Iron & Shield // Stony

good mornings & nows

I was sitting in my room.

I pulled out the little notepad with Iron Man's cartoon picture of it. The door was already closed. I opened the note pad.
"To Daddy.", It said.
I opened the first page.

"Dear Daddy,
I miss you so much.. I wish you were here. They say that you're gone but I know you are somewhere there having juice pops. You know I'm seven years old and mom's got me this notepad.!
I'm going to write to you everyday!
Dad why don't you come down from the sky and meet me?

I want to talk to you and tell you about all those bad girls in class!
Come back daddy.
Morgan misses you!

I love you 3000"

I suddenly realised that I was crying. Tears flowed down my cheeks as a few of them fell on the paper. I placed it beside me as a piercing ache ran through me.

Why was life this cruel?!
Why did it have to do this to my daughter, to Peter, to Pepper?!

I rubbed off my tears after a while, breathing heavily. I picked up the notepad and stood up. The placed it on the desk opposite to my bed.

That day I stayed locked up in my room, lying blankly and staring at the ceiling. There had been too many emotions that had cruised through my being in a single day and I couldn't take it anymore.

Next morning I was woken up by the sunlight on my face. I placed a hand in front of my eyes to block the light from my eyes as I slowly opened them and sat up.
"Good morning, Tony.", I immediately looked opposite to me to find Pepper looking through something on the desk.
"You?"
"Oh yes, me. I'm sorry. I hope this doesn't offend you.", She said turning towards me with a smile.
"Sure it doesn't but how did you get in? The door was locked.", I said rubbing my eyes.

"Oh, this one also has a password. And I knew it.", She said and then turned away.
"And what's that?"
"I am Iron Man.", She said without turning towards me.

I looked around for a while and then asked,
"Pepper, why did you come here by the way?"
"Because you stole my daughter's notepad yesterday, sir.", She said turning towards and holding up the notepad.

"Shit.", I said feeling completely embarrassed.
Why does this shit happen with me of all the people?!
And why is she so freaking intelligent?!
"Oh yeah, that it is, Mr. Stark.", Pepper said with a smile.
"So why would you do this?", She asked walking up to me.
"Umm.. because I wanted to.. because I wanted to know more about Morgan.", I said mentally smaking myself.

"Oh, so what did you come to know?", She asked smiling pleasantly.
I paused and then said,
"That she loves her dad 3000"
Pepper looked at me for a while, her gaze unwavering.
She suddenly realised that we were sharing an intense eyelock early in the morning and looked away.
"Bruce and Clint are here. So if you wanna meet them you can. ", She said sounding normal.
She turned to leave and then suddenly paused and kept the notepad back onto the place where it was kept.

"Actually, get to know her more. I'm not going to come between you and her.", She said and turned.
"Pepper.", I called out as she stopped and turned,
"Yes?"
I suddenly realised I had nothing to say. I just wanted her to be here with me for some more time.

I stared at her for a while and whispered,
"Nothing."
"Alright. Bye for now. And yes, come down soon.", She said with a smile and left.
There was something weird about this whole thing but then, I didn't care.

I went downstairs after freshening up to find Bruce Banner and Clint Barton talking to Natasha and Steve respectively.

"Hey man!", I said as Clint immediately noticed he.
"So that's Tony, is it?", He asked with a raised brow.
He had definitely aged, his hair had turned grey, he was in a black t - shirt with a charming smile.
"Yup. That's who I am.", I said as he hugged me. I hugged him back. Bruce had walked up to me followed by Natasha.
"Nice to meet you Dr. Banner.", I said and shook his hand.
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Stark.", He said. One of his hand was injured, it was the one he had used to snap. It was still in a sling. He had aged just like Barton, with greyish hair but that didn't make him look like an old man. He was still quite charming. We spoke for a while and then I was busy talking to Barton.

After a while I turned around to leave.
That's when I noticed Nat and Bruce in a conversation.
I immediately edged forward to eavesdrop when someone held my hand from behind. I turned to find Steve looking at me with a raised brow,
"And what are you doing sir?", He asked leaving my hand and crossing his in front of his chest.
"Damn you, Steve. I was about to solve the greatest question in my life and you intervened.", I said irritably as I saw Bruce and Natasha leave.
"Oh, and what is it?"
"Who does Natasha Romanoff love?", I said as a smile immediately came over his face.

"What?", He asked almost laughing.
"Yeah, I mean don't you want to know?", I asked him. He was taller than me and that was an advantage for him.
"Oh yeah, I definitely want to know. But I want to know from her, not this way."
"Oh whatever! Mr. I'm the Gentleman.", I said rolling my eyes.
"But I do have a question Tony.", He said now sounding serious.
"Go on."
"Who do you love?", He asked as I paused and looked at him.

"As in?"
"As in that way Tony."
"Then I don't love anyone that way.", I lied immediately.
"Tony it is now or never.", He said seriously.
"Then this is not the right place.", I said immediately.
"I've got a room upstairs. That would be okay?", He asked with a raised brow.
"Yeah, perfect."