She'd always hated these stupid all-night parties Tony had. Sure, if it were anyone's else's it would be fine, but Tony's were another thing. She didn't see what was fun about seeing Tony getting full out wasted and sleep with half the girls attending. And who was there for Tony the next day when he had the world's biggest hangover? It definitely wasn't any of those girls that were deserted in his bed alone the next morning, it was Pepper like always. The only reason pepper came to these things was for Tony. Not because he wanted her there, which he did, but she was afraid of what Tony may do one night when he was wildly drunk. Maybe she was being overprotective, but she'd grown used to watching over Tony on and off the clock. She may have rarely gotten as much as a thank you, but she was used to that too... for the most part.
This party wasn't like the others, though... It was a billion times worse.
It could've been because of the way Tony had been a complete asshole to her when she tried to talk him out of a party, or because after all these months that Tony started changing and making Pepper proud, he was back to his old ways. But no, it wasn't either of those that really stabbed Pepper, it was her. Natalie Rushman. Tony was in the middle of the room standing behind her. His new PA was wearing the arm of his iron man suit. Tony was caressing her side with one hand and helping her hold up the armor on her arm with the other. His face was nearly touching the back of her bare shoulder as she stood there in her tight revealing dress.
He'd never let Pepper do that.
She tried so hard to not let it bother her, but Pepper couldn't help the awful deep ache in her chest and the closing up of her throat. How could she have been so stupid. Of course this was exactly what she had always expected. She wasn't his PA anymore so she was easily replaced, Pepper forgotten. It was the whole reason she'd never admitted to Tony that she loved him, she knew this would happen. Pepper would've been a passing fad, just like everyone else. A one night stand. The girl waking up in the morning and wondering where the hell Tony Stark went. She had always prepared herself for the moment where Tony abandoned her for someone new, but nothing could ever fully prepare her.
It hurt. Pepper hurt watching Tony look at Natalie like that. He used to look at her like that. She had done everything for him for years, and this is how he repays her. Typical Tony Stark.
Pepper couldn't stay any longer so she turned and began to get the hell out of there, but Tony's voice stopped her.
"Hey! Wait wait wait, Pep!" Tony called over to her, desperately trying to stop her. "Come on... hi!" Tony said holding out his hand for her to join them. Pepper closed her eyes with frustration. She really couldn't take it anymore, she didn't want to watch any more of her losing Tony.
"Hey, both my girls are here, this is great." Tony said, making Pepper heart sink deeper and deeper. Both of his girls? So now she was just another one. Pepper tried to act normal, but she knew it was probably all over her face that she was upset. Tony didn't seem to notice.
"I'm stiked that you came, I didn't know if you were going to make it." Tony smiled innocently at her. Pepper glared at him.
"You're stiked that I came... What is that, I- I don't understand..."
"I'm either stoked or I'm psyched or I'm both."
"Oh." Pepper flatly said.
"Either way, I'm glad that you're here." Tony told her. Pepper was too close to rolling her eyes.
"Well, yeah. Happy Birthday." she said, handing Tony a cubed box with ribbon tied around the sides. Tony made a noise of discomfort.
"Ehhh, that's my peeve, you know."
"Oh." Pepper plainly said again.
"Handing me things, don't ever hand me things." Tony said cheerfully to Natalie. Pepper started to apologize, even if she didn't mean it one bit.
"No, no it's ok. Doesn't matter." Tony said. Maybe he did notice Pepper's hurt, he was acting way too nice. If he noticed her hurting he'd know why and if he knew why then why didn't he cut it out. Did he really not care about her that much? Who had been around when Tony had gotten back from the Middle East, who was there when he was nearly destroyed by Obidiah or when he was so sick that one time that he could barely move without passing out? Definitely not Natalie.
Tony was shaking the box now until he looked up and smiled.
"Let's go do some shots. Natalie, would you put this with the others-"
"I'm attached." she interrupted him, looking up at Tony with a beyond flirty smile while raising her arm to show a chord connecting Tony's arc reactor to her . Pepper clenched her jaw.
"I'll take it." she said. Tony looked over at her, and she could've sworn there was a flicker of worry there. But in a matter of a couple of seconds it was altogether gone.
"Alright, hey Martini dry with three olives, right? Pep?" Tony called over to her, but she was already walking away and didn't bother to answer. Pepper kept moving, away from Tony who she loved. She'd admit it now that it didn't matter. She loved him, and he betrayed her. Pepper's throat began to close up again. She set the box down on a random table and walked as fast as she could out onto the balcony where she could sit alone.