Tony should have been asleep, but it was three in the morning, and his mind couldn’t stop spinning with all the thoughts and feelings that had been brought to the surface from spending the day with Kendis.

He brushed his fingertips across her cheek and couldn’t quite repress his smile when she inched closer to him.

‘Adorable,’ he thought to himself. Kendis was hot as hell, and honestly, in a city where beauty was a dime a dozen, there was just something about Kendis that had immediately caught his attention.

In all his years, Tony had never felt such a pull toward another human being. In hindsight, trying to resist Kendis was like defying gravity.

And God, there was so much more to Kendis than he could have ever expected. Tony knew that what she had told him was just the tip of the iceberg, but he had a feeling he would never uncover all of her mysteries. Instead of frustrating him, it actually excited him.

He dropped a kiss on top of her nose and chuckled softly when she wrinkled her button nose. His finger swiped across her lightning bolt scar.

Tony had gone into this marriage thinking that this would be a temporary thing. But now, he knew there was nothing temporary about Kendis Black, and that frightened him.  ‘Am I really considering making this marriage real?” 

With a sigh, he stared up at the dark ceiling and tried to get a hold of his tumultuous feelings. Hell, after the long day they’d had and with the way Kendis had worked him over, he should have been sleeping, but he had woken up in the middle of the night and couldn’t go back to sleep.

‘I might as well get up,’ Tony sighed. He carefully untangled their bodies. Then, he got out of bed.

With one last kiss, he draped the sheet over her naked body. Kendis mumbled something in her sleep, but they didn’t wake up. Tony felt surprised and proud that Kendis felt safe enough to sleep so deeply near him. Especially after everything Chester Coil had put her through.

Tony went to his dresser and donned a pair of sleep pants. He got his phone from his jeans and quietly left the bedroom, heading to the balcony down the hall.

It was another beautiful night in Malibu. Under a starry night, he found comfort in the ocean’s salty scent as a bright full moon lit up the dark waves below.

The view was fantastic here, perfect for stargazing. Thinking of the stars reminded him of their trip to the Griffith Observatory and the wonder in Kendis’s eyes as she explored the exhibits.

He opened his phone’s gallery, revealing a picture. Not of Kendis’s face because she had some magic mojo that distorted any photos or video with her face.

But simply of their hands laced together on the railing as you could see the Hollywood sign in the distance.

He wondered what it would be like with their wedding rings on their fingers. Tony still kept his in the drawer of his desk. It was plain and gold and generic — nothing he would have chosen if Tony had been in his right mind. If he could do it all over again, Tony would give Kendis a ring worthy of her.

‘You’re getting soft, Stark,’ Tony chided himself as he felt his cheeks heat. He was thankful Kendis wasn’t awake, or they would never let him live it down. Tony quickly exited his gallery and accidentally hit the latest text chain.

It was from Rhodey.

Rhodey: You’ve got to talk to me sooner or later, Tones.

Tony bit his lip as he quickly calculated the time in Afghanistan and realized it was late in the afternoon. Late enough that Rhodey wouldn’t curse him out for calling.

Although that never stopped him before.

Tony tapped on Rhodey’s contact and waited for his best friend to pick up the phone.

“I thought you were too cool to pick up your phone,” Rhodey sighed into the phone.

“Sorry, it’s been hectic,” Tony said, laughing, but feeling guilty nonetheless. He knew he was wrong to avoid Rhodey, but he was afraid his best friend would side with Obadiah and Pepper. They both disapproved of his sudden marriage, and he didn’t want to face Rhodey’s disappointment.

He wanted someone to reassure him he wasn’t a fool for considering something serious with Kendis.

“Yeah, with getting married for the third time,” Rhodey said. “I am kind of pissed that I wasn’t invited.”

“Oh, don’t be like that sourpatch.” Tony teased, but to his surprise, he ended up confessing, “If it makes you feel better, I had zero intention of getting married again.”

Rhodey paused for a long moment and then asked softly,

“What’s wrong, Tones?” 

Tony groaned because what the fuck could he say? He could admit to himself that Tony was way over his head.

“Tony?”

“Yeah, I’m here.”

“What’s going on?”

He gave a long, tired sigh and said, “I think I fucked up.”

“Yeah, getting blackout drunk and marrying the first stranger you come across is a bit of a fuckup.”

“That’s not the problem,” Tony replied with a huff. Well, it was part of the problem, and he didn’t know where to begin with spilling everything that had happened.

“You fucked around and caught feelings, didn’t you?”

Tony slapped his forehead and groaned. Because, yeah, he had caught feelings. ‘I’m in love with Kendis’ had been on repeat in his head since he had come to that realization the night before. 

And then today, he had taken her out on an actual date. He had deluded himself into thinking that they were just hanging out as friends. But now, in hindsight, Tony realized he had taken Kendis out on their first date, and they had even had sex at the end.

This was the first real date he’d had in years.

“Tony, you don’t know this woman.”

“I know more than you think,” Tony replied with a bitter laugh. “Kendis doesn’t need or want my money, and she hates fame.”

Tony was getting tired of his friends and family assuming that Kendis was a gold digger. Anyone who got to know her for more than five minutes could tell that Kendis was stubbornly independent.

“Trust me,” Tony said. “She’s not with me for my money or fame. Weird enough, I think she likes me for me.”

“What does Jarvis think?” 

Tony shrugged. “I think he likes her?”

“I do,” Jarvis broke in, and Tony rolled his eyes because, of course, his A.I. was going to butt his way into his phone calls.

Jarvis explained, “She’s very tolerant of the bots rambunctious behavior and incredibly kind.”

“They watched Short Circuit,” Tony groaned. “She actually sat with them and watched it.”

There was a long beat of silence, and then Rhodey chuckled.

“I’m still going to have to meet her before I make my final judgment, but she sounds she could be a keeper.”

“Trust me, Rhodey, Kendis is way too good for me.”

“Tony, we have had this conversation before about you talking badly about my best friend,” Rhodey chided him.

But despite Rhodey’s chastisement, Tony knew that he was right. Kendis Black was way too good for him, and he knew if they stayed together, he would end up fucking it up.

“I love her, Rhodey,” Tony suddenly blurted out.

He could hear the smile in Rhodey’s voice when he said, “That’s a good thing.”

“Is it?!” Tony wailed. “What the fuck do I know about marriage? The only example of a marriage I had growing up was of my parents, and you know what a shitshow theirs was.”

“That’s not fair,” Rhodey said. “Just because your parents barely tolerated each other doesn’t mean your marriage is going to be like that.”

“But—”

“Tony,” Rhodey interjected. “Marriages are just relationships with legal papers attached.”

“And I famously suck at relationships,” Tony pointed out.

“You famously picked the most horrible people to be in relationships with,” Rhodey corrected. “If this Kendis Black is as good as you say, and you love her, then give her an honest chance. “

“Weren’t you just trying to talk me out of this?”

“I still have my concerns,” Rhodey said. “But I trust Jarvis, and I know that your first instinct is to self-sabotage.”

“I’m scared shitless,” Tony admitted as he shakily ran his hand through his hair.

“Tony,” Rhodey said. “I may never have been married, but I have it on pretty good authority that marriage is what you make it. It doesn’t have to be a Leave It to Beaver thing. If you want her, then you should tell her that. You deserve to be happy.”

Tony sighed. “Thanks, cookie crisp.”

“You’re welcome,” Rhodey replied. “That is what friends are for.”

Tony and Rhodey talked for a bit longer just catching up. He missed his best friend and he was so glad he got to see him soon. He was going to escort him to the Jericho demonstration.

After he hung up, all Tony could do was stand there and let Rhodey’s words sink in. He felt so torn. Tony felt like marrying Kendis would end badly for both of them, but then he considered Rhodey’s advice. ‘Should I give my marriage a chance?’

Tony turned when he heard soft footsteps approaching. Dressed in his T-shirt and nothing else was Kendis. She was sleepy-eyed and gorgeous as she hurried over to him.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his back. “The bed was cold without you.”

Tony squeezed her fingers. “Sorry, I couldn’t sleep.”

“Everything okay?”

Tony shrugged, “Yeah.”

“Uh, huh,” She replied, dubiously.

Tony turned around slowly and took her face in his hands.

“Tony?”

He licked his suddenly dry lips as Tony finally met her curious gaze. “What if you stayed?”

“Here at the mansion?” Kendis asked with a frown.

“Yes…No,” Tony ran his hand through his hair in frustrated and then threw up his hands in the air. “I want to give this thing between us a real shot. I want to make it real.”

“You want to stay married to me?” 

Kendis put a finger to his lips, and there was a flash of emotion on her face; something he couldn’t quite parse.

“If you had asked me a month ago, I would have said no.” Kendis shook her head wryly. “And let me remind you that being in a relationship with me usually ends up with people dead.”

She shushed Tony before he could respond to that. “But for the last few days, I have been thinking about how I have been running for ten long years.” Kendis shook her head. ” Out of all the things I despise Chester for. I hate he took away my feeling of safety. When I should have been living, I just ended up creating a prison of my own making.”

Tony watched her as she looked away and then turned to meet his eyes. “I am tired of lying to myself. I’m tired of running.” Kendis took a deep breath. “The past couple of days showed me what I’ve been missing, and I don’t want to go back to just surviving, not really living.”

“I love you, Tony.” Kendis’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.” And I refuse to let you go.”

Tony pressed his forehead against hers and took a long breath. Tony felt the words on the tip of his tongue. He grabbed onto all of his courage and finally pushed them out of his mouth.

“I-I love you too,” he stammered.

At that moment, Tony barely recognized the new man that love had made of him. With none of his usual bravado, Tony hesitantly admitted, “I love you so much that it terrifies me.”

And Kendis beamed up at him, her smile brighter than the moonlight.

“Stay,” Tony asked again.

“I’ll stay for as long as you want.”

‘Forever then,’ Tony thought to himself as pressed his lips to hers. Kendis had come into his life like a hurricane. She shook up his bland, colorless life, which had been filled with parties and anonymous hookups, upside down. 

Now, he knew what his life could be with her by his side, Tony would be damned if he let his fear and self-doubt get in the way of spending the rest of his life with Kendis.

And if Obadiah or Pepper didn’t like that? Well, that was their problem.