Sitting by the kitchen island, a glass of whiskey sat in front of him while Tony watches Pepper cooking dinner for them. She insisted on cooking for the young girl instead of ordering take out as a welcome for her.
"I still don't believe it." Tony sighs loudly after gulping down the whole drink.
Pepper spun around with a wooden spoon in her hand to taste the spaghetti sauce. "What do you meant?"
"You know—" His eyes darted over where the stairs that lead to the upper floor.
Rolling her eyes, she put down the spoon and walk over to him. She gives him a reassuring message. "It will get better, and I know it will."
"But she-"
"She just lost her mother, Tony. Everything is all new to her too."
"But- But her attitude was just—"
Pepper snort continues finishing their dinner. "That's nothing. It just Stark's genes in her."
Tony frown. "I'm not that bad."
She gives him a look.
"Maybe just a tad'"
"You call your team names."
"Which suits them! And they love it." He argues.
"I'm not arguing with you, big baby." The strawberry-blonde haired woman state as she brushes off his argument off. "FRIDAY call Eve, tell her dinner is ready."
"Of course Miss Potts."
There a silence for a few seconds.
"Miss Dyne is on her ways." Inform the AI.
Their footsteps are coming from the stairs that proving that Eve is coming down.
Pepper look at Tony, "I want you to be nice to her. No arguing. No attitude."
Tony looks at her, bewildered, "She the one who starts it!"
"She's a teenager Tony, what do you expect?"
"Believe me, my expectation already ruined."
"Just please, Tony. She has already been through a lot. Just let it be, for now, okay?"
Tony didn't have time to answer since Eve finally walks in. She looks around the kitchen, not even bother to greet them and takes a sit a chair away from Tony.
Pepper gave Tony the last warning look before focusing on the girl. "How the room?"
"Not bad." The girl simply shrugs.
Why don't we go to the mall tomorrow? You can buy all the stuff you need?"
"No, thanks." She bluntly rejects it.
"Okay then, but if you need, just tell me, okay?"
"Sure." Eve dismissed her.
Pepper left to plate the dinner for them, leaving the father-daughter in an awkward situation.
Tony cleared his throat. "So your mother has told you about me before?"
"Yeah? What about it?" The younger Stark sigh, feeling a bit annoyed. Not really in the mood of talking about her dead mother.
"Why didn't she tell me?!"
"She did." Eve glance over the sea across the living room.
"When was it?"
"11 years ago."
Tony's eyes go wide, "11 years?!" he screeched.
Eve just blankly watching Tony's surprised look.
"Was I drunk?"
"Yes."
Tony groan rubbing his eyes with his palm. "You were 4?"
"4 and a half."
"Did something else happened that day?"
"Trust me, and there are lots of things that happened that day."
"Why wouldn't you tell me?" Tony asks, getting angry with the girl's attitude.
"Why would I?"
Tony rubbed his face getting more frustrated each second. He tries to understand the girl but her not cooperating with him only making it worst. He now feels even worst for not remembering anything at all. Not even after being showed Evaleen's picture.
Tim has shown him a picture of Eva, but her figures didn't strike anything in his mind, which triggered him a bit. How can he not remember or know the mother of his child, and they met but not in his right state of mind.
The conversation ends when Pepper arrives along with dinner.
Pepper's spaghetti with meatballs with a little touch of cheese attract both of the Stark's attention, who now realize how hungry they are.
Eve look at Pepper. "Did you cook this?"
Tony scoffed, and Pepper rolled her eyes at Tony's childish behavior and took a seat in front of them.
She smiles at the girl, "Yes, I did because Mr. Lazybutt needs some care since he claims that he's so busy even to eat. So I have to cook for him sometimes and make sure he eats the right nutrition instead of his ego."
The billionaire playfully glares and points his fork with meatball at her, "I am busy."
"Oh? What's make you so busy?" she taunted him.
He smugly smiles. "I'm Iron Man."
Both Pepper and Eve snort and continue eating their dinner, not caring about him. A ghost of a smile can be seen on Eve's face that goes unnoticed by both of them.
Eve may not show it, but she does like Pepper. She was indifferent to him as if he just like any other person instead of sugar-coting. They may just meet in a short time, but she watched Pepper pointed out whatever wrong he did. In her eyes, Pepper maybe a little too good for him.
Tony look offended, "Why with the snorting? I'm an Iron Man and with the Avengers."
"Yeah, yeah. Now eat your dinner. It's getting cold." Pepper dismissed him.
Tony pouted childishly and mumbled slowly, 'I am Iron Man, ' which still can be heard by both of them.
Pepper glance back and forth between the Starks. "What are you guys talking about earlier?"
"Nothing," Eve replied while eating her meatball, not even look at her.
Tony stop sulking point his fork at Eve, "Well, this Miss. Mysterious don't want to share her past with me."
Eve roll her eyes
"Keep rolling, and it will stick like that." Tony pointed out.
"Better like that than seeing your face."
"You mean, handsome?" Tony smirk.
"Handsome, my foot." She replies, making his smirk drop.
Pepper can feel the tension between them speak up. "Maybe she doesn't want to talk about it yet. Give her some time?"
"Well, she already talks about it earlier. She said that her mother did meet me 11 years ago, but when I ask what else happened, she just starts being teenagers in a hormone."
Eve slams her fork in rage glared at Tony. "Maybe that because she just doesn't want to tell you because it too hurtful even to remember. You may not remember it, but you did a very horrible thing that day. So good luck at remembering it because I fucking hell won't tell you!" She stands up and stomps away to her room.
The kitchen goes silent, then the slam of the door echoed through it. Pepper sigh at rubbed her face, "Why did you have to push her like that? I told you not to."
"You told me not to argue with her." Tony points out.
Pepper groan standing up, "I just can't with you right now."
Tony frown, "Where are you going?" he asks, watching her walking up the stairs.
"To check on her." She answers. "And I want you to clean up all of these." She points towards all plates, including the used cooking utensils.
"Why me?" he whined.
"It's your punishment." She continues her journey.
Tony groaned, looking at all the dishes that he has to wash.
"Oh, and Tony." Pepper voice snapping his head towards the stairs with a hopeful look.
Flashing him a sweet smile, she adds. "Sleep in the lab." With that, she disappears, leaving the jaw dropped billionaire with his dishes and future backache.