…
After settling Yinsen and his family, Leon and Tony returned home to find Colonel James Rhodes already waiting in the living room, granted access by J.A.R.V.I.S.
"Tony. Leon," Rhodey said with an overly polite smile. "I believe I'm owed an explanation."
Leon and Tony exchanged a glance.
Leon shrugged—he didn't care.
Tony nodded and gestured for Rhodey to follow him down to the underground workshop where the Iron Man armors were stored.
Rhodey wasn't just military.
He was family.
After Tony's detailed explanation, Rhodey stood before the three displayed armors, visibly stunned.
"My God…"
"You're telling me you wiped out the entire warlord force in Gulmira—with this?"
"Technically," Tony corrected, "Leon and I did."
"But even without him, I would've handled it."
"Sure," Leon muttered, rolling his eyes.
Rhodey turned.
"Alright, Tony has the suit. What about you, Leon?"
Leon smiled.
He raised his hand—
And fired a compact golden repulsor blast that shattered a panel of reinforced glass inside the lab.
Now fully powered by his own Miniature Arc Reactor, energy supply was no longer an issue.
"Holy—"
"Superpowers?"
Rhodey stared as if reality had just cracked.
Leon basked in it.
If you have powers and don't show them off, it's like wearing designer clothes in the dark.
And with Rhodey reacting like that?
Worth it.
Also—
Note to self: move the Skrull extermination plan higher up the priority list.
Preventive measures beat reactive defense.
Leon had no intention of accidentally mentoring a shape-shifting infiltrator someday.
He was, after all, firmly pro-human.
…With selective exceptions.
"Tony, I…" Rhodey hesitated awkwardly.
Tony waved him off before he finished.
"Say no more. The Mark II was always meant for you."
"Tony!"
Rhodey pulled him into a full bear hug.
Click.
Leon snapped a photo.
Historical evidence.
Soon after, Rhodey took the Mark II up for a flight test, with Tony supervising.
Leon, of course, outpaced both of them effortlessly just to provoke Tony.
The look on Tony's face practically screamed:
Mark IV. Mark V. Immediately.
Two and a half hours later, Rhodey left—without taking the Mark II.
It still needed system updates.
And more importantly—
Tony's identity needed protecting.
Rhodey was loyal.
The kind of loyalty money couldn't buy.
Later That Night – Sublevel Two
Leon had officially moved his bedroom into the mechanical bay where Arcee was housed.
Relationship development required proximity.
If he wasn't staying over at someone else's place—
He'd be here.
"Leon," Arcee said dryly, "you are not a child."
"Compared to you? I absolutely am—ah!"
Before he could finish, Arcee rotated sharply and flung him off the cockpit.
She transformed into Combat Mode and pinned him down.
"Discussing a woman's age is extremely impolite."
Leon stared up at her calmly.
"Arcee. You look beautiful like this too."
She froze.
A faint crimson glow passed through her facial panels.
Then she reverted instantly to motorcycle mode—
Facing away from him.
Mission progress: successful.
With someone like Arcee?
Direct approach.
Confidence.
Timing.
The Next Morning
Leon woke groggily from a bizarre dream about being pinned beneath a mountain.
"Christine… did you gain weight?" he mumbled, half-asleep, reaching toward the "softness" pressing against him.
"…Huh?"
Why was it so—
Hard?
He opened his eyes.
No Christine.
Just Motorcycle Mode Arcee, parked unusually close beside his bed.
Her onboard display was active.
"Who is Christine?" Arcee asked evenly.
"A journalist friend."
Silence.
Mutual, synchronized awkwardness.
After a long pause—
"You may want to check today's headlines," Arcee suggested.
Leon flipped onto her frame in one smooth motion.
The screen pulled up trending news.
And there it was—
A photo of him mid-throw, shield released, smiling like a kid who had just discovered a new superpower.
Helmet partially obscured his face.
But still—
Recognizable.
Headline:
BREAKING: Gulmira Liberated Overnight – Son of God Descends!
"Two super-powered heroes identified by locals as Iron Man and… Shield Kid."
Leon's eye twitched.
"Shield Kid?"
"Why not Shield Daddy?!"
He kept reading.
"Iron Man remains unidentified.
Shield Kid is suspected to be Leon Stark, second son of Stark Industries.
By deduction, Iron Man may be Tony Stark."
Disclaimer: Speculation only. Please do not treat as confirmed.
Leon stared.
"They even added a disclaimer."
He scrolled to the byline.
Signed by—
"Christine?!"
…Of course it was.
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