The swish of the bokken cutting through the air filled the backyard.
Arthur, his body slick with sweat and his breathing steady, finished another morning sequence.
Each motion was precise and deliberate — a reflection of years spent honing both discipline and deadly skill.
But before he could begin another set, the persistent ring of his phone broke the morning silence.
He wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel, glanced at the screen, and raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
"Pepper…?" he muttered.
He answered the call.
"Good morning, Arthur," came Pepper's elegant, composed voice from the other end.
"Morning, Pepper," he replied with a tired smile, adjusting the phone against his ear. "Need something? Don't tell me Tony's pulled another stunt?"
A soft sigh came through the line.
"Actually, he asked me to invite you to a private party he's hosting tonight."
Arthur arched an eyebrow, and a faint, amused sigh escaped him.
"Please tell me he's not planning to make me the bartender again."
"Unfortunately, you're right," Pepper replied, her tone resigned.
Arthur fell silent for a few seconds. The corner of his mouth twitched — a mix of frustration and reluctant humor.
"Ahhh… right. Tell him this will be the last time I play bartender at one of his damn parties. If he tries to make me do it again, I swear he's finally getting that punch."
Pepper chuckled softly. "I'd love to deliver that message, but you know how he is."
"Yeah, I know…" Arthur sighed again. "Tony Stark — the man who turned irresponsibility into an art form."
"And yet, you're still one of his best friends," Pepper teased lightly.
Arthur leaned back against the wall, smiling. "Yeah, unfortunately. That's how friendship works, I guess."
Pepper laughed quietly before concluding,
"With that settled, I need to hang up. Thanks to Tony, I'm buried under work."
"Don't worry, I'll see you tonight," Arthur said casually as he ended the call.
For a moment, he just stood there, looking at the phone with a faint smile.
Despite the constant chaos Tony caused, Arthur truly saw him as a friend — one of the few he had left in this world.
Tony had been one of the few to look past his exterior, to recognize the man beneath. In return, Arthur helped when he could — sometimes cleaning up after Tony's wild parties, sometimes making sure Stark didn't blow up part of the mansion during one of his so-called "routine experiments."
And sometimes... dealing with shadows Tony didn't even know followed him.
Arthur glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still early.
"Still got time… maybe a quick nap before I get ready," he murmured, walking toward his bedroom.
He dropped onto the bed with a sigh.
"Ahhh… Tony, one of these days your parties are going to kill me."
Sleep claimed him quickly — and for a brief moment, the world was at peace.
—xXx—
Meanwhile, across the city, in the beating heart of Stark Industries…
Pepper hung up the phone with a weary sigh. Her usually composed expression carried the exhaustion of someone who'd spent far too long trying to bring order to the chaos that was Tony Stark.
She turned — and there he was, the source of her headaches — lounging on the sofa, holding a small hand mirror as he examined his face. Tiny red marks dotted his skin.
"Tony," she said in that tone that already expected a ridiculous excuse. "He agreed to come, but he said this will be the last time."
Tony grumbled, still looking into the mirror. "Those reporters are insane, Pepper. One of them nearly shoved a microphone down my throat. Not a pleasant experience, believe me."
Pepper crossed her arms. "And what does that have to do with turning your best friend into a bartender every time you throw a party?"
Tony glanced up with that familiar half-smirk. "Oh, come on. He's the only one who can make a proper Negroni and discuss quantum physics at the same time. You know I like people who understand what they're talking about."
"Or people who can tolerate you," Pepper countered, raising an eyebrow.
Tony chuckled. "Yeah, that too. And don't worry about Arthur — he always shows up. He likes to pretend he hates it, but deep down, he enjoys those parties."
Pepper shook her head with a soft sigh. "You two are complete opposites and yet… so incredibly alike. Maybe that's why you get along so well. Maybe that's why you've never received that long-promised punch."
"That, and because he doesn't judge me," Tony said quietly this time. "Arthur knows what it's like to carry something heavy. He gets it better than anyone."
For a brief moment, silence filled the room.
Tony's gaze shifted to the small reactor glowing in his chest, the soft blue light reflecting in his eyes.
"Tony…" Pepper began, but he raised a hand gently, cutting her off.
"It's fine, Pep. You don't have to say anything."
She sighed again and began to walk away. "I'll finish my tasks quickly. I'll need time for makeup before your party turns into a circus."
"Sure, sure. I'll wait," Tony replied, forcing a smile. "And, uh… maybe help me pick a suit later?"
Pepper stopped at the door, cast him a sidelong glance, and smiled faintly.
"You should be grateful I still bother."
When she left, Tony tried to laugh — but the sound caught in his throat.
"JARVIS?" he called, setting the mirror down.
[Right here, sir.]
"Any progress with the alternative element experiment?"
[Unfortunately not, sir. I've yet to find an element capable of replacing palladium.]
Tony looked down at the small core glowing inside the arc reactor in his chest. He stepped toward his workbench and pulled a compact scanner from beneath it. Pressing his thumb against the reader, he waited.
A series of numbers appeared on the screen.
[9%.]
"Good news, JARVIS," he muttered with irony. "Still got some time to party."
The AI's voice replied, calm and even as ever:
[Sir, if you continue using the suit, the palladium poisoning will accelerate.]
"I know."
[Regrettably, what keeps you alive… is also killing you.]
Tony closed his eyes for a moment, the weight of those words sinking in.
"Alright, enough of that," he said finally. "Where's my chlorophyll, JARVIS?"
[On the table, sir.]
Tony grabbed the small bottle, studied it for a second, then drank it in one go. The bitter taste made him grimace.
"Wonderful. Tastes like grass and death."
[A perfect name for a perfume, sir.]
Tony chuckled weakly. "You're getting too sarcastic, JARVIS."
[I learned from you, sir.]
For a moment, the genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist sat in silence — staring at the faint reflection of the reactor's glow in his glass.
Beneath the mask of arrogance and humor... was a tired man.
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."v