(Ever since I saw The Avengers and the Iron Mens, I've wanted to do a fan-fiction. But I didn't know who to do. I'm so used to doing Hetalia fan-fictions. Anyway, this is the test-run. It was only meant to be a one-shot, but, so far, I've written more than that. Science Bros. seemed fitting for me, though. I'm kind of a Bruce Banner-type figure. And I know a Tony. It works. Enjoy. - Ema)
Chapter 1 - Pepper
The hole in the ground stared at Tony, as empty as his eyes. He was devoid of emotion, though tears were pressing through, sliding down his cheeks, down onto his rough chin. He wasn't as sorted and sharp as usual; that small beard was unruly, too long, unwashed. His suit was crumpled and his tie was over to the left, not tight enough to look formal. What was the point? Who was he going to impress?
Tony Stark. Iron Man. That hurt to think of, now. All the time that they'd spent together, a waste. It was gone. She was gone. All she was now… Tony pulled himself away, stood sideways to the hole in the ground as a box was brought through the congregation. Everyone else was watching. He wanted to, desperately wanted to, but something was stopping him from looking at it. Looking at her. He had a façade to keep up; confident, charming, in control. His appearance suggested otherwise. He couldn't look round. He'd break down. Sure, maybe people would understand, but Tony wasn't the type to show his emotions in public.
When she'd died, he'd had to lock himself in the shower before he'd shown his tears. There was no one there but JARVIS, but JARVIS was just artificial intelligence. The shower seemed safe. Secluded. And, when he turned on the water, his tears mixed with it so no one would be able to tell he was crying, even if they could see him. Hear him screaming with pain and anguish maybe, but they wouldn't be able to see him crying.
It rained. Tony wouldn't have cried if it hadn't rained. But it did. The world was crying. Weeping for a lost lover. Weeping for Virginia Pepper Potts.
A hand touched him delicately on the shoulder and, at first, Tony didn't look round. Didn't want to. There was some fleeting, crazy hope in his head that it was Pepper, that she wasn't… she hadn't… that he was just waking up from a dream. A nightmare.
When Tony did finally turn his head, he saw not Pepper as he was hoping, but Dr. Bruce Banner, fellow scientist and colleague was there, offering his most sympathetic stare. It almost made Tony break but he managed to hold it together.
"You okay?" Banner said quietly, as the coffin was moved closer to the dug grave. "I get it."
"You fucking don't," Tony growled, his voice wobbling.
"I can't empathize, you're right," Banner took his hand back, but held Tony in his gaze, "But I'm here for you."
Tony turned away, watching, biting his lower lip until it bled, with Banner behind him, silently supporting him mentally. The coffin was lowered. Tony stared down at his chest. The sad glow of the Arc Reactor reminded him of Pepper. He'd revolved around that piece of machinery for so long, and she'd revolved with him. He had a bag at his feet and he reached down into it. Pulled out a glass case with another Arc Reactor in it, with the words "Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart" around it. He clutched it to his chest. Pepper had made it. When he'd told her to destroy his old Arc Reactor, she'd made it into art.
Agent Phil Coulson was overseeing the whole thing. Quite a responsibility, but he was doing alright. He looked up as Tony approached him, and nodded an affirmative at the unspoken question. Tony knelt by the hole in the ground, reached as far down as he could into it, and dropped the glass case. It landed upright on the patterned wood of the coffin, still glowing, and he straightened up.
"She'll appreciate it," Coulson said in a low voice. As Tony stepped back, Coulson signalled for people to start filling in the hole. Tony turned away. He didn't want to see Pepper covered up. He wanted to believe she'd moved to a better world, but he knew where she really was; in a box getting covered with soil. After this, he would go back to that big tower and have to live there alone in his appartment for the rest of his life. Or for as long as it took him to find another lover. A proper lover. Not just a girl he could have a fling with.
The rest of the funeral came and went, Tony shuffling around ignoring everyone's condolences and trying to hold himself together. The rain had stopped but there was no sun. He was the last to leave.
Except for Banner. The scientist watched Tony cross the grass, holding the now empty bag, and return to his car. It didn't move. Tony had organised a meal for after the funeral at a restaurant but Banner knew Tony wouldn't be going. He had fully intended to go himself, and, even though looking after people wasn't his strong point, he could see Tony needed someone. He couldn't go.
When Tony finally left, Bruce emerged from the graveyard. He'd watched Tony through the bars, out of sight – he knew Tony wouldn't want to be close to anyone for quite a while. Even so, he needed to check Tony was all right. He crossed to his own car, staring out at the road, dark hair rustling as the breeze picked up. He wouldn't go to the restaurant either.
Stark Tower was cold when Tony got in. The foyer, usually warm and welcoming, was cool. He pressed the button in the elevator to go to his apartment, not wanting to have to get there and find it empty. He couldn't put it off, though.
The doors opened and Tony took the keys from his pocket. Slotted them into the front door. His mind was numb; he didn't want to think of Pepper anymore. Once he had brought himself to think that she was actually gone, then he would think about her.
He tried to focus on something else, someone else. He frowned. He just noticed. Banner's car had still been there when he had left. Banner stayed? Why would he stay? Tony allowed himself to collapse into a cream-white leather sofa, his back to the windows. Maybe Banner wanted to say goodbye to Pepper himself. Alone.
Something about that thought made Tony angry. He didn't want Banner to be alone with Pepper! Not when she was alive, not now. Banner was Tony's rival. Banner was the quiet one, though; while Tony made Pepper see that he loved her, Banner didn't. But there were signs. The way Banner looked at Pepper when she came in if they were working on a project together, for example. He'd leer at her like he wanted her. Stare at her as she walked. Ran his hand through his hair to straighten it out so she'd be impressed. Tony had cottoned onto Banner's plan, but hadn't said anything to his friend. What if he had? Would Banner have backed off? In the end, it hadn't mattered because Pepper had chosen Tony.
He knew she would.
When he told everyone about it, he'd noticed Banner look away from him, breaking eye contact. Tony had resented him for that but, again, said nothing. Apparently, though, Pepper hadn't noticed Banner's attempts. His mind flashed back to the car, and Tony imagined Banner talking to Pepper's grave, saying all the things he hadn't said because she'd got with Tony, and his sadness was replaced by distrust and anger.
Tony pulled himself up. He needed a drink. Nothing alcoholic, he told himself. Just something flat and ordinary, like coffee. Pepper sometimes made him coffee. He'd have to do it himself from now.
He made it, moving slowly around the kitchen. Took it into his bedroom. His bedroom. Not their bedroom. Sat on the side of his bed. His bed. Not their bed. Allowed himself a sob before raising the mug to his mouth.
The chairs in the foyer were comfortable but usually used by clients. Bruce didn't want to go up to Tony's floor yet. Tony needed space. Bruce ran his hand through his hair. He was nervous. He straightened his tie. He paced the foyer, hands in pockets, looking down at the floor. His mind was elsewhere so he didn't see Steve Rogers come in, his blond hair dull in the minimal light of the world.
"Bruce?" he said and Bruce stopped pacing.
He looked up, looked into those blue eyes, "Steve," he said stupidly. He cleared his throat and tried again, "I just got back."
"You didn't stay for the meal. I didn't see you there."
Damn.
"Well, no… Tony didn't either though."
"He's got a reason. It was his partner's funeral. He's kinda got an excuse?"
"I guess…" Bruce shook his head, sorting his hair. "It didn't feel like the right thing to do. I know I probably should have been there."
"So, where were you?"
This guy was persistent. Bruce tilted his head, "Around," he said vaguely. Then, "Do you think we should leave Tony to sort himself out?"
"Probably."
When it was clear Bruce wasn't going to talk again, Steve passed and went to the elevator. He was lost from sight as the doors closed. Bruce heard the elevator start to rise and his brain started working on what to do. He was a practical scientist, not a brain scientist.
Quietly, so as not to disturb the mourning air around the building, he retrieved a sheet of paper and a pen. He sat down to write, forming his letters carefully. Then he folded the paper, and scrawled on it, 'We'll talk'. He took it outside to where Tony had parked his car rather haphazardly and tucked the folded sheet under the windscreen wiper. Unless it rained, Tony would find it.
It was four days until Tony left his apartment. For two of those days, he'd simply stayed in bed, wallowing in his misery and sorrow. He'd stopped thinking about Banner. Didn't want to. On the third day, he wanted to get back to himself, get back to that confident man, that one who'd be the rock, supporter, the one to provide the humour. At this point, though, he'd be the one needing support. On the fourth day, he'd dragged himself down to the foyer having trimmed his beard and styled his hair in the usual way. His eyes were still heavy, though, dragged down by large dark circles. He wasn't sure where he'd go. Maybe he'd go back to her final resting place. Maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he'd treat himself to a drink at a bar. Maybe he wouldn't. Maybe he'd just drive around New York. Yeah. Seemed best. Maybe drop into a store and buy music, buy a film. Nothing too heavy. Just something to take his mind off everything else. Something to lose himself in.
He arrived in the car park after a few minutes wondering where to go and unlocked his car. Got in. It was then he noticed a bit of paper, tucked under the windscreen wiper. It had been pulled out of its position by the wind slightly, so Tony hurriedly got out and grabbed it before it took off. The folded front had two words: 'We'll talk".
Tony got back in his car and unfolded it, reading slowly and carefully. There was no name at the bottom of the paper, not signature. Tony was getting a headache. Who would want to talk to him now? Especially in his state.
Tony put the paper on the passenger seat and turned on the engine. He glanced at it as he reversed out of his space and took off down the road, but still couldn't figure out whose note it was. Something about the handwriting was familiar though. He put it to the back of his mind. If he figured it out, it'd come to him.
There was nothing much on the shelves. Tony had persuaded himself to go into a DVD and CD store but, as he was leafing through the various titles, he noted that nothing was appealing to him. He sighed and stood up, but then a DVD caught his eye. He stared at it for a while. It was clearly nothing special. Some love thing between a dark-haired man with glasses and this pretty little strawberry-blond tart.
Tony snarled. The dark-haired man reminded him of Banner and the strawberry-blond girl looked slightly like Pepper. He grabbed the DVD box off the shelf and stared at it. Stared at the dark-haired man. Much too tall to be Banner though. And the girl's neck was far too short for it to be Pepper's. He caught himself. What was he doing? The film wasn't about Banner and Pepper. It was about the flimsy characters Bradley and Rachael. He snorted and put it back. He didn't want a film. Even as he was walking out of the store, he realized another reason why the dark-haired figure had caught his eye. He hastily got back to his car, and read the letter again. Yes, there was no mistaking it. That handwriting was Bruce Banner's.