So, this is a birthday gift for my muffin, Shrinika13.
IronWidow, one of the couples she likes and was the safest alternative as well. :P Set after Civil War, a bit of angst and all that jazz. And lastly, Happy Birthday Babe! 🤗
I AM SORRY
It was an empty, dark evening. The moon was at the zenith of its waning cycle, having attained invisibility, nearly. And the hustle and bustle of the city, the rising population and all the pollution wouldn't let the stars flash their dazzling and dampening feature.
And then there was this brooding billionaire who lay on that couch of his, exasperated. 2 months and he had been like this, indulged in reflections and self-introspections, dealing with the adverse insomnia, barely surviving on pills that boasted of curing his depression but no need to mention, had been useless. The avengers facility he was in was deserted, not a soul in sight! Rhodey was gorging on some much needed rest in the room alongside his, thinking of which made Tony want to cry. But he wouldn't, he wouldn't cry. Showing off his sharp, spanky self as usual, he would taunt Rhodey every now and then, jape as if nothing had happened and oh so often. Yet they both knew he cared. He couldn't bear to see the only friend he perhaps had in the universe in such a miserable state and to think that he had caused it. The team he had devoted his heart and soul to was in shatters all thanks to his own lunatic pursuits. He had been foolish, had made irreversible mistakes and had massively screwed up as usual. This wasn't anything new, he used to do just that always and he just wouldn't learn, just wouldn't mend his ways. The people around him had been right all this while, he was such a savage moron. And right now, the guilt had surrounded him, was eating him away.
He was letting himself float with the thoughts when he realized there was someone at the door. Opening the door had him unreadably astounded.
"Agent Romanoff?" Tony pronounced her name with a queer surprised look.
And Natasha's thoughts were interrupted too.
"Evening, Stark!" She tried to smile but it firmly stood, far away from her face.
Tony looked on at her. She was casually dressed in loose pants and a t-shirt. That was when what happened to Rhodey and how she let Cap go crossed his mind. He rubbed his eyes briefly.
"Why are you here?" He asked coldly attempting not to sound harsh and unwelcoming.
"I am here to talk...I.. " And Natasha was having a difficult time putting words together.
"If you are here to talk about the clash, i'm sorry i may not be interested."
"Look Stark, i can explain. Let me..."
"Please leave!" Said Tony, softly.
"I know i was wrong, i..."
"Leave!" And there went Stark's patience.
However in no time, he was feeling remorseful.
"I am sorry. Ermm, please come in." He tried to act normal and clung to the door, giving her way.
An uneasy silence greeted her within and Stark took it upon his shoulders to break it.
"Would you like to have something? Coffee? You know what, my chivalrous coffee machine might just end up feeling worthless if it isn't handed the opportunity to serve the lovely lady."
Natasha looked on, her pupils dilated. She was certainly amused, yet not surprised at all. She just found it difficult to add up things and figure out how he exactly managed to do that every single time. An unruly yet charming flirtatious remark, the characteristic sarcasm that could never go wrong and the eccentric ability to pull that all off even in the most tensed of ambiences.
"Romanoff?"
"Oh yes, yes!" She exclaimed, startled by the interceding "Coffee, yes please."
Tony gave her an awestruck look and proceeded towards the kitchen while Natasha randomly paced around.
When Tony came back, she was vulnerably eyeing the numerous bottles lined up against the window sill.
"What's all this, Stark? So many medicines?" Her eyes told that she was worried.
"Oh that..i have been..."
"No, that's not working out. You have to tell me! " She demanded again.
"Why on earth should i tell you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"What the hell? Tony, do we have a guest? Could you tone down the bickering please, i need to sleep!" Rhodey came into the hall slowly, his eyes half open and soothing the itching that bothered his ear.
"Rhodes!" Tony grimaced a bit and his pal was back to his senses.
"Oh! Agent Romanoff!" Rhodey was suddenly reminded of his etiquettes and mannerisms as a soldier as he greeted her with a handshake.
"How are you doing, Colonel?" Natasha asked, letting all her guilt fall into that one question.
"Oh, i am okay. Much better. He has been taking good care of me you know... " He hinted at Tony, genuinely answering her query until something made his face twitch to form a smirk.
Tony was quick to catch that.
"Oh no no no! Rhodey..." Tony raised his finger but damage had been catastrophically done.
"Mr Tony STANK!" He laughed.
Tony covered his face fearing the embarrassment that was to come while Natasha bit her lip.
"Oh well that's something! Tell me about it." A curious, mischievous smile gripped her.
"Oh, you are going to love this!"
"I bet! " Natasha laughed.
"So there was this courier guy who came by a few days ago with a parcel and either it was actually addressed to Tony Stank' or the old man suffered sudden vision bleach."
"Well, that's hilarious!" She chuckled.
"Either ways, it was god sent and for the first time in years, i can ridicule this son of a bi*** to my heart's content. Revenge is sweet!"
And the two started to laugh while Tony gave Rhodey an i-will-give-you-a-taste-of-your-own-medicine look. But the laugh soon had him feeling fatigued and Tony leapt to give him support.
"Rhodey! Man, you are driving me insane. Just go and rest!" He yelled at him.
Natasha looked on as Tony himself led him to his room. On his return, her nail was wiping away the tear from the tip of her eye.
"Romanoff? Is anything wrong?" Never before had he seen the tough, heartless master assassin in tears.
"Uh, no! I am okay!" And Natasha's poker face was on again.
"Your coffee!" Tony picked up the mug and extended it towards Nat.
"You sure, you don't wanna join me?" Natasha looked up and stared straight into his iris.
Tony whizzed past again to peep out of the window.
"Absolutely!"
"Well, i think you need some." She kept looking at him without blinking as she stormed into the kitchen, rattled the machine calmly and the hot, soothing beverage was ready within minutes.
"Stark!" Natasha smiled bleakly "Here you are."
After a little frown he finally took it from her and she fetched hers that had cooled down by then. She slowly took a sip or two and after every sip, paused to look up at him as though she was trying to read between the lines, trying to decipher what was on his mind as his lips hovered above the mug. Breaking the ice with Tony Stark had never been easy, especially when he could shut one up in seconds with his irresistible sense of humour that seemed to be his only loyal confidant apart from the brave hearted soldier who had begun to be dubious of his very existence and intuitions. But she had to make it, she owed him several apologies.
"Ahem, Stark you okay?" Natasha asked at last, as her hands shivered with all the nervousness.
"I could ask you the same thing!" Tony answered without bothering to look back at her.
"I...I am fine. " She halted a bit to catch up on breath and device the courage to face him. This was going to be the most difficult of all her missions, to apologize to the man who had loved them, loved the team and yet had received only agony, hurt and heart breaks in return. And yet courage was so diligently traversing his very blood, making its presence felt prominently in every drop of it that he had never complained, never been enraged or had been gone without notice.
"Stark...i don't even know how to put this, but... i am sorry. Put up a ruse, probably, yet i was with you, always will be. I know i've hurt you."
"Yes! " He turned at once to look into her eyes "Yes, you have."
Nat was taken aback. The unsentimental spy saw a sweat bead roll down his brow and a sudden depressing energy swept past her. She had been a bit conniving and she always knew she would regret that nasty move of hers. She swallowed a lump that rose up her oesophagus and continued.
"Tony, i was wrong and i admit it. I hadn't the slightest of the idea that the guy Cap was protecting had killed your parents too. But now he won't be around..."
"Got himself cryogenically frozen again, i know. " Stark spat.
"But it isn't only about that, Stark. If you knew you were right, Rogers knew he was right too. The way people see the world creates all the distinction. You must understand that Bucky was out of his senses when he went on the rampage. He had been brainwashed and hypnotized and it wasn't his fault at all."
"I know that too, Romanoff. I understand that and i no longer hold a grudge against him. But what you did..."
"It was only to keep the team together. To stop you both from going on a violent fight and strangle each other to death. You both were justified in your own ways and Bucky is to Rogers what Rhodey is to you. We have all had dark pasts but that doesn't hold us back from trusting each other, working as a team. I am sure Cap still places you in high regard in spite of what you did, ermm you both did but i won't incur another sin by saying that he didn't hurt you, that would be morally incorrect. We have all hurt you beyond any of us is capable of even imagining Stark and i am here to apologize on everyone's account even though I was simply safeguarding the two most powerful, sensible and patriotic men i have known."
"Patriotic, huh? Naah, not an epithet you could place in my favour. I would prefer ingenious, unconquerable. Oh, sorry about the last one, hyperbolic isn't it? So let's say, enigmatic?" Not a muscle was exercised as Tony mumbled too many words together.
Natasha gaped blankly at him, her eyes wide open.
"You are such an alluringly awful dick!" She put the title her mind had just borne, gracefully and then giggled.
"Oh well, i choose to ignore the last couple of letters and focus on alluring'. You think i am alluring, Natasha?"
"I think you are all of that and more Tony, you are the most alluring, enigmatic, ingenious man i have ever met and you are a complete jackass. And you indeed are capable of conquering people's heart. They all get you wrong. I have been observing what you really are for the past few months. You don't easily foray into the real you. I have been one of those fortunate ones."
"Thank you! He snapped all of a sudden.
"What for? She looked baffled.
"For understanding, and helping me see things and sort it all out. I should be apologizing instead, for all what i said, i have been unreasonable. I know what you did was for the greater good and i don't blame you, never can. I blame none of you and i would do anything humanly possible to restore normalcy. Rhodey would be okay soon, everything would be okay. Ermm, would you like a Pizza? Extra cheese and mozzarella? I am clamouring for one" He pointed towards the door that lead to the other bedroom "I'll go, get my phone. "
And from the four walls of the open bedroom, he slyly smiled at Nat slipping the medicines into the dustbin.
~
Edited by --Elara-- - 8 years ago
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