DISCO GAL. ❪ Tony Stark ❫ ✓

seventeen

Novalyn held him in her arms as he numbly stared at a tile in the hospital hallway. He was crying and occasionally sniffling, but there weren't any sobs.

His parents had died on the spot in the middle of the night of Novalyn's birthday. An accident, said the cops on the scene.

Tony understood his father was powerful, rich man, but the murderer didn't steal the pearls and gems on his mother's body or the wallet tucked in his father's jacket pocket. He didn't understand why his mother got taken away from him.

"Jarvis is here to take you home," she whispered, brushing her nose against his forehead. "I can come see you tomorrow if you'd like. Just send me a message and I'll come."

"Stay the night," he murmured.

She nodded. "Whatever you need."

The car ride was silent. The radio wasn't on, seeing as how it would most likely play a song or talk of sports. Jarvis drove silently to the mansion, and Novalyn's hand never left Tony's hand.

What started out as a night of celebration turned into a night of mourning. She was the type of person to believe in fate, and she currently thought It was full of shit.

Her mother had cancer and wasn't getting better, and now her best friend's parents were dead. It seemed Tony and her were two peas in a pod.

The previous months had been too good to be true. Their nights of wasting money on a claw machine and drinking alcohol underneath the starry sky seemed like a distant fever dream.

She didn't know where his room was, but Jarvis silently led them there. He assisted Tony in changing into more comfortable clothes. Once dressed, Novalyn took her over in coaxing him into bed.

Jarvis lingered at the doorway, watching the broken shell of a man be comforted by a usually bright, young lady.

She looked up from tucking Tony into bed and mounted, "Thank you."

Jarvis nodded and closed the door behind him, breathing in deeply before walking toward the kitchen for a glass of scotch.

Novalyn stared down at Tony. His eyes were open, staring at the wall in front of him from his laid position.

"Do you want me to stay in here?" she softly questioned.

"Yeah," he whispered.

As pretty as her jumpsuit was, she preferred not to sleep in it. She grabbed one of his t-shirts and sweats before sliding into bed with him. It was the most intimate thing they'd ever done, but it didn't matter at the moment. All that mattered to Novalyn was Tony.

They had been inseparable ever since they met, and she wasn't about to let him go. It was the first time she'd see him so quiet and blank, and she didn't like it.

No matter what the future had in store for them, she would stay by his side. It didn't matter how many villains crossed their paths and threatened the safety of their lives and relationship, she would make sure he knew she loved him.

He enjoyed her company, but would never admit to loving someone at such a young age. However, Novalyn was the closest person he could admit to loving. Without her, his life wouldn't be the same, and he hoped she knew that.

Note: I'm satisfied at how I chose to end this story. I may come back to it whenever/if I brush up on my Iron Man movies, but I love their relationship because it was borderline platonic and just plainly friendship. Their love goes a little deeper, but I like how I portrayed them, and not as horn-dogs.