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synthneon2025-06-10 12:40 am
bubblesong) wrote in synthneon2025-06-10 12:40 am
Entry tags:
🫧 mcu/nikke || ❝ is this the love that i've been searching for? ❞
[ Little Mermaid slips quietly down the stairs into the glass doors of the workshop. Golden colored eyes scan the workshop, realizing that the lights are off. That alone is unusual for the ungodly early hours of the morning when it comes to the Malibu mansion, but also because there is no music.
Or sounds.
She can account for every car being in it's place from where she stands.
Her hand raises to unlock the door and she slips inside. Since the room is already quiet, she decides to not make any jarring noises if possible. Both hands quietly ease the door shut and she practically tiptoes through the usually loud and bustling workshop. Her hair is braided in an attempt to keep it from dragging on the floor, but yet it still manages to touch it with the ends regardless. ]
Uhmm... ooo.
[ The nervous hushed sounds come from her as she continues her tiptoeing search through the workshop. She's nervous to call out to the man she's looking for in case it startles him.
Everyone is aware that things haven't been the same since they returned from New York City those months ago. Little Mermaid had been overjoyed to return to the Malibu mansion, but made sure to keep the emotions to herself. Especially at seeing how rattled Tony Stark had been. Of course, he had been his usual abrasive, sarcastic, funny self, but they could all tell something was different. Rhodey tried to help when he could, but was brushed off. Pepper does what she can when she stops by after being at Stark Industries all day, but generally the conversations always break down into work and what not to do or what to do with the direction of the company.
She's wanted to help too. She's always wanted to help.
But, does someone like Tony Stark need her help? Does a hero like Iron Man who can fight along side people from other realities, spies, massive shapeshifting men, and even the original super soldier need her help? She's was designed to be a support not an attacker to her squad. The squad that was deemed such a failure it caused the Goddess of Victory project to come to a close. The squad that had been forced apart in their mission that was supposed to redeem them and rewrite their ending. She couldn't even take the hand of her dearest friend when her friend needed it the most. How could someone like Tony ever really need her help in anything?
That was why the comments from the interviewer had rattled her so much. She doesn't want to be a failure or just another woman that Pepper takes out of the house one day. She wants to be helpful, to have a place she belongs, to be more the failure she had been labeled. She wants to be special like Pepper is to him. Not the exact same, as one can never truly replace another, but she wants to be apart of his life.
Maybe one day she can truly earn the title of "Goddess of Victory" to someone.
Tony doesn't need a Goddess of Victory. He's his own maker of victories.
Little Mermaid stops at one of the work tables.
Then, she leans over it slightly.
Tony is sitting on the floor, pressed against the work table, breathing heavily and shaking.
She bites her lip to keep from saying his name in relief that she found him. Instead, she carefully and quietly, tiptoes around the side of the work table. Then, she moves down to be on her knees. She hasn't moved to be exactly next to him. There is still plenty of space to give him room. Her eyes drop to his shaking hands before looking back up at his face in what she can make out in the darkness. The light from his arc reactor is dimmed through his shirts, but she can at least make the outline out in the darkness.
Slowly, one hand reaches out to rest beside him. She hesitates with her fingers curling slightly. He hasn't reached out to her--should she even reach out to him first? ]
... Tony? [ Little Mermaid speaks in a whisper as to try and not startle him.
The notion isn't hard. There had been a time when that was all she could speak in. ]
Or sounds.
She can account for every car being in it's place from where she stands.
Her hand raises to unlock the door and she slips inside. Since the room is already quiet, she decides to not make any jarring noises if possible. Both hands quietly ease the door shut and she practically tiptoes through the usually loud and bustling workshop. Her hair is braided in an attempt to keep it from dragging on the floor, but yet it still manages to touch it with the ends regardless. ]
Uhmm... ooo.
[ The nervous hushed sounds come from her as she continues her tiptoeing search through the workshop. She's nervous to call out to the man she's looking for in case it startles him.
Everyone is aware that things haven't been the same since they returned from New York City those months ago. Little Mermaid had been overjoyed to return to the Malibu mansion, but made sure to keep the emotions to herself. Especially at seeing how rattled Tony Stark had been. Of course, he had been his usual abrasive, sarcastic, funny self, but they could all tell something was different. Rhodey tried to help when he could, but was brushed off. Pepper does what she can when she stops by after being at Stark Industries all day, but generally the conversations always break down into work and what not to do or what to do with the direction of the company.
She's wanted to help too. She's always wanted to help.
But, does someone like Tony Stark need her help? Does a hero like Iron Man who can fight along side people from other realities, spies, massive shapeshifting men, and even the original super soldier need her help? She's was designed to be a support not an attacker to her squad. The squad that was deemed such a failure it caused the Goddess of Victory project to come to a close. The squad that had been forced apart in their mission that was supposed to redeem them and rewrite their ending. She couldn't even take the hand of her dearest friend when her friend needed it the most. How could someone like Tony ever really need her help in anything?
That was why the comments from the interviewer had rattled her so much. She doesn't want to be a failure or just another woman that Pepper takes out of the house one day. She wants to be helpful, to have a place she belongs, to be more the failure she had been labeled. She wants to be special like Pepper is to him. Not the exact same, as one can never truly replace another, but she wants to be apart of his life.
Maybe one day she can truly earn the title of "Goddess of Victory" to someone.
Tony doesn't need a Goddess of Victory. He's his own maker of victories.
Little Mermaid stops at one of the work tables.
Then, she leans over it slightly.
Tony is sitting on the floor, pressed against the work table, breathing heavily and shaking.
She bites her lip to keep from saying his name in relief that she found him. Instead, she carefully and quietly, tiptoes around the side of the work table. Then, she moves down to be on her knees. She hasn't moved to be exactly next to him. There is still plenty of space to give him room. Her eyes drop to his shaking hands before looking back up at his face in what she can make out in the darkness. The light from his arc reactor is dimmed through his shirts, but she can at least make the outline out in the darkness.
Slowly, one hand reaches out to rest beside him. She hesitates with her fingers curling slightly. He hasn't reached out to her--should she even reach out to him first? ]
... Tony? [ Little Mermaid speaks in a whisper as to try and not startle him.
The notion isn't hard. There had been a time when that was all she could speak in. ]
no subject
For once, he's not even really sure what he's dealing with here, only that something has visibly rattled her, and that doesn't even begin to describe it. For a second, he just stands there in the doorway, staring at the one person (yes, person, because as far as Tony's concerned, that's what she is) he'd move mountains to find and protect. Except did he really protect her? She protected him, as far as he can tell. And looking at her now, she definitely doesn't look like she's been protected, and despite his best efforts to convince people that he really doesn't have a conscience (okay, he knows he hasn't actually done that; people just assume that's the case), looking at her right now is bothering him a lot. ]
Hey, you're really committed to the whole "don’t touch me" thing. I get it. Fine. Respecting boundaries, big fan, really.
[ He takes another cautious step forward, eyes scanning the room, taking in the curled up shape in the corner, the faint shimmer of bubbles clinging to her sides, the way she's bracing herself against the wall like the world might crush her at any moment. Maybe it already has. Maybe it feels like it has. That's his fault.
At first, he's not entirely sure what to do, but then he lowers himself to the floor in front of her and just sits there, waiting, watching, hoping... Hoping she'll let herself just exist in the same room with him without exploding (he's had enough of exploding people, thanks) or shutting down even more than she already has.
And then he starts, attempting to apologize for what feels like a laundry list of questionable decisions and the consequences that happened because of those decisions. ] Sorry. Sorry the mansion blew up. Sorry I left you there, even though Rose Hill, Tennessee wasn't exactly on my itinerary, and yeah... Sorry it took me so long to come home. I know, it's not like I planned to end up in another state and inadvertently make things worse. I just got caught up in things... Things and stuff and insanity, and I get it, that's not an explanation, but I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere. I mean it.
[ He figures it's obvious that she isn't going to be in any sort of mood for jokes or humor, and maybe he should shut up for once, but he slowly, tentatively adds: ] If it helps, I promise: next time I'll try to coordinate the explosions better. Less collateral. More style.
[ And then, with a slight pause, he says: ] Speaking of style, you... you kind of look like you could use a hand. If you wanted one, anyway. I wouldn't blame you if you said no.
no subject
The person who enters the room sits down in front of her. Her eyes widen--are they even her real human eyes--and her breathing quickens. Except, this person sat down in front of her. They didn't try to grab her. They didn't shout and they didn't try to pull her away. That alone is what makes her widened eyes raise to look at the person sitting in front of her.
She stills as a mixture of shock and relief crosses her face.
It doesn't really matter what he's said in her mind, because the most important thing is that he's sitting in front of her. He has scrapes and some healing cuts on his face, but it's still Tony Stark. He's alive--sitting in front of her. He did fly away. They were wrong. He didn't die. He's okay. He's safe.
With a sudden burst of determination that is almost reminiscent of when she tried to move out of the containment he found her in? Little Mermaid pushes herself up. She all but throws herself at him, arms latching around his neck. A strangled sob forces itself out of her from sheer relief. Hands curl into the flannel on his back. The smell of the truck stops or bad food hardly even phase her. ]
Tony!
[ His name is forced out in a bursting force of pure emotions. Relief, love, pain. A tone that might seem uncharacteristic to her, but instead comes from something deeper and more exposed. Raw. The woman he's so fondly called 'Ariel' crying out to the only human that's ever noticed her. The woman who has had all her conditioning of being a super soldier stripped away. No bubbles, no super strength. Just the person he always seems to call her when the evidence that she isn't human stares her in the face.
You're okay. You're alive. You came back. You came home.
Her hands curl into the unfamiliar clothes he's dressed in. Pain spikes through her finger tips and into her hands. She can't control how much they tremble or the gasps of pain between her sobs. The liquid metal pooled in her fingertips shifts and causes another wave of pain, reminding her that she pushed herself perhaps almost too far. That she was in danger of her fingers becoming liquid metal. She had to, because she had to protect Tony. His suits. Their home. The place he's safe away from all the things of being a superhero and being an Avenger...
She flinches harshly as her side complains loudly at how she has stretched herself out to hold onto him. It's an iron grip, because she isn't letting go. If she lets go he might disappear. She tries to curl up against him in his hold. ]
You're okay...
no subject
He shuts his eyes, presses his jaw to her hair, and lets her clutch and tremble and sob into him. For once, he doesn't even try to make a joke; he doesn't even really talk, at least not right this second. He just holds on, and lets her hold onto him, and he can't help but think that maybe if he squeezes tight enough, it'll make up for every second he wasn't here. ]
Hey, I'm okay. I'm right here: not a ghost, not a hologram, definitely not dead. You can pinch me later to be sure. I came back, Ariel. I always come back.
[ She flinches against him, the sound of her pain cutting through his chest like shrapnel. And he knows how shrapnel feels, so this is basically just that feeling, except it's a sound, and more importantly, it's a sound he doesn't like. He feels the tremor in her fingers, the iron grip she's got on his flannel, the way she curls against him like she's terrified he'll vanish if she loosens her hold even a fraction. He rubs a hand up her back, trying to be slow, steady, grounding. ]
I'm sorry. I'm so damn sorry. [ He doesn't often apologize and sound absolutely, entirely genuine about it, but he does now. There's no mistaking it. ] The house blowing up, me disappearing to Tennessee like a complete idiot, taking way too long to get back; you didn't deserve any of that. You deserved to have me here with you, and I wasn't. That's on me. 100%.
[ His voice softens, quieter, as if the words are just for her ears. ]
But I'm here now, and I'm not going anywhere, not if I have to weld myself to this floor to prove it.
no subject
I always come back.
Maybe it's not a promise, but, she takes it that way. She will hold him to those words. She'll still do whatever she needs to in order to make sure he does come home. After all they're supposed to swat at what endangers the other. That was the agreement. ]
... they said you died. [ She knows he's proven the opposite, but it's offered as an explanation for her current state.
Her head tilts and forehead presses into her shoulder as a way to accept his apologies. Not that he needs to apologize. She understands. It was a horrible idea to give out the address--stupid even. But, she understands. Happy is in coma in the hospital. Everything feels spun out of control. Facing the person who hurt Tony's family face-to-face isn't just bravado, is it? It's trying to grab control back from a world that took it away.
Tennessee? Why did he go there?
She presses into him more at his next statement. The words to describe that she took care of the missile, protected his suits, saved what she could of their home won't come. Instead, all that comes out is a multilayered sound of pain. She should just turn it off. But, if she does, then she's not human. She isn't a person. Tony deserves a person, but instead, he's picked her.
Though some part of her wishes there was a romantic notion that it wasn't picking and it was meant to be this way. Fairytales aren't real. Those sort of things don't happen in the real world. ]
It hurts.
[ All of it. Every bit of it. Even he's hurting. ]
no subject
I didn't die, obviously, but I'm not surprised that's what people thought. Tennesse was stupid and how I got there is a long story... Stupid and long, and definitely not my brightest idea. It wasn't even supposed to be an idea, but JARVIS picked up on it, and.... Yeah. Stupid. Dumb. Not JARVIS, me. But the important part? I came back, and I'm just going to keep coming back.
[ He'll keep saying it too, as long as he has to. He shifts slightly, letting her press closer, deciding it might be a good idea to let her feel him staying as still and as steady as possible right now. It takes some effort, as he's not in the best of shape himself, but it's obvious to him that she's worse off than he is, which makes her the priority. ]
You don't have to explain any of it. The missile, the mansion, the suits, all of it... I know you did what you could. That's more than anyone else could've done, and more than I could've asked for.
[ It's not the best time to say it, but in a weird way, he's almost glad the mansion got blown up. This way, the two of them can start over, can begin building from the ground up, and in more ways than one. He's never been the typical movie love interest who knows exactly what to say at exactly the right time, and sweet nothings are not at all something he's good at saying. He can be harsh and brash and too loud and definitely not like someone's idea of a good romantic partner, but sometimes he can make an effort. ]
And I know it hurts. Trust me, I know it does. You, me, Happy, who the hell knows how many other people... It's kind of a mess, and it's my fault it's a mess. But we're both here, and I'm not going anywhere, and we're going to figure things out, starting with me helping you.
[ As soon as he figures out where to start... ]
no subject
I'm going to keep coming back.
Little Mermaid closes her eyes and tilts her head down. Just enough so she can hear the arc reactor for a moment or two. Even if her own core terrifies her? His reactor is something that she deeply associates with him. It's comforting even when nothing about her at the moment feels that way.
A nod. It's all messed up. ]
You're hurting too.
[ She knows. It's not the physical hurting either. He has injuries, but, this on top of New York? No where will ever really feel safe now for him.
Little Mermaid unclenches her hands from him. They slowly slide down his shoulders, holding up in the space between them. This might be the easiest place to start? He'll see the injury--damage--to her side soon enough.
Her fingertips look bruised. Except they're not. Touching the tips will be enough to tell what has happened. The dark liquid feels like her bubbles. The liquid metal has pooled at the tips. Almost like a stoppage or clog. Her eyes raise to his, a painful frown on her face. The vulnerable look in her eyes shines through, that woman underneath all the changes that has made her a NIKKE shining through. He calls that woman Ariel.
Now she wonders if he'll really see her now. If he'll notice. ]
no subject
Yeah. I guess I am.
[ His eyes drop when she loosens her grip, and he notices her hands, really sees them. The way the metallic sheen pools unnaturally at her fingertips, not bruises but something worse, something deeper. His jaw sets. He doesn't recoil, doesn't look at her like a machine malfunctioning. Instead, his hand lifts, steady despite his own injuries, and he takes hers with careful precision, as though her fingers are made of glass. ]
Actual question: did you think I wouldn't notice? You thought I'd stop seeing you?
[ He runs his thumb lightly over her damaged fingertips, feeling the wrongness of the texture but treating it like skin anyway, because it is, as far as he's concerned. ]
Well, guess what, I see you. You're right here, and I'm right here. You're definitely still you: the woman who fights like hell even when she's scared. That means something, got it?
no subject
[ Part of her mind tries to rally itself. Tony's hurting to the point he admits it out loud. He needs someone to help him; someone to lift him up and be there so he can keep going. She should push past the pain in her hands and her side. She knew this could be an outcome. Pushing herself to make bubbles is always dangerous. There is always the chance if she makes too many in too short of a time that's this happens. She could become the bubbles, the melted liquid. Melt away.
Just like the Little Mermaid in the fairytale.
She takes a deep breath, trying to ignore the pain in her hands and her side. Sit up straighter. Be the support pillar he knows her to be. Her head raise and she forces her shoulders to square; ready to put her pain aside and focus on him. Help with his pain and get Iron Man back up on his feet again. Help him stop the Mandarin.
Then, maybe, rebuild together.
He takes her hands in his, reminding her of how he held her hands on his birthday. She freezes, waiting for the realization that she's far from human. It doesn't matter how many times they've held hands, hugged, kissed, slept beside each other, been intimate with one another. It'll be so obvious she is no longer human.
Humans don't have liquid metal running through them.
Did she think he'd stop seeing her?
No, that's not it. It's more... can he see the woman underneath all the machinery, buried under the conditioning? The one who apparently still is there. Despite how they told her that no memories of who she was before becoming a NIKKE would remain. The person she was that would influence the finished "product"--the idealized version of herself. The one who so desperately wants to be in the world of her friends; who wants to be in his world.
"You're definitely still you."
A painful cry leaks out before she puts her forehead to their joined hands. A little motion of gratitude for so many things: for saving her, giving her a home and place in his life, for seeing her when she apparently couldn't even see herself as still her.
Her hands curl around his as they had on his birthday. Then, she shifts. Her weight changes over to her hip, angling herself so he can see the damage on her side. The sweater is completely soaked in something that as she understands isn't quiet blood anymore. She has used her bubbles to seal the hole on both sides for now. ]
... I did everything I could. A-Abe was the one that would always fix us...
no subject
You did. You definitely did everything you could, and... You saved a hell of a lot more than you realize. [ She may not get what he's referring to, but he figures if anyone can figure him out, it's going to be her. It's always going to be her.
He lets her rest her forehead on their joined hands. He keeps his thumb moving in slow, deliberate circles across the back of her hand the way he did on his birthday. Or maybe she did the gesture first, but either way, the motion is grounding for both of them. He looks up at her when she shifts so he can see the hole in her side, the soaked sweater, the way the bubbles are holding but obviously stressed. ]
Okay. Technical first, emotional second, only because if we don't stabilize the technical stuff, the emotional part gets way harder, and I'm not about to lose you now. [ He offers her the brightest smile he can, but it's tired and more than a little stressed. Then he addresses JARVIS: ] JARVIS, let's go with a non-invasive full-body scan, focus on membrane integrity, core stability, and flow dynamics at the fingertip nodes. [ Part of him wonders if his terminology is even right, but he found old blueprints of NIKKEs that he studied, so even if it's not 1:1, it's probably close enough. ] Priority: locate pooling, determine whether that's a clot (for lack of a better term), a surface tension collapse, or an active leak. Then recommend immediate stabilization protocol and possible surgical patch vectors. Keep it privacy-first and run visuals to my screen only, got it?
[ While JARVIS gets to work on the first thing Tony requested, he keeps talking to her: calm, clinical and also entirely him. He wants her to hear the plan and to know she's seen and not being treated like a problem that gets solved without her. ]
You're not a problem, Ariel. You're not a project without a say. I want to know what hurts, what you can tolerate, and what you refuse. And yeah, you're allowed to refuse. I'll engineer, you'll design: your rules. And if you want me to stop, I'll stop.
And by the way, I see you: the woman. The stubborn person who builds furniture out of bubbles and refuses to be written off by anyone. The liquid metal, the core, your kotodama... It doesn't change who you are, it just adds weird maintenance schedules.
[ There's a soft chime and a low hum of data, and then a live readout, schematics, and a set of recommended actions materializes on a screen only the two of them can see. ]
Okay, immediate plan, short version: patch, flush, reinforce. Long version: we prototype reinforced gloves and a fingertip regulator so your nodes don't hit critical mass when you push too hard.
[ He looks at her hand again, not clinical but affectionate. ]
I know you had Abe to lean on, and hell, she'd probably do a way better job at fixing you up, but my job is keeping you whole too, you know.
[ He lets that sit, because it's not just him making a statement. It's something of a promise that he'll always do his best to keep her whole; and it's not him treating this like a job. It's a responsibility, and if he fails at this responsibility, he's letting Abe down too. ]
So, permission to proceed with the stabilization protocol? Again, you're allowed to say no.
no subject
Her eyes open at the mention of JARVIS. Their amber color lifts to the ceiling from the corner of her eyes, almost surprised that the AI is there once more. The Tower had been oddly silent of the AI she realizes... but then again, he is usually with Tony, so theoretically, he had gone to Tennessee with him. Not just planned the route. ]
Right away, sir. Shall I also store this on the private secure server along with the blue prints for your suits?
[ A faint smile is on her face at the familiar voice of Tony's best friend. It falters the moment the scan begins. Her body freezes and her hands curl tighter around his. Amber eyes shut. She doesn't want to see what they'll find. She doesn't want to know how much of her humanity had been stripped away without her knowing. They were never told what exactly happened during the process. How they were changed. Just that they were no longer human and had nothing flesh and bone left in them.
She doesn't truly feel the scan, but, she can tell when the holographic lasers touch her. Her forehead presses further into his hands. Her breathing has evened minus the hitches that happen from the pain. The hysterics and crying have stopped. Now, just a little layer of fear at what both Tony and JARVIS will find. All that matters--all that should matter--is that he still sees her as a human. Part of her just can't face how much they lied to her... and how much they conditioned her otherwise.
What exactly did they do in the Goddess of Victory program?
He can see her. That should be what matters.
She tilts her head just enough to kiss his hands. A nod. ] O-okay. It sounds like a good idea... my original suit, the one Abe made me? I-it didn't really do anything to help with my bubbles or swimming or any of it. I guess she just thought I'd like it. [ And, she did. ] I guess you'll end up making some sort of suit for me after all...
Sir, if I might direct your attention for a moment. [ JARVIS' voice rings through the room once more. The tone seems oddly softer and perhaps even hesitant. Gentle? Certainly an odd display of emotions that one would not expect from an AI. ] This may be something worth considering in your immediate plan.
[ The screen closest to Tony shifts into a digital read out. A large difference has come to point from the original schematics of the NIKKEs that Tony had unearthed in Howard Stark's old files. A more mechanical idea had once existed for NIKKEs, and yet, Little Mermaid's scans show something far less mechanical than believed. Something a bit more human than originally believed. An odd merge of biology and mechanical--almost similar to the way the nanomachines work in the Mark XLII. The almost nanomachine like technology, however, does not seem to be made up of any known element within the Periodic Table. Not even the once theoretical element that Tony had synthesized for his most recent arc reactors.
Something... alien.
There is also evidence of the injury from Anachiro Little Mermaid had once described. Her jawbone reads to be younger than the rest of her skeletal structure. Implying the entire bone had been repaired... or, perhaps better to say, regrown. Not just parts or patches. The entire thing. Which would lead one to conclude that the alien element that has changed her simply needs to be told what to do--programmed in how to fix things.
Even further, the information reads out from Little Mermaid's core. It's not simply a core like the arc reactor. It seems to have also once been biological, but changed with the introduction of the alien-like-nanomachines. At the center of the core is a very familiar element: Palladium. ]
It would only be reasonable that Siren functions very differently from the original schematics developed by your father, sir. I believe Siren had mentioned being a second generation NIKKE.
[ Little Mermaid nods to confirm JARVIS' statement. Her amber eyes refuse to look at the screen, instead trained on the floor between her and Tony. They widen and her hands tremble once again. She can't look--she doesn't want to know. Her lips press together before she shuts her eyes tightly. ]
D-do whatever you need to do. It's okay. I trust both of you.
no subject
[ Then Tony briefly turns his attention to JARVIS. ] Yep, secure server, highest level, eyes only. And welcome back, J. Missed the running commentary during my little side trip to Tennessee.
[ Then he zeroes back in on Mermaid and what he can do for her, if anything. ] If the first suit wasn't built to help with what you can do, then I'll make one that does. No half-measures. Something that fits you, not the other way around. It's not optional; it's happening.
[ But then the screens light up and Tony enters tech mode, expression becoming focused as he leans in and scans the data; it's not just machinery or layers of more machinery. It's something even Tony wasn't expecting. ] Huh. Guess there's a lot more to you than meets the eye, but we both knew that already. Alright. New rule: we treat this stuff like it's on lockdown until I say otherwise. J, keep it quarantined. No bleeding into the main system. Just a precaution, and believe it or not, sometimes even I can take precautions. I'm not anticipating a leak, but stranger things have happened, right?
[ The word palladium flashes across the scan, and it's something else Tony wasn't prepared for. ] Well, well, well... [ Tony's mind is already spinning, trying to process what he's just learned. There's definitely something alien-like about Little Mermaid, or rather, about some of the elements powering her.
But more than that, the thing that Tony doesn't like the most, is seeing the generated reports documenting the injuries Mermaid talked about before. It's not unfamiliar to Tony, given how the concept seems similar to technology making use of nanomachines, and that's more or less what this is, only with more of an alien element to it. That's not the part he hates. He hates seeing the descriptions of her injuries and how they were dealt with. ] Same drill: log everything but keep it locked down.
[ He doesn't look at the screen long. He looks at her instead, keeping his grip steady, thumbs tracing quiet circles like an anchor. His voice comes out lower and quieter then: ] This doesn't change anything, by the way. It doesn't change how I see you.
[ He addresses JARVIS once more, still while keeping his focus on Mermaid: ] Keep documenting and cross-referencing. The more I understand, the better I can protect her.
no subject
Her eyes close even as anxiety spikes through her. The little motion at their hands helps more than he knows. Or, maybe he has noticed, and that is why he continues making the circles. She hopes it helps him too--even if it is just giving him something to do with his hands. ]
I'm certain you made plenty of banner along the way, sir. Did you fins anything of use in Rose Hill? I can bring up the information I compiled before the power shortage. Once Siren has been seen to, of course.
[ A strained smile touches her face. She had told Tony that she didn't need or want a suit. Not an Iron Man suit. Now, she can see he has already decided on making something for her. Something to not only help her with her abilities, but most likely keep her safe as well. ]
It looks like we have a project after things calm down... [ A way of saying she won't push against the suit or tell him "no" again. ] O-once I'm fixed? I'll help you and JARVIS find the Mandarin.
You have been known to make enemies internally. [ JARVIS agrees with the security and doesn't mean the statement as a quip. A statement of facts. Stane was within Tony's inner circle and betrayed him. ] Logging now, sir. Uploading to personal private servers.
[ She inhales sharply at Tony's statement. She nods, making a small cry in the back of her throat. One that is filled with gratitude but also love. She gently nudges the side of her face to his hands. ] ...thank you.
Perhaps now might be a relevant time to share information I had found when Siren had originally asked me for help in finding her missing teammates. [ An old image appears on the screen next to Little Mermaid's readout. A picture of Howard Stark, younger, standing beside a woman with unruly blond hair and glasses. Both in labcoats. ] This image was located in S.H.I.E.L.D's oldest database. No information was found on the woman, but Siren has identified her as 'Abe.'
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Rose Hill? Quaint little place: snow, friendly but annoying local kids, crazy murderous people who just wouldn't die... You know, standard Stark vacation package. Found some crumbs on the Mandarin though, a real trail of bread crumbs kind of thing. Guess we'll see if I’m Hansel, Gretel, or just the witch's next meal.
As for the suit, I know you don't want it. Hell, you probably don't even need it. But... [ He hesitates, and for just a second, all he does is keep moving his fingers on the back of her hand. ] For me, it's... It's insurance. Peace of mind. A way for me to stop seeing worst-case scenarios every time you walk into the room. But here's the thing: you already are armor. I'm just giving you something to match the shine.
[ Her quiet words of gratitude makes him falter for a second. ] Hey, don't thank me. I’m selfish. I just don't wanna lose you, and if that makes me a control freak, well, I've been called worse.
[ Then JARVIS brings up the picture, and Tony freezes. His hand stills on hers. Howard’s face on the screen, alongside a stranger with wild blonde hair and sharp eyes. The breath catches in his throat, bitterness suddenly cutting in sharply. ]
Unbelievable. More of Dad's greatest hits, huh? More secrets, more mysteries buried in files.
[ The words seem to hang in the air before he blinks, takes a breath, and then glances back at Mermaid, priority sliding back into place. ] It doesn't matter; Dad's secrets can wait, but you can't. What matters is keeping you safe, fixing what needs fixing. That's where my focus is. That's where it stays.
Although, I'm just gonna say that I wouldn't mind learning more about Abe and your teammates. Seems like we just got our first lead. [ And if it helps Mermaid find who she's looking for, Tony can put aside his issues with his dad and help. ]
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Her shoulders lower slightly.
Hansel and Gretel... I miss them too. But, would they even want to see me again? They wanted nothing else to do with humanity...
And here she is desperately wishing she could be human enough for the man holding her hands.
She exhales slowly, trying to control the hitches in her breath from the pain in her hands and her side. A compromise then. ] I don't want an Iron Man suit. That's yours and that's you. If it was something more like the one I had when you found me? That would be better. Something strong to act like another layer of protection... would that be okay?
[ His hands immediately still and her eyes snap open. A brief moment where she wonders if that her idea wasn't one that was good--not a compromise. Then, the comment about his father follows. It's not a good comment. Bitterness is certainly there, but almost maybe even a layer of ire? Did Tony hate his father?
Little Mermaid forces herself to raise her head. She forces her amber eyes to move to the picture that JARVIS brought up. Of course, she recognizes it as the one the AI had found for her already. Now she simply knows who the man is besides Abe. With a quick glance at Tony, and then forcing herself not to read the information on her? She looks back to the picture. ]
Oooh... [ a gentle sound of realization. She can see the resemblance now. ] I saw him talking to Abe often... and Cinderella, and .... Red Shoes. [ Her own bitterness leaks into her tone for just a moment, then it's gone. ] Hansel and Gretel avoided him, and I tried to keep them company when he visited. Uhmm... he wasn't happy about them.
... maybe he wasn't happy about any of us.
[ Thinking back at it? There was a time in which the tone of the room would change when Howard Stark visited shifted. Instead of curiosity and perhaps even being impressed? He was stern. Disapproving. He argued with Abe often starting then. Something he learned changed his perception, but she has no true idea what that could have been.
She blinks a few times as if trying to put the pieces together when she doesn't have enough of the puzzle. ]
Abe was authorized to make three second generation Fairytale Models. Red Shoes, Cinderella, and me. She made Hansel and Gretel without permission. That was what Agent Oswald said. It was part of why they wanted us to bring both Abe and Cinderella back... [ A low sound of discontent manages to leak out. They're not good memories. She forces herself to look back up at Tony and be strong. Try to keep the pain to herself. ] Uhm, Abe didn't make the first generation--the Goddess Squad. She didn't even make the prototype NIKKE. She just made us five.
If I may, Siren. [ JARVIS speaks up once more. Amber eyes lift to look up at the ceiling as if trying to make physical contact with the AI that has been with Tony longer than anyone. ] I am aware the matter is quite... sensitive. Delicate. I mean no offense in my corrections, simply to inform you. Using the term "made" seems to be incorrect based off your scans.
[ Little Mermaid's hands grip onto Tony's tightly. Her head lowers again, eyes shut once more. She deosn't want to know what they took from her to make her into a NIKKE. She doesn't want to see how much of a machine she is now. How no humanity remains... ]
Perhaps a better word would be "converted." [ JARVIS pauses and then continues when he gathers that she has yet to lose her sense of self. ] Mr. Stark. I'm not certain what this element is, but, it would be suffice to say that NIKKEs are the result of a human woman being injected with this alien substance. From what I can tell, Siren? Everything biological inside you ... well, is you. Your DNA.
[ Little Mermaid stills almost like a statue for a long moment. Then, her eyes open. They slowly lift once more to find Tony's face. Her hands tremble just a tad more. The expression leaves it to be obvious that she had no idea. What she had told him about being cybernetic and--that was what they had told her of the process. Why nothing would have been left of the human woman before. ]
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He forces himself to look back at her, because old pictures don't matter. Howard doesn't matter; the old files don't matter, and he'd even go as far as to say that whatever JARVIS uncovered doesn't really matter in the end. No, what matters is holding onto Mermaid, keeping her hands in his, and seeing that look in her eyes and how she responds when she hears she's still human, more human than she thought. ]
Hey, you know you're still you. JARVIS knows it, I know it. It's not just a sales pitch, it's a fact. JARVIS doesn't run on wishful thinking
[ He keeps rubbing his fingers over her hand even while his other hand holds onto hers firmly. ] I don't care what they did, what they told you, or how they tried to describe it. How they tried to describe you. You're not a machine they built, you're a person they messed with. But you know what else? You're still standing here, still you, and that's what counts with me.
[ Then, as if remembering what he was saying about making a suit for her, he adds: ] For the record? Protective layer, shield, armor, whatever I end up building for you, it's yours. It's not going to be a knockoff Iron Man suit. It's something that works for you, period, the end. No strings, no branding, no Stark logos unless you want one for some reason. I'm not in the business of turning people into merchandise.
[ He'll leave that to the people who try doing that with the Avengers. He doesn't like it, but if that's how people want to be? Fine. That's not his problem. Honestly, he'd like to just take a bunch of Iron Man merch and light it on fire, but that's something even he figures he shouldn't say out loud. ]
You know what I do want to do, though? I want to make that suit look like something an actual mermaid would wear. I was thinking figuring out a way to make it look like it's made out of scales. Shiny ones. [ Because what he wants is to make a suit that looks good on Mermaid. Never mind that he thinks anything she puts on would look good. ]
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She closes her eyes with relief on her face. Eyes that are her real eyes. Hands that are her real hands. She doesn't expect Tony, or JARVIS, or any of thr Avengers to understand. They shouldn't. No one should have to question if they are still who they are.
Her fingers curl around his tightly. It causes pain to shoot up through them again despite the dull ache that has been lingering. A shaking and painful exhale leaves her. She opens her eyes again, pain still lingering in her gaze, but that quiet determination is there. The one that shines when she has made her mind up on a path to take. One that shows unquestionable and unwavering faith and trust in the man that often calls himself a mess and unreliable.
He's more reliable than he realizes.
Ariel nods. ] Okay. Once we've stopped the Mandarin? We'll make a suit. [ Then, a small smile. ] I... thought you didn't like fairy tales or silly stories about mermaids.
[ She wonders if he likes the idea of a challenge. It would be something else from his usual building. Something personally made for one person versus the suit for him or War Machine--Iron Patriot--for Rhodes. ]
[ Another shaking painful exhale. ] Y-you said patching up first...?
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Hey, just stop, okay? You're not doing anything wrong, but I don't think moving is good for you right now. You gotta- just stop and think about yourself for five seconds. And I don't mean literally five seconds. Stop for as long as you need to stop.
And who the hell cares about the Mandarin right now? He's not important; you are. We take care of you first, then think about other stuff. [ He levels her with a stare; it's not angry or upset, just a stare that's looking at her with no small amount of worry behind it. ] Maybe I didn't before, but you know what, they're winning me over. You're making them win me over.
Yeah, we're gonna get you fixed up, but hey, if you need a break, that's fine. I can stop.
[ He doesn't want to come at her all guns blazing to get her fixed up; she's a person, not an object. What she wants matters too. In fact, it matters more than what he wants. ]
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Ah.
The Mandarin is important. He needs to be stopped and whatever charades he has afoot need to come to an end. People are in danger. Lives are in danger. It's simply clear to her that Tony is only thinking about one life in that exact moment.
She moves.
A slow but purposeful movement. Her head tucks underneath his chin. Her hands squeeze his in order to gently wrap around his frame. A small fraction of her body weight leans into him. Enough so he can hold and prop her up at the same time. Protecting her.
Little Mermaid closes her eyes. ]
It's okay. I'm here. [ She smiles into his shoulder. ] We both made it out alive.
[ Maybe he doesn't need the reassurance she is alive and okay. She had injuries, but, she is alive. ]
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Whoa, okay. That's- not new, but new to us. Kinda. [ He knows he's not making a lot of sense, but he's more rattled than he wants to admit. ] And surprisingly heavy on the trust factor. [ He's not really used to that, either, not from people in general. But he squeezes her back, just enough to let her know she's got him, no matter how much chaos is spinning outside their little sphere of... whatever this is. ]
We both made it out alive, huh? You're right. High-five for survival. Preferably without the blood, but hey, could be worse. But you had injuries, from the looks of you. I was half-expecting to find you in worse shape, and yeah, not gonna lie, I was worried. Not gonna lie. You're not exactly replaceable, not to me.
[ His tone shifts, sharp and serious for a few seconds. ] But here's the deal: the Mandarin? That guy? I don't think he's done, which means lives are still on the line. And me? I'm... well, believe it or not, I'm not exactly great at chilling while someone's still out there being a dick. So yeah, we made it, but it's not over yet. Though maybe it should be, for you. I mean, maybe you should stay right here, where it's... marginally safer.
[ Then he tilts his head slightly, teasing but warm. ] Just try not to get too comfortable leaning on me. I might get used to it and start expecting this level of loyalty everywhere I go, and... well, people aren't as great as you are, Ariel.
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Now that she thinks about it? Having seen her be pushed down into the workshop by a missile must have been horrifying. Maybe he hasn't even processed it all because Tony is always going. ]
Of course it's trust. You asked me to marry you! [ Her head tucks down slightly more to afford him more of the ability to curl around her and shield her. ] It's just my side and fingers, I promise. I was able to dissolve the missle with my bubbles. The energy was dispersed over the ocean after Natasha and Clint found me.
I was worried that JARVIS couldn't activate my bubbles... and that you didn't land safely when the suit took off. [ She gently presses her forehead further into his shoulder for a moment. ] I didn't think you were dead, even though everyone else thought you were! I was worried you were too hurt...
I can help somehow! Even if it's just letting JARVIS order my bubbles. You don't have to do it alone! [ Ignoring, of course, how her fingers are so damaged she can barely make a bubble at the moment. She'll find a way to make it happen. ] I know you gave out the address, but, it was still our home he broke.
[ Little Mermaid doesn't take it lightly at all. It was a place where Tony could filter out the world and feel safe in--if only for a few hours at a time. The Mandarin took it away (even though Tony invited the trouble). She won't let that fact go nor will she simply let the damage she knows it's truly caused go unpaid. Tony may not see it. It may not register. She sees it and knows. ]
You don't need to expect it from anyone else! Even if it's just me? That's at least one person who will always have your back.
[ She closes her eyes and leans into his arms more. Settling there as if she's truly protected from the outside world. Someone that Iron Man can shield. ]
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You dissolved a missile. Of course you did. Out there, fighting, and I— [ He knows it wasn't entirely his fault that he got pulled away from where he was needed, but... then again, wasn't it his fault? He programmed JARVIS to respond that way, after all. ]
That missile wasn't supposed to be anywhere near you. It wouldn't have been if I'd clocked it sooner, if I'd taken care of it. i should've been faster, accounted for that quicker. I should've...
[ He stops himself, biting back the guilt spiral trying to drag him under. He's shaking just a little. Only someone holding him this close would feel it.
When she says she didn't think he was dead, his breath catches again. ]
Yeah? Well, I thought you were.
[ It comes out small, raw, and he immediately presses his cheek against her head, like he's trying to hide the vulnerability that just slipped out. ]
You're the one thing I can't lose. And then that bastard took the only place you ever looked safe in and turned it into confetti, and it's my fault.
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She moves quietly and slowly. Her knees pull up more against him, despite her side screaming in pain. It's okay. Tony is hurting more than she is right now. She can handle it. Now that she knows more of her is... well, her. She will be okay.
She doesn't point out that it technically wasn't fighting. The details that he was arguing with the woman from his past and couldn't have known the missles were coming and that he couldn't have suited up that quickly aren't important. He already knows that somewhere inside. Tony is a genius! He knows so many things even if he never comments on them.
Instead? Little Mermaid tucks her head lowers. Her hands slide down to rest around his waist. She leans into his hold entirely as they sit on the floor in the examination room. That way he can hold her as tightly and as close as he feels he needs to. An anchor when his world once again has spiraled out under him.
"You're the one thing I can't lose."
That's more telling to her than anything else. ]
No, he didn't. [ Her fingers press into the unfamiliar shirt on his frame. ] This is the place I've felt the safest. Right where I am right now... and that place came back to me.
[ Just like he said he always would. ]
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Don’t say it like that, like it’s something you had to earn back. I was supposed to keep you safe. That’s... that’s kind of my whole thing. Big glowing reactor, billionaire brain, lots of explosions, very reassuring package. [ There’s a ghost of a joke there, but it kind of falls flat. ] And every time I screw it up, it feels like the world proves me right for being scared.
If this is where you feel safest, then I’ll stay right here as long as you need. Floor, walls, stupid workshop and all. I’m not going anywhere, and it's not going anywhere either. Well, it won't once we fix it up.
And if I gotta say it again, you’re the one thing I can’t lose. Not just "can't", but won't. No one's getting between us again, not if I have anything to say about it, so I’m gonna keep fighting like hell to make sure they don’t.
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Her fingers press into his lower back in recongition of the joke that doesn't seem to have his usual humor.
She wonders how much of their home and the workshop is even left. ]
It can be any room. Just, here. [ She shifts in his arms to make her point. ] We'll see how much damage was done to our home once the Mandarin is stopped. I'll be better by then, so we can look.
[ After all, Tony will help fix her. He'll be able to understand what Abe did. Between him and JARVIS she'll be fine. ]
I'll fight too. [ A firm nod. ] If something happens again? I'll make sure to call your suit somehow... or call JARVIS. That way you know I'm okay. If you want, I'll make sure I have bubbles at the ready for JARVIS to command! If they didn't cause any problems for your suit...
[ Another tremor of pain spikes through her. She suppresses the sudden yelp that almost leaves her. Instead, she seems to lose the strength to hold herself up against him. All her weight in his arms. The last time that had happened? He carried her out of Stark Industries and down into his workshop for the first time.
She would apologize, but another tremor shoots through her.
A soft sound escapes her: ] Aoou...
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Hey, I've got you. You’re not going anywhere.
[ He shifts just enough to keep her comfortable, trying to be careful of where she’s hurt. ] Yeah, any room works. You're right. You're basically always right. We’ll deal with the house later. Walls can be rebuilt. Labs can be replaced. You? You're not replaceable.
[ When she says she’ll fight too, his jaw tightens, not angrily or dismissively, just subtly protective in a way he never admits to in so many words. ] I know you will, and yeah, I know this is highly ironic given it's me, but you don't get hero points for pushing through and collapsing on me, okay?
[ At the mention of calling the suit or JARVIS, he nods once. ] Deal. Bubbles, beacons, flares, whatever it takes. I just want to know you're- [ He breaks off midsentence the second he realizes she's having a flare-up.
He quickly adjusts his position so he can hold her without aggravating anything more than it already is. ]
Okay, that's it, we're getting you somewhere you can lie down, got it? No arguments. No exceptions. And definitely no fighting, not right now. Maybe not for a long time.
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