Hope

Steve Has A Crush?

Peppers POV

Ever since New York, Tony had been different. Tony didn't seem to realize it, but I did. It hadn't really been a dramatic change, but it was still noticeable, even Rhodey had noticed. Whenever someone brought it up Tony blushed-which was insane to begin with because I had known him for ten years and had never seen him blush once-and then he denied it and changed the subject quickly. No matter how much I wanted it not to be true, I knew what it was.

Tony had fallen in love with Steve Rogers, Captain America, The First Avenger.

It would seem to be an utterly ridiculous assumption, if you hadn't been around Tony since New York and luckily, not many people had.

Unfortunately, Tony hasn't realized this. He still thought he was for the most part straight and loved me, but it was obvious to everyone except for Tony himself that he wasn't. He obviously had his eyes on Steve and Steve alone. At first, I thought it was just one if those awkward man crush things Tony occasionally got around people he admired because as much as I'd like to say it was untrue, I still love Tony.

I knew it would only be bad for Tony and even worse for me if Tony and I were to stay together like this, so I decided to break it off before anyone got more hurt than anyone already had.

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Tony's POV

I will my eyes to stay open as I put the finishing touches to the upgrades in my suit. I check the clock, half past ten, I had only been awake for the better part of three days, so I didn't know why my eyes were already getting droopy. I shrug, oh well, I guess it doesn't really matter. Just as I begin to start welding again, I hear the familiar click-clack of Pepper's heels. I set down my welder, slightly irritated with her for interrupting my work. Wait, why would I be irritated? I never used to be irritated with her for interrupting me, not since I had developed feelings for her. What was going on? I'm too tired to think deep self-reflecting questions, so I just shrug it off and look up to where Pepper was standing.

She doesn't start a conversation, but rather just stands there with her mouth slightly open as if she was trying to say something. That wasn't usually Pepper's style though, usually she got through what she had to say or do and left. "Did you need something?" I ask her a little snappily.

"Tony...," Pepper trails, nervously. Pepper was nervous? I didn't even know she had the word nervous in her vocabulary, let alone was capable of being nervous. "I-I think we need to break up."

I drop the welder onto the table. "What? Did I do something wrong? I'm really sorry I can fix it if I did, but you don't have to break up with me!" I say calmly, though a bit surprised. All I had to do was reason with her and everything would be okay.

"No, Tony, this isn't something you can fix. You've changed, since New York, and I'm not saying that you changed for the worse, you've just changed," Pepper replies slowly.

I'm in shock, really, I am. I don't even know what to say, and that's a shock all in itself because I never don't know what to say. "Uh," yeah, there we go, that's a great way to start, idiot. "Why?"

Pepper sighs, "Look, Tony, I can't tell you because you need to figure it out on your own."

"What do you mean you can't tell me? I swear to gods P-" I was cut off by Pepper.

"No, stop it. I'm not going to tell you, so skip the tantrum, okay? I know you'll figure it out," Pepper starts to walk out of the lab, and on her way out she finishes with a, "That will be all, Mr. Stark," and she's gone.