A little bit of everything because I miss youredinmyledgerSeptember 1 2012, 04:24:27 UTC
Natasha had always had trouble sleeping. It was nothing new. She could sleep on a mission when required but if she was left to her own devices and back home then it was a bit hit and miss. Some nights she slept. Some she didn't.
This was one of the nights she couldn't quite get herself to sleep. She had made herself a cup of tea, padding quietly through the tower in yoga pants and a tank top. She cupped it in one hand and was going to make her way back to her own room when she paused outside Stark's door.
If there were one other insomniac in the tower she knew where he'd be if he wasn't in his lab. Natasha carefully opened the door after knocking softly and slipped in. She made her way to his bed, and set the cup of tea down before sliding under the covers next to him.
Tony had learned pretty early on that almost all of them - save Thor, it seemed - had some problems sleeping. They all had their own demons and their own things that preoccupied their minds, and that was fine. But they tended to keep to themselves and Tony was pretty sure that, eventually, they all fell asleep. Even Bruce had to take a nap every now and then.
But Tony's back was straining from sitting at a work desk all day, so he decided he'd pretend to sleep, if nothing else. While he rested in bed, eyes closed, he ran through blue-prints and formulas in his head. He didn't even hear the door open.
"Shouldn't sneak up on a man like that, you know."
Natasha just laughed, resting on her side as she looked at Tony. The soft blue glow from his reactor was dimmed by the bed sheets but it was still there. Still threw a slightly eery light on the whole room.
She tucked her arm around her middle, keeping to the side of the bed that she'd stolen for the moment. "That's like telling you not to think about how to dismantle something. It's second nature."
She was quiet again as she tried to close her eyes, tried to let the presence of someone else relax her. It was no good. Her eyes were soon open again and she sighed. "Do you want me to go?"
He let out a bit of laugh, but kept his eyes closed. He knew, roughly, from her voice, more or less where she was on the bed and how far. Besides, if he opened his eyes before he committed his plans to memory, he'd hate himself later.
"I never said that. Company's good. I like company."
She smirked faintly, eyes going to the window as she managed to catch a glimpse of the moon. This was where she needed something to wear her out. A fight, a mission, a trip. Anything that kept her weary and needing to rest.
Natasha managed to stay quiet, assuming that Tony was keeping his eyes closed for a reason even if it wasn't sleep.
"Everyone has their own definition of meaningful."
Tony shrugged it off. Most of his actions were motivated by things he had no desire, ever, to tell people. Tony subscribed to the Ignore Feelings And They Will Go Away way-of-life. Even his insomnia had more underlying issues than he cared to address.
"Aw, shucks, and here I was thinking it's because you think I'm pretty."
"True, it's a very subjective definition. What's meaningful to me won't always be meaningful to you and vice versa."
Another wriggle closer and Natasha reached out to rest her hand lightly over his. She wasn't here to probe into his mind or get to the root of any of his issues. She wasn't qualified for that.
Tony tapped his fingers against the bad, humming a little to himself. He got lost in thought too easily, and after a strange stretch of silence he seemed to remember that he had company and was in the middle of a conversation.
"So," he asked, turning to Natasha again, "What am I to you? Still displaying textbook narcissism? No teamwork skills? Whatever else you said about me?"
Natasha didn't mind so much that there were patches of silence. It meant she was allowed to get lost in her own thoughts and not so much having to constantly be entertaining for his sake.
She hugged the edge of the pillow as she stayed on her side and let out a huff of breath in place of a laugh.
"Sometimes, but I think you stepped up to the plate nicely. I was relieved when you didn't get lost to the greater universe. I suppose mostly to me now you're a beautifully rugged genius that will always keep pieces of himself away from everyone else."
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This was one of the nights she couldn't quite get herself to sleep. She had made herself a cup of tea, padding quietly through the tower in yoga pants and a tank top. She cupped it in one hand and was going to make her way back to her own room when she paused outside Stark's door.
If there were one other insomniac in the tower she knew where he'd be if he wasn't in his lab. Natasha carefully opened the door after knocking softly and slipped in. She made her way to his bed, and set the cup of tea down before sliding under the covers next to him.
Reply
But Tony's back was straining from sitting at a work desk all day, so he decided he'd pretend to sleep, if nothing else. While he rested in bed, eyes closed, he ran through blue-prints and formulas in his head. He didn't even hear the door open.
"Shouldn't sneak up on a man like that, you know."
Reply
She tucked her arm around her middle, keeping to the side of the bed that she'd stolen for the moment. "That's like telling you not to think about how to dismantle something. It's second nature."
She was quiet again as she tried to close her eyes, tried to let the presence of someone else relax her. It was no good. Her eyes were soon open again and she sighed. "Do you want me to go?"
Reply
He let out a bit of laugh, but kept his eyes closed. He knew, roughly, from her voice, more or less where she was on the bed and how far. Besides, if he opened his eyes before he committed his plans to memory, he'd hate himself later.
"I never said that. Company's good. I like company."
Reply
She smirked faintly, eyes going to the window as she managed to catch a glimpse of the moon. This was where she needed something to wear her out. A fight, a mission, a trip. Anything that kept her weary and needing to rest.
Natasha managed to stay quiet, assuming that Tony was keeping his eyes closed for a reason even if it wasn't sleep.
"You never seem to get enough company."
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He opened his eyes and turned his head, grinning at her.
"Actually. I'm flattered that I was your man of choice for the night."
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She shifted a little closer now that his eyes were open, red curls splaying over the pillow. For a moment she fought a grin, but it soon blossomed.
"You should feel flattered, Tony. I just figured I'd take a chance and see if you were as awake as I was."
Reply
Tony shrugged it off. Most of his actions were motivated by things he had no desire, ever, to tell people. Tony subscribed to the Ignore Feelings And They Will Go Away way-of-life. Even his insomnia had more underlying issues than he cared to address.
"Aw, shucks, and here I was thinking it's because you think I'm pretty."
Reply
Another wriggle closer and Natasha reached out to rest her hand lightly over his. She wasn't here to probe into his mind or get to the root of any of his issues. She wasn't qualified for that.
"Mm, maybe handsome. I don't know about pretty."
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"I'm very pretty."
Well. The whole ... Ten years of alcoholism, plus the lackluster way of caring for himself probably took away any pretty Tony ever had.
"Well. Okay. Beautiful in a rugged sort of way."
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"That I will agree on. See? We are capable of compromise."
She looked at his reactor again, studying the glow.
"You're many things, Tony."
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Tony tapped his fingers against the bad, humming a little to himself. He got lost in thought too easily, and after a strange stretch of silence he seemed to remember that he had company and was in the middle of a conversation.
"So," he asked, turning to Natasha again, "What am I to you? Still displaying textbook narcissism? No teamwork skills? Whatever else you said about me?"
Reply
She hugged the edge of the pillow as she stayed on her side and let out a huff of breath in place of a laugh.
"Sometimes, but I think you stepped up to the plate nicely. I was relieved when you didn't get lost to the greater universe. I suppose mostly to me now you're a beautifully rugged genius that will always keep pieces of himself away from everyone else."
Reply
But he just nodded.
"Yeah, all right. I can take that. Acceptable."
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She nudged her foot against his.
"What am I to you now? Still the lying spy you can't trust?"
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