks cool sometimes."
"Oh no." Clint groaned. "You just boosted an over-large ego to out of proportion sizes."
As if to prove his point, Tony puffed out his chest and patted Steve on the back. "Well then." He smiled broadly. "Let's get you trying the suit for real then."
"Really?" Steve couldn't help the foolish wide grin that appeared. "For real?"
"Of course, buddy." Tony said, helping Steve up. "Anything for my pals."
Five minutes later he regretted that buddy-buddy generosity. Because Steve flew his Ironman suit straight into the wall.
A/N – Ouch…sorry Stark.
Thanks for the reviews so far. They've really cheered me on to write more. Honestly, these days I do nothing but write, write and more write. And you're all the reason I continue to do so. So thanks!
