Shadowplay | Tony Stark

FIFTY NINE - MERRY CHRISTMAS

The floor was barely visible as piles and piles of wrapping paper littered the wood, covering the rug entirely and no matter how quickly Tony tried to throw it all into a trash bag, it seemed like the mountain never got any smaller.

The fire was roaring away and the same Christmas Cookie candles were lit around the room, the television showing MTV Christmas music videos from years gone by, though nobody was paying any attention.

Scattered around the living room in their pyjamas, the family had been sipping on cups of coffee that had slowly changed to mimosas as the morning continued to age while they watched Tristan and Peter open their presents.

Tristan had woken up his parents at just shy of seven o'clock that morning, which was later than Mila had expected her son to barge into her bedroom at on Christmas Day. The events of Christmas Eve had tired the toddler out, a busy schedule of eating chocolate and building snowmen all day with Peter before falling asleep watching The Polar Express had been enough to keep the child tucked up in his bed for longer than usual.

Mila had visited her father's grave with her mother on Christmas Eve while Tony watched the boys, both women wanting to spend a little alone time together on their first Christmas without Jack.

It felt strange not having her father around, but Mila was incredibly thankful that her home was so full of laughter and happiness that year, instead of the quiet she knew would've consumed it had it just been herself, Tristan and her mother.

Mila was sitting on the couch beside her Melanie while Tristan finally tore open the last of his presents, squealing with excitement as he pulled out yet another box of Lego that one of his parents would undoubtedly spend most of their day helping him build.

"Looks like that was the last present, kiddo." Tony said, pulling the huge red sack from Tristan's head as he buried himself inside it looking for more gifts to unwrap.

"Actually, I think there's one more. Tris, do you want to give Daddy his present now?"

Tony sank down onto the couch and looked across the room at Mila with furrowed brows. The couple had mutually decided not to buy each other gifts though Tony had wrapped up some lingerie for Mila that she'd opened while they were still alone in bed that morning, which was as much as a gift for himself as it was for her.

Tristan stared at his mother blankly for a moment before the realisation hit him and he remembered what his mother had told him a few days ago, scurrying off upstairs so quickly he almost tripped over Peter's legs as he lay lazily across the floor resting on his elbow, a fresh coffee swirling steam across his face.

Tristan returned a few moments later with a large envelope in his hands and a mischievous laugh sneaking past his lips, a cheeky glint in his green eyes.

"That for me?" Tony said, lifting Tristan up onto his lap and wrapping his arms around him, holding the envelope in his hands.

"It says Daddy on it." Tristan said rather matter of fact.

"Oh is that what it's supposed to say? I thought you'd drawn me another one of your famous pictures." Tony smirked and gave the boy's sides a light squeeze.

The room fell silent then apart from the music coming from the TV, the only other sound being the breathing of five lungs and the gentle tearing of the sealed envelope, followed by the scraping of paper against the sides as Tony pulled the contents out, resting the envelope down beside him on the couch.

He cleared his throat as he held the paper in front of him, narrowing his dark eyes as he read the words. And then he read them again. And again. And again.