Thanks for reading and reviewing!
I love each and every review, they all mean so much to me!
Also, on top of everything, I just got a new job. That's a yay but a boo for my writing lol. It'll be slower and I have the chapter after this done but who knows when I'll post. I just thought you guys deserved this. Because I love you!
Words: 2,239
Ada's fingernails bleed from her constant picking at them. Her teeth grind together and her legs shake. She stares at her distorted reflection in the elevator doors across from her. Peter had offered to come up with her but she told him no even if she wanted him too. She had a feeling he didn't go far.
Mr. Stark isn't back yet but he's on his way. The thought makes her stomach roll. Ada presses her lips together tightly and breaths through her nose.
The apartment is dark when she steps into it. Dark, empty, and quiet. Goosebumps rise on her arms and back. She isn't sure if her footsteps are echoing or if she's imagining it.
Numb, Ada sits on the edge of the couch and waits.
An unknown amount of time later, the elevator ding snaps Ada out of her head. She blinks but otherwise doesn't move. Not even when she hears footsteps approaching her nor when she sees Mr. Stark come into her sightline. "Ada?" His voice breaks something inside of her. The pure, unadulterated concern she hears there. Tears flood her eyes and fall in seconds, she sniffs and wipes them away. "Kid, what's wrong?"
The couch shifts when Tony sits next to her. Ada takes a shuddering breath and looks up at him. The words are right there, on the tip of her tongue. She's never struggled more with saying something, something so simple. Not even in the hospital when she could barely speak. That was easier than saying these three simple words.
A fresh wave of tears wash over her face but Ada makes no move to wipe them away. They'd only be replaced as soon as she did. Opening her mouth, Ada gasps in a breath before whispering. "I'm not okay."
Tony's expression crumbles, she's able to see that much before more tears blur her vision. She hates that. Hates that she did that, made him feel that way. Ada isn't sure she's ever seen a man look so...sorrowful. But it somehow makes her sure that she's doing the right thing.
"Oh, kid," Tony whispers and leans forward, wrapping his arms around the teenager's small shoulders. She immediately falls into his embrace, returning it with what little strength she has left. Her body shakes as sobs tear their way from her throat. "It's gonna be okay," Tony whispers into her ear, his hand running up and down her back. "You'll be okay, you'll be okay, I'm here."
Ada tries to latch onto his words, tries to believe them. Her hands grasp the back of his jacket and she continues to cry. It doesn't feel like everything's going to be okay. It feels like her world has crumbled around her and now it's burning. How can you fix something like that?
"Ada, you have to breathe," She hadn't realized she wasn't until Tony points it out. His hands are suddenly on her cheeks, his face inches from hers. "Listen, copy me," He grabs one of her wrists and places her hand on his chest before taking a deep breath, encouraging her to do the same. "That's it," He mumbles when Ada sucks in what could pass for a deep breath. "Again."
Three minutes and twenty-three seconds later - Tony hadn't meant to start the timer in his head, it just happened - Ada is able to take a full, steady breath all on her own. Comforting someone like this isn't something Tony ever saw himself doing. He never thought it possible. But when it comes down to it, it's not as hard as he'd imagined. He just does what he wishes someone would've done for him in the past.
"I'm sorry," Ada whispers, her head low. She's holding his hand, running her finger's over his palm and the tiny scars littering it.
"Don't apologize, kiddo, just talk to me. What's wrong?" Ada doesn't answer immediately and he understands that. He doesn't push her, just waits patiently. He wants nothing more than for her to tell him the problem, but when she finally does speak, he feels his heartbreak all over again.
"Everything," It's said so quietly, Tony almost doesn't hear her. And man, if he can't relate to that. He just hates that she can too, that he hadn't even noticed how bad things truly are. "I can't- I can't sleep," Ada admits, her head still hanging low. An all-new type of tightness twist around her stomach. She doesn't want him to know what she's been doing to make things easier, she's embarrassed. But she needs to, she knows that now. "My head hurts, I just- I can't..."
Trailing off, Ada finally brings her red, glassy eyes up to meet Tony's. She sees her own pain reflected in them. "Everything hurts and I-...I just want it to stop."
A weight hits Tony's chest, settling there. Those words, words he's thought to himself many times over his life...But this is much worse, hearing them come from her. Coming from the girl he loves like his own daughter. He loves her, but he's never told her. He should've but he hasn't. Maybe if he had...this is all his fault.
"Please don't be mad," Ada is speaking again before he's able to form his own words. But her statement snaps him out of his stupor quickly.
"No, no, honey, I'm not mad," He shakes his head, pushing her hair from her eyes so she could see.
"Promise?" For some reason, the question sends a sharp pain soothing through his gut. But Tony nods.
"Promise." Ada legs twitch a few times before she's finally able to push herself to her feet. She sways a little but her legs carry her to her room. She takes a deep breath, hesitating before grabbing the hat holding the drugs. She hugs them to her chest and makes her way back into the living room.
She retakes her seat back on the couch, turning towards Mr. Stark before holding the objects out to him. He takes them gently from her shaky hands and purses his lips. Though he hadn't known exactly, he doesn't find himself surprised by what he sees. He wishes he was, but he isn't.
"I thought they were helping, but...it just makes everything worse," Ada says softly, defeat evident in her voice. "I'm really sorry."
"Don't be sorry, kid," Tony sighs and takes her hands into his, waiting until she looks up at him through her lashes. "It's hard, going through a fraction of the things you have. And it's on me, for not being there more," Ada shakes her head and opens her mouth to deny his words, but he stops her. "It is, kid, okay? You did what you thought would help, I've done the same. I can't blame you for that. It was wrong but you admitted it. You're telling me now, asking for help and that's the hardest part. And for that, I am so proud of you."
Ada breaks her gaze with his when she can no longer look at him. How can he say that? How can he be proud of her after what she's done? She doesn't deserve it.
"Hey, I mean that," Tony turns her head back towards him with a finger under her chin. Ada bites the inside of her cheek and meets his eyes again. "I do." She nods, wiping away another tear that falls. "Come here, kiddo." Ada moves closer to him when he lifts his arm, wrapping her own around his torso, accepting the comfort.
"We can talk more, if you want," He starts again after a moment. Ada can feel the vibrations from his voice rippling through his chest. "Or you can get some rest, you look exhausted." Her lips actually twitch at his statement. She doesn't doubt she looks like complete crap.
"I want to sleep," Ada whispers but makes no attempt to move away from him. She doesn't want to, he's warm and she feels safe. "But I can't."
"Alright, how about this," Sleepless nights and Tony are old friends, he knows and understands them very well. "We turn on a movie and I'll make us some hot chocolate. It's always helped calm me down."
"Okay," Ada mumbles with a nod. It might be summer but hot chocolate rules in her book. It feels like ages since she's actually had a cup, so one doesn't sound all that bad right about now.
"Here," Reaching over, Tony takes the blanket off the back of the couch and wraps it around her shoulders. Ada reluctantly pulls away and sits up. "Be right back." She takes the remote when it's offered, watching Mr. Stark move into the kitchen. She decides to turn on something funny and light but her mind doesn't seem to want to focus on it.
Movement alerts her when Tony returns. She looks up at him, watching as he sits next to her once more. He offers her a smile before holding out one of the two mugs he's holding. "Extra marshmallows for the lady." Ada's lips turn up more into a real smile and she takes the drink from his hands. "Hey, what's that?" Setting his own cup onto the coffee table, Tony reaches for her right hand. Ada doesn't bother stopping him, he's already seen and she's just too tired to do anything else.
"Punched someone," Is it just her, or is this serious Déjà Vu?
"Who?" Tony questions, a little heat behind his words. He examines her bruised knuckles, squinting his eye against the low lighting. "Chris again?" He's gonna need to find this guy and-
"No," Ada shakes her head. No point in lying, Peter will tell him if she doesn't. "Though that'd be nice." She whispers to herself, shaking her head when Mr. Stark looks up at her. "Just some guy."
"What this 'guy' do to deserve it?" That's it, he's getting her a bodyguard. Or two. Possibly three. If four overkill?
"It was two guys," Not the best thing to say probably, she realizes that a little too late. "I'm fine, nothing happened," She's quick to assure him. "I was walking a friend home and we ran into these two guys. They got a little too...friendly. I socked one of them in the nose then Peter showed up. He dealt with them and walked me back."
"Nothing happened?"
"Nothing happened," Ada repeats with a nod. "Promise."
Tony searches her face for a moment until he's satisfied she's telling the truth. He gives a short nod but stops abruptly. "Wait, why was Peter all the way over here?" The teenager has been known to venture out of Queens as his alter ego, but not often.
"We had a fight, before. I think he decided to stick around, keep an eye out. Good thing he did." She's not stupid, despite getting one good hit in, Ada has no doubt those guys would've taken the upper hand quickly. She should take self-defense classes.
"Yeah, good thing," Tony mumbles before closing his eyes and blowing out air between his clenched teeth.
"Sorry."
"No, it's not your fault, okay? It's not." Ada nods, more to placate him than anything. It was a little her fault though, she thinks, if she hadn't been being an idiot, out drunk, that it never would've happened. "Does it hurt?"
"Not much," Ada shrugs. It hurts a lot less than the last time she punched someone. Again, thank you, Bucky Barnes.
"Alright," Tony sighs and sits back, letting her take her hand back. "What is this?" He gestures towards the tv with furrowed brows.
"Just Go With It," Ada answers and leans back as well. "You know," She says when his confused look only intensifies. "Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston." Tony knows who those people are, obviously, but he shakes his head, and Ada sighs. "Do you ever watch movies?"
"Not really," He says and throws his arm over the back of the couch, allowing the teenager to lean into his side.
After finishing her drink, Ada holds it in her hands. She doesn't want to move, she's too comfortable. Her eyes start drooping a few minutes later, she doesn't even notice until the cup is sliding from her hands. She jerks awake, thinking it's falling only to see Tony slowly taking it from her, setting it beside his own.
"Sorry," He whispers and she only lies back, closing her eyes. Resuming his previous position, Tony squeezes Ada's shoulder, sure the girl is already asleep. That's why it's easier to say what he says next. "I love you, kid."
"Hmm," Ada hums and for a moment, his stomach drops but he smiles when she sleepily mumbles back. "Love you, too."
I feel like everything may have happened fast. It feels like a longer time to me cause it takes days to write what takes minutes to read lol. But I didn't want to drag everything out forever and I really wanted Ada to be the one to realize - with the help of a few people yelling at her - that she needs help. And I wanted her to find the courage she needed to do just that. To finally admit that she's not okay to someone. Someone who can help and understand. And Tony is just that person. But just because she has help now, doesn't mean it'll be easy. Recovery is a long process. But she's taken the first step in the right direction and I'm proud of our little bean because that's hardest part.
I say Tony handled this very well. Very mature which is so untony like. He's becoming a great dad but that road is a long one. A long, bumpy one. There are still potholes left that this little family will hit. But it's how they handle those situations that matter. Idk where that analogy or whatever came from, just pretend it makes sense. Please and thank you.
Also, Just Go With It. Great movie
Teasers: "Don't lie." / "It was the only thing that helped," / It was right in front of him and he didn't even notice.
Sorry, just couldn't decide on any good teasers this chapter.
'-'