[for Tony and Pepper] Red Riding Prologue

[daretodo]

The date hasn't escaped my notice. Even if I wasn't a New Yorker, born and raised, even if I hadn't picked my way through the rubble of the World Trade Center, today would have some meaning for me, though it's hardly comparable. Nearly getting killed by a friend on a bender isn't exactly on the same scale as flying airplanes into buildings, after

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[notawastedlife]

Tony was not a man to let frustration show, in general. Right now, this was because he didn't really have any. Terrible was up and running and doing the job, which meant he didn't have to watch the scrapyard personally as much as he had. So he could do a little more work around the place, and a little more scouting for improvement projects. And the Aperture tech was starting to give way on being a conundrum.

So. Things were better than, say, last year.

He hopped over the last few steps to the workshop and settled into a stroll, blinking at Peter, who was... geared up.

"If you're having private time in the get-up, I could come back..." he said, indicating the stairs.

[daretodo]

"What--? No, actually, I need your help," I say, taking a step towards him before I rethink that plan, and in a rush of nervous energy, wave him over instead. Now that he's here, I realize there are still about fifty different little things that still need doing, pushed aside before in favor of stroking my own ego for longer than was strictly necessary.

"C'mere. And grab that frying pan over there while you're at it, wouldja? We're gonna need it in a sec."

[notawastedlife]

"...are we- cooking?" Tony said, but headed over anyway, pausing by said frying pan, looking between it and Peter. "If you feel like you need more firepower, I'd recommend something a little less... culinary."

[daretodo]

"Elections are coming up in a couple of months," I point out, voice deadpan, not sparing him so much as glance up as I fit together a couple of wires in my mask that I'd forgotten about in my initial pass. "If I run again, well... I figured, what the heck, right?"