afterglow - tony stark

07

The next day she had her wardrobe put away and she dressed in her own clothes. She really liked leggings and oversized sweaters as it was the most comfortable.

Then she joined Tony in the workshop area. He seemed to be building some metal thing. She sat across from him as he seemed to be lost in his own little world; he was very concentrated as he put the pieces together.

"What are you building?" she asked.

He blinked up at her like he was wondering when she got there before he spoke softly, "This will be our secret, okay?"

"Secret," she smiled in agreement.

"I'm building another suit," Tony said. "A better one."

"Why?"

"Because I'm going to go back there," Tony said as he stared at her arm like he could see the scar through her sweater. "And make sure they never hurt anyone again."

They stared at each other for a moment before Snow smiled in understanding, "Okay. Well...can I help?"

"Yeah," Tony said before pointing to a device on the table. "Hand me that tool."

They developed a rhythm in the hours that passed and in the weeks that followed. She helped him build his secret. She wondered if she should tell him hers but she wasn't quite ready.

____

Every day with Tony, he would have one of his robots make her a smoothie. It was to get her to try new things.

She drank it happily as she handed him a tool, "I like this one the best."

She sounded out the name slowly, "PIE-NA. Colada."

He looked at her in amusement as he corrected, "PEE-NA. Colada."

"Oh," she said sheepishly as she sat back down.

Tony didn't need another tool for awhile. In these periods it caused her to pick up drawing. She would draw just to draw and today she drew Tony.

As he worked, he started to notice that she was staring at him with a concentrated look. At first, he was concerned until he noticed she was drawing something that she hid by blocking it with her arms.

"Snowflake," he smirked. "Are you drawing me?"

She paused as she blushed a bit, "No."

"It's okay. I know," Tony said confidently. "I'm handsome."

"I'm not drawing you because you're handsome," she denied.

"Are you saying I'm not?"

"No," she said quickly.

"So you think I am then?" his smirk widened.

Her mouth opened and closed as she become tongue tied. He chuckled and she huffed at his confident smirk. She wanted to wipe it off so she grabbed the drawing she was working on.

She held up the drawing and he could see that she was in fact drawing him. She was actually really good. Then she ripped it in half as she smirked triumphantly.

He frowned at the violent destruction of his face and he shook his head at her, "Such a temper, Snowflake."

"It matches your ego," she crossed her arms.

He chuckled as he smiled softly, "Yeah, it does."

_____

Another day, she started to draw again. Tony noticed and he tried to keep his smirking to a minimum but he couldn't help it, "Drawing me again?"

She was in fact drawing him. She paused as she considered him before she answered with a sigh, "Yes."

"If you aren't drawing me because I'm handsome, why are you drawing me?" he asked.

"To remember you," she answered honestly.

"What?" he said in confusion. "Remember me?"

"I have a whole twelve years of my life missing. What if I forget you?" she explained before she muttered softly. "I don't want to forget you."

His heart skipped a beat as he stared at her in awe, "You're never going to miss anymore years but draw away, angel."

She smiled before she went back to drawing him.

_____

Another day, she brought a plant downstairs which immediately meant she was sad. He was right as she didn't draw at all but she just kept playing with the petals of the flower.

"What is it, Snow?"

She sighed before she looked at him sadly, "How old are you?"

He gave her a strange look before he answered with a smirk, "Like I'm going to tell you my age, angel."

"But you know how old are you is my point," Snow said before she rested her cheek against her fist in defeat. "I don't."

Tony analyzed her and that beautiful face, "I'd say you're about twenty-six...twenty-eight."

"You're just guessing, though."

"What are you trying to get at, Snowflake?"

"I don't have a name. I don't have a family," she said sadly. "I don't even have a birthday."

"Snow, if you want a birthday, today can be your birthday," Tony stated. "Hell, you can pick any day."

"I can?" she smiled.

"Yeah," he said as he fixed a screw into place.

"When is your birthday?"

"Uh, May."

"Can I share one with you?" she asked with a small smile.

He completely halted what he was doing as he looked up at her, "You want to share a birthday with me?"

"Yes," she said sheepishly. "Because without you, I'd still be in that cave which makes your birthday the best day of the year."

"Snow," he said so delicately. "I'd be honored to share a birthday with you."

She smiled happily, "Really?"

"Really, really."

She giggled, "You stole that from Shrek."

"Well, we did watch it last night and it made you laugh so I'd call that a win.."

"Why do you want to make me laugh?"

"I..." he scratched his head as he thought how happy she looked and how her laugh had to be the most beautiful sound. "No reason."

And they continued slowly into the future where catching feelings was inevitable because, God, Tony did not want to mess that up.