Authors Note: Ok, so here we go again. After my death bout of writers block, I decided to take a break since I was pretty much just producing crap. Anyway, I've had a rest and knocked this out before college. Not my best, but I hope you like it none the less.
Chapter 12
The very second we touched down Tony snapped into business mode. It was actually quite terrifying given I'd never seen it before and anyone being commandeering is scary, particularly him.
"Susan, help AJ with her luggage. Jonathan, get Natasha on the phone, I need to give her a heads up as concerns our visitor. Graham, I'll need another key card to the house. Get is sorted will ya?" He barked orders to various staff members as I followed him looking more than a little lost through the plane. He flipped his phone open and hastily punched in a number.
"Yeah, I'll need a suit, pressed and dry-cleaned, hanging in my closet in fifteen minutes. Thanks." It was only then that it dawned on me; I was about to see inside the great Tony Stark's house. In my head I imagined it to be full of robots and gadgets all set up to do his washing, cooking and cleaning for him as well as a bunch of extortionately priced artwork, and half built bits of technology sitting on his coffee table as opposed to the usual spread of magazines and coasters.
"You ok?" He asked me brusquely. "You looked miles away."
"I was. But yeah, I'm fine." I nodded, smiling foolishly at him expecting him to take my hand and walk aimlessly with me to the house.
"Listen carefully, ok? 'Cause this is gonna be a pretty whacky experience for ya." There was no hand holding or aimless walking; instead he marched on with purpose, me struggling to keep up, lugging Beans' pet carrier, which had seemed to increase dramatically in weight as I tried my best not to fall down the steps out of the plane.
"We'll enter through the main Stark Building where it's pretty likely they're gonna harangue me with a load of work stuff, don't worry, I'm not gonna ditch you. Don't get scared in there, none of its dangerous. It's all arc reactor technology which, as you well know, is perfectly safe." Tony tapped the disk on his chest through his shirt. I felt a little current of relief trickle through me.
"Everyone in there already knows who you are so don't weg out on me if they start doing the whole, meet'n'greet thing. Once we get through the offices and out the back of the main building, it's only a short walk to my house." For the first time since he started his tirade, Tony turned to look at me.
"Ok?" He asked gently, taking me by the arms. I just nodded, still trying to absorb everything he'd just said.
"Good." His face broke into his trademark cheeky smile and he laid a hard, fevered kiss on my lips. I trusted him to look after me in this strange, slightly over exaggerated shall we say, place; not that I had much choice really.
I followed Tony as he continued his fast paced march across the runway and down a path leading to the main building. Slightly awestruck, I stared up at the huge structure. It was much bigger than the one in London, it just didn't have the big logo on the side. Tony waved something resembling a credit card across a sensor on the door jamb and the glass slid back, granting us entry. In the small vestibule Tony turned to me once more.
"Here we go." He exhaled a long breath as if this were the most nerve wracking thing he had to do before offering his hand. I gripped it tightly feeling some respite at not having to risk losing him in there. We took a few steps forward and the doors opened, a tsunami of chatter and electronic noise spilling out over us. Tony kept pulling me forward- for once I knew how Beans felt when I dragged him along on his lead- a great number of white coated engineers, sharp suited businessmen and well presented women wearing earpieces and carrying clipboards swarmed around us. I couldn't hear what any of them were saying or what Tony was saying back but he'd occasionally nod, smile, laugh and gesture back at me as I near on jogged to keep up. Hoping I didn't look rude, I airhostess smiled back at them and mouthed a very exaggerated hello, the way you do through windows thinking it makes some kind of difference when the reality is in fact that it doesn't, you just look like a looper.
The whole time we were moving my eyes were darting around, half mesmerised half terrified by what I was seeing. There were several workstations dotted around the floor, all with specky looking folk huddled around them staring down onto their projects through big magnifying glasses, soldering, welding, drilling, and sawing then taking a few steps back and high-fiving their colleagues. I noticed what looked like a boot, painted red and gold, lying deserted on a work bench with wires and pistons spilling out of it. In the middle of the capacious factory was a giant glass doughnut shaped affair, veins of the same blue light as Tony's heart whizzing around it. There were more white coats gathered around various terminals just below it on a platform higher than all the rest.
Just as I was beginning the appreciate being in the presence of technological genius we were out in the open air again, the harsh winter sun stinging my eyes in contrast to the synthetic halogen lighting in the factory.
"What was that big thing in the middle?" My voice sounded breathless as I probed Tony like an irritating child.
"That's a giant arc reactor. Like the one in my chest...but bigger. It powers the whole factory. Pretty neat huh?" You could tell he was had dumbed his response down for me. I'd have felt patronized if I wasn't so tired from the now running I'd had to endure.
Up another meandering path we went, still not slowing down, gravel flicking up under my feet until we reached another building. 'Oh great. Here we go again.' My brain whinged, preparing for another onslaught. Instead, Tony scanned a different card and the large steel doors opened but this time, I wasn't knocked back by any noise nor was I greeted by the sight of scientists and workbenches. I followed Tony in and felt suddenly very excited. In that same infantile manner, I gawped around at
everything. The smooth cream walls, the full length windows, the open fireplace, the marble floors, the sculptures, the paintings; this was most definitely Tony's house.
"Welcome home, Mr Stark." A young British man's voice confirmed, seemingly coming from nowhere, startling me.
"Hello Jarvis. Any mail while I was away?" Tony didn't seem to speak into anything; this was seriously weird.
"Yes sir. It's waiting for you in your office. Who's the girl?" The voice boomed. Could this thing see?
"Jarvis, meet AJ." Tony reappeared from whichever room it was he was in. "AJ," He gestured upward into the emptiness. "Jarvis. He runs the house."
"Hello Jarvis." I had no idea why I was talking to it, whatever it was.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss AJ." I couldn't help but laugh. Miss AJ? No one had called me that since I started work.
"You too." I chirruped. I could see Tony laughing in my peripheral vision. I knew I probably looked like a fool talking to fresh air, but I didn't want to be thought rude, even by an omnipotent robot housekeeper.
"Come here." Tony beckoned me over to him, looking devilish. He took the pet carrier out of my hand and released Beans. We both watched as he ran supersonic laps of the house, yapping like a mad thing. I turned to Tony, Tony turned to me, his brown eyes full of concern. Did I look scared or something? "Are you sure you're alright?" He took my face in his big warm hands. I leant into one and closed my eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just, you know, tired and in a strange place, all at once." I tried to force a laugh but couldn't muster it. The worry in Tony's eyes just grew.
"Don't worry; I'll take care of you." He kissed my forehead and held me close, my head resting on his chest, his strong arms enveloping me. "Come on, let me show you around." He took my hand and laced his fingers through mine, leading me slowly through each room, introducing each as we went. We ambled through the kitchen, the study, the dining room, the games room, the bathroom and the living room. There were some stairs on the far side of the room Tony negated from his tour. I couldn't be bothered to question it right then.
"And finally, the piece de resistance." He paused for effect. "The bedroom." The door swung open and my eyes were met with darkness.
"Shades." Tony enunciated. The windows suddenly cleared and the bright sunlight came flooding in. He turned to look at my baffled face. "What? I'm Tony Stark and you thought I'd have curtains?" I gave a weak laugh as he plonked himself down on the bed, patting the space next to him. Compliantly, I sat. In one impressively swift motion, it had to be said; he laid me down and peered into my eyes. I felt myself sink into the accepting softness of the mattress as Tony graced my lips with that same provocative kiss from that day back in London. As I gently encircled my legs around his waist I felt his warm hand draw itself up my thigh, along the length of my body and up my arm
where it settled in mine. Just as it was getting good, he pulled back, flopping his head down onto my chest.
"I've gotta go to work." He groaned as though he'd just remembered again. I felt my body sigh with disappointment. So it was just about to get good. Trying not to sound downtrodden, I spoke.
"S'ok. I could probably do with a kip anyway." Tony looked puzzled.
"A kip?" It sounded weird in an American accent.
"I'm tired, I need a nap." I explained, sounding perhaps a bit more condescending than intended.
"Oh! Right. Yeah. Your stuff hasn't been delivered yet but there's a nightie under the pillow for you." Did Tony Stark just say nightie? I laughed wriggling into the slightly-more-racy-than-I'd-usually-wear garment and burying myself under the covers. I could hear Tony rustling around getting into his suit. Tempting as it was to take a peek at his bare bum, I decided against it in case he caught me or something equally as mortifying. Not that I hadn't seen it before, now that I thought of it.
I lay still, the downy pillow tickling my face, feeling instantly relaxed and more sleepy than I had previously thought.
"Shades." I heard Tony bark again and the room fell dark. "Night honey." He whispered smoothly, gently kissing my bare shoulder. I heard the door click shut and felt the sleep slowly take me under. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
