The Hacker and The Heroes

You and I

Recap: Nadia is resistant to the idea of soulmates. She has a secret longing for one, but is worried about what finding hers will mean for her individuality. Using her computer program N.U.C.L.E.U.S, she tracks down Tony Stark's soulmate only to find that it is her. She denies it at first but she soon realizes that it is an unchangeable fact. Tony comes to her apartment expecting results and eventually is told the truth.

    Tony stared into Nadia's brown-green eyes, and for the first time, he truly noticed their unique shade. They were akin to moss on the side of a river canyon deep in the Rockies. They reminded him of the light streaming through the leaves of the Californian redwoods his mother took him to see when he was young. In their depths, he saw endless possibilities—a future contained within a literal blink of an eye.
    Unlike Nadia, Tony wasn't at all resistant to the idea of soulmates. Sure, when he was younger, he rebelled against the idea that any one human could possibly handle him in his entirety. Or perhaps Tony had rebelled against the idea that any one human was worthy of him. Yes, he will admit he was even more entitled in his youth than he is currently. However, in recent years he has grown. He has seen the horrors of the world, and he has stared into the face of Oblivion. Oblivion exists in the depths of a cave in Afghanistan. Oblivion exists in the cold vastness of the space that lies through a wormhole. Proximity-wise, Oblivion is so near humanity, but there is no humanity in Oblivion.
    Tony has learned through his years that loneliness is a fate far worse than death. So, as he looked into the eyes of a hacker from Manhattan, Tony felt the pull of her heart on his and for once he wasn't afraid. He steps forward as if to grab her hand, but she withdraws.
    "What is it, Dollface?" Tony questions as his eyebrows furrow.
    The hacker begins to pace back and forth in front of him as she runs her fingers through her hair. "I am confused. You accept it? Just like that? You're a scientist, but you believe in fate?" She says all of this within a single breath as if pausing meant the situation would escape her control.
    "Well, no. Not initially at least, but my years have shown me that bonds are what we live for. Sure, we can survive without them. We can inflate our lungs of our own volition- without any outside aid. Still, human contact and understanding are what makes each breath worth being drawn in the first place." Tony saw the panic rising in Nadia's eyes, and he took another step forward with his arms spread. "I understand how you feel- or I believe I do, at least. You are used to numbers. Manipulating data and keeping your interactions a screen distance away. Allowing a human in is terrifying. It feels like a loss of control. Like you are relinquishing power and letting them see the fragile parts of your soul. But, darling, if you allow me, I promise I will work every day to be worthy of your trust. We can take this as slow as you would like."
    At Tony's words, Nadia's eyes welled up with tears. She felt a bit of her shield slip away. His eyes held nothing but warmth and understanding, and slowly, like a small child or a wounded dove, she began to inch forward. Then, when she got about halfway across the distance that lay between them, it was as if a dam broke. Suddenly, Nadia found herself enclosed in his arms and the world exploded with color.