I stood up, still gripping the mask, now between both hands. "Yeah, we can talk." I managed to spit out, coming out uneven, nervous, breathless. I cleared my throat, finally looking away from his eyes, "Here?"
"No, I have an office up on the next floor. Let's talk there." His voice seemed sharp, but I did my best to let it roll off of me. He held out his hand, gesturing for me to leave. As I walked passed him, I couldn't help but notice the distinct smell of body odor and alcohol that radiated from him. I knew the smell all too well from my first set of foster parents. As I turned back to look at him as I walked out the door of Peter's room, I saw him staring at Peter, and I couldn't help but to wonder what he was thinking about.
He led me to his office without saying a word. His office was a corner office, It was glass on two sides- two HUGE sides. He stood in front of his chair on his side of his desk, just staring out the window, looking over the city. He turned back, looking at me briefly then clearing his throat. "Sit down, Ruby." His voice was rough, sharp. I flinched at it.
I was hesitant to sit, but I sucked in a deep breath and sat down in the big overstuffed office chair. I fidgeted with the mask as I waited for the conversation to start, but he was just staring out the window again. After several moments of silence, I managed to muster up a sliver of courage, and I ran with it. "Tony…" I said, ready to start the conversation, but hoping he would take the lead from me.
It was like I pulled him from his imaginary world, he turned back and looked at me, turning himself completely towards me, as if the window would be too big of a distraction. He came around the side of the desk, so we were both on the same sides. He had his butt on the top of his desk as he leaned against it, arms crossed. "Ruby… What is it that you want?" His voice wasn't as sharp, it was even, solid, like he was conducting business it was a true question.
"What do I want?" I couldn't stop my voice from shaking, the question caught me off guard, I wasn't sure what he meant- what he was looking for. "I don't… I mean I guess I just want the same things everyone wants. I'm mad… but I want a relationship. Or I think I do. I'm confused right now, but-"
"No, Ruby, what is it that you want from me?" The sharpness was back, and I flinched at it again, anger flared in his voice. Suddenly, I understood the question, but Tony was more than happy to elaborate anyways, "Is it money? Do you want money?"
I was dumbfounded. I couldn't believe he had just asked me that question. There was a searing pain in my chest- I knew it all too well. I wasn't just a let down because I was trying to forgive him- trying to open up to him- I was furious. Pissed. I was speechless. I stared at him, and he waited for a reply while eyeing me closely. "I cannot believe that question- that- that accusation- just left your mouth!" Suddenly I was on my feet.
"You can't tell me that isn't why you are here, out of the blue, when you have had this knowledge for three years!" He shouted back, now standing straight up, hands flailing as he spoke.
"I don't want anything from you! I didn't even want to come here!" I was screaming, I couldn't hold back the fury that was burning me up, I could feel the tears coming, but I wasn't about to let him see that.
"Bullshit! Then why did you come here?!" He screamed, his face red, a vein in his head bulging, "I sure didn't want you!"
It was like a punch in the gut. Now the tears came. "That was all I needed to know. I won't stay where I'm clearly not wanted." I pushed the chair out from behind me so I could slide passed him without touching him, but decided to answer his final question, "I came because my mother told me of your love. She said it was something truly special. She said I would be included in that when she finally came to you, when you two were finally together. I waited because I didn't think that anyone would ever believe me, I didn't think that there would ever be a way for me to contact you, but when they were talking about sending me to juvy, drilling me about why my mother had brought me here, it just came out. I figured if I said it, they would at least leave me alone because they thought I was crazy. When they did it, I was genuinely excited to meet you, I had done so much research on you. You were a hero, and you were my dad. You were amazing in my eyes, even if you had never come for me. Come for mom." Tears were streaming down my face as I sucked in a breath, "There was a part of me, a part of me that knew you would be like this, but I pushed it away, said it wasn't true at all, that you would be amazing, that there was a legitimate reason you never came back for her, some crazy reason that would make all the heartbreak, all the hardships somehow okay, but I was wrong to disregard that part. It is clear to me now. Crystal clear. But just know, you were wrong about me too." As I turned around, I realized we hadn't been completely alone. Clint stood in the doorway, and I met his eyes as I walked passed him, hitting his arm with my shoulder. He turned once I had hit the hall, grabbing in my arm gently, he looked at me like he wanted to say something to me, but then he just dropped my arm. I was glad he was standing there, I was glad he seen whatever he had, because he was the one who had defended him, he was part of the reason I had tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Part of the reason I had become vulnerable, just for him to stab me with his words.
As I got back into the elevator, tears still streaming down my face, I leaned against the wall and took in a huge breath, as I went to let it out, it came out a sob. I had been gripping Peter's mask so hard that my hand was cramping as I loosened my grip on it. When the elevator door opened on the same floor my room and infirmary was, I almost just hit the ground floor button, there was nothing of mine in that room, but then Peter crawled back into my mind. I was afraid to see one of them there, but decided it was worth the risk. I held his mask loosely as I went to his room, luck was on my side, because I didn't see a single Avenger. As I approached his room, I looked in, then stopped dead in my tracks, my breath catching in my lungs. He was awake. I was contemplating whether or not to go in when he looked up, I know he saw me. I ran as quickly as I could back to the elevator, slamming the ground floor and close door button as fast as I could.
I shoved his mask into my pocket before stepping foot out of the elevator. No one even tried to stop me as I walked out of the building, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the door as I left. My eyes were puffy, my hair was a mess, and the bags under my eyes were huge. I pushed my hair out of my face, running my fingers all the way through it, and walked from Stark Tower to the streets, where I made myself disappear into the crowds.