"I told him I didn't want a birthday party, but he convinced me by saying that it's our engagement party that just so happens to fall on my birthday. There's no talking him out of something once he's got his mind set on it."
New York City was covered in a thick blanket of glistening snow by the time December 23rd rolled around. Christmas was in the air and so was joy, everyone important to Sasha and Tony had gathered at the Stark Tower to celebrate not only Sasha's thirty-first birthday, but the huge ring on her finger, too.
"He doesn't care about the engagement party," Natasha shook her head, one leg crossed over the other as she sipped a martini, "He just wants to celebrate you."
Sasha felt herself blush and shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips at the thought of everyone knowing just how head over heels in love with her Tony really was.
She glanced across the room and let her eyes fall onto him. He was stood with Rhodey, the two of them having what appeared to be a deep conversation with Rhodey's hand landing on Tony's shoulder in affection, the two of them exchanging heartfelt smiles before embracing each other.
It was only when Tony caught his fiancée's eye from across the room and sent her a wink before returning to his conversation that Sasha felt her insides flutter. He constantly had her attention, whether he knew it or not, she was always fixated on him.
The party had been going strong for a couple of hours by that time and most of the guests were well on their way to being drunk, which was the aim for a multi-celebration party, especially one that fell so close to Christmas.
"Rogers incoming," Nat smirked as she looked past Sasha's shoulders at Steve approaching them before rising to her feet, "I'm gonna go find Banner, I'll catch you later."
Standing by Sasha's side, Steve held out a freshly shaken martini with a single olive in, a smile served on the side. Sasha took it gratefully before accepting his outstretched hand, the super soldier pulling her to her feet.
"Wanna get some air?"
"Sure."
Sasha followed Steve out onto the terrace, red light from the heaters kept the handful of smokers on the deck warm enough, though Sasha still shivered when she felt the bitter breeze.
"Here," Steve said, placing his drink down and shrugging off his blazer before draping it over Sasha's shoulders, "Better?"
"My legs are still a little cold," she grinned, both of them glancing down at her bronzed legs, bare from the mid-thigh where her white mini dress cut off.
"I'm not giving you my pants, I'm sorry."
They both laughed together as they looked out at the metropolis below them, a festive red and green swirl of light that only glowed at that time of year made Sasha begin to feel excited for Christmas, a stark contrast to the way she'd felt about the holiday last year.
A lot had changed in the last twelve months, though somehow not as much as they had in the last three. Sasha found it difficult to imagine her life without Tony, wondering how she ever thought she could wake up day after day without being able to love him the way he deserved to be loved, both angry with herself for wasting time apart, yet happy they now had eternity to spend together.
"You're happy, aren't you? Promise me?"
Sasha glanced up at Steve, her lips curving upwards at the way his eyes softened as he looked at her. He had proven himself to be a good friend to her since the day they'd met, only ever caring about her with the purest of intentions. Sure, they'd strayed off the path many moons ago, but Sasha didn't regret what had happened between them, especially not because of where she'd ended up as a result.
"I'm happy," she nodded, "I promise."
"Good," Steve rest an arm across her shoulders, pulling her into his side. He let out a comfortable sigh while she let her head rest against him, both of them enjoying the magical view and the company they were in, "You deserve it, both of you."
"You'll be at the wedding, right? You won't be off on a mission in Berlin or Budapest?"
Steve chuckled, "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Sasha. Truth be told, I never thought Tony would get married so I kinda need to see it to believe it."
Sasha laughed quietly to herself, sipping her martini in sync with Steve while she kept warm beneath his jacket and his arm.
"I appreciate everything you've done for me, Steve. I can't imagine not having you around," she said, "I'm grateful for how good of a friend you are, and for keeping Tony alive when you guys do what you do. I'd be lost without him, without all of you."
With a grin and rosy cheeks, Steve looked down at Sasha. She was shivering still as she clutched her martini but she looked happy, her eyes full of wild life and her skin glowing almost as bright as the ring on her left hand.
"God, when did you get so soft, huh? I thought you were meant to be all tough and cold hearted?"
"Shut up, Rogers," Sasha shoved him lightly, rolling her eyes.
The two of them stood together for a while longer, conversation flowing about work and Christmas plans. Steve seemed deeply interested in learning about what Sasha did day to day in her job and she was thrilled to hear he almost always checked for the verdict of her cases throughout the day when he knew she was down at the courthouse.
The party was still buzzing inside and by that time everyone else had abandoned the potential frostbite on the balcony and headed back in for the warmth, though Sasha and Steve found themselves lost in conversation so easily once again.
It had always been natural between the two of them and Sasha felt at ease around Steve, comfortable. He had a calming aura that even in the middle of New York City made her feel tranquil, like she could find peace in a storm if he was around.
"Hey look at that, is that a star?" Sasha said, pointing with her martini glass at a glowing white light in the distance.
Steve narrowed his eyes, squinting almost as he followed her line of sight. The light was sparkling, blinking almost. He thought it might've been a plane or a jet, only quickly realised that Sasha wasn't about to get to wish on a star like she deserved to.
"That's not a star, Sasha. G-go inside. Tony!"
Sasha's nerves took hold of her limbs and kept her frozen to the spot, Steve's arm fiercely in front of her now, his instinct to protect acting before her instinct to run could.
"Tony!" He called out again, louder this time while he backed away from the edge of the balcony back towards the doors.
"Are you wearing his jacket? What is going - oh shit what is that?"
Tony's immediate repulse at seeing his fiancée clinging to Steve whilst wearing his jacket was instantly diminished once he caught sight of the army of lights and grey invaders descending from past the clouds, a painfully familiar fever dream that they could only wish wasn't real.
"Guys! Guys get out here now!"
It took less than five seconds for everybody to crowd onto the balcony, the entire party staring up into the sky in horror, paralysed in fear at their world that had been wrapped in peace for a comfortable period of time was now on the brink of falling apart once more.
Sasha had to learn how to curl her hair again after her injuries. She had to learn how to cook her favourite meals and rewatch TV shows she'd seen hundreds of times because she'd forgotten how they ended. Half of her personality had slipped away from her overnight and while she'd fought so hard to remember who she was, she never forgot the trauma that had stripped her of her identity.
"Alright," Tony cleared his throat, shouting loud enough for everyone to hear, "Get your asses in gear, we have a job to do."
"But Tony we've all been drinking, we can't-"
"Then sober the hell up, Banner. You heard me, we don't have time to fuck around."
The way Tony snapped at Bruce left everyone in a stunned silence. His face had flushed red with anger and his eyes were filled with fire, though a glaze of water coated them at the same time, a clenched jaw that was in tension to stop quivering was the last thing everyone saw before he grabbed Sasha by the hand and pulled her inside, everyone else following quickly behind.
Sasha was speechless as Tony pulled her through the tower and into his bedroom. He kicked the door closed with his heel before pacing over to the window and peering out at the sky, watching as the droids dawned on the city, closer by the second.
There was chaos and panic that could be heard from the other rooms, people shouting orders at each other while glasses smashed over the top of unattended music and high heels running down long corridors.
Sasha was stood in the middle of the bedroom, watching Tony as he cursed under his breath. She was still shaking in Steve's jacket, though out of fear instead of the cold. She had naïvely been living in her own pure world with Tony ever since they'd gotten back together, not a single intrusive thought that she'd ever lose him again crossed her mind since their kiss in front of the pressed rose petals.
As she watched the red and green Christmas lights dim beneath a dark shadow of destruction, though, the silk wrapped love she'd been living in with Tony slipped away from her, leaving her with nothing but a conclusion she couldn't bare to jump to.
"I'm gonna get us out of here, alright? Me and you, right now."
Tony placed his hands on Sasha's shoulders, looking at her with stern eyes and a strong jaw, seriousness in his voice and a snap decision reflecting in the shake of his voice.
"No," Sasha shook her head, "You have to stay, you have to help them, they need you."
Tony squeezed his eyes closed for a moment, gritting his teeth as a single tear slipped down his cheek before he forced himself to look back into the hopeless blue eyes of his lover.
"I have to keep you safe. I promised you, Sasha, and I won't break that promise, not again."
As much as Sasha wanted to disappear from the unfolding chaos outside the window with Tony and close her eyes against his chest, pretending like it was all just a bad dream, she knew that it wasn't an option.
"Tony," Sasha whispered, placing her hands on Tony's face as he grabbed her waist, "This is your job, you told me that. You protect people, the world-"
"You are my world. I have to protect that first, before anybody else's."
The warmth in his chestnut eyes made Sasha realise how scared Tony was. His hands were squeezing her waist tighter than they usually were and his gaze was softening with every subtle tear he shed, uncertainty painted across his face that made Sasha want to never let him go, though her level head painfully reminded her that she had to.
"No," she just shook her head, letting a slow stream of tears fall from her pale eyes as Tony's began to do the same, "Your job is to save the world and make it home safely to me afterwards, alright?"
"I c- I can't do that," Tony mumbled, "I can't let you out of my sight, I can't leave you, I can't go out there knowing I should be here with you, protecting you, I just- fuck."
Sasha had never seen Tony break down before, and she never wanted to witness such a sight again. He crumbled before her, his head buried into the crook of her neck while he wrapped his arms around her body, sobbing into her skin while his hands grabbed at the fabric of her dress.
There was a time where Sasha's tears would've mixed with his own, only she knew then that she had to be strong for him in that moment. She gritted her teeth as she listened to him cry, swallowing the lump in her throat before grabbing his face in her hands and lifting his head to force their eyes to meet.
Sasha's eyes remained mostly dry as she fought to refrain from falling to pieces at the most soul-destroying thing she'd ever seen, watching Tony cry feeling like her heart was being torn from her chest in the most agonisingly cruel way possible.
"Listen to me," she whispered, brushing tears from his skin with her thumbs, "We've made it though everything so far, so we'll make it through this. And the reason we'll make it through is because you'll go out and do what you do best."
Tony let out a deep sigh, nodding as her words slowly instilled a balance back into his mind. The carnage from behind the door to his bedroom levelled out his conscience and harshly yanked him back into the severity of the situation, forcing the superhero to realise that time was running out.
"I have to put on the suit," he nodded, kissing his teeth as he pulled off his jacket and threw it onto the bed, "I have to go out there and be Iron Man."
He tapped his chest twice and Sasha drew in a tense breath as she watched her fiancée disappear behind a wall of red and gold armour, the only part of him she could still touch being his face.
She was sure that as soon as Tony disappeared, she would shatter into a thousand pieces and weep until there were no tears left to cry, but Sasha forced herself to hold back the tears and put on a brave face, not wanting a broken wreck begging for him to stay to be the last thing Tony saw.
She took a step closer to him, reaching up and brushing loose strands of hair from his forehead before lifting onto her tiptoes and placing a lasting kiss against his lips, feeling the cool touch of metal hands on her waist hold her while he kissed her back, the way his lips fought to keep contact only making staying strong that much harder for Sasha.
"You're more than the suit," Sasha said, running a finger across his jaw as he tilted his head with a softened gaze, "You have to go out there and be Tony Stark."
an;;
sobbing why do my favs never get a moments peace😡😡 I hope you enjoyed this chapter, pls let me know in the comments!!
also this chapter is dedicated to the wonderful catsarebetterpets2 , thank you for your constant love and support on all my work, I love u so much!! <3