Tony lost track of how long it had been since he stepped out of the lab.
Something more dangerous than the army of Chitauri were coming, he was sure. He had seen it on the other side and the world was not ready. Not ready at all. And SHIELD refused to listen or even consider if he might be right. So if he cannot protect the whole world he would atleast protect his people. This was already the 53rd Ironman suit he was building.
Something poked his lips, and he bit it without thinking. The taste of roti and potato burst on his tongue. His hands slowed down and finally paused, as he realised he was being fed.
On his right stood Cynthia. His ex PA, ex bodyguard and now ex doctor.
He blinked, She was still there. He blinked again. Still there. She extended her arm towards him offering more food. He ate it absentmindedly.It was only then he realised what he did.
Tony could feel the blush rising on his face, fighting with embarassment and confusion.
"Eat," she instructed and offered it again.
He raised his hand to take it from her, but Cynthia just raised her eyebrows, expression shouting, 'Really?'
It is only then he realised the state of the lab. It was... clean. His things were still haphazardly strewn around but there were no coffee mugs, no take out boxes, no greasy rags he used for cleaning. His hands were greasy though. Motor oil had fallen on his AC-DC tshirt. The jeans was clearly a lost cause.
"You..." he trailed off, looking at his friend, who had placed the roti back in a lunch box and was waiting, semingly patient.
"J, how long have I..." he trailed off, not sure what he was asking.
"You have been working continuously for the last 3 days sir. This is the fourth day." Jarvis replied.
He looked at his lab again. "Why?" he asked Cynthia, "How is it so clean?"
She smiled, "I did it, of couse"
Overwhelmed, he looked away. "I am not hungry.” he replied, but it sounded like a question.
Javis gave the reason, "That would be because, Ms. Cynthia has already, fed you, for lack of better words, five times sir."
Tony's eyes widened. 5 Times!
Cynthia merely smiled when he looked at her. "You got upset, when I asked to come and eat."
Guilt singed up. "I... I don't..."
Tony stark, the charismatic, ruthless, businessman who always had a quip, was rendered into a stammering blubbering idiot.
"It's ok. I'll not hold it against you. Would you like to bath and eat, or..." she extended her hand towards him in an imitation of earlier.
Tony's eyes met her. Mischief and challenge both sparkled in them, and so he just opened his mouth.
Delight made her eye crinkle. She gestured to the couch and sat next to him. Then proceeded to feed him.
Tony's eyes never left her. He took in her happiness - the way her eyes sparkled, the way they crinkled, how her cheekbones became more prominent, her lips turned upwards and her teeth peaked through.
She was breathtaking, he realised. Breathtakingly beautiful. Cute, hot, pretty, nothing justified or described her.
Tony felt like he was having an epiphany as he ate the food she made with her hands and was now feeding him.
She had been giving me food the last two days too, he remembered. And somehow, it was only now that he got disturbed.
"Would u like to talk?" Cynthia broke the silence, continuing to give him his food.
"I am generally told to stop talking," he quipped.
She didn't take the bait. He realized she was only giving him food, not eating herself.
He drew back for the next morsel. "You should eat." he said.
Her eyes met his. Finally she smiled and ate.
As they sat on his couch, in his lab, his safe haven, eating food she made for them, his fears came tumbling out.
The aliens on the other side, Earth's lack of preparation, SHIED, his idea for Avengers, everything.
And she listened. Never interrupting, she let him talk.
When he ran out of words, she asked, "Do you want help?"
Tony looked at the impossible woman sitting beside him in a half saree and the many times she helped him flashed through his mind.
"Please"
"Make contacts and have business with the military. Vo... kya hain - that proverb, 'no all eggs in a basket'?" she asked. "Anyways, if your SHIELD doesn't listen, open other doors."
"I'll not make weapons anymore."
You already are," said she, her the hand encompassing the numerous Ironman armors
" Thats -"
"- not important・ Make armors maybe, maybe provide service. I don't know. You know how business works, not me."
"And then?"
"Then what? Then do all you can. Do your best."
Tony frowned. "And if my best is not enough?"
She smiled, "Anirudhji used to say that the best we can do is the best. Leave the rest to the Gods, Tony. They'll take care of it. Our duty is to do our best. What the result of our actions would be is not in our control."
Tony smiled, "Also from Bhagavat Gita?" he asked.
Cynthia laughed. "Absolutely. Karm kar Tony, Phal ki icha na kar." Grinning she translated, "Do your duty, Tony. Don't wish for the results of those actions to be in your hand. Leave it to the almighty."
A gentle smile graced Tony's lips. It was always fun to listen to her explain her beliefs. He never ended up believing in them much. But there was no doubt they had some good advice. Most importantly, it made her happy.
He opened a file and as they plotted how to prove the existence of even more aliens to the Idiots Who Don't Listen, Tony murmured to himself,
"Just do my duty."
Finally after so many days, he knew he would sleep tonight. He smiled.