Chapter Text
“Please remember the board meeting tomorrow, I've marked it in your calendar. Be in time.”
“Yes, Pepper.”
Tony sighed heavily and continued working on the boot of his newest Iron Man armour. Maybe it was just his impression, but ever since they broke up Pepper had become more and more insufferable. Or maybe it was just him not being able to cope, he didn' t know. They agreed to stay friends, but really, seeing each other every day - working together - they had no space to breathe, to get over it.
It's not like he didn't understand her. Living and loving someone who endangered his life on a regular basis, who had self destructive tendencies and generally no brain-to-mouth-filter was hard. Too hard for Pepper apparently. He didn't want to make her suffer. Their relationship held a grand total of two months after the “New York incident”. Two months of screaming insecurity and trust issues.
And now she was there, every day, but out of his reach. Sometimes Tony wished they hadn't been together in the first place, so at least their friendship would still be intact.
To clear his head, he worked himself into a frenzy. It was nearly 2 am when JARVIS suggested he take a break. Fair enough, he was treading water for the last hour or so anyway. Closing up his workshop for the night, he shuffled upstairs.
On the way to the bedroom he passed a mirror and decided that he looked awful. Well, not his looks were awful, but his posture. He looked kind of... defeated? Yes, defeated was a nice description. And an inadequate shape for Tony Stark. He took a deep breath, straightened his back and forced his lips into a cocky grin. Way better. Mens sana in corpore sano or whatever smart people said. If he looked happy enough, maybe his mind would catch on soon.
As Tony swaggered into his bedroom he had just decided that tomorrow he would try and start with a blank slate. There has been a happy life before Pepper and there would again be one after Pepper. Hell, he survived Afghanistan, he survived Obi, survived Vanko and he survived a fucking alien invasion, led by a batshit insane norse deity of all things. He could cope with a little heartache.
“JARVIS, tell me I'm awesome”, he commanded, eyeing his liquor cabinet, but ultimately deciding against drenching his thoughts in alcohol. He had stopped doing that a while ago. Not drinking in general, but using the alcohol to numb his thoughts. He thanked Pepper for that.
“Sir, there appears to be an intruder on your balcony.”
“What.” Tony frowned while wrapping his head around the idea of late night visitors. “JARVIS, lights.”
Just as he finished speaking, the glass door separating the bedroom from said balcony crashed inwards, little glittering shards flying everywhere. He shielded his face as best as he could and instinctively dived behind the bar, searching for the bracelets that would allow him to summon his suit.
Crunching footsteps echoed around the room while he was frantically searching for the second bracelet. He cursed internally just as a giant foot appeared around the bar followed by a figure stepping into his line of sight. Tony stopped his scrambling for a while to take in his unbidden guest.
The creature - for there wasn't another word to describe it – was tall, a good seven feet of height, bulky, clad in brown leather armour and hung with weapons like a Christmas tree with tinsel. It appeared to be reptilian, though anthropomorphic. Greyish scales shimmered in the lights of his bar. It smiled and displayed a mouth full of small but pointy teeth.
“Tony Stark?” It's voice sounded like someone dragging a boulder across concrete. But it spoke English. Huh.
“Uh, yeah, if you wanted an appointment, you needed only ask. I'm kinda off duty at the moment. You see, I need my beauty sleep.”
Where was that damn bracelet? The creature neared Tony and he instinctively scrambled backwards. Then he hit something with his back. Something smooth and leg-shaped. Something that had not been there before.
Looking upwards he saw a second creature, also grinning. It bent down and picked him up as if he weighted nothing.
“Someone want a drink? I want one, come on, let me down, I'm sure we can talk about thi-”
A giant hand was clamped about his jaw and shut him up. He struggled in vain against the arms holding him, even kicking the creatures shins amounted to nothing. He even drew his knees up to be able to kick it's crotch area, but he just heart a metallic clonking sound. Prepared bastards.
Now the other creature approached him from the front, a tiny pistol-like thing in its hand. It set the tip on his forearm and pulled the little trigger. Tony registered a sting, then his surroundings began to waver. Eventually he felt how the creature holding him had began to move before his vision went completely black and he sagged against the strong arms.