A Little Hot Rod Red
The billionaire is in his lab, the armour gone, in favour of an icepack being pressed to his head. He kicks aside a creeper without much thought, making his way towards the mug of coffee left atop a box, previously left by Pepper. He grabs the coffee and continues his walk forward, soon stopping in his tracks and furrowing his brow in curiosity. He removes the ice pack from his head and looks back at the box.
There's nothing special about it; just simple and brown, with a sticky note attached to the top. He turns back, setting his coffee and ice aside.
“That was the first and last time Tony Stark placed down a not empty coffee mug,” Rhodey said dramatically, Tony flicked him.
"From Pepper," the note reads, written neatly in blue.
He tosses the note aside and begins tearing at the brown wrapping.
Several people leaned forward interested in what was in the wrapping.
He finally pulls it away, revealing a glass display case with the original arc reactor displayed proudly within. He picks it up almost gingerly, the gentle humming of the machinery audible even through the glass as he reads the words engraved on the ring surrounding the blue glow. 'Proof that Tony Stark has a heart.'
“That’s really nice of her!” smiled Bruce. Tony was smiling too, remember the gift.
“Saved my life she did.” A few quizzical glances were sent his way and Rhodey was glowering.
The man himself is eyeing the gift with a bit of fondness, the corner of his lips quirking up just the slightest bit.
The happy moment was soon over as the camera begins to pan to the side, the view becoming increasingly darker. Voices are heard until the view reveals two men, both leaning over the scraps of the Mark I. The one on the left is holding Tony's abandoned blueprints and the one on the right is discussing where the piece in his hand goes.
“Idiots can’t even assemble it correctly.” scoffed Shuri.
“Who are these guys?” Clint asked confused.
“The Ten Rings,” Sam said in a state the obvious tone.
The angle changes, revealing the somewhat reassembled Mark I, though not yet put back together. Raza is standing over it, a cigarette resting between his fingers and a scowl on his burned face.
Tony winced again, although these memories were some of his oldest traumatic ones it still hurt. Especially watching them like this.
Back to the suit, the camera zooms in on the intimidating mask, which soon fades to the new and improved helmet on a computer screen.
“I should have gotten rid of it somehow.” Tony murmured, Rhodey overheard him.
“You couldn’t have gotten rid of it in the state you escaped. Hell, it’s a miracle you escaped at all” Tony hummed in acknowledgement but didn’t believe the words.
"Notes; main transducer feels sluggish at plus 40 altitude," Tony says to Jarvis as he leans back in his desk chair. There's an ice pack taped to his shoulder and he's twirling a rag in his hands. "Hull pressurization is problematic. I'm thinking icing…" he sits up with a wince, somewhat stiff from his injuries, "is the probable factor."
“No... really?” Rocket snorted.
"A very astute observation, Sir," comes Jarvis' snarky reply, just like his creator, "Perhaps if you intend to visit other planets, we should improve the exosystems." Ignoring him, Tony turns in his chair to face a different screen, having snagged a glass of green… sludge … from his desk, "Connect to the Sys. Co. Have it reconfigure the shell metals. Use the gold-titanium alloy from the seraphim tactical satellite. That should ensure fuselage integrity while maintaining power-to-weight ratio. Got it?" He raises the glass to his lips taking a sip as Jarvis processes the information.
“That should work,” commented T’challa.
"Yes. Shall I render using proposed specifications?" The AI inquires.
"Thrill me."
The genius spins in his chair to face the TV as Jarvis begins the render on the nearby screen, the beginnings of a gold suit becoming more apparent. Tony is tuning into what the woman on TV is saying while he waits for his AI to finish his task.
"Tonight's red-hot red carpet is right here at the Disney Concert Hall, where Tony Stark's third annual benefit for the Firefighter's Family Fund has become the place to be for L.A's high society," the blonde reporter is saying as Tony sits alone at his desk, brows slightly furrowed.
“Shouldn’t you be there?” asked Wong sounding mildly curious.
“Yep,” Tony answered sighing slightly.
“Then why aren’t you?” Quill asked. Tony nodded towards the screen.
"Jarvis, we get an invite for that?" He questions, leaning a bit to see past his monitors before picking up the faceplate of the armour on his desk.
"I have no record of an invitation, Sir."
“Oh,” Quill muttered. Gamora rolled her eyes slightly.
"… hasn't been seen in public since his bizarre and highly controversial press conference," the woman is saying as Tony is turning the mask in his hands, before finally holding it up to his face and looking at the television through the eye slits.
“Highly controversial?” Loki almost snickered. “That is quite an understatement.”
The front of the mask is shown, calculations and notes written on its' surface as the reporter speaks, "Some claim he's suffering from post-traumatic stress and has been bedridden for weeks."
They got the PTSD part right at least. Tony thought bitterly.
The genius removes the mask, his face taking that of slightly troubled as the TV shows an image from the press conference.
Natasha glanced at the off-screen Tony, a suspicion creeping into her subconscious.
"Whatever the case may be, no one expects an appearance from him tonight."
Tony grimaces at the news story but makes no comment as Jarvis speaks up, the camera focusing in on the monitor where the armour's render is finishing up.
"The render is complete."
“It was going to be gold?” Clint snorted.
“I am Groot.”
“No,” Gamora snapped. “You do not need a solid gold suit of armour.
“I am Groot,” Groot answered sadly.
"A little ostentatious, don't you think?" Tony asks, not really caring either way as he reaches for his smoothie glass and the pitcher.
“Who are you and what have you done with Tony Stark.” joked Rhodey, Tony rolled his eyes.
"What was I thinking? You're usually so discreet," Jarvis quips.
“JARVIS definitely got his sense of humour from you, Tony,” Bruce commented, Tony smiled fondly in memory of his AI.
Tony's doesn't comment at his expressive AI, because his eyes are fixed on the car he had been working on prior to his capture. "Tell you what," he looks back to his glass, pouring himself more of the smoothie, "Throw a little hot rod red in there."
"Yes, that should help you keep a low profile."
Snickers ran through the audience and Tony rolled his eyes.
Tony returns the pitcher to his desk as the monitor beside him starts to mix red in with the gold. Tony spins to look at it again as he takes a sip from his cup.
"The render is complete," Jarvis states again.
On the screen is the red and gold suit everyone knows and loves today.
Peter cheered and although they would never admit it so was several other people. On the inside at least.
"Yeah, I like it. Fabricate it. Paint it," He orders, setting aside the mask from before and grabbing his very expensive watch instead.
“Nice watch,” Stephen commented absentmindedly. Tony smirked at the man.
“Why thank you.”
"Commencing automated assembly, estimated completion time is 5 hours."
Looking at the time on his watch, Tony stands, "Don't wait up for me, honey."
“You called everyone honey.” Rhodey sighed.
“Only J and you Honeybear.” Tony mocked.
“You got it, Mr Stank.” He then began to laugh as Tony pouted.