Fragmented Thoughts Chapter 21 Part 1 (Reader)

Things are dull and slow as the chilly winter air blows in, which makes you nervous. The lack of excitement usually means something is brewing, and you hate waiting to find out what it is.
Thanksgiving wasn't celebrated in the Stark Tower. Most of the workers went home, but all you and the others receive is the gentle greeting of JARVIS in the morning, saying "Good morning, ma'am, and happy thanksgiving."
It's hardly a happy thanksgiving to you. As much as you enjoy the company of the others on the team (some more than others), you miss your family. You haven't seen them in months, since the incident at school back in August. At first, you figured that since you haven't heard of or from them, that they must be alright, but now you're worried.
"JARVIS," you stare into the mirror in your bathroom, soundless but thoughtful until now.
His voice is calm as he asks, "how may I help you?"
You bite your lip as you consider the question. "Where is my family? Have they tried to contact me?"
"Not yet, ma'am," he tells you.
That makes you worry even more. They would have certainly tried to contact you by now. Did they know you were safe? Surely they have seen you on the news with the Avengers. Unless you're being protected, and no one knows who you are or has seen you...
You know you have to ask. The worry is making a knot grow in your stomach. You step out, into the hallway and ride the elevator down to the garage floors where Stark works on his own personal projects. Your movements are cold and numb as your mind reels.
"Tony?" you ask as you step into the space. You briefly catch the end of Dirty Deeds by ACDC as the door opens. Tony is fiddling with some electronic something on his metal work desk.
"You know, Pepper does that too," he says without looking at you, "just randomly comes in like she owns the place."
"She's your girlfriend, she kind of has that right," you snip at him.
He stands up and points his screwdriver at you. "Now that's debatable," he says. His goggles cover his eyes and his shirt is slightly torn so you see the corner of the arc reactor in his chest. He looks like a nerd.
You cross your arms. "I have a question-"
"You know, I've often wondered if it'd be too much to try and throw a party." He walks around the shop, ignoring you. "What do you think, Christmas party? New Years? Maybe even an un-birthday party for one of the deities?"
"Tony, I don't have time for-" you try to cut in.
He points his screwdriver at you and opens his mouth, his eyebrows raised as if he has an idea. "Ooh, how about all three? I have the fundings, I'll find the room. Or maybe something grand, like a ballroom? Loki's big into the whole 'grand scale' thing, maybe I'll look into that."
"Tony!"
"Oh, you know what, you're right. Maybe the ballroom's too much. How about a strip club? You think Reindeer Games would like that?" he asks you.
You sigh and grumble, following him. "Tony, I'm serious-"
He nods as if you said something completely different. "I knew it. Strip club's perfect for him. He's always uptight, some fun and games would do him good. I'm sure that guy would be much happier if he got some woman to get with."
"TONY!" you scream.
"What?" he shrugs. "He's antisocial, like we've all got the plague. Never comes out of the rock he hides in. Sometimes I seriously wonder if he's gay."
Now you just stand there, not quite sure if Tony's exaggerating to be a showoff or if he's serious.
"Oh, he likes you, though," he says, pointing the screwdriver again. He moves over to his shelves of tools as he speaks. "He's always with you or his buddy in arms. Funny how that works, the two people he doesn't like he spends the most time with."
"What?" He's caught your attention now, all remembrance of why you came in here gone.
Tony replaces his screwdriver with a torch. "I'm serious. He's always with you, if he's ever out at all. Otherwise it's like a ghost. He leaves signs that he's been there but you never see him."
"Nonono, wait, backtrack," you say, "You're saying he likes me?"
"Either that or he hates you, and he just keeps you around like the 'friends close enemies closer' thing. He does that too, it's like everything is a game or a puzzle. Always plotting and planning. I'm seriously wondering if he's got some kind of mental disorder or something." Tony moves back to his workdesk as he blabbers. You follow, wordless. He likes you...? It could just be Tony's exaggeration, the man playing you for a fool. But that doesn't seem Tony's style to play others just for his own entertainment...
"You're joking," you tell him after a minute.
He looks you with a low stare in a 'are you serious?' manner.
"You have to be. He doesn't like me. He's scared of me," you explain.
Tony snickers. "You haven't seen the way he stares at you. Like you're some kind of shiny bauble and he's a cat. It's kind of funny to watch."
Your jaw just hangs loose as you struggle to make sense of the words coming out of the billionaire's mouth. "...You're lying," you say finally.
He sighs. "You know, a lot of people think I lie and they're surprised when I tell them the truth. Is reality really so hard to believe?" He goes back to his mechanical object set on his desk and the torch ignites.
"Tony," you try again. The man doesn't even answer, just going back to work. You sigh, giving up and move to the door, leaving upstairs. Maybe someone else can help you. You remember that Clint had left some time ago to retrieve items from your house for you, and decide that he may be able to tell you.
Hurriedly, you rush to the training grounds to see if Clint is there. There he is, firing arrows at moving targets around him. Natasha keeps watch, controlling the targets from her spot at the controls. You stand and wait for the arrows to stop flying and for the sequence to end before stepping up to him. As you watch, you see Clint fire an arrow over his back, under his leg and behind his head. You aren't sure if he's showing off or if he's just actually that good.
Finally the sequence ends and Clint moves to retrieve his arrows, fixing their tips and placing them in the holster in his back. He sees you as Natasha approaches.
"What's up?" he asks as he retrieves an arrow.
"You went to my house, didn't you?" you ask. You hope at least he will give you some straight answers.
He stands up. "Yes," he answers. Oh, good, he may actually help you.
"Was my family there?" you ask.
His face tightens and he looks away for a second. "I'm afraid I can't tell you," he says.
What...? "Tell me right now, Clint," you order him.
"I'm sorry but I can't," he tells you.
Before you can protest, Natasha sets a hand on your shoulder.
"I think you should ask Steve instead," she says. "We'll see him at dinner tonight. Fury's supposed to be with us."
Oh. Fury. Great.
"Thanks," you mutter. You already know this wait is going to kill you.