Everlasting • Tony Stark✔️

88 | pinky promise

CHARLOTTE missed her mother dearly. Tony had to wipe a tear that fell when Lyra and Charlotte squealed in synchronization. Charlotte's chubby legs ran to her, and Lyra never seemed so happy.

Pepper nudged Tony's stomach with a sigh. "Are you both okay?"

"No. We will be, eventually," Tony replied with a smile as he watched his wife.

Pepper nodded, grinning at the beaming smile on Lyra's face as she approached them with Charlotte in her arms. "Hey, Pep."

"Hey," Pepper said with a laugh. "How was prison?"

"Very cold," Lyra said with a nod. "Lots of air conditioning when they thought it would keep my Extremis away. Funny guys."

Pepper snorted. "You're terrible, but I'm glad you're all right. I'm glad you stood up for what you believed in. Did Bucky get away?"

Tony's eyes widened at Pepper. He wondered how the hell she knew. Lyra nodded. "Yeah. He's safe. So are my twins, Sam, and Steve. How was Rhodey?"

"Walking way better," Rhodey said from the kitchen doorway. He smiled at Lyra with a nod. "Hey, Ly."

"Oh, Gods, Rhodey!" Lyra said, wrapped her one arm around him. "I'm so glad you're all right."

"Yeah. No harm done," Rhodey said.

Tony snorted. "Understatement of the century. Tell her the news, Pepper."

"Rhodey and I are moving in together about twenty minutes east. I'll be able to take care of him if needed, and I'll be close to you all. It's a winning situation since I can run the company remotely," Pepper said with a smile. Lyra grinned brightly. "We're also selling the original Avengers Tower because everything will be moved to the newer facility."

"Where's Capsicle?" Charlotte asked Lyra.

Lyra smiled, tickling her stomach. "He's on vacation with your brother and sister. We'll see them one day." Charlotte frowned. "Now, missy, how about we go color a pretty picture for Daddy?"

Charlotte squealed excitedly as she wiggled out of Lyra's arms to run to the coffee table. Lyra followed her, sitting on the floor with Charlotte in her lap.

Tony smile adoringly at them. "You'll be okay?" Rhodey asked.

"I'm home," he said, gesturing to his girls.

Pepper and Rhodey soon left. Tony sat on the ground next to them as Charlotte colored. She would occasionally ask for colors for Tony to hand to her. Otherwise, Tony kept his hand wrapped in Lyra's, afraid she would disappear if he let her go.

For the next two months, Lyra and Tony worked on their trust and relationship. It was not easy being in a relationship with two hard headed individuals, but they made it work as best as they could with Charlotte keeping them glued together.

At night, after Tony and Lyra would put Charlotte to bed with a competition of who was loved more—Tony was always higher in the end—the pair would grab a drink, whether it be their favorite whiskey or simply a cola and talk about their feelings to get everything out there. They needed to stop butting heads. It worked. It truly worked to get everything in the open with nothing to push them back.

This night in particular, Tony was tracing the tattoo on Lyra's naked back as they laid in bed. He was asking her about a band they had seen in college, but neither could remember the band name.

"Do you remember when you died your hair blue?" Tony asked. "It was soon after you got this tattoo. You said it was cool, but I made fun of you so bad."

Lyra chuckled, he hand finding his open one. "You died your hair purple a week later to join me. Rhodey thought we were idiots."

"We're still idiots."

Lyra grinned, sitting up to sit on his lap. She rested her arms lazily around his shoulders as he held her waist with a smirk. "You ever thing about how old we're getting? We've known each other for over three decades."

"Mrs. Stark, I hate to say it. You're old," Tony teased.

Lyra smirked, letting her head fall to his neck as she placed kisses along his collarbone. "Yeah. I'm older than you by four months?"

"Something like that," Tony said as he grip tightened on her waist. "Have you heard from anyone recently?"

Lyra sat up, letting her fingers grip the ends of  the curly hair that rested on his neck. "Pietro and Wanda called yesterday. They love both of us dearly, even though Wanda hates you still." Tony chuckled. "I heard from Nat through Clint. Both okay. Sam checks in every week. Steve... not so often. He's normally okay."

Tony hummed in response. "I have to go to India in a few days," he blurted suddenly.

"For what?"

"Pepper said there is some meeting. No idea. I wanted to know if you wanted to come?" he asked. "Charlotte, too. We can make a vacation out of it."

Lyra shrugged. "Will I get in trouble?"

"Not with a baby in your left arm and your right hooked around mind," Tony said with a smirk. "Seeiously. Ross hasn't tried arresting you in what?—a few weeks now?"

"Very reassuring."

Tony laughed, kissing her firmly on the mouth. "I love you."

"I love you, too. India sounds nice if you can make sure we'll be safe," Lyra said.

Tony eyed the drawer next to them with a bit of his lip. He reached in it and pulled out an arc reactor he had made after Ultron's reign. It could connect to his chest so he'd have his suit at all times. "Just in case?"

Lyra frowned. "I don't want to worry about being safe."

"Well, don't. I'll have this, baby. And if need be," he smirked, kissing her again, "you'll set any bastard who tries to hurt your family on fire."

Lyra laughed. "You know, I was thinking about my Extremis the other day. It makes me part-not-human, doesn't it? Since Killian screwed with my DNA?"

"Part-not-human? Sure. Why?" he asked.

"Just means if it came down to it, I'd be the one making the sacrificial move... just like with Pietro. It'll take a lot to kill me, you know?" she said.

Tony shrugged. "I don't want to think of anything trying to kill you. Not anymore."

"I'm serious," Lyra laughed when he kissed the corner of her lips. "If anything ever were to happen. I'd make the sacrifice. Not you. I could handle it. Got it?"

Tony rolled his eyes as she lifted her pinky. "Really? A pinky swear?"

"I'm the sacrifice. Not you," she said with narrowed eyes.

He rolled his as he locked pinkies. "Whatever. We're not in any danger anymore. I'd like to keep it that way, honey," he said before rolling on top of her and kissing her lovingly.