Caught In A Web

four

 You tried not to be hurt by Tony not showing up to the meeting, but you couldn't help it. You buried yourself in work and school for the next week. You had decided that you were going to give Tony one more week and if he failed to show up again, you weren't going to plan on meeting him again.

You took your time getting to the meeting spot, swinging through the city leisurely. Stopping at the building across from where you were supposed to meet Tony, you looked over. You could help but smile when you saw the Iron Man suit laying on the thick edge of the building. You could tell that Tony was in the suit by the way his arm was playfully swinging over the edge.

Swinging over, you flipped above him, landing on the roof.

"Nice to see that you're alive, tin man," you said, trying to convey how you weren't happy that he hadn't shown up the week before.

Tony sat up and faced you. "I only have myself to blame for that one, I'm sorry. I forgot."

"You forgot?"

Standing up, he took a step toward you. "I did and I know that's not a good excuse. In fact, it's a complete shit excuse. I'm sorry, honestly."

You nodded, not really knowing what to say. You didn't really know him, so you didn't know whether to believe how sorry he was.

"Did you swing by the Tower last week?" Tony wondered, trying to get you to talk.

"Yes," you answered quietly. "I just... Well, I guess I wanted to see what you were up to." You shrugged. "But I really had no right to do so. We honestly don't owe each other anything. We don't even know each other."

"But we could.... Get to know each other. It's kinda why I wanted to meet up regularly."

"Why would you want to get to know me?"

"I kinda like the idea of a mysterious friend that none of my other friends know about."

You couldn't help but laugh. It was almost cute, how serious he was. "As long as I don't have to take off my mask."

"That's fine... though I can't promise I won't tease you about it."

"I can work with that."

~~~

Tony and you talked for hours, sitting on the edge of the building in your suits. You talked mindlessly about things: favorite colors, restaurants, food, and things to do. Nothing that would really give your identity away, though you had already told him your real name. You trusted that Tony wouldn't use that to figure out who you really were.

You wouldn't know this, but that night is what held Tony through his next week. As CEO again of Stark Industries, Tony was required to go to meetings and this week there were a lot of them. It was long and hard on him but your talk on the roof and the thought of your impending talk the next week is what was keeping him sane.

It was Friday now and Tony and you had spent the last four Saturdays on the rooftop talking away. Currently, you were trying to not focus too much on being excited to see Tony again while working in the school's lab on your project.

"Y/N," your professor was all smiles as he walked toward you, "just the person I was looking for."

"You were looking for me?"

"Yes. An opportunity has come up and I think you're the perfect person for it."

"What opportunity?"

"Dr. Bruce Banner has reached out to the university. He's looking for a lab assistant. The university has recommended you for the job."

"What? Me?"