My Achilles' Heel

Chapter Eight

I hate men in tin cans

"You wanna be the war machine, take your shot!"

"Put it down!" Rhodey yelled at Tony. You sat on the countertop distancing yourself from the now extremely trashed living room. You lost your patience a while ago trying to make them talk this one out.

"You gonna take a shot?"

"Put it down!"

"No!" You winced at Tony's words before jumping down the countertop to distance yourself even further.

"Drop it, Tony!"

"Take it!" It was the last thing heard before a surge of energy blasted you to the floor, shattered glass flying everywhere.

Your eyes fluttered open when you noticed someone shaking you awake, Natasha was beside you slowly helping you up, her face drowned in worry. Your eyes caught Tony from across the room slumped down against a wall.

"Fucking Hell," You mumbled under your breath as pain stroked your back. You pushed through it getting up and storming towards Tony who was now taking the helmet off his head "Are you out of your mind, Tony? This could've been worse! Someone could've died, you could've died-"

"Well, Y/N I am," His eyes locked with yours as your eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean?" You asked him, he stood up from his position. The sounds his suit made the only response that you got. "It's getting worse isn't it?"

He didn't respond only giving you a look of surrender, you shook your head softening the glare you were giving him. He sighed as you took his hands on yours, "You can do something, I'll help you, we can fix it,"

Tony just shook his head taking back his hands from your hold, he turned his back walking away. "Hey! Don't you dare,"

"No, Y/N this isn't some science project we're doing to impress a university anymore," Tony snapped at you as you stepped back carefully thinking of words to convince him.

"We're a team remember? We could do every-"

"If I can't do anything about it what more can you do! Y/N, we're a shit team, we couldn't even fix you!" You caught your breath, searching his eyes for a glint of humor or even regret but you were met with none. Your lips turned into a frown as your tears threaten to fall, but you stood your ground still fully aware that a certain redhead was witnessing this scene.

You turned to walk away before hearing Tony call out for you, making your way towards the exit. You didn't have a destination in mind, just wanted to get away from him as soon as possible.

The chilly air greeted your face as a few tears fell to your cheeks, suddenly a hand took its place on your shoulder. You suppressed the tears that soon will follow subtly wiping the ones on your face.

"Hey," Natasha said trying to get a view of your face as you hid it by looking in the other direction.

"Uhm, sorry about that, Tony can be an ass sometimes," You said forcing a smile before meeting her concerned face. Her eyebrows furrowed as her hand pulled away from you.

"Are you staying somewhere? I can drive you,"

"No, I-uhm just got here, I can call a taxi to drop me off at the airport,"

Natasha gave you a hard glare, making you feel like wanting to just disappear into the thin air. She grabbed your hands and started to pull you towards the parking lot, lecturing you about how irresponsible that would be considering you were partially drunk and it was very late. You were hiding the smirk on your face from the amusement you have for the redhead.

"Come on, you can stay at my place tonight, Fury's gonna be here first thing in the morning," She said offering you an inviting smile, you returned it and got inside her car after she went in.

It was a quick drive from the apartment she was staying in, made sense that it was near where her line of work will be. It was silent between you two, but you both felt comfortable just being with each other. You were tired and she knew so she didn't push anything, just sincerely want you to get some rest.

You followed her inside the building, still feeling somehow lightheaded and tipsy yet you carried on. Natasha noticed this when you stared at the flight of stairs in front of you with wide glistening eyes.

"You need a pay raise," You said sighing before taking a step with a huff. She smiled at you taking your arms and clinging them on her neck as her hand landed on your waist supporting you. You smile at the distance that now was nonexistent. "Fury can be neglectful sometimes, so you have to know your worth sweetheart,"

You smiled at her grabbing her cheek and patting it softly, admiring the faint freckles that were scattered along her face. You caught yourself staring too long before looking away and continuing your way up the stairs as Natasha silently wish you could not feel the sudden heat on her skin. "It's a two-story building, I don't think an elevator is necessary,"

"Yeah, well, when you're drunk it is," You chuckled, finally done with the last step. The both of you continued your way across the corridor, a massive smile plastered on your lips because even if you didn't need the assistance anymore, she didn't let go.

That was until she had to and when she did you felt like crying, you hated the effects of being intoxicated. Natasha grabbed her keys from her purse and opened the door for you, you bowed your head and the both of you chuckled slightly in unison.

"So, this is it," You said unconsciously giving her a smile from ear to ear. She shook her head in disbelief placing down her belongings on the living room table. "How long have you been in here?"

"About two weeks now," She said as she took off her heels setting it beside the couch and plopping down on it. You chuckled to yourself not expecting the assassin to be in this way. You took a seat too across her, admiring the way her curled scarlet hair scattered on the black couch.

"I don't wanna be rude, but you're a big girl now, so if you want a drink or something, there's the kitchen," She announced looking at you and pointing behind your back in the direction. You rolled your eyes at her as she smirked in response, truly enjoying the effect of the nickname on you.

"Do you have like a problem with nicknames," You started squinting your eyes at her, she furrowed her eyebrows squinting her eyes back "Cause, I can stop if you want,"

"Please, don't stop I-"

"Beg me," You quickly cut her off to challenge her, smirking at the way her mouth gaped open in disbelief in your words. You couldn't take it any longer until you burst into a fit of laughter, she joined you too but only because she was intoxicated too not with alcohol but with the way you laughed.

"You're gonna pay for that," She said sitting up her eyebrows arched daring you.

"Game on," You smiled at her, the fatigue lifting off of your body miraculously. She shook her head still smiling with amusement, slowly grabbing her hair to the side and taking off her earrings provokingly.

You stared at her porcelain skin, the small freckles scattered along her neck. Your breath hitched as you mumbled the words, "This is gonna be a long night,"