Glass Heart

Tony was taken aback to say the least. It took quite a bit to make Tony Stark speechless, considering his love for the sound of his own voice, but Scarlett had managed the feat in just a sentence and a short one at that. He sat carefully on the edge of the bed when she stepped away from him, running her hand nervously through her hair, the other hand on her hip while she tried to find something in the room to keep her focus so she didn’t have to focus on him. Maybe it was time for Tony to sit and listen rather than interrupt and talk over Scarlett every ten seconds.

He owed her that, if nothing else.

“In some sick way I understand what you did… Even if you were an asshole.” Scarlett folded her arms over her chest and then paced slowly across the room, ultimately stopping in the doorway that faced the sitting area of the room she paid for. She leaned against it and stared at the door that led to the hallway and out of the hotel. It called to her, telling her to run for it. Their relationship was toxic; like a slow venom coursing through her veins until it destroyed her. On the other hand it was also like sweet candy and she was hopelessly addicted. It didn’t matter if Tony was bad for her health, because he just happened to be her favorite flavor.

Her fingers leisurely brushed over the scar shaped like Tony’s arc reactor on her chest from their first time together. It had finally started to fade away but she could still feel the skin slightly arisen in the circular shape amongst the few details that remained burnt there. The stinging in her chest renewed as she choked on the words to explain what had been going on in her mind through the day. “I asked you not to tell the press because I was scared. But I can see how you misinterpreted.”

She leaned the side her head against the door frame, closed her eyes, and sighed so heavily with the weight of the day that she looked smaller. It wasn’t like her to get emotional in front of anyone but it seemed like she was transforming into a different person over the last few weeks. That was terrifying in and of itself, but combined with the stress that life had been piling on it was scarier than it should’ve been. She’d known before she worked for MedCo that things had to change or she’d meet an early death, but this wasn’t the change she had been expecting. “And I know it sounds stupid that I was scared, because it even sounds stupid in my head. So instead of telling you why I really needed you to take your time I told you I wasn’t ready which isn’t untrue either, I suppose.” She contemplated that then shook the thought out of her head.

“I was scared of what publicity would do to the situation with MedCo which is already terrible enough, let’s face it. I was scared of what exactly I would bring to your front door once word officially got out. Look, you’re Iron Man. I get that, I really do… and I’m sure that you would tell me that whatever it was we could handle it just fine but I’ve made more enemies than you can imagine over the years given my line of work. MedCo has already done terrible things to you and the people you care about just to get at me.” Scarlett turned sideways in the doorway, leaning her back still against the frame and glanced over at Tony but still avoided eye contact. “They nearly killed you and not to mention Pepper. Happy broke his hand and was out of commission for days! Not to mention that poor man who came to dinner with us who died and all the other unsuspecting people at that party.” Shaking her head in dismay she glanced down at the arms she had folded over her chest.

It was pretty astounding how quiet Tony was being considering how often he usually spoke. This was possibly the longest Scarlett had ever been able to stay on track with him in conversation because she had gotten so accustomed to him interrupting them with some sassy or sexual remark.

“But underneath that I was scared of I guess… the obvious thing to be scared of after sleeping with Tony Stark.” Frowning and adjusting her weight on her sore feet she glanced out the balcony window. “When I first considered using my sexuality to get to you, I was disgusted by it. No offense.” Tony pouted in response but still didn’t interject. He owed it to her to wait to put in his two cents.

“You’ve been with so many women. The only one who hasn’t been publicly defamed is Pepper and even then the news wasn’t incredibly fond of her either. She’s a smart woman and they treated her like she was a joke when you made her the temporary CEO of your company. I worked relentlessly to get where I am. I’m a smart, strong, powerful woman and I was terrified that none of that would matter because I’d slept with you. Men and women are viewed much differently in the media, Tony. You’re praised for being a sexual deviant while the women you cart around with are compared to blow up dolls and called sluts for giving into their sexual urges. I’m not either of those things and I refused to be one.” Tony desperately wanted to tell her how he felt on that subject, and discuss the media in general. If Tony could handle anything, it was press coverage. He’d been under the lights of cameras his entire life, it was no surprise that he wasn’t bothered by what was printed about him this many years later.

“The way we talked to each other in the beginning. You treated me like I was a challenge… a small hurdle to jump before you could get me into bed and not like what I actually am. But that night when we… finally did end up in bed together, it wasn’t like that for you and I knew that. At the same time I was scared that maybe you were that good with deception. Maybe I was a fool for trying to play in the same league as a professional. What if you really did just want to prove to the world that you could get a woman who hated you and had no respect for you to bend over and enjoy it at that? I was just another notch on your bedpost and I was terrified that after I finally tried to trust you that it would be… just a really big public mistake.” Scarlett scoffed. Tony grimaced and placed his hand over his mouth, wiping his hands over the tidy goatee on his face. Scarlett had always seemed so hardened, it surprised him that she’d had so much bottled up inside.

They were more alike than he realized. Pepper would likely suggest that they go to counseling to learn how to better deal with their emotions. What they were doing now was way too destructive.

“Then I woke up and saw that exactly what I had been afraid of was exactly what you had done.” Scarlett laughed, but there was no humor in her voice. The whole situation had just gotten so out of hand that it was satirical. Their love life was a joke. “You humiliated me by telling the world exactly what I was trying to keep between us. And it’s not that I’m ashamed of what we did, I wasn’t… and I’m still not.” Tony caught her gaze as she spoke, surprised to hear that. He was sure that she’d deplored having made love to him after he’d made such terrible comments about the way they’d been together. “I knew what I was doing and I wanted to do it. I’m an adult and I made my decision. You didn’t trick me into it. If anything I lured you into bed the first time. Honestly, if you’d just… waited for me to be okay with it I wouldn’t give a damn what details you gave to whom. I’m far from shy.” Tony’s brow shot up.

“It was how you went about it that was hurtful. The trust that I gave you that night was fragile Tony and you discarded it like a used tissue and that broke something in my head. I panicked!” Scarlett held her hands in front of her, trying to keep her emotions together while she spoke. “And then you were so cold… you were like a different person. And I didn’t like that guy, not at all.”

Tony wanted to tell her that he hadn’t liked that guy very much either, but knew she wasn’t done and while it was hard for him to sit and listen, this was the first time Scarlett had trusted him enough to talk about something this incredibly intimate. Plus, this was world’s better than screaming at each other and saying hurtful things they didn’t mean. He liked fighting with her, but no when it was about something so serious. The fear he felt was just as strong as hers and he knew what it felt like for it to be discarded as nothing.

“I was overwhelmed and honestly wasn’t sure how to act. Was I supposed to fight with you? Was it another game? Or was I supposed to simply try to understand what you were going through. But then you stopped making sense.” Scarlett compulsively pushed her hand through her hair again, feeling her fingers tremble with anxiety. Her nerves were completely and thoroughly shot. She’d be lucky if she got any sleep at all that night. “You contradicted yourself twelve times so I just froze. I didn’t know what to say to argue with you anymore. I was trying just to make sense of what you were saying nonetheless try to counter it. Then you said you loved me and what the hell was I supposed to think? I couldn’t wrap my head around what you were saying to me in anger and then you throw the whole love thing in there? Immediately I thought you panicked.”

“You realized that you said some things you couldn’t take back and the perfect way to make up for that with your typical girl would be to spoil her rotten and love is the one thing every girl wants right?” Scarlett’s eye twitched in annoyance. “No, no it’s not what every girl wants and I don’t think that it should be thrown around like some apology gift. It only supported what I was thinking which was that I was like every other girl before me who had gotten into your bed, Tony. And then when I called you out on it you told me exactly what I was afraid to hear.”

“Not to mention Scott. I mean… you threw that in there and what the hell was I supposed to do? On top of everything hurtful you had said, on top of telling me that you were in love with me which I have no idea how to begin understanding, and then telling me that Scott was alive… God Tony do you have any idea how guilty I feel for what Scott went through because of me? He was a good guy… quiet, timid, honestly he couldn’t have been further from you and slowly I poisoned the good guy inside of him and got him swept up in my mess? And then he died because of me? I had nightmares every night about his death and then you tell me he’s alive, like it’s no big deal? And you tell me to go running back to him without even asking what things were like with him? You made decisions without all the facts and the first rule of science is that your theories are based around facts.” Scarlett walked away from the doorway and across the room to the window.

She glanced down at the folded up armor on the floor and then back at the balcony window. Staring into the night sky she was still surprised that the day had gone so quickly. Given everything that had transpired it wasn’t a huge surprise, but it still felt like a huge blur. There were more emotional things going on within her right now than there had ever been at least since she was a teenager plagued with hormones. She was quiet for a long time, but Tony wasn’t sure what to say. It was good to know why she’d acted the way she had. At least now Tony knew she hadn’t rejected his attempt at confessing his love for her. Then again, she also hadn’t returned the sentiment either and that worried him. But it didn’t worry him enough to stop pursuing it. Scarlett was still scared, even if she was trying to hide it. Her body language said more than enough for him to be able to tell what she was really feeling.

“Once I left and had a chance to clear my head I tried really hard to hate you.” Scarlett glanced down at her feet again, but still faced the window. Looking at Tony while she talked was too hard. She wasn’t much for sharing her emotions nonetheless saying them out loud but too many problems had been caused by miscommunication and Scarlett didn’t want to fight anymore. She was too tired.

“I wanted so badly to feel that need for revenge that I’d felt when I first woke up in your home Tony. I pretended that I could go back to hating you but the longer I was left without you the more I wanted to go back to the way things were. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed the way that I do when I’m with you and what if I never did again? I smiled more than I ever had before…” Scarlett pursed her lips and tapped her foot nervously.

“Unfortunately for what I wanted, I could start to see what had really happened when you got upset this morning. When I told you that uh… I didn’t want to tell the press you had to have assumed the worst. So of course the first thing you did was exactly what I’d asked you not to do. Plus… I assume you found out about Scott some time ago and were nervous to tell me. That sort of stress isn’t rational and people like us? We’re not good at dealing with it. You were hurting and scared just like I was. When you finally got the courage to tell me how you really felt and I didn’t respond as desired you probably went into panic mode.” Tony nodded with wide eyes, though Scarlett couldn’t exactly see it with her back to him. She couldn’t have been more right about her assumptions as to how he’d felt.

“I didn’t realize you were threatened by Scott until I was on the train.” Scarlett smiled slightly at this. “Tony Stark? Threatened by another man? And here I was thinking that you were the heartless son of a bitch the papers made you out to be only to find out that you are just as insecure as the rest of us. Then again… I realize how heartless I probably appear to people when they first meet me. I can’t imagine how much Pepper must hate me after what I did to you. She probably thinks I was using you until the very end.”

Tony was nodding again, but Scarlett still couldn’t see him. He had to bite his tongue to keep from interrupting. She was almost done, he could tell but he wanted her to get it off of her chest so that if nothing else maybe she would start to feel a bit better. He’d managed to crush her confidence in a few hours and he hated himself for it.

“There’s something you should know about my relationship with Scott.” Scarlett began cautiously. “When we met he was a small mousy guy who… honestly wasn’t very good at his job. But we were partnered together on a medical project because when you’re in a third world country the most important and valuable sort of technology is the medical kind, well outside of weaponry.” Straightening her back, Scarlett felt far more comfortable and confident talking about this than she did talking about her conflicting emotions for Tony.

“He had a crush on me and honestly, most of the men I work with do when they first meet me. It’s a natural reaction. There aren’t a lot of women in this field and nonetheless strong, powerful, attractive women. I’m not incredibly vein but I’m not naïve enough to ignore what I look like. I figured he’d get over it but he kept following me around even after our work was done. He asked me out one night so I let him take me out but only so I could let him down easy. But… I got into some trouble and he took care of me that night. I felt guilty and it started a pretty destructive relationship from there.” Scarlett hadn’t seen the way things had gone with Scott were so terribly wrong until she’d been removed from it. Now that she’d had time to really examine her relationship with him, she knew she never belonged in it to begin with.

“Scott wanted me to be a wife, a mother and…some sweet and tender woman that I was just incapable of being. I crave excitement and danger… I need to be unpredictable! It’s just part of who I am and while I wasn’t opposed to eventually having a family he kept forcing the idea on me. It got to a point where I was wondering what was wrong with me. Why couldn’t I reciprocate the love that this man wanted me to give him? It was an obligation to be with Scott. Sex wasn’t fun. Even joking around with him wasn’t fun. Eventually I considered that maybe that was what relationships were supposed to be like. Obligatory.” Scarlett found her fingers back at the scar on her chest. It was somewhat comforting to know it was there and she’d miss it after it faded.

“What I had with him was unhealthy, I know that and even though he’s alive I don’t want him back. But Tony… I hated you. I hated you so much that I contemplated killing you.” Scarlett laughed, because it was still hard to believe. Her mind was still working on wrapping around how the change had happened. “But something about you made me like you in spite of everything I knew to be true about you. I felt ashamed at first because… something clearly had to be wrong with me for me to naturally start to develop feelings for someone as despicable and impossible as you. What kind of relationship nightmare would it be to actually try something with you? There isn’t a woman in this world that would be confident that it’d work out simply because of your past. As much as I say it’s not an issue, it is. Your history with women and life in general is the biggest road block I’ve ever seen for a romance.”

“Still, in spite of it, no matter how many times I sat and coached myself that I couldn’t fall for you or get involved emotionally in something with you, it all flew out the window when you got close to me. Being around you was like poison and I couldn’t help myself. I still can’t help myself.” She corrected quickly. “I didn’t know how to handle it so when things kept blossoming naturally it was really scary. If you’d just told me about Scott, I would’ve told you that. If you’d asked me to choose I would’ve chosen you.” Scarlett sighed resolutely. She’d said all she needed to say and felt exhausted from the efforts.

Being emotional was far too much work. She missed being heartless and cruel. Or maybe she’d never been as heartless as she’d like to think and it had all been a facade she’d kept up for years in hopes of never having to deal with the nasty things she’d done and the failure of a relationship she’d had with Scott. She leaned against the window and gently tapped her forehead against it in frustration. Now that she’d gotten everything off of her chest, she didn’t know what to say.

Tony realized she’d finished talking and cleared his throat. He was pretty sure that was the longest he’d stayed quiet without sleeping in his life. Even when he was alone he was talking to Jarvis or one of his other machines. It wasn’t like him to even sit completely still. Pepper had once compared him to an ADD ten year old with the libido of a nineteen year old. He found the comparison shockingly accurate.

Getting up from his spot on the edge of the bed, he carefully approached her near the window. Slowly he stepped next to her and glanced out the window she was no longer looking through. Her eyes were on the ground outside the balcony and he couldn’t blame her for avoiding eye contact.

“I’m sorry.” Tony had thought about three thousand dirty and sarcastic things while she’d been talking but they all seemed inappropriate. Once he’d gotten clear of the big flashing warning sign that was Scarlett’s body language, he’d be able to joke with her freely again and interrupt her to his heart’s content. Right now he was walking on a thin line and any wrong move could push him over it. She didn’t move or respond to him so he continued nervously. “You’re right. I was afraid that with Scott in the picture I’d lose you and so instead I pushed you away as hard as I could. That’s something I’m pretty good at.”

“I’ll give you that.” Scarlett muttered, giving him a sideways glance.

“I should’ve given you the chance to choose and I should’ve let you explain and instead I berated you and treated you like every other girl I’ve been with and god Scarlett, you couldn’t be any further from that.” Tony smiled hopefully. “I love you. I’ve never been in love with anything before. I mean… besides my cars. I love my cars and… I love myself, but I actually love you and now that I’ve said it I don’t know if I can stop saying it.” He was pleased to see Scarlett actually smile when he said that.

“You don’t have to apologize.” Scarlett shook her head. Tony was glad to hear that but at the same time she hadn’t mentioned forgiveness or love yet and it was making him antsy, which he already was by nature.

“I do have to apologize and I’ll probably be apologizing for a long time.” Tony was confident in his words, but not with Scarlett’s reaction. The whole situation was a big mess. When silence followed he shifted uncomfortably next to her. It was weird to try and keep his distance. He wanted to touch her, to play with her, to flirt with her like he was used to and now he wasn’t sure he could because of some stupid words. “I don’t know what you want to do now.” He finally choked out, when silence continued between them. He needed to know where to go from there. Either way, he wasn’t giving up. Tony Stark was many things but not a quitter.

“I don’t know either.” Scarlett glanced over at him at long last. Her eyes were sparkling with tears she’d never shed and she only looked at him for a moment. “I knew what I wanted this morning. I wanted you. I wanted you more than anything I’ve ever wanted before in my life. But you threw me away.” Placing her hands on her hips she exhaled deeply and then closed her eyes while giving her head a slight shake.

“Don’t say that… just don’t, look, don’t talk like that okay?” Tony stuttered on his words. “Please, I mean… Yeah I was a dick and I did stupid things but I can… well I’m working on that. I’m a work in progress, right? I mean you are too, it’s almost perfect…” Tony smiled hopefully, but his words were pleading. She couldn’t give up on him already; he wasn’t going to let her. Unfortunately the natural fluidity of his words had faded.

“How am I supposed to simply forgive you for what you did?” Scarlett took a step away and laughed in disbelief. “What do you expect me to do? Just jump into your arms and tell you that it’s all okay that you said some of the most hurtful things you could think of because you were scared? That doesn’t make what you did okay by any stretch.”

“I said I was sorry. I mean, I know it doesn’t change things but I really am sorry and that is a huge thing for me. I never apologize, even when I am wrong. You can ask Pepper that, she’ll vouch for it even if she is mad at you. Actually she sent me here, you know… to chase after you because she believes I love you. That’s huge! I mean if you didn’t believe me before, Pepper certainly can make you believe it.” Tony smiled hopefully, turning to fully face her and holding a hand out closer to her. He wasn’t going to let her run away from him this time. Though to be fair, the last time she hadn’t run away; he’d practically chased her out.

“Saying sorry doesn’t make me feel any less awful about what happened today.” Scarlett stood her ground. The intoxication of him being close hadn’t faded any, she was just finally learning how not to fall prey to it constantly. His explosion that morning had given her a chance to take a step back and see the destruction they were creating.

“I won’t let you throw away what we have because I did something stupid. I’m going to do a lot of stupid shit; it’s half of what I do! Is the pain I caused really outweighing whatever else is there?” Tony took a step toward Scarlett, to fill the gap she’d created. To his surprise she didn’t back down.

“But how am I supposed to look past that?”

“You can hold it over my head for as long as you like.” Tony smiled, that charming air about him finally coming back. “I don’t care if you’re mad at me. I know you’re hurt and that’s okay. You’re allowed to be hurt. Look if this relationship was all sunshine and kittens with two people as insane as we are then I wouldn’t want it and I know you wouldn’t want it either.”

“At least you’re right about something today.”

“Below the belt.”

“How was that below the belt? I don’t think you have any right to accuse me of anything below the belt.” Scarlett rolled her eyes.

“Oh no, don’t you adopt Pepper’s habits. There will be no eye rolling at least not while you’re facing me. At least try to hide your disdain.”

“It’s not disdain, it’s just absurd for you to tell me that what I said about you being incredibly wrong today was below the belt when you told me I was basically some slut who gave it up to you like every other girl. Pretty sure you’re wrong about this one, too.” Scarlett pointed at him. Tony grabbed her hand and pulled her close forcefully.

“Hey, I said I’m sorry. I’m not good at being wrong.” Tony couldn’t help but laugh. Something eased in the tension between them and he felt more comfortable. Scarlett shook her head in dismay.

“It is not fair that I can’t be mad at you.” Scarlett glanced back out the window. “You made me walk miles in bare feet and inappropriate dress and I still can’t seem to stay mad.”

“Well, I think you’re definitely mad at me you just can’t help but like me in spite of that.” Tony shrugged, inching himself closer and shoving his hands in his pockets with his shoulders shrugged. “I think despite it all, you still like me a considerable amount.”

“What does it mean if my gut is telling me that I wish I didn’t like you so much?” Scarlett looked back toward him. There was a heavy sadness in her eyes, a lost look he couldn’t quite place.

“Come on, Scarlett.” Tony groaned in frustration then placed both his hands on her arms, throwing caution to the wind. “We both suck at this.”

“Words of confidence.” Scarlett squirmed in an attempt to push his hands away and couldn’t help but smile when he didn’t relent and kept his grip tight on her.

“You should hate me, but you don’t.” Tony whispered as he pulled her closer to him. She nodded.

“I’m pretty mad at you though.” She scoffed, pushing his hand off of her arm only to find him replacing it immediately.

“Someday you’re not going to be mad at me and then what’s left?” Tony let go of her when she pushed his hands away again.

“I don’t know.” Scarlett hung her head and shook it in apprehension. “How am I supposed to know if I’m still mad at you?”

“Whatever you feel for me, it’s something that’s stronger than how mad you are at me. All I’m asking is that you can see that and admit it.” Tony brushed her rebellious hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Scarlett closed her eyes and visibly stiffened with discomfort. How many times had she dreamt of him doing that for her on the train when her hair had gotten in her way?

“I don’t know, Tony! Right now I’m torn between kissing you and breaking your ribs.” Scarlett took a deep breath.

“Let me help you with that.” Tony placed his hand on the side of neck and pulled her lips to his, kissing her desperately. He hadn’t kissed her since the night before but considering everything that had transpired since those sensual kisses, he felt like it’d been weeks. Scarlett didn’t respond at first, she hesitated and considered actually shoving him away hard enough to put some distance between them. But there was that scruff on her chin again and it gave her the shivers.

Maybe Tony was right. Maybe she could be mad at him and still be with him. Could she both hate and love him? It was bound to make things confusing but everything about his lips against hers felt right and there was much to be said for such a feeling.

So instead of pulling away and launching into an angry spray of words like she had convinced herself she should do, Scarlett threw her arms around Tony’s shoulders and shortened the gap between them and then finally returned the kiss he was giving her. She could feel Tony’s lips curling into a smile against hers and his arms falling around her waist to give her the short boost up she needed to be at his height.

Now that she’d given in to the urge to return his sentiment, she was relieved. There was no chance for her when it came to what she had with Tony. Whatever confused feelings she had for him were stronger than any willpower she’d conjured up. Fighting against it was futile and for the first time in her life she considered it was something beyond her control. Maybe love wasn’t a story told to little girls to give them hope for something better. Love was just incredibly hard to find and Scarlett was beginning to think she was lucky for having stumbled into it, even if it meant it was with the one person she would’ve never suspected.

But being in love didn’t mean she had to stop being who she was to be a part of it. Scarlett had bigger fish to fry than Tony Stark and his romantic gestures. She wouldn’t give up on it just be his lover.

At that moment none of what came next mattered. All that mattered was the taste of his lips and his arms around her. When he finally pulled away from her lips he left only a short gap between them and couldn’t help himself.

“I’m guessing you decided against breaking my ribs.” Tony’s confident smirk returned, right where it belonged. Scarlett narrowed her eyes, balled her fist and jabbed Tony hard in the side. It wasn’t a hard enough blow to break his ribs or even bruise his skin but it did make him jump in surprise and initially lurch with the jab.

“That’s for calling me a worthless slut.” Scarlett grinned, not taking her eyes away from Tony’s and watching the discomfort and pain that flit over his features.

“…I deserved that.” Tony took a deep breath. “Honestly, I’m just glad you didn’t go for the face.”

“I think you said to me once that if I broke your nose you wouldn’t be as pretty and I think I agree.” Scarlett set her feet down so she wasn’t straining them any longer. Tony glanced down at them and pouted comically.

“I can’t believe you walked all that way without shoes. Couldn’t you have stolen shoes?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be a super hero and you know, telling me that kind of thing is wrong?” Scarlett expected him to let her go but he kept his hands at her sides.

“I’m morally reprehensible forty two percent of the time.” Tony shook his head, one eye closed as he did some mock calculations in his mind. Scarlett laughed and shook her head but ultimately agreed with him. “…though to be fair if you’re going to date me you should probably cut that thievery crap out.”

“Oh, so I’m dating you again, am I?” Scarlett pursed her lips and leaned back just a little only to find that Tony was definitely not going to let go of her sides. There were so many unresolved issues it scared her, but they had time to figure that out in the long run. Right now it was just nice to know that Tony was a certainty in her life.

“Of course, you’re dating me again. I mean, what else did you plan on doing? I guess we could, you know, not date and still have sex but I would prefer to think that it would be more fun if we did date and also had sex. A lot of it at that.” Tony nodded vigilantly, doing his best to look innocent, though Scarlett was sure that look wasn’t in his repertoire.

“You really don’t expect to get laid after that, do you?” Scarlett actually laughed and swatted at his hand on her side when he comically wiggled his hips against hers.

“It seems fitting, doesn’t it? And besides you just said that I was a super hero. Don’t heroes always get the girl?”

“Not in the real world.” Scarlett shook her head no. “In the real world it’s much more complicated than who gets what.”

“Why does it have to be?” Tony pulled his hand from her side and hooked his index finger under his chin so she would look back up at him.

“Because if life and love were as easy as getting what we wanted then we’d both be terribly bored.” Scarlett placed her hand against Tony’s under her chin and guided it away. He grabbed her hand and laced his fingers with hers then kissed her knuckles.

“I already told you,” Tony began, his eyes still on hers with her hand close to his lips, “There has never been a moment where you bored me.” Scarlett let out a surprised laugh under her breath and shook her head.

“You’re an ass.” She murmured, leaning against him and taking a deep breath, still looking up at him.

“But I’m your ass.” Tony reached down to pat her backside, resulting in another laugh from Scarlett.

“Someday I’m going to really break something on you just out of reflex.”

“I will proudly tell everyone just how I sustained such a wound.” Tony’s lips curled into a smile.

“Of all the gin joints in all the towns, in all the world… It had to be you.” Scarlett sighed remorsefully.

“If I didn’t love you before I’d definitely be head over heels now.” Tony was surprised by her reference, but pleased. Pop culture references were something of a hobby for him.

“You’re secretly a huge nerd.” Scarlett jabbed at his chest with her index finger.

“Now you’re just abusing me.” Tony grabbed her finger and pulled it away from his chest, slipping his arms back around her. “Now stop making fun of me and kiss me.”

“Why don’t you make me?” Scarlett pursed her lips in amusement.

“That I can do.” Picking Scarlett up, Tony slipped an arm beneath her knees and cradled her in his arms.

“I can’t believe you really think you’re going to get laid.” Scarlett laughed, leaning her head back and then cooed softly as he brushed his lips underneath her chin, purposely letting his scruff brush against her skin.

“You say you can’t believe it but I think you understand it exactly.” Tony purred softly as he continued to kiss down her neck. His knee then knocked against the edge of the bed and he dropped Scarlett on top of it. She laid back and laughed, covering her mouth as Tony leaned comically over and grabbed onto his knee to rub the spot where he’d bumped it against the hardwood frame.

Scarlett sat up and then patted the spot on the bed next to her to signal him to come and sit with her. Tony slowly made his way onto the bed and sat down next to Scarlett, glancing back at her over his shoulder.

“Smooth.” Scarlett rubbed his knee comfortingly.

“You throw me off my game.” Tony smirked. It felt good to know that things were slowly going to work back to normal, even if it took awhile. He knew it wasn’t going to be as simple as saying he was sorry and moving on with their lives, but he was willing to work for this. Tony had spent his life searching for something he didn’t know he was missing.

“Oh yes, it’s all my fault.” Scarlett sighed softly.

“I think you owe me an apology as a matter of fact.” Tony smirked, laying back on the bed so that he could be closer to her and turning his head to the side. Despite their playful nature she looked strained, worried. He wondered if he looked as tense and out of it as she did. Their lives were far from easy and their story was far from over, but if nothing else he would always have her there for him and he would do the same for her.

“I’m pretty sure that I am exempt from owing you an apology for at least a year.” Scarlett stared up at the ceiling and shook her head with a quiet laugh beneath her breath. It felt good to smile again but she was far from settled. There was still much to be done and a long way to travel before she found uninterrupted sleep. Her nightmares were far from over.

“A year? Does that mean you’re agreeing to date me again?” Tony looked hopeful, rolling onto his side, propping his hand beneath his head. His other hand slowly crawled across the hotel comforter and onto her stomach, resting there over the dress she’d run off in. He felt guilty again. The first woman he’d ever loved so truly and what did he do? He chased her out of his house barefoot.

“Let’s let time really determine that, shall we? I’m just saying…”

“I mean you signed a contract to work on that energy project with me so you have more than just little old me as a reason to stay here.” Tony pursed his lips and scooted closer to her on the bed, letting his fingers brush against the fabric of the black dress she wore once more.

“I did, but contracts always have loopholes and I’m pretty good at abusing loopholes.” Scarlett reached down to place her hand over his on her stomach and closed her eyes.

“I assure you the only loopholes in that contract are there to benefit me. Pepper’s something of a legal wiz.”

“She would have to be with you for a boss.” Scarlett puckered her lips to hide her smile and cracked one eyelid open so she could glance up at him, finding him leaning over her now. He’d crept his way close enough to prop himself above her without her even noticing. “Oh come on, my eyes were only closed for a second.”

“That was more than I needed.” Tony brushed her hair away from her face, one of his new favorite things to do. He wanted to tell her what the media really meant and how unlike the women from his past she was, but he knew that the time would come for such a discussion and right then and there they were both too mentally drained to deal with that particular hurdle.

“A lady never likes to hear that.” Tony chuckled grateful Scarlett wasn’t pushing him away. It was different than it used to be but it was progress. Scarlett was hiding something from him and he was sure he would hear about it before the night’s end. Tony had let out his secret, but in too destructive a way and he was sure he’d feel the shockwaves of such a quake for a long time coming.

“I thought that after what we’ve been through you would know better than to take it that way.” Tony was glad she was joking with him again, but wasn’t pleased to find her so sad when she looked back up at him. Tony’s smile faded and he brought his hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin. Usually when Pepper was sad he’d just buy her something or bust her balls but something was different about Scarlett’s sadness. He wanted to make it better. Why wasn’t she smiling? Shouldn’t she be happy they figured out a way to make things work?

“I just like to give you a hard time.” Scarlett held up her hand before he could respond and her lips curled into a small smile. “Yes, I know you would much rather give me a hard time. I get it…”

“Believe it or not that was not what I was going to say. But that was a good one. I’m going to keep that in mind.” Tony smirked and let his hand slowly travel down the side of her neck.

“Well then please, enlighten me Casanova. What were you going to say?” Scarlett looked tired, but batted her eyelashes at him anyway. His touch was giving her goose bumps along her neck.

“I was going to say I’m sorry.” Tony’s smile faded and he avoided eye contact. “You never really let me say it properly. You told me not to apologize and while I did before it wasn’t the same. But I am sorry and you should cherish because I don’t apologize for anything I do. And I… this time I was wrong and I was an idiot and I am sorry.” Tony watched her reaction, seeing the same sad look behind her eyes, but despite that look she still had a smile on her lips.

“I forgive you.” Scarlett nodded slowly and then urged her hand to his cheek. “You owe me some really awesome shoes though. My feet are killing me.” While she was joking with him freely, Tony could still her upset.

“I will buy you a hundred pairs of shoes if it would stop you from giving me that look.” Tony was playing with her hair now, something he hadn’t meant to do, but had started doing nonchalantly and found he was enjoying.

“What look?”

“You look sad.” Tony pouted and kissed her chin, letting his lips linger there. It occurred to him that he hadn’t kissed her more than the one time which was what he’d expected to spend most of his time doing if he could ever get her to calm down and forgive him. It had been but he’d been more concerned about rejection then.

“Sad?” Scarlet was certainly surprised by his observation.

“Yeah, sad… You’re smiling and laughing but you’re still hiding something.” Scarlett’s smile faded and she glanced aside. Tony brushed his hand over her cheek and urged her to look back at him, glancing at her expectantly.

“It’s been a very long and confusing month, Tony.” Scarlett finally spoke when she realized that Tony wasn’t simply going to let it slide.

“Life’s been pretty long and confusing.” Tony pushed her hair out of her face and let his hand linger there, watching her reaction. She sighed softly and gave a short nod to agree. “I know we’re far from perfect, but we’ll figure it out together, okay?”

“You can’t expect me to take relationship advice from you.” Scarlett laughed and tilted her head to the side, moistening her lips.

“Hey, I’m trying. Give me some credit.”

“You’re very sweet, Tony.”

“Damn right.” Tony leaned closer, watching her lips while she spoke. He waited for her to speak but before she got a word out he found his lips with hers. While he hadn’t meant to kiss her, he didn’t exactly pull away either. Scarlett couldn’t hear the sound of her own thoughts past the beating of her heart. Amidst the confusion, the hurt, and the anxiety they’d always have the tension brewing between them and Scarlett knew that even if she had gotten away, someday he would’ve found her and the cycle would’ve started over again from the beginning. Their romance was unavoidable and she knew it would always be that way.

Tony hadn’t intended to kiss her, nonetheless kiss her for so long. He tilted his head, to further their kissing and did so until his lips felt sore. Even then he refused to stop. When they were kissing, he wasn’t thinking about any of the further complications or repercussions that lay ahead, instead he only thought of her lips and how they sent shocks down his spine and practically made him feverish.

Scarlett couldn’t deny that this was what she wanted. She was as much a sexual being as Tony was, though wasn’t nearly as public about the things she’d done in her past. But before Tony it had only been a means to an end and after him it had become something amazing that she craved over and over again. It was so wrong it was right.

Slipping her arm carefully around Tony’s middle, she pulled him closer to her. When he pulled from her lips she got nervous that he was pulling away. She wasn’t sure why it felt so important to keep him close, all she knew was that she needed him in her arms. Gripping his shirt she followed his lips as they pulled away and found that he was only catching his breath due to the length of their kissing. Usually he would’ve made some kind of comment about her needing him or desperation but even he seemed to know how important this moment was between them.

Without giving it a second thought, Scarlett found the lining of the black shirt Tony was wearing and started to tug it upward, until the hem of the cloth caught her hand and she managed to pull it up far enough to his shoulders, it moving awkwardly up over his stomach and chest. Parting just long enough from her lips so he could discard the shirt over his head, Tony tossed it aside and returned hungrily to their kiss.

Taking her actions as the okay to move further on, Tony reached behind her in search of the hook at the top of her dress, which he found already undone. In her haste to leave the house earlier she hadn’t bothered with it. So instead he found the zipper that went down her back and when he had a hard time tugging it beneath her, Scarlett sat up. Pushing her hair over her shoulder, she glanced up at him expectantly. Tony kissed her again, and slid his hand back to her zipper which he tugged down with his ease, his free hand following it along the length of her spine, caressing over the strap of her bra and her bare skin.

Tony slid his hands back up over her flesh, creating goose bumps beneath the callused fingers that had done so much work over the years. His hands moved the cloth of her dress further off of her body until his hands rested on her shoulders. Slowly he tugged and urged her left arm out of the dress, Scarlett assisting him in the process, but unfortunately the fabric didn’t allow for him to only remove the one sleeve with ease and the dress’ shoulder strap got stuck around her wrist.

Scarlett tried to tug her wrist free, but found it quite stuck and was forced to pull away from Tony’s lips in the process. Glancing at her hand and then her other arm she laughed. Tony joined her in this amusement before returning to her lips between small bouts of laughter that followed. Urging her arm back through the sleeve of the dress, Tony then tugged both sleeves down in the same instance, until her top was bare except for her undergarments.

Leaning back on her elbows, Scarlett lifted her backside to allow Tony to pull the dress away from where it hung on her hips only to be discarded over his shoulder nonchalantly. Then he crawled over her and kissed her again, his lips drawn to hers in an indescribable way. The light from his reactor was bright enough to fill the whole room so as Tony leaned Scarlett back against the pillows of the bed, he reached toward the nightstand and flipped off the light.

But when the light didn’t fade entirely he sighed in defeat and glanced toward the other side of the bed where a second light was glowing on the nightstand. Glancing back toward Scarlett he offered a charming smile.

“I miss Jarvis.” Crawling past her to turn the light off on the other side of the bed, Tony was expecting a snide remark about the poor billionaire having to turn off his own lights and was instead surprised by Scarlett’s response.

“I do too.” Scarlett laid on the pillow, propping herself up on her elbow to watch Tony as he crawled back to her on the bed.

“Sometimes I think you have as much of a crush on him as he does on you.” Scarlett smiled mysteriously in response and shrugged her shoulders. Reaching to easily undo the button on his jeans, he unzipped and tugged them down and kicked them off the bed. Slowly climbing over her again with no intentions of moving away until he had finished, Tony suddenly recalled earlier in the night when she’d insisted he wasn’t getting laid.

“Tony?” He hadn’t realized he’d hesitated until Scarlett was drawing his attention, her hand on his cheek and brushing lightly into his perfectly manicured goatee.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to.” He blurted out before he had thought it. Furrowing his brow he glanced to the side in confusion. Had those words really come out of his mouth? Then again, he didn’t want Scarlett to have sex with him simply because he wanted to. Not after what he’d done earlier in the day. If they were going to lay together again then he wanted her to want it just as badly as he did. Apparently his mouth had realized that long before his brain had, which was peculiar enough for Tony that it threw him off.

“I know.” Scarlett nodded her head and her lip curled in a smirk. “I want to.” She wouldn’t do it just because Tony wanted to. It wasn’t in her nature to be so easy on him or anyone.

“Oh, thank god.” Tony laughed, letting his head hang down, his lips close to her chest and instinctively brushing against the skin there. He let his scruff rub against her skin, hearing the soft coo in reaction to it that he’d grown positively addicted to. “I’m sort of past the point of no return already.”

“I know.” Scarlett brushed her fingers over the front of his boxers tauntingly, her hand brushing over the excitement beneath them that rendered them too tight to fit properly. Tony’s eyes rolled into his head for a brief moment as he enjoyed the sensation of her fingers against him.

“Okay, that’s just mean.” Tony whispered, his voice lower than only seconds beforehand.

“You love every second of it.” Scarlett spoke quietly, biting her lip in a mischievous smile. She couldn’t help that he made her feel sexy. Brushing her fingers up his arm slowly, raising goose bumps on his skin as her hands delicately caresses his muscles. She ran her fingers artfully over his shoulders, across his shoulders blades and down the length of his back. His muscles flexed beneath her touch from the effort of keeping his body hovering over hers. Tony stared dumbfounded by the reaction her touch gave him.

Regaining his senses, Tony leaned down, purposely not resting on his elbows and instead using his muscles to keep himself crouched over her as he kissed over her neck and chest. Scarlett laughed, quite pleased that he had done so but not willing to actually admit it. Continuing to brush her hands over his back, making small patterns across his skin with her fingers, Scarlett stopped and traced something over his skin. Tony visibly shivered and shook the feeling off, trying to decipher in his head what she wrote but unfortunately his thoughts were far more concerned with what was happening between his legs.

Finally leaning on one of his forearms and his knees, Tony gently urged her thighs apart so that he could rest comfortably between them. Scarlett helped with the process and wiggled to get more comfortable against the hotel bed. Hands still traveling slowly down his back she finally reached his boxer briefs and started to tug them away, her hands playing with their lining.

Tony grabbed onto the edges of her panties and started to tug them down at the same time. He wanted to trap the intimate feeling they’d managed to create because it wasn’t one he’d experienced before. Intimacy had always been avoided, at least for him. Tony never wanted it more than he did now. With Scarlett, it was comforting and alluring, when other times it had just been scary and awkward. His fear of commitment seemingly no longer mattered.

Stopping when she could no longer reach to push his boxers further, Scarlett glanced down at him to see he was pulling away. His lips slowly trailed down her chest and to her stomach. He kissed over her hip bone and nuzzled his nose there. There were faint traces of fading scars that he hadn’t quite noticed on prior occasions. He made it a mission then and there to memorize every bit of her and to learn the stories of her scars and somehow he knew she would do the same someday.

Tugging her panties off of her thighs, over her knees and freeing them from her ankles, Tony tossed them away with the other clothes. Glancing up at her, he kissed the side of her knee and brushed his hands down her thighs. She was looking at him curiously and while he contemplated doing things to her that would make her scream in ecstasy long before he got started, he saw something in her eyes that made him once again feel the need to return to her lips. That same sadness was there, and he realized it had very little to do with him. While he was relieved, there was also worry in the back of his mind; worry that didn’t matter when he had the heat of excitement rushing through his body with full throttle adrenaline.

In the light of the reactor, he watched her as she pushed her hair away and then curled her index finger in hopes of luring him back to her. The smile he loved so much returned to her face and so he complied and returned right to her lips, pushing her head back down onto the pillows with the force of his kiss. Tony wriggled his hips and kicked his boxers off and away, finally having to fling them off of his left foot when they got caught which resulted in a laugh from Scarlett.

“Don’t laugh at me.” Tony murmured against her lips, before kissing them again, leaving playful nibbles on her bottom lip as he did so.

“But it’s so easy.” Scarlett smirked, brushing her fingers through his short hair. There was something about that action that excited her. Her heart was racing full throttle and her body was shivering with excitement all because of him. Once again he laid with her, in all his glory and somehow it felt like the first time all over again. It was cliché and ridiculous but Scarlett couldn’t lie to herself about the way it made her feel.

Suddenly Scarlett was one of those women she had rolled her eyes at, who had inexplicable feelings all because of some guy who was charming the hell out of her. The best part was that she didn’t care. Now that she had it in her life she didn’t want to lose it. But she wouldn’t let it consume her either. Well, for the moment it was okay to let it consume her.

Tony slipped her bra straps off of her shoulders but Scarlett stopped him, brought back to reality by his touches.

“Let me help this time…” Slowly she reached to adjust the bra but clicked her tongue and couldn’t help but smile in surprise as Tony had reached around her in an instant and unclipped her bra. “Well then.” He had a satisfied smirk on his face and offered her a playful wink.

“If there’s one thing I learned to do at an early age it was take off a bra, Miss Damien…” Tony pulled it away from where it lay useless on her chest and tossed it aside. Instantly he laid on top of her, taking his place between her thighs once more. Purposely he rested the arc reactor against the spot it had burned the first time they’d been together. Once again, the reactor was warmer than it should’ve been but instead of being nervous about it, it thrilled Tony to know that anyone could cause that reaction. For the first time, the reactor truly felt like part of him rather than just a machine that kept him alive.

“I guess even with all I know about you, I’m still surprised by your cunning in such areas, Mr. Stark.” Scarlett chuckled, and then urged him to come closer to her again, wanting to kiss him again but he spoke instead. She sighed in frustration.

“I think I might be insulted.” Tony playfully growled.

“Shut up and kiss me…” Scarlett brushed her hands down his back and playfully tapped his butt to get him going. Tony’s eyebrows shot up comically and then nodded his head.

“I’d say make me but I think you actually would… that’s for another day though.” Tony purred against her lips before kissing her again deeply. Not waiting for an okay or confirmation, Tony slowly reached between his legs and adjusted himself so he was right against her, feeling her physically trembling in reaction to him. Then while still locked in her kiss he pushed his way inside of her.

Scarlett pulled from his lips temporarily to gasp in response to the sensation. Despite their having done this multiple times now, it felt new and wonderful. Even that jolt of the beginning of their lovemaking made her see stars. It was astonishing considering how it had always been just sex with prior lovers. Now it was something completely new and exciting for them both.

Leaning her head back, Scarlett arched her back and allowed her body to settle with him within her. Tony brushed her hair back again and then urged his hand beneath her back, fingers tracing along the arch of her spine and looking down at her chest hungrily. Slowly he rocked his hips against her, to stimulate them both further and watched the way her body bounced in reaction to him. He had a few choice naughty words for her in his head right then and there but he decided against using them. There would be other times for them to play around and explore each other more physically, or at least Tony hoped there would be.

“Tony…” Scarlett exhaled his name and grabbed his hair, urging his lips back to hers in an intimate kiss. Slowly she urged her back down in place again on the pillows but felt Tony keeping his hand there.

Positioning his other hand next to her on the bed, Tony continued to kiss her and then slowly pulled his hips away just slightly only to push back into her, starting a slow and rhythmic motion with her to increase the friction they’d already managed to build up.

Her hands graced over the back of his neck, fingers caressing the small hairs there in hopes of giving him goose bumps, and it was a successful endeavor. Tony had to shake off the chills that ran down his spine and he groaned loudly in response to the touch. Words had, for once, escaped him in the heat of the moment. Her lips seemed far more important than anything to him. He could see that her lips were swollen and red and looked painful from the effort of kissing him so much. It was like he’d missed so much time doing so that he wanted to make up for it and she clearly felt the same way.

Finally needing to focus more on the way his hips were moving in a slow rhythm to build tension further inside of her, Tony gritted his teeth and groaned. Scarlett gasped and moaned with her mouth open as he did so. She urged her hands to his shoulders, nails tracing down his back as she moved her hips with his in an effort to bring him as much pleasure and excitement as he was making for her. Her hips trembled and her thighs quaked with excitement as she felt him urging in and out of her.

She leaned her head to the side, bit her lip and gripped tighter at his back as she did. It was too much to bear and she was closer than she should’ve been so early on in their lovemaking. Tony knew just where to touch her and just how to move to get her going.

Noticing this change in her body, Tony slipped his hand away from beneath her back and caressed over her thigh. Watching her expression change and her body arch, he kissed over her neck.

“Don’t hold back, Scarlett…” He urged between heavier breaths. His skin was coated with a thin layer of sweat, beads of it starting to drip against Scarlett’s flesh. Slowly he returned his lips to her neck and then urged his hand between her legs. Skillfully he urged his fingers over the front of her the more sensitive area of her body. Finding the place he knew would cause her the most pleasure, he brushed his fingers against it and continued to do so in the same motions in which he was pushing.

“Oh fuck,” Scarlett cursed, unable to help herself in the heat of the moment. Tony groaned against her skin to hear her reaction to his touches. It was just what he’d wanted from her. He’d never had a woman so physically excited by him. Her body was fighting the natural reaction he was building up within her but he wanted to make her let go. It was the least he could do considering what he’d put her through.

Tony yelped in surprise and pulled his head up when Scarlett pulled on his hair and hard. It was alluring but had taken him by surprise. She wanted his lips again and planned on getting them one way or another. Smirking down at her he urged his lips to hers hard, engulfing them entirely as he started to urge his body faster against hers.

Scarlett broke away from the kiss she’d so desperately wanted to cry out as her body hits its climactic peak and succumbed to wave after wave of sudden pleasure that left her thighs feeling crippled. Her hips twitched and her skin felt unnaturally warm as she gripped harder at his hair and cried out for him over and over again. The heat came from somewhere within her.

Tony watched her face contort with pleasure, his mouth hanging open and had to practically hold his breath to keep from reaching his end then and there. Instead he continued to move steadily as her body contracted around him and tried to force him to his finishing point. He urged his finger to continue against her in time with his motions which only sent her reeling for longer than she would have naturally gone.

Scarlett arched her body and squirmed beneath him, making feeble attempts to keep moving with him through her climax. Just as the times before it, her orgasm felt completely different, new and amazing. It overwhelmed her and made her see stars and reaffirmed to her that it wasn’t just lust that was driving her to want Tony, but something more intense.

“Oh Tony… Tony, oh god… oh god…” Scarlett whimpered and continued to whisper his name as she moved. Once the pleasure started to fade she was able to gather more of her bearings and continued her hips against his but Tony wasn’t going to let that last very long.

As her body remained arched, he kissed down her chest and nipped over her breasts, his tongue paying attention to every bit of her to give her the attention she deserved. Groaning against her skin he was delighted to find that the sound of his voice against her skin gave her goose bumps despite how warm their bodies were.

“Scarlett,” Tony groaned, without having meant to. It was so natural for her name to escape his lips in the heat of passion and once he said it he had a hard time stopping. Reaching beneath her back again he urged her to continue arching her body for him and kissed over her breasts still as he suddenly started to move his hips faster in a new and completely different rhythm. Scarlett cursed beneath her breath again, her thighs already incredibly numb and her toes tingling from the way he’d brought her to the edge.

“Oh…” Scarlett gasped and groaned, reaching down for Tony’s hair again and giving it another playful tug, resulting in a much louder exclamation from Tony than the last time. He was getting further lost in the passion of their lovemaking and stared at her with his mouth hanging open. The pleasure on his face astounded her and she urged him to continue, slipping both her arms around his shoulders to pull his body closer against his.

She cried out as the reactor touched her chest again, hotter than it had been moments before and surely renewing the scar that had finally started to fade on her chest. Tony kissed her passionately as often as he could but his breath was too short and haggard to keep it up for long periods of time. A few more minutes they rocked together, though neither could really tell how much time had transpired. Finally Tony couldn’t take anymore. As much as he wanted to bring her to ecstasy again he needed to give into the tension that had built up so intensely within him that he cried out and had to hold his body still as he finished. Warm pleasure rushed through his hips and spread to her, the result of their end together.

Much to his surprise, Scarlett was crying out again too, and not just because of the finishing touches of their lovemaking. Her body was twitching and hitting its climax a second time, just as intensely as the first. Between kisses they groaned and cried out while they rode out the pleasure that they’d shared together.

Passion kept them going for a few long moments before Tony had to slow his hips down. He was pleased to find that Scarlett could no longer keep up the heavy pace either, that she needed to slow her body down. Her hips were twitching and her thighs so numb she could barely move with him any longer.

Together they slowly rocked their hips to a stop. Tony let his hand slowly guide Scarlett’s back down from the way she’d arched it and then brushed over her arm and up to her shoulder, where he pushed her sweaty hair away from her skin. He didn’t want to stop kissing her, despite the desperate need for oxygen so he kept at her lips as often as he could. Scarlett did the same, small noises of exhaustion and pleasure escaping from them both as the seconds passed. Soon Scarlett needed to gather her breath, her lungs aching for the air they’d been deprived of during their lovemaking.

Tony, unwilling to stop his kisses, turned his attention back to her neck where his lips relentlessly moved against her skin. His body was spent and satisfied but it didn’t mean he was done with her, like he would’ve been with other women. The last two times they’d made love, they hadn’t gotten to truly enjoy the moments afterward and had instead manipulated each other. This time, Tony was going to make sure they both savored the time they had.

Brushing his lips over her skin, his chest still pressed against hers, he concentrated on the rising and falling of Scarlett’s chest as she regained her breathing properly, a smile still on her face. He could feel her heart still racing in her chest. Slowly Tony slipped his hips away from hers, but kept lying on top of her afterward. It would be a feat, but he was determined to pull the hotel blankets on top of them so they could transition into sleep.

Scarlett looked exhausted, he could tell by the quick glances he stole of her between kisses on her neck. Deviously he started to suck and bite at her skin, intent on marking her. Realizing just what he was doing, Scarlett swatted at his shoulder and laughed.

“Hey… hey now…” She whispered, her voice sounding weak and strained.

“Hmm?” Tony playfully and purposely bit at her neck again, concentrating on the one area that seemed the most susceptible to his lips.

“Don’t do that, we’re not teenagers…” Scarlett laughed, watching him. Tony purposely sucked on her skin again, mischief in his eyes. Once he was sure he’d left a mark on her skin he pulled away triumphantly.

“Says who?” Tony whispered before finding her lips again. Scarlett shook her head in dismay but her eyes were already drifting closed with fatigue. Tony made himself comfortable next to her, his head resting against her shoulder and arms around her tightly. Scarlett smiled as he held her, relieved to be cradled in such a way. It was weird to think, but she felt safe and comforted by his arms encircled around her. She’d never required anyone to protect her before, but it felt nice to know that he was willing to do so if she asked. And he had been her knight in shining titanium alloy enough times that she couldn’t really deny that the comforting feeling he brought was entirely justified.

“You’re such a dick…” Scarlett whispered as she closed her eyes, feeling spent and heavy from the long day she’d had.

“I know. But you love me.” Tony whispered, though he had never actually received confirmation from her. Scarlett glanced down at him, her eyes half lidded but still smiling at where he had his head rested on her shoulder.

“I do and you’re lucky.” She answered simply. Tony smiled widely and kissed her shoulder, closing his eyes as he snuggled here. Finally he’d gotten what he’d wanted and they started the path to forgiveness and the relationship they should’ve started weeks ago when their tension had first pulled them together.

Scarlett fell asleep quickly in his arms; Tony could feel it in her breathing. For awhile, he laid awake and watched her sleep but not because he wasn’t tired. It was just nice to see her looking peaceful and happy. There were no nightmares plaguing her. Maybe if he could hold her like that every night, he could stop the nightmares altogether.

With that thought in his head to comfort him, Tony’s eyes became too heavy to keep open and he gave into the sleep that he more than desperately needed after having gotten barely any the previous night when his guilty thoughts had kept him awake.