Title: Ruin from Within
Author: AotA
Rating: K+
Warnings: character death, angst
Characters: Tony Stark, Pepper Potts
Setting: movie
Summary: What began in Afghanistan would end at home. An inhuman heart can not sustain a human life indefinitely.
Disclaimer: I do not own Ironman. Or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Notes: This was written prior to the Ironman II movie. I suppose that my prediction of the problems that having a metal heart just proved themselves true there, didn't they? This just doesn't have such a happy ending.
Tony lay on top of one of the hastily cleared tables in his lab, all the various knickknacks that had been on it shoved to the floor. His back was arched in agony as pain arced through his spine. Flames exploded in his chest, originating from his heart. He clenched his jaw as tight as he could, teeth gritting to bite back a scream.
Pepper held his hand in her own, wincing as his grip tightened too much. She ignored it as insignificant though, "…Tony."
His body relaxed slightly, returning to a more natural position. His bloodshot eyes opened to slits, struggling to focus on her, turning his head slightly, "I feel like an extra in that show that I caught you watching that one time. One of the stupid ones that die in extremely random and gruesome ways. What was it called again?"
His eyes slammed shut again, as if to ward off another wave of pain that ripped through him.
Pepper didn't know how long it lasted but it seemed to be hours, but it was probably only a few seconds, rather than an eternity.
This time he didn't even try to move, lying where he had the moment the pain had subsided, "Oh. Yeah. Buffy or something equally stupid."
Pepper sniffed through the tears that already poured down her cheeks, "You wouldn't be an extra. You'd be the main character."
"You think I'm a girl, huh? Guess that's why I can't get a date with you… Not manly enough?"
She choked on a laugh and despite the circumstanced chided him, "Tony!"
"I-I see h-how it is," he said with an almost childish attitude, despite the fact that he was obviously hurting again.
Pepper felt her eyes burn again, her tears obviously not spent just yet, knowing that Tony was only holding the charade by sheer force of will to try to make her feel better.
"I would have loved to have gone out on a date with you," she whispered.
"N-now you tell me…" His normally sharp eyes opened once more, clouded and dull, but the held some emotion that Pepper couldn't quite name, never having seen it before.
"Love you for putting up with me," Tony whispered and all life that remained slowly drained from his eyes.
"Tony?" she asked in a whisper, unable to believe what she was seeing, "Tony!"
"Why?" Pepper whimpered, "Why did it have to be like this?" She practically curled up on top of his chest, ignoring the unhappy whining of the mini arc-reactor that had kept him alive for so long.