No Strings attached - a Tony Stark/Iron Man Fanfiction

Part 15: No shame

"No mom, that's not it!"
An unusual sight awaited Tony when he returned to his penthouse this afternoon. His girlfriend was running around exaggerated, hair messy from running her fingers through it and her expression spoke of exasperation. "I'm thirty-two -years old and as this too old to call you whenever I start dating a man". Chris had her phone pressed to her ear and did her best to control her voice. As she stepped towards one of the big windows, she absentmindedly started playing with the ornaments of the pompous Christmas tree that still was standing there. Christmas may have been already gone by with a nice party among most Avengers and their loved ones but with the snow still laying thick over New York, they had not yet wanted to remove the decorations.

She looked down at the beautiful chain that was dangling from her neck. A present from Tony and for sure the most expensive thing she ever had owned but the gems that were decorating the ornament weren't what she was valuing. It was the microchip that was hidden within and that was allowing her access to every part of the tower without the need of a key. It was his way of showing her that there was no part of his life that he didn't want her in. Another present was a super light and super thin and flexible, but also super robust vest that she easily could wear under her usual leather suit. It would endure any kind of bullet, not to mention any other attack.
Compared to this, the laser tag membership, the cravat and indirectly her new dessous, she had bought when she had been shopping for the fund race, had been uninspired. Still, he had been overjoyed about everything. Simply because it had come from her and because she had taken her time thinking about what he might like despite already having about everything the world could offer.

For a moment, she indulged in the memories, then forced herself to listen to her mother nagging on the other side of the line again. She sighed. "Yes, even when he's a famous billionaire. Not that this matters in any way".
Tony stopped in the doorframe and studied the whole scene with interest. She exhaled sharply and rubbed her forehead to soothe an upcoming headache "Look mom, this all is still fresh, and I wanted this relationship to grow first". She usually was such a competent woman and seeing that there was something that was able to make her stumble was interesting. Obviously, she was talking with her mother. A woman they hadn't talked much about and seeing this, he felt like it hadn't been completely unintended. There seemed to be some tensions between mother and daughter.

The other thing that was fascinating, was how her way of speaking had changed. An Irish accent that he never had been allowed to hear before now was weaved into her words. The 'o's' had become rounder and more accentuated, the vocals more stretched. It gave her a new, exotic touch. Of course, he had known that she was born in Ireland but now hearing her speak that way, it really hit him in the face for the first time. Only by listening to her images of hills just as green as her eyes formed in his mind.
  "How do you think this is supposed to work? He's the leader of a big company and can't just hop a plane like that to fly to Ireland". Well, he could. Thanks to modern technology and his ignorance for meetings, he was able and willing to work from everywhere that wasn't a conference room. Even from a plane or from another continent, but it didn't seem to be something she was willing to tell her mother. She by now had noticed him and with a pleading expression was asking him for help but he just raised his hands in a helpless gesture, earning himself a death glare from his beloved. "N-no mom, no!" she growled annoyed but while listened, her face gave away the defeat "Fine, I'll ask him" a moment of silence, then she went on a little softer "Yes, I promise. I have to go now. Love you, mom. Bye" After tabbing on the screen she dropped on the couch with a low groan.

"So, we're going on holidays together?", he stepped behind her and started massaging her shoulders. With a long sigh, her head fell onto the backrest, so she was looking up at him "Not funny". His amused expression told her otherwise and a scowl edged onto her face. "Your mom can't be that bad". He stepped around the couch to sit down, and she instantly dropped to side, resting her head on his lap. "No, she isn't". Her eyes closed when he started combing his fingers through her hair "But?" a smile played along his features as he watched her relax and stretch her long legs on the couch. "But she can be quite exhausting. Especially when it comes to relationships", she glanced up at him "My relationships". The accent still was there but it slowly was fading away. Something that he was deploring. His brows rose in a silent question, and she once again sighed. This had been an ongoing quarrel between her and her mother.