“Oooh, a waterfa—what? No, Toni, pay attention to the road.” Summer combs her nails harder through the inoffensive lock of hair. Her stomach feels odd, vague fear swirling around in it. “What do you mean, I’m not old? Not compared to the Captain, maybe, but I’m still almost twice your age.”
Toni shrugs and takes his hand off the wheel showing her it’s on autopilot for the moment. “You’re forgetting that if I’m going by my date of birth, I’m 35. I only look like this because dimensional rifts are a bitch and I’m not allowed to go home. So, technically, my dear, I’m about the same age as you.” Placing his hands on the wheel, he lets out a breath of air. “And if you’re so hung up on your age, still, you should know that I don’t care. Do you care that I’m younger than you?”
“Cars shouldn’t drive themselves,” she mutters. “No, not really. Didn’t we already have the argument about how birth date and years lived aren’t the same? It’s not actually relevant, especially not for you. I think you’ve been adult since you were about twelve.” She draws in a deep breath. “My … concern … is how other people will see you. Or me. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Toni gives a slight nod at the 12 comment, because, yeah, that sounds about right, before turning to glance at her, keeping his hands on the wheel. “If I cared about my reputation I wouldn’t go around saying that I’m related to Tony Stark, hon. However, if you think you may be in any sort of danger, either the press or where you work or your family or I guess really anything, then don’t hesitate to warn me, alright? My main concern is that you’re happy.”
She grins. “That kind of danger I can handle. I’m just — it’s you. It’s always you, Toni; I don’t want people pestering you about, oh, older women or something, I don’t know. I don’t care if they call me a gold-digger or a cradle-robber or what-have-you; I’ve heard everything at one time or another and nobody can say anything to me I haven’t heard already.” She starts on another lock of hair. “I am happy, Toni. I never,” she laughs a little, “I never in the world believed this would happen.”