Chapter 4
I wake up late the next morning, yawning as the sun creeps across my bed.
I don’t get up right away, laying in bed and thinking about the day before instead.
A smile creeps across my lips as I think about the time I spent with Stephen.
I reach for my phone, clicking on his name.
I had a great time with you. I type. I hope to see you again soon.
My heart beats a little faster as I press send.
Must be my cue to get up.
I shrug into new clothes, sliding my phone into my pocket as I get into the elevator.
I make coffee before asking FRIDAY where everyone is.
“Captain Rogers, Sargent Barnes, and Agent Wilson are in the training facility—”
My phone buzzes, and I tune her out as I click on the message.
Miss me already, huh? It reads.
My heart hammers harder, and a second later my phone buzzes again.
I also had a great time. His second message says.
And I guess I miss you already too. A third message reads just after.
I smile to myself as I text him back.
We’re having a party tomorrow night. I type. I want you to come.
“Mr. Stark?” FRIDAY says, and I snap my head up to answer her.
“Yeah?” I answer, scanning my glasses to see what she’s alerting me to.
“Did you need any other information?” She asks, flashing the list of where everyone is in the compound again.
“Right, no.” I answer. “Thanks."
My phone buzzes again as I drink from my coffee mug.
Like as your date? It reads.
My stomach drops slightly.
Yes. I type. If that’s okay with you.
I pace the floor as I wait for his reply.
I almost jump out of my skin as the phone finally buzzes again.
It’s perfect. It says.
I smile at the screen, not caring if it’s pathetic.
Good. I type. Come to the compound tomorrow at 7. Black tie attire.
I drink from the mug again as I wait for him to answer.
It’s a date. He says finally.
I slide the phone back into my pocket, drinking the rest of the coffee in one long drink before going to find Nat.
I walk to the study, finding her inside sitting by the windowsill as she reads a book.
She looks up as I walk in, smiling as she sets her book down in her lap.
“Hey, what’s up?” She asks as I walk over to her.
“I want to throw a party tomorrow night.” I tell her, throwing on a lazy smile.
She raises her eyebrows, nodding once.
“Okay, for what?” She asks.
I shrug, brushing my hands on my pants.
“Just for fun.” I answer.
Her eyes narrow.
“Is Stephen coming?” She asks.
I nod.
“Yes.” I answer plainly.
She smiles then, swinging her legs off of the windowsill.
“Then I’m in.” She answers. “Do we have a theme?”
I smile back at her.
“Black tie, formal, fancy?” I stammer. “I don’t know, is that lame?”
She shakes her head, setting the book down as she steps towards me.
“Nah, that’ll be nice.” She answers. “Leave it to me and Pepper, your party will be perfect.”
I put a hand on her shoulder.
“Thanks Nat.” I tell her. “Mind getting everyone else on board too? I think they like you better.”
She laughs shaking her head.
“Sure.” She says. “And they definitely like me better, who wouldn’t?”
She winks as she bumps her knuckles against my chin, passing me while she walks past me to leave the room.
I leave the room behind her, trying to think of a way to waste my time until the party.
I head down to my lab, deciding to spend my time as I usually do, fixing suits and completely ignoring everything else.
Luckily I have a lot to do, and I get to work repairing the various pieces as the music blares through the speakers.
After a few hours, something moves out of the corner of my eye.
I turn as Steve steps out of the elevator.
Great.
I tap the screen to turn the music down as he walks to the other side of my work bench.
“Hey.” I say, looking at him for a second before looking back down at the suit.
“Hi.” He answers flatly, and I feel his eyes on me.
I clear my throat as I tighten a bolt.
“What’s up?” I ask, still not looking up.
“I thought I’d come talk to you.” He answers. “What’s with the party?”
I shrug.
“Just wanted to do something nice for everyone.” I reply.
I weld two parts together.
“Why?” He asks.
I drag my eyes up to look at him.
“Why not?” I ask back.
His blue eyes ice over as he glares back at me.
“Don’t pretend that this is for them.” He answers, his voice low. “This is for you, your image, your boyfriend.”
“Get out.” I spit, pointing at the elevator. “You don’t know anything about me.”
He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Whatever Tony.” He answers, stepping away. “You can fool everyone else, but you can’t fool me.”
He walks into the elevator, and the doors close behind him.
I exhale loudly as the elevator goes up.
What the hell is his problem?
My blood boils as I think about him having the audacity to walk into my lab, tell me about my life.
I brace my hands on the sides of the metal workbench before sending it flying against the wall, the suit I was working on breaking apart as it gets crushed between the bench and the wall.
My breathing is jagged as I open and close my hands into fists, staring at the mess before me.
I rake my hands through my hair before dropping to my knees, picking up the pieces of the suit and setting them aside before standing back up and pulling the workbench back into a standing position.
I get back to work, taking a deep breath as I pull my screwdriver back out.
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
I wake up hunched over my workbench again, my head pounding from a bad night’s sleep.
I groan as I sit up, rubbing my eyes.
“FRIDAY, what time is it?” I ask, clearing my throat.
“10:37am, sir.” She answers.
I nod, standing up and walking over to the elevator, clicking the button that’ll take me to my room.
I run the water in the shower as I undress, sighing at my reflection in the bathroom mirror.
My hair and beard are scattered in grey, the skin between and around my eyes creases with age, and dark circles outline my eyes as well.
I turn the lights off in the bathroom as I step into the water, showering in the dark to avoid catching another glimpse of my reflection.
I let the warm water wash over me longer than usual, trying to waste the day again as I count down the minutes until the party begins.
Eventually I get out, drying off and throwing on sweatpants and a t-shirt before I check the clock again.
11:17am.
That’s late enough for alcohol I think.
I pour a glass of scotch, swirling the ice around with the amber liquid as I walk into my closet.
“FRIDAY show me my suits.” I say as I flip the lights on. “The dress suits, obviously.”
She complies, using the conveyor belt in the closet to shift my clothes, showing my best suits in the front.
I look through them, settling on a black suit with a white shirt underneath, and a thin black tie.
A knock at my door sends me out of the closet, and I find myself face to face with Peter as I swing the door open.
“Hey kid, what’s up?” I ask, taking a drink from my glass.
He looks at the glass and then up at me.
“I heard we’re having a party tonight.” He says with a small smile. “I don’t really have any dress clothes for something like that…”
“Do you need some money?” I ask, wondering why he doesn’t just ask.
He shrugs.
“I was going to ask if you’d take me actually, I don’t even know where I’d get a suit.” He says quietly.
I smile, ruffling his hair as I set the glass down on a side table.
“Sure kid, let’s go.” I answer, and he smiles up at me widely.
We leave the compound, heading to the city to find him a suit.
I help Peter as he tries on suits, and we finally find one that he likes, a dark blue fitted suit with a deep red bowtie.
“Are you bringing MJ?” I ask as we get back in the car, heading back towards the house a few hours after we left.
His face pales.
“I asked her.” He says quietly. “She said she’ll try to make it.”
I grin at him, glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.
Luckily, it’s nearly five by the time we get back to the compound, so I only have a little more time to kill.
I go up to my room as Peter goes to his, and I pour another glass of scotch as I get dressed in the closet.
Eventually I drag myself back into the bathroom, fixing my hair and tying my tie in the mirror.
At 6:55, the music starts to play from downstairs, and I smile to myself as I get into the elevator, heading down to the party.
Most of the team is there as I step out of the elevator, and they greet me warmly.
Everyone is dressed nicely, smiling as they sway to the music.
The doorbell rings, and everyone’s head turns towards the door.
I walk over to it, opening it slowly.
Stephen stands on the other side of the doorway, an easy smile on his face as he looks down at me with his stunning blue eyes.
He’s also wearing a black suit, but somehow it looks completely flawless on him, hugging his body perfectly as he steps closer.
“Hey.” I breathe. “Thanks for coming.”
“Hi.” He answers quietly. “Thanks for having me.”
I step aside, inviting him in.
He steps in, waving a hand at the group in greeting as I shut the door.
I walk to his side, easily looping an arm around his waist.
He looks at me with a soft smile, looping his own arm around mine.
I make introductions with some of the members he hasn’t met, ignoring the way that Steve glares from the opposite side of the room.
“Want a drink?” I ask, leading him further into the house.
He nods, following my lead.
I grab him a drink from a tray, handing it to him before taking one for myself.
“You look really nice.” He says in a low voice, looking me up and down.
I feel my cheeks burn as his eyes roam again.
“You’re the one who looks nice.” I answer, taking a step back to do the same to him.
He smirks at me.
“I disagree.” He says, pulling me closer again. “You really do look good.”
He presses a soft kiss against my lips, and I can’t help but smile up at him.
The room fills soon after, and people eat, drink, and dance as the night goes on.
I stay close to Stephen, swaying to the music as we talk to various people who dare to come up to us and make conversation.
As Sam and Rhodey walk away, I pull Stephen towards the elevator.
“Do you want to get out of here?” I ask, gesturing to the elevator doors.
He smiles, nodding.
I press the button, and we step inside.
The doors open to my lab, one of the furthest rooms in the house.
We can still hear the faint thump of the music as we step into the lab, but it’s mostly quiet here.
“Ah, so this is where your magic happens.” He says with a wink, walking over to one of the suits on the wall.
“Yep, I’m a regular magician.” I answer, following behind him.
He chuckles lowly, walking around and looking at the various suits and objects in the room.
“What’s this?” He asks, reaching out and taking the glass box that holds my old Arc Reactor. “Proof That Tony Stark Has a Heart?” He reads from the metal.
I shrug, my heart beating quicker.
“A friend made that for me years ago.” I answer. “It’s the proof that I’m not the big asshole that everyone knows.”
He turns towards me, his eyes still locked on the box in his hands.
“I suppose it’s what it says, proof that I have a heart.” I say quietly, my voice almost a whisper.
“That’s stupid.” He says, finally looking up at me.
He sets the box back on the shelf as he steps closer to me.
“Who would need proof of that?” He whispers, reaching out to cup my face in his hand.
“Evidently a lot of people.” I breathe, looking up at him.
He steps even closer, eliminating any space between us.
“Tony Stark, you have the most wonderful heart.” He whispers, trailing his thumb along my cheekbone.
He kisses me again, and my fingers trail up his chest, locking around the back of his neck.
He deepens the kiss, sliding his hands down to my hips as he pushes me back against the wall.
“I did miss you.” I murmur against his lips.
His lips twitch into a smile below mine.
“I missed you too.” He mutters back, kissing me again.
His hips press mine against the wall as his chest presses against mine.
Neither of us says anything for a while, letting our bodies do the talking as one explores the other.
Eventually we find ourselves sitting with our backs against the wall, ties undone, shirts unbuttoned, Stephen’s head resting on my shoulder as his hands rest in mine.
“You make me so happy.” I whisper, trailing soft designs with my fingertips along the palms of his hands.
He twists to look up at me.
“You make me happy too.” He whispers back.
“Will you stay the night?” I ask, looking into his eyes.
He smiles, nodding as he presses a kiss against my jawline.