Avengers Stories //Oneshots//

Heart of the Storm (Part 1 out of 2)

The sound of the rain and thunder was almost enough to drown out the voice of Ross, but it wasn't quite enough to match the man's tone that seemed to boom in Tony's eardrums. He was finding it hard to focus on whatever the man was ranting about, his gaze usually shifting over to the giant window to vacantly watch the rain move down the glass or to his still hands on the table. The genius genuinely tried to keep his attention on the words, but it was hard when his brain felt like it was full of cotton and he just wanted to go home already. Well, it wasn't necessarily home anymore. He bought the Avengers Tower back, but he had to change the name to Stark Tower again. It couldn't really be an Avengers base when only one Avenger lived there, could it? Rhodey nor Vision lived there anymore, with the former back on his feet and the latter constantly visiting Wanda.

He was knocked out of his bitter thoughts by a harsh crack of thunder that shook the meeting room, making near everyone straighten up. He couldn't really find the energy to, half slumped in his seat with his legs crossed limply over each other. Ross paused in his monologue, finally stopping his constant pacing that was making Tony feel dizzy and tired. Well, he already was exhausted, but the movement was just making it worse. The relief was short lived, however, as when he was sure the building wasn't going to fall, he continued again, standing straight in his suit while the vein on his forehead bulged out with his visible anger. Not even a minute later, Tony's eyes moved over to the window again, fingers absentmindedly tapping against the table. Subconsciously, he knew his rythme was slower than their usual rapid tempo that came from his figiting, but he paid that no mind.

He couldn't see the streets from how high they were, but he could see the opposite buildings, his own rising above them only a couple of miles away. Only half his name was across the top at this point and he wondered for the hundredth time why Pepper wouldn't let him put her name there instead. It certainly would have been more flattering - she was an awesome woman with a name that deserved to be remembered while his was associated with drinking, weapons, and stupidity despite him being a certified genius. It started with his father and while he had tried to break the cycle, Tony spent a huge part of his life on the wrong side and he would never be able to make up for that, no matter how many lives he saved or how many papers praised his good deeds when clad in the Ironman suit. There were always those who yelled 'boo!' when his name was said (if not out loud), there were always people who remembered the past and threw it up in his face every chance they got, there were always questions about if he truly was a hero or if he was just chasing glory for himself.

Trying to shake those thoughts off without physically shaking, Tony shifted around in his seat quietly, his back and legs beginning to get uncomfortable from the length of time they had spent just sitting. How long had he been listening to Ross? An hour? Two? He just knew this all started when the man sent out an email saying they needed to discuss the Accords further. At first, Tony had been ready and willing. He didn't like spending hours arguing on where a comma should go or what wording should be changed, but he wanted to get his team - his friends - back in the States. Even if they didn't like him anymore, he felt way better with them in the same country as he was and not an ocean away.

Yes, he knew exactly where they were, but it wasn't like he was going to tell Ross that, no matter how much he pried. There was a reason he didn't come to assist when Steve and Barnes broke the others out of the Raft - he wanted them out. The Raft wasn't in the Accords terms. He thought it was a scrapped project until he saw it from the helicopter, right before he saw his old teamates locked in cells. Wanda's collar and straight jacket would forever haunt his edict memory. Maybe if he's worked just a little harder to keep them all together-

He moved his arm wrong and had to bite down on his lower lip to keep from making a sound when a flash of pain traveled up from his forearm and through his torso. His chest wasn't completely healed from the damage Steve - Rogers- did to him in Siberia, and on top of it Tony had accidentally cut himself in the lab with a piece of metal a couple hours ago because he was too spaced out to realize he was holding a machine the wrong way and he had yet to stitch it up since it happened right before the meeting, only hastily banaging it and pulling a jacket on. He was too proud to admit it out loud, but the lack of sleep he'd been getting recently was effecting him negatively. Pepper was in Britain to do a conference and check up on their reusable energy tower there and had been gone for a week. She wouldn't be back for another two. Tony had wanted to go with her, but he needed to be here for the Accords.