At the beach villa—
Tony Stark held a glass of odd-looking vegetable juice as Steve Rogers entered the lab after unlocking the door.
"How did you get the password?" Tony asked suspiciously.
"Pepper told me," Steve said casually. "I plan to marry her soon. You won't be angry, will you? And you still say we're just friends?"
He raised an eyebrow, showing no guilt at all for stealing someone else's girl.
After all, Tony and Pepper weren't in a relationship yet—just boss and employee.
A few months later, Tony would be forced out of the board by the government, and Pepper would find out about his trip to Afghanistan and the Iron Man suit. Their relationship would only develop then.
But right now, at this perfect window of opportunity, Steve had swooped in and stolen her heart.
Tony had once said he didn't care if Steve pursued Pepper—so that meant he accepted it, right?
Still, when he thought about Pepper's stockings and high heels, Tony felt like he'd swallowed a fly.
He couldn't even complain. After all, his feelings for Pepper were just a quiet crush. He'd never dared to act on it.
"Never mind, just know it now," Tony said finally, forcing a grin. He quickly switched topics, slinging an arm around Steve's shoulder and pointing toward the unpainted armor standing nearby. "Look, my masterpiece!"
Steve turned to see the Mark II Armor gleaming in raw steel. Its sleek, muscular frame looked more like a futuristic exoskeleton than a simple suit of armor.
It wasn't as slim or polished as the later models—but it was sturdier, heavier, and full of raw technological power.
"Very cool," Steve said, patting Tony's shoulder. "Mechas are a man's romance. But you still need to solve this problem."
He pointed at the Arc Reactor glowing faintly in Tony's chest. "Palladium poisoning isn't exactly a pleasant experience."
Tony froze, eyes wide. "How do you know about that?"
"Do you think the serum only strengthens muscles?" Steve replied with a smirk. "It sharpens the brain too. I can't solve it for you, but I can give you a hint."
He stopped there deliberately. With geniuses like Tony, too much help could backfire. Sometimes, giving just the right clue earned you more respect.
Tony fell silent, thinking deeply, but didn't press further. His pride wouldn't allow him to beg for answers.
"Changing the subject," Tony said suddenly, "do you know the maximum flight altitude of the SR-71 Blackbird?"
Steve smirked. He knew Tony was about to start bragging. "Of course—26,000 meters above sea level."
Tony grinned proudly. "Then do you know the highest flight record of my Mark II?"
Steve shrugged. "I don't know, but since you're this proud, you must've broken the record."
Tony blinked, his show-off moment ruined. "How did you know that?"
"You're glowing with pride," Steve said dryly. "But tell me, you really dared to fly that high without solving the icing problem? You weren't afraid of crashing?
By the way, if you haven't bought life insurance yet, please do—and write my name as the beneficiary. Thanks."
Tony's mouth twitched. "You're no fun at all. Can't you just let me finish bragging?"
"Go away," he said finally, shaking his head. "I came back this time to redesign the solution for icing at high altitudes."
Steve nodded approvingly. The Super Soldier Serum didn't just enhance strength—it improved reflexes, intelligence, and even combat calculation.
That's why he could throw his shield and have it rebound perfectly—because he could calculate the angles in real-time.
"I also checked into something for you," Steve said. "Last time you were kidnapped, someone tipped them off.
And with your Iron Man suit in play, even more people might be after you."
Tony set down his cup, eyes narrowing. "Who?"
"I don't know yet," Steve admitted. "I've been busy. I was tracking some vampires, then got dragged into some political mudslinging. I took a few days off. But now I'm back."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "You and vampires, huh? Well, you're definitely not bored."
He clapped his hands. "By the way, the thing you asked for—it's ready. Jarvis, bring it over!"
A robotic arm rolled forward, holding a tray with a glove and a magnet on it.
"This," Tony explained, "is for your shield. It uses magnetic attraction so you can call it back to your hand instantly."
Steve picked it up and tested it. The shield, lying on the ground, flew straight into his hand with a satisfying click.
"Nice. Practical and efficient," Steve said. "Thanks, Tony."
Tony waved him off. "It runs on a miniature Arc Reactor. You're welcome."
"Oh, and one more thing," Steve said suddenly. "Build me an artificial intelligence—preferably with a female voice."
Tony didn't even hesitate. He opened a drawer and pulled out a box filled with disks—at least twenty of them.
"All different kinds," he said. "Pick one yourself."
Steve whistled. "Not bad, Tony. You really are MIT's top genius."
Tony smirked. "Of course. And next time you go hunt vampires, bring me one alive. I want to study her—maybe she'll inspire a new armor design."
Steve chuckled. "Sure thing. Leave it to me."
...
📢 Author's Note
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✅ Part 1 Complete — 117 Chapters
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