"Oh, by the way, hot stuff, your cardigan is with me, collect it when you can, you left it last night,"

Nora, mid-bite into her cereal, set her spoon down and turned toward him with a bewildered look.

On one hand, she was glad he didn't mention that she was in the common room last night or about her nightmares, but on the other hand, what he said sounded so... indecent! For heaven's sake, he made it sound like she'd spent the night with him or something.

And in Tony Stark's case spending a night directly meant that they had spent a night full of sweat and passion.

As if.

Tony sauntered out of the common room, just in time, when her annoyance creeps through and all the set of eyes in the room were trained on her, too much to not stand out... "It's not how it sounds like, I swear!" she said with a sigh, her hand hiding her face from their view, as embarrassment coloured her face.

The Avengers who sat around the breakfast table– in front of them, the delicious smell of the breakfast (that was made by her) wafted in the air– but they felt their interest piqued by the comment Tony made more than the food. He was a playboy, there was no denying it. But with what days the had spent with Nora training and initiating conversation– she didn't seem like a person who do, or is interested in, one night stands.

Than again, it was Tony fucking Stark we were talking about, if there was anyone in the room who could positively charm any girl in his arms, it was him.

Natasha raised an eyebrow and leaned forward, her lips curved into a knowing smirk, "What's not how it sounds like?"

"Indeed, Tony's choice of words was... suggestive," Bruce said with a small smile.

Clint, chimed in with a smirk "Spill the beans, Nora, we will not judge,"

Thor looked genuinely puzzled. "I fail to see the issue. What is wrong with Tony mentioning Lady Nora's shrug?"

Steve cleared his throat. "Well, you see, Thor, it's not about the shrug itself. It's about how Tony said it and... his personality,"

Oh they were having fun teasing her, weren't they? These little-

"Come on, Captain, not you too!" Nora muttered, groaning in embarrassment as she rested her forehead on the cool surface of the table. All while mentally cursing Tony, she was pretty sure he had said all that intentionally–knowing what others would make of it. Oh, how she wished she could throw the knife in her hand at him.

Looked like God granted her wish, something he hadn't done in her life, because just then Tony walked back in, returning from his lab to retrieve the forgotten cup of coffee from the kitchen. His hazel eyes soon landed on the mix of suggestive and teasing expressions on everyone's face, "Did I missed the drama?" he asked with a grin, that made him look years younger.

Clint grinned, hooking his thumb in Nora's direction, "Nah, just deciphering your secret shrug code,"

Tony raised his eyebrows, his lips curving into his perfectly cut smirk as he winked toward Nora, "Ohh the shrug code. Very exclusive." his voice was lidded with innuendo.

Nora felt aghast, what the hell was he trying to imply! And true to her thoughts, she angled the knife she held, not to hurt him but to pass close enough to make her point. "Tony, you basta—"

"Language," Steve interrupted in a firm tone, mid bite into his pancake, making Nora deadpan.

"Oh, come on," she said, throwing a glare at Tony before storming out of the room, her cheeks red with embarrassment.

Nora was genuinely surprised by the intensity of emotions she'd displayed. During her three years at S.H.I.E.L.D., she hadn't revealed such feelings nearly as often as she had in just one week here. And it was all thanks to that damn Stark.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Sweat dropped down her forehead, as she executed a flawless flip, followed by precise shots. Adrenalin pumped in her veins making the sleepiness dull. The danger room's surroundings blurred together before vanishing as she stretched her arm overhead, releasing tension.

"You killed a hundred targets in forty-six minutes and thirty-seven seconds, miss," Jarvis's robotic voice echoed.

Nora collapsed onto the floor, her hand holding an emerald water bottle the color mirroring her eyes, as she gulped down its contents.

"All right, Jarvis, Thank you,"

The moon was shining outside casting a glow all over New York, she wiped the sweat that was covering her face, before standing up. She was planning to take a bath and get into the bed after that, hoping for a dreamless night from all the tiredness that was weighing her down.

Although, she knew her luck in the confines of dreams was very bad-- her body craved rest; every fiber begged for respite...but once she settled into bed, memories clawed their way back, gnawing at her wounds even before sleep claimed her. The cycle persisted: nightmares, exhaustion, and restless loops.

Until she either fell asleep reading a book, just like yesterday, or sheer fatigue would force her into unconsciousness. In those dark times, she wished there was a power or medicine that can stop dreams, the haunted memories.

Was wishing for peaceful sleep too much?

"Hey Jarvis, Is Tony up?" she asked, her steps halting just as she exited the danger room.

Between all the training and tiredness, she almost forgot about her cardigan that was with him. It would be better to retrieve it sooner than later.

"Mr. Stark is awake, but he's not in the Tower, miss,"

"Not here... well, okay, I guess."

Perhaps he was attending an event, a glamorous party or a business meeting. After all, Tony wasn't just an Avenger; he also owned Stark Industries. Or maybe he was out with some girl—Nora wouldn't put it past him.

Shaking her head, she makes her way back to her dorm. Her mind whirling with thoughts trying to distract herself but coming back to that specific person only.

Stark? Why was this name bothering her so much?

She was quite sure she had heard this surname before, and not when she finally tasted freedom but before... much before.

But even if she tries to remember all she got was nothingness, her mind just would not process the name, as if it were an unwelcome intruder, it was like her consciousness was rejecting even the idea of remembering it.

The sensation was peculiar, unsettling.

She hoped she was wrong, she hoped that this was just a trick of her mind, she wished that she had not heard that surname in her past... cause if she had, she doubt it would have been for some good reason, no, not at all, she was worried that it would be something very, very, chaotic.

And after finally gaining some sense of normalcy in her life, as normal as it can be for someone like her, she dreaded the prospect of revisiting the monsters from her past.

"I am just overthinking," she repeated to herself, clinging to that fragile reassurance.

But deep down she knew that some secrets refused to remain buried, and the name Stark might hold more significance than she dared imagine.

And this secret might shred her world to pieces later-- the world she was building per se.

(edited)