A/N: Sad Pepperony Oneshot because Tony would never stop helping people even if it cost him everything. Instead of posting this in my usual Avengers: Shorts and One Shots fan fic it's going to be a standalone
"Tony you have to stop this! You're not trained for this."
"You want me to stop being Iron Man? To stop saving people's lives! Nobodies trained for this I made the suits like two years ago and I'm the only one with the technology to make them!"
"Rhodey's trained for this and he got the suits a whole year after you made them. You can save people's lives by giving your tech to the military. They can train more men."
"Oh yeah? And how long until one of those men, their superiors, someone in government gets offered some money or some power, how long until they get corrupted and bribed and one of my weapons-some of my tech gets dealed under the table to the bad guys!"
"This is insane Tony, you're going to get yourself killed one day. I've known you for ten years now and in all that time never have you listened to me when I am genuinely concerned for your well being, never have you shown even an ounce of self preservation. I'm asking you now Tony not as your Personal Assistant or your CEO but as your friend; stop this, please."
Tony stared at Pepper and he could almost hear her heart breaking we he said his part, but he couldn't do it, he couldn't give up Iron Man. It was all he had. So instead of looking her in the eye and agreeing with her like he knew she wanted he dropped his gaze to the floor and apologized "I'm sorry Pepper. I can't give up Iron Man. I'll keep fighting even if it kills me."
"I almost lost you twice before. I don't think I could live through a third time or a fourth time or however many times it will take to actually kill you because there will be another time Tony. And I don't think I can be there for it. Here's my letter of resignation." She handed him a letter and Tony looked back up at her, in her eyes and he saw the tears brimming "I'm sorry too Tony. I promised myself I wouldn't be the one to leave you, I would be the only one in your entire life who you could trust 100% but I'm going to have to break that promise." Then she turned around and walked out of his lab leaving Tony behind staring at her through the glass as she exited her life, holding her letter in his hand.
He had been lying before, when he thought the suits were the only thing he had left because despite everything he had Pepper. Now... now he had nothing. When she left it was like she took his arc reactor with her and left a giant gaping hole in his chest that was slowly killing him, shredding his heart to pieces until only a hollow man, a shell of who he had once been remained.
He continued to fight crime occasionally teaming up with the other Avengers, Rhodes or with SHIELD but mostly he kept himself to himself. No more one night stands or drunken sprees, no more loud parties or even any Stark Expos. He was just... gone.
A/N: heeeeh see what I did there? It's called gone and it ends on the word gone... did you not get that? Oh okay, tough crowd.