Bonds
Pepper’s Pov
Many things had changed for Tony and I since we have decided to take in Darcy.
Looking down at her I can’t help but look at every part of her face. She used to look so scared and wary even in sleep. Now her face was just exhausted. She had been getting to know the Avengers. She was not too comfortable with them yet but she was on her way. She looked so normal, well as normal as any other child could be, when she is sleeping. Her hair was still wet from the bath that Tony gave her last night. That would be a moment I will never forget.
She had bonded more with Tony than anyone else, me included. I don’t even remember how it came to Tony helping her bath but it was such a special moment. At first she just sat in the tub and looked into the water. She seemed so wary of being in the bath and sitting. She looked so small and lost and just so damaged. She sat there for more than 5 minutes not doing anything. Jarvis notified us and well Tony decided to be Tony.
We went in and I hunted down some bubbles and Jarvis played some kidsy music. We do not know how old she is exactly but we estimated she was about 4 maybe a little younger. Anyway Tony decided that it was time to dance and was spinning me all around in some shuffling while laughing dancing thingy. Let’s just say I was dizzy but it was fun. There was water and bubbles all over the place and everyone was soaked and… it was great. Tony smiled and laughed and it was Tony. Not the Tony playboy millionaire but Tony. He has not been this way in a long time.
Looking down I moved my hand down towards the covers and pulled them up. Her going to be with wet hair was probably not the best thing. Pushing her hair up and out of her face and from her shoulders I heard a noise. Leaning up on my elbow to look on the other side of the bed, a squeak of laughter came from me. Tony’s face was full of long hair. Darcy’s hair was practically strangling him. Grabbing my phone I immediately snapped a picture, always be prepared. Looking at the picture I could not help but smile. Tony’s hand was wrapped around Darcy as if to protect her.
Looking down at them I was met with blue eyes. I gave a smile and turned the phone so she could see the screen. She gave it a quick glance and then looked back at me. She had this habit of just staring that was quite unnerving. All of a sudden there was a sound of skin on skin and a grunt of pain. The phone was then out of my hands and practically thrown at Tony. Darcy moved when Tony lifted his hand to rub his head and open his eyes.
“What’s goin..”
“Picter.” Her voice had child like accent and was soft yet strong. She was demanding. Tony just stared at her with big round eyes. Looking down at Darcy who had turned to curl up against my stomach she stares at Tony. Lifting her arm she pointed at the phone that lay on its side next to Tony.
“Picter.” Tony looked down and pick up the phone as he sat up. Then his eyes lit up with understanding.
“You want a picture?” She bobbed her up and down furiously. She then turned her head to look behind her at me swung her arm back and gripped mine. She pulled or tried to pull my hand over her body. Moving it where she wanted she snuggled in closer with her back to my stomach and laid her head on my pillow. She grabbed my hand and put it in her hair. I couldn’t help but stare at my hand as I slowly combed her hair back away from her face. There were grabby hand motions and then when the phone was in her hands she sat up. My hand dropped from her hair and onto the bed beside her. I slowly sat all the way up and crossed my legs into a pretzel.
Darcy tended to move her body quickly and it was no different when she decided to stand on the bed. She would have fallen off the side if my hands didn’t instinctively move to catch her. She then plumped herself down into the spot my legs made and turned her head up to look and smile at me. Her hand reached for mine and she directed it back up to her hair. Smiling I couldn’t help but softly scratch her head. Her shoulders relaxed and she leaned back into me.
Tony made some sound that I had never heard before. I looked up at him quickly only to see tears in his eyes and that special smile on his lips. My Tony. Then a screen was shoved into my view. Taking the phone and bringing it before Darcy and I, I could not help but smile some more. The picture was of me and her. I had my hand in her hair looking at her softly but she, she was smiling. Her smile was a little awkward, you could tell she did not quite know how to smile but she was trying. I squeezed my arms a little tighter around her in a loose hug and put my lips to her hair and then my chin on her head.
I softly hummed and stared at Tony. Slowly her head began to droop and Tony reached to move her. Moving her into the middle between us, I pulled up the covers and laid my hand over Tony’s.
Closing my eyes I whispered
“Good night Tony. Good night Darcy.”