K I L L    Y O U R    D A R L I N G S

iv. is there somewhere
chapter four.

1991.

SOMETHING ABOUT LEAVING WITH TONY STARK FELT LIBERATING, IN A TWISTED KIND OF WAY. She had seen most of the world, that was for certain, but only the world her father put her in, the only world that was familiar to her — cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, Paris, London, Amsterdam — never for her own pleasure, always tangled within the complications and challenges she faced as a woman of color in the business world. Going with him, a man who had the world lying in the palm of his hand, everything his heart could ever even desire at his fingertips, was like her goodbye. A kiss to her past that had clawed itself stuck within her mind.

     "Earth to Moon," Tony jokingly stated in a voice that resembled the ones heard on the television, waving his hand in front of her face to catch her attention. She blinked owlishly, an effortless smile spreading across her features as she forced her thoughts away.

      "Witty, I've never heard that one before." There was a hint of sarcasm in her words that Tony more than appreciated, as if he had finally penetrated through the facade she put up for the world. However, there was a tension lingering in the air between them. She was anxiously awaiting the breakdown she was convinced she would have, but somehow she could merely stare curiously at the man sitting before her, his presence offering comfort more than anything. His eyes were focused on her every move. Almost as if he, too, was expecting she'd have some sort of breakdown. "Have I ever told you why I'm not fond of flying?"

      "No," Tony answered truthfully, but there was already a sense of understanding. The entirety of the world witnessed her tragedy and the death of her father — Bo-Gyeong Moon — and the entire world was shaken. However, he could only imagine what his death had done to her world. "But I'm thinking it's the same thing with me and cars."

       "How do you do it?" she questioned. It was no secret that the collection of cars belonging to Tony Stark, the slick vehicles that he drove everywhere to, were one of his most prized possessions. Almost as if the accident had enabled him to become stronger.

      "After the funeral, my dad's friend — I should really say Aunt Peggy — she came to
me," he swallowed hard and released a chuckle of sorts. "I remember that we both were too proud to cry, but we were grieving. Just sitting there in silence. She told me that she would do everything in her power to find out what happened to my parents. Until then she refuses to believe that my dad would've crashed the car. I guess I have faith in her, and most of all I just want to have faith in my dad."

     Novaleigh smiled sadly, no words needed to convey her emotions. She reached for his hand that hung over the handrail, and as their fingers touched for the first time, there was a sense of serenity found with each other. He laced their fingers together like some sort of woven art that was indescribable to her when the plane started to move. Somehow, this felt safer. As if he would be there if something did happen like he wouldn't let her crash or burn without him.

      And she couldn't be more alright with that.

˚✧ ⁺ ˚ ⁺˳ ✧₊ ˳*˚✧ ⁺ ˚ ⁺˳ ✧₊ ˳*

       LAS VEGAS HAD AN AURA SHE COULD ONLY ASSOCIATE WITH A MAN LIKE TONY STARK. Richly embroidered with glory, fame, and money, buzzing with the thrill of life, on the edge of reality. Neon lights burned brightly at the skyline, people from all around the world roaming the streets, and every doubt she had beforehand disappeared. She was utterly intrigued by everything Tony had to offer her of the world — of his world. She was utterly intrigued by him.

      "I've never been to Las Vegas before," Novaleigh stated as she looked down at the city from the sky-high building Tony most likely owned. "It definitely suits you."

       He looked at her, the atmosphere light and comfortable, "Compliment or insult?"

       She refrained from laughing, "You know me well enough by now. I don't insult people, at least not out loud."

        "You don't strike me as a party type," he finally said as he poured them an alcoholic beverage. There wasn't any hint of envy or disgust laced with his words, he just seemed curious. "Las Vegas might not appeal to you, your Highness."

    "You're hilarious," she deadpanned, giving him a look before hesitantly accepting the glass of alcohol. He shot her a grin that made her crack a smile. "I'm not really a party type. I never really found the time to get drunk and make decisions I'd regret. Moon Technologies has been my main priority after my dad died, so I guess that's why."

      There was a subtle hint in her words, but he chose to ignore it, taking a sip of his scotch. "So, why the sudden change of heart?"

     "Believe it or not, I've always been envious of you. I might not agree with your style of life, but it sure seems interesting. I guess that for a woman who thought she had everything, finding out that there's more in the world — I don't know, I want to experience that as well. It's not something I'm familiar with." It was too ironic to even comprehend because everything she craved to understand was everything he desired to ridden himself off.

      "It might not be as great as you think it is."

      She smiled. "I'm willing to take that risk."

      There was a perplexed look on his face, all too impressed with her determination and too unsatisfied with what she undoubtedly would find to be a toxic waste of the world. "What else?"

      "What do you mean, what else?" Novaleigh questioned.

      "You said that I know you well enough by now, but I don't think I do, pretty. So, what else? What are your dreams, your plans for the future, your favorite childhood memories, everything. Who is Novaleigh Moon?" He asked her like curiosity was coursing through his veins. Like she was an unknown kind of element he was trying to invent. It was flattering beyond understanding.

      A comforting silence lingered between them as she pondered on his question. "I wanted to be an artist when I was younger, like my mother. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit her creativity or delicacy to ever achieve that, so I decided to stick to things that were familiar to me, things that were logical in my mind. Science, physics and biology, things like that. I invested in becoming an inventor, a scientist, someone who could change the world for the better."

      "You have a Ph.D. in biology? I didn't know that." Tony said, clearly impressed with her academic achievements, because he was aware of the hardships she had to face in college, with her father sitting on top of a world dominating company.

      "Biology is not rocket science, you know? It's the interest I've taken in it, I guess. I want to help people in any way I can, so biology was the most logical option for me," she explained. "Have to admit, though, engineering is more my thing."

      He snorted, "You don't say."

      With a roll of her eyes, she made her way toward him, glass still gripped within her hand. "Well, I'm not the one who graduated from MIT when I was seventeen, Mr. Stark."

      "Still surprises me we never talked before two weeks ago," Because they hadn't. They'd meet at business events, passed each other in the halls, glanced from afar, but neither ever decided to approach the other. "Can't believe I could ignore such a pretty face like yours."

      She shrugged, heat rising to her cheeks. "I suppose I was never quite on your radar, I am three years older than you, remember?"

     "Well, maybe we should thank coincidence for our lucky meeting, I guess."

     "Please," she drawled, finding courage to respond to his continuous flirting. "Seems more like faith to me."

      Because neither of them could deny the connection they had, the electricity that surged through them whenever they were together.

      "How about this—" Tony walked towards her, backing her into the table she was leaning on. There was suddenly only inches between them, and he reached for the strand of her that dangled in front of her face, slowly tucking it behind her ear. "You teach me about rocket science, I teach you how to let loose and have fun."

      A little breathless, she swallowed hard, eyes darting from his eyes to his lips, because they were so close, and she wasn't even sure if she could think straight. "Sounds like a deal to me."

edited.
( whoop, edited chapter yay! )