Always Been You | Tony Stark

Captiolo (19) Diciannove ~ Strawberries

Tony and I went down to his workshop with the crate, setting it down on the floor, and opened it up to reveal what looked like blueprints, a journal, what seemed like some old film, along with a bit more.

Tony picked up the blueprints first. They were for the Arc Reactor, Anton Vanko and Howard Stark's names right there on the side. He unraveled at examined the blueprint for a moment, before tossing it to the side behind him, then picking up an old news article. It had "Soviet Scientist Vanko Defects" in big bold letters at the top with a picture of Vanko below it.

While Tony was pulling everything out and throwing things behind him, I nealed down and started organizing everything, putting things relating to the arc reactor in one pile, some things that were about or written by Howard close beside it, and what seemed like miscellanies items off to the sides.

Tony turned around after I was finished, looking threw the labels on the film canisters.

"Do we have a film projector somewhere?" He asked, not looking up.

"I think so, yeah." I nodded, starting to get back up.

"No, no I can get it, just-just tell me where it is." Tony finally looked up and held his hand out, standing up himself.

"Oh, um. If I'm remembering correctly then it should be in the miscellaneous storage room upstairs."

"Why did you say "miscellaneous storage room" how many storage rooms do we have?" Tony questioned as he started to walk to the door.

"Well, you have the one for holidays, the one with some of your old stuff that you shouldn't get rid of, um... you have the one with some of your parents and I think Olivia and Liv's old things. And then yeah there's the miscellaneous room for anything else."

"Wow, I have too many things." I had to smirk at that as I watched Tony walk up the stairs.

He came back not too much later, projector in hand. "I saw a screen while I was up there but I need two hands to grab it. Can you start setting this up while I do that? I'm sure Jarvis can help if you get stuck."

"Yeah, sure." I stood and grabbed the projector and its stand, Tony going back upstairs a second later. "Alright, J. Your going to have to help me out here," I said as I carefully put the projector down.

"Of course, Miss Lynn."

It took a little bit, but by the time Tony came back downstairs with the screen I had finished setting the projector up with Jarvis's help.

"Did you get it? Great. Can you move some chairs over while I set this up?"

I wordlessly moved out of his way and placed some chairs near the projector and pile's I made. Tony was still struggling with the screen, and after insisting that he didn't need help, I went upstairs to grab us some drinks. When I came back down, the screen had been properly set up and Tony was getting ready to put the first film in.

"Oh good your back. Thought I would have to watch without you." I could practically hear his smirk as his back was to me.

"And miss seeing what's on the mystery film? No way." I sat down after putting both our drinks on the floor, Tony sitting in his own chair a second later as the film started to play.

I watched Howard as he seemed to be practicing a speech as Tony looked through the notebook that was in the case.

"Tony, what are you doing back there? What is that? Put that back."

"Oh my god." I stared at the screen with a smile as I watched young Tony on the screen, looking over to Tony to see he was also looking.

"Put it back where you got it from. Where's your mother? Maria?" I watched as what I think was part of the film crew picks young Tony up, bringing him off-screen.

"Wow, you were a cute kid." I smiled.

"Yeah, well. Dad didn't seem to care for the cute kid in his precious film." Tony grumbled, looking back to the notebook in his lap.

"Well screw Howard. Did you see yourself, you were so cute."

"What and I'm not now?"

"Well, I wouldn't say that." I could feel Tony's eyes on me as I continued to watch the screen.

"What would you say?"

"Tony." Both our attentions got pulled to the screen. "You're too young to understand this right now, so I thought I would put it on film for you. I built this for you." Howard held his arm out to the display of the Stark expo. "And someday you'll realize that it represents a whole lot more than just people's inventions. It represents my life's work. This is the key to the future." The camera then panned to some parts of the display, before going back to Howard. "I'm limited by the technology of my time, but one day you'll figure this out. And when you do, you will change the world. What is and what always will be my greatest creation is you. And I know that no matter where life brought you, your aunt Olivia would be so proud of you. I know how much you look up to her." I tear escaped my eye as I watched Howard smile at the camera, before the film ran out and the picture stopped.

I looked over at Tony, who was still staring at the screen.

"Tony?" He snapped out of his trance, looking at me.

"Yeah. Yeah um, come on. We're leaving. Go grab your stuff."

"What? Where are we going?" I stood, watching Tony as he started throwing some of the items on the floor back into the box they came in.

"We need to pay Pepper a visit at the office."

~~

"You like strawberries right?"

"What?" I looked at Tony as he slowed his car and started pulling it off to the side.

"It's a yes or no answer, Peg, do you like strawberries?"

"Um, yeah, yeah I do why?"

"That's what I thought." Tony nodded to himself, before driving up a little farther. That's when I noticed the man on the side of the road selling fresh strawberries.

"Tony you don't need to-"

"Nope. Don't tell me what to do."

"I'm your assistant my job is to literally tell you what to do." I deadpanned.

"Yeah, well, just this once don't do your job."

"Hola." The vendor said grabbing one of the boxes.

"Hola, Cuanto es?"

"Seis dólares."

"I forgot you knew Spanish," I commented.

"Yeah, well, I only know some of the basics." He said as he took off his watch. "I don't have any dough. Here." He held up the watch.

"Tony." I rolled my eyes.

"No sir, that's too much."

"No, no it's fine. Take that."

"No, senor."

"It's fine, come on." Tony dangled the watch out across from me. "Take it. Take it." The vendor gently grabbed the watch, then handed me the box of fruit.

"Gracias." I smiled at the man.

"Are you Iron Man?"

"Sometimes," Tony answered before driving away.

"I can't believe you." I smiled, looking at the small box on my lap.

"What, I wanted to do something nice am I not allowed to do that?" Tony looked over at me, a small smile coming over his own face when he saw my own.

"Which watch was that, anyway?"

"Not an important one. It doesn't matter." He brushed it off.

"The one Obidiah got you, huh?" I guessed.

"How- you know what, yeah. It was."

It was silent for a moment before I said something.

"Well, you needed to get rid of it anyway. It's probably cheap garbage either way." I took a bite of one of the strawberries, playfully smacking Tony's hand when he reached for one.