Chapter One: Anna.
"Tony, can I ask you something ?"
"Of course, Steve." Tony absently said as he repeatedly stretched his fingers in his mechanical glove.
"Did Anna do anything to you? You don't— you don't seem to like her a lot."
Tony froze, leaving his right hand hanging open above his desk. Well, this could get really awkward.
"I don't have any problem with her. I am what you could call 'indifferent'." He shrugged. He, himself, did not know why he disliked that 'Anna' so much, so answering Steve's question was no easy task.
"Fine. I guess I misinterpreted some things you said or— or did. Like that time you said she looked fat in her dress and—"
"She did look fat." Tony cut him off.
"Tony…" Steve sighed, shaking his head. "Whatever you think of her, she is… I really care about her and I haven't felt that way in years. Almost a century, actually. Please, try to be nicer now. For me? As a friend?"
The sad look in his eyes was too hard to resist and Tony gave in. With a simple nod, he made the Captain understand that he would try.
-0-
Later that night, when the other agents were out in the streets, Steve left to have dinner with Anna. Tony had the whole place for himself and after a few drinks, he just lied down on the couch. As usual, whiskey helped him think.
"Anna." He mumbled. "Why do I loathe you so much?"
He already felt like that once. When Pepper moved on and started seeing another man. He could not help but hating her. That is what jealousy and feeling left out did to him. And, well, as pretty and nice as Anna was (not to mention curvy), Tony never had any feelings for her. So why?
Already tired of all the intense thinking, he stood back up and headed to the mini-bar to pour himself a glass of scotch. And another one. And another one. Half through his sixth glass of the night, he heard the elevator's door opening.
"Who's there?" Tony asked, but nobody answered. "Jarvis, tell me."
"It seems to be Captain Rogers, sir." The AI replied in a second.
Keeping his scotch in hand, Tony staggered to the hall and found Steve hanging his coat on a rack, both of his shoes in his left hand.
"Hi there, Cap'." Tony said casually, making Steve jump.
"I thought you'd be asleep." He said after a few seconds. "I didn't want to be noisy and wake you up."
Tony snorted and leaned against the closest wall. He was getting dizzy and his vision was a bit blurrier than earlier.
"I wasn't sleeping. I rarely do."
"I know."
Even though Steve was smiling, Tony recognized that worried look on his face he only wore when Tony was drunk.
"You shouldn't dr—" Steve started.
"I know, shut up. I'm a big boy, I know my limits, I can drink by myself. And I'm drunk even not! I mean—"
Steve sighed, put his shoes on the floor and got closer to his friend.
"You need this wall to stand up and you just mixed your words. Come on." He said as he emptied Tony's glass in a plant pot. "Let's go."
"I'm not a kid, stop it!" Tony complained as the Captain pushed him back in the living room to get him some water.
"What was it for, this time? Are you celebrating something?"
Back lying on the couch, Tony snorted again then sighed heavily.
"I was bored and I needed to think."
"What about?" Steve asked as he sat on the chair right next to the couch.
"Anna and Pepper and stuff like that."
Steve tilted his head then said:
"I thought you were indifferent to Anna."
"Rule number one: Tony Stark lies." He laughed. "I don't— I think I don't like her."
"I figured that out. The question is: why?"
"Who knows! I kind of dislike you too these days, to be honest! I don't know why either, though, haha!"
Even though Tony was laughing again, Steve did not have the slightest smile on his face. He looked hurt.
"Oh come on. You know me! Big brain, big thoughts, no time to analyze them… Don't do your puppy eyes."
"You need some sleep, Tony." He said, frowning. "And so do I. Good night."
He stood up, put his glass of water next to Tony's on the table and headed toward his room.
"Steve, wait—"
Rule number two: Tony Stark can be a real ass sometimes.