đ HEAR YE, HEAR YE, BRAVE SOULS! đâ¨
đĽ Let the drums of destiny roar as we welcome our newest LEGENDARY adventurer⌠âď¸ Buddyschlym! âď¸ đâĄď¸ Our journey just leveled UP with their arrival!
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The hum of machinery and the occasional spark of welding filled Tony Stark's workshop. The Mark III suit stood gleaming under the bright lights, every detail meticulously designed and adjusted.
Tony was crouched near the suit's left leg, fine-tuning the servos, while Seph leaned against the workbench, going over the latest modifications on a holographic display.
"Tony, you might want to double-check the stabilizer on the right thruster. It's still pulling to the left," Seph noted, gesturing to the schematic.
"Already fixed it," Tony said with a smirk, not even looking up. "I'm way ahead of you."
Seph rolled his eyes. "Sure you are. That's why you almost face-planted into your car last night, right?"
Before Tony could respond, the sound of high heels clicking against the concrete floor caught their attention. Both men looked up to see Pepper Potts standing at the entrance of the workshop, her arms crossed and her expression a mix of worry and exasperation.
"Tony," Pepper began, her tone sharp. "What are you doing down here?"
Tony straightened, feigning innocence. "Oh, you know, just... science stuff."
Pepper's eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, her gaze locking onto the Mark III suit. Her sharp eyes caught the bullet marks and scuffs on the Mark II, which stood on a nearby platform. Her jaw tightened.
"Bullet holes?" She asked, her voice rising. "Tony, what have you been doing?"
Tony hesitated, glancing at Seph for backup, but the other man was wisely keeping his mouth shut.
"Oh, come on, Pep," Tony tried, flashing his most charming smile. "It's just a couple of... field tests. Nothing serious."
Pepper turned her gaze to Seph, her expression hardening. "And you. I thought you were supposed to be the mature one here. Aren't you supposed to keep him out of trouble?"
Seph rubbed the back of his neck, looking genuinely apologetic.
"I tried," He said, though the faint smirk tugging at his lips didn't help his case. "But you know your boss better than me? The man's unstoppable once he sets his mind to something."
Pepper glared at both of them, her frustration evident. "Unbelievable. You're both acting like children."
She turned back to Tony, her voice softening just slightly. "Tony, I get that you're trying to do something good, but this?"
She gestured to the suits. "This is dangerous. You're going to get yourself killed."
Tony's playful smirk faded, replaced by a flicker of guilt. "Pepper, I know what I'm doing."
"No, you don't," She shot back. "You're rushing into something without thinking it through, like always. And now you've dragged Seph into it too."
Seph raised his hands high in an exaggerated display of mock surrender. "Hey, in my defense, your honor, he didn't exactly give me a choice! It was a classic 'fight or hide-behind-the-furniture' situation, and I'm fresh out of furniture."
Pepper sighed like she carried the weight of the worldâand two oversized man-childrenâon her shoulders. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she delivered her ultimatum. "JustâŚtry not to destroy anything irreplaceable, kill each other, or, God forbid, involve me. Please."
She spun on her heel and stalked off, her sharp stiletto clicking on the floor practically screaming angry executive chic.
As soon as she turned the corner and was out of earshot, Tony swiveled towards Seph with a mischievous grin. "Wow, you really charmed the pantsuit off her, huh?"
Seph rolled his eyes so hard, it was a wonder they stayed in his head. "Says the guy she almost turned into a human dartboard. Did you see her face? She had that serial killer simmering rage thing going on."
Tony leaned dramatically against a nearby counter, placing a hand on his chest. "You say 'serial killer' like it's a bad thing. That's just her love language."
"Oh sure," Seph said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Shouting and creative death threatsâclassic signs of affection. Why stop there? Maybe she'll mail us a box of live snakes next time."
Tony shrugged with a wicked grin. "It'd definitely have a bow on it. Probably signed, 'with hugs and murder, Pepper.'"
Seph raised a skeptical brow. "Hugs and murder, huh? And I'm the dramatic one?"
Tony nudged Seph with his elbow. "C'mon, admit itâyou were sweating bullets back there."
"Please." Seph crossed his arms, cocking his head like a guy who had absolutely never broken a sweat in his life. "I've faced way worse than Pepper Potts on a rampage."
"Worse? Really?" Tony said, grinning ear to ear. "Like what, exactly?"
Seph held up a finger, counting off on his hand. "Oh, I dunno⌠a whole room of heavily armed Hydra agents, a faulty jet pack at 20,000 feetâoh, and, yeahâyour ego. That's still my greatest challenge to date."
Tony's mouth fell open as he dramatically clutched his chest. "My ego?! How dare you? My ego is a national treasure!"
"More like a national hazard," Seph deadpanned.
They both burst into laughter, the echoes bouncing off the walls louder than the scolding Pepper had just unleashed. As the laughter subsided, Seph grinned. "Y'know, if nothing else, it's good to know there's one thing in this universe we're great at."
"Blowing stuff up?" Tony asked.
"No," Seph said, smirking. "Driving Pepper crazy."
Tony tilted his head in thought, then gave Seph an approving nod. "Ah, yes. The rare skill set. We truly are artists."
The two burst out laughing again, the tension from Pepper's scolding dissipating as they traded playful barbs.
"Alright, alright," Tony said after a while, wiping a tear from his eye. "Enough roasting me. Let's get back to work."
Seph nodded but his expression grew serious. "Actually, there's something we need to talk about."
Tony frowned, sensing the shift in tone. "What is it?"
Seph leaned against the workbench, crossing his arms. "It's about Obadiah."
Tony stiffened at the name. "What about him?"
Seph hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with him at the party."
Tony's eyes narrowed. "And?"
"And it sounds like he's more dangerous than you realize," Seph said bluntly. "The way he talked to you, the things he said... It doesn't add up. Especially what he admitted about your capture."
Tony's jaw clenched, the memory of Obadiah's cold confession flashing in his mind. "I know. I've been thinking about it ever since."
"You should be careful around him," Seph continued. "If he was willing to sell you out once, he'll do it again. And next time, he might not leave it to chance."
Tony ran a hand through his hair, the weight of Seph's words sinking in. "I know Obie. He's been like a second father to me. He wouldn'tâ"
Seph cut him off. "Tony, you're a genius, but you're not naive. You saw how he reacted when you confronted him. He's hiding something, and you need to be ready for whatever he's planning."
Tony sighed, rubbing his temples. "You're not wrong. I just... I need proof. Something concrete."
"Then we find it," Seph said firmly. "But until then, keep your guard up. You've got enemies on all sides, Tony. Don't let one of them catch you off guard."
Tony looked at Seph, his expression a mix of gratitude and determination. "Thanks, Seph. I mean it."
Seph nodded. "That's what I'm here for."
For a moment, the two men stood in silence, the hum of the workshop the only sound. Then Tony smirked, the serious moment passing.
"So, does this mean you're officially my babysitter now?"
Seph rolled his eyes. "If that's what you want to call it. Just don't expect me to hold your hand."
Tony laughed. "Fair enough. Now, let's finish this suit. I've got a feeling I'm going to need it sooner rather than later."
Seph grinned, his usual confidence returning. "Let's get to it."
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