Two days forward, sleeping together had become an unexpected routine.
The first night, she came because she didn't want to sleep alone, and he accepted her.
The second night, she came because she liked to be with him... and he accepted it.
The first had been a difficult night in which he could barely sleep. Were she not a vulnerable alien who had suffered abuse, Wicked Tony would have taken the reins. But he didn't want anything bad to happen to her. Cassandra was such a sweetheart. Without even knowing, she had gained a place in the poisonous arc reactor he called 'heart'.
Cassandra's eyes fluttered open, still feeling a slight headache over the insanity that she had done yesterday. Such an eventful rainy night it was.
Looking down, she saw the bed soaked with water, all of her clothes soaked, and even Tony's clothes and chest.
Still, she only giggled at the sight.
"Tony, wake up…" Cassandra moved him slightly, smiling as she saw his sleeping face. He said he wanted to be woken up early to keep studying different elements aside from Palladium that would make his reactor work.
But today, she was going to give him a surprise, one that cost her enormous pain to obtain.
They had reached an agreement, a silent confession... and she had worked up her end of the deal.
**
It began yesterday as he worked, and, as usual, Cassandra remained by his side. It was their first day in the temporary apartment, as he hoped the agents wouldn't get 'butter-handed' in his villa, where every frame was worth six figures.
[No worries, sir. If I see any of them picking up something they shouldn't, I'll record it.] Jarvis reassured. Sadly, you can't call the police on the police; the AI was still a little naive.
"Thank you, Jarvis… It is not every day a meteor crashes on your place."
"Sorry…" Cassandra said after releasing a yawn, one in which she lifted up her hands and stretched herself, hugging him again, pretending to sleep some more.
"Stop apologizing, Cassandra. I'm not blaming you. In fact… I'm happy that you're here." He said those words with authenticity, caressing her hair... each second more infatuated and more guilty.
Guilty towards Pepper.
"Tony…" That didn't stop the beauty from laying against him, holding his chest and ruffling her head on it.
It had been merely days, and it was already difficult for him to imagine Cassandra not being around, and the same could be said the other way around, perhaps several folds higher.
She brought him food, cooked it... attended to his needs, discussed with him about a plethora of things, and when he was focused, she just sat there, not saying anything, not requesting attention... she knew how important it was for him to be focused whenever he worked, how important creating, innovating, and researching was for him.
The perfect companion, one that propelled everything he did best to a new level. It was impossible for him to not regard her with different eyes.
Tony Stark wouldn't say he was in love, for that is a fickle word, and he knows very well, but at the very least, he developed a crush.
"I feel like she understands me like no one else has…" He thought, caressing her hair.
"Tony." She snuggled harder, embraced tighter, and even sobbed.
"…"
"Please, don't die… let's work hard and keep trying. Something has to come out. You're a genius; you can think of something." Her gaze raised up with hope. She had seen him work... stand in front of that screen and study, study, and study... he was a dedicated man who wouldn't give up until he achieved what he proposed himself to do.
She believed in that man, not in empty words... but her words would hardly reach a man who had already sentenced himself.
"Sometimes a genius is not enough." He thought.
"I'll try."
What he didn't expect was for the blonde to not like his answer at all. For the first time since they knew each other, she grew impatient.
"Don't say that! Don't say 'I will try'! Don't say 'we will try'. Tony, we will DO IT... we will save you. I believe it. I will do whatever is necessary..."
"How can you be so sure?" He asked, still awed at her insistence, thinking that she believed too much.
Her answer was yet again one of those that she usually gives... how is it again? What a person desires to hear at the right moment, at the right time.
"Because you have made my life better... ever since I woke up, I have been happy, Tony. You're Iron Man. With this world's limited resources, you have achieved so much… you're leagues above everyone else... some poison can't kill you. I know you can do it."
"You can do it. All you need is the resources, and I will give you the resources..." She bit her lips, trying to discard whatever fear was left in her.
For several seconds, he didn't know what to say, so he decided to do something simple instead.
"Do you want to go for a flight, you know, have some breath up there?~"
He invited her, trying to ignore the first few hours of research for an activity that would result in more productivity to his current mindset... he needed to discard that depression. A true man couldn't possibly feel depressed when such a bombshell is before him, cheering him so.
"Yes~"
That answer was all she needed. He stepped on top of a red backpack, and the armor started to recreate itself around him, even skillfully evading Cassandra, still in his arms.
"You look amazing~" She flattered. It was her first time seeing him with the Iron Man outfit, but there was enough footage of him around for her to entertain herself.
"If you allow me." Without waiting, he took her in a princess carry and walked up to the balcony, where he shot towards the skies.
*BOOMM!!*
*WHOOSH!!!*
It took mere seconds for them to reach high above the clouds, where the dawning sun was visible.
"I sometimes come here to relax... do you like it?"
"It's beautiful." She gasped, so beautiful and peaceful... her eyes shone in gold, reflecting the sun, and the memories started to flow.
Memories of herself, fighting against those creatures. This one was different, this one was humanoid, looking like a lady with a massive crystal between her chest.
Novas.