That's no way to live
When Stark appeared for dinner, the room quieted down, if only a bit, and Steve couldn't blame anyone because even though the Billionaire strutted into the open kitchen with his usual self-confident walk, the man looked different: more run down, sunken, and tired somehow… Nothing like the man Steve had met on the helicarrier, who looked so full of life and ready to bounce into the next project, or, as Steve experienced first-hand, into someone's face. What had happened? The Captain really wanted to ask, but he felt – rather, he knew – that it was not his place to do so, not after all the verbal sparring they had done when searching for Loki.
Still, something about the Billionaire was truly disconcerting; it bothered Steve, and it wasn't just his run-down state.
It was like he was over-preoccupied with something.. or someone.
"How's Iron Man doing? After… After, you know…"
Tony couldn't get out of there fast enough, and, despite his desperate haste, he was pretty sure that his mask held long enough to not raise any suspicion from the others. He hoped anyway. (He probably didn't trick Pepper, but she had always been able to read him like an open book...)
As soon as he was out the door, Tony stumbled into the wall, but his need to get away from the others pushed him down the hall to the elevator even though his legs were shaking so much that he had to use the wall as a crutch. Stupid, Captain. Just had to keep bringing up the stupid nuke and that stupid wormhole.. You have spoken to him since, right? It was like he thought Tony was lying to him!
Oh wait. He was.
Tony leaned against the slick wall of the elevator and it felt like all the air had left his lungs in one great whoosh. "Jarvis? JARVIS! T-top floor!" He couldn't catch his breath; he could feel the darkness, the stillness, of space closing in on him, pressing in and stopping his lungs. Oh god, why wasn't there enough air?!
His vision was narrowing and he thought he could hear someone calling for him, but he wasn't sure. All he could hear was a rushing sound in his ears and his own rattling breathes as he tried to suck in air.
.
Sorry, these chapters are really short, but I'm almost incapable of writing anything long and if I did write longer chapters, you wouldn't see another chapter for a couple years (I'm not even kidding about this as I have done this before.. and am currently doing this eheh).
Please forgive me; I'm only an idiot. I also only have vague notions of where I want this story to go so I really appreciate the follows, favs, and reviews! I honestly did not think that I would get any (since my idea was only half-baked when I posted that chapter)!
Thank you again, and sorry if I disappear. Three hour exams every other week is a brutal life so I write when I can.
Chapter title still from One Foot by Fun.
