Proof that Tony Stark has a Heart

Chapter 5

The jet being StarkTech; it made the five-hour journey in three, and they landed a little after eleven in the morning New York time, the sun already high in the sky. I was a little sad when they landed; I'd enjoyed the flight, being able to chat with Tony and Pepper with no other pressing matters arising. I liked Pepper more and more the more I spent time with her. Tony was half into business person mode when we stepped out of the jet, and I was surprised to see photographers waiting for us outside the airfield building having been stopped by security before reaching the landing strip itself. Tony didn't seem bothered, merely taking my hand in his and carrying on towards the car waiting for us. I didn't let it bother me either; I'd had worse. My face was firmly glued to the tinted window as we drove into the center of New York; the city was a hive of activity, full of lights, noises, and people, and I thought it was brilliant. Tony helpfully pointed out specific buildings and landmarks, keeping up a running commentary until we got to our hotel. 

I was unsurprised to find we had a double suite, with Pepper in one room while Tony and I were in the other, though I was stunned at the luxury of the room. It seemed a little needless for just the one night, but it was Tony Stark. Besides; I could think of ten excellent uses for the jacuzzi bath, and even more for the expansive bed with its solid wooden headboard. Pepper gave Tony a little pointed motion that involved tapping her watch, and the genius sighed, resting his hands on my waist. 

"I have to go convince boring people to pay lots of money for shit that I made, so I'll see you in two hours, hmm? Wander around the city, take in the sights, think of anything you might want to do this afternoon, and I'll meet you back here at 2:00?" he checked. 

I nodded, leaning in for a kiss before straightening the man's tie, smoothing his collar a little, and smoothing down his lapel.

"Try not to fall asleep," I teased.

"Try not to get lost," Tony retorted, kissing me once more. "See you later, gorgeous." 

With a playful smack to my ass, Tony left the room after Pepper, leaving me alone in the hotel room. I deposited my bag in the bedroom and freshened up a little, splashing some water on my face before deciding to hit the city.

I picked a random direction and followed the crowd, eyes peeled for anything I might enjoy. Detouring through several shops, I tried not to buy too much, well aware that I had to get it past Tony to get it back to Malibu. I couldn't resist a lot of the clothing, though, and made sure to only buy what I knew I could carry. I bought a miniature Statue of Liberty for Ron, too, knowing his pseudo-brother would appreciate it. I was tempted to visit the New York wizarding community, but there was no way I wouldn't be recognized, and I didn't want my trip cut short by half a dozen wizarding news crews. I was on a muggle holiday, and I was sticking to that; even to the point of keeping my wand in my suitcase. I hardly used it, to begin with, preferring wandless magic when I used magic at all, and I had confidence in Kingsley's promise that America was safe for me.

Picking up a fresh cinnamon pretzel from a street vendor, I wandered into the theatre district, the streets of Broadway full of people. Signs for musicals and plays glittered brightly overhead and I had a brief desire to check the box office for tickets. I decided against it, though; I doubted Tony had the attention span to sit through a whole show, and I didn't want to spend half the evening sitting in a dark room with Tony but unable to talk to me. I could do that on my own.

Glad I'd brought my camera, I took several snaps of the theatres and signs, monitoring the time. I'd spent more time shopping than I'd thought, and I wasn't sure how long it would take me to find my way back to the hotel, so I started back in that direction, not wanting to be late for Tony. I got back quickly and deposited my bags back in the room before going to sit in the hotel bar with a pint of cider while I waited for my wayward lover. Entertaining myself with people-watching, loving the chance to be anonymous for once, I almost didn't notice when Tony returned. Almost. It was hard to not notice every head turning towards the doors.