Anthony Edward Stark was, to say the least, cocky. He was cocky, arrogant, disruptive and frankly all together annoying and brash. A horrible mix, really. Not a lot of people knew the real him, though. Pepper Potts knew, she loved him. Key word: Loved.

Their relationship had been through turmoil and she had to let it go. Even Pepper couldn't stand his smart and snarky comebacks.

Anthony Edward Stark was anything but simple to read. One minute he would be all over you, laughing and annoying. Say one wrong worded thing and suddenly he'll be snarky and cold. Impossible to understand which also makes him impossible to be around.

"Big man in a suit of armor. Take that off and what are you?" Steve remarked coldly. Hate slowly filling his eyes.

For a second, Tony had almost forgot that he wasn't standing in the quinjet and not in his father's workshop. "A genius billionaire playboy philanthropist." He replied quickly and coolly, refusing to let the hurt he felt crack and seep through.

Now, fast forward a year or two. Make that three.

Tony had just stumbled out of his workshop, tired and hungry. He hated being around the team in the morning, felt strange and uncomfortable remembering that he had to hang around them. He wasn't used to family situations and things like that.

"Tony, when was the last time you actual had a good night's sleep? You look like death." Bruce sighed, sitting at the kitchen island with a half eating pop tart in hand. Thor had done the grace of forcing everyone to eat poptarts with him as he thought they were 'the pinnicale of midgard's evolution.'

Tony simply shrugged lazily, fumbling with the coffee machine. "Can't remember. Don't care." He hummed, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "Work now... Don't sleep later."

"That's not how the saying go-"

"Don't care." See? Impossible to get through.

"Sir has not fully rested in one hundred and sixty eight hours. I would not be surprised if sir later collapses in exhaustion." Jarvis answered suddenly, making Tony snort in surprise.

"Thanks J, really helping my cause here." Tony grumbled sarcastically.

"Anything for you, sir." Jarvis replied.

"Tony, just go to bed. Take a bath or- whatever you do to relax." Natasha glared at him sternly. "You can barely function as a normal- well.. as normal you can get human being."

"Good ol' Nat caring for little old me. How thoughtful. Sorry, but duty calls." Tony making his cup of coffee and pouring it into his mug, snagging a pop tart from Clint who was staring off into oblivion before leaving.

Well.. Attempting to leave, I should say.

Tony collided into quite a hard chest, making him stumble back and drop the mug onto the ground, shattering it. "That was my favorite mug, Spangles."

Steve could only roll his eyes at the nickname. "Watch where you're going, then. Besides, you can buy a new one."

"Well, I was. Until you're overgrown ass popped out of nowhere and ruined my poor mug. I can't just go out and buy a new one, that one had significant meaning."

"How does a mug have significant meaning?"

"How does you being injected with enhanced chemicals and being frozen for seventy years suddenly make you better than everyone else? Captain America, that name totally isn't on the nose or anything. 'Hi, my name's Captain America and I spend my time hitting bad men with a metal shield that can't cover my legs, oh boy!'" Tony mocked in a high pitched voice.

"You're name isn't better and at least people actually like what I do. You just fly around in a metal trash can and blow things up."

"The public gave me my name. Hell, I was just going to go with 'That one guy in the titanium alloid and gold suit.' But I didn't get the option." Tony paused. "And I'm still better than you, you walking American Flag." And with that final retort, Tony walked away, throwing the pop tart back onto the island and disappearing back into the elevator.

"Man of Iron seems more tense than usual. Perhaps something is on his mind?"

"He's just acting up again, what's new." Steve muttered, beginning to pick up the glass shards from the mug.

Who knew that mug would lead to so much more problems following the week to come.