STARK GIRL

Ultimatum

"You're crazy!" Pepper disagreed. "You can't just take her away from her own way of living,"
"I'm not crazy, Pepper. "I just finally know what I have to do to keep her close,"
Pepper didn't like this. "Good luck,"she laughed
Outside the university, Tony held Claire's bags.
"That's not how that works!" Claire stumped her feet against the payment like a silky brat, and she hated herself for that. Tony was stopping her from living in the dorm rooms. "I have a tuition that was paid, Tony," Claire tried clarifying. She gave him an annoyed look. "One more year left," Claire started going to the university at twenty-one once she decided to stop doing what teens do, and that was tour Europe.
"Already taken care of," Tony told her as he tossed the last bag of her belongings into his car. He knew a lot of people.
"You're impossible," Claire hissed. "I am an adult, and you..." she pointed at him. "Will not tell me what I can't and can do!? Is that clear!?" She poked at his chest.
"Ow," Tony blinked twice. That hurt," he pointed. "Don't worry, your tuition is still available for school, but you won't be living on campus," he rubbed his chest. Her fingers were long, and that really did bother him.
Claire then stood her ground. "Give me a good reason why I should go live with you?" She placed both hands on her hips. Oh no, not the hand on the hips. Pepper usually did that. 
He grinned. "Because we both promised to give each other an ultimatum after our conversation last night,"
"But not this," she breathed. "If I go live with you, I will not see myself grow as the adult I want to be,"
"Fine," Tony said. "If you go live with me for two weeks," he said with his two fingers up. "And try to enjoy it. I will have everything back to normal for you,"
"You promise?" She asked, raising her brow in question. Her tick eyebrows matched his.
"Iron man never breaks a promise,"
Claire rolled her eyes. "Let's go before I change my mind."
"Where are you going?" He asked. As she walked the opposite way.
"I need to go walking,"
Tony had an ultra ego alright, and it was something Claire did not find appealing. But she knew she would get used to it. Maybe?
That evening, Claire didn't have to lift a finger to get her room settled in. Not even her clothes. She looked around the large room and widened her eyes in suprise to see how comfortable and cozy it looked. An entire house, four bedrooms could fit in there
"Well, is it for accommodation?" Tony wondered.
Claire nodded. "Yeah, but I don't like satin bed sheets and the window isn't very pleasing to me, I don't know if I told you on our way over here over the thousand questions but I'm afraid of heights,"
"Oh," Tony said.
"But it's okay," Claire assured him. "Just not those bed sheets,"
Tony nodded. "I'll have that taken care of,"
"I can do it," Claire told him.
"No, I'll go get one of the maids."
During dinner, Claire took a seat across Pepper and Tony. Happy had not been able to make it since he had a date that night. The room was too quiet for Tony. He cleared his throat and found Claire poking at her broccoli like a small child.
"You don't like broccoli?" He assumed.
"No, I do," she assured. "It's just I'm allergic to cauliflower. Both were mixed in together.
"Oh," Tony looked at his plate then at hers. They had been mixed up.
Tony snapped his fingers, and a server came out. "Get her a new plate and..."
"I can do it," Claire said, getting on her feet.
Before Tony could argue, Pepper placed her hand over his arm. "Go ahead, Claire," she smiled.
Claire left the room following the server, and Pepper turned to Tony. "Do you want to scare her away?"
Tony shook his head. "Of course not."
"Okay, well then, stop!" she hissed.
After dinner, Claire stood tall outside the wide balcony. It overlooked the entire city, the lights bright, white, green, red, yellow, and blue. Stepping outside to meet with her was Tony.
"It's a view, huh?"
"You know my father used to be a farmer, but I'm sure you knew that already," Claire told him. She took a seat and watched as Tony walked further toward the rails. Her heart began to beat rapidly. "Tony!" she breathed.
Tony grinned frankly. "I'm fine," he leaned against the rail and watched her. His eyes were a dark pool trying to read her and understand her.
Claire let out a sight and closed her eyes.
"I know about you're father, I know about the selfish mother that left you and your father... behind and I know about your grandfathers past and his hospice,"
Claire clenched her jaw. "Well, if you know so much about my family, why don't you tell me about our parents?"
Tony gulped his drink and placed the glass down. He walked over toward his sister and took a seat. "I have..." he cleared his throat. It then dawned on him that perhaps this topic was not something he'd ever prepared himself to speak off or even share with anyone.
"Did they love me?" Claire finally had the courage to speak. Her eyes filled with tears, but she was not going to cry.
Tony looked up from his feet his eyes waved darker than usual as shock filled them. Tony nodded softly. "They loved you so much," his voice nearly broke. "Mom didn't want to leave, but our father needed her... Claire," he whispered. "Our parents were murdered..."
"You don't know that," she voiced.
"I never doubt it in my mind that they didn't die in that crash,"
Claire played with a small little charm Steve had brought back.
"Will we ever find out who did it?" Claire somehow believed him.
"I won't give up," Tony promised. "Taylor gave you that?" Tony wondered.
Claire rolled her eyes. His name is Tommy," she was starting to see his ways of turning away from important conversations. And no, she said to hereslf.