Just Out of Reach

Ch. 4: Someone is Watching

"It may never be my pleasure to have you for my own. The day may never come when I can make my heart your own. So just remember what I say. And every breath I breathe today. I wanna tell you, someone, someone is watching over you." - Solomon Burke

* * *

When Tony Stark showed up at your door two days after you had told him off, you thought you were going to get arrested. Not that that would have been legally possible? But seeing him standing there with his blue tinted glasses and his hands in his pockets looking bored ... well, you jumped to the worst conclusion of all.

"I just made snickerdoodles," was the first thing you said, as if that would make Tony think 'huh she's not actually that bad maybe I won't take everything away from her.'

Tony smirked, and Harley's head poked out from the side of the doorframe, smiling crookedly at you, "Snickerdoodles? I love those!"

You stepped aside, cursing both your roommates for not being as present in your apartment as you were, and wishing they were here to back you up. You were definitely more of a homebody than Thandie and Lazlo, and you usually liked having a couple peaceful hours to yourself.

But now Tony Stark was standing in your living area and the whole house was starting to thickly smell like cookies about to be burnt.

You rushed over to the kitchen and took the cookies out, leaving them to cool on a tray as you turned to the two tech guys, a nervous look on your face, "Would you uh ... would you like some water?"

"I'm fine," Tony said dismissively, while Harley clambered up on one of your kitchen stools and nodded with a wide smile on his face.

Your hand was shaking as you reached for the pitcher, and finally Tony cut you some slack.

"You're not in trouble, Miss Y/L/N."

You immediately felt a bit of relief.

"Then what are you doing here?" you asked, not feeling the need for the usual pleasantries. You'd already told this man off once, and you'd encountered him awkwardly on two too many occasions for there to be any need for a polite hostess vibe.

Harley thanked you for the water, and Tony sighed, leaning on your countertop with one hand, peering over the rims of his glasses as he stared at you.

"I looked you up," he told you plainly, watching for your reaction.

You raised an eyebrow, starting to move the snickerdoodles from the pan and onto a cooling tray.

"So you know you smashed my car then?"

This was not the reaction Tony seemed to be expecting, as you watched his face struggle to hold back a smile. He now faced you fully, leaning on the counter and picking a hot snickerdoodle gingerly off the tray.

"That was not the first thing that came up, no," he took a bite of your cookie, nodding approvingly, "I detect something special in here. Extra cinnamon?"

You remained quiet, watching as Harley seemed to be shamelessly looking around your apartment.

"Is Peter here?" he asked suddenly, turning towards the hallway that led to the bedrooms, "I figured we'd find him here. He hasn't been to the labs lately so we just figured he was with you."

He said it as if it was some sacred secret - the fact that Peter hid out at your apartment or found an interest in invading your personal space any chance he could. You couldn't help but wonder how many other girls Harley had kept track of in Peter's history before.