Shadowplay | Tony Stark

FIFTY EIGHT - A GUT FEELING

"Melanie! How was your flight? Let me take your coat."

Tony immediately jumped to his feet when Mila and her mother walked through the door in the early evening of December 22nd.

He had offered to pick Melanie up from the airport himself but Mila insisted she make the drive that afternoon, having to do a quick run to a toy store to pick up some more Christmas presents for Tristan on her way.

Snow had been falling across their town for the past two weeks and although some rain had washed the white away, it had settled perfectly over the last three days, leaving a perfect blanket covering the fields and trees that surrounded their home.

"Thank you, honey," Melanie said, shrugging off her coat and handing it to Tony, "It wasn't too bad, the free wine helped. Come here, it's so good to see you again."

Melanie smiled widely and opened her arms for a hug, Tony pressing a kiss to each of her cheeks as he smiled back. Although he hadn't spent a whole lot of time with Melanie, the two had bonded quickly and Tony felt more than comfortable around her, a motherly warmth putting him at ease from the moment they met.

The fire was burning and the lights wrapped around the Christmas tree twinkled softly in the corner of the living room, a cinnamon scented candle burned on the mantelpiece and the scent of freshly baked cookies drifted through from the kitchen. The television was showing The Grinch though Tony had been the only person watching it, Tristan had disappeared upstairs to play in his room and Peter had been talking on FaceTime to his friends back in New York upstairs, too.

Mila's skin was pale apart from a red heat in her cheeks from the cold outside. Her hair was down that day and curled around her face, black mascara coating her lashes and a clear gloss on her lips with a shine that matched the one in her eyes.

"God you look freezing, come here."

Tony grabbed Mila and pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her body and running his hands up and down her back as he felt how cold she actually was. She sighed happily and touched his face, smiling up at him before giving him a gentle kiss, feeling warmer as soon as his lips touched her own.

A set of footsteps pulled them apart and the couple turned with rosy cheeks to glance up at the stairs, seeing Peter walking down them with a weary smile on his face as he pulled out his earphones.

"I thought I heard voices," he said shyly, lingering at the foot of the stairs.

"Mom," Mila walked over to her mother's side and placed a hand on her shoulder, "This is-"

"Peter," Melanie's eyes lit up as she looked over at the boy, grinning from ear to ear as she walked over to him, "I've heard so much about you, I'm so happy to have another grandson."

Melanie wasted no time in giving Peter a huge hug and Mila watched with a content smile, noticing the way Peter's eyes changed from shock to comfort at the sudden shower of affection from somebody he'd only just met.

"Oh," Peter said softly, freezing for a moment before hugging her back, feeling the same motherly warmth from her that he'd felt from Mila and instantly becoming relaxed, "It's so nice to meet you, Mrs Campbell."

"Please," Melanie scoffed, placing a hand on his cheek, "I know I don't look old enough, but call me Grandma. Or Melanie is fine, too. Whatever you prefer, sweetie."

Peter's face seemed to glow with happiness and Mila noticed a gloss of tears frame his eyes, though he swallowed and held them back, nodding quickly.

Admittedly, Tony found himself almost choking up at the scene before him. He placed an arm across Mila's shoulders and she leant against him, both of them feeling an overwhelming sense of contentment that everything was working out the way it was supposed to, that the family they'd found was the family they were supposed to find.