A/N No one made my day :( It's a sad day in author history when one doesn't get reviews. I may sound whiny but it makes me feel like you guys don't like my story...

I'm just complaining. Enjoy the new chapter! It's full of fluff! Yay!

I own nothing

"It's going to leave a bruise," I announced stubbornly, peering at my ribs through the mirror. Tony paced lazily behind me as I poked and prodded, wincing every now and then for show.

"Well stop fiddling with it." He scolded, giving me an almost disappointed look in the mirror. I quickly looked away before the stare became awkward. "Damn, I don't know." He admitted in disgust.

I sighed, lifting my shirt higher to watch the yellow bruising curve around my shoulder blades. "How did it...?" I frowned but focused my eyes on Tony reflection, watching him pace back and forth as I contemplated my answer. "If you can't do it Tony, it's fine. I don't really need a job anymore anyway." I added under my breath.

He nodded in agreement, "I know, but I promised I'd get you one." He whined, looking as though the only thing he wanted in the world right now was stamp his feet and pout.

I chuckled, "Tony, it's fine I promi—Ah!" I sucked in a breath when my absent prodding hit something painful. "Ow," I hissed, biting my tongue as I probed the area once again, trying to find the sensitive spot.

He froze in his pacing at my exclamation of pain, "Would you stop touching!" He chided, stalking over to me. He crouched down, bones creaking painfully as he did so and slapped my hands away, his own replacing them.

With gentle circles he surveyed the bruising and just when he reached my upper ribs I let out a sharp grunt. He paused and turned to raise an eyebrow at me as if to say I told you not to fiddle with it.

Sighing he stood, tugging my shirt back down, "Bruised ribs is my assessment but go to Bruce, he'll be able to tell you better. Now as I was saying, I promised I'd get you the job so I will." He stated simply, smiling and dropping himself on my bed.

I shook my head and fixed my hair in the mirror before turning back to him. "Maybe I don't want the job?" I said, placing both hands in the air and giving him an imploring look. He frowned back before deciding my duvet cover was more interesting.

"You need to personalize this room," He murmured before giving me his full attention. "So you don't want the job?" he questioned. By the look on his face I knew he knew that I was just giving him a way out but I nodded nonetheless.

"Nah, I thought I played the part of Mother-hen better." I chuckled, sitting next to him on the bed. My memories went back to the last time we had sat in these spots and one hand came up to lightly trace over the necklace gracing my neck.

"Humph," Tony scoffed at my words before looking up and cocking his head. "You're wearing the necklace." He observed, nodding in approval.

I blushed and smiled. Damn right I was wearing the necklace. I hadn't taken it off in fact since it had first rested in the hollow on my neck. The cool metal had heated and now was the same temperature as my body so now the only reminder it was even there was the weight I could feel. My hands continued to idly ghost over the design, mentally picturing what I was touching.

"Haven't taken it off," I admitted with an embarrassed chuckle, averting my eyes when Tony smirked. "I... well when I'm showering I do." I remembered; face lighting up with a smile. "I was scared it would rust or something?"

Tony shook his head, once again slapping my hand away so his could touch the pendant. "No, it's real silver... That doesn't rust." He informed with another warm and small smile.

Suddenly worry took over the warmth in Tony's eyes and smile, making him start back. I frowned when his hands tucked under his armpits in a defensive gesture, the faraway look in his eyes telling me he had forgotten I was there. I didn't move for fear of breaking the small spell as I watched emotions flicker over his features, most going too fast for me to name it.

After a few minutes the silence grew stifling and I bit my lip, my hand coming up to cup his cheek soothingly. "Tony?" I said softly, watching him jerk and come back to reality. I smiled when his eyes locked with mine, "Earth kinda needs you, you can't just space out like that." I scolded playfully.

Tony wrinkled his nose, "I kind of have spaced out remember?" He laughed, shaking his head gently so my hand didn't dislodge. I waited for him to pull away but he didn't, almost nuzzling into my palm instead.

The memory of the Ironman suit racing into the portal, bomb on back flashed through my mind and I winced, blinking in shock. It was one of the worst news report and waits of my life. "I'd rather not remember actually..." I murmured, running a thumb over his cheekbone absently.

The feel of his honeyed skin was comforting and the tightness in my chest evaporated. He wasn't on the other side of that portal; he was in front of me, cheek leaning against my hand and eyes slowly slipping close. Calm replaced all the panic and I sighed contently, chuckling softly when Tony made a noise back.

His brown eyes were hidden from my view when he closed his eyes, the weight in my palm becoming heavier as he all put purred in my presence. I blushed once again and continued running a thumb across his cheek, admiring the shadows dancing along the defined planes of his face.

He was so breathtakingly gorgeous. I wasn't stunned at the thought, having had it in my mind since day one in that damned cave. Even a blind man could appreciate the beauty that was Tony Stark. His expressive eyes that resembled large pools of melted chocolate were exactly that; pools. And I found that I was finding myself drowning more often than I cared to admit.

I startled out of my thoughts to find those exact eyes staring at me curiously, studying me almost. I instantly felt like I was a bug under the microscope. So, with a jolt, I took my hand back and lowered my gaze.

"When's dinner?" I asked quietly, my voice slightly hollow sounding as I looked around the room. The way my eyes roamed would have told most that I had never seen the room in my life, when on the contrary I lived in it and was simply looking for an escape.

Tony heaved a sigh, "I don't know. I think it's 'fend for yourself' tonight..." He admitted, shrugging his shoulders. The movement caught my eye and I involuntarily turned to watch the action.

"So I finally get to use the kitchen on this level?" I questioned weakly. It seemed that once Tony had my eyes once again, he wasn't keen on letting it go.

He nodded, "Seems so, yes." He agreed, dark gaze still clearly studying my own. The feeling of being naked under that gaze grew and I shuffled uncomfortably, afraid he could read my every thought.

"Your eyes are more blue." He suddenly stated, cocking his head once again. "Then back in that cave, I mean." He clarified when I shot him a confused but slightly flattered look. His gaze bore deeper. "I used to picture them as a calm storm, one that seemed harmless before you were caught up in the waves." My heart skipped a beat from its thunderous pounding when the words slipped from the billionaires tongue like poetry.

I swallowed when he didn't finish, "But now?" I asked, once again almost wanting to wince at how breathless and small my voice was.

He smiled, shrugging yet again. "But now," He echoed, "I can see the storm clearer. It's like I'm at the center... the eye if you will." He said, nodding his head in acceptance of what he had offered me.

I fought the blush heating my cheeks and tried to look nonchalant, "Your eyes always just looked like melted chocolate to me." I said back, shrugging in the same manner he had.

A tender look grew in his eyes as he chuckled deeply, shaking his head, "And I believed you ruined the mood." He griped, cocking a brow at me and ruffling my hair. "But for the record, I always thought your hair was the melted chocolate, spilling over your shoulders." He finished his sentence by crushing the tips of my hair between his fingers, a deep frown on his lips.

I looked up at his own head almost instantly, biting my lip in consultation. "Your hair is like..." I trailed off, studying the styled tussle. It was too dark to resemble chocolate, although so were his eyes... Chocolate just didn't fit.

I blinked and cocked my head, absently noting that Tony's fingers had taken to combing through the hair decorating my shoulders. The brown was warm and... Bittersweet. But I didn't have any words for it. I admired it of course; the colour was delicious, for lack of a better word.

It looked like pure silk.

I smiled at that. "Silk." I decided, nodding my head once before deciding to play poet as well. "Some of the finest silk from... Hm. A place that makes good silk?" I offered.

Tony clucked his tongue, "Don't try to make love letters sweetie, doesn't suit you." He decided, shaking his head before flicking my nose in a classic Tony gesture. "Come on, I'm hungry." He added, standing up and yanking on my hand. "I want food, feed me."

My heart wrenched. Love letters. Is that what he was doing for me? Writing me a love letter? You only write those for people you... love... right? So did Tony...?

"Okay, I want..." He looked around the kitchen; too loud voice interrupted my thoughts. "Uh..." He said dumbly, pulling open the fridge with a frown. His hands went in, rummaging around before suddenly he chucked the butter backwards, ignoring it as it landed with precision on the counter. Bread soon followed... then bacon... and the eggs...

I winced when the eggs hit the counter with a thud. "Bacon and egg sandwiches!" He declared, smiling at the ingredients before smiling up at me. "Yes?"

I realised then that he had practically dragged me here to cook for him. Out cocked my hip, ready for me to place a judging hand upon it. "You want me to cook?" I asked, watching as he nodded happily. "For you?" I clarified.

Tony looked sheepish, scratching at the counter, "Well... I was hoping..." he said back shrugging one shoulder and dropping his head. I could've prepared all I wanted but nothing could have saved me from the puppy dog eyes I received then. "You don't have too..."

I grunted, snatching the bacon off the counter, "You're a bastard." I growled, already searching for a frying pan. Tony reached around me, large smile in place, as he bent to open one of the cupboards, pulling out a couple of frying pans.

I took them with another dangerous growl. "But a cute one," He retorted sweetly, taking up his place at my side and watching me begin to cook. "Even you can't deny that."

I shook my head in anger, "No I can't." I muttered, glaring over at him. His eyes darkened, a grin slowly forming on his features.

"You admit it huh?" He said simply, a calloused hand coming up as he sidled closer, playing with the tips of my hair. His lips parted, a heavy breath coming out and fanning across my face. I blinked at the slight smell of peppermint, the bacon cooking on the stove completely forgotten.

I swallowed hard, feeling my throat go dry. "It's kind of hard not to," I whispered, trying so hard to look away from the burning gaze boring into my own. I almost knew, call it instinct, that my pupils had blown, a thin band of bluish grey the only colour visible.

Tony leant even closer and I almost backed away in fear of ruining everything. Tony was my friend. Someone I held so close to my heart that I knew it would break, shatter, if I screwed things up now.

"That's no excuse," He finally uttered in response to my comment, his face impossibly close and eyes impossibly dark. Once I was lost in the depths I almost couldn't tear myself away even when Tony moved closer yet.

I bit my lip, almost grinning in victory when Tony's eyes shot to follow the movement like a starving man at a banquet. "It's the only one I have." I told him, feeling his chest brush against mine, the material whispering but sounding like a gunshot in the heated silence.

He growled at my answer, the sound low and feral causing heat to pool in my gut. I waited, with bated breath, as he closed the distance.

LOL I'M A BITCH!

That is all

-Taila