Vogue | Tony Stark

SIXTY NINE - RETURN TO THE SPOTLIGHT

"Oh she is just adorable, what's the little princess' name?"

Baby Stark had been without a name for two whole weeks, neither of her parents being able to come to a decision. They'd tried and tested an exhaustive list of names, but none of them suited their brown eyed, blonde haired little angel.

One night when she was screaming the entirety of Manhattan down and Esté was close to tears too, she took her baby outside wrapped in a blanket and rocked her beneath the stars. It was just seconds before her wailing stopped and when Esté looked at her daughter, she found her gazing up at the moon with the stars reflecting in her eyes.

Selena was the name they'd chosen, the beautiful Greek word for moon seeming like a perfect fit.

Esté was sitting by the stone fountain in Central Park, basking in the spring sunshine in a pair of sunglasses hiding her tired eyes. She looked chic with a slicked back pony tail and straight legged jeans, a simple white t-shirt being all she needed to stay warm that day.

Selena was sitting happily against her mother's chest watching the ducks waddle past, looking adorable in a baby pink Ralph Lauren dress and white socks with lace frills, her blonde hair starting to curl at the back.

"Thank you," Esté smiled at the stranger; an attractive gentleman with ashy hair and blue eyes, a friendly grin on his face, "Her name is Selena."

"Cute name, suits her," he nodded once and looked at Esté, "Daddy not around?"

Estélla wasn't completely sure whether the man was pretending to not know who she was, or if he genuinely didn't recognise her. It wouldn't have surprised her if it was the latter, sleep deprivation and the chaos of life with a baby making her barely recognise herself some days.

"Daddy's right here, actually."

Esté tried to hold back her smile when Tony cleared his throat from behind the stranger, standing with two coffees in his hands and a paper bag filled with what she hoped was an almond croissant.

The man spun round on his heels and widened his eyes, visibly tensing up when he recognised who was stood with a very obviously false smile plastered on his face, eyes narrowed slightly.

"I-I, it's an honour to meet you, Mr Stark. I was just-"

"Nice to meet you too, kid. Are you finished flirting with my girlfriend or shall I give you some more time before she rejects you in the politest way possible?"

His cheeks reddened and Esté scoffed quietly, shaking her head as she bounced Selena on her knee, watching the interaction from behind the mirrored lenses of her aviators.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to...I'm just gonna go now."

Tony grinned with a nod, "Good idea. Have a nice day."

Esté sighed loudly when Tony sat down next to her, pulling the lids off the coffee cups and letting the steam filter out into the air.

"The poor kid was just being nice, you terrified him."

Tony shrugged and tore up the croissant, holding out the bag for Esté to dip her hand into, "It's not my fault he was scared of me. Besides, I can't let anybody come near my girls, can I Lena?"

He grinned and leant down to look at their daughter, brushing a finger beneath her chin that made her shoulders rise and cheeks lift in a small smile.

Parenthood hadn't been anything close to what Estélla and Tony had expected. They'd anticipated exhaustion and mess, hopelessness and endless tears, but in a delightful turn of events, the reality they'd been gifted had been something that they'd never expected to happen.