synthneon | 🩸 iron spindrift || ❝ waiting for a girl like you to come into my life. ❞

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🩸 iron spindrift || ❝ waiting for a girl like you to come into my life. ❞

[ Arielle stands in the living room, hands and arm bundled in the cropped jacket she will be wearing with the full length dress she has underneath. The black dress that shimmers different colors when the light hits it in different angles. The bottom fans out like a mermaid tail. Hair done in usual fashion but with irridescient bubbles clinging to catch the light. Lined in irrediscent blue, a deep cut at the chest and exposed back. It shows more than she is used to, but this is a special occasion. She needs to make a statement not only as an introduction to the world. The other reason is because it is the birthday of her... she would call him her only one.

Tony Stark may not like the idea of a title that is so sentimental and binding.

Amber eyes lift idly to the ceiling as she once again mulls the idea over in her mind. She can remember being told that her species--what she had been turned into--had people they would instantly bind with. It had been a rather chemical and medical explanation by her adopted carer (not her maker), but it was apart of the chemistry of finding a mate. She preferred the more romanticized version of the idea which had been no surprise to her carer. If anything the neigh ancient vampire thought it heartwarming she could still believe in fairytales despite her new circumstances.

Her gaze softens. Do I still believe in fairytales? It's been so long.

She had been ready to die the day Tony Stark had found her on the beach amongst the waves. She had taken it as the one last good thing in her near one hundred year life that she finally met the one that would of been for her. It would have been fine to die after having met him, even if he never felt the immediate pull she had. He would have the rest of his life ahead of him and found someone else to be happy with. He, apparently, wouldn't let her go. Not that he could have known the thoughts running through her mind.

Not that any of that matters anymore! Especially one today. It's his birthday. A day she's more than happy to celebrate. She doesn't even remember her own birthday, which makes needing to celebrate his even more important. Years and aging still matter to a human. He isn't near immortal.

Arielle's attention immediately moves to the hallway as Tony walks down it. The gloomy like mood evaporates in an instant as she sees him. Her hands curl into the jacket she has held against her chest. Her heart pounds. It's almost like she is a young woman seeing her first crush for the first time. It's much deeper of a bond than that, of course, even if Tony doesn't realize it or doesn't see it that way.

Still, she smiles brightly, clearly head over heels for him and excited.

It's his birthday!

The realization it's technically the day people will learn about her and him--together--hasn't even crossed her mind. ]

Tony!

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[ Arielle stops when his fingers curl around her wrist. In a quick fluid motion, as if she hadn't moved at all, she turns and is in front of him once again. The hand not taken by his raises once more to rest lightly on the side of his face. Normally, she would be inside his space. A hand over his, his shoulders, leaning over while he works to see what he is building. Sometimes even leaning her head against his arm. Now? She takes slow purposeful movements where she is certain he will see what she is doing.

Afghanistan changed him and she knows. She's noticed. The way he stares out when he hasn't realized she is in the room. The way his hands shake sometimes when he builds when they didn't before. How he jumps at sudden sounds or movements. Even more than leaving him with what they now call PTSD--shell shocked--she knows it's unlocked something deep inside that he doesn't think she sees. He's still Tony Stark... just now there is more to the puzzle she can see.

Everyone thought he was dead. He wasn't. They didn't believe her but she knew. They're bonded--even more than that, they're the one for each other. She would know if he was dead before anyone else would. ]

They shouldn't be looking at me! It's your birthday. Your party. Today's the day everyone celebrates that you're here! [ Her smile is gentle, but somehow beaming at he same time. She means every word because words weren't always something she could share when she was turned. ] Even if everyone is only celebrating because Tony Stark throws amazing parties? I'm celebrating that it's the day you were born. Everyone else might not see how that is important, but, I do! It's the day you were brought into this world and that's important. It's special.

[ Arielle shakes her head ever so slightly then. ] Of course you dream. You dream up amazing things that no one else in the world does! You dream of ways of putting things together in ways no one else does! You dream about keeping people safe so they can come home. Everyone else sees it as destruction and ways to harm people. I know that's not how you think of the world. That's not how you see any of it. [ The hand at his face gently brushes along his cheek bone. ] Hehe, I'd be glad if you dreamed of me like that.

[ The hand he holds onto turns, raising so she can rest he back of his hand against her chest over her heart. The other raises then gently rests against the hidden arc reactor. She can still feel his heart beat despite the casing around it. She can sense the metal inside his chest. Her amber eyes close as she just stops to listen to the merge of a heartbeat and hum of mechanics in tandem. It fits him perfectly. A modern man of technology and still human underneath all of the show the world sees.

The smile on her face grows as she listens.

A sense of needing to feed always lingers in her mind even if she has grown deaf to it. She doesn't think of him as a source of her life or substance. She hears his heartbeat and the blood in his veins and her first thought is life. How he is so full of that singular thing. ]

I'm not dressed like this for anyone else to look at, even if they will! I'm dressed like this for you. Everyone else can look, but I'm not going to see them. The only person I see like that is you. There's no one else for me to see. Only Tony Stark.

[ For a second, Tony forgets to breathe. It's not that she's close; she's been close before, like really close, but there's something different about the way she looks at him now: like she's seeing through the jokes, all the smart deflections that usually keep people at a safe distance.

He swallows hard. Her hand is cool against his cheek, and his own fingers tighten just slightly around her wrist, not to hold her there, but because he's afraid if he lets go, she'll drift away like mist.

She always does that to him: draws him in without really trying.

When she hums to herself, he listens, even when she thinks he doesn't notice. He catches the little melodies that slip out when she's standing beside him or wandering around the workshop, half lost in thought. He loves that about her: how it makes her seem human again, even though he knows she isn't. And maybe that's why he’s so drawn to her. She's something he can't seem to hold onto, wrapped up in something that technically shouldn't even be alive. Maybe that's part of it. He shouldn't be alive either, but his is a different kind of "shouldn't be alive" than hers.

Her words hit him harder than he expects. The part about dreaming, about how she sees the good in him when only a handful do, when they all think he's just a guy who let the money go to his head. He lets out a soft breath, eyes flicking between her amber gaze and the spot where her hand rests over his heart. The other over the arc reactor. The contrast of warmth and cold. ]

You've got a real dangerous habit of making a guy believe he's something worth celebrating. And for the record? You're wrong about one thing: I get it if they can't stop looking at you, because I definitely can't seem to stop. You could walk into any room, and I swear, I'd still be the first one to notice you. Every damn time.

[ The thought of anyone else noticing her sits like a small, unwelcome spark of jealousy that he knows is irrational. She's not his, not officially, not in the way she might be if he could just say what he wants. But he's seen how people look at her, and whether he'd admit it or not, he doesn't like it.

He wants to tell her tonight: that he's thought about it, about asking her to turn him. About what it might mean for both of them, if they do it: being people who never age as the world goes by. The main thing for him is to never leave her behind and to never be left behind by her. But "never" is a strong word, and the reason he hasn't told her about this yet is that he's worried she'd turn him down.

Instead of saying anything, he just smiles, reaches up, and traces the line of her jaw with the back of his knuckles. ] You don't need to change anything, okay? You look perfect, like you always do.

[ He steps closer, their foreheads almost touching now. ] And between you and me, I don't think I've ever had a better birthday present.

[ Her gaze softens as she watches every small movement. The breath the lets out, the way he glances down at the hand over the arc reactor. The way he leans in close enough just to nearly bring their foreheads together. Her heart pounds so loud in her chest when he's near. When he looks at her, reaches out to touch her as if she's going to suddenly dissolve into small water droplets. As if he thinks she will be gone as quickly as she entered his life.

Is it because of what I am... or what happened to him while he was held hostage?

She almost lost him.

While he is afraid to speak in terms of belonging? She already has in her mind. Arielle knew the moment she looked up at him that he was hers--that one special person that was made for her and she made for him. She knew it before Tony even offered his blood to her, unknowingly binding them. He insisted and she hesitantly took that step. All the binding did was cement what she already knew about the two of them.

Arielle directs the hand over her heart to wrap around her waist. Then, she directs the other. Both of her own raise to drape over his shoulders. Her head tilts forward those last remaining inches to press her forehead to his. Grounding them together in that moment. ]

Tony? It's okay... I'm not going to leave. Maybe one day I'll turn into bubbles and drift away... but not tonight. Not tomorrow. Not for a long, long time. You saved me, remember? So, I'll be here as long as you want me to be! [ She smiles fondly at him and lets out a small almost girlish giggle. ] You can hold onto me whenever you want to! If you ever want to pull me close, or even just want to hold my hand? Extend your hand! I'll hold your hand every time.

Not because you're the billionaire philanthropist! Because you're you! [ Arielle leans against him gently but purposely. ] I'm yours... and you're mine. If that's okay.

[ They already belong to each other even if it isn't "okay." Still, he can tell her to leave. He could say enough is enough. She'd leave if he told her to... regardless if it broke her heart. ]

I'm glad to be your birthday present. [ Arielle beams. The idea her existence truly makes him happy is more than enough. She waited so long for him. ] It just means next year I have to do something even more special!

[ She already has an idea for this year. Once he's more settled, but before the guests arrive, she'll show him

For the moment? She settles on a different idea. Weight shifts to the balls of her feet to put her closer to his height. Then, she closes the distance needed and places her lips to his. They haven't kissed since he returned home. She didn't want to do anything that would dislodge him settling back in after what happened.

A birthday kiss shouldn't be too jarring!

Then, she smiles against his lips. He's warm, like the inside of her bubbles. ] If anyone looks? I'll just have to tell them I've already been swept off my feet... by the man I love.

Edited 2025-10-25 20:44 (UTC)

[ He hadn't meant to linger, but when she guides his hands where she wants them, one over her waist, the other resting at the small of her back, he can't make himself move. For once, his mind's not spinning through equations or defenses or worst-case scenarios. It’s quiet, except for her heartbeat, or maybe it's his. Sometimes Tony thinks that it's hard to tell where one ends and the other starts. ]

You know, you say that, that you're not going anywhere, and part of me really wants to believe it. The other part... The other part doesn't believe in... [ Fairy tales, he'd say, but this isn't a fairy tale. Fairy tales don't have vampires. ]

The other part keeps remembering that I'm just a guy built out of spare parts, a man with an expiration date, while you could watch the world spin a hundred times and still look exactly like the way you do now. Makes it kind of hard not to overthink the whole us thing.

[ He glances down, fingers brushing the fabric of her shirt where it rests against his arc reactor. The light beneath it glows faintly against her skin, like it's responding to her. He knows it's not, and he's not really given over to thinking about things like that, it's a cute idea. ]

When I offered you my blood, I don't think I was really thinking about what it meant. I just... God, this is going to sound so stupid, but I just wanted you to live. You know, no thoughts, just instinct. Just doing.

[ When she leans in, he meets her halfway. The kiss is slow and deliberate but no less hungry on his part. ]

Happy birthday to me, huh? Though if you keep giving gifts like that, I'm gonna start running out of things to wish for.

[ Tony doesn't need to finish his sentence, because she knows what he was meaning to say. Her gaze softens and her expression settles into something more pensive and thoughtful. Once again, her mind drifts back to the conversation with her... no, carer is the wrong word to use. He may not have been her sire, but, he raised her in a sense. He taught her what she needed to know to survive and understand what she had become. Maybe binding is far less romantic and fairy tale like than she had wished it was. Maybe it is something biological, chemical, even mechanical and not at all romantic.

Over thinking "us"... ]

Aooou... [ the sound that leaves her is barely audible. Made towards herself and how silly she must be to Tony, her adopted sire, her brood bother. Even her adopted sister--wherever she is in the world. ] I understand.

[ She pulls back enough to simply be resting their foreheads together. She can feel his hunger, and wants to respond, but now isn't the time. His guests will be here soon. They need to finish having everything ready for the party. This darker mood can't stay. It's a celebration of the day he was brought into this world; to dream and to build, to save lives, to make things no one else thought possible. No one else may appreciate it but she does.

And it deserves to be celebrated.

"I just wanted you to live."

Arielle only wants to live in a world that has him in it.

She made the decision when he boarded his private plane with Rhodey. The day he left the world would be the day she did too. The sun may not hurt her the same way stories of vampires have, but, she'd quietly move into the sea and let it take her. She is only in this world because he wanted her to be in it. There's no other point other than that. ]

It doesn't sound stupid at all. [ Arielle closes her eyes for a long moment. ] I... need to tell you so many things. I didn't want to bring them up when you finally came back. I wanted you to feel like you were really safe... and you were back here, in your home, with everyone you care about. Even JARVIS. But.... I guess now, we need to talk about those things. We'll talk about them after your party. Okay? I want you to have fun and enjoy living tonight.

[ Her hands slide to cup his face as her heart aches. She's scared of losing him after she finally has him back home. He has to make his choice. He has to decide with not only the feelings he has from bonding, but with his mind and heart. Otherwise it's a lie to both of them. ]

I'll keep finding gifts for you, even if you think there's nothing left out there in the world. [ She offers a smile. ] I promise.

[ Then, Arielle steps back from him. Just enough to put a few steps of distance between them. Her hands raise and she forms a clear yet glittering bubble between them. It's nothing mysterious or even fantastical. She's simply pulling moisture and water in the air and condensing it into a form--mist, basically. It floats up and over towards him, not breaking no matter the pressure that is applied to it. Then, she makes another. And another. Soon enough, they float to the ground and almost seem like balloons on the floor. ]

Happy Birthday, Tony.

Edited 2025-10-26 07:29 (UTC)

[ He doesn't interrupt her. He can't, because every time she starts speaking like that, it feels like she's touching on something too raw inside him, something he didn't even realize was still alive after Afghanistan and realizing that some of the people he thought were his friends actually weren't. There's a part of him that wants to tell her not to talk like that, not to even think about drifting away into the sea. But the words won't come out right; they get stuck in his throat and even as he plays them back in his mind, they just sound wrong. They sound like an order, and he's given too many of those in his life. She isn't someone he wants to control. ]

You really know how to wreck a guy's emotional firewall, you know that?

[ The quip doesn't have bite behind it, but his voice drops as he watches her conjure the bubble between them. The light from his arc reactor reflects through it, and his hand twitches like he's going to reach for it then stops. Not because he's afraid it'll pop, but because he's not sure if he's supposed to touch something that fragile: something that might dissolve just because he looked too close. ]

You keep saying you'll find me gifts, but... [ He gestures to the little constellation of shimmering orbs now drifting toward the floor ] I think you've already done that. You've already given me the one thing I couldn't build, the one thing no one can build. And again, it sounds like bullshit, but- Look, I say a lot of bullshit, so I think I can say this.

[ His tone softens even more. ]

Hope.

[ The word hangs there for a second before he exhales, the corners of his mouth tugging into a faint smile. ]

How about this? You find me a gift next year, I'll be around to unwrap it, and you're going to be here too. For good, if I have anything to say about it.

[ He finally steps closer, fingertips brushing one of the bubbles. It doesn't break, and he watches it wobbling in the hair, holding its shape. ]

You know what? Everything about this is just about perfect. Everything else can wait till after the party. Tonight, we just live.

[ However that looks like for them. ]

[ Hope...

Arielle stares at him for a brief moment. Almost as if he has pulled a rug out from underneath her. A hand raises and curls in front of her heart as if to protect something precious that settled there. He says she has given him something no one can build... but she feels that he has as well. Two somethings now. She feels her heart pound and her cheeks flush.

The same hand then raises to the bubble he brushes his fingers along. Her fingers tap it, gently ordering it to move towards him. Inviting for Tony to take it. She knows he doesn't like being handed things. It's the closest she can get to passing it to him with an invitation. They're his present, and he can take them if he wants. She'll make them last as long as he wants. ]

Okay. [ A small smile. Maybe he won't want her around next year after their talk. ] I'll make something you can unwrap next year!

[ Arielle then gently reaches out to take his hands into hers. Just to hold them. Ground them both for the party that she wonders if both of them are truly prepared for it. She hasn't be in the public eye in a very long time... and it's his first party since coming home from Afghanistan. Since he announced the change in Stark Industries from weapons to something more beneficial for the world. ]

Mr. Stark, I am sorry to interrupt, but Ms. Potts has arrived and so has the rest of the caterers and DJ.

[ Arielle glances up at the ceiling at the ever present AI "butler." Then, she glances at Tony. It seems it's time for the party.

Pepper Potts enters the room and things begin from there. Everything is finished set up, Pepper makes her rounds with Tony to finalize everything. Arielle and Pepper smile and exchange hellos before Arielle moves out of their way. The two of them get along, surprising the small inner circle, as one would thing they would argue over Tony. Pepper seems relieved someone truly cares for Tony, but also can care for him and she needs to do it less. Arielle likes Pepper.

If Tony were to ever tell her enough is enough and he needed a human woman? She hopes he would pick Pepper.

She puts her hands together and simply waits until the party begins and she is introduced. It isn't hard to tell that women are upset amongst the guests, and Rhodey and Pepper in the back share knowing glances. Arielle even takes a step closer against Tony when all the eyes turn on her. Her hand squeezez his tightly as she subconsciously looks for some kind of protection.

The party goes off without any problems. Well... for a Tony Stark party.

It's late into the night--early morning--when the party finally dies down. Rhodey and Pepper make sure everyone actually leaves before taking their own time to check in with Tony. That's only fair in her mind. They're his longest friends, besides JARVIS, and both play a function in his personal and private life. It allows her to slip away and into the room that acts as her own. She quickly changes out of the lovely dress into something more comfortable, something more like sleepwear, because it's something that makes her feel a little more at ease.

Part of her dreads this conversation.

She makes her way down to the workshop while Tony's attention is taken by his friends. That's the place he feels most like himself--the place that is entirely his own in the large mansion. He isn't a billionaire playboy in the workshop, he's just an engineer. Someone who builds and makes amazing things. That's the best place to tell him everything.

A light blue robe hangs off her shoulders and attempts to cover the simple white halter top nightgown she has underneath. String bows go up the side in order to tie it together, while the straps tie together around the back of her neck. Her hair is down from her usual style. A bright smile and pat is given to the robotic arms that inhabit the workshop that functions as a garage as well. Fingertips brush along the tabletops of his desks before she finally comes to a stop in the center of the workshop.

She reaches over for a wheeled stool and slowly takes her seats.

An exhale leaves her. Amber eyes fall to the hands in her lap that shake. She frowns before sliding them between her thighs to steady them and hide them. She has gone far longer than a handful of months between feedings. Controlling it isn't hard anymore! It's just a matter of reconditioning herself for it.

She exhales again before closing her eyes and letting the hum of machines and computers fill the space as she waits. ]

Edited 2025-10-27 17:09 (UTC)

[ Tony watches her hand linger in his, the faint shimmer of her bubble-creation still drifting around them. Then he glances toward the ceiling at JARVIS's polite interruption and lets out a long sigh. ]

Guess that's our cue. Showtime. You ready?

[ They've talked about this, and he asked her if she was okay with it, because really, if she said no, he'd find ways to keep her out of the public eye, if that's what she wanted. He can still play the part of Tony Stark, genius billionaire and playboy, but she doesn't need to be in that world if she doesn't want to be.

He squeezes her hand once in a silent "we've got this" and then, with that classic Stark grin, pulls her along beside him as he heads toward the main hall. By the time the doors open, his mask is back on: confident, easy, effortlessly in control. The music hits, the chatter swells, the lights catch the gold in the wine glass that was offered to him. But when his gaze slides to her, there's something softer there, something meant only for her. ]

Ladies and gentlemen... [ He raises his glass, voice cutting cleanly through the room. ] You've all shown up tonight for the same reason: free champagne and to bask in my questionable taste in music. But before we get to that part, there's someone you all should meet. And believe it or not, I'm actually not the guest of honor here. I know, it's my birthday, and that's why I think I get to decide who's the real guest.

[ The crowd quiets. Pepper watches with a knowing half-smile, regardless of her rather complicated feelings about how things have turned out. Rhodey folds his arms, already bracing for whatever Tony's about to say next, wondering what level of damage control he might have to do. ]

This is Arielle. She's the reason any of this got pulled together in time, and, well, probably the reason I didn't cancel the whole thing and spend my birthday alone in the workshop pretending to be productive.

[ Laughter ripples through the guests, with most of them thinking that Tony is joking, but there's a truth to what he's saying, whether they pick up on it or not. Still, Tony doesn't look away from her. For just a second, the playboy veneer drops, and what's left is real affection. ]

So, yeah. Be nice. Or else. [ He winks at all of them, but he's serious, even if he doesn't let that show right now. ] She's the best part of this circus.

[ Applause fills the room, but Tony leans closer as they move through the crowd together, lowering his voice just for her. ]

See? Not so bad. No pitchforks, no silver stakes. I think they actually like you.

[ He winks, guiding her hand to rest on his arm as they make their rounds. Every few minutes, someone stops him, a senator, an investor, someone wanting to "talk shop" and he humors them with the usual Stark one-liners. But in between, he keeps stealing glances at her. He lets his hand brush against hers when no one's looking. When she laughs at something he says, he watches her longer than he should. ]

You know, if we keep standing this close, people are going to start rumors. They're probably already starting them, let's be real.

[ He pauses just long enough for a mischievous glint to flash in his eyes. ]

We should probably give them something to talk about.

[ Before she can answer, he offers his hand again, this time deliberately. The song changes to something slower, the bassline smooth and chill but punchy. ]

Dance with me. [ He holds his hand out to her, giving her a moment to decide if she wants to take it or not.

They dance a few more times throughout the night, and after awhile, Tony stops paying attention to anything else or anyone else but Arielle. It's not that he's ignoring them, really, but there's something about her that just draws his attention and makes everything else going on in the room fade into the background.

Eventually, once the party ends and the guests are directed home, Tony exchanges a few words with Pepper and Rhodey before they say goodnight and leave as well. Once the place is quiet, Tony begins making his way down to the one place he feels most like himself, the workshop. On the way down, he pulls the loosened tie the rest of the way off and removes his suit jacket as well. Part of him hopes that Arielle is down there, but another part of him assumes she won't be. She doesn't sleep, exactly, but she can retire for the evening like anyone else does.

But as he walks into the room, he feels a certain shiver creep up his spine before he's even really seen her, and his eyes are immediately drawn to where she sits waiting for him. ]

Hey. I figured you turned in already.

Edited 2025-10-28 07:50 (UTC)

[ Arielle smiles again, but this time, there is a nervousness haunting the corners. She is as ready as she is going to be! It's not the idea of being seen as Tony Stark's significant other that is the cause of worry. It's the fact that the Guard is still out there... hunting her kind... and being in the public eye paints a greater target on her. Elder vampire societies may even shun the limelight, but, she had never bothered herself with them. She was never apart of them despite the lineage she shares with her brood brother.

Her heart pounds and she squeezes his hand in return. Tightly.

The main area is filled with lights and music. So many people. It's almost staggering at first to hear so many heartbeats. She had gotten used to the quiet and only hearing a handful. Her gaze sweeps across them all, never once seeing them as potential candidates for meals. If anything? She sees people who could hurt her--hurt Tony.

Which is another reason she steps closer against his side.

Her hand curls into his arm at the introduction. All of the eyes on her. She's never been good at the center of attention. Still, she forces a smile, and a wave, and a quick "Hello" to everyone. She is certain to find ways to swing the attention and focus back to Tony no matter who approaches them. A few sparing glances are sent to Pepper and Rhodey to make sure they're okay... but this probably isn't their first rodeo with Tony.

A squeeze of his arm then his hand. She noticed what he said is true even if no one else caught onto any of it.

Dance with me.

The offer catches her off guard even if he had preface it before. She takes his hand, suddenly thankful for the dance lessons her brood brother's wife gave her. Things polished and built on from the lessons her adopted sister once gave. She is able to not only keep pace with Tony, but bring an old world elegance to it that none of the other couples have. Her head rests against his shoulder without even thinking or noticing.

Her eyes never leave him when they dance.

It is like a fairytale.

Still, she can't help but be glad she has slipped away once the party ends. Her hands curl together between her thighs. Another deep breath. The thunderous amount of heartbeats are gone. Now, to suppress the hunger pangs that had threatened to pull to the surface. Tony calmed her and helped her focus on something other than the fact her body reminds her it hasn't eaten properly in months.

That's okay! She has gone longer. It's just will power.

Her expression brightens when Tony sees her in the workshop. She's suddenly aware of how short the sleeping dress she is in truly is. He's seen more, once, but that doesn't mean he wants to see her that way at all! ]

No. You're still awake! And... we were going to talk. [ This is better to explain and understand before they continue on--together. He needs to know and decide. ] You enjoyed the party! I'm glad.

[ She wanted him to feel as if it was the best birthday he ever had.

Her hands curl against each other again. Arielle wants to reach out and touch him. She wants to feel the warmth that radiates from him. She wants to feel safe, secure, and loved if he does. Not yet though. Not until he knows. ]

I can sleep after we talk. You might too? Unless you had projects to work on!

[ Tony lingers a moment longer in the doorway, long enough to pretend he's still deciding what to say, but then he pushes off the doorframe and takes a few slow steps closer. The hum of the machines fills the silence between them. He can hear the faint shift of her breathing, see the way her fingers twitch against her knees.

He stops in front of her, and as he looks at her, he thinks about the way the glow of the arc reactor kind of paints her in cool blues, like moonlight that somehow found its way into a house and underground. Her skin almost looks luminous in it. His pulse picks up, part curiosity, part something else he'd rather not name just yet. ]

Yeah, we were going to talk, and you're probably hungry. [ It's not a question, but it sounds a little like one.

He stops near her chair and leans a hip against the workbench, looking down at her. For a second, he doesn't know what to do with his hands. He's used to talking with them, gesturing, creating, building, but now he just tucks them in his pockets, because it;'s something to do. ]

She was right, you know. Pepper. Said you'd steal the spotlight just by walking around. Half the room forgot I was even there once you walked in. [ A small smile tugs at his mouth. ] Can't say I blame them. In the looks department, you've got me beat.

[ It's partly deflection, partly truth. The memory of her on the dance floor hits him again: the way she moved with a kind of grace that made time feel like it slowed just for them. He hadn't expected her to be so at ease in his arms, or for it to feel right the way it did. ]

But, you know, I really did enjoy the party. Okay, so I enjoy most parties that I put on, but this one... This one was great because of you. [ Then, in the interest in lightening the mood with a little humor, he adds: ] I get the feeling this isn't about the cake.

[ It's definitely not about that for him. He has something he wants to say, something he wants to ask her, but he has a feeling that what he wants to suggest isn't something she wants. But when he imagines her response to what he's been trying to figure out to say, he knows his own response would be to point out that they've moved past "want" and into the territory of "need".

That, and he can't imagine living without her, and he definitely doesn't want to put her in a position of having to live without him.

After a few seconds of thinking, he says: ] You like me, right? You like being here in this mansion, with JARVIS around and Rhodey and Pepper stopping in sometimes to bug me?

[ Tony stops in front of her and her breath catches for a moment in her throat. Not from hunger, and not from the connection made through bonding. It's simply him. He could be wearing a run down tank top, or flannel, or sweatpants and she would still have the same reaction. She knows what it is, because she has seen the reactions on others. Her brood brother always reacted that way when his wife approached him. Her adopted sire always looked like he couldn't believe his lady existed in the same room as him. Now... she just truly understands what they were feeling.

She has said it already, but, she doesn't think Tony noticed the words. Maybe too many people have already told him they love him, so the word has no meaning now.

Her hands flex against her knees again. Not from needing to feed, but suppressing the urge to reach out and touch him. Hold his hands or his arms. Rest her head against his chest to hear his heartbeat and arc reactor hum. She's missed being so close to him. Everyone said he needed time to adjust after coming back. She understood and agreed.

It's just now, after the party... ]

I'm okay. [ Her answer is quick but assured. He wouldn't want to hear how long it had been since she ate when he offered first. ] It's just training myself again. I've done it before!

[ Tony isn't there to simply feed from. That isn't what she sees when she looks at him.

The man looking back at her is an inventor. A dreamer. Someone who can imagine something and build it for the world to gander at. A man of technological progress. A man who used fame and all the things with it to fill something inside him. Something she wants to help mend and make right, when it may not even be her place to do so. Not out of a concept of power or ego. He's hurting, and she loves him. Shouldn't she be the one to heal him when he is her one..
]

I didn't want to pull attention away from you on your birthday! Or, at all. Ever. [ her gaze lowers. ] I wanted you to have fun... and smile again. I wanted to look like what people would expect a woman next to Tony Stark to look like. I wanted you to like it too...

[ A change in her posture. Her shoulders sink, hands curl into each other more. An older look suddenly takes her gaze and her head lowers just enough to shift how the light from his arc reactor highlights her. ]

I wanted you to feel happy again. So, I'm glad that I made your special day a good one. Even if it doesn't seem like I am? I really am.

[ His questions catch her by surprise again. Had she given him the idea of something opposite? Did her hesitation and frankly fear of everyone seeing her make him think she didn't want to be here anymore? She waited three months for him to return... and even longer to meet him. Of course she loves living in the mansion! JARVIS and the robotic arms! Not to mention a home by the sea! Most of all? She loves him and living with him. But, Tony is someone who operates on science and logic. Not so much emotions--the opposite of herself.

How can she explain all of this to him?

Amber eyes close and she leans her head towards him once more. She doesn't touch him--waiting for the invitation to be given. ]

Tony, [ she ties to filter as much emotion she can into his name alone, ] I do. Of course I do! I like living here with you. I like watching you work. I even like just watching how you, and Pepper, and Rhodey share your lives like old friends! I like JARVIS and the robotic friends you've made too! Your cars, your mansion. I even like the very thing that keeps you alive and hums so softly no one else notices.

[ She loves it all. Maybe that's where she should start? ]

You offered to feed me before you left for Afghanistan... a-and I hesitated at first. You insisted, and so I did. That doesn't mean that's how I see you! I've spent so long suppressing it that I really don't notice when I need to feed and that's okay. [ A nod is given as if to confirm the statement. ] Feeding is... it's... uhmmm... it can be different depending on why. For most? It's sustenance. Sometimes we can make progney. But, then, sometimes it can be more than that. It can deepen a bond that's already there. When it's those times? It's not just feeding. It's sharing a small part of life that no other creature can in that way.

Uhm, [ she pauses, ] my adopted sire always said it was the vampire and the human reacting to each other chemically... and hormonally... and emotionally... psychologically. A way that the two bond on almost every level. That's why I hesitated at first... because I already liked and cared for you! A lot. Deeper than you know. I didn't want you to think or feel that it was only bonding because you offered to feed me. It was the reverse. It feels so intense because I already feel that way... and I have since you pulled me out of the waves and I saw you the first time.

[ Her shaking hands raise to gently brush along the hands in his pockets. A wordless request to hold his hands. His choice, because his choices were robbed from him. They kept him in that cave with no choices for him to make. They took away his safety. She doesn't ever want him to think she is robbing him of that. ]

We have a way of knowing who our partners will be. I know you don't believe in fairytales, so I won't describe it that way. There are just people that are our match, and we know when we find them. I--Tony. I spent a long time waiting to meet you. I waited so long that I thought maybe I missed you... and you had your life and lived it with another. It's why when you pulled me from the sea, I was... [ I was okay dying after I met you.

Arielle finally raises her gaze back to him. He isn't nostalgic so maybe he wouldn't want her story. ] You feel the things you do because of that bond. My feeding just made those feelings all the more intense. I don't want you to feel you have to be with me because of those reactions of feeding. I want... I want you to make any choice about us with your mind clear and knowing what your heart says. That's why I need to tell you everything you want to know. About me, about vampires. Any of it.

Edited 2025-10-30 10:19 (UTC)

[ Tony would have to be absolutely blind to not see the way she looks at him, and he can see that it's not just her looking at him idly with no purpose behind it. He can practically feel what she might be feeling as she looks at him. But then again, maybe that's all in his head. Maybe he's projecting. Maybe he's not actually seeing what's really going on.

Still, he wants to believe that what he's seeing is accurate. When she's looking at him like that, he finds it hard to really string words together. Maybe that's why, when she said she loves him, he didn't say anything right away. It wasn't lost on him; he knew she said it, and he instantly felt a flare of... of something. He can't put words to the emotion, only that it's strong and it almost knocked him off his feet in a proverbial sense.

He's not a vampire, and he doesn't have enhanced senses, but he can see the way her hands flex against her knees, and instinctively, he pulls his hands out of his pockets so that he can reach for her. He doesn't immediately close his hands around hers, but he's reaching for her so that she can reach back if she wants to. ]

You're not, though, are you? You've been training yourself, and by training, you mean going without. You don't have to do that, you know. [ He doesn't say anything, but he subtly briefly taps a finger against the side of his neck, just once. ]

Honestly? You think I mind if you pull focus? I really don't. Actually, what I mind is people looking at my... Looking at you. Looking at you like I should be looking at you. That probably doesn't make sense at all, and hell, if you want to look back at them, I can't really stop you, can I? [ He's rambling and he knows it, but he's trying to make sense of how he feels, and sometimes just letting it all out is the best way to do that. ]

But hey, don't I look like I'm having fun? [ He plasters on his usual wide grin for her, but there's something more in his eyes that isn't there when he's just smiling for the press or for an audience. ]

Okay, okay, I was just checking, because if you wanted to go literally anywhere else, I'll fly you there myself. [ Well, not exactly, but he'd get his private plane and a pilot to take her wherever she wanted to go.

But then he shuts up and listens as she launches into an explanation about feeding and how it works. He wants to know this, to learn about it, and so he stops talking so that he can properly hear her. It confirms a lot of what he's guessed already, and really, it just makes his determination grow. ]

So... hearing all that, knowing what I know... And what I know is that I love you a lot, like a hell of a lot. Why shouldn't we just keep doing it? [ For someone who talks all the time, this is another moment in which Tony is finding words difficult to grasp. ] I can't see myself with anyone but you, so I guess that means you're my match. You're stuck with me and I have no intentions of ever ditching you. [ Not ever. ]

Look, Arielle- I love you, you love me for who knows what reason, so why don't we just do the thing already? [ He knows that maybe he shouldn't talk about the act of feeding so casually, and he gets the feeling that if it were any other vampire, he might get slapped in the face for talking about it like that, but he's never felt like he has to put on airs around Arielle. ]

... Don't make me put on ten hours of the Barney theme song, because I will, if it helps you get the message. At least the "I love you" part.

[ Her adopted sire had always said she was extremely empathetic. Not only in sensing emotions of others, but communicating her own. Words were ... difficult when she first turned. Speaking incorrectly could cause her to mesmerize others. She never wanted to! She never meant to have it happen! It didn't matter, she did, and so she learned to communicate with gestures, her body, her eyes, sounds.

Sounds that she continues to make even now.

Tony reading her emotions does mean he is good at reading her. Not many could. Then again, it makes sense her other half would be able to sense what she thinks and feels with no effort. It seems like he is like her--they both have learned how to read others and the room. Maybe their reasons for reading others is different. The why doesn't matter! They can. That is what matters.

A tap to his neck and she gives the barest of frowns. No, she won't feed from there if she has to feed. There is too much danger in her mind. A major artery... if she pierced it with her fangs... ]

Ahhh... [ Arielle moves to answer the rest of his statement.

She stops before a sound even leaves her mouth.

"I love you a lot... Look, Arielle--I love you,"

Her heart pounds. Her hands curl around his out stretched ones. She said she would take his out stretched hands if he ever held them out. Her thumbs gently brush over the back of his hands. Arielle loves him so much... that's why she can't just... so easily without a care or thought for his wellbeing...

Her heart pounds harder. Love and hunger. It feels dangerous--horrfying even. Even after all this time her own nature scares her so much. What if she becomes a monster?

I wish I could be human again for you. ]

Tony... [ a waver in her voice and how she says her name. The end of his name extended, emotion filtering into her tone. Awe, love, fear of herself, wanting nothing more than to protect him. ] It's not because a lack of loving you or loving you as entirely as I do. That's not why I...

[ Her posture deflates almost in on herself. Shoulders fall, her head tilts to the side. Amber eyes close. Hands hold onto his tightly as if to request he doesn't leave her for what she is going to tell him. ]

I don't hate myself, but I don't like what I am. [ Arielle's grip tightens. ] I have never liked being like this. I didn't ask to be this! I didn't want to become something that has to take the blood of another living thing to be healthy!

[ Her tilted head nods in the direction of another wheeled stool in the workshop. She waits for him to take a seat in front of her. The tremor in her hands strengthens from all the emotions threatening to burst from her. Eyebrows knit together even as her eyes remain closed.

I wanted to sing for everyone... ]

I'm--we're not undead. That's the stories that were made by everyone else. We don't call ourselves 'vampires.' The term we use for ourselves is 'Ekon.' Most stay out of the public eye and keep to our own circles. We try to integrate into human society to be safe. Some use their old titles, but, most try and hide. There was a Great Hunt years before I was turned that led to a lot of us being killed. Then, they led another one the same time I was turned...

[ Arielle's eyes open slightly, but they are cast downwards at their hands. ]

1918. That's when I became this. I was in London, at an all girls boarding school. London was in a quarantine because of an epidemic... and I was on my way back as night fell. Someone--my sire--attacked me from behind. He... it... ohh... [ She dissolves into a barrage of sounds for a moment. Then: ] I don't know who my sire is. He left me there to change by myself. I crawled out of the bushes and into the streets as the sun came up, but, I was still alone...

[ Arielle bites her lip. ] You're not here just to sustain me or to be my food. But, if you insist? I will.

Edited 2025-11-02 09:58 (UTC)

[ Tony's not an empath, nor really the most empathetic person in existence, but he has his moments of managing to not be a complete tool. Maybe he's the last person who would admit it but there's been a handful of people that, if forced to identify them as such, he'd call his blind spots. Four people, to be precise, namely because they're the ones who've stuck with him.

He knows she doesn't want to feed on him, and she certainly doesn't want to feed on him from that spot on his neck, but it was the clearest way he could get his point across, that he wants her to feed from him whenever she feels the need.

She doesn't answer with words, instead making what he guesses is the start of a sound that trails off gradually. He waits for her response, because he knows her and he knows that her responses are complex and full of layers and he's had to learn how to interpret what she says by taking in her movements and her expressions and the tone of her voice. And, really, he's never minded it; he's good at studying people and he's a quick study, but even he thinks that Arielle is like an onion, with so many layers to learn about. ]

You don't like what you are, huh? Well, you know what that means. [ His fingers curl against hers in return. ] I know this isn't what you want, and you didn't ask for it, but you know what? I'll like who you are for you. That's got to be enough, right? [ He knows that the sentiment is a corny one. He knows that it's more hopelessly romantic than he'd like it to be, but hey, at least it's honest. ]

Seriously, Arielle, I like you. I love you, and yeah, I love you even as you are. And no, I haven't been studying romance movies or books so that I'd know what I should say. That's just how I feel. [ And he's not really one for talking about his feelings, but he's not stupid enough to believe that guys shouldn't talk about their feelings. There's just a time and a place for it, and this is that time and that place. ]

You're gonna say that all I'm doing is splitting hairs, but I want you to be healthy, and if that means I'm- [ He was going to say that he'd be her on demand buffet, but that's in bad taste even for him, and even if it wasn't, he knows she wouldn't like him saying that. ] Even if that means that I'm your main guy when you need to do your thing, I'm in. I'm 100% in. The end, end of story, no sequel. Not for this.

[ She wants him to sit, so he does as she's indicated, sitting on the stool in front of her and just shutting up and listening.

He doesn't really react until she begins explaining the Great Hunt and then the events of 1918, in London. As she goes on, explaining how she came to be who she is now, Tony's expression shifts. His jaw tightens and his eyes narrow as visible anger shows on his face; it's not directed at her, because why would it be? It's at whatever monster attacked her and then left her there alone. He doesn't have to be an expert on Ekons to know that what that person (and he uses that word lightly) did is reprehensible. ]

Do you know where this... sire is? I'd like to have a word or two with him.

[ A word or two, and maybe a punch and something more final. ]

I know what I'm here for. [ Kind of. ] I also know that I want to help you be healthy, so yeah: I insist.

It's more than enough. [ Arielle's tone still waves, but, it's clear that she believes win what she says. Her thumbs gently move circles over the back of his hands. A gesture trying to calm both and ground both of them. Even if she is the one more in need of it at the moment than him.

A deep exhale leaves her then. ] Ninety years...

[ A glance upwards at him once he has sat down. Ninety years since she was turned. She spent almost all that time waiting for him. She was proactive, of course! She traveled the world and met so many people. Friends that she tried to protect from the Guard. People that came and went out of her life.

Her gaze drops and her eyes close again. Her fingers brush over his.

It seems like there is no arguing or trying to convince him otherwise. Would it be otherwise? He's her other half. Of course he would want to make sure she will be healthy. Alive. ]

You would be the only "guy." [ Another deep exhale and she looks up at him properly. ] I... I haven't eaten since you left for Afghanistan. Before that? It was decades. There's no one else. Only you.

[ She wonders if that holds any weight to it at all. Pepper had made it known in her own way that Tony had been something of a womanizer. That he had multiple women and no real lasting relationships. She means it though! He is the only person that she loves. The only one that makes her heart flutter. The only one she wants to kiss, and hold hands with, and share be in an intimate relationship. ]

...No. I never met him properly. He just... aahh... aoou....

[ Another squeeze to his hands as she tries keep herself in the moment. Her mind doesn't need to wander back to that night. How it felt to have everything pulled from her. Afraid. Alone. The pain in her shoulder at the flesh that had ripped from her as her sire tore away from her. There was so much blood. Her blood. ]

My adopted sire found me! He took me in with his lady... and they helped me understand everything and what was going on. I stayed with them for a while until the pandemic was over. It's been a long time since I've seen him.

[ Arielle blinks once, then twice. ] You're here to be more than just my person, Tony! You're here to build amazing things to help the world. I know it. That's who you are.

[ She places his hands on her bare thighs (the nightdress is shorter than she expected) and raises her hands to his face. Her trembling and chilled hands rest against his cheeks, but the smile on her face is bright. Then, she directs him to rest his head against her chest. That way he can hear her heartbeat. It's loud, fluttering, strong despite the weakened state she has put herself in. She's alive just like him. She loves him and she hopes he can hear that. ]

Okay... w-when you're ready. Uhm, was there anything else you wanted to know? About me, or Ekons, or... anything?

Is it really? [ Tony's decided he'll allow himself one more moment of being selfish, and after that, the focus shifts to Arielle, where he feels it's deserved. ] I mean, if you say it's enough, then I'm going to believe you, but... [ He makes a noncommittal jerk of his head; he has his reasons for not really taking everything everyone says at face value. Maybe it's because of the situation with Afghanistan and coming back to a life that doesn't really feel like it's his. Maybe it's because his dad never put much stock in him, as far as he knows. But he's not going to start diving into his annoyingly complicated feelings, not right now, and maybe not ever.

Instead, he squeezes her hands and curls his fingers around them as if trying to offer some kind of comfort even though he's not really sure how best to do that. ]

You know, I really would like to say that you're the only one, the only woman, but- I know you've talked to Pepper, and she more than likely gave you an earful about me and my habits. But... [ He shakes his head. He doesn't want other women now, as surprising as that is, even to him. ] I realized at some point in all this that I don't want anyone else. I just want you.

[ He huffs out a laugh. ] Maybe I'm finally growing up, just like Dad always told me to.

[ But then the laugh fades and the hint of a smile goes with it, because he can tell that Arielle seems more than a little agitated as she talks about her sire. ]

He was an asshole and he didn't give a damn about you. [ Tension forms around Tony's jaw as his tone drops. ] I'm not going to be like that. I'm not going to be like him.

[ He takes a breath then, as if needing a second to internally decompress from all this; he feels like he has no right to feel tense or wound up, not when it's Arielle who's been through easily the worst experience he can imagine. Afghanistan is nothing compared to that. ]

At least your adopted sire is a stand-up guy. [ Tony briefly marvels at how his world has shifted to talking about sires and Ekons and blood, but hey, at least the twists and turns keep things interesting... maybe a little more interesting than he signed up for, but when has he ever been okay with being boring? ]

I can build things and still be your person. Help the world, well, that's a tall order, but I'm working on it one thing at a time.

[ He feels her place her hands on her thighs and she can most likely feel the it when he very obviously shivers at the sensation. Then when she pulls him in closer to rest against her, for just a second, he lets his eyes close so he can listen to her. ]

Weirdly? I should have a million questions for you, but I just... [ He reluctantly pulls back from where his his head was resting against her, but only so that he can plant a kiss on the closest part of her he can reach: the side of her neck. And once he has, then he goes right back to resting against her. ]

[ Arielle watches him closely at her response. Her eyes widen slightly. ] Oooh.

[ Then, her gaze softens into some form of understanding. Tony doesn't truly doesn't believe in words. Actions, maybe even over time, are what he believes in. Proof in doing not just saying. She can do that! She'll spend the rest of his life proving it if that is what it takes. A brief nod is given to herself to confirm the decision. Okay. That's what she'll do.

And a compromise in the mean time. ]

We can go on dates if you don't think it's enough? [ She smiles at him, a bit bashful, but a quiet determination lingering as well. ] Or travel when your work lets you! I don't want to be in the way or cause any problems...

[ It's not a secret Stark Industries has been putting out fires since Tony's announcement after he returned from Afghanistan. Stane has been doing his best to handle the PR disaster. Or, maybe he hasn't? Arielle doesn't trust him. He's one of Tony's longest friends, so she won't say anything, but she tries to put distance between him and herself whenever he stops by the mansion.

Now that she thinks about it? Stane wasn't at the party...

Arielle refocuses on what Tony says. A nod. Pepper made sure she knew, in case Tony ever brought home a woman. Her heart sunk, but, she understood. She took too long to find him. It only made sense that he was looking for his partner. Or, maybe he wasn't looking for a partner, and only for fun. Pepper seemed to think it was the latter. ]

I understand. That's why I just have to do my best to be better than them and give you everything you need! [ She pauses briefly. ] I should have found you sooner. So, that's my fault. It's another reason why I need to better for you.

[ Arielle quietly realizes that Tony has never truly mentioned or spoken about his parents. The Starks are famous, of course, and she had even heard of them. Her adopted sire had said he was going to meet Mr. Stark--Tony's father--the last time she had seen him. That was... oh, the early 1990s. Before she met Levi. ]

You're nothing like my sire. [ Her tone is filled with assurance. ] If you were? You would have left me on the beach! But, you didn't! I already know you're nothing like him. Everyone else thinks you don't care about things around you. I know you do. It's obvious to me!

[ Her head turns slightly and she nods towards the robotic arms. Her eyes glance up at the ceiling to gesture to JARVIS. Tony puts so much time and detail into his creations. She knows he loves them. He may never use that word for them, so she will for him instead. ]

Huh huh! He's a doctor. That's how he found me. He was making rounds at night to help people during the pandemic. It... was probably easy to find me with how much blood was everywhere. [ Another pause. ] I'm not sure my sire even meant to turn me. Maybe I was an accident and I was just supposed to be sustenance. He didn't treat it as if I was supposed to be his progeny.

[ He didn't treat her brood brother like a progeny either. But, that story can be for another time. Tony's shiver causes her to frown in apology. She is far from warm, and maybe that's because she has effectively starved herself. That's something she doesn't think she can do better than the women he has had--be warm. Comforting. All those good things associated with physical warmth.

Still, he rests his head where she has directed. He even kisses her neck. A small giggle leaves her at the motion as he settles his head back against her chest. One hand of hers raises to thread itself into his hair, starting to detangle the waves caused by the gel used for the party. His hair is still long and floppy. Trimming it after Afghanistan obviously wasn't important. Her other arm wraps around him to hold him. ]

Happy Birthday, Tony.

[ Arielle feels as if this has been what he has wanted for his birthday. So, she will keep him close and let him rest as long as he wants. Her cheek rests on top of his head. ]

[ Maybe he both does and doesn't believe in words. He knows how to talk a lot and how to fill up a space with a lot of noise, but maybe at the end of it all, it's not words that he responds to. Actions might mean more to him than words, if it's the right person doing the action.

And, well, anytime Arielle moves, he can't help but pay attention. ]

I just have this stupid idea in my head that I have to do things. I have to show you how I feel, and how I do that is... by doing things. Dates. Being together. Kissing you. [ He kisses her hand to prove his point. ] And please, you'll never be in the way.

I can think of several people who can occasionally be in the way, but it's never you. Look, you don't have to do anything. [ Tony realizes he doesn't want to do anything. He just wants to be for a little while. Maybe he's tired, and maybe he'll never admit that to anyone, but maybe he doesn't want to go full speed ahead for 5 seconds.

Except of course, he kind of has to, what with Stark Industries to run and the fact that his weapons are out there being misused. ]

You're fine, okay? You don't have to do better, you don't have to do anything.

[ Of course he's listening to every word she says. He'd never tune her out, and he'd never ignore her. He wants to know about her, to know what she went through to get here. All of it gets filed away. He doesn't plan on forgetting even a single thing she tells him.

He smiles as she threads her fingers into his hair. Maybe he'll let it grow and never cut it again, except for a trip. ]

Yeah. Happy birthday to me. And I think it's dinnertime for you. When you're ready, of course. Do you like a little warm up before you start? If so, I'm your guy. I was already your guy, but- yeah. You know what I mean.

[ Cheeks flush at the small motion of kissing her hand. She suppresses one of her usual sounds, but shyly glances to the side. It feels like a fairytale even if Tony and her adopted sire would disagree. Maybe even scoff at the idea. That's okay. They're men of science! ]

Okay! We'll go on dates and travel when you have the time! [ When he isn't running Stark Industries, or having to do damage control, or building things. ] Mmm... not having to do anything...

[ She doesn't agree. Of course, Tony could still have been a playboy if they met when he was younger. Maybe when he was in school! Or after his parents died! If she had met him then? Maybe things would have been different. Things wouldn't have hurt him so much. He wouldn't have felt alone--if he ever did. ]

I should have gone to Afghanistan with you.

[ She had almost insisted going with him. It is a dangerous place. She wanted to protect him. But, she knew Tony, Pepper and Rhodey would have said no. It would have been a risk, and two of them aren't aware that she's an Ekon. Pepper would have argued optics probably. Stane wouldn't have wanted her involved in the "public image." After all, Pepper didn't even go... ]

I should have pushed to go.

[ She would point out that she had eaten at the pary if they hadn't already discussed it. She gives him a smile regardless, cheek against the top of his head, even as some part of her still revolts at the idea of feeding from him. It was the same the only other time he had her feed. She knows he does it from a place of caring and love... ]

Ah, no! It should be okay. Whenever you're ready. I'll just use the same place as last time...

[ Arielle nods and sits up properly. Once Tony sits up as well, she waits for him to get ready. Her hands fold in her lap nervously, trying to keep her cheeks from burning too red. ]

Hey, slow down, we don't have to plan it all in one night. Unless of course, you want to.

[ He tips a wink at her before lifting his head from her shoulder, eyebrows drawn together but softened by that half smile he only ever seems to have around her. ]

You don't get to retroactively sign yourself up for a war zone because you're feeling romantic now, okay? Total honesty here: I think that trip never would've happened if... well, you know, Pepper or someone would've stopped it, calling it another one of my really bad ideas. [ He's still deciding how he feels about it all. In a way, he's glad he went, and he's mostly certain he wouldn't change it, but things like that are complicated on a good day. ]

Afghanistan was... It was a mess. Well, of course it was. It was a war zone, and it was partly my mess. My weapons, my mess. Didn't matter that I didn't know what my weapons were being used for. But... If you'd been there? [ He shakes his head, thumb brushing lightly along her knuckles. ]

I'm glad you weren't. Not because I don't want you around, but- yeah, it's better that you weren't there. [ He kisses her hand again, slower this time. ] And for the record, I wasn't alone, and I'm glad about that, but I just didn’t have the right person in my corner yet. That's what makes it different. [ He's glad he met Yinsen; he's not glad he couldn't save him, and he's not discounting what meeting him meant. Maybe in a weird way, that was a stepping stone to... this. Whatever this is.

When she mentions dates and traveling, he laughs. ] You keep talking like I'm some overbooked CEO. I can make time. I just never saw much point in slowing down before. Turns out I do now.

[ Her nerves about feeding don't get brushed off; they're too obvious for him to miss, even though he operates at a speed of 90 miles an hour most of the time. Right now, though, he's taking it slow.

He settles beside her, exposing the same place as last time, brushing his fingers over the spot in what's meant to be a silent invitation. ] No rushing. No pressure. Just us, like always. Whenever you're ready, take it away.

[ As much as she tries to keep her cheeks from burning red? It seems that isn't possible to keep in check. She blushes more at the playful comment. ]

We could plan our... first date at least tonight? [ Amber eyes flick to the side and her shoulders curl slightly. ] Even if it's just deciding if we want to go out to dinner or visit somewhere! That's enough.

[ Her fingers brush along his cheek as he kisses her hand again. Of course he wouldn't have wanted her in a war zone. It would have been chaos in the sense of trying to make sure she was safe. There is the element of thought that he would have been so concerned for her that maybe selling the weapons to the State Department wouldn't have worked because she was distracting him. That was what she would have figured Pepper or Stane would have argued, which was why she didn't even put the idea forward at the time. But, now... ]

I wanted to go with you to keep you safe. [ Arielle closes her eyes. She knows he'll continue to say it was good she wasn't there. She just wants him to know. ] I almost jumped onto the stairs onto your plan after you and Rhodey got on. I was afraid something bad would happen if I wasn't there... but maybe it would have happened even if I was there.

[ Her hand gently reaches out to trail down the fabric in front of his arc reactor.

Then, she pauses and looks up at him. There was someone else with him in the cave? How many people were held prisoner? Was he the person that made the arc reactor for Tony? There are so many questions she has... but now isn't the time to speak about them. She can ask another time. Maybe after some more time has passed and things are settled in his company. ]

You are busy! You always have so much going on. I don't want to get in the way of that and pull you away from those things you love. I want to be apart of it! So, if that means I need to wait for you to be available or to schedule that time? I'm okay with it!

[ After waiting ninety years, what is a few days?

She thinks that... but those three months where he was in Afghanistan felt longer than those ninety years combined.

Tony moves besides her. Her eyes catch the stool swirling around and she offers him a smile. Nervous, but still filled with that unspoken but obvious love that almost seems to radiate off her. Her gaze drops when she sees his fingers move over the spot she had used last time. The marks are gone, so part of her can't help but be surprised he remembers the spot. It must have left more of an impression than she thought.

One shaking hand raises to wrap gently around his arm to hold it. The other reaches out to his leg in an attempt to hold onto something of him to ground herself. The change is always mildly horrifying to her. She doesn't want him to see it, causing her to be thankful of how her hair cascades over his arm and hides her face. The amber eyes shift to an under tone of red and she feels her fangs grow. Fingers curl around his hand in a quiet plea that he helps her through something that should be so basic to her kind. Something she has already done once with him--but now it's different. It's more intimate. It's something shared between them. ]

I'll try to make it painless... okay?

[ Arielle tilts her head down to hide her face entirely with her hair. She lines her fangs to where they had been once and does her utmost to gently sink them into his arm. Her fingers curl into his hand more in an attempt to comfort him from the act. Eyes close as she focuses on keeping herself grounded. No more than two drinks. She'll be fine on that. Don't be carried away and let this horrible thing she has become take over.

Two drinks, almost like inhales, and she is pulling up from his arm. Her lips stay against his skin to try and stop the bleeding. A glance is cast to the side as DUM-E rolls over with a tray, gauze and tape on it. ]

[ Tony's eyebrows go up when she mentions planning their first date. ] Nuh-uh. Scheduling meetings is for most people. Other people. There's only a few people on my list of "can interrupt anytime, unless they're coming to yell at me about something I did or forgot to do". You're on that list. [ And he knows perfectly well that even if Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, or Arielle showed up just to yell at him, he'd still probably end up letting them in. ] But yeah, planning our first date... That's something we can do, 100%.

[ He leans lightly into her touch, but when she brings up Afghanistan again, he frowns. ]

Just so we're on the same page here: you wanting to protect me isn't the problem. You being anywhere near that mess? Near the bombs planted on the side of the road? [ He shakes his head. ] Aside from giving me a constant heart attack thinking something might happen to you... That's not an exaggeration, by the way. I already know that the ideal outcome, the ideal result, whatever you want to call it, would've been both of us coming back on a plane, but- [ He looks down for half a second. ]

If only one of us came back... Well, it would have to be you. No question.

[ But since this turned a little too heavy for his liking, he adds quickly: ]

For the record? You do not get in my way. Not even close. I'm busy, mostly because Pepper keeps scheduling things, but- yeah, I got some things I actually have to do, so I guess I juggle a lot. But you're not some calendar clog I have to work around. If I want time with you, I make time. That's how this works.

[ When she shifts closer, nervous and bracing herself, Tony moves with her, getting a little close but not too close. ] You know you don't have to hide from me, right? Go ahead. I'm fine.

[ He trusts her, because he has no reason not to. Still, when the bite lands, it surprises him, but at least it's quick and sharp and he doesn't pull away or tense up. If anything, he shifts his thumb against the back of her hand like he's telling her to keep going, that he's right there with her. ]

Hey. You did good. [ His tone is matter-of-fact, like he's just stating the obvious. Then DUM-E rolls up with the tray and Tony snorts. ] Yeah, yeah, bring Daddy the tape. You want to patch me up, or should I? Oh, and when we're all done here, we're finding a place to get comfortable and pick a place for this date so I can pretend I'm spontaneous.

[ A nod is given to planning their first date. It must be strange that they've come this far and never even considered a "date." Then again, most people don't meet their other half washed up on the beach and nearly swallowed back into the ocean by the waves. Not that she could really fight against it at the time...

She frowns then. ] I wouldn't have come back if you weren't there with me.

[ It is a statement she knows he will hate the moment she says it. He needs to know how she feels about the inevitability of their relationship. How she feels about the fact of "overthinking" them. Tony is a genius, he'll be able to put the dots together.

The ones that say, without her needing to voice it, that she plans on leaving the mortal plane after he does.

If that turns out to be tomorrow or in fifty, maybe even sixty years. The "when" doesn't matter. She has made up her mind. When he leaves his mortal coil? She will follow after him. Maybe then they will find themselves in new lives where they won't be so different. A life where she will be warm to the touch and he won't have to share the essence of his life to keep her healthy.

She gently brushes her lips over the holes she has left in his arm. Ones she can't heal on her own. Marks that she will give him again and again at his own insistence. ] I know. It's just... I don't like this. Not yet. Maybe I never will. It... I just need some time before I can show you.

[ Tony seeing her like that is something she can't bare at the moment. Her hand curls around his to brush along his thumb as a silent "Thank you" for everything he has done for her. She gently glides her lips over the marks again. There is lingering blood she can feel her heart quicken over. That almost animalistic instinct wants to take ahold and have more. She needs more--but, no. She has had enough for now.

Arielle finally raises her head to meet his gaze. Fangs have gone, but the red glint in her eyes remains. The crimson color that seeks to connect with him on that deeper level.

A shakey inhale. ] I can do it. I'm the one that made the holes.

[ She sits up, reaching over and taking the gauze and tape. A gentle pat is given to DUM-E in thanks before she wraps, cuts, and tapes the area. It may take a little bit of time to heal, but, it should be fine within an hour.

Her eyes lift to look up at him once again. One hand gently rests on the rolled up sleeve of his shirt, while the other curls into his pant leg. Her heart pounds in her chest all of a sudden. It's so loud in her ears. She knows what this feeling is, but doesn't expect him to return it. Just... the motion for him to understand. It isn't just him that feels the pull and desire to claim and be territorial.

Her head tilts down to press her cheek into his arm. Arielle inhales deeply and gives another squeeze of his leg in apology for the sudden need to be close. She even tries to press down the sudden waver in her voice. ] W-where do you want to go?

Edited (clarity and grammar and spelling) 2025-11-22 10:54 (UTC)

[ Tony freezes the moment he hears what she says; he freezes because he understands what she means. He connects almost every dot she's trying not to say out loud. And he hates it; of course he does, but he doesn't pull away. If anything, he leans in closer like he's trying to anchor her to the moment instead of whatever future she's already resigned herself to. ]

Full disclosure, if you- [ The words trail off as he tries to figure out how to say what's on his mind. ] If you- well, if you weren't around...

[ He makes a noncommittal jerk of his head as if to say he might as well just lose himself in his work and stop interacting with people at all. ]

I know what you meant, and just so we're on the same page? Horrible retirement plan, for both of us. If that's the case, then I'm not planning on checking out any time soon. [ So you better not be going anywhere.

But he doesn't push harder than that. The tremor in her voice, the way she holds his thumb, the way she seems to be instinctively pressing up against him like he's the only solid point she can find... It all makes him lose some of the bite in his words and voice.

At that moment, DUM-E chirps, proud of himself, and Tony pats the bot with his free hand. ]

Yeah, yeah, you helped. Don't let it go to your head.

[ When she presses her cheek into his arm, clinging to him just a little, Tony goes absolutely still. Then e shifts his hand to the back of her neck, thumb brushing once along her hairline. He's not claiming her, not holding her in place; he's just letting her know he's there. That he's not pulling away from any part of her, not even the part she thinks she has to hide. ]

You never have to apologize for wanting to be close. [ He knows he spends a lot of time keeping people at arms' length, but in his mind, when he does let people get close, that's when it means more.

Or something like that.

Her heartbeat is loud enough that even he can sense the tension in her, and he lets her stay pressed against him for as long as she needs before answering her question. ]

Where do I want to go? Wherever you're going. That's the whole point of this date thing, isn't it?

How about somewhere quiet? Somewhere you don't have to perform or pretend or worry you're going to scare somebody.

[ He leans in, angling himself so he can lightly brush against her cheek. ]

Let's go somewhere we can just exist and... and be healthy. Together. That's where I want to go. [ He pauses for a second. ] The water. Well, the beach. You like the beach, don't you?

[ He moves closer and her eyes lift to watch. She knew he would hate what she had to say. It still had to be said. Even if he had done the opposite and pushed her away.

Red tinted eyes follow the way he moves his head. All the projects scattered around the workshop, his cars, the robotic hands. A gentle look comes to her eyes. She doesn't think he would just ignore humanity as much as he says. He cares too much about what his weapons have done! He cares too much about Pepper, Rhodey, and even Stane.

Not that she plans on going anywhere anytime soon. She has only planned on leaving when he does. Accidents or something horrible could happen! Her extended life now as an Ekon is enough to show that. What happened to her sister shows that too. The fact Tony has a bright device in his chest now that has somehow saved his life proves it as well.

Arielle knows it is difficult to explain and therefore have him understand. He hasn't lived as long as her, he may not have even been looking for a life partner (or cared to have one). He hasn't seen how other Ekons have lived with their pair. She's seen the long term relationship with her adopted sire and his Lady. She's seen the tenuous relationship between her brood brother and his pair, and how the refusal to turn the other party has made a cycle of loss and reunion.

Finally finding Tony has simply cemented in her mind that she doesn't want to wait another ninety years to reunite with him. She'll take her chances in another life and find him again.

If she can find her Ekon family and introduce Tony to them? He may at least understand. She doesn't expect him to ever like her decision! At least he would see why she made her decision the way she has.

The thought of changing him has never crossed her mind. She hates what she is... why would she subject another to the life she's been forced into?

A wide smile spreads on her face at the pat he gives DUM-E. She adores watching him interact and love his technology.

His fingers brush along the bottom of her hairline. A shudder of pleasure rolls down her back. The white satin nightgown ties at the back of her neck, and that side of her she dislikes so much strikes a thought of him untieing it. She inwardly chastises herself. Just because they were intimate the first time she fed doesn't mean they need to always be that way! And, she doesn't want him to think they can only be intimate if she feeds.

She only apologizes because she knows he isn't someone who runs on physical affection.

Her eyes flutter shut as he brushes against her cheek. The temptation surges to use that ability of hers to help him feel her emotions towards him. That way he can understand how deeply she loves him and how much she never wants to let him go. No. She won't. It was a promise she made a long time ago. She will never give an order or channel her emotions in that way. People decide on their own and have their own emotions.

The beach...

Arielle stands. She shifts to be in front of him, fingers trailing from his leg and hand upwards until they rest on either side of his face. Eyes close so he doesn't have to see the red that has taken over; so he won't be influenced by jer emotions to be intimate.

Maybe one day he will tell her what happened in Afghanistan that changed his outlook so much. He may even tell her about the metal in his chest she can sense. ]

I won't be turning into mist or bubbles for a long time. I won't float away or dissipate. I won't be leaving you alone. I'll stay here as long as you want me to... and then, when that time comes you leave me behind? I'll turn into mist and bubbles then. That way you won't have to wait long for me.

[ Her heart continues to pound. Thumbs gently brush over his cheeks and along his jaw. ]

We can find a quiet beach somewhere, I'm sure of it! One that we can just be together at. [ Then, an embarassed smile touches her face. ] When I was a little girl? I always wanted to be like a mermaid! I... it turned out a lot different from that.

[ Tony goes still the instant her words settle, the meaning of them, not just the words. His hands, which had been resting lightly on her hips, move up to her waist, anchoring her as if he's afraid she might vanish mid‑sentence. ]

Hey, no, stop.

[ It isn't harsh. It's quiet but just short of cutting, like he's trying to slice through the future she just painted before it can take root. He lifts a hand to the side of her face, thumb brushing the line of her jaw, not for comfort exactly, but so he can get her attention and have her look at him. ]

You don't get to schedule your exit around mine. [ His voice tightens. He wants to say that they go together and come back together, but it's not like he has control over that. He hates how raw it sounds, but he doesn’t look away. ]

You're talking like I'm a countdown clock, like once it hits zero, you... what, dissolve? Drift off? [ His other hand slides to the back of her neck, while pulling her a little closer. ]

I didn't ask for that. I'll never ask for that.

[ The red he briefly saw in her eyes doesn't scare him; if anything, it makes him let up a little because he thinks it's her trying hard not to influence him. ]

You stay because you want to stay, right? Because we want to stay. Oh, and for the record? You're not losing me anytime soon. I'm not planning on going anywhere.

[ He lets out a quick sigh to release some pent up... something. He's not sure what to call it, but it helps. ]

A beach sounds good. Just you and me and me pretending I'm capable of relaxing for more than five minutes. It'll just be you and me together, no disappearing, no dissolving. Definitely no mist, just us.

[ She stops immediately at his request. Moving, speaking. His relationship with words is different than hers. Sometimes, Tony will say everything he means to in very purposeful ways. Other times, he uses words to mask what he's really saying, and only people who know him truly understand what he means. Not that they always understand either. Arielle feels that maybe she is the only one who really notices what he says.

That is why she stops. So she can listen to what he is saying and not saying. She can feel the meaning behind every touch and gesture. He doesn't want to think about her leaving, let alone dying. A quiet request she not even think about the potential future down the road for them. Living only in the moment, the now, and with him.

She can do that.

One hand raises to trail her fingertips at the back of his hand on her face. Her eyes remain closed for a moment longer. She almost tells him that she doesn't want to wait another nintey years to find him again. But... no, that's not something he wants to hear right now. Maybe never.

Okay. No more talking about it.

Her hand curls around his. ] I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm staying because that's the desire I have. Even if you didn't want to help me with my needs? Or, even if you didn't love me the way I love you? I'd stay. I'm going to stay with you.

[ Arielle lets out a breath the same time he does. She doesn't want to possibly influence him to do things he doesn't want to do in the moment. She doesn't want him to ever think she is robbing his choices and freedom away--because he had it taken away. Three months as a captive without knowing if he'd come home or survive...

He's asked her to look at him without saying it with words.

She lets out another shaky breath. Okay. Only because he asked.

Her head tilts into the hand on her face. She leans into the hand at the back of her neck. A movement into his space. Her lips brush against the inside of his palm, against his pulse, then against his thumb. Her heart races. Crimson eyes slowly open and meet his gaze.

She wants him in all the ways he could ever think. Not just because she's fed and her change instinct have switched on. Not just because her kind would move to seduce their pray. Arielle has missed him. Even if it was only one night? The distance she tried to respect after his return from Afghanistan has only made that desire deeper. She thinks desire, because it sounds more romantic than just hunger. ]

Which beach is your favorite one? Let's go there.

[ Tony goes very still when she says it. Not the frozen, calculating stillness he uses when he’s building something dangerous but the kind where everything inside him lines up, quiet and absolute, like a decision finally clicking into place.

His thumb shifts against her cheek, a slow, grounding motion, like he’s making sure she’s real. That she’s here. ] Arielle, you don’t stay out of obligation. Or loyalty. Or because you think you owe me something. I won’t have that. Not from you.

[ His hand tightens around hers; not hard, just enough to be unmistakable. Anchoring. Intentional. ] But if you’re staying because you want to, because this is where you choose to be... then yeah. Great. More than great. I’m not pushing you away.

[ His gaze flicks to her mouth against his pulse, and instead of pulling away, he turns his wrist slightly, in a gesture of offer. ] I’m not pretending I don’t know what you are or what this means. I’ve thought about it, and I don’t do eternity lightly, if that's what this is. But if staying with you means changing what I am, I'm not afraid of that, surprisingly.

[ He pauses for a second or two and then he adds: ] I don’t want some vague number that no one knows. I don’t want eventually. I want to be with you, right now. [ "Forever" being the implication he hopes she gets. ]

You know, most people ask that like it’s a casual thing, typical icebreaker stuff. Ice cream flavor. Favorite movie. But yeah, I know exactly which one: Malibu. Not the flashy parts. There’s a stretch of beach, quiet, rocky, smells like salt and engine grease from the boats.

That's the spot.

[ Her eyes fall half closed in the moment he goes still. The grounding motion is soothing, rippling through her like a steady wave. Her heart still pounds and she feels the desire and need to be with him just as intense. The soothing comes from the motion that he won't have her leave. As scared as he must be that she could disappear? She is just as scared that one day he'll decide that he needs something more human and tells her to leave.

"I won't have that. Not from you."

So, Tony feels people only stay with him because of those reasons. They want things from him or his technology. They want him to fix their problems. That they stay because of some contract or because they're employees. They're bound by another external factor, not just because they have been friends for so long.

Her gaze softens. She should have found him sooner. He says she doesn't need to make it up to him. How can she not when it's so obvious to her that he has been as lonely as she has?

Another gentle--and what she hopes is sensual--kiss goes to his pulse. It's not that hunger driving her at the moment. It may always linger in the back of her mind. She wants him.

"...means changing what I am..."

The breath catches in her throat. He couldn't mean what she thinks he is saying without saying it directly. Everything in her feels heavy all the sudden, as if cement had been put into her feet. A sense of fear she hasn't felt in a long time tugs at the bottom of her heart and threatens to pull her down into a place she has tried to desperately swim out of since she became what she is now.

He couldn't mean it. He does, because Tony uses his words purposely. He doesn't understand what it means to be this way. Because I haven't taught him or explained it good enough. He can't decide something like this so easily. Except, maybe, it wasn't easily. Maybe Afghanistan...

So many complicated emotions rise up in an instant at the thought of him becoming like her. Having him know a hunger that lingers but feels it is never really sated. Knowing he will end up burying all the people around him as they die but he doesn't. What about his company and how he wants to change everything he's done? The idea that she could wake up every morning and see him beside her without the worry that he'll age and leave her one day. The concept that they wouldn't have to be apart and hopefully reunite again and again.

They wouldn't argue about it like her brood brother and his only person. If she changes Tony.

But, she couldn't feed him. He would have to have someone support him like he's insisted he does for her. Especially as a newborn. Someone else would bind with him. He'd have the feelings and urges for someone else that she feels right now. That they've shared. It sparks an unexpected feeling of jealousy in her that she hadn't expected.

The hand over his begins to tremble as tears well in her eyes suddenly. She can tell that it's the decision he's made. That's what he wants. ]

I... I don't know how to...

[ Arielle inhales sharply and closes her eyes. It's his birthday and this is what he wants. She can't make this about her or the sudden complicated feelings that have caught her entirely off guard.

But... ]

I'll find out where my adopted sire is and ask him. He'll know. Then, I will, okay? I'm sorry to make you wait more when it took me so long to find you... but I... I never wanted to know... so now, I need to learn. That way I don't do it wrong and then something horrible happen...

[ Then, they will have to find someone to willingly feed him for at least the first while. They'll figure that out once she talks to her adopted sire. He's a doctor and a genius in his own way. He'll know what to suggest and what to do!

Then, Tony will...

The jealousy flares again. A possessive ugly jealousy that she almost thinks is uncharacteristic of her. The idea of Tony feeling the way she does for someone else is something she can't stand. So much so that both her hands hold his face and she kisses him. Desperate, loving, possessive in a way, and hungry all wrapped in a motion.

You're still mine though. Okay? ]

[ Tony doesn’t pull away when she freezes. If anything, he tightens his grip slightly, steady but careful, like he’s afraid sudden movement might make her vanish or pull away instead. When her hands start to shake against his, he shifts just enough to brace her, thumb pressing into the back of her palm, trying to ground both of them. ]

Hey, you don’t have to apologize for taking time. Ever. I’m not on a clock here. Or I won't be, if... Well, you know.

[ He lifts his head slightly so she has to meet his eyes when she's ready to. There’s no flippancy in his expression now, no classic Stark bravado; he's just a man who has already faced the idea of dying and decided what mattered more. ]

I know it’s not simple; I know it’s not a switch you flip because it sounds romantic or because it’s my birthday or because I asked nicely. [ A faint huff of breath leaves him: almost a laugh, but not quite. ] Trust me, I don’t do anything important without overthinking it into the ground or until I've run a million what-if scenarios in my head.

[ When she says she’ll find her adopted sire, that she needs to learn, his jaw tightens, not in anger, but something like nerves. Worry, if he wants to use that particular word. ]

Okay. Learn, ask questions, so that when we do it, we're ready, and we do it right.

[ Her sudden kiss catches him off guard, and for a split second there’s surprise before his hands slide up to hold her, one at her jaw, the other moving to her back. He doesn’t rush it, doesn’t turn it into something reckless. He kisses her back with intention, with possession of his own, but respectfully too.

When they part, his forehead rests against hers. ]

I’m not asking you to change me tomorrow. Or ever, if you decide you can’t. This isn’t a demand. This is me telling you that if there is a way we stay together, really together, then I want it, with you.

[ Some tension leaves as he embraces her. Hand around hers, then the arm moving up her back and hand moving to her face. The silk fabric brushes along her skin with how she moves and a shiver works through her. Her heart pounds more.

Her eyes open to meet his even once his head tilts back. The undertone in his voice... how much did Afghanistan do to him? Obviously enough that he has had to build an arc reactor in his chest to keep him alive. She can hear the metal in his chest when she listens closely. Pieces of metal threatening his heart, but never moving closer, because of the arc reactor somehow.

Something inside her eases at the kiss and feeling of possession that comes from him. It's not abrasive or controlling from either of them. A mutual statement that no one else has what they have for each other. People can look and comment all they want. But, she belongs to him and he belongs to her.

Her heart pounds louder. Amber eyes turned a deeper red still locked onto his. They stay together somehow. If she has to turn him, as he's asked? She will. It scares her; the idea of turning someone. Her own experience was horrible and ugly. No love or care for how the process went. That won't be how it is for Tony. She'll make sure of it.

A breath escapes her again. The desire and longing shows in her gaze. Not enough to command or influence him (she hopes), just enough for him to see what she feels. A press to his forehead even when they're still touching.

One hand brushes down his neck and then collar of his dress shirt. Fingertips trace the buttons of his shirt before slipping the first few undone. She brushes along the small portion of the casing for the arc reactor that she can touch. Enough to be suggestive and also ask if he would want her to continue. She knows she isn't as skilled as other women he's slept with. Their first time was a tad reckless and spur of the moment fueled by passion and the influence of bonding from feeding. Maybe it wasn't as good for him as it was her... ]

Tony. [ A slight waver is in her voice, trying to call his attention and not command him. ] You asked me to, so I'll learn how. Not because you pressured me or are forcing me. Yes... I'm scared. Because how I was turned was horrible and...

[ She pauses for a moment. ] I won't let it be that way for you. I'll make sure I'm there every step of the way. Every moment. You won't be alone like I was. I'll help you through all of it... that way we stay together.

[ A brush of her lips against his. Timed along with how she traces the casing in his chest. Her eyes flutter shut again and she shifts herself closer to him. A shrug of one shoulder loses the blue sleeping robe to slide off her shoulder. On the back of the shoulder is a scar that looks as if someone had torn into her many years ago. ]

You say I don't need to apologize or make things up. I do. I should have found you sooner so you weren't so alone. I should have been here with you after your family left you. I should have been here for you to hold onto instead of finding other partners. I was the one looking for you fo so long... and you still had to wait.

[ Arielle frowns slightly, allowing her emotions to shine through in her voice and eyes. Just enough so he csn feel a little bit of what she does. How deeply she loves him, how scared she was she'd never find him, how much she has missed him. ]

I wanted to go to Aghanistan to protect you and because I didn't want you to leave me behind. I knew you weren't dead, because I could feel inside you weren't. I was scared that it changed you so much that you wouldn't want me here anymore when you came back. That you'd want someone more human... but, I decided, if you asked me to leave I would. [ Because, I love you and want the best for you.

Her other hand on his cheek brushes the skin, tracing along the trimmed line of facial hair. ]

Everyone told me to give you space... and time... when you came home. I did! I didn't want to scare you or cause you to push me or anyone else away... so, I did what they said. Even when all I wanted to do was hold you. Kiss you. I wanted to ask if I could be the only person for you.

Tony. [ She brushes her lips against his again. ] I miss you.

[ Tony doesn’t pull away. If anything, he tries to steady her. When she finishes, there’s a long pause where he just looks at her, as if he's trying to memorize how she looks right now. And for a man who talks constantly, words feel strangely inadequate right now. ]

Hey, slow down. Let's just take a second to regroup. I'm not blaming you for anything, okay? It wasn't your fault.

[ Afghanistan took pieces of him. She’s right about that. But it didn't change how he felt about her, not even for a second. ]

I wasn’t alone because you weren’t there. I was alone because I didn’t know how to let anyone stay. And some of them didn't want to stay anyway. [ He offers a lopsided kind of smile. ] Still working on that first one, in case you hadn’t noticed.

Oh, and by the way, you don’t need to be more human for me. You're fine just how you are.

[ Then he goes silent for a few seconds, which turns into maybe ten more seconds. Then, he adds: ] I missed you too. I just didn’t know how to say it.

[ Arielle does her best not to curl her shoulders in embarrassment as he takes her in. The familiar shyness strikes her. She doesn't look or pull away. Being the center of attention was never her way of life. She hid behind the other girls in the boarding school and made sure they shined the brightest. Cinderella most of all.

No, he doesn't blame her for anything. She blames herself. She is the older one, the one who waited for him for so long. That means she should have done more to find him. She should have kept moving and not hiding from the Guard. If he doesn't like her blaming herself for that? She can't ever tell him why he found her on the beach. Why she was content to simply fade away in the seafoam as she watched the sunrise, sprawled along the beach.

Maybe she simply can't find the right words for him to understand.

Her hand at his collar buttons pulls back. It hangs over her heart for a moment before lowering down to her side. Red eyes close as she reigns everything she is feeling back inside. Not boxed up or compartmentalized like Tony does. Simply tucked away and kept to herself. The guilt, the shyness, the need to be with him that almost wants to burst from the seems. ]

You don't need to say any of it. I'll be able to see it. How you use words and communicate without them? That's how you are. I'll be able to keep up. I promise.

[ Arielle gently presses her forehead to his again. A relief swells that he missed her as much as she missed him. A reassurance that maybe he won't tell her to leave one day. ]

You're letting me stay now.

[ She tilts her head up enough to kiss his forehead gently. ] Thank you.

[ For loving her, saving her, accepting her, even feeding her when it's the last thing she wants. He cares for her without realizing it. She doesn't recongize when she needs to feed anymore. She spent so long ignoring it... a trait she shares with her brood brother.

She reaches up and slides the robe back over he shoulders. Putting herself together. Her eyes open and revealing their normal amber color. It'd hard! But, she can control it. Maybe she'll go for a swim when Tony finally sleeps. It'll help her just get everything that she's feeling out. ]

Are you going to be up any longer?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

🩸 iron spindrift || ❝ waiting for a girl like you to come into my life. ❞

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