Pepper saw the Hummers before she saw the house.
Five of them, parked in a line along the drive with the practiced spacing of people who did this professionally. The men standing beside them were built like they'd been assembled for a specific purpose, and that purpose was not decorative. She pulled in behind the last vehicle and got out without hurrying.
None of the men moved toward her. They tracked her approach and held position, which was the behavior of people following instructions rather than instinct. She walked past them into the yard.
The rabbit stopped her.
Three meters tall, white, wearing a bow, and staring at her with the fixed expression of something that had been placed here by a man who thought grand gestures were the same as romantic ones. Painted across the sash on its chest, in letters large enough to read from the gate: Merry Christmas — Pepper.
She stood there for a moment.
Then she went inside.
The living room contained an Iron Man suit having a conversation with Xu Xialing. Two of Xu Xialing's people stood against the wall. The suit's faceplate was up and no one was in it — she recognized the slight overcompensation in the posture that meant remote operation.
Xu Xialing looked up as she entered. Something passed across her face that settled into recognition.
"Ms. Potts." Xu Xialing stood. "It's been a while. Last time was the tournament."
"I was wondering whose convoy that was." Pepper kept her tone easy. "Good to see you, Ms. Xu. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas." Xu Xialing glanced toward the suit, then back. "Tony and I have finished. I don't want to interrupt your evening."
"Stay for dinner," Pepper offered.
"I genuinely can't. There's something we need to move on before the day's out." Xu Xialing was already gathering her men. "Next time."
Tony's voice came from the suit: "Ms. Xu has somewhere to be."
Pepper watched them leave, then turned to the armor on her sofa.
"What generation is that? Mark fifteen?"
"Something like that."
"You're wearing battle armor in your living room on Christmas Eve."
"I was trying it on. She happened to arrive while I had it on."
"And you just left it on."
"It felt impolite to change."
Pepper settled onto the arm of the chair and looked at him — at the suit, which was close enough. "What did she come about? Dragon Balls?"
"No. There's a terrorist running around claiming to be the leader of the Ten Rings. Xu Xialing is here to handle it."
"Ah." Pepper reached down and slipped off her heels. "So that's why the armor. You were worried she might be a threat."
"I was not worried she was a threat."
"You had the suit on."
"I told you, I was trying it on—"
The suit walked around the back of the sofa and Pepper felt the armored hands begin working at her shoulders with surprising precision. She let out a breath despite herself.
"That's actually helpful."
"You're tense."
"I had a full day." She tilted her head. "Killian came in."
The hands paused for just a fraction of a second. Then they resumed.
"I know," Tony said.
Pepper turned to look at the faceplate. "How do you know?"
"Happy called me."
"Happy was spying on me."
"Happy was doing his job."
"His job is building security, not reporting on my four o'clock meetings."
"He was concerned."
Pepper stood up and the suit straightened. "You had Happy report on me."
"I didn't ask him to—"
"I'm going to bed." She picked up her shoes.
"Pepper—"
She walked toward the stairs without looking back.
Behind her, Tony's voice came out of the suit, quieter than usual: "Hey. It was wrong. I'm sorry."
She stopped on the second step. Held there for a moment.
Then she turned around to look at him.
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