"Tony, are you sure, you don't want to wear something warmer?" she asked, for the umpteenth time.

"Sweetheart," he said, exasperated, "This is the style, and I am okay,"

"Fuck the style, Tony, it is late December, and you are saying, that wherever you are taking me we are probably going to spend late hours there, it's cold and you would fall ill,"

"Oh god, you are such a mother-hen," he said, rolling his eyes, before taking her hands and practically pushing her in the car.

She pouted at his carelessness but left the topic, knowing there was no arguing with him when he decided something. Though she would not lie, even though she would like him to wear warmer clothes, he looks handsome in the clothes he wears at that moment. A white button-up shirt clad his torso, a black warm coat converting his broad shoulders, black jeans and a pair of tracking white shoes.

"Now, to the destination," he said, taking the steering wheel as the car boomed to life.

─── · 。ﾟ

The night scenery seemed to blur past them, as Tony navigated through the roads, AC/DC blasting on the radio. Wind rushed past Nora's hair, as she kept the window open, her eyes shut while she enjoyed the feeling of comfort it brought her.

The dark sky glittered in the night, the moon hung in the sky, casting a soft glow over the red sandstone formation. Constellations shone in the sky like pearls twinkling in the sea. She grasped Tony's hand as he led the way, the sound of their footsteps being the only sound at that time.

Nora looked around her in awe, she had imagined many places Tony Stark could take her on a date, late night. The Red Rock Canyon National Park wasn't one of them.

Large Red stone structures tower all over the area, paths made between them for hiking, and a few patches of grass and moss were here and there. They would occasionally pass by wildflowers, which Nora would gently touch with a smile.

A mere touch from her, would rejuvenate the flowers, giving them a bright glow, their wilted parts would again sprout with liveliness, fragrance stirring in the air.

"You're cold," she remarked, as he led the way, ever so often a shiver would pass through him, when the cold wind blew and he regretted his choice of not listening to her, though come on, he was Tony Stark, he wasn't going to accept it.

"No, I am not,"

She raised an eyebrow, before sighing, "Tony, your hands are freezing,"

Their hands were entwined both because it was providing warmth to his heart as well as his hand. He stopped in his tracks, when she tugged at his hand removing the hold, and God, he didn't think he could crave anything to the extent that he did, holding her hand and keeping her close.

He looked down, his lips slightly pouted sulkily, but the lecture he was expecting never came. So, he looked up, his gaze settling on her who was rummaging through her bag, before pulling out a pair of gloves and a scarf in the color he knew as Iron man red.

Tony could feel breath leaving his lungs. He was accustomed to being lectured, by the few people he considered close about his health, to getting eyes rolled at his carelessness about his health and irritated rants about his stubbornness. But not to be cared for, at least not without even asking, that typically he never does.

He couldn't really remember a time in his childhood when his own father had ever done something so small, yet something that now seems to bring him close to tears. Maybe it was the moonlight that frame her face, illuminating her pale skin the same way his blurred memories remember his mother skin being illuminated once, or maybe it was just the fact, that despite how tough the outer shell of Tony Stark is, his inner self, the broken child inside him, crave being cared for, craved bring loved, craved someone to come and patch up the scars without asking... with time though, he had accepted it would never happen, but now looking at her in that moment, he felt enamored, not just by her beauty, but by her soul, the parts that were too good for the world, even after suffering to the worst the world could offer.

With her, he could feel his heartbeat, the one which people seem to think doesn't exist.

"Here," she said, passing him the gloves, which he took wearing them all while his eyes never left hers, she didn't seem to mind that either.

Tony said nothing, remaining silent as Nora kept the scarf over his neck, her delicate fingers gently wrapping it once around, smoothening the edges all while, his eyes traced her face, the delicate cut of her cheekbones, the gloss on her pink lips and his favorite shade of green, that soon met his.

Nora felt her heartbeat fastening a bit, seeing that he was looking at her already. His eyes– the one that seemed like the perfect mixture of intoxicating whiskey and sweet honey– helding a mesmerizing glance, the slightest glaze and lips curved into a smile, and oh god, did that smile do things to her. She was accustomed to seeing his lips either curved into that breathtaking smirk of his or a sarcastic twist. Seeing a genuine smile, that too, this mesmerizing, was rare from a man who had mastered the art of facades, and somehow inside her heart, she cherished it more than anything.

"Thanks," he whispered, his voice a gentle hum against the cold breeze.

"It is the bare minimum," she said, she had her hands still resting on his chest, one of his, resting on her waist. No words were exchanged, they didn't need to, because their eyes conveyed the feelings word failed to. A beautiful poetry amidst the rugged but beautiful structures.

She finally pulled away clearing her throat, when she realized that the distance between their lips were decreasing second by second, and that she wasn't quite ready to kiss him after seeing this side of him, she doubted her heart could take it.

"Soo, where are you actually taking me?"

"Right," Tony pressed his lips in a straight line, trying to hide the disappointment he felt when she pulled away, "You remember the meteor shower tonight?

Nora's eyes widened a bit, and it was now her turn to feel the breath leaving her lungs. He remembered, god damn it, he remembered even though she had herself forgotten. She remembered letting her enthusiastic self-shine when she was with him in the lab, talking about the once in a century cosmic event that would take place on twenty third of December, tonight.

"There was no need,"

"It is the bare minimum,"

Next minutes seemed to pass in a blur, with them falling in a comfortable silence, him leading the way.

"Well, here we are," he announced, helping her up the slope, and though she didn't mention it, she could see the slightest hint of nervousness in his eyes.

A gasp escaped from her lips, her hand flying to her mouth. Her eyes twinkling and moistening at the same time, they were now at the top of one of the boarder sandstones, its peak spanning over several meters, and just in between the red-stones was a pole tilted up, a canopy illuminating the peak.

A translucent golden sheet shimmered with the fairy lights dangling around them, a fluffy sheet was spread underneath the area that canopy covered, cushions with pastel colors stocked up. A weaved basket sat on the side, and although she couldn't see what was inside, she had a feeling it contained her favorites. Two binoculars dangled with a rope to the side. Bottles of champagnes with water droplets surrounding them decorate the side in a criss cross pattern.

"Oh god," she whispered, her palm on her mouth as she took in the arrangements, "Tony, this is too much–oh my god, I am not worth this much effort,"

Nora was no expert in relationships, she didn't care either, but at that moment she knew that despite her limited knowledge about dates, this was not an ordinary one. He had put effort, he had put thoughts, and oh god, did it do things to her heart...

She was gripped with insecurities and doubts, when he confessed, wondering if holding her heart bare open would be worth it? All that seems like dreadful imagination now, because all she could feel was that she had laid herself a rose lidded path when she held her heart open.

A path which she is not deserving of, with a man who deserves more than her, a lot more than her, someone beautiful, confident, someone who can stand by his side with grace... not someone with baggage and scars. And although, Nora was grateful, eternally grateful to the cosmic power, if there is one, to provide her a chance with the man made of gold beside her, she also sometime felt her heart squeezing, wondering do she really even deserved all that after what she had done in past?

"I have told you before, sweetheart," he said, bumping her with shoulder, "you are worth everything, and I will tell you that, always, as many times it will take you to believe that,"