Chapter Text
But there are dreams that cannot be
And there are storms we cannot weather
I had a dream my life would be
So different from this hell I'm living
So different now from what it seemed
Now life has killed the dream
I dreamed
Tony Stark finds Broadway so utterly dull.... The singing and dancing is so consistent, it's like every fucking sentence, that it makes the show all blur together and the way Shakespeare uses no proper grammar and sounds literally foreign gives him a migraine. Not to mention the fact that the story line is usually very expected, no plot twists and so simple.
But he finds himself sitting in the theater regardless. Why?
Oh, because he had to create another scandal while drunk off his ass in Las Vegas that Pepper had to clean up. As always. But because he wants to treat her nice before she finally decides to just up and quit and leave his sorry ass, he took her to broadway. And seeing her eyes a lit with wonder and excitement is worth the headache.
Yes their relationship went down the drain, quite quickly he may add and shockingly it didn't end as disastrously than he thought it would. Pepper isn't too hurt, and he honestly wasn't surprised and has been hiding the ache behind jokes and scotch. Coping mechanisms!! And they both stayed close friends.
She wants normal. A normal life, one that sits a top of being a good CEO and maybe one day a good mom. But to someone normal. Not Tony Stark. Iron man. Not iron man.
So yes, he will suffer for a couple hours for her because she suffers daily putting up with him. Love you, pep!
So here they are, Pepper dressed in a fine blue silk dress and pearl earrings, grinning from ear to ear and fidgeting in her seat in anticipation. He smiles warmly at her, despite the uncomfortable seating and the fact he is in a penguin suit.
"Tony!! Thank you for this and I mean it!!" She exclaims, touching his arm with giddiness. He nods his head in acceptance and places on his best lopsided grin. "Les Miserable is the most beautiful musical I have ever watched, it constantly brings tears to my eyes and to see them live!! Thank you!"
"Anything for you, pep. Especially after Las Vegas." He coughs and she rolls her eyes in irritation but lights up once again when the lights in the theatre dim and the orchestra echoes their song throughout the theater.
Tony sighs, sagging into his seat and preparing himself for a long two hours of suffering....
Only for the suffering to not come...?
A woman comes on stage after a couple songs that were quite tiresome and boring, and demands the stage with just her presence and he is close to falling for her fucking spell. Tony leans forward in his seat, his big amber eyes wide in wonder of the woman and her voice! Her accent is silky and deep, not exactly british but not Scottish either. Maybe Scandinavian?
But also...familiar... but he doesn't know from where..
Anyways as she sings, her voice echoes over the orchestra and awakens the theatre. And as her voice lowers to notes most women couldn't even dream to sing, people lean forward in anticipation and awe.
Now... as her voice is glorious and the sound of a damned goddess; She is beautiful, captivating and almost mysterious. Long silky raven hair falls in curls down her back and her narrow snow white face is gorgeous and almost flawless. Thick expressive eyebrows make her song all the more powerful as her plump red lips widen in song. She is lean and yet curvaceous. Gorgeous.
Her story is dark and tragic and his heart aches with each downfall she faces. And when the woman that goes by Fantine stands on stage, awash with emotion and utter pain as she utters so softly yet the whisper is all the more powerful. Words pouring from her lips and it almost looks as if she is experiencing and understanding every word.
"And it all went wrong..."
Damn, he felt that.
"I dreamed a dream of time gone by! Where hope was high and life worth living!!"
"I dreamed that love would never die..." Her voice cracks as she whispers. "I dreamed that god would be forgiving." Bitterness awash on her face as her shoulders fall and more lyrics pour from her lips, hiccups and cries in between.
His eyes begin watering and Tony hisses at himself, willing himself to not cry.
"AS they tear your hope apart... AS they turn your dream to shame."
Starks are men of iron.
Starks are men of iron.
"He took my childhood in his stride!!!!"
She narrowly screams and a single tear falls stubbornly, as his heart falls. Holy shit. Holy shit...
She hiccups and cries out, singing with everything she possibly has. Demanding the stage and yet so vulnerable he feels as though he should look away, feeling like an intruder on something more than simply a song. But he is too captivated, too damned moved to take his eyes away from her face.
"But their are dreams that cannot be..."
"I had a dream my life would be... SO DIFFERENT FROM THIS HELL I AM LIVING!!!"
He takes in a breath as more tears leave his eyes, his heart beating fast and dangerously.
"So now life has killed the dream.....
I dream."
But as the last words leave her lips, the audience screams in applause pulls him out of the emotional roller coaster that makes him close to nauseous, He stands along with pepper and claps with all he has. Tony Looks over at pepper, her eyes filled with tears and he can't help but pull her into a side hug. Wishing he could scoop up Fantine up in a bear hug, hissing that everything will be okay. But ha.. Thats ridiculous...
After her song and when she passes And as the play continues and as the story line progresses, Tony realizes he is falling into a deep rabbit hole that is les miserable. The story is so deep and emotional yet interesting and thick with plot. He thought he wouldnt enjoy it anymore since she died so soon, but Tony finds himself enjoying it even when she isn't. He finally understands why Pepper loves Les Mis... But she will never know. He cannot have her holding that over his head no way.
And when she comes back on stage later, as a ghost, he's amazed and heartbroken and this story is unbelievable. How the fuck did it take him so long to watch it? He needs to see the film now. Especially since Pepper noticed him wiping away tears and applauding just as loud, dammit.
She whispers into his ear, "Worth taking me to broadway?"
He chokes out a laugh and says in false irritation, "You will hold this over my head, won't you?"
Pepper laughs, nodding as the theatre begins to take their seats once again to finish the rest of the badass musical that is thick in the midst of the fucking french revolution! Stupid actresses, making him enjoy this bullshit.
~~~~~~~
After the musical finished and everyone exited the theatre and made their way to the main entrance and to the mini bar, Tony and pepper talked animatedly about the play. Exchanging quip for quip as they order drinks respectfully. Just enjoying the high of watching such a captivating performance and one another's company when a small girl with odd black and white hair and big teary mismatched eyes of red and blue cry out for her mummy.
Tony frowns as Pepper doesn't notice what captured his attention and only continued her conversation with a friend that greeted her after the play. With Pepper's attention elsewhere and no one else paying the distressed child attention, Tony looks down at his glass of scotch and places it down on the counter, leaving a bill to pay for the drink before wandering over to the child.
"Mama!!" She cries out and then falls over on her bottom, crying. Tony kneels down beside her and gives her a warm soft smile, handing her a handkerchief from his pocket. She looks up at him with the cutest pout on her plump lips and big big curious eyes as an oddly iridescent hand takes the hanky and wipes her eyes.
"Are you lost, sweetie?" Tony asks, softly. She bobs her head and Tony has never been more curious about a very cute child with some sort of skin... something. Her skin is nearly transparent and iridescent on one side of her body, the side with the big beautiful red eye and the long white hair. She is adorable. "Okay, what's your name, sweetie? I am Tony and Ill help you find your mum, okay?"
She nods once again, wiping her eyes before whispering in a soft voice, "Hela..."
"Nice to meet you, Hela." He nods, slowly standing up and helping her up off the ground as well. He went to hold her small pale hand when instead she wrapped her body around his leg, sniffling. Tony chuckles and pulls her off and into his arms. She sits in a place on his hip, her head buried into his shoulder as she whimpers softly. "Okay what does your mommy look like?"
She hiccups and says slowly in a shockingly accented voice. "Long pretty black hair... gween eyes and--and very very pretty..."
"Pretty huh?" Tony says and she nods against his shoulder. Tony begins making his way through the crowd, people often giving the infamous iron man funny looks for carrying a small child. (don't blame them.. It is a weird sight...) and maneuvering out of the way for him. He continues his search, asking Hela if she sees her mom or pointing out anyone remotely resembling her very vague description. She would always shake her head or give the person he pointed out an adorable grimace as if to say 'Tony she isn't even pretty! My mom is pretty!' He sometimes couldn't help but laugh.
As they make their rounds, suddenly a cry comes from across the room and a woman holding a two year old hurries over, exclaiming her thanks and relief. Tony finds her familiar, in a floor length strapless green silk dress with golden jewelry adorning her body, she reaches for Hela. Brushing her hair away from her face. "Thank you, thank you so much!"
"Anytime." Tony laughs breathlessly, as she hands the two year old to young man with silver hair braided away from his face with light forest green eyes. He cradles the toddler in his arms as The woman takes Hela, kissing her cheek. She giggles and throws her arms around her mother's neck, hugging tightly. "Mummy!!"
"Oh my little love, why did you run off? You had me worried sick, darling!" The woman cries, hugging her daughter close as if she will disappear right before her and Tony tries to ignore the tug on his heart. Her bright emerald eyes latch onto his own amber ones and she smiles softly. "Thank you for taking care of her... I am Lorna Silver."
"Oh! Um, Tony Stark." She holds out her free hand and he shakes her firm yet soft grip. And he finally recognizes her. "You did remarkable, it blew me away. Huh, Hela? Did your mom do amazing? I sure think so."
Hela giggles, nodding before belting out a lyric. Lorna's face heats up and Tony can't help but grin, the silver haired teenager snickers as well. "Takes after her mother."
A beat passes, Lorna not leaving his gaze as she smiles warmly. "Thank you again, Mister Stark."
"Anytime... Hela is a cutie, a little pretty princess!" He touches her nose and her face scrunches up as she giggles. Lorna looks away, her pale cheeks red as her gaze catches the teenagers. He holds a smirk on his lips as a fine eyebrow raises at Lorna. She looks back at Tony and sighs shaking her head. "I apologize, This is my eldest son Stefan and my youngest son Nathan."
"Nice to meet you." Tony says shaking Stephen's hand.
"You can call me Stef." He says nodding with a cheeky grin. Tony nods and says, "Than call me Tony."
Nathan has thick silver hair as well as his brother, with droopy green eyes and the cutest pout as he is dressed in a tiny little tuxedo. Tony ruffles his hair and he snorts, making Hela giggle. Tony looks back at Lorna and says, "You have a beautiful family. I've never seen such distinct silver hair before."
Lorna purses her plump red lips and when she is about to explain genetics, A buff man with shoulder length brown hair and a dimple in his chin comes forward, holding a blue haired boy with dark dark green eyes that seems to be the same age as Hela. The man has tattoos crawling up his neck, a red rose sits below his jawline and along the sharp bone is Russian lettering. Tattoos peak out from under the sleeves of his wrists as well but Tony can't make much of a distinction and a glove on his left. Prosthetic maybe? And beside him a young teenager holding another child, this time with thick black hair like Lorna's and mischievous poison green eyes.
"Mister Stark!!"
Tony's lips gape as the teenager turns his head to reveal Peter Parker.
"Peter?? What the hell are you doing here?! Holding a kid..? I'm confused" Tony shouts out making Stefan, Peter and even little nathan shush him. Lorna glares at her kids and then smiles respectfully at Tony, saying in a smooth calm voice, "Mister Stark, I'd advise you to calm down. You are drawing a crowd."
"Yeah Mister Stark, its chill." Peter says with a shrug that only frustrates Tony more. He snorts out a breath, running his hands through his hair and whisper shouts, looking at the weirdly buff dude that seems oddly familiar from somewhere unsure where... and hisses. "What is going on? I just helped a little girl with really really cool skin and pretty eyes find her mummy.. Who turns out to be Fantine from that fu----orking awesome play! Who has three kids that I know are hers... And now I find you, my intern with a scary buff dude that kinda looks like white Jesus with two other kids and I am so confused!!!"
It is silent for a moment, as Tony huffs out ragged breaths before Peter begins giggling along with the little ones and even Stefan---oh my god white jesus is laughing too and Lorna looks close to losing her composure! And ugh they are laughing at him!!
"Why are you laughing at me?!" He whisper shouts again, causing Hela to laugh and poke his nose, he jerks back and wrinkles his nose before sneezing. Sending everyone even Lorna into a fit of laughter. Tony just stands there, completely dumbfounded. He gapes as if to say something before sagging and ignoring the heat in his cheeks stubbornly. "Stop laughing..."
Lorna snorts and steps forward sighing softly, "Come along, Mister Stark. Let us treat you to dinner. Yes?"
Tony blinks, jolts and finally gives in, "Ugh fine. Yeah sure." He points to Peter and glares, "You got some explaining to do, kid!"
"Yeah yeah okay mister stark!" He says quickly in a high pitched tone that makes blueberry giggle. He sighs, pulling out his phone, sending a quick text to Pepper. He then looks up at this unconventional family and asks, "Chinese?"