Multifandom Oneshots (II)

Tony Stark x Reader

You get in the car and go to the store.
On the television there, there's a video of the Avengers fighting.
Your eyes drift to the man in the red suit. You sigh.
Your phone feels heavy in your pocket.
You have a missed call from Tony Stark.
You don't know how he'd found you, but he had.
Not that you have a problem with it. You don't, not in the least.
Except you don't want to pick up the phone.
Once upon a time, you had loved him.
And then you'd broken his heart, even though you still loved him. You'd broken his heart because you loved him.
And you still love him.
But you hadn't spoken for almost ten years.
That was when you'd left. You'd broken up with him and left to make a new life for yourself.
You're successful now. You have nobody to check in with every hour. You have nobody to hate you. You had no familial ties.
On the down side, you're alone. Completely, utterly alone. You have nobody to care for you, nobody to know if you weren't even alive. You would disappear into your house for weeks at a time, and nobody would even text to check in. You have nobody to hate you, no, but you have nobody to love you either. You have no ties at all.
As you've said: alone.
But then Tony Stark comes waltzing back into your life.
The television switches to an interview with him. He looks like some of the people who come into the hospital you used to work at.
The ones who were dying.
You go home and purchase a plane ticket.
"Where does Tony Stark live?" You ask a man on the street.
"Depends. Who's asking?" The man replies.
"An old friend. Do you know?"
"Yeah, I know. I'll take you."
"No, that won't be necessary." You assure him. "If you could just give me an address or directions or something."
"I'm a friend of Tony's--well, maybe. I screwed up a bit. A lot, really."
You just want an address. "Well, I'm sure Tony's already forgiven whatever it is you've done. He's like that."
"I wouldn't do that to him. Anyways, do you want a ride?"
"I don't ride with strangers. Thank you, though."
"I'm Steve." He holds out his hand.
"Y/N." You answer.
"Look at that. Not strangers anymore. Ride?"
"Sure." You smile.
"What's brought you to see Tony?" Steve asks in the car.
"He called."
"Did he?"
"Yes."
"Oh, my God. You're the one in the pictures."
"Pardon?"
"A friend of ours went snooping while Tony was out of town once. She found a box full of pictures."
"With me?"
"I think so. Are you that Y/N?"
"I don't know."
"You're the one he--"
"He what?" You raise your eyebrows.
"Let me think of something else he's mentioned..."
You give him a strange look.
"You guys went to Disney, right?"
"Yeah." You smile. "We stood in line for an hour to see Mickey Mouse."
"Well, this is Tony's place." Steve says, pulling into a driveway. "Nice meeting you."
"Are you not coming in?" You ask. Him not having killed you sometime between the city and Tony's house was a good sign.
"No, I don't think that's in anyone's best interest. See you around."
"Thanks for the ride."
"Sure." He smiles, and backs out of the driveway.
You shoulder your bag and make your way up to the front door. You ring the doorbell.
It's answered shortly by an exhausted Tony Stark.
"Hey." You say awkwardly.
"Y/N." He says breathily. "What... What are you doing here?"
"You looked like you could use some help."
"I... didn't expect to see you." He stares at you.
"I can leave if you want. I just wanted to make sure you have somebody if you need them-- Tony? Are you okay?" You interrupt yourself. He's shaking.
He nods. "I'm... Yeah, I'm fine."
"You look ill."
"I feel ill."
"What's wrong?" You furrow your eyebrows.
He shrugs. "My head hurts, my chest hurts, my arm's numb. The usual."
"That's not healthy, Tony." You say, starting to worry more.
He shrugs. "If I die, I die."
"Okay, maybe you don't care, but other people do."
"Like who?"
"Me. Steve."
"How do you know Steve?"
"He brought me here. He seems nice."
"Yeah, he is. I screwed up."
"He made it sound like he did."
"We both know it was me. Always is."
"That's not true."
"How would you know? You left. I thought you were dead, Y/N."
"I'm sorry. I thought..." What had you thought? "I thought it'd be better for you."
"How?"
You shrug and shake your head. "I was messed up."
"So was I."
"I'm sorry."
"I never stopped loving you." He says.
You look up. "Really?"
He nods vehemently. "Do you, uh, wanna come in?"
"Sure."
"You're a doctor, right?" He asks as he leads you in.
"Yes, I was. I'm a writer now."
"Really? That's amazing." He smiles. He knows that's what you've always wanted to do.
You nod and smile a bit. "But, from my schooling and the news, I'm pretty sure that your symptoms are signs of stress. You should see your doctor just in case, though."
"May I talk to you?" He asks quietly.
"I'm not that kind of doctor." You hesitate.
"I know. I've... I need help, Y/N. I've tried to talk to people. I have."
You nod, prompting him to go on.
"I've reached out." He says, sitting down on the couch and starting to rock back and forth. "Don't tell me to, because nobody cares. I'm alone. They get angry. They fall asleep. I'm self-centered, apparently. Apparently I care for nobody but myself."
"Do you trust me, Tony?"
"Yes. Yes, I trust you."
You reach over and put your hand over his. "You aren't Iron Man. You don't have to try to act like you are all the time. Iron Man isn't the hero, you are. You make the hero in Iron Man. You flew a nuke into space. That's not selfish. You're the least selfish person I've ever known. And you're not alone. You've just been talking to the wrong people."
"They're all I have."
"You could have called before it got this bad."
"You hate me."
"I never stopped loving you."
"Why'd you leave?"
"I had to."
"Come back."
"You don't want to take me back, Tony." You say quietly.
"I would take you back a million times if I had to."
"You'll have to go see a professional."
"A professional?"
"For help."
"I don't need help."
"You just said you did."
"Now I have you. It'll be okay."
"That isn't always how it works, sweetheart."
He smiles at your old pet name for him. "But maybe it is." He says.
"I'll go with you, but you're going to have to go."
"Okay." He agrees. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine now." You smile as he kisses your cheek.