2018
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The sound of their friends' and family's claps of joy will forever be engraved in their mind. They never once wavered as the couple signed the legal document that declared them as an official married couple, but increased in volume when the groom stole a kiss from the bride once it was done. As they got onto their assigned car with the traditional cans dangling from the trunk, the newly wed couple got in and drove out into the open.

They drove off into their new life, off from the heavy weights that the newly established world had on their shoulders, off from the responsibilities of being the last standing members of the Avengers; off to their temporary break to enjoy their newly wedded life.

Tony Stark was an old-fashioned guy, and a few years back when he saw one of his teammates live an entire different life in an isolated cabin, he decided that's what he wanted for his future. He already had an idea of who he wanted to share it with, he just needed the right opportunity to make it happen. And it did happen. It took its sweet time, but it did. So he didn't waste any time and bought enough property to have the privacy he needed in this new chapter of his life.

As the sun was losing its throne in the sky, the car approached the isolated area of a humongous lake, where a newly built-in cabin stood. The trees were tall enough to cover and protect the house like a shield, and the reflection of the water was visible in the clean windows. The perfect place for a home. He couldn't wait to grow old in it and feel like he actually accomplished something in his life.

The car was brought to a stop, and Tony didn't waste any time before jumping off his seat to help the person in the passenger's seat. He opened the door for her and (Y/N) flashed him a thankful grin, one that he was happy to return.

Once (Y/N) got both of her feet on the ground, she was able to take a better look at the cabin in front of her. Her eyes were wide from everything surrounding the area, but what also caught her attention was the excitement dripping off Tony's face. It looked like he was keeping something from her, and that was never good.

"Home sweet home," he announced and moved his arms dramatically to show off.

(Y/N) had never turned to look at him so fast. "Home — ? But I thought this was temporary?"

Tony shook his head and pressed his lips to restrain a smile. "Nope," he popped the kat syllable. "Told you I'd take a page off Barton's book."

"Tony, I — " she couldn't express what she was feeling into words. Her eyes softened as she stared at the man beside her, and couldn't believe she was in this moment. "Thank you."

He shrugged the gratefulness off with a hand and reached for something in his pocket. "I wanted the perfect home for us to grow old in."

Tony pulled a small pamphlet from his suit pocket and shook it for her to see, to which (Y/N) quickly identified it as a property deed. When she reached a hand out to see it for herself, Tony pulled it away from her grasp, as if he was hiding something.

"What? It's our home but I can't see the deed?"

"It's all taken care of, dear. No need to worry."

"Please don't tell me it includes a paragraph about adding a big sign that spells out your last name in neon lights."

"Our last name, now," Tony corrected patiently. "And no. Although it wouldn't be a bad idea."

"Tony — "

"Enough chit chat," he clapped his hands together, reaching out to stuff the pamphlet back where he found it. "Don't you wanna see our new home?"

She shook her head with disbelief, but smiled at him nonetheless. "Lead the way, Mr. Stark."

Tony hooked his arm with hers, returning the gesture with the same expression behind his eyes. "Of course, Ms. Stark."

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What (Y/N) didn't expect when she walked through the threshold of her new home was to be received by a mess of a living room. There were several boxes labeled with phrases that weren't quite visible anymore, machines and probably a lot of Tony's gadgets, a few pieces of furniture here and there, but nothing was in its correct spot. When she turned around to question him about it, he flashed another innocent grin.

"I told the moving company to not bring everything yet," he explained. "Wanted us to go slow and plan things out."

Her frown only deepened. "You didn't hire a team to help out?"

"Oh, I did, it just comes in tomorrow."

"And what do we do until then?"

"What do you think, honey? Move the furniture, that's what."

She exhaled a long breath and her eyes scanned the boxes in front of her. She knew it'd be a challenge, especially with only two of them, but thought it would be a good idea to at least have a start on the move and just have the hired team finish what's left in the morning. She placed her hands on her hips and made a smacking noise with her lips before facing the man beside her.

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do," she declared, clapping her hands together. "Person who unpacks the most boxes and moves the most pieces of furniture wins."

"You got a deal."

And that's what happened. Tony moved onto the stacks of boxes laying in the middle of the room and started opening them one by one. (Y/N) canvassed the area for a vision of how to arrange the living room before moving the furniture. At some point, Tony placed all his strength in moving a loveseat from one side of the room to the other, making noises of disgruntlement because he couldn't move it more than a few inches. But when (Y/N) heard his struggle and came to help him, she lifted the loveseat from the ground with her hands as if it didn't weight a thing.

The couple lost track of time amongst the unpacking of boxes, deciding where to place the photographs, where would a specific painting would hang on the wall, and even a petty argument if it was necessary to have that much flower vases in the house. By the time (Y/N) was already yawning of exhaustion, Tony convinced her to finish one last box before going to bed ( or couch) since the bed wasn't here yet.

"I didn't know you had this," Tony voiced when he pulled out a picture frame and held it out for her to see. In his hands, he held a picture of the Avengers Tower inauguration, standing side by side along with Pepper. It had been so long ago that he nearly forgot about that. "Why do you have it?"

She shrugged. "I looked good in that photo," she did a double take. "And you're there too, I guess."

"Ouch."

Tony reached out to the box one last time, already sparing a short glance at the last picture frame stacked in that specific box. When his eyes fixed on what picture it was, his fingers froze and he didn't dare to move a muscle, too ingrained in his own world to do so.

"Is that all?" (Y/N) asked before moving back at him. When she didn't hear an answer, she turned around and didn't understand why he was reacting that way. "What's wrong?"

Tony slowly pulled the picture frame from the box and (Y/N)'s own breath hitched. Peter and Tony were in that picture, holding an upside down diploma in their hands. She could remember that they wanted this taken as an alibi for the kid's aunt, and (Y/N) recalled how she'd laughed when she took the photo and saw the upside down diploma and the silly faces.

"Hang it in the kitchen," she told him.

"Are you sure?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" she retorted. "Kid deserves to be remembered, especially in this house."

Tony got up from his knees with the picture on his hands, standing up to do as he was instructed in that exact moment since he didn't want to waste any more time. "I'm taking your word for it. I'll be right back."

She gave him a small smile as he disappeared on his way to the kitchen. "And that's the last thing we're doing tonight, mister."

"You got it!"

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A few sheets were placed on top of the large couch, comfortable enough for them to be slept in for just one night. (Y/N) adjusted the final touches to their made-up bed and heard the sound of Tony's footsteps approaching the living room with a steady rhythm. She sat down first on the couch and patted the seat on her side to invite him in, and he let out a sigh of relaxation as he moved to sit right beside her.

"Are you enjoying your first day at your new home, Ms. Stark?" Tony asked first as he settled on the couch, moving an around her shoulders.

"Sure!" she nodded enthusiastically. "I love the part where we sleep in the couch."

"Haha, very funny."

She let out a chuckle before there was a short period of silence. A new thought came to her head, and she decided to break it. "Should we visit the town?"

"Town?" he frowned at her words.

"You know, the small town we passed on our way here," she referred to the sign she had spotted on their way up to this cabin, not quite catching the name of it but she did see several small businesses with people inside. She didn't have to be a genius to know they were part of a town.

"And do what?" Tony questioned.

(Y/N) shrugged. "I don't know. Meet the people, the shops, I guess. Makes this even more real than it already is."

Tony liked the sound of that. "Should we have secret identities like in those movies for it? Or we just be ourselves?"

"We'll figure something out," she responded. "But if we did, we'd have to be convincing."

"You're right. We'd have to sell a story about how we met," Tony nodded his head in agreement. "Maybe a lie about how I proposed or when we got married. Oh! How about our wedding song?"

"What would you tell them our song is?"

"Mm-hmm. Back in Black, by AC/DC."

(Y/N) gave him a look which made him jump to his own defense. "It'll start a conversation."

"Sure it will."

Tony lowered his head to stare at their intertwined hands, and his eyes caught sight of the newly wedding bands on both of their fingers. He reached out to give her hand a firm squeeze, as if to reassure himself that she was real and that she wasn't going anywhere. When she noticed what he was doing, (Y/N) rubbed soft circles on his hand.

"We'll even tell them about our designer wedding bands," Tony added on.

"You never shy away of an opportunity to show off," (Y/N) told him with a knowing look.

"Of course not."

Tony raised their intertwined hands in the air as if to show them off, a subconscious smile coming it's way up his lips. (Y/N) copied his actions, and wriggled her fingers to make the ring shimmer in the dim light.

"And somehow, honey, we'll always end the stories we tell with a 'they lived happily ever after'," Tony said with his eyes on the rings.

"Because that's always true."

Tony started to lean in. "'The end'."

He connected their lips in a passionate kiss, one that made him smile against her lips as she deepened it from her side too. There, illuminated by the dim lights of their newly built home, one memory was forged, indicating the start of many to come.

sorry for the late update !! here you go.
can't wait to write them as parents tbh, but of course i have to add some angst beforehand. you already know me.

if you follow me closely, you'll know that i'm a sucker to include wandavision scenes, and this book is no exception. wait for more to come

-see you soon, bex <3