Mid-Februaries were still cold in New York City and as used to the elements as she was, even Natasha was bundled up from head to toe as she stepped out of the limo and onto the busy sidewalk.
She took a deep breath, letting the cool air enter her lungs and a bright smile warmed her face as she took the gloved hand that was held out to her. It was good to finally be home.
She leaned her head up, kissing his cheek softly. He was shaking, but she wasn't sure how much of it was from the cold and how much was nerves.
He paused once they stepped in front of the property, his hand closing around an object in his pocket and he pulled it out, holding it up in front of him and staring at it.
"You don't have to make that decision yet," Natasha said softly as she watched him flip open the small cell phone.
"Good," Tony answered. "Because right now I don't think I can decide anything more important than what color curtains I want in my office."
"Come on," she said gently as she tugged on his hand. "Let's go see it."
He fell into step beside her, placing his thumb on the keypad to capture his fingerprint and the doors slid open in a silent greeting.
"Boss, I'm here," F.R.I.D.A.Y.'s voice sounded after a moment.
"Excellent. Talk to me, F.R.I.D.A.Y." He was gazing around the lobby, idly inspecting things like paint, cleanliness and décor, but of course it was all in pristine condition and set perfectly to his liking.
"The tower resembles your old one, but has forty-two floors. That's sixteen more than the former Stark Tower, also known as the Avengers Tower," the A.I. recited. "Your office is located on the sixth floor per your direction. Perhaps you'd like to start there?"
"Sure," Tony said, and Natasha pressed the button on the elevator.
Uniformed people were milling about, passing in and out of the elevator doors as it stopped on nearly every floor on the way up, and they all stopped what they were doing when they saw him, offering warm greetings and cheerful thank-yous.
"The elevators are nearly three times as fast as the ones in the Avengers compound and five times faster than the old tower thanks to your advancements in energy and technology," F.R.I.D.A.Y. continued.
"Don't be nervous," Natasha whispered into his ear once they stopped on the sixth floor. "You're going to be just fine." She placed a firm and steady hand at the back of his shoulder as they continued on.
"Sir," Maria Hill met them at the door. "Right this way, Boss." She gestured for them to follow and they walked down a long hall.
"I'm not your-" He stopped abruptly when she darted a gaze over her shoulder. "Tony is fine," he mumbled.
Natasha squeezed his hand as they stopped in front of a door with a big symbol.
"The S.H.I.E.L.D. logo is on the doors of every office higher than the fifth floor, per standard design of the new S.H.I.E.L.D. Tower," F.R.I.D.A.Y. said cheerfully. "But none are so big as the one entering this office, decorated in the signature bold red and gold colors of the Iron Man suits."
Maria opened the door, stepping aside as she did so and waiting for them to enter.
"I just love what you did with the place."
Tony kept his eyes forward and his mouth in a line as he took in the sight of Nick Fury, reclining in a chair with his feet on the desk and his arms folded behind his head. "The red curtains are a little bit much for me, but then again this isn't my office, is it?"
"Maybe we should give him a moment to take it all in," Maria called from the doorway.
Fury grinned, rising up from the chair and patting Tony on the back on the way out.
Natasha rushed to the window, opening the curtains and gazing down at the busy city streets below.
Tony followed, his eyes sweeping over his surroundings before he joined her.
She looked up at him, studying him with wide eyes. "Did we get it right?"
He nodded and she smiled brightly as she threw her arms around him.
"Welcome home, Director Stark," she said before kissing him deeply.
A slow smile spread across his face as he embraced her just as fiercely. "Come on, Agent Romanoff. We've got a lot of work to do."