𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐧𝐢𝐚 | 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐤

Chapter 3: It's not how it sounds like, I swear

"Oh, by the way, hot stuff, your shrug is with me. You left it last night."

Nora, mid-bite into her cereal, set her spoon down and turned toward him with a bewildered look. 

On one hand, she was glad he did not mention that she was in the common room or about her nightmares, but on the other hand, what he said sounded so... indecent! For heaven's sake, he made it sound like she'd spent the night with him or something.

Tony sauntered out of the common room, leaving her annoyed and the Avengers staring at her, "It's not how it sounds like, I swear," she said with a sigh, keeping a hand on her face. 

The Avengers sat around the breakfast table, felt their interest piqued by the comment Tony made, he was a playboy, there was no denying it. But even if they did not know Nora for more than one day, they don't take her a person to have one-night stands. 

Natasha, leaned forward and raised an eyebrow, "What's not how it sounds like?"

 "Indeed, Tony's choice of words was... suggestive," Bruce said with a small smile.

Clint, chimed in with a smirk "Spill the beans, Nora, we will not judge." 

Thor looked genuinely puzzled. "I fail to see the issue. What is wrong with Tony mentioning Lady Nora's shrug?"

Steve cleared his throat. "Well, you see, Thor, it's not about the shrug itself. It's about how Tony said it and... his personality."

"Come on, Captain, not you too!" Nora said groaning in embarrassment, she mentally cursed Tony, wishing she could throw the knife in her hand at him if he were here.

Look like God granted her wish, because just then, Tony sauntered back in, returning from his lab to retrieve the forgotten cup of coffee from the kitchen. "Did I miss the drama?" he asked with a grin, seeing the expression on everyone's face. 

Clint grinned. "Nah, just deciphering your secret shrug code."

Tony raised his eyebrows, the perfectly cut smirk resting on his face as he gave Nora a wink, "Shrug code. Very exclusive." his voice was lidded with innuendo.

Nora felt aghast, what the hell was he trying to imply! And true to her thoughts, Nora angled the knife she held, not to hurt him but to pass close enough to make her point. "Tony, you basta—"

"Language." Steve interrupted in a firm tone, mid bite into his pancake, making Nora deadpan. 

"Oh, come on," she said, throwing a glare at Tony before storming out of the room.

Nora was genuinely surprised by the intensity of emotions she'd displayed. During her three years at S.H.I.E.L.D., she hadn't revealed such feelings nearly as often as she had in just one day here. And it was all thanks to that damn Stark.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Sweat drop down her forehead, she executed a flawless flip, followed by precise shots. Adrenalin pumped in her veins making the sleepiness dull. The danger room's surroundings blurred as she stretched her arm overhead, releasing tension.

"You killed hundred targets in forty-six minutes and thirty-seven seconds, miss." Jarvis robotic voice echoed, Nora collapsed onto the floor, her hand holding an emerald water bottle mirroring her eyes, as she gulped down its contents.

"All right, Jarvis, Thank you." 

The moon was shining outside casting a glow all over the New York, she wiped the sweat that was covering her face, before standing up. She was planning to take a bath and get into the bed after that, hoping for a dreamless night from all the tiredness that was weighing her down. 

Although, she knew her luck in the confines of dreams was very bad-- her body craved rest; every fiber begged for respite. But once she settled into bed, memories clawed their way back, gnawing at her wounds even before sleep claimed her. The cycle persisted: nightmares, exhaustion, and restless loops.

Until she either fall asleep reading a book, just like yesterday, or sheer fatigue would force her into unconsciousness.

In those dark times, she wished there was a power or medicine that can stop dreams, the haunted memories. 

Was wishing for peaceful sleep too much?

"Hey Jarvis, Is Tony up?" she asked, her steps halting just as she exits the danger room. 

Between all the training and tiredness, she almost forgot about the shrug, better retrieve it sooner than later. 

"Mr. Stark is awake, but he's not in the Tower, miss."

"Not here... well, okay, I guess."

Perhaps he was attending an event, a glamourous party or a business meeting. After all, Tony wasn't just an Avenger; he also owned Stark Industries. Or maybe he was out with some girls—Nora wouldn't put it past him.

Shaking her head, she makes her way back to her dorm. Her mind whirling with thoughts centering around that specific person.

Stark? Why was this name bothering her so much? She was quite sure she had heard this surname before, and not when she finally tasted freedom but before... much before.

But even if she tries to remember all she got was nothingness, her mind just would not process the name, as if it were an unwelcome intruder, it was like her consciousness was rejecting even the idea of remembering it. The sensation was peculiar, unsettling. 

She hoped she was wrong, she hoped that this would be just a trick of her mind, she wished that she had not heard that surname in her past... cause if she had, she doubt it would have been for some good reason, no, not at all, she was worried that it would be something very, very, chaotic. 

And after finally gaining some sense of normalcy in her life, as normal as it can be for someone like her, she dreaded the prospect of revisiting the monsters from her past. 

"I am just overthinking," she repeated to herself, clinging to that fragile reassurance.

But deep down she knew that some secrets refused to remain buried, and the name Stark might hold more significance than she dared imagine.

And this secret might shred her world to pieces later-- the world she was building per se.