Distressed

ch 19; Tony's encounter with Steve

Tony is staring down on the ground while he is walking around in the town.
He is feeling a little ashamed of himself who still tries scaring Peter as he does.
He doesn't know if it's his narcissistic side who are the one to blame, or... Or it's just; he is afraid to lose the people he has around him, that... He rather scare them away than they are the ones who are leaving him alone.
Chosen loneliness is better than getting forced into it.

Suddenly Tony notices in the corners of his eyes, someone he knows well.
He looks up and is looking into two confused blue eyes who tell him that, the person regrets his decision to take this street and because of that; crossed path with him.
"H-hi Tony..." Steve says with a bothered smile.
Tony furrows his eyebrows a slightly. His heart pounds faster and longing after the blond hunk.
"Hello Steve... Are you heading to the gym?" Tony nods against the black-white shoulder-bag Steve is carrying.
Steve looks asking at the bag as he didn't knew it was there.
"Y-yeah..." he blushes and swallows nervously.
Tony grins.
"Perhaps I should start working out as well... I'm not getting any younger..." he shrugs.
Steve lits up as he was about to suggest he could help Tony with the training.
But soon the glow disappeared as he remembered they aren't together anymore. And are hardly considered as friends.
Steve clears his throat.
"Some training would do you good..." he said instead without any excitement in his voice.
Tony raises an eyebrow.
"Are you implying I'm fat or something?" He jokes.
Steve flinches and glares at Tony as he is on his guard.
"NO Anth-..." Steve starts spitting out too harshly.
"It was a joke..." Tony interrupts and feels how his heart starts pounding painfully while his eyes start tearing up.
Steve looks confused at him and soon is he looking embarrassed at him.
"I'm sorry Tony..." he apologies and looks down.
Tony furrows his eyebrows and hates the stupid awkward tension they have between them.
He wishes everything would turned back into normal and they could have normal conversations without things ends up in misunderstandings.
And he wishes with his whole heart and body, Steve would wrap his arms around his body and whisper everything is alright in his ear.
That, they are alright.
Tony's eyes move to Steve's jeans. There are nothing special with them, just ordinary blue jeans.
"I like your pants..." Tony tells him and sees how Steve suddenly looks a bit happy again.
"Thanks... They were fifty percent off" Steve says smiling.
Tony chuckles.
"I would like it better if they were one hundred percent off..." Tony flirts and looks smiling into Steve's eyes.
One of Steve's eyebrows goes asking up.
"...You know the store can't give away clothes for free... "
"I didn't m-..." Tony starts protesting.
"And why do someone like you need clothes for free?! You have more than enough money as it is..." Steve snorts and doesn't seems as he is feeling to talk with Tony anymore.
Tony parts his lips surprised of Steve's cold behavior against him. Not like he didn't deserved it after everything that have happened between them. But he wasn't unfriendly now. He just tried to be friendly and flirt a little.
"I...I didn't meant that..." Tony whispers and looks pleading at Steve who adjust his bag over his shoulder.
"I better go...Have a good day Tony..." Steve says and starts walking.
Tony nods slowly and look down at the ground while Steve is passing him.
He really wish he could grab Steve's hand and explain himself and make everything alright between them.
But he doesn't dare... He isn't strong enough to get even more rejected than he already is.

Tiny inhales deeply when Steve has passed him and got some distance from him.
The man looks asking at the watch he wears around his left wrist.
It's soon time to meet Peter at his office.
Perhaps he should just send a text and tell Peter their 'meeting' is canceled.
But he is honestly curious about hearing what Peter and Wade were talking about, yesterday.
What Peter meant with the truth about Steve and... And who? Or what?
It seems it's about something important, something Peter knows he would get upset about.
Tony clears his throat and starts walking back to his office.
Maybe it's better if he hears the truth now than later.