There was a pause before the masked hero spoke up. “Well, there are colors the human eye can’t pick up. So, let’s say I’ll be going to that color.” He could see them, and man did they trip him up at first. “Well, here’s your spider fact of the day: there’s a type of spider call the big-jawed spider that can come in a variation of colors. Including blue and red. As well as multiple other spiders but I’ll spare the details.” he shrugged, “Besides, red and blue are just more “oh hey there he is!” you know?”
Carlos nodded to him. “Ah yeah – gotcha,” he said. “Unfortunately I’m not a biologist, so I wouldn’t know too much about spiders. I’m more into the mechanical and tangible engineering aspect, which is why… um… which is why your suit interested me.” Okay, that still sounded a little weird. And the kid sounded… well, like a kid. Not prepubescent, but… younger than Carlos.
“My suit? I made it myself. You know, my eyes are up here. Should’ve known that you just liked me for my looks.”
Carlos blinked and quickly looked back up into the man’s mask. “Oh – I’m sorry. I just… I got distracted,” he said. “Uh, it looks really good! You said you made it yourself? The functionality is amazing. The design alone must’ve taken so much consideration and work.”
“Well aren’t you a flatterer? You’re going to make me blush.” Peter quipped, pulling at the side of his suit only for it to snap back in place. “Well, I went “What goes with spiders?” Webs! And well, the rest is history.” Plus the spider that bit him had red and blue on it so, it just fit.
Carlos chuckled. “Well, how much more can you blush? You’re already bright red,” he responded. “So yeah, the webs are great… but why red and blue? Isn’t blue more of a beetle color than spiders? I don’t know any blue spiders.”
“My suit? I made it myself. You know, my eyes are up here. Should’ve known that you just liked me for my looks.”
Carlos blinked and quickly looked back up into the man’s mask. “Oh – I’m sorry. I just… I got distracted,” he said. “Uh, it looks really good! You said you made it yourself? The functionality is amazing. The design alone must’ve taken so much consideration and work.”
“Okay,” Tony gasped hoarsely in between hard coughs. “I’ll just…suffer in silence.” He let out another long series of coughs, but the corners of his mouth were turned up in a smirk, and he was looking at Carlos with a merry gleam in his eyes.
Carlos snorted softly and reached to take the offending cup of coffee away. “You want me to make you a new one?” he asked.
“Why not you?” He tilted his head a little with a soft frown.
“What’s
there to get? I mean you just come out with me one id the days that’s
all.” He laughed softly and shook his head a little. “Come and enjoy the
high life and doesn’t have to happen again if you don’t want.”
“Well…” Carlos couldn’t say yes. “Uh… you remember that suit that I got interviewed in? That’s my only nice thing to wear. I, uh… heh, don’t know if you want your partner to be showing up in bright primary colors…” Carlos’ voice dropped to a mumble. “Though those aren’t technically the true primary colors since they’re so dark…”
“Well, if you really want I can take you shopping too.” He replied to the other. “We can get you some nice suits, for business trips and everything if you want me to? I mean I’m paying you anyway.” He tilted his head a little and smiled kindly to the other.
Carlos’ head snapped back to looking at Mr Stark again, partially horrified at the suggestion. “That’s not what I –” he started to say, but stopped. This was Stark – the man was ridiculously generous, almost frivolously. And he was incredibly hard to say no to.
Carlos looked to the side, considering. “Well… If it’s going to be for work meetings too,” he murmured. He could accept it then, if it was technically a business expense.
Tony smiled softly hearing Carlos try to fight before giving in. He chuckled softly and lay a hand on his shoulder. “That’s the spirit. You need some suits and it can be a business expense, nothing out your paycheck or anything I promise.” He called for Happy to bring the car to the front so they could go. “Come on.”
Carlos looked at him. “What, right now?” he asked, a little surprised.
“Why not you?” He tilted his head a little with a soft frown.
“What’s
there to get? I mean you just come out with me one id the days that’s
all.” He laughed softly and shook his head a little. “Come and enjoy the
high life and doesn’t have to happen again if you don’t want.”
“Well…” Carlos couldn’t say yes. “Uh… you remember that suit that I got interviewed in? That’s my only nice thing to wear. I, uh… heh, don’t know if you want your partner to be showing up in bright primary colors…” Carlos’ voice dropped to a mumble. “Though those aren’t technically the true primary colors since they’re so dark…”
“Well, if you really want I can take you shopping too.” He replied to the other. “We can get you some nice suits, for business trips and everything if you want me to? I mean I’m paying you anyway.” He tilted his head a little and smiled kindly to the other.
Carlos’ head snapped back to looking at Mr Stark again, partially horrified at the suggestion. “That’s not what I –” he started to say, but stopped. This was Stark – the man was ridiculously generous, almost frivolously. And he was incredibly hard to say no to.
Carlos looked to the side, considering. “Well… If it’s going to be for work meetings too,” he murmured. He could accept it then, if it was technically a business expense.
“Why not you?” He tilted his head a little with a soft frown.
“What’s
there to get? I mean you just come out with me one id the days that’s
all.” He laughed softly and shook his head a little. “Come and enjoy the
high life and doesn’t have to happen again if you don’t want.”
“Well…” Carlos couldn’t say yes. “Uh… you remember that suit that I got interviewed in? That’s my only nice thing to wear. I, uh… heh, don’t know if you want your partner to be showing up in bright primary colors…” Carlos’ voice dropped to a mumble. “Though those aren’t technically the true primary colors since they’re so dark…”
“Why not you?” He tilted his head a little with a soft frown.
Was Mr Stark really asking that?
“I… uh, b-because you’re… I mean, I’m just me. And uh… I haven’t been on a date in ages – real or otherwise.”
Tony just shrugged a little and smiled softly to him. “Then I guess you’re over due and no one is just them.”
Carlos laughed nervously. “Compared to you, Mr Stark, I absolutely am ‘just me’.” Carlos still wasn’t convinced that Mr Stark was being serious – at least not about bringing him in on this scheme.
Tony chuckled softly and shook his head a little. “Everyone seems to think I’m this great person. I’m not always.” He replied before he lay a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, have some fun.”
That was because Tony Stark was a great person – especially in Carlos’ book. But he could sense that there might be an argument to be had if Carlos insisted that point so for now he was willing to let it drop.
“What… what is this even about, Mr Stark? What’s the reason for the… pretense?”
“Because I wanted someone to be my ‘partner’ for an event and everyone knows Pep is just my CEO at that point.” He replied and chuckled softly when he watched the other trying to think through his answer. “Just come with me for one night, will be a great time I promise you.”
“I… I don’t doubt it’d be,” Carlos said, which was a lie – he did doubt that he’d get over himself just enough to relax and have a good time. “I guess I just… don’t get it.” He knew he was being difficult, but Carlos couldn’t help it.
The Perfect Scientist 