Don't Make This Easy, I Want You to Mean It

I got up with an uneasy stomach, the feeling of retching on my tongue and when I stood to get Jaxon ready, nausea hit in a big wave. I blocked it out and picked him up, setting him on my hip. Tony was still sleeping, drooling on his pillow. It made Jaxon laugh. I carried him down the hallway and set him on the kitchen counter, grabbing my cup of coffee. Nausea hit again and I braced myself against the counter, forcing what was coming up, back down.

“Are you okay, Mrs. Stark?” Jarvis asked, while I put Jaxon down.

“Yeah,” I whispered. “I’m fine.”

The doorbell rang and I went to answer it. Jaxon ran off to wake Tony. Clint was at the door, looking behind me for him. He came back with a sleepy Tony. His hair was a mess, shirt twisted and boxer’s falling low on his hip. It was kind of attractive.

“Tell Aunt Marlee and Uncle Tony, bye.” Clint said, getting his overnight bag and slinging it over his shoulder.

Jaxon climbed into my arms and wrapped himself tightly around me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. His knee pushed against my stomach, causing the nausea to hit a little harder. I swallowed the bile, burning my throat. “Bye babe, I love you.”

“Love you too,” He giggled. He slid down and crawled up into Tony’s arms. He pressed a kiss to his cheek and said I love you. He practically melted. I could see it.

“Love you too, big guy.” He smiled, setting Jaxon down. He grabbed Clint’s hand and they were gone. Tony walked to the kitchen and I couldn’t help but watch him go. His ass is perfect.

“I can feel you staring,”

I followed him and wrapped my arms around his waist, burying my face in between his shoulder blades. “You look pretty sexy right now, I can’t help myself.”

He laughed, “I look like a fucking hobo.”

“A sexy ass hobo,” I placed a kiss to his back and rubbed under his shirt. “I didn’t think hobos could be sexy.”

I bit his shoulder blade and a shiver ran down his spine. I raised his shirt up mid-torso, fingers tracing the light cut of abs. He stopped my hand and laced our fingers, dragging me back to our room. He fell on the bed and I crawled up to his waist, tugging his shirt off. He pulled me to his lips, smiling as my hands roamed over his stomach and inching lower. My stomach tensed up as Tony put pressure on it. Nausea hitting in larger waves than before. I could feel the bile rise in my throat, burning my mouth as I ran to the bathroom.

“Babe,” Tony said. I couldn’t answer him, my head now resting in the toilet as yesterdays dinner flooded my eyes. “Jarvis, call Dr. Banner.”

“Yes, sir,”

Tony kneeled by me and ran a hand over my back. His touch calming me, but the ocean in my stomach was not settled. I could feel the tears sting my eyes as I felt more burn my throat, but nothing came up. Tony pulled me against his chest and pressed kisses to the back of head, while his hand traced patterns on my stomach. I melted into him. Sometimes he could be the sweetest person ever. His lips rested behind my ear, “Better?”

My stomach was still upset, no matter the effort he’s putting in to comfort me. I shook my head as a tear fell. He kissed the back of my neck and traced circles on my skin.

“Sir, Dr. Banner is here.”

He slipped an arm under my leg and the other bracing my back. I curled into his chest as he made his way to the lounge. He laid me on the couch opposite of Bruce. He smiled, looking at Tony’s bare body. “I can’t help but feel I’m interrupting.”

“Maybe,” Tony smirked as I rested my head against his thigh.

Bruce looked me over, feeling of my forehead. “No temperature,” He mumbled. “Stomach problems?”

I nodded and he raised my shirt, pressing along the sides of my stomach. I sat up immediately, pushing the feeling back down my throat. I was not doing this again. His eyebrows raised. “Hmm…”

“Hmm?” Tony said, questioning look ghosting over his face.

“I don’t think I have one in my bag, but I recommend a pregnancy test.” He smiled.

I could feel my heart skip a couple of beats. I looked over at Tony and his face was like stone. No emotion and I could feel tears blur my eyes. He doesn’t want this. My heart was now breaking, no, shattering.

“Mr. Banner and Mr. Stark, your presence is requested at the Avengers HQ.” Jarvis spoke.

Tony got up without a word and Bruce’s eyes saddened. He pulled me into a hug and kissed my forehead. “He’ll be fine.”

I watched them leave. No goodbye. No kiss. He’s mad and I don’t really understand. He was so good with Jaxon. He’d be a great father. I shook this from my head and a box appeared on the coffee table. A pregnancy test. I looked it over, fear growing in my stomach. I got up and walked down the hall, going to get dressed. I’ve got work to do. Avril and Haley will be here soon. This will just have to wait.

I slipped on a pair of jeans and one of Tony’s band shirts. He could be difficult all he wanted, but I still missed him. I walked through the hall and down the basement steps, going past his lab. I stopped at the next door, my studio. I grabbed my headphones and guitar, sitting in the recording booth. Playing to get my mind off of things, but was stopped short by Haley and Avril coming in.

“Do you mind if we record Alice?” She asked, “The producers are wanting the song soon.”

I nodded, putting my things up and taking my seat behind the stereo boards. Haley sat next to me and we placed our headphones on. She turned on the background music as Avril started to sing. I fiddled with a few things and moved the left ear piece back. “What do you think?”

“Sounds good,” Haley sighed, sensing something was wrong.

I put the ear piece back and folded up in my chair as she finished the song. A million things were going through my mind and not one was about the song ringing in my ears. It was Tony. It was a baby. It was Tony again. It was him leaving me. Us getting a divorce. Me raising baby Stark on my own. Single parent. Tony hates me.

When the thoughts eased, Avril was gone and Haley was staring at me. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m not feeling well,” I said, feeling the nausea again. It was piercing and all I wanted was Tony. I closed my eyes and waited for it to stop, but it wasn’t easing up.

“Mrs. Stark, Tony is home.” Jarvis reminded me.

“That’s my cue to leave,” Haley sighed. “Bye sis, I love you.”

“Love you too.”

The door clicked behind her and everything was silent. Everything hurt. My insides felt like broken bits of glass, piercing through my skin. I could tell Jarvis to have Tony get me, but I kind of dread seeing him. So I pull myself out the chair and up the stairs, sneaking into our room. I shut the door quietly and rested against it.

“You’ve not taken it,” His voice pierced the air.

“I don’t want to.”

He sighed, holding the pink box in his hands. “I’m not mad, just worried.”

“Worried?”

“Worried that I’m not good for you and the baby. That I’ll be the world’s worst father because I’m never around.” He whispered. “I don’t wanna let you down.”

His words practically melted my heart. I walk toward him and his arms wrapped around my waist. I ran my fingers through his hair, “You’re going to be an amazing, daddy.”

He smiled and rested his head against my stomach. “I hope so.”

I pulled the box from his hands and walked toward the bathroom, shutting the door behind me. I take the test, laying it out on the counter. The box said to wait thirty minutes. “Marls,”

The door clicked open and Tony poked his head in, a smirk on his face. “Am I a daddy?”

“Twenty five minutes.” I sighed, staring at the little stick.

His arms wrapped around my waist and he kissed down my neck. “I didn’t mean to be an ass earlier. I’m sorry.”

I snuggled into him, “I know.”

We stood there, both staring at the test until a little pink plus took over the white space. I was pregnant. No turning back now. A little baby Stark is on the way. Tony’s reflection in the mirror was kind of amazing. His eyes were wide, but his smile was glowing. He nuzzled my neck and kissed under my ear, “Maybe it’s a girl.”