AN: I started writing these about two years ago, so the characters may be a little off. There once was a chaptered story planned, but it was a bust. This is all that remains.
It had all started with a look. Squinted eyes, pursed lips, crossed arms, fill stature. Checklist complete. Angry woman on deck- prepare for fire.
"Tony." There is was in all its glorious denouncing tone.
"Tony." Her voice turned from hostile to upset.
"You look nice, Pepper. Got plans?"
The young red haired woman folded her hands before her, blue eyes staring ahead at the man in front of her, "We have plans, Tony."
Tony Stark, man of legend, went about his business of tinkering with the iron suit which made him such a legend, "We did? Huh."
Pepper Potts huffed and said in a loaded tone, "It's our first anniversary, Tony." She tossed a wrapped item on his metal workbench and turned her way toward the stairs, and up she went without another word. A grease smudged Tony stopped his working to look between the gift and Pepper's ascending behind.
"Damn."
Tony found Pepper in the upstairs bedroom, pulling bits of glitz and glamour from their shared closet and tossing them into an oversized rolling bag. She went on in an livid blur ad Tony appeared in the door, "What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving, Tony."
"You're leaving?" An amused smile crossed Tony's face, "Why would you do that?"
Pepper crossed the room once more to the closet for one last dress, "Because, I can't do this, Tony."
"I never make you do anything. Except, you know, that one thing." He mused.
Pepper stopped at the edge of the bed to press the folds of pajamas and points of shoes down before closing the top and zipping it shut, "I care about you, Tony. I really do- but, all we are anymore is a mashedup name. I love you, but I want to love you."
"Is this about sex? We had a great time the other night. We can get freaky right now, if you want."
Pepper set her bag on the carpet and rolled it over to stand in front of Tony, "That was two months ago, Tony, and that isn't all I need." She pushed passed him and dragged her bag down the stairs to the foyer. "You spend all of your free time worrying over the company or working on that suit. You're a workaholic who doesn't take the time to unwind, and I can't be with someone who isn't going to acknowledge me."
He jogged after her as she passed through the front door and headed to a town car waiting in the driveway, "I acknowledge you. You've yelled at me several times in the middle of the night."
Pepper's eyes narrowed and her face grew stiff as if to say, precisely. "I need more, Tony."
Tony crossed his arms and mumbled as she slid into the back seat of the car, "And I'm self-centered."
"Yes, Tony. You are self-centered!"