CHAT TOWER [AVENGERS]

00:00. Coffee?

[TONY // 00:00]

♪you're listening to BODY GOLD - oh wonder♪

Ray looks at her phone. 23:50. She grabs the heaviest coat hanging behind her door, it is a shade grey enough to blend into the night.

The sounds of her tiptoeing across the cold floor of the living room in the slumber quarters (?) of the Avengers Tower are masked by the lively, thriving crickets.

There are ten key card slots - five in each row - lined up on the wall beside the elevator that leads to the ground floor. One card is missing. Ray smiles and makes the one with her name on it disappear, quickly swiping it to exit the living quarters and escape outside.

There's one or two lonely people that catch her eye as she walks farther from the tower, nothing but the sound of softly blowing wind and the wild crickets entering her ears. Nothing but the moon - and a few dimly lit streetlights - illuminates the path. There are no cars on the clear road, but she walks on the pavement regardless.

She walks until her destination comes to view; the park. Her feet leave the sidewalk and her boots continue onto the slightly damp grass with soft thumps as she walks over to the bench in front of a massive tree. Its broad leaves were hunching over protectively, as if the tree intended on shading Ray from the monstrosities of the world as she planted herself into the bench and crossed one leg over the other.

She looks at her phone. 23:58.

The crickets went on with their never ending song, as though they were trying to piece together a Sonata and they would not stop until they figured out the key element that was missing from the perfect result. 00:00.

The rushed footsteps are only heard when the phone flashed a 00:05.

The right side of the bench emitted a creaking sound. A familiar voice followed it, "Midnight. Coffee?"

Ray doesn't bother looking to her right, she simply sighs and takes the disposable cup, "Obviously."

She takes a large swig. "And it's five past midnight."

"Which is still midnight. What's your point?" He gulps down his first sip.

"You're late." She looks at him with the most indifferent facial expression.

Tony stares back at her, eyes not moving away from hers as he takes another slow slurp. He brings the cup down to his chest, gaze still fixated on the same spot. "Obviously," he says.

She shakes her head and looks forward again.

"So what happened?" Ray searches his face for an answer before he opens his mouth.

"Nothing." He flatly states.

"We've done this everyday for the past month and today's the day you run out of things to say?"

Tony slumps back and exhales audibly. "I don't feel like saying anything today."

There's silence. Followed by a small "Okay".

The next two minutes are the crickets and sounds of slurping coffee. It is one of those nights where somehow, you can hear the sky sleeping. It is a wholesome period of serenity.

She hears a coffee cup being smashed in his hand and being tossed into a bin. It is followed by his chest heaving up and and down slowly, in a fixed pattern.

Tony looks at Ray. He hesitates for one second before he speaks, "Thank you for being like this."

Ray looks at Tony. "Like what?"

"This. A friend."

She tries not to make a sarcastic remark and make him feel terrible about making a somewhat sentimental comment. It was nothing like Tony Stark to be emotional, but she knew better. "You too, Tony."

He slouches, his elbow on his thighs and a thoughtful expression glued to his face suddenly.

She smiles widely out of nowhere, then reaches out and offers Tony her hand.

He looks at it for two seconds and let's out a quick, short breath. Then he takes her hand. He grips it.

He grips it.