Part 3: Adding a new member to the family requires adjustment (and talking)

Feel free to imagine who you want as Tony's lover.

-)-(-

Tony peered intently at lines of code blinking on his tablet. For some time, Dummy had been acting even more stupidly than before. And this time, Butterfingers and You, usually good little robots: obedient and quiet, were following his example. Tony was determined to find out the why and the how of this change in behavior.

"If I may, Sir, I think the problem comes from elsewhere."

"If you know what's happening, Jarvis, tell me. Because here I am short of ideas!" Tony slumped on his lab's sofa. He would never admit it, but the idea that someone had managed to infiltrate his system and change its robots' code, without him noticing it, made him sick with worry and rage. He did not know if his other hypothesis (which was that in one way or another their programs were beginning to degrade) was worse or not.

"The situation has degenerated from the moment you said you had feelings for ..."

"Okay, stop! I filled my quota of discussions about my feelings ... for at least a decade! In the very short list of people with whom I'll talk to about it, you're in one of the last spots, Jarvis." With an apprehensive grimace on his face, Tony tried to breathe calmly. Despite his desire to escape to the other side of the world or, even better, to ask Thor if he could show him Asgard, Tony forced himself to resume the discussion.

"Okay. What my... What does that have to do with my stupid robots' behavior?"

"This is the first time you admit such feelings for a person. It is also the first time you have had a relationship which lasted that long."

Tony stared incredulously into one of Jarvis' cameras.

"I received a blow on my head during our last fight, that's it, it's obviously that because I could swear I think that you're telling me that Dummy, You and Butterfingers are jealous! This is absurd! Totally absurd!"

"On the contrary, it's very logical, sir. Decades of study show that children are disturbed when the family structure changes. They then rush into many stupid acts to regain their parents' attention."

"Since when are you an expert in psychology, Jarvis?" Tony quipped, automatically.

"Since you programmed me to become an expert in all fields, Sir."

Tony's brain was struggling. It always happened when Tony had to integrate an emotional component into his analysis. Jarvis was silent, knowing from experience that it was necessary to allow time for his creator to digest this type of fact.

The silence was broken after a few minutes by a short beep. Tony come out of his stupor to find himself eye to camera with Dummy. You had seized a piece of his t-shirt with his claw. Butterfingers, meanwhile, pressed his body against Tony's leg.

The three robots stared at Tony in silence.

He eventually moved and started to pat each robot, in turn. After gathering his breath and his courage, he began to speak:

"Hmm ... It's not because I'm ..." deep breath, Tony, you can do it "in a relationship ... that I'll stop coming here ... You really believe that I, Tony Stark, will allow someone to change my habits?"

You and Dummy nodded with their cameras. Butterfingers walked to one of the lab's closets and opened it. He pulled out a bottle of Scotch, which he brandished toward Tony.

"Oh. ... Okay, it's true that I drink less ... But I still come here as often and give you as much work as usual."

Butterfingers put away the bottle and came back pressing himself against Tony. You tightened his grip on the shirt. Dummy put his camera on Tony's knee.

"Oh, little fools, I won't abandon you, I promise you."

He resumed his patting.

After several attempts to clear his throat, he turned to Jarvis:

"Fortunately, you're more rational than they, J. Because I don't even want to imagine what you would do as a tantrum."

"... I just accepted the fact that I had no right to interfere with your relationship, sir. "Jarvis answered, his tone carefully neutral. "... To be honest, I must admit that you have chosen well, sir. I've found myself confused by thinking I would have preferred to be able to raise objections."

"Ok ... apparently you're the dumbest of the band. I count on you to tell me if I'm about to do something stupid. Or to help me when I am blind to others'… feelings. That is to say, every time I interact with someone." Tony finished his tirade muttering.

"So, now that you're all reassured to know you're irreplaceable ... Can we close this discussion? I definitely filled my quota for at least three decades ... Come on, at work, you lazy pieces of bots!"

Tony drove his robots away and walked to his desk, barking orders left and right.

And he would deny to the end of his days that he took care, for several days, to give equal parts of work to his four creations. Just as he would deny that this discussion took place. Or that his eyes were a little wet at the discussion's end.