Shadowplay | Tony Stark

THREE - CUTS AND BRUISES

It was six in the evening when Tony heard a car pull up outside the garage and saw a flash of headlights creep beneath the bolted wooden doors.

He'd been working away in the dim light of a handful of lamps for the entire day in attempt to get his suit fixed as quickly as possible. He'd debated using Mila's phone to call Fury and update him on what had happened, but after remembering that he never actually got the authorisation to go out on that particular mission, Tony decided against it.

Instead, he wrapped himself up in the spare clothes Mila had given him and locked himself in the garage from just before eight in the morning, not seeing a single ounce of sunlight the entire day. He'd been working since before the sun had risen until well after sunset, not even noticing how much time had passed while his head was buried with tools and mechanics.

Tony was shocked at how well-stocked the garage was, finding almost everything he needed hung up on the walls or buried in dust-collecting drawers. He wasn't sure why a single woman had such an extensive collection of tools, but he didn't care to question it and set to work on fixing his suit straight away.

Once FRIDAY was back online he turned off his transponder immediately, though did send one message back to New York to let the team know he was alive and well, deciding not to say any more than that.

The garage was perhaps the coldest place Tony had ever been though luckily, he'd found an old leather jacket hung up in the corner as well as a weathered scarf, layering up with both garments in attempt to keep himself warm while he worked.

He'd locked the house up with the keys Mila had left by the back door, though hadn't found the courage to start rooting through her cupboards in search of something to eat or drink. Despite his stomach growling and head beginning to feel dizzy by the early afternoon, Tony already felt like he'd intruded on the family more than he should've without taking their food.

He froze for a moment once the car engine shut off, flicking off the lamp closest to the doors just incase it wasn't Mila returning home from work. He listened out and felt his soul calm down at hearing the recognisable sound of her voice, followed by a child's mindless chattering and two sets of footsteps padding through fresh snow towards the house.

Once the outside fell silent again, Tony continued to work for another hour in attempt to make as much progress on his suit as possible before the temperature became truly unbearable, an old clock resting against an empty red toolbox on a workbench telling him just how much time had passed that day.

It was seven-thirty when a gentle knock on the garage door made Tony put down his tools for the first time that day. He paused for a moment, still concerned that the timid interruption might've been from someone else.

"Mr Stark? It's only Mila."

Tony cursed himself for a split second, shaking his head at his presumptuous thoughts as he wandered across the garage and unbolted the door, swinging it open and being greeted by a strong breeze and a warm smile from Mila who was drowning in a huge red hiking jacket with a fur collar.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said, her arms crossed at her chest as she kept her chin tucked down while the wind continued to blow, "I ordered a pizza and there's enough for two so I wondered if you wanted some? I figured you'd be starving since the kitchen's untouched."

Tony felt his cheeks redden slightly at her words, beginning to feel like a fool for starving himself all day when it really was fine to help himself to anything, just like Mila had said.

His stomach groaned again and that time, regardless of how much of an inconvenience he felt, Tony couldn't ignore how hungry he was.

"Sure, yeah. I was just finishing up actually."