Lamborghini | Tony Stark

SIXTY SIX - RACE YOU BACK TO NEW YORK

It was sunset when Tony parked his car outside the cemetery. The sky was a deep red colour and the clouds seemed to melt into the horizon as he stepped out of the drivers side and locked the doors, taking off his glasses to look up at the sun disappearing over the city behind him.

He hadn't heard from Sasha all day and while that was usually normal, he almost always received a text from her letting him know what time she'd be home or if she had to work late.

Marriage had been a dream for Sasha and Tony Stark. They'd flown back to New York City a couple of days after their elopement and after somehow keeping it a secret long enough to pull together a small gathering, they celebrated with all their closest friends.

When asked where she'd like the party to be held, Sasha insisted on O'Shea's. She'd called up Robbie and asked to hire out the place for a night, but making sure to tell him that all the regulars were invited too, not wanting to deprive them of their local haunt.

Nerves chipped away at the couple as they wondered how their friends would react to their news, only the way they watched everybody's eyes light up and cheeks glow pink with happiness made their previous worries seem almost laughable.

Sasha usually hated being the centre of attention but on that particular night, answering streams of questions about their decision to get married wasn't so bad. In fact, she loved talking about her wedding, feeling a heat rise in her chest whenever she recalled that special night and the way Tony had made her feel.

Looking back, Sasha was glad everything worked out the way it did, knowing she wouldn't have changed a thing. Part of her did feel bad about not sharing the moment with the people who meant most to her, but they more than made up for that with a get together in O'Shea's with a hefty tab behind the bar.

It was a relaxed evening with people from all walks of life mixing. The O'Shea's regulars were in deep conversation with Clint and Natasha for hours, while Sasha's co-workers eventually joined the party after they'd finished up work across the street, wasting no time in mingling with superheroes and civilians alike.

Tony and Sasha left the party in the early hours of the morning incredibly drunk but equally happy. It felt like their lives were complete now the secret was out, like everything they'd been fighting for had finally fallen into place, like they could just live.

And that's exactly what they did. Four months down the line and they had never been happier. Sasha had moved into the Stark Tower with Tony officially and although she did miss her old apartment on Billionaire's Row and having her own space, she certainly wasn't short of places to go in Tony's home if she needed a little alone time.

They seemed to work in perfect harmony, falling in love with each other all over again as they embraced the new chapter of their lives together, knowing that finally, nothing was going to get in their way. They had won.

Tony strolled through the cemetery with a bunch of red roses in his hand, a shade that matched the horizon. The day didn't feel real and as he continued to make his way along the gravel pathways, disturbing what felt like should've been an eternal peace with the soles of his feet, Tony wondered how the universe could create something so beautiful in the sky after it had caused him so much pain.

Then, he realised, that there was beauty to be found in even the darkest of places.

He read the names on the headstones, knowing most of them from memory by that time. It always made his heart burn a little if he'd noticed that a grave had wilted flowers left on it or if it had been unattended for a while, occasionally stopping to tidy it up himself if he had the time.

He spotted Sasha when he was a little way down the path. She was sat on the grass in front of her brother's headstone, knees pulled up to her chest and arms wrapped around her legs, hands clasped together. He couldn't tell from the distance whether she was happy or sad, but the fact she hadn't called or texted made Tony assume it was the latter.