Chapter 1
Tony slowly woke up to a warmth covering his face. He opened his brown eyes and immediately regretted it.
"Shit." He turned away from the light." J.A.R.V.I.S close the curtains." He murmured, making sure he was comfortable in the bed.
"I'm afraid I can't do that sir." J.A.R.V.I.S non-existent apologetic voice echoes in the room. Tony opened one eye and narrowed it at the camera in the corner of the room.
"Why?" He asked, suspicious. “You always nag me about the importance of sleep.”
“As it pains me to do it sir, you have asked me to wake you up 30 minutes before you must go to the meeting with Miss Potts.”
“What?” Tony sat up from his bed. His silk sheet pooled around his waist. “When did I ask you that? I clearly wasn’t thinking.” He looked at the clock on the bedside table. It was showing at 7:32.
“After Miss Potts has threatened to give you all the paperwork you ignored for the last 4 months sir. Miss Potts said that today's meeting is too important for you to be 2 hours late.” The AI said smugly at his creator.
“Fuck! Thanks J.A.R.V.I.S!” Tony jumped from the bed and quickly walked to the closet. He chose the first suit that was in front of his face. An Armani suit with the red tie was the lucky one. He dressed up and walked over to the bathroom. Tony washed his face and groomed his beard up a little.
“Do I have the time to eat breakfast?” He asked his AI when his stomach rumbled. At the same time Tony walked out of the bathroom, took the phone and went to the elevator.
J.A.R.V.I.S was happy that his creator wanted to eat breakfast on his own choice. The AI calculated preferred option and didn’t misses the opportunity presented to him. He closed the door as he spoke. “No sir, but you can take the sandwiches on the counter that Mr Rogers made for you while you take your daily dose of caffeine.”
“What would I do without you in my life?” Tony smiled at the enthusiasm he could hear in the voice of his creation.
“You would destroy the workshop with DUMM-E, BUTTERFINGERS and U sir.” The AI sassed and opened the door. Tony walked out of the elevator to the living room and took a look around.
Sitting on the couch is Steve, fresh out of the shower after his morning run. Tony often wondered why Captain is exercising when he has the super-serum. The man out of time has ended that thinking with: “Just because I have the serum doesn't mean I shouldn't care for my health." After a moment he added. “Also I become restless when I don’t have something to do.” Steve right now is watching a historical documentary about the discoveries in the years from sixties to seventies.
Tony didn't look for Clint and Natasha. He knows that they are on a mission that doesn't end until tomorrow. He didn’t hear from them for about 2 weeks and he misses them dearly. Even the pranks from the bird-brain but he won't admit it. That man doesn’t need to know he has grown on him like a fungus.
From the emptiness of the armchair he has next to the sofa, Tony concluded that Bruce has not yet left the laboratorium from the last time he saw him at 3 a.m the least. His experiment must be at the stage where time is essential to the project. He can't wait for his science bro to resurface, so he can kidnap the man and talk about what he is doing.
Thor is in Asgard. All-Daddy needs him, because some aliens make a nuisance of themselves in the Nine Realms and that is irritating him. Tony doesn’t know when he will be back.
Tony smiled. “Just for that cheek J.A.R.V.I.S I should give you up for local community college.” He went to the kitchen and while he was next to the couch he said hi to Steve. In there he took the termos and filled it with the nectar of gods while Cap yelled from the living room.
“You have the sandwiches in the red lunch box!”
“Thanks Steve!” Tone screamed back as he tucked it under his arm that was holding the coffee. He looked at the time on his phone, cursed and ran back to the elevator. Tony spent the next few minutes in silence before the doors opened and he walked out to the garage.
“Morning boss.” Happy greeted his employer and opened the door to the car. “Excited to go to the meeting in Manhattan, I presume?”
“Don't say it like that, Happy.” Tony scowled at his friend. “It’s like you don't know how bored I get in there.” He sat in the car and shut the door.
“Really boss?” Happy smiled when he sat down in the driver's seat.
“Yes, Happy. “ Tony laughed. “Now start the car, or Pepper will kill us with her heels.”
Tony dropped on the seat in the car.
“That bad boss?” Happy winced in sympathy as he closed the door and moved to the front. That traitor, he can't do that when he wasn’t even here.
“Try to convince fifteen old, stinky men that the project is worth the money.” Tony continued talking again when Happy started the car. “And that, no, we are not going back to making weapons.”
He whined. “Ugh, I wasted 6 hour on them that I won’t ever get back.”
Happy nodded. “Do you want to get the cheeseburger for your trouble, boss?”
“Do you even have to ask Happy? The answer is always yes!” Tony laughed as Happy turned the car left.
“We are here.” The driver said while stopping the car before the entrance of the building.
“Thanks, Happy.” Tony spoke to his friend and got out of the car.
Happy rolled down the window and called his employer. “Don't worry about the boss. Don't make too many problems for the Avengers!” He smiled and drived to the garage.
“No promises!” Tony yelled out as he walked into the lobby of the Stark Tower. He greeted his employee. “Hello Kate, working hard I see?” He asked.
“Of course Mr Stark.” She answered back with a happy voice when he walked into a person before him.
“Sorry, I didn't see you there.” He apologized. The man before him was wearing a blue shirt and brown jeans.
“Don't worry Mr Stark, it was my fault.” The man blushed and let out a tiny smile. ”I won't take any more of your time.” He answered and quickly walked out of the lobby.
“Huh, weird.” Tony murmured and went to the elevator. “Who was it J.A.R.V.I.S?”
The AI immediately answered. “John Evans, 27 years old and a new intern in R&D division.”
“That's why he was so nice!” The lift stopped and he walked out to the living room. “Bruce! You finally resurfaced from your lair.” He yelled happily and threw himself on the other man.
“How many times have I told you that my lab is not a lair? I’m not the one who is considered a mad scientist.” Bruce stated in amusement at the genius. “Who was nice?” He shifted the man from his body onto the couch.
Tony grumped. “I walked into a new intern and he was Nice Brucie. Like, with the big N. I'm going to be so sad that he will lose that attitude after working for some months with S.I.”
“You are such a liar, Tony!” Steve yelled from the kitchen. Looks like Cap is cooking dinner. This is a good day. Cap cooking skills are incredible. “You are going to terrorize that poor man until he will just not care anymore that you are famous.” Tony could hear the smile the blond must have on his face. “Now come here and set the table. Bruce, can you put the food on the table after Tony is done?”
“Of course Steve.” Bruce went to the kitchen and Tony went for the plates. In no time they had set up everything.
“Oh! Pancakes! Marry me Steve. Your food is too good for other peasants.” The billionaire said after he took a bite of his dinner.
“No Tony.” Steve declined. “You only want me for my cooking.” He said ashamed, but Tony could see the smile he tried to hide.
“Lies and slander.” The genius pouted. “I want you for your cooking and your muscles.” He said slyly and winked. Steve ignored that comment with an eyeroll. One day he will make Steve blush, mark his words.
They talked more about what happened during the day. Tony complained about the board members, Steve spoke about what he found interesting in the documentary he saw and Bruce told them what he was doing in the lab. When they finished eating, the billionaire stood up from his chair.
“Now that I have eaten and have energy, I'm going to my workshop. I have so many ideas.” Tony skipped to the elevator, his eyes twinkling. “Bye!” He waved to his teammates while the door closed.
Tony woke up to the feeling of someone shaking him. Tony grumbled and swatted at the hand grabbing him.
“-ny.” The owner of the noise shook him some more. The genius decided to ignore the annoyance.
“Hmm... Leave... me the fuck… alone...” He murmured to the voice and turned his head.
“Tony.” He woke up enough to recognize that the only one who had that amused voice was Steve. “Let's get you to bed.” He felt the arms around his back and under his knees. Tony decided that he was too tired to deal with this shit and fell asleep when Steve picked him up. He will deal with this in the morning.
The Argartians safely landed on a place surrounded by the forest. They found a patch of earth under the thick branches of trees. Edward, Lucian and five other Argartians immediately started building a makeshift base. Albert and the rest of the aliens installed invisibility shields around the planned place of the base. Captain was overlooking the work of his people.
“What is our current plan captain?” His second in command asked.
“We will take humans and we will look through their memories. Like us they should have famous people. That way we can assume that they are the kindest one of famous human. If they are not then our workload will increase. I want the base to be up and running before the night is over.” He looked at the sky. “We are going to start when the sun rises.”