New semester of college. I am exhausted as fuck. Sorry guys. :(

Chapter Fourteen - Rhodey, Pepper and Happy, Part One

Tony opened his eyes up downstairs, looking up at a collage of blankets.

He was sleeping an assortment of different pillows, with four or so cats on top of him. Looking around him, he spotted the other three on top of Elle.

Elle.

What they did last night was more fun than he'd had in a long, long time. It reminded him of the really fun nights with Rhodey in college; not the ones where they went out and partied, but the ones where they stayed in and did stupid things and talked all night.

And the song…

God, that fucking song.

He understood what she meant about the importance of it.

The first two lines still got to him.

You don't have to be a hero to save the world. It doesn't make you a narcissist to love yourself.

Even as Tony Stark, he can be a hero. Not the same way Iron Man can, but he had the power and influence and genius to change the world.

He looked fondly over at Elle. And so that's what I…no, what we're going to do.

And as for the second line…he doesn't think he can just start loving himself so easily, but maybe he can try to stop hating himself.

"JARVIS, what time is it?" he asked, stretching.

"It is exactly 10:18 AM," JARVIS said promptly. "I was going to wake you soon if you did not wake on your own, but I didn't want to disturb your sleep. I do not believe I've ever seen you sleep that soundly."

"It was probably some lasting effects from Elle's spell," Tony said, cracking his back.

"It wasn't."

He turned to look at Elle, who was trying to shift underneath the cats without disturbing them (it wasn't working).

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"Kicking off the spell…maybe there was some latent magic left, but it's sort of like hitting a RESET button. You should fall back into a proper sleeping habit all on your own." She smiled. "Why don't you go shower before Pepper, Rhodey and Happy come over, and I'll cook some breakfast. Anything in particular you want?"

"Chocolate chip pancakes?" Tony asked hopefully.

"Alright," Elle said, shrugging and shifting off the kittens.

"You know you don't have to cook for me, right?" Tony asked.

"I know," she said. "But I want to. I like cooking, and I like taking care of people, so this is me being what you need me to be. A caretaker, a cook, an assistant…a friend…" she smiled at him.

"…I'll go take that shower now…" Tony said, picking off the cats and making a break for it.

To be honest, Elle probably had a point with the 'newfound communication' skills. With the exception a handful of people, he's never been good with open affection (Tony blames Howard). Even Maria wasn't allowed to be overly affectionate to him when Howard was watching (he's not a child, Maria, stop mollycoddling him). Of the main three who gave him affection, Jarvis and Ana are dead now, and half the time Peggy thinks he's Howard (and it's not like Howard had that type of relationship with her, so not a lot of hugs from that corner). Tony can sometimes get away with hugging his uncles, but he doesn't get to see them as often as he'd like, especially because they try to keep a low profile because of their Howling Commando background.

Rhodey, and Rhodey's family are also exceptions. Mama Rhodes is like Elle, in the way how he can't escape affection. She always insists on affection, and it's something that makes him love her all the more. Lila, Rhodey's niece, who is being raised by Mama Rhodes in Pennsylvania, is ten, and back before Tony went missing, she was 'getting too old for hugs, Uncle Tony!'. It wasn't until he returned safely from Afghanistan that she went back to hugging everyone. Though she doesn't stop now, of course. (Besides, how many kids get to say they can hug Iron Man?)

And Rhodey? Well. Rhodey's seen him at his best and at his worst, when he was a stupid fourteen-year-old genius in college, and when he was an idiot CEO before. He could count on Rhodey for just about anything.

But Tony's not exactly used to open affection. He doesn't see most of them often, after all, considering his Uncles live in a different state, one is in another country entirely with Aunt Peggy, and Mama Rhodes and Lila are also in a different state. Rhodey's probably the one he sees the most, and even then, that's only when he's on leave.

And that's only physical affection. Verbal affection is not something he does well. He doesn't know how to react to it, what to do with it, and usually whatever his blasé response is only ruins the moment, or even the relationship entirely.

At least when it's a hug, the person hugging him usually can't see his face.

Because of Howard, he was raised in the spotlight, ready for the sharks that were the businessmen and reporters. He knows what to do for just about anything…except actual affection. When he's in public, he tries to play off complements and such (which is usually what leads to news outlets calling him 'narcissistic'). But he still doesn't know how to react to them.

His mask always fails when it comes to positive attention.

"Why does she keep saying things like that?" Tony muttered in the shower, using the hose carefully so he didn't get water on his face (the first few times that happened were disastrous).

"Perhaps she actually means it, Sir," JARVIS suggested.

Tony paused. "I thought you didn't trust her."

"I don't," JARVIS commented. "Not entirely. You, Sir, are far too trusting. However, she seems to genuinely care about you, and her heartbeat remained steady the whole time."

Tony was quiet a bit before he said, "Hey, JARVIS, order a new grand, will you?"

"Yes, sir," JARVIS said.

Tony went back to showering, and started humming as he continued.

You don't have to be a prodiigyy, to beeeeee uniqueee...

He didn't hear him do it, but he's pretty sure that JARVIS was sighing, even if it wasn't audible.

I finished making the pancakes and tidying up as Tony came out of the shower.

"It smells good," he said, taking a deep breath.

"Good," I said, passing a stack of pancakes across the island to him.

"Hungry much?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at my stack of pancakes, which was slightly bigger than his.

"Yes," I said, sitting across from him on the island. "I told you, using up magic burns a lot of calories."

Tony hummed, using the countertop to pull up the litterbox plans.

"Mrs. Dreyar," JARVIS said. "It is nearing 10:45. I believe you said you'd pick up Colonel Rhodes?"

I nodded, finishing up my pancakes. "Thanks for the reminder. I'll be back in a few, guys."

I left Tony, telling him where I'd reappear back inside the house, and took one last look at the map before teleporting to Rhodey's location.

I appeared outside the fort, where Rhodey was already waiting on me. He seemed very annoyed – probably because Tony had said someone would pick him up and no one was there.

I know that JARVIS had told Rhodey to take a few hours off, but he was obviously getting frustrated.

Time to fix that.

I appeared right behind him, grabbed him, and then reappeared back in Tony's house.

"What the fuck?" He shouted, spinning around and pulling out a gun.

I was already gone.

But Salem was standing behind me and meowed at Rhodey, who grew even more confused at the sight of a kitten.

"Platypus!" Tony yelled happily. "You're here! Put down your gun, you're scaring the cats! And you're not allowed to hurt my new…"

I raised my eyebrow at him.

"…person," Tony finished awkwardly.

"Really?" I asked him.

He shrugged.

"Tony, what in the hell is going on?" Rhodey demanded. "What 'cats'?"

"My cats," Tony said, like it was obvious.

"Since when do you have cats?" Rhodey asked, exasperated.

"Since yesterday."

Salem took off and Rhodey watched him leave, and finally saw the blanket fort in its entirety. "What the fuck is that?"

"It's a blanket fort," Tony said snobbishly. "And if you're going to act like that, then you're not invited."

"Tony, explain," Rhodey said more firmly. He gestured to me. "Who the hell is this?"

"Uh…" Tony seemed to draw a blank.

"I'm Elle," I said, holding out my hand. Rhodey tentatively took it. "I know the future and have magic."

He dropped my hand.

"Tony," Rhodey groaned, turning to him. "Really? I thought you stopped using!"

"I did," he whined.

"What, so you're just taking them in, now?"

"Rhodey, she's telling the truth," Tony said. "She knows things. And her magic is awesome! And she's helping me. I'm not going to die anymore!"

He had gotten excited and spread out his arms, before his brain caught up to his mouth.

"What?" Rhodey yelled.

"Shit," Tony hissed.

And then the doorbell rang; Happy and Pepper have arrived.

"Oh, look, it's Pepper and Happy!" Tony deflected. "I'll just get the door-"

"Absolutely not, we're talking about this," Rhodey commanded.

"He's right, Tony," I said. "Both of you, sit your asses down. I'll get the door."

"...Who the hell are you?" Pepper blurted upon seeing me, which wasn't actually as surprising as I thought it'd be.

After all, it was eleven in the morning, Tony had invited them to a clearly important meeting, neither of them knew me, and I had purple hair.

Which can be kinda offsetting.

So not that surprising, actually.

"I'll explain in a bit," I said, holding open the door. "It's kind of a long story. Come on."

I jerked my head over to the kitchen and the two filed in suspiciously.

Rhodey and Tony were arguing in the kitchen.

"-why didn't you tell any of us?" Rhodey was saying.

"How was I supposed to break the news?" Tony said. "'Hi, how have you been lately? I've been dying, thanks for asking.'"

Pepper's sharp intake of breath made him pause. "They're right behind me, aren't they?" he asked, before spinning around and smiling at Pepper, holding out his hands. "Pepper! Darling, my love, Pepper-"

"Don't you dare," she hissed. "Don't beat around the bush, Tony! Tell me what the hell is going on."

Rhodey looked at Tony expectantly from another stool, his hands on his hips even though he was sitting, which was an odd sight.

Happy was just looking back and forth between the other three.

Tony opened his mouth and closed it several times before letting out a sigh. "I can't. It's complicated," he whined.

I rolled my eyes. "Alright, then how about I explain?" I looked at Pepper and Happy. "Sit down, guys. It's story time."

"Dear God, there's two of them," Pepper breathed, looking back and forth between me and Tony.

I laughed and went to the fridge to get out the cake. "Nah, I'm not that much like Tony. The only thing we have in common is the recklessness and self-sacrificing and snark, really."

"Oh, is that all?" Rhodey asked sarcastically.

"You're pretty smart," Tony said. "Not genius smart, but you've got some good ideas, and I know we still haven't gotten through all of it."

I shrugged, pulling out the cake. "I'll admit I can get pretty creative." I smiled at them, closing the fridge door with my foot. "Sit down, guys. Have some cake. You'll need it."

"Why is there a blanket fort?" Happy asked.

"Long story," Tony said.

"Meow."

"Was that a cat?" Pepper asked.

"Yeah, apparently Tony has cats now," Rhodey said, throwing up his hands. "How many, Tony?"

"Uh…"

"Eight," I answered for him.

"I knew that," he said defensively.

Pepper moaned and sat down. "Where's the alcohol?"

Tony got up and opened a cabinet. "It's right-"

He paused. "Elle?" he asked, his voice slightly strained. "Where's the alcohol?"

"Hiding," I answered, putting down the cake and going for dishes and silverware.

"Jay, did you tell Elle where all the alcohol is?" Tony asked.

"I found it would be conductive to your health," JARVIS said.

"Traitor," Tony grumbled. He turned to me, having decided he's not going to get anywhere with JARVIS.

"But Ellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllle," Tony whined.

I put the silverware down on the plates and crossed my arms. "I told you, Tony. No more alcohol while you're sick."

"Wherever you hid it, I'll find it," he protested.

"It's in my requip space," I admitted.

His mouth dropped open. "That's cheating!"

"Oh no. How dare I?" I deadpanned. "Sit."

Still pouting, Tony sat back down at the table. "But-"

"Ah!" I said, holding up a finger. "Quiet, or no more cake."

He snapped his mouth shut, which seemed like an odd mix with the expression of horror he was wearing.

I passed out the plates and silverware with some of Saturn, and the Sky Magic landed them gently in front of each person as I started cutting the cake. "Is this a good size?" I asked Rhodey, looking at him.

He, Pepper, and Happy were still all staring at me with various expressions of shock on their faces. Probably because of the floating utensils.

"I'm gonna assume that's a yes," I said, cutting the size and passing them out. "Alright, introductions. I know who you all are. My name is Elle. Like the letter. I also take nicknames Ellie or Ella or anything other than my real name."

Before he had a chance to call me it, I spun around and pointed the large cake knife at Tony. "Ah! No. Cake!"

He deflated, still quiet. The other three still looked incredulous.

I sighed. "Alright, then. Let's start from the top."