Battlefield ｡ Tony Stark

9 - MAYBE I CAN BE FINE

I woke up to the morning sunlight hitting my face. A groan slipped from my lips, the curtains wide open and letting too much bright light pour into the bedroom. I could guess at how early it was by the tip of the sun, just poking its way up into the blue sky. With a defeated roll, I flipped myself over, burying my head under a pillow. My fingertips reached out, feeling the softness of clean sheets but found warm flesh too. My head popped up, the pillow falling to the side as I glared across at the body laying next to me, head turned away, dark hair splashing the white pillows. Suddenly last night was coming back to me in blurry waves of memory. I nearly let out another groan, not quite understanding how I had found myself waking up in Tony Stark's bed, once again. 

Flopping back against the mattress, I considered my options. I had spent half of last night in the white bathroom, my head in the crook of my arm while my stomach emptied its self into the toilet. The tiles had been cool against my cheek, drying the tears as I hummed myself to a weak sleep. Sometime around two o'clock in the morning, someone had pulled me to my feet, helping me undress and dousing my body with cold water from the shower. Her red hair was the only thing I remembered before I was being helped into bed, a new figure next to me, combing wet hair from my eyes. I realised now that body had been Tony, now fast asleep next to me. 

I glanced across at him, watching him for a short moment. It seemed despite everything, I was beginning to fall into the habit of finding myself in this very spot, with him always by my side. I pressed my palms to my eyes, letting out a shaky breath. I honestly didn't know what I was doing, not with him, or right now. 

Without thinking, I inched towards the side of the bed, the mattress squeaking with my movement. Before my feet could even hit the floor, Tony moved slightly and I paused. "Go back to sleep, Tilly." His voice was groggy with sleep, and I couldn't help but smile briefly. 

"I have to go--" I whispered out, my eyes snaking down to the mens shirt I wore, a faded MIT logo printed onto the soft material. I slipped a leg off the bed, the cold flooring hitting my foot but before I could make my quick exit into the early morning, a hand caught around my wrist, holding me still.

Tony had twisted around, lying on his chest as he stared at me. His dark was slick down on one side and thick stubble of hair coated his chin and cheeks. He looked sleepy, like he hadn't slept all that well last night. "Do I have to smother you with a pillow?" He questioned, a tiny smirk pulling his lips upwards. "It's barely six in the morning, lay back down."

I eyed the spot next to him, empty and soft. My teeth chewed at the inside of my cheek, blood flooding my mouth but I didn't move. I should have been gathering my things and leaving his apartment, I had over stayed my welcome but something was stopping me. "Tony." I sighed out. 

"Don't do that," He frowned, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. He tugged lightly, drawing me back to him. "Don't make me drag you back into this bed. I'll do it, you know that."

Something fluttered in my stomach and I hated that. My eyes darted back to our connecting skin, seeing how his thumb drew small circles on the inside of my wrist. Slowly, I lifted my leg up to the bed and adjusting myself down next to him. The white sheets fanned around my waist, his hand letting me go. I lied with my eyes staring at the ceiling, counting the steady breaths he took. I didn't know how long I waited like this, frozen in his bed. It could have been hours but when I finally looked over at him, he was watching me with mild interest. 

"What do you see?" I asked quietly.

Tony stayed quiet for a long moment, tossing the question around in his head. I didn't know why I asked, maybe too hopeful to hear his answer. He leaned forward, his hand grazing my cheek as he let out a sigh. "I see a girl trying very hard to be something she is not."