The Other Stark

Chapter 9

"In my case, it was the first night in weeks. How many days in a row are you awake?"

"72 hours Ms. Stark" the A.I. answered.

"What!? Tony get out now or I'll drag you."

He sighed in defeat and gave in. He couldn't keep it anymore anyway. He walked past his sister, gave her a kiss on the head and got out of the lab, heading to the elevator.

"If he tries to get in here anytime soon, please inform me," Tory said to the A.I., heading to the kitchen to see who was awake at 6 in the morning.

...

The only people on the kitchen was two sweaty super soldiers, each eating a bowl of cereal, chatting.

"Good morning you two." Tory greeted, going straight to the coffee machine and placing a mug on it.

"Seem better."

"Morning," Buck responded. Steve looked at his friend in awe.

"Steve I'm not training today." the woman informed, taking her mug and sitting beside him.

"You spent the whole night awake didn't you?" the blond asked, looking at her. She was visibly tired. Bags under her eyes, shoulders down, bruises all over her arms.

"Yep. So you both went for a run today. How was it?" Tory asked sipping from her coffee, making small talk. She knew Steve was getting pissed.

"Soothing and sweaty," Bucky answered with his mouth full. She giggled.

"Can see that."

"Please don't change the subject," Steve said pressing the bridge of his nose. Tory sighed. Why did he have to be so caring? She liked this about him, but some times, it grew on her nerves.

"Not changing the subject, just spent the night in the lab like many occasions before," Tory answered, not able to fight back a yawn. An awkward silence fell in the place. Steve was about to say something, when Tory got up from her seat and burst out of the kitchen, leaving an angry super soldier and a confused one.

...

Tory had already taken her shower. She was thinking back on her little discussion with Steve, meanwhile looking herself in the mirror only in her underwear and bra. All her body was covered in purple, blue and yellow bruises. It hurt in most parts, but she had already gotten used to them. The stitches on her ribcage drew her attention. She couldn't remember when a bullet scratched her.

She came out of her thought when a knock came from the door.

"Come in," Tory shouted, still analyzing all of her injuries. When the door opened, Steve came inside, not noticing her state of nakedness.

"I was... Oh sorry," he said closing his eyes, just some feet inside the room.

"Oh come on... you've caught me in worst situations. This isn't new," she said turning to look at him. He opened his eyes but still had a blush all over his face. He traced all the bruises on her body, then looked to a point on the wall.

"Okay... wait a minute."

Tory went inside her closet and got an oversized shirt to cover her up. Steve was so uncomfortable every time something like this happened. She walked back to the room, and he was already relaxed, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I'm back," Tory mumbled, sitting just beside him.

"Why did you stay up all night?" he asked, annoyance in his voice.

"Please don't start with this again," she said rolling her eyes and throwing herself back in the bed.

"It's just you tell me to take more care of myself, but you stay awake all night long, after getting all hurt. You sure are tired. I don't get it." he said, now laying back on the bed as well, staring at the ceiling.

"Just couldn't sleep when I went back to my room. My brain wouldn't shut down." Tory answered with a deep breath. Now she could start feeling the tiredness winning.

"And why's that?" he questioned curiously.

"You got me worried about you yesterday. Then got worried about Bucky too. And then about everything with Rumlow. All those thoughts just got me thinking too much. So I ended up in the lab with Tony." she stated, fidgetting with the hem of her shirt, that was going up her thigh.

"Why so worried? I'm fine. Bucky's well... he'll be okay and Rumlow, we'll get him." he assured her. A small smile fell on Tory's face. Steve and his way of getting everyone to calm down.

"You got me thinking yesterday when I was helping if I said anything wrong. You got so sad. I don't know. Then I talked to Bucky and he seemed so broken." she explained.

"So that's why Bucky was up to run with me today. What did you say to him?" Steve muttered more for him than for her.

"I told him he should try to open up, at least with you. Just basically told him if he didn't trust anyone in here, he should trust you." she reasoned and continued.

"I saw how you were upset with something yesterday. And even though that upset look is still on your face, I think getting along with Bucky helped. There's something bothering you, and I know you're not ready to share it just yet, but you will eventually."

"How can you read people like this?" he asked, mesmerized, with a proud smile on his face.

"So I'm right," she stated more than questioned, a smile on her lips.

"Get some rest, and you can tell me after what you've been up to with Tony," he mumbled, ignoring the question.

Steve got out of Tory's room after that, giving her a kiss on the head before living. When the door closed, she fastly fell asleep.