"C'mon, c'mon." Tony murmured as the telephone continued to ring. No one from the Stark Tower was picking up. Ughh. And the more rings that vibrated at his ear, the longer no one was picking it up, the more Tony got scared and frustrated. It wasn't a nice feeling. "Pick up. Pick up."

"Hello?" Upon hearing that familiar, soft, tender voice from the other end almost made the billionaire cry. "Hello? If this is a prank call, I'm hanging up."

"Steve." Tony whimpered and thumped his head on the payphone. "Its Tony, please don't hang up."

"Tony? Tony, Jesus. What's wrong? Where are you?"

Steve sounded like he was pleading and desperate. And this did not fail to make the billionaire laugh.

"Why are you—"

"Laughing?" He continued chortling. "Who wouldn't?"

What he just said was offending, he knows. He should say sorry actually. His laughs settled and he wiped that bead of tear from the corner of his eye. "Wipe that frown off your face, Steve. I can feel it from here."

"What do you want, Tony?"

"See? This is it. This is what I was looking for, Steve. There we go, anger boiling, frustration and yeah."

"Tony,"

"No, wait. Here's the thing, Steve. I just don't get why you're worried. I—" Silence. Silence from the other end. Tony sighed and clenched the phone harder. The last thing he needs is Steve to hang-up. That was his last quarter. (He's a Stark, for God's sake. He doesn't carry change around or doesn't even have spare change, dangling in his pockets. He doesn't know how the hell coins got into his pocket.) "You were just worried about me. I don't get it. So I laughed."

"Tony, just because I'm dating Scott doesn't mean I can't worry about you."

Stuck in that time, when we'd call it love but even the sun sets in paradise.

"Oh. Well, good to know you still care, Steve. Thanks."

But they didn't just used to date. They were practically together, intertwined; like they were perfect for each other: two halves of a whole, two fitting puzzle pieces but they were both as very different as cold to hot, hard to soft or two opposite sides of a coin. They'd fight, kiss, cuddle, hurt, hug, cradle, swear, fuck, fight—it's practically their relationship in nine words.

But it was the best relationship Anthony Edward Fucking Stark ever had in his whole life.

And he misses it so damn hard.

"Tony, I—"

"I just need a ride home now. Can you pick me up here quickly, please? It's cold, scary and dark."

The billionaire could hear some shuffling from the other end, glass breaking and things falling. Steve probably changed into some decent clothes. Scott and Steve were probably fucking. Tony bit his tongue 'til it bled. "Where are you? You still haven't answered my question."

He sighs, because things just fall apart too fast and too hard. "Near an alley blocks away from the tower. I've been mobbed and forgot my phone back in the tower."

"Tony, that sounds terrible."

"Well, life's a bitch." A tired chuckle from the soldier resounds and wow, how Tony missed this response from Steve.

"I'll be there in 5 minutes."

"4:49, 4: 48, 4:47, 4:46,"

Steve laughed once again. "Stay put. See you." And hung up.

And you know the funny thing, like a week ago; Steve would also end his calls with: "Love you too, Tony."

A car pulled by and Tony heaved a sigh of relief. He quickly stepped inside the back seat and shouted. "Oh God, Steve. Thank you. You know, it actually felt longer than 5 minutes—"

Steve shot an apologetic smile at the man speaking; his arm wrapped around Scott's shoulders—why was he here?

Tony bit back a disgusted face when he glanced at Scott but instead tried his best to put on a smile. "Hey, Scott." It was almost a whisper.

"Hey," Scott put on a small smile and waved at the billionaire.

"Back to the tower, sir?"

"Oh Happy, am I glad to see you. Yes, please."

They all laughed but Tony had really meant what he said. Happy always seemed to have the best timing among them all.

Tony slumped back on the car seat and that arm of Steve should've been around his shoulder.

It's even harder to picture that you're not here next to me.

They say it's too late to take it,

But is it too late to try?

"Why was he there?!" Tony shouted once they all got back in the tower, Scott was sleeping soundly in his own room, floors away from theirs, and the two fighting were in Tony's lab.

Don't get him wrong, but Scott is a naturally good guy. He has painfully good values and morals just like Steve; in fact, Scott and Steve are actually so perfect for each other it hurts even thinking about it.

Steve deserves someone like Scott. Because Scott is a much, better person than Tony.

And Tony has to constantly remind himself that their breakup was for the betterment of Steve. He needed someone better, someone better than Tony, because Tony was really just tearing the poor soldier apart in their past relationship.

In short, Tony cannot be selfish anymore. When he realized this, he thought for the better of the poor soldier and they broke up.

End of their story.

"He wanted to come along, Tony. It wasn't me." Steve pleaded and stepped closer to the other man's space.

"No. No." He groaned and pushed Steve back, a little too hard. "Step away from me."

"Tony, please."

"No, Steve. Away. Thank you for saving my life and all but I just need time alone. Unlike you, who has moved on in less than a week and found himself a much better boyfriend, I still haven't, okay? But let me just ask something here. Was our relationship that small and insignificant to you that you just swatted it away in a matter of days? You know, just asking."

Steve's face was plastered with guilt and pain and wow, Tony wasn't sure if he wanted or hated this reaction. This look looked horrible on the soldier: didn't fit him at all and this was just by no other than Tony Stark himself! He really was a big jerk.

And to add up, Steve still couldn't utter a single word nor even breathe nor even move. A really big, big jerk.

"I see. But I'm sure you're much happier now with him and that's all the matters, right? I wish for your happiness really." He pulled another of his cheeky, famous, fake-used-only-during-camera-and-photo-shoot-and-interview smiles and gestured Steve out of his lab. "So, here's the exit. Have a great day and thank you again, for saving my life."

He slowly walked towards the exit. "You aren't physically hurt anymore?"

"Just a few scratches and bruises but all patched up, thanks to Bruce awhile ago."

The soldier had whispered some word/s Tony couldn't hear and before he saw what was coming, Steve was leaning forward to hopefully plant a small kiss on Tony's forehead. The scientist flinched and moved back quickly. "Sorry! Oh God, I—I just—I'll just go." He whispered, pulled back and fled the room.

And Tony bursted into tears.

God, how he missed Steve.

His small, comforting kisses on his forehead.

His warm hugs and arms slung on his shoulder.

His sweet, nonsense, comforting whispers onto his ear when he'd break down.

All gone. In a week.

He sniffled and slowly fell butt-first on the floor. He pulled his legs close to his chest and in those kinds of moments; Steve would be cradling him to sleep.

But gone. Tony drowned in tears. Too late. All gone.

If happy-ever-afters did exist, I would still be holding you like this.

And all those fairy tales are full of shit.

One more fucking love song, I'll be sick.