50 Shades of Tony
By Rey
Chapter 20
Tony stark and His Sojourn As the Responsible Guy
Warning for:
Piece 480: Explicit: Alien Childbirth
Ýmirheim, Middle of June-July 2015
479. Pale
Within a fortnight, Tony can't stand being with Fié only nightly, when the latter's gone progressively weaker, paler by each visit. He sends the Murphys and Jessie home (`Temporarily!`), entrusts his companies to Pepper, and parks himself by a by-now pale-blue, round-bellied Fié's side with the rest of the midgets.
**480. Rancid
There are supposedly 10 days remaining, but Fié's going into labour. Fear's rancid in Tony's mouth. They're thrashing and moaning in the birthing pool, now, mostly face-down. Then they suddenly face sidewise and lock eyes with him, before the still, clear water turns blue and their navel widens, disgorging… something.
481. Blasé
"Giving birth is not at all painful; euphoric, in fact. However, Ðolukonnar's previous experience has been traumatic, and, during this pregnancy, their energy has been spent trying to keep the babies safe," the healer expounds on why Fié's unconscious, minutes after naming their children. `They're so blasé about this!`
482. Repair
"Repair your previous relationship with Ýmirheim, Farbauti," Anga said pointedly. So now here Tony is: seated in Fié's place in the audience chamber, receiving guests – supplicants, petitioners – in Fié's stead… and being rained on by negative vibes, words, actions for "usurping" Fié's authority. `Damn you, Anga. Trying to kill me?!`
483. Steel
Tony knows how frustrated, irritated, angry and tired Pepper must've felt back then, as his PA, because he's basically in the same job, now. To think that he often lobbed these unappetising interactions to Pepper…. Well, if she's got steel backbone, then he does, too! `Ready, smurfies? It's Tony 2.0!`
484. Niece
Tony never experienced having extended family before this. Howard and Maria Stark were both only children, and he's one, himself. But now, he happens to find the joys of such, because Fié's four… nieces?… are giving him a relaxing massage and chit-chat combo, while he's lying beside the unconscious Fié.
485. Yes
Tony tiredly flips Anga off when the latter wakes him up for another gruelling day as glorified secretary. (`Monarch's consort. Spouses share things legally. Bah!`) He really, really regrets saying yes to that manipulative git, by now. Unfortunately, aside from that trait, Anga's also persistent. "Yes, yes, yes, I'm 'wake!"
486. Wallet
Ýmirheim's resources are alarmingly low. Tony's long known this; else why would its monarch work so much, so menially for food and other necessities? Now that he's actively working on the ledgers and the problems and the sad, disappointed sighs, however, he truly wishes that his wallet's contents could help.
487. Juice
Tony must inspect a construction site almost half a world over. He hates it, even before he goes. He does set a few milaða-hardened Iron Man suits to guard his family, but it doesn't feel enough. And his transport…. "Don't you have more juice in this thing? It's so slow!"
488. Only
Raw materials and construction skills aren't the only things that Ýmirheim can export, Tony thinks, as he spies one of the construction workers patiently moulding leftover gravel and crystal-shards into a beautifully exotic panel, which will bring artistically arranged pebbles of refracted light into a room. This, he can market.
489. Velvet
"Can you make a softer version of that panel?" Tony enthusiastically asks the art-working construction worker. "With the general texture and tone of velvet cloth. Not everyone like that rugged look, y'see, though I do. But it means you can expand. Let's try at least five more vastly different versions."
490. In Absentia
Fié's awake at last when Tony's back. Anga's in the middle of giving report of what Tony's been doing, and visibly tries not to be affected when, bypassing them, Tony pounces on Fié and kisses the latter silly. He's showing them what he's feeling in their absence, 'complementing' the report.
491. Layer
Agents Pretender and Legolas sent an alarming message: HYDRA's apparently soaked itself into even the top layers of Earth's defences – the military and police forces, and maybe also others. And Tony's remaining family and friends are still on Earth. They're quite in danger, as shown with what happened with Vovo.
492. Footstep
Helblindi's proven themself an apt pupil; following after Tony's footsteps in business management, if far quieter and more forceful than Tony. With a little more polish…. Well, that's where Anga's coming in. That prat owes Tony. So Tony leaves the state export business to them and trudges back to Earth.
