Everlasting • Tony Stark✔️

08 | leaving

TONY walked into his lab the next morning slightly disgusted with himself for the lack of thought in his night's activities. What the hell was he thinking? He was trying to patch things with Lyra. She would think even worse of him now. With a scowl, he typed the code to get into his lab, and he was surprised at how much of a mess his desks were with notes. He used his hands to slowly turn the lights on as his other hands flicked toward the stereo to stop the music.

His eyes wandered around the room until they landed on her figure lying on the couch wrapped in a think blanket with the tablet leaving her hand but DUM-E holding it from falling to the ground.

"Lyra," he breathed a laugh, almost in awe of how beautiful she was in that moment. He shook his head with a smirk, moving to walk over to his counters to see notes on the arc reactor. He was in awe at how organized she was.

*Palladium!!! Note–Toxic if ingested!*

Tony laughed, picking up all of her sticky notes to read them before sticking them safely into a folder. "Open all Lyra's work from yesterday."

Jarvis booted up machines as he began to display Lyra's work around the room. He grinned slightly as the work went on for miles with obvious corrections to his own. He walked around the room to take it all in before shaking his head.

"Shall I wake Miss Redfield?"

"Put my playlist on. She'll wake up," Tony said, moving his hand to scroll through his work. When familiar songs blast through the speakers, he began to see her stir in his peripheral. "Morning, Sunshine! You've been busy!"

Lyra heard the music in her dreams, and a part of her knew it was Tony's doing. When it grew louder, she felt herself waking up. Yawning slightly after Tony's words, she glanced up with hooded eyes to see Tony admiring her work.

A robot buzzed next to her, and she saw him holding the tablet from falling. Grabbing it, she grinned when the robot drifted to Tony to await commands.

"Someone had to figure out your problems," Lyra said. "How was the award ceremony?"

Tony shrugged. "Wouldn't know, but I play a mean game of craps. Would've loved to have you to blow on my dice."

"Unbelievable," Lyra muttered. "And the woman?"

Tony flinched. "Pepper will see her out," he said with a cheeky smile. "I got her name this time."

"Oh, progress," Lyra said with a roll of her eyes, "but you'll forget it."

"You're right. Because you're the only woman I need to remember," Tony flirted before grabbing a few tools and walking to a car. "Want to help?"

Lyra shook her head. "No. I'll probably go up and get ready for the day of doing nothing."

Tony grinned as he sat on the ground near his car of choice. "I promise when I get back from Afghanistan, I'll get you a real project now that you've seen to have figured out the arc reactor."

"Yeah, thanks," Lyra mumbled, folding the blanket to sit it on the couch.

"You know we have to talk about last night," Tony reminded as he pushed under a car.

"Do we?" Lyra asked. "I think by bringing that woman here, you've been very clear on your feelings."

Tony hit his head on the car and snarled, "Shit!" It was silent until Lyra began to laugh. "C'mon, Ly. We'll talk when I get back. I'll cook for you—"

"You'll have Pepper cook, you mean."

"You know me well."

"Have a good trip, Tony," Lyra called softly as Pepper came into view outside the lab. "Be safe, yeah?"

"Always am," Tony replied, pulling out of the car to send her a wink. "Don't miss me too much."

Lyra smiled softly before turning to the open door where Pepper was walking in with a phone to her ear. "Hey, Pep."

"Hey, Lyra. I have a job for you today if you're up for it. Let me take care of the child and we'll discuss it," Pepper said with a smile. "I'm gonna try again right now," she said to the person on the phone as she turned down Tony's music.

Lyra nodded, beginning to walk up the stairs. "Please, don't turn down my music!"

"I'll keep you posted," she said as she hanged up. "You are supposed to be halfway around the world right now."

"How'd she take it?"

"Like a champ."

Lyra rolled her eyes as she finished ascending the stairs as the lab shut, cutting off hearing the conversation.

In the lab, Pepper walked over to Tony, asking him for his opinion on Jackson Polluck. He walked through Lyra's work, looking around as if he was searching for an answer to a question. As he walked around, he called for her to stop harassing him about things that far in the future when she brought up the MIT commencement speech.

"I need you to sign this before you get on the plane," Pepper said, shoving a clipboard in his hands.

Tony looked at her with a smirk. "What are you trying to get rid of me for? What, you got plans?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. I have to talk to Lyra for her plans as well before, so hurry up."

"I don't like it when you both have plans."

"I'm allowed to have plans on my birthday," Pepper said stiffly.

Tony cocked a brow. "It's your birthday?"

"Yes."

"I knew that. Already?"

Pepper grinned. "Yeah. Isn't that strange? It's the same day as last year."

Tony nodded. "Well, get yourself something nice from me."

"I already did."

"And?"

"Oh, it was very nice."

"Yeah."

Pepper grinned. "Very tasteful. Thank you, Mr. Stark."

"You're welcome, Miss Potts."

"Speaking of birthdays, have you thought about Lyra's? I do believe you have a lot of ground to cover if you want to make up your atrocious dinner date," Pepper said, beginning to walk off.

Tony furrowed his brows. "When is it? No, wait, don't answer that. I know when... Two weeks, right?"

Pepper nodded. "She really adores you, Mr. Stark. I'd take care since you've been given another shot at this."

Tony smiled softly. "Thank you, Miss Potts."

"Yeah, just let me know what you want to do by Friday, so I can set it up," she called on her way out.

Tony laughed, realizing he had to leave for Afghanistan before he was truly late. "Jarvis, send Rhodey a message. I'll be there soon."