𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒘𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆.
𐙚˙✧˖°📷 ༘ ⋆｡ ˚
Tony Stark had no idea that attending a seemingly ordinary birthday party would drastically alter his life. There he met the 'birthday girl' who was unafraid...
In the middle of a desert in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, a convoy drives off into the vast, arid expanse. In the armored car where Tony is seated, he and the soldiers sit quietly. The silence is eventually broken by a soldier.
"Sir, I have a question to ask."
"Yes, please."
"Is it true you went 12 for 12 with last year's Maxim cover models?"
Tony chuckles. "That is an excellent question. No, I didn't—it's hard to sleep with someone when you have someone else on your mind," he truthfully confesses. "Anything else?"
The soldier next to him, Jimmy, raises his hand.
"You're kidding me with the hand up, right?"
"Is it cool if I take a picture with you?"
"Yes. It's very cool."
Jimmy pulls his camera out and hands it to the soldier in the front seat. "I don't want to see this on your MySpace page." Tony warns as Jimmy puts up a peace sign for the photo. "Please, no gang signs. No, throw it up. I'm kidding. Yeah, peace. I love peace. I'd be out of a job with peace."
"Come on. Hurry up. Just click it. Don't change any settings. Just click it," the soldier urges.
As the picture is about to be taken, a sudden explosion rocks the vehicle in front of them. Gunshots and explosions erupt, peppering the side of their vehicle. Chaos ensues as the soldiers are taken out one by one. Jimmy turns back around only to be gunned down, bullet holes riddling the vehicle.
Tony, his senses dulled by the concussive blasts, stumbles out of the car. Regaining some of his hearing, he runs and dives behind a rock for cover. He pulls out his phone to call for help when he notices a bomb beside him with "Stark Industries" emblazoned on it. He tries to scramble away, but the bomb explodes, sending him flying through the air. He hits the ground hard, his senses again dulled. Feeling a sharp pain in his chest, he pulls his shirt aside to reveal blood pooling from a wound.
· · ─────── ·🦋· ─────── · ·
36 hours earlier.
Outside a Casino.
"Mr. Stark! Excuse me, Mr. Stark! Christine Everhart, Vanity Fair magazine. Can I ask you a couple of questions?"
"She's cute," Happy whispers to Tony, who makes a face and replies, "Iliana is much cuter." Happy smiles as Tony turns to Christine. "Hi!"
Christine asks him some questions, blatantly flirting. Happy rolls his eyes in the background. One question, however, catches Tony off guard.
"One last question—what is your relationship with writer, Iliana Song?"
"We are friends," Tony answers, rehearsed and firm.
'For now,' he thinks.
"Are you?" Christine looks unconvinced. "Because people think she has risen to fame due to her connections to you."
"You wouldn't be asking these baseless questions if you had read her books," Tony retorts, vexed. "She is a phenomenal writer and a literary genius. This interview is over."
He enters his car, and Happy drives them away.
· · ─────── ·🦋· ─────── · ·
Later, Rhodes and Tony are drunk on a couch with flight attendants dancing around them.
"I think there's something wrong with me," Tony says to his best friend.
"There's something wrong with all of us, Tony," Rhodes replies.
"Like having these intense feelings for a girl years younger than me, while she insists on keeping me in the friend zone. I don't think I can just fuck her out of my system."
"As if we aren't aware of the big crush you have on Iliana," Rhodes says, patting Tony on the back. "Tough luck, Tony."
Tony's phone rings, and he sees it's a video call. "How about you guys take some rest and turn the music down?" The attendants leave, and he accepts the call.
"Why are you day drunk?" a melodious voice asks sharply.
"Good morning to you too," Tony responds with a smile.
"I heard you were late—hi, Rhodes," the woman on the phone smiles at him.
"Iliana! Hey!" Rhodes waves at her.
"Called to wish me luck?" Tony asks.
"Yes and no—don't smile, I'm serious. You need to stop with your day drinking."
"Yes, ma'am," Tony replies. "By the way, your birthday's coming up."
"There's still time for it," Iliana replies.
"It's just a few months away—okay, fine," he stops talking after seeing the look she gives him, prompting Rhodes to snicker.
"All the best for your presentation, and be safe," she says, turning to someone off-camera. "I need to go; my editor needs me."
"Bye, Butterfly."
"Bye, Tony. See you soon."
Neither of them knew this would be the last time they saw each other before the whole course of their life changed forever.
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