Starks Apprentice

Chapter 12

Dull aches of pain awoke me, and I stifled my pained moan into the pillow, peeling my eyes open only to be met with silence and darkness.

I was aware of Peter’s arm draped over my waist and my back was now to his front, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest as he slept.

I wasn’t a stranger to pains in the night, being a woman, I experienced my fair share and could normally tolerate it long enough to fall back asleep.

Yeah. That wasn’t happening tonight.

I wasn’t sure what time it was and didn’t really want to wake anyone up to ask for some painkillers, but I needed to get some water or something, or just to move, because I’m not lying when I say it hurts.

Motherfucker.

I took a deep breath before very carefully moving Peters arm off me and struggling out of bed and advancing towards the door, shutting it behind me softly as I heard his soft snores continue.

The hall was lit by soft blue lighting which was oddly relaxing as I stumbled into the lift, leaning against the handrail whilst gritting my teeth.

“Miss Greene, you seem to be in a considerable amount of pain, would you like me to get Mr. Stark or Doctor Banner?” Jarvis asked me quietly

“It’s okay, I think I can hang on til morning” the doors opened to the living room, and I made my way to the kitchen, asking Jarvis to help me find the painkillers as I poured myself some water, pulling a face as my pain only increased and squeezing my eyes shut, taking a few deep breaths.

“It’s okay, you’re okay, maybe lying down will help?” I said to myself, hand hovering over my side as I approached one of the swivel chairs that sat by the window, easing myself into it carefully before staring out at the view in awe.

Wow.

I’d never been in the Tower past dark but the view of the lights from the skyscrapers was incredible.

Around four thirty, Jarvis had DUM-E bring me a cup of hot chocolate, which I thanked them both for enthusiastically, letting him sit with me for a while before he rolled away.

The pain didn’t subside, but I must’ve drifted off at some point because the next I knew the hushing of voices broke me from my dream state.

My eyes opened lazily, being met with the soft early morning glow of the sun, a red blanket draped over me, and I still had the mug cradled in my lap. I lifted my head slightly, seeing Bucky and Nat talking to Tony over coffee, Bucky catching my eye.

“How you feeling, doll?” I just blinked slowly, dropping my head back against the seat, hearing Nat chuckle at my behaviour whilst footsteps came my way.

“Jarvis said you woke up early this morning to take some painkillers but fell asleep here” Tony crouched next to me, his black sabbath tee hanging off him as he pressed the back of his hand to my head “is it still hurting?”

“a bit, I’d give it about a 5”

“you’ve got a slight fever, but nothing antibiotics won’t fix. I’ll grab you some proper painkillers, okay?”

“I can get it,” I began to get up, but he just placed his hands on my shoulders as he stood up, keeping me in place.

“I’ll get them, kid. Stay” he joked, moving away and the others took this as an opportunity to sit down near me.

“I take it you didn’t sleep very well”

“It started off okay, but then around 2 ish I came out here” I moved the blanket away from me, hearing Nat a noise. “What?”

“Well, you’re bruises are coming along nicely” Bucky didn’t find that amusing, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked at my neck and I didn’t miss the way his jaw tensed.

“Great, I’m sure Peter’s going to love that”

“Talking of Underoos,” Tony walked over with a glass and some pills, handing them to me “what was all that about last night?” he grinned, watching me blush as I swallowed my medication.

“Nothing, we were just messing about”

“Oh?” Nat cocked her eyebrow suggestively.

“Not like that” I rolled my eyes “let’s just say I forgot oxygen existed at a really inconvenient time”

It didn’t take long for the others to begin pouring in, people coming in for breakfast or just to chat for a little while before starting their daily routines.

Peter rocked in about 20 minutes after everyone else had left, hair sticking up in every direction as he yawned, catching sight of me curled up in my chair.

“Hey cutey” I smiled as he shuffled over tiredly.

He picked me up without a word before sitting down with me on his lap, sighing contently as I draped the blanket over us.

“I didn’t hear you leave” he mumbled against my shoulder, my legs hanging over his whilst I brushed my fingers through the short hairs on the back of his head.

“I didn’t want to wake you; did you sleep okay?”

“I did until I realised you weren’t there, but I heard you talking to Mr. Stark and Mr. Barnes and figured you were okay.”

My eyebrow rose as I watched a passing plane.

“You heard that? From downstairs? That’s so cool” he chuckled, leaning his head back against he chairs.

“You have no idea how easy I hear you” I smiled widely, that was one of the nicest things he’d ever said to me.

Unless that was an insult to how loud I was, then it wasn’t that nice.