"Kiss and Make Up"

"What's wrong with them?" Bucky asked, perching on the arm of Phil's chair, while Tony and Pepper continued to shout at each other at the other end of the room. The others present were torn between watching the fight and pretending not to watch.

"No idea," Phil said. "I've been minding my own business."

"Uh-huh?"

Phil looked up, arching an eyebrow, and then glanced thoughtfully at the fighting couple.

"Probably about not spending enough time with each other," he said. "The usual reasons people fight. Pepper's not the exhibitionist type, so if it's truly personal she'd confine it to the workshop, or their quarters, or over the phone. Not have it out in public like this. Maybe she wants someone to back her up? Tony won't disagree with airing their problems in front of us for the same reason; he's usually private enough about emotions to keep these things behind closed doors. If there's a chance of immediate reconciliation, they definitely wouldn't be here, or they'd end up getting hot and heavy in front of us."

"Pretty specific for someone who's been minding his own business," Bucky said.

"Pretty accurate for someone who knows them and understands human behaviour," Phil corrected. "They're loud enough, but I was here before they arrived, and I'm not moving – nor am I going to stop reading – just because they're yelling their heads off. If they're not arguing about not spending enough time together, then maybe… no, it probably isn't because of Tony's flirting. It's like breathing to him. Is it something Pepper's done? Seen other businessmen without telling Tony? Pretending that he doesn't have a huge say in how SI is run just because he handed the reins to her?" He shrugged. "I can't tell, and I'm not that interested. As long as they don't strip and start having sex in here, and as long as they don't drag me into the argument, I don't care."

Bucky rolled his eyes, and wandered over to Natasha, hoping she could give him some insight. Before he could ask, she spoke.

"It started with Pepper arguing about Tony's commitment issues," she said. "Then it became about not spending enough time together, as Phil said. Flirting and business haven't been brought up yet. Then it was about the Stony fan girls, and the fact that no one seems to take her seriously as Tony's girlfriend. Then it was back to commitment issues. Now they're onto the fact that you and Phil are the perfect couple who never argues, and they're the hated couple that always argues."

"Arguments are a terrible basis for a relationship," Steve muttered, his first and only contribution to the conversation. He was clearly as disturbed as ever at the mention of shippers, especially those shipping him with people already in relationships, and especially with Howard's son.

"So… they're now arguing about arguing," Bucky summarised. Natasha nodded, and he groaned. "What the hell?" He raised his voice as he hollered across the room, making everyone except Phil jump. "Kiss and make up, you too! You're being ridiculous! Wanna stop arguing? Then just do it? Jeez." He dropped his voice and returned to Phil's side, ignoring the silence from Pepper and Tony. Phil was happy to pull Bucky into his lap, and continue to read whatever was on his StarkPad as he rested it on Bucky's thigh.

"I love you," Phil said.

"Love you, too."

This was for Kiss and Make Up Day. Yes, that's a day. Don't ask me. I just write these things when I'm inspired to. I know, I'm still bagging the pairing of Stony, but I just can't see it. As I've said before, if the Toaster `Verse couldn't persuade me to see it as a legitimate pairing, nothing can. Which is why it's annoying when I'm looking for particular rare ships and half the fics I find with them have Stony as main or secondary pairing. So frustrating!

…Rant over.

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