Chapter 20
When Tony wakes up in the morning Carol is still lying beside him. He smiles and gently runs his finger against her arm.
He notices that his phone is blinking on the table beside them and carefully makes his way out of the couch. He then covers Carol with the blanked and picks up the phone.
He got message from Happy, telling him to call him back as soon as possible.
Huh…
Tony makes his way into the Kitchen still admiring Carol’s sleeping form on his way out and dials Happy’s number.
After a few rings, Happy picks up.
“Boss?”
“Hi Happy, what’s up?”
“You might want to look at the news…”
Carol woke up and she was automatically smiling. She could smell the pleasant scent of a baking bacon from the kitchen.
She quickly flies up to her room and grabs some shorts and black tank. She also puts her hair into a ponytail. She them made her way downstairs, into the Kitchen and just as she already knew, food was already waiting for her on silver plate.
She quickly wonders where Tony is and looks around for him. She finds him on the balcony, thinking he is just enjoying the sun light, she makes her way towards him.
She quickly realizes that she is mistaken as Tony is staring at blue hologram of some newspapers from his watches.
As soon as he realizes that she is behind him, his eyes flash blue and the hologram disappears.
He puts on his best innocent smile and Carol amusingly raises her eyebrow at him. She can see the resemblance between him and Friday.
“Morning Care”
“Good Morning. What was that?”
“…Nothing”
She just narrows her eyes and he signs, looking defeated. His eyes turn blue and the hologram appears again. It’s hologram of article with headline
“Tony Stark spotted in Bahamas.”
Carol facepalms.
They weren’t really discreet with his identity yesterday. She was openly calling him Tony and jokingly Stark when he annoyed her.
It scrolls down a little so Carol can read the full article.
Tony Stark was apparently spotted in his family Mansion in Bahamas in company of a mysterious and beautiful blond woman that clearly isn’t Virginia Potts.
Carol blushes slightly when she reads “beautiful“ and roles her eyes at mention of Potts.
Tony didn’t really talk about his ex but the others… Friday and Vision told her about this so called Pepper and Carol has strong dislike towards the ginger woman.
Does this mean that Tony Stark officially considers his and Potts relationship over and is happily dating someone new ? And why does he look so young? Will he come back as Iron Man?
There is a photo of Tony and Carol on the beach.
Carol’s back is pressed again Tony’s chest and he is holding her around waist. They are both smiling brightly, glancing into each other’s eyes. They truly do look like a happy couple on a vacation. They look happy.
They are happy.
Tony isn’t meeting Carol’s eyes. He is afraid of her’s reaction, but then… she starts laughing. He looks at her as if she grew a second head and Carol continues to laugh.
“Well… good for us!” Carol chokes out, jokingly between her laughter and Tony can’t help himself, but start laughing to.
After they eat breakfast, Carol makes Tony’s jaw fall. She decided to go for a run around the beach, wearing black sports bra and black shorts and her hair in ponytail.
It’s kinda funny…
She is in awesome shape and can literally fly and shoot power blast from her bare hands.
Yet she still works out.
Maybe he will join her sometime…
Or not…
Tony never really was an workout kinda guy and BESIDES…. Extremis already gave him muscles and put his body into a nice shape.
Happy told him that Pepper was ready to fly to Bahamas and drag him back to New York, but luckily the Board didn’t let her.
She is apparently still furious about him bailing on everything “important” in his life. She also doesn’t like that Tony is spending his time with other girl…
Tony doesn’t care what Pepper likes or thinks anymore.
Their relationship is over as far as Tony is concerned. It might have been beautiful and pure, but in the end… it turned toxic. She was always throwing tantrums whenever he didn’t do what she wanted and now…
Tony sees that she was even manipulating him on some occasions. She tried to control him…
SHIELD tried and failed. Hydra tried and failed. Ross tried and also failed.
Nobody. Control. Him.
If Virginia thinks that she is his goddamned boss, well she is greatly mistaken. Perhaps it’s time for Tony to have a quick stop at Stark Industries and remind them all who is still owner of the said Company.
Suddenly Carol comes jogging in and takin a sip from a bottle that was on a kitchen table next to Tony.
His mind again shortcuts and he catches himself staring at Carol.
God… He feels like a teenager with a crush.
Speaking of a crush…
Happy told him that Peter, apparently had a run in with some young chick in black lather and with white palladium hair. The Black Cat.
Peter babbled about her for an hour and it’s clear that he is smitten.Tony isn’t sure what to tell him about having a crush on thief, but from what he heard… She just likes to live a dangerous life.
Tony thinks back to his situation and a realization hits him into the face.
Oh god…
I’m turning into Peter Parker!