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One Year Later

Poppy stood before a church congregation with tears brimming her eyes and her pale skin stained with sadness. Her black manicured fingers wrap tightly around the sides of the podium as she takes in a deep breath, glancing at the large portrait of her father beside her.

"Tony Stark was a fighter, a leader , and a pain in the ass." Her pink lips smirk as quiet chuckles fill the space.

"He was just as horrible as I am at navigating loss."

She ran her shaking hands down her little black dress, her engagement ring shimmering next to her silver wedding band.

"I'm his daughter, Poppy, and I can't believe he asked me to do this today...as I'm an absolute mess at public speaking and handling emotions."

More light chuckles make her feel lighter as she looks down at her notecards. The whiskey she downed before the service wrapping her up in a comfortable buzzed blanket.

"Tony made impacts on so many lives, I just wish I was lucky enough to know him longer, as I didn't meet my father until fifteen months ago."

A few gasps are heard but she ignores them, "Tony wasn't calm, or calculated. My father followed his gut, let his impulses guide his decisions. I like to think we have that in common," she smirked to herself.

The miniscule curly haired ginger smiles at the portrait, then locks eyes with Steve and Bucky. The pair sitting on either side of her empty spot in the front row of the large church. They're both in black suits with grown out hair laying down around their faces.

"Tony helped me become exactly who I needed to be, and I think he did that for alot of people here. He was alot of things to alot of people, and he had a fair share of followers and enemies... as most people do anymore."

She nodded and closed her eyes as she collected her breath, "but he told me, 'enemies only mean I stood for something' and he did. It's alot to live up to, a man like my father owns the room and just about everything in it," she giggles.

"He is-was," she sniffles and shakes her head, "he was everything I hoped he'd be when I dreamed about meeting him. He was...maybe even better."

With a deep breath, "Dad, the world won't be the same without you."

She smiled out toward the faces filling the beautiful church outside the city, "I'll leave you with my favorite piece of wisdom that my short time with Anthony Edward Stark," she flipped her notecard and smiled down at her hands before looking up at everyone.

"No amount of money, ever bought a second of time."

As she made her way from the podium, Poppy didn't hear the quiet clapping or the pastor thank her. As her heels click down the marble steps and toward her guys, her mind went blank. Mourning her last relative occupying her mental clarity as she sits down, staring at her feet.

flirting with fire ⋟ bucky barnes ▪︎ ocWhere stories live. Discover now