Blissful Despair ~> Tony Stark

Introductions

Before I could start ranting about how bad my day was, Seth's phone rang disturbing the both of us.

"Walker." He bluntly answered.

Furrowing his eyebrows, he started pacing around the room looking for his stuff and I could tell that whoever was talking to him had really pissed him off.

Grabbing his gun from the table, I tossed it to him while he gave me a wink and an apologetic smile before charging outside.

Being a cop is tough, I'll give him that.

****

I was already deciding to call it a night before there was a loud banging on my front door. Dropping my toothbrush, I grabbed Seth's baseball bat and silently made my way downstairs, ready for an attack.

Opening the front door, I swung the bat forward only to stop midway once I saw the person's face.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I shouted, dropping the heavy bat on the wooden floor. "Couldn't you knock like a normal person?"

Instantly, I regretted every word I uttered once I saw his crest fallen expression. His beautiful features only portrayed sadness and hurt.

"Are you okay?" I asked him, knowing well enough that it's a stupid question. Of course he isn't.

"She left me." He finally spoke up, his voice hoarse as if he's been crying.

"Oh, sweetie." I smiled sympathetically at him and pulled him into a hug. Tony doesn't actually do hugs, so he just stood still, and although he smelled like booze, I couldn't seem to let him go in the state he was in.

"It's okay, Tony." I whispered in his ear as I heard him take a sharp intake of breath.

Tony never and I mean never opened up about his feelings to anyone. And I mean anyone. It's difficult for him, and I know that. He doesn't really need to tell me how he feels I just know... I know how broken he really is inside even though he hides it behind that fake cold exterior he shows to people.

I know how much it actually hurts him to know that he's always painted as the bad guy even when he tries to do some good. As strange as it sounds, Tony does care, and Tony does have feelings. He may not show them to everyone, but I'm so damn lucky to have him show them to me.

Now, he was standing on my front porch on the verge of tears because he lost the one woman he cared about. I don't know if he did love her. Tony never really did utter that word to anyone, but I think he did actually feel something for her.

Running my fingers through his dark, soft hair, my hand caught something weird. Pulling it out, I examined it while furrowing my eyebrows. A pill?

"Tony.." I spoke up and he hummed in response.

"Why is there a pill in your hair?"

In a second, he broke the hug and moved backwards rubbing his hair to remove traces of other pills.

"Tony?" I asked him again and he forced a smile.

"Nothing you have to worry about." He shrugged and I shook my head slowly.

"I'll always worry about you, Tone."

"Pepper threw them at me." He spoke up nonchalantly as if it were normal.

"Excuse me?" I asked again to make sure.

"Pepper threw them at me." He repeated it using the same tone.

"What are the pills for, Tony?" I asked hoping that he would answer me honestly.

"Nothing, they're not mine." He said while looking me in the eyes.

"Tony... I have known you for almost 4 years, and I know what makes you laugh, what sets you off, what annoys you and what bothers you. I know when you're about to make a joke, I know when you're going to throw a sarcastic remark, and I know it when you lie." I cleared my throat and watched as he lowered his head down in shame.

"So, I'm going to ask you again...what are the pills for?"

He cleared his throat and sat on the swing right in-front of the door.

"They're sleeping pills, Valentina."
He stated and his voice was flat.

"Sleeping pills? Why would you need sleeping pills?" I asked him again hoping that he wouldn't just shut me out like he always did. Which is exactly what happened.

"Would you look at the time? I have to go. Suits to build. Women to please." He said while stumbling out towards the driveway.

"I can't let you drive in this state!" I shouted while running after him.

"Why? Because I'll violate one of your stupid rules? I'm Tony Stark relax about it." He mocked me and I found myself getting a little pissed off, but I knew that this was his mechanism to mask his pain.

"You know I hate it when someone makes fun of my line of work." I crossed my arms and he winked at me.

The next second, his orange Audi just drove down the road at an inevitable speed with auto pilot and he stood there staring at me with a smirk.

"That's what the suit is for, honey." He teased me and I rolled my eyes with a smile as his suit parts clung to his body, ready to blast off.

"Don't lock me out, Stark!" I shouted and he turned around with the suit. Unfortunately, I couldn't see his expression since he had the mask on.

"Call me tomorrow." I whispered to him and he stared at me for a second without uttering a word. For a moment there I thought I said something wrong.

"I promise." He promised as he blasted off my driveway and into the sky.

"Good night, Tony."