Warning: Swearing, Sexual References
Tony P.O.V.
All my life I had had everything basically handed to me. Clothes. Cars. Money. Everything I could ever possibly need was mine with a snap of my fingers and the swipe of a black card. I wasn't used to having to wait for anything, so I never did. With my Father never being around, it was easy to convince my mom to look the other way unless I was doing something against her "moral code" or whatever. It also helped that I was a certified genius. My father was the Founder and Head of Stark Industries. Being a genius himself, he created and designed many of the weapons that helped us win WWII as well as the atomic bomb. At the ripe old age of twenty-one after his sudden passing, I had inherited his spot on the throne as King of the weapons kingdom he had built.
I came by my genius genetically as well as my charming and dashing good looks. All three of those things plus my debonair attitude towards life, ended up working in my favor in almost everything I did. School was easy. Too easy actually, and I ended up graduating MIT at the ripe old age of seventeen. Women threw themselves at me because of my money and looks which worked in my favor whenever I had an itch I needed to scratch. They never truly satisfied me though. Only one person ever would. My soulmate, the one thing that didn't come to me easily.
My soulmate. The person that was represented by that delicate golden rose that lay on my bicep. It was the exact shade of gold that I had put on my Iron Man Suits, with the exact same shade of red that was found on my mark. My uncompleted soulmark was like a beacon to everyone saying, "look I have a soulmate, but I haven't found them yet." God I waited. How I waited for him or her. Waiting had never been my strong suit, I was used to getting what I wanted when I wanted it, and my parents didn't make the waiting any easier. Most parents would support their child in their wait for their "destined."
Instead it was the farthest thing from easy. What with my dad always breathing down my neck about going out and searching for them, and my mom always meant well, but she just couldn't seem to get the whole parenting thing down. That and she wanted grandchildren which I refused to give her at that point in my life. The only one who would be baring my children would be my soulmate, that or we would adopt. She wanted me to just "settle down"with a nice girl from an equally wealthy family who would, "make me a good wife." I loved them though, so when they died, I gave up hope of ever finding my soulmate. After all, if I couldn't save my parents from a car accident, how could I possibly deserve to find my soulmate? How could I even dream about keeping them safe?
So I did what I did best, I lost myself in my work, parties, booze, and women, and you know what? It still didn't fill that ache in my chest. That feeling of emptiness and loneliness that seemed to come and haunt me every time I laid down to sleep at night, was still there no matter what I did.
Becoming Iron Man and joining the Avengers was probably the most badass and selfless thing I had ever done, and it made me feel good about myself. I would never admit this to anyone, but I enjoyed saving the world and helping people. So when I saw that Goody-Two-Shoes Steve Rogers and THE Master Assassin Clint Barton shared the exact same soulmark as me down to the very smallest detail, I was Pissed! My soulmate was supposed to be MINE and no one else's, and now I had to share her with my coworkers! Granted we were becoming fast friends but that was besides the point. Sadly I'd have to get used it, for my Soulmates sake should we ever meet.
And I did get used to it. Eventually. After many sleepless nights, some street racing with Happy, and scotch. Lots and lots of scotch, with some brandy thrown in occasionally to spice things up a bit.
It was easier than I thought it would be to get used to the idea of sharing my girl with Steve and Clint, I thought as I hung up the phone after my angel had fallen asleep. However I was not going to share her with anyone else. She could be friends with whoever she wanted, but that would be as far as it would go. I trusted her, and I trusted Bruce. But for my peace of mind he was going to get a little talking to.
I turned around and re-entered Bruce and I's research and development lab. It was different from my personal lab in the fact that it had everything Bruce would need as well as all of my tech. So it was larger in size as well as having more hazardous materials than I usually stayed around. That and the color scheme was all chrome. Plus I didn't have any of my cars on display in here, for their safety. I had learned my lesson with that when I was first learning to use my flight stabilizers.
Bruce was back at his station mixing some chemicals and listening to his classical music. I didn't want to accidentally cause a CODE GREEN, so I slowly walked over to my station and took a seat on my bar stool. My computers were still running a specialized decryption program I had created on a few files that Director Fury had sent me on the DL, and my other computers were running diagnostics on a piece of jewelry that I was making for Stella. Once it was complete, it would be like the sensors on my Iron Man wristlet, sending J.A.R.V.I.S. her vitals, as well as her immediate location down to the millimeter.
I sounded like a possessive asshole, and I knew it. To be fair though, I wouldn't be monitoring her all the time. The only time that her location would be looked at, would be in case of an emergency. Same with her vitals. Even then, it would be her choice if she wanted those features turned on or not, I planned on doing everything in my power to persuade her in the yes direction. I still planned on giving her the bracelet no matter what she ended up deciding anyway, but having those features handy might end up being useful.
I've never felt like this with anyone in my life, but I wanted to give Stella everything, the wristlet was just the first of the many things I planned on designing and creating for her. She deserved to be showered with gifts and I planned on pampering her while doing just that. After all, I had the money. So far I planned on designing a whole set of floors with her in mind along with her input. She would have everything she could ever possibly want in this tower, and I planned on funding many shopping trips. Anything my angel wanted, she would get. Period.
Bruce was finally coming to a point in his experiment where I could interrupt him, so I grabbed a phillips head screwdriver to keep my hands busy, and walked over towards his work space.
"Tony you've been staring at me with that conniving look in your eye that either means your going to do something stupid or I'm going to help you do something stupid and I don't like it." Bruce said as I moved closer to him and picked up a beaker of murky fluid.
"What even is this?" I asked as I swirled it around with one hand, but it was snatched from my hand before I could figure it out.
"That is iodine and I would prefer it if you wouldn't spill it all over my research." Bruce said as he looked at me with wide eyes.
"Whatever." I paused and moved to stand behind him and looked over his shoulder. People kept telling me that I had problems with personal space, but I didn't see it. "So now to the important part of this nights regularly scheduled programing. You and Stella have been getting along pretty well huh?"
"Yeah, she's a good friend." Bruce told me as he moved away from his lab table and pulled his lab coat off.
"That's all she is though. Your friend, right?" I stared him in the eye, but I could see he wasn't getting it.
"What are you talking about? Oh course she is. . . Oh for the love of . . . is this about the whole joke thing because I swear Tony if it is you are the most . . ."
"The most what?" I cut him off. "Possessive? Over protective? Dickish? Douchiest? Jealous? So what if I am?!" I raised my voice at him while pointing to myself with the screwdriver and then turning away from him while breathing heavy. "I have waited for her forever and now I have her. I can share her with Steve, the man who can never do anything wrong. I can share her with Clint, the stoic but loveable archer. What I can't do is let some . . . some . . . some other man step in on my woman!" I looked at him, and I probably looked half mad but I didn't give a fuck. This was about my girl, and when it came to her, I've found over the last few days that I loose all sense of reasoning when it came to our relationship.
"Tony it's not like that." He was speaking to me calmly, but it was like I was stuck on yelling mode.
"Then tell me!" Again I gestured towards myself with the screwdriver, and this time my voice lowered. "Tell me. What is it like?" I had my hands spread out to the sides of my body, waiting for his explanation and hoping it was one I would like and be able to accept. I didn't want to have to choose between Stella and Bruce, but if I had to I would. And it would be her every time.
"She's not afraid of me." He stated simply and quietly, and like that I understood.
When I had first introduced Bruce to Stella and she found out just which Avenger he was, she wasn't scared of him. In fact she was genuinely happy to meet him. Most people loved to meet "The" Dr. Banner, but they were still afraid of him, afraid that one little thing would set him off. Then here comes my Stella, warm and happy and excited to meet him. Not only that, but while talking to the rest of the crew, she continued to talk to him. Not even Steve remembered to text or call Bruce most of the time, and it was usually up to me to get him up to speed on things. But she was including him, making him laugh, being his friend, and all of a sudden I realized something.
"Well I'm an asshole." Bruce chuckled under his breath, and I couldn't help but laugh with him. "Sorry doctor, I guess I just,"
"Got jealous?" Bruce said. I nodded at him and he smiled at me. Sweet our science bromance was still alive. "It's alright. The bond is still in its beginning stages, and honestly. If you hadn't of gotten jealous Tony, I would have gotten worried. You are the most self absorbed and selfish man I know."
"Thank you." I responded not offended in the slightest. Why be offended if its true? "What do you say we go and order a pizza?"
"That sounds good, I could use a break from shawarma."
As we headed downstairs to our common space/living room I pulled out my phone to text Steve and Clint like I had promised Stella that I would.
Capsicle:
Stella went to bed early. I told her I would tell you that she missed you. Don't die old man.
Legolas:
Sweets had a bad day and went to bed early. Don't kill any pigeons, she misses you.
By the time we had exited the elevator and made it to the common room, I had sent the texts and was discussing with Bruce what kind of Pizza we should get when I was rudely interrupted.
"Don't die old man? Really Stark." Steve's unimpressed voice came from the couch where he was sitting back and nursing a beer.
I looked to Clint but he just shook his head. "I got bored." was the only response I needed to get, to know that a few pigeons had lost their lives in the last few days. R.I.P warrior pigeons.
"Where's Nat?" Bruce asked as he pulled up the pizza online ordering. Seeing what he was doing, Clint and Steve came over to us and punched in orders for their own pizza's. Steve was, as always the one with the most boring pizza as he got just cheese. Clint always got the same thing, a meat lovers with extra of every meat. Bruce got a veggie pizza, and I got a supreme. As I finished putting in the order details Clint spoke.
"She had to go to D.C to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters to file some paperwork and discuss a private mission she's doing for Fury."
"So what did we miss? Clint's text said that Stella had a bad day?" Steve asked as he went to the fridge and grabbed a beer for everyone besides Bruce (he only drank on special occasions), and we sat down at the bar.
"I'm going to wait for the pizza in the lobby with Happy." Bruce said and he walked out, leaving the three of us alone to discuss our soulmate.
"Yeah. I was worried when she didn't text me throughout the day like she has been doing, and when Bruce mentioned that he had been talking to her but hadn't heard from her either, I decided to call her after I knew she would be off work."
"And?" Clint asked impatiently. Not that I blame him, he had been away from Stella for three days with no contact but her texts. I would be impatient if I was him too.
"The usual, shitty customers who think they are always right. The separation from you guys was hard on her too. Everything just piled up on her plate in one day to make it one shit filled day." I replied honestly.
Steve and Clint were silent as they processed everything. Usually this would be the perfect time for me to badger them about their "secret mission," or start talking about a new idea I had for a tech advancement, but I just let them sit there.
When Bruce came back upstairs with the pizza and we were all settled down with our food, the conversation flowed freely between all three of us. Dr. Banner had decided to take his food to his floor to eat, and I suspected it was to give us time to talk and discuss Stella.
"So Stark, how are you doing with that tracker?" Clint asked as he stuffed half a slice of pizza in his mouth.
"It's not a tracker, it's a monitor." I corrected him.
"Well whatever it is, how does it work?" Steve asked, and so I explained that her vitals would be constantly monitored by J.A.R.V.I.S. but we wouldn't be alerted to anything unless something was wrong. Same with the tracker.
"Either way, I'm telling her everything that's in the bracelet before she puts it on. I learned my lesson when it comes to her and shortcuts." I ran a hand through my hair messing it up some more as my thoughts drifted to Stella. They had been doing that all day, but knowing she had a bad day and was far enough away from me that I couldn't comfort her had me on edge.
"I don't like her away from me." This was said by Clint but I knew that both Steve and I agreed.
"Well what do you want to do about it? It's not like we can ask her to move in with us, we just met her." Steve actually sounded upset about the fact that he couldn't ask her to move in yet and I was shocked. Here I thought he wouldn't approve of living together before marriage.
"Why not." I said with a shrug.
"Excuse me?"
"Are you out of your damn mind?" Steve and Clint said respectively and at the same time.
"Why not ask her to move in? We all miss her when she's away from us, and she misses us too. The worst that can happen is she tells us she isn't ready for that step yet.
"Do you seriously believe that she'll just be okay with moving in with us after only a week?" Steve was skeptical and Clints eyebrows were raised so high they were almost hidden in his hairline, but there was no going back now.
"We can ask and find out." I said, and that seemed to be the end of that. We finished up eating our pizzas, and both Cap and Hawk looked like they needed alone time. I didn't want them to know I was leaving because I knew they wanted space, so I had to come up with a reason that was very, me, to leave.
"Well I would love to stay and chat, but I have a bottle of the finest French Champagne chilling next to my jacuzzi that's begging to be opened. I'd invite you both, but you're a little too male for my tastes." I said as I pointed my finger between the both of them and walked backwards out of the room.
"Very humble Tony." Steve yelled after me, and I flashed him a peace sign over my shoulder as I headed to my personal jacuzzi and sauna. I couldn't wait to take Stella to this floor. It had my personal swimming pool, hot tub, and sauna on it and I knew it would be the perfect place for just the two or four of us to relax. After all she was my angel, and I would do ANYTHING for my angel.