𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐁𝐔, 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐀

ELEANOR

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'G' morning!'

I pulled the duvet tighter over my head, aching in my skull ebbing and surging like a cold tide with the queasiness. 'Five minutes, baby.'

At this point of consciousness, my mind reeled back in time in hopes of remembering anything that had occurred last night. I remembered Tony's fortitude that had been fixed in me, a wake-up call and then complete blankness. I vaguely remembered a wild night, and my eyes snapped awake when I felt the sudden memories of our hot wall-mounded bodies together pound into my skull like ten-ton trucks.

'Ma, look, I got you coffee,' Margo said, lugging on the bound duvet. I groaned louder when she did, the warm scent of her shampoo wrapping my senses in. It was like an unpoppable bubble had been lodged into my brain and with every word Margo spoke, it inflated. She was quiet for a second, the bedside shifting as if she was leaving the bed. Concerned, I turned to look over my shoulder.

Margo came at me with a deep warcry, her tiny hands going around my waistline and pushing me deeper into the covers. The world spun for a second before the tickles came in, charging my abdomen with painful pleasure. I couldn't control the laughter when she did, her fingers finding the right spot just to get me squealing out loud.

'Mags, ow—hey!' I laughed, grabbing her middle with ease and lifting her off me. Her face was devoid of spectacles and her doe-eyed, cerulean eyes more radiant than ever, so much so that my headache had faded in an instant. Without restraint, I pulled her close and pressed a warm kiss to her cheek. She slid down, placing her head over my lap and looking up at me.

'Ew,' she plugged her nose and waved a hand. It was true, I probably did smell like the sewer. I continued to press kisses around her face anyway, anywhere I felt like and audibly. She pushed my face away, gazing at my grinning face for the longest time before she spoke.

'You're smiling,' she said, smiling along. 'You're so pretty when you smile.'

How was she even my child? Every time I looked at her, I reminded myself that I really did push this angel out of my own body and that she did not fall from the sky. I found it hard to believe.

'Thank you,' I accepted softly. Looking to the side, I saw a mug of my most wanted beverage resting on the table. From the strong scent of caffeine, I knew it was straight black and sighing while reaching for it. 

'You're a godsend, Margaret Stark,' I moaned, taking a sip and parching my obviously dehydrated senses. I knew I had been drinking like a pirate, judging by the state of my body. I was clad in thin, black satin nightie which I didn't remember changing into and the skin on my neck hurt in a weird way.

'I think there are bedbugs, Mommy,' she said, lifting her head off my lap to poke a finger into the side of my collarbone. In all confusion, I pushed the eiderdown off me and stumbled to the walk-in closet to observe what she had pointed out. Pushing the hair out of my neck, I examined the red spots with a loud gasp. Margo made herself comfy over a poof near the shoe rack and very oblivious to the commotion.

'What in the—'

Love bites. As if there wasn't anything more to be upset about, he had to put me on the spot with fucking hickeys. Humiliation flooded through me like a storm, my cheeks catching colour in a second. It was etched all over my neck - red, disgusting and blooming. Never pegged him to be the possessive kind and made me want to deny every event that had occurred last night.

'Too many bedbugs,' Margo commented, running out the closet door in a flash. 'I'm gonna go get breakfast!'

I breathed out loud to my battered reflection. 'One big bedbug. I'll crush it once I find it.'

∞

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'Morning honey,' Tony grinned at me and signalled to our visitor. 'Look who I met.'

What was more surprising than finding the root of the pest problem in the house was seeing one of my favourite teenagers at the front door. Riri Williams, dressed in everpresent adorableness, stood near him with a wide grin. I swallowed down a curse I was about to throw at Tony.

'Hi, sweetie.'

I shoved the hand Tony hitched around my waist as he flanked my side. Shooting him a glare, I let it morph to a grin as I waved back at Riri. Thank god, I had dressed decently despite it being a weekend. In sweat-shorts and a close-necked shirt, I was fitting enough to be cosy. It hid the hickeys Tony had generously proffered to me which was the most concerning matter I had dodged. 

'Mrs Stark,' Riri waved at me, looking back at Tony with a bounce in her heels. Her gaze was wide and her smile was humongous, so much so her eyes were swallowed. 'Mr Stark. Riri Williams. The girl who designed Ironheart.'

'Kid,' he said with a tight smile, 'I think we found each other at the right time,' he followed off, sounding way too polite to be normal. 'We have a lot of work to do. Got your suit?'

I had seen the look in the people who met Tony millions of times. Their eyes lit up like stars and there was more gleam to their smile than a toothpaste commercial. She was biting back a squeal as the bracelets on her hands shook loudly. Today, Riri rocked a pale shirt, her usual denim jacket and ripped jeans. Her wide, dark hair was scooped behind by a headband and wearing an enigmatic grin on her face.

'Out,' she drawled out, pointing a thumb behind her, 'the front?'

'Great,' he nodded at her. 'I'll meet you—'

'Wait, wait a sec,' she said, holding out her hand to stop him from leaving. 'What's going on?'

'Listen, Riri, I get that your prestigious institute offered you a full-ride scholarship and their labs, but I want to make you a bargain,' he said, a wry smile on his face.

'What?' Riri and I said in unison.

'A bargain,' he elaborated every syllable this time. 'A steal. Worth a—'

'You're joking,' Riri said, breathless.

'Well,' he scratched the back of his head, 'you are the real deal, Williams. I'd love to get to know you and see how I can cultivate your skill.'

Riri tucked a dark strand behind her ear in coyness and I bit down soft laughter. She shrugged lightly, obviously not used to compliments. Or it was the Stark effect coming to play. But her dark eyes went blank, as she looked at him with a tilt of her head.

'But, what if I refuse?'

'Why would you?' I asked, curious.

She cocked a brow. 'What if?'

'That's just too bad, then,' Tony said simply. He ushered me to the stairs despite my strifes and leading me down the stairs while Riri followed us speechlessly. I could hear her noise of awe once we reached the end of the familiar workspace, the glass door slid open with a quick punch of the code and he stuck a hand out for Riri and Margo to enter.

I had never seen anyone allowed in besides Rhodey, Pepper, Margo and I. To have Tony act so casual to this strange young girl who he had never met before was shocking, more so than the fact that he had invited her home. He only reacted to my shock by pressing a warm kiss to my cheek and pushing my jaw back to the scene.

'Wow.'

'Yep,' he popped his lips. 'Can't say no—'

'That's the Mark 7!' She cut in with glee, shooting off to the narrow, rounded deskspace where all of his once-used, old armours stood and pointed to one of them. It was a complete silver and the ancient versions that Tony managed to scrap off after the Osborn supplanting incident.

'The Silver Centurion armour,' she sizzled with excitement, 'are you kidding me?'

'Is she right?' I whispered to Tony. Margo stayed by Tony's side, watching the strange girl teeter on her toes. He chuckled back. 

'I don't know. I made so many, it's hard to keep track.'

'It was originally meant for Colonel James Rhodes but you ended up using it against Whiplash at the StarkExpo,' she explained with awe, something else caught her attention. 'And the Mark 9!'

I looked at him again, and he shrugged. 'I think.'

'It's just sitting there like no big deal. Just,' she took in an ecstatic breath, 'this is—this is respect!'

'Thanks, kid,' he said. 'So, you like what you see, yes?'

'I'd be an idiot if I didn't,' she scoffed.

'Would you like to know why I invited you over?'

She bared her teeth in discomfort. 'To make me feel like crap about my armour design choice?' 

'Obviously not,' he smirked, a made an introductory gesture towards me. 'You've met my wife—Elle?'

I waved to her with a smile. 'Hello.'

'I love her,' Riri simpered. 'You made her the first, female-based personalized armour which is mind-blowing, by the way.'

'And, you've met JARVIS?' He continued and tapped on his ear, looking to the ceiling subtly. I followed suit with a roll of my eyes. Why introduce the snitch when we had a perfectly better, female AI around?

'Miss Williams, a pleasure to have you here,' JARVIS responded politely and making Riri let out a low hoot of amazement.

'I worship JARVIS,' she burst, 'you're like the whole thing, dude. Your coding—man. What I've seen of it—it's gorgeous!'

'If I may, sir, I like her better than Mrs Stark.'

I silently grumbled to myself wanting to wring the neck of the shapeless intelligence. That snitch ought to get a good memory-swipe one day, and maybe a coding change from me.

'Anyways,' he waved off, getting to the point. 'I want to talk to you about the workshop.'

She blinked. 'Huh.'

'Would you feel more comfortable using my lab as your base of operations?'

Riri stared at us, open-mouthed. As if his comment was unexpected, she continued to be dumbfounded until she glanced back around the room. Unsure, she asked, 'This one? The one we're standing in?'

'No, the dungeons beneath it,' Tony countered dryly. 'Yes, of course, this one.'

'This is,' she gulped down bewilderment, 'this is like—this is holy space!'

'I can see how you would think that,' I said, amused. 

'Listen, kid,' Tony sighed and glanced at me, 'without the Iron Man, the world isn't going to be safe as it would be, right?'

He was making amends. Precautionary measures because he futurist self was getting the best of him. I knew the concept of legacy was like the obstinacy of rancid BO that stuck to clothes. It never wore off and Tony only worked harder towards making the bestowment come true. The armour that he had sent years working on was a part of him and if something was making a stop, drop and roll his way out of as if nothing had happened, there was something much bigger related to just Margo.

Iron Man had been a mantel he had prided for more than a decade but this contribution was a gift that kept on giving. He would continue to tinker it, fix it with all sorts of cool tricks but at what cost? Rhodey had the same tech, now Riri and me. 

He had left behind enough for the future generations and this was his way of resting. Helping out this young girl with a similar dream to his and he was going to harness the potential of her capabilities. If anything, I esteemed Tony even more. To showcase my concordance, I tangled my fingers with his gently.

Riri knit her brows. 'But, what happened to Iron Man?'

'Easily put,' he started, 'I've got mainstream obligations.'

'Which are?' She pushed.

'Way out of your paygrade,' he deadpanned and I rolled my lips to restrain laughter. 'Point is: I have some stuff lying around and then, I found you.'

'But, she's Iron Maiden and the Colonel is War Machine,' Riri tipped her chin at me, 'why me?'

'I, well—we have a daughter to raise.'

'That isn't good enough reason,' Riri smirked at me. 

'I've got some commitments and promises that need my attention,' I locked my gaze with Tony's as I spoke, 'but I will never back down from the armour when I have to. Yet, I still won't be Iron Man.'

'Not like you,' he laid a hand over Riri's shoulder. 'Sweetie, I'm offering you the keys to the kingdom.'

She palmed her dark cheeks tightly, taking in a deep breath while looking around the space. She looked between me and Tony, then back at the place. This went on for a while as if she were finding the whole offer hard to believe. If any more surprises came at her, I was certain her eyeballs would roll out of her head.

'Riri.'

'Yes?'

'Is that a yes-yes or—?'

'No, It's just,' she bit her lip, 'this is a pretty sweet place. But, the piety of this entire—'

'Skip the bullshit, kid,' Tony cut to the chase, 'I'd know that look anywhere.'

She sighed out loud.

'You think you don't deserve it,' he revealed with a shrug. 'I get it. You've got choices to make and you made this whole new suit that the world wants to know about. You're in a pickle.'

'I am,' she nodded. 'You're Tony Stark. I wanted to be you—sans weird facial hair—when I grew up. Like the one and only, and you are offering me this place to work seems a bit—'

'—opposed?' Tony finished with a lifted brow. Riri coughed out a scoff.

'Like hell, that's true,' she said, wringing her fingers together in the embarrassment of her next words. I fought off the urge to comfort her that instant.

'I feel like I won't belong here.'

This poor thing.

'Can I be honest?' Riri nodded at him. 'I actually have a very high opinion of you. I didn't expect someone as young as you to reverse-engineer my suit I spent years developing. I went over the footage from your recent missions and trust me, there's a lot to learn.'

'You want me to train and work here,' she hummed. 'With you?'

'Righty-o.'

A beat passed. It was right of her to consider her options. She had a full-ride scholarship waiting for her sans the laboratory deal but if her idol himself was willing to mentor her, she could have the best of both worlds.

'If I say yes,' she said with a drawl, 'do I get my own coffee-maker?'

'Your own desk, too if you want.'

'Wicked,' she grinned. 'I'll take it.'

He let out a relieved breath and stretched out a hand for her to shake. She took his hand hesitantly, shaking on it. 'So it's sealed, then. Welcome to the Stark home, Riri Williams. You can start from today.'

∞

[ GO RIRI GO GO GO GOOOOO ]

edited!