afterglow - tony stark

21

After the fiasco at the Grand Prix, Tony wanted to talk to his arrested attacker, Ivan Vanko. She pulled on his arm as he tried to leave the car to go to the prison.

"No," she pouted. "He might hurt you."

"He's in jail now and there's no arc reactor," Tony reassured. "There's nothing he can do."

She still stared at him pleadingly with those doe, green eyes that he couldn't resist. He slowly placed a hand on her cheek before he rubbed his thumb back and forth over the smooth skin. His touch caused butterflies.

"I'm going to be fine," he promised before he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Then he got out of the car as she crossed her arms. Pepper and Natalie were already on the private jet and waiting for them to arrive but she insisted she go with Tony.

Tony wasn't long before he was back in the car with her. She checked him over as Happy started driving the limo before she asked, "Well, did you get anything out of him?"

"Not really," Tony answered as he thought about how Ivan Vanko knew about the palladium poisoning that was killing him; the thing that would take him away from the world and his Snowflake.

Tony stared at her intensely before he smirked, "So you really don't like me getting hurt, huh?"

"Well...you're really reckless so, you know, someone has to look out for you," Eira explained slowly but she didn't meet his eyes.

"Huh uh," he hummed in disbelief as he moved to the seat next to her instead of across. "So you just decided that someone would be you?"

"Yes."

"Snow..." he said it so softly and delicately that she found herself turning her head to meet his eyes which made him smile for a short moment. "I know you don't want me to get hurt but I don't want you to, either. You should have let me handle it today."

"Well, I didn't," she huffed. "That's what a team does."

He smiled, "You want to be a team with me?"

"Would that be so bad?" she asked quietly; thinking of the crime she committed.

"No," his voice was deeper as he leaned his forehead against hers and he stared at her lips.

Before he could do anything, Happy shouted from the front that they arrived at the airport. Tony groaned as he moved his head back, "Great." She blinked in confusion, though, as she didn't understand he had been about to kiss her.

Tony sighed before he started to get out of the limo and he helped her out. As soon as she did, she was aware of the many people waiting on the runway to the plane behind the barrier taking pictures and throwing out questions.

Happy was in front as he guided them to the stairs of the plane. Cameras flashed and half of the questions were for Tony but half were for her.

"Did you always have powers, Ms. Stane?" The questions were just one after the other about her powers and about Ivan Vanko.

"There will no comments," Tony replied as they made it to the stairs. "From myself nor angel."

Angel. The media ran with the name so not only did Tony pick her name Snow but he also picked her superhero name.

_____

They were now on the plane. She sat up front by herself. Tony had disappeared for hours but now he appeared in the seat across from her as he set down something on the tray connected to the wall.

He opened up the lid to reveal a small pink cake that was tilted on one side. It was a very miserable cake but she smiled.

"Happy early birthday," Tony announced.

              "Birthday?" she looked down at the cake. "It's not even close to my birthday."

           "You...wanted to share a birthday with me," Tony furrowed his eyebrows. "I distinctly remember you saying that."

           "I...didn't think you'd want me to anymore," she looked out the window sadly.

           Tony leaned forward in his seat slightly. He knew what she was referencing but it didn't bother him anymore. He couldn't stay mad at her for something she was forced to do; he didn't want to.

         It was silent for a moment before he spoke softly, "I know if you could, you would change it. I know that. I forgive you. I'm not mad at you, Snow. God, I don't even blame you. I just know that I can't breathe without you."

             "You are my sun, Snowflake," he confessed. "There's no finding a new one."

She had tears in her eyes at hearing that Tony forgave her and that he wasn't mad. That's all she wanted to hear. Then she smiled before she dipped a finger across the icing; she sucked it off before looking at him, "It's really good."

"Yeah?" he said. "It took me three hours."

She giggled, "Three hours?"

"I've never cooked a thing in my life, angel, but I did for you..."

She smiled wider before she got up from her seat and crawled into his lap. She pressed her head to his chest and Tony felt like he stopped breathing. He hadn't been this close to her since just after the cave and he told her he'd keep her safe.

            His arms wrapped around her tightly as he rested his chin on the top of her head. Then she asked nervously, "So I can really share a birthday with you?"

            "For you, I'll share anything, Snowflake," he said. "Yes."

            "I've never had a birthday," she confessed.

               "Then I'll make sure this one is one to remember, alright?" Tony promised.

              She smiled before she listened to the sound of his heart beating, "Tony...I love you."

             His heart skipped. He knew that she didn't mean it the way he wanted to hear it. It wasn't romantic for her like it was for him or, at least, she didn't realize it was. But, God, if those weren't the three best words he ever heard.

              She looked up at him with a little grin, "So...does that only sound good coming from my lips?"

He breathed out deeply and swore she was trying to give him a heart attack, "Snowflake, you have no idea..."

They went the whole plane ride with her tucked onto his lap. They eventually ate the cake he made and she got some crumbs on his shirt but he wasn't moving; he was content to stay there, in the skies, where his gravity, his sun, his center of the universe was in his arms until the day he died.