Rubies And Emeralds

18th Birthday

(I had to age Vye up one year for the story line and dates because I made a mistake, whoops 😬💚)

December 24th, 2012

I asked Tony not to share that it's my birthday tomorrow. I mean.. why? It's not like I've celebrated it before now. So why start 18 years late?

I wake up, like any normal day, but of course, they celebrate Christmas.

fuck my life.

I walk down to the kitchen, noticing the people in the lounge area. I slowly walk to the room, leaning against the wall.

"You can't have two big ornaments next to each other!" A tall blonde woman scolds Tony. "But you do!" He says back, obviously joking to which he receives a gently slap to the shoulder. She catches my eye, smiling softly at me and turning her head. "You must be Vye! Hi, im Pepper!" She smiles, "want to help me decorate the tree?" She asks. I really don't want to be mean, so I nod and walk over to her. "Vye you don't have to-" I cut him off. "It's okay. I want to," I tell him with a faint smile. He nods and leaves to go to the lab.

"So, what's your favorite color?" She asks me and I giggle. "Uhm, probably like green or something.. you know, like Emeralds?" I respond and she nods. "Hm.. I like purple!" She smiles and I smile back. "I like red" another woman says, walking into the room, "like rubies" she smiles.  "Ms Romanoff.." I say, avoiding eye contact but smiling softly, putting ornaments on the tree. "Ms Volkov" she says. "Mind if I help pepper?" She adds, "not at all!" Pepper smiles, handing Natasha a box of ornaments.

"Who's Howard Stark?" I ask, holding up an ornament that looks like an award. "Oh that's Tony's father, he passed a long time ago" she sighs, smiling faintly and talking the ornament, putting it on the tree. "Any suggestions for dinner?" She asks, changing the subject. "Chinese?" Natasha and I both say, getting a giggle from her and smile from myself. "Sounds good to me" pepper says, smiling and walking out of the room to go order.

"So, I heard a little rumor?" Nat asks me as I continue decorating the tree. "And what might that be?" I ask her. "Tomorrow is your 18th? Birthday?" She asks me. I sigh and look down, "yeah. It is.." I sigh again and the smiles fall from my face. "What's wrong? You don't like your birthday?" She asks me with caution in her voice. "I just, I don't get it. I haven't celebrated it before, why start now? It's not important." I tell her truthfully. "Yeah, I understand that." She says, looking down. "How come you don't want to change that? You know..? Have fun..?" She asks. "No no, it's okay. Like I said, it's not important." I sigh..

Just like me

"Alright well, I won't say anything to anyone if you don't want me to. It can be.. just Christmas." She tells me. "Yes.. please.. thank you." I force a smile at her.

***
Stark's Christmas Party

Maria offered to help me get ready since this is basically my first "party". She bought me an emerald green dress, silky and on the shorter side, but beautiful. It fits me perfectly, like it was made for me. She also got me some silver jewelry since I didn't have any and they match perfectly! I like Maria, she's nice and lets her guard down around me. I like it. I like her. But it's wrong. She's basically my boss.

I take a deep breath before walking into the party,

There is going to be so many people.. So. Many.