The Tale Of Two Starks

-Chapter 35-

"On my way" I say getting up and heading to the elevator.

"Jarv what is Tony doing down there its eight in the morning"? I ask him.

"Working on new armor since the clean slate protocol was enacted, sir requires your opinion on several designs" Jarvis explains.

I nod walking off when the doors open, the lab itself is disheveled and oddly reminiscent of Tony's personality; a bit like a whirlwind but an organized one.

"Hey there Cap, come in don't mind the mess I had some ideas and had to get them down before I forgot them" He says running a hand through his hair.

"Its ok Tony. What did you want to show me"? I ask causally.

He smiles, a true Tony smile not the press conference smile. A simple Anthony Stark smile.

"Even though I destroyed all of my suits while having the terrorist, I had Jarvis save all my in progress designs" He starts pulling out a file with the Stark industries logo on the front.

I nod for him to continue.

"So right now I have 3 suits in the works, the new mark 50, mark 53 and mark 54" He lists pointing to each corresponding blue print.

"Why not stick with the original mark 50 design? I didn't think there was anything wrong with it"? I ask leaning on the work bench.

"Thanks Steve, but it had some issues that I'm taking care of in the new design" He says rubbing the back of his neck almost self consciously.

That is unheard of to most people thinking that Tony could be self conscious about anything.

"Like what"? I ask honestly interested now that he mentioned issues with the old mark 50.

He looks surprised at my sudden interest but continues on.

"For starters the thing leaks, one time I had a thruster malfunction ended up in a lake. Also if I got hit in the right place one or multiple systems would short out, which for obvious reasons can't happen in a battle scenario" He explains.

"So the new mark 50 won't leak and won't short out if you take any serious hits"? I ask him.

"Now you've got it" He nods.

"Since the suits directly connect to my arc reactor, fixing the leaking issue is a must" He adds tapping the glowing light on his chest.

I didn't even think about the arc reactor, the thing keeping him alive getting water in it could be deadly.

"Its ok if you want to know more about it" Tony says as if reading my mind.

I smile nervously.

"I know it keeps you alive but I don't really know how"? I ask, my eyes drifting down to the dimly lit circle in the middle of his chest.

"How much did Mia tell you when I was kidnapped by the Ten Rings- the second time" He asks crossing his arms.

"Just that they wanted you to build weapons for them and you didn't. That's all we needed to know at the time" I say remembering that conversation with vivid detail.

He chuckles without humor nodding his head.

"What are we missing"? I furrowing my brows.

"A lot actually" Tony says pulling out a wheelie chair to sit on.

"It started in Afghanistan, it was a demonstration of some tech I was developing. I was with a military team heading to the next location when our convoy was attacked" He says softly.

"Of course the soldiers thought it was just run of the mill Afghanistan insurgents but when our humvee was hit with a ballistic missile. I knew it was about me" He sighs.

I nod for him to continue, I bet this one of the only times he's talking about Afghanistan.

"I managed to crawl away from the humvee wreckage to a big rock. That's when it got even crazier"

"How could it possibly get crazier than your convoy getting attacked"? I ask him.

"While I was laying against the rock another missile landed next to me, which wasn't as bad as what I noticed next" He says pointedly.

"What did you notice"? I ask.

"It was a very nice stamp on the side, Stark Industries" Tony says plainly.

What?! It was a Stark industries missile? Oh wow that's I don't know what to say about that.

"Obviously it didn't go off, your still here" I say not liking where the story is going.

Another humorless laugh.

"Oh it did. The arc reactor is a fancy electromagnet keeping some particularly nasty shrapnel from getting up close and personal with my heart" Tony says tapping his chest.

"Oh Tony" I sigh heavily.

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