The Tower

A Bird and a Witch

I woke tangled with Tony. His face was pressed into my neck and breathing that steady rhythmic way you do when you're deep in sleep. I wanted to let him sleep. I really did, but I had to get up. I attempted so carefully to untangle myself without disturbing him.

His arms closed around me and he pulled me in more tightly to him. "What time is it?" He mumbled against my skin.

"It's eight A.M. sir," FRIDAY replied.

"God, it's been forever since I slept for so long." Tony sighed, stretching out. "I really needed to get laid. I'm definitely keeping you around."

I laughed and scratched my fingers over his stomach. "Happy to be of service."

Tony rolled onto his side and traced circles onto my hips. "Eight is very late here, but if we take our time having a shower. We could go up to the common room and you might catch some of them having their after workout breakfast. Plus it's Saturday so apart from Red, who's still on mission, everyone has the day off."

"Is this your way of telling me I've been approved?" I asked, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"You have the Stark seal of quality." He quipped, before falling serious. "But seriously, Elly. I do like you, and I know that you spent more time with Legolas as Ginger Snaps before you met me. But it's a group. I don't want to get completely attached and then find out that the wonder twins aren't interested. Get to know everyone. Don't play favorites. I wasn't sure I was ready for something new, but with you?" He shrugged.

It wasn't really until that moment that I realized how much this not working out would hurt. How I didn't want to lose Natasha or Clint, and maybe even Tony despite only knowing him a couple of days. But how fucked up it was that I had to form these bonds with five more people that I was yet to meet. I somehow needed to both keep my heart open and protect it and I didn't know how to do that.

I clenched my jaw because I suddenly felt the overwhelming urge to cry.

"Are you okay?" Tony asked.

"Mm-hmm." I hummed trying to make it sound cheery.

He wrapped me in his arms and pressed his lips to the crown of my head. "Just be you, kiddo. Everyone in this tower is a little sarcastic and a little broken. But they're all good. You're just making some new friends. And really it's me who is the unbearable one."

"Okay." I croaked.

Tony chuckled. "Shall we have that shower?"

We did. His shower was amazing. One of those ones that can fit multiple people and there are all different kinds of heads. We stayed in it until I was completely pruned. And I swear at least half of that time didn't involve any sex at all.

There was a brown gift bag full of clothes on the coffee table in the living room. So it was that Tony and I headed up two flights of stairs hand on hand. Him in jeans and a Bruce Lee t-shirt. Me in possibly the most embarrassing outfit I could possibly meet any Avenger wearing. My t-shirt was a navy, baby doll cut with a print of the Mark VI Iron Man suit flying past the words Iron Man. I had a pair of red hot pants with gold bands on the hem and waistband. My socks were red with blue arc reactors on the side and my shoes were navy blue converse with large A's on the side.

Tony had tried so hard not to laugh when I put them on. Just repeating; 'You look good. No one will notice.' Over and over.

We stepped through the door to find Wanda Maximoff sitting on a couch, her legs curled under her, Sam Wilson in the kitchen making pancakes, bacon and eggs, and Clint putting some plates onto the table.