Remembrance.
As I look to my favorite Avenger, I remember when we were kids. From Eight years old, to eighteen years old. He was my best friend, and I was his. We shared everything together, up until the point that he started being like he is. That's right. Tony Stark was not always the egotistical playboy that everybody knows.
At least, not with me.
I will not lie, ever since the day that he took me to prom, I have been hopelessly in love with Tony.
And he has never returned those feelings. I am more like a sister to him now, it seems. Nobody knew of my crush on the well known Avenger, with the exception of my best friends, Phil Coulson, and Bruce Banner. Phil doesn't really know why I'd prefer Tony over Steve, but most likely, if it were Steve that I grew up with, I would have loved him. But, Tony is the one that saved me from my terrible life at home, when I was a kid. He was the only escape I had, when my Father abused me, and my Mother ran away - With my older brother. Tony was the only one who cared, and I suppose I took that caring to far. But, he'd always acted like he liked me more. Actually, thinking back on all of this, I guess he did like me, at one point. I think that might have been when he decided to be this way.
We had dated, for two weeks.
I had almost given him everything - And I mean everything.
And he rejected me.
When I asked why, he used the all to known "It's not you, it's me." line. He told me it just wouldn't work, and that he would prefer to be friends. And, being the Eighteen year old child in love that I was, I said that it was okay.
I had pretty much forgotten about it, how many years had past.
I miss those days. We were so close. Now, I feel more like somebody he has to work with, more then somebody that he wants to work with. Yet, I still feel this way for him. Why?
I look over to him. He called the Avengers here, for some unknown reason. He was out on a Balcony with Pepper. They had been dating for a while now, and made it very well known. I saw him kiss her, and my heart sank. Damn, I miss not feeling this way. If I never developed feelings for him, this would be no problem. But, I did and I have to deal with it.
He came and sat next to me, and Pepper next to him. He wrapped his arms around both of us, and smiled at the rest of the Avengers.
"Hello, 'Avengies'." He called out to them. He still hadn't forgotten that mistake. One time I accidentally call them Avengies, and it sticks forever. I mentally face-palmed.
"As most of you know, me and Pepper have decided to take the next level of our relationship." I saw Bruce giving me a very sympathetic look, telling me he knew what was happening.
"We decided to get married."
I stared, not really looking at anything. I think my eyes may have been looking in Bruce's direction, but I couldn't tell. Let alone, the woman could make a man like this settle down. But it was Tony. My Tony. This couldn't happen. And before I knew it, I was running out the door. I never did hear the rest of that speech.
Bruce ran out after me. "Valkyrie, stop." He called out, as he tried to catch me. Tears in my eyes, I did stop, and I looked at him. Immediately, I slung my arms over his shoulders, and cried my eyes out. I can't believe this is happening. How dare I feel this way... I have to stop. I want to be happy for them.
Bruce pet my hair, "It's alright. I'll help you through this."
Tony walked out a few minutes later, to find me and Bruce sitting on the ground, facing each other, knees pressed against each other, and my head, crying as hard of I've ever cried on his shoulder, while he tried to sooth me.
"Bruce, mind giving us a minute?" Tony walked over, and Bruce looked up at him, then at me. I nodded, allowing him to leave. Bruce stayed for a moment more, then got up, and walked away.
"You should have stayed." Tony said after a minute of silence.
"Why? So you can hurt me even more?" I said bitterly.
Tony sighed, "Val, you idiot..."
I looked up to him, anger rising. "What?"
He grinned a little at me, "You heard me."
I got up, and stomped over to him. "Don't you ever call me that again."
"Or what, 'Idiot'?"
I suddenly remembered this argument. I was Seventeen, and he was Eighteen. It was a week before my birthday. I stared up at him, amazed.
"When we were younger... I'm starting to think it was true. But now, Valkyrie... Please, listen to what I have to say - Without punching me, like last time."
I couldn't help it, I grinned at him. I know why I fell in love with him. Every fight we ever had when we were kids, he would always make it better with a joke as soon as he realised what was happening. And if he couldn't, he would come to my house the day after, knock on my door - with the beat of our favorite song - and when I would answer, he'd pull me into a crushing hug, use some lame apology, and would give me some kind of present.
"And, I know that it's a bit late, but... You know, my dog ate my decency, and I wanted to make you jealous, and I was an idiot, and I kind of fell for a girl, and... You know how it is." He told me, pulling me into a tight hug, and picking me off the ground. I blushed, but enjoyed every moment in his arms.
"And, I'm also sorry I don't have a present... But, I'm going to start working on it. How many do I need to get? About a million, maybe? Ahh well. I deserve it- But wait. I think I feel something in my back pocket."
He reached into his pocket, and pulled out something he wouldn't let me see.
"If you had stayed in there, you would have heard the part about how I realised I couldn't go through with it. Pepper understands, after all, she knows what true love is like." He winked at me, and after a moment of staring into my eyes, he looked to Phil.
Was he watching this entire time? My mouth opened a bit, as Tony gave Phil a thumbs up. Phil walked away, and I heard faint music, I couldn't hear what song it was.
"Valkyrie Pandora Heartlys..." He got down on one knee, and looked up at me. I knew what song it was, it was our old song, and I finally saw what was in his hand. "Will you be my bride?"
I smiled at him, and taking the ring from his hand, reaching to hug him, and putting the ring on my hand, all together, I shook my head.
"No."
"Yes." He smiled back.
"Nuh-uh."
"Yeah."
"Nope."
"Oh yes."
And he kissed me.
There we were. We were truly the same kids we were Twenty-Two years ago.