After the date, Veronica Stark was different.
Not completely calm—
not completely composed—
but noticeably less flustered than before.
She spoke more confidently now. Held Alex's gaze longer. Walked beside him instead of half a step behind.
And yet—
She still flustered.
A lot.
Sometimes Alex would lean a little too close while explaining something technical, voice calm, eyes unreadable.
Veronica would freeze.
"…You're doing that on purpose," she'd mutter.
Alex would blink innocently.
"Doing what?"
Her ears would turn red.
Alex smiled.
Other times, he'd casually compliment her—her intelligence, her designs, the way she handled herself in meetings.
She'd puff her cheeks.
"You can't just say things like that so casually."
"Why not?" Alex asked. "They're true."
Her face would turn bright red.
Alex absolutely did this on purpose.
Sometimes he'd lightly tease her, sometimes he'd call her out when she was pretending to be unfazed. And every single time, Veronica reacted the same way—
Pouting.
Blushing.
Looking adorably offended.
And every single time—
Tony Stark noticed.
He'd pause mid-sentence, glance at his sister, then let out a short laugh.
"…Wow," Tony muttered. "I haven't seen that face since college."
Veronica whipped around.
"Tony!"
He raised his hands. "What? It's funny. You look like you're about to short-circuit."
Alex tilted his head.
"She does?"
Tony nodded. "Absolutely."
Veronica covered her face.
"This is betrayal."
Tony laughed again—quiet, fond.
It had been a long time since he'd seen his sister this… human.
The Girls Notice
Gwen, Skye, and Felicia noticed too.
Very quickly.
They exchanged looks.
Smirks.
Knowing glances.
"So," Gwen said one afternoon, arms crossed, looking straight at Alex.
"I hear you took Veronica on a date."
Alex didn't deny it.
"Yes."
Skye raised a brow. "Just one?"
Felicia smiled lazily. "That doesn't seem fair."
Alex looked at them calmly.
"…Fair?"
Gwen pointed at herself. "We know about you and Veronica."
Skye nodded. "We also know you're not the type to play favorites."
Felicia leaned forward slightly. "So—when are you taking us on dates?"
Alex paused.
Not because he was flustered.
Because he was thinking.
"…I'll need time," he said honestly.
They stared.
"…That's it?" Gwen asked.
Alex nodded. "I don't rush things."
There was a beat of silence.
Then—
Felicia laughed softly.
"Alright. I respect that."
Skye smiled. "We'll wait."
Gwen grinned. "Don't keep us waiting too long."
He Keeps His Word
Alex did not rush.
But he did not forget.
He took each of them on a date—separately.
Not rushed.
Not compared.
Not overlapping.
With Gwen, it was simple and relaxed—walking through the city, talking science, laughing over street food.
With Skye, it was quieter—music, stories, shared silences that didn't feel awkward.
With Felicia, it was playful—banter, teasing, tension that never crossed a line.
Each date was different.
Each felt intentional.
Each left an impression.
And Veronica?
She noticed.
She tried not to.
But she did.
Sometimes she'd pout.
Sometimes she'd blush when Alex caught her looking.
Sometimes she'd pretend she didn't care—
And Alex would gently poke at that too.
Tony, watching from the sidelines, shook his head.
"…I'm surrounded by chaos," he muttered.
But he was smiling.