Out Of Time

thirty-eight

Tony failed to come the press down or apologize to Y/N. For the next three days before his birthday, he focused on working on projects in the workshop, while Pepper ran the company, Natalie planned the party, and Y/N focused on healing. Nat and Y/N had talked, in secret. With Y/N finally forgiving her friend for showing up unannounced. Y/N and Tony avoided each other until his birthday. They both were getting ready for it, thinking about how they would talk to the other. Tony was staring at his chest and the blood toxicity test. They both were getting worse, and he knew he would need to tell someone sooner or later.

"Do you know which watch you'd like to wear tonight, Mr. Stark?" Natalie interrupted Tony's thoughts, walking into the room with a box of watches.

"I'll give them a look," he answered, quickly buttoning up his shirt. Nat put down the box and began shaking up a drink. "I should cancel the party, huh?" Tony turned towards Nat.

"Probably."

"Yeah. Cause it's-"

"Ill-timed." Nat walked over to Tony, drink in hand.

"Right. Sends the wrong message," Tony said, taking the drink from her.

"Inappropriate." Nat watched Tony take a sip of the drink. "Is that dirty enough for you?"

"Uh.. gold face, brown hand. The Jaeger. I'll give that a look. Bring them over here." Tony sat down as Natalie grabbed the box and handed it to him. "I'll take that. Why don't you..." Natalie sat down on the arm of the chair and began covering his bruised face. "I gotta say it. It's hard to get a read on you. Where are you from?"

"Legal."

"Can I ask you a question, hypothetically? Bit odd. If this was your last birthday party you were ever gonna have, how would you celebrate it?"

"I'd do whatever I wanted to do with whoever I wanted to do it with."

"Another hypothetical, what if you were in love with two people, but didn't know which one to choose, how would you choose?"

"I'm not sure that I'm qualified to answer that, Mr. Stark."

"Right... right... thank you."

Nat gave a soft smile before leaving him alone to drink and think on everything. She quickly went upstairs to Y/N's room, not bothering to knock as she entered. Y/N was sitting on her bed, struggling to figure out what shoes to wear.

"Hey," Y/N greeted. "I don't know what shoe to wear. I guess it shouldn't matter since I can only wear one. I just... I just want to-"

"You want to look your best," Nat finished for her, walking over and picking up a shoe. "This looks good." Nat picked up Y/N's good foot and slipped the shoe on. "Are you going to be able to stand on it all night?"

"I shouldn't. But that's why I'm coming down late. Everyone knows a party actually begins an hour after it's start time, at least."

"He's much worse today Y/N."

"How much worse?"

"The rash is all over his chest, crawling up his neck. And his blood toxicity test came out at 89%." Y/N bit her lip and looked away. "He's also saying that this is his last birthday."

"We have to do something, Nat. Has Fury come back with anything, yet?"

"He's positive about something that will slow the symptoms, but the only one who can find a cure for Tony is Tony."

"And he's basically given up, hasn't he?"

"You need to talk to him. He might try a little harder."

"What do I say?"

"How you feel."

Y/N's head snapped towards Nat. "What? Are you crazy? I can't just-"

"It might be the only thing that can save him."

"I can't..."

"I don't think there's an option here."