There is always a glimmer in those who have been in the dark.
• • •
"No, I don't think partnering with them is a good idea. They don't exactly have the greatest reputation," Evelyn sipped her coffee, chatting with Jace.
"Yeah, you're probably right."
"I'm always right," she gave him a mischievous glance, and went back to reading over some contracts.
"Paxton is resigning, by the way," Jace shrugged, not affected by the new information.
"I'm moving."
He dropped the bomb on her like its no big deal.
"What? Why? Umm...when?" She snapped, and he smiled sadly.
"We're opening another branch of Double R Enterprises, in Chicago, and that's where I will operate," he explained thoroughly, not missing a single detail, "I'd ask you to come with me, but judging by that huge rock on your finger my guess is you're staying here."
He pointed at her ring, and she nodded with a shy smile.
"Congrats, Eva."
"Thanks, Jace."
"What about that girl you were chasing a few weeks ago?" She decided to speak about his love life instead, and just like that she saw it.
Pain.
His eyes screamed pain.
"She's with someone else." Turning away from her, he walked towards his desk, and sat down, working.
"I'm sorry, Jace."
"Miss Ross?"
"Yes, Tessa?" Evelyn tilted her head to the side, waiting for her secretary to speak through the intercom.
"Mister Stark is on his way up. I told him that I needed to ask for your approva-"
"Oh, no. It's okay really."
"Of course."
With that being said, she stood up, and opened her office door to see him heading straight towards her with a smile on his face.
"Hey, you ready to go yet?" He grinned, seemingly excited to pick out their wedding cake.
"No, I have a meeting in exactly five minutes," she groaned, and he frowned, disappointed.
"Tell you what, I'll go pass some time at the lab while you finish up here. Good deal?" He offered.
"Sure, baby."
They decided, except when she went there to choose the cake a few hours later, he was no where to be found.
***
Stomping her way down to the lab, she ignored the curious stares from her Pepper and Rhodes, and punched in the code of the door.
And there he was, all cooped up in his work to realise that he had missed the cake tasting.
She moved her way towards his desk, her heels tapping against the floor.
"Hey hon, shouldn't you be at the..." his voice trailed off, and by the look of surprise he was giving her, she knew that he had forgotten.
"One job. You had one job, Tony. Show up."
"I know, I'm sorry. I-"
"Just stop. I chose strawberries by the way," she smirked, remembering something about him hating them, but he smiled in response.
"I love strawberries."
Realisation dawned on her, and she gritted her teeth, a frown displayed on her features.
"I knew I should have picked the oranges!" With that being said, she marched outside the lab, anger radiating off her.
Leaving him guilty and alone.
***
Evelyn was brushing her wet hair aggressively, trying to forget her anger or at least cool herself off a bit.
Tony watched her guiltily from the bedroom door, and he sighed, walking towards her, and grabbing her brush.
"What the hell, Tony?"
He didn't answer her, he didn't need to.
Gently he sat on the bed, and pulled her onto his lap, where she sat comfortably, confused at his action.
And then slowly, he started brushing her hair with one hand, caressing her arm with the other.
"Let me make it up to you," he whispered, planting his lips on her jaw.
"And how are you going to do that?" She scoffed, turning her face away.
She was being petty, and she knew that, but she couldn't help but admire this extra sweet side of him.
"No lab for a week."
His proposal shocked her, and she was almost entirely sure he was bluffing.
"You weren't able to stay away from the lab for two days, what makes you think that you'll be able to stay away for a full week?"
"Well, I'll have you to distract me now, won't I?" He licked his lips, running his hand through her blond hair, twirling it on the way down.
"You better keep your word, Stark," she warned, pushing him flat on the bed.
"Oh, I will."
"Now, how about we fool around for a bit, I'll make it worth your while?" Seductively, he bit his lip, and eyed her body up and down.
"I don't see why not, Mister Stark."
"Fuck it, come here," he pulled her towards him, rolling them on the bed, the sound of her giggles like music to his ear.
"I love you," she whispered before their lips locked, and the sound of their moans was audible for the whole mansion to hear.
***
This time it was the other way around.
He was wide awake, and she was fast asleep.
He slid her hair away from her face, eyeing her in a gentle manner while she sleeps.
"I love you."
She whispered to him over, and over again tonight, and he really hoped that one day he would tell her that too.
In truth, he was oblivious as to what the word meant.
He never got any love from anyone but her, so he didn't know how to act, or how to feel about it.
Was it the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled, as if they too were smiling with her?
Was it the way she would shyly bite her lip when he was around her?
Was it the way her cheeks turned crimson with every complement he threw at her?
He wouldn't know.
Shuffling slightly, she stirred him out of his daydream, forcing him to pay attention to her once more.
He couldn't imagine a world with her gone.
He wouldn't be able to function without her.
She was his lifeline, the very reason he was alive.
She was it for him.
She was the one woman, who he wanted for the rest of his days.
Her ring rested proudly on her finger, showing him clearly that she belonged to him, that she was his to hold, his to kiss, his to be hers.
The corner of his lips lifted up a bit when he eyed her smiling face.
She was smiling even when she was sleeping.
Brushing his knuckles slowly against her rosy cheek, he leaned down and placed his lips on her forehead, letting them linger there for a few seconds before he finally pulled away.
"You deserve so much better..." his words were barely audible, and he meant it.
He didn't want to wake her, but he needed to tell her that.
"You deserve so much more, Evelyn."
Releasing a stifled sigh, he massaged his temple, and shook his head.
"You're so beautiful, Evelyn. Inside and out. You're funny, kind, generous. You're everything women dream to be. You are everything I dreamt to have. And, I'm just me, a self-absorbed prick, who can't get his shit together, but that's the thing, Vee...I don't feel like such a big fuck up when I'm with you. You are everything I want, everything I will ever want. You make me feel like I'm actually worth something, like I actually mean something to someone. I know I'm not enough for someone like you, but I will spend the rest of my life trying to be. I know I'm selfish, arrogant, and pompous, but...but I can promise you that no one would ever take care of you like I would. No would ever love-" he cut himself mid sentence because even when he knew that she was asleep he still couldn't utter those words to her.
"Was that your vow?"
He wasn't sure what surprised him more, the fact that she was awake or the fact that she realised that he recited his vows.
"Yeah...fuck. What're you doing up?"
"I love you. I will love you forever, Anthony. I promise, and that's a promise I'm willing to keep. Get some sleep, baby. I'll be here when you wake up."