『ᴀʀᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇʟ || ᴀ ᴍᴀʀᴠᴇʟ ꜰᴀɴꜰɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴ

Ch. 51: Bell Point Pen

I was standing in the same area as Steve, looking at the live security footage. I was sitting at the table, poking at the wood with a capped pen. I felt his gaze on the back of my head as I spoke up, "If you're going to give me one of your dumb lectures that Fury had you record, please don't."

He sighed, and I heard shuffling as he made his way over to me. I looked up at him, and tossed the pen that was in my hands towards him. He just let it hit him and then fall to the ground. I looked away as Steve stood by the table, "You can't be mad at her forever."

"I know I can't be mad at her forever," I groaned, glaring at him, "I'll just be mad at her for a while, and then be nice to her again. That's not forever."

"You two, look at this," Tony walked into the area, holding something in his hands, "I pulled something from Dad's archives. It felt... timely."

He opened the box in his hands and sat it on the table. Two bell-point pens sat in it. I looked at them before pointing at the box, then looked to Steve, "It's a sign. God wants me to throw more pens at you."

Tony scoffed, "Yeah, Ross will do that for you. The FDR signed the Lend-Lease bill with these in 1941. Provided support to the Allies when they needed it most."

Steve shook his head slightly as he looked at them, "Some would say it brought the country closer to war."

Tony looked Steve in the eyes. I sat up from where I sat, tilting my head to the side and cracking my neck. I looked back to the cameras, looking at the live footage of where Bucky was being kept.

Even if he exploded that building, that's harsh treatment.

I pulled at the cuffs of my shirt, bringing them past my hands as I looked back to the two men. Tony stared at Steve, brows slightly raised, "See? If not for these, you wouldn't be here. I'm trying to... What do you call it? The thing with Noah."

"Olive branch," I hummed, looking at Tony, folding my arms against my chest as I tilted my head slightly, sighing.

"Is that what you call it?" Tony responded, looking at me before turning his gaze back to Steve.

Steve looked away, "Is Pepper here? I didn't see her."

Tony looked down at the table, avoiding eye contact. I leaned my head back, nodding my head slowly. They're not seeing each other at the moment. Tony clenched his hand together, "We're kinda... Well, not kinda..."

"Pregnant?" Steve asked, his eyes raised.

I snorted, unfolding my arms and covering my mouth. Steve looked towards me, and I shook my head, "Sorry, sorry. I'm sorry. Continue."

"No. Definitely not pregnant. We're taking a break," Tony explained, looking up at Steve, "It's nobody's fault."

"I'm so sorry, Tony. I didn't know," Steve nodded his head slowly, looking at the billionaire.

I nodded my head as well, looking at the brunette, "Things have been extremely stressed. I would've done the same thing. You're right when you say it's nobody's fault."

Tony sighed, "A few years ago, I almost lost her, so I trashed all my suits. Then, we had to mop up HYDRA... And then Ultron. My fault. And then, and then, and then, I never stopped. Because the truth is I don't wanna stop. I don't wanna lose her."

"None of us do," I spoke up, looking at Tony. He shifted his gaze to me, eyes emotionless as he frowned. "I think I speak for everyone when I say the team would risk everything for Pepper."

He stood up, shoving his hands in his pockets as he curtly nodded his head, "Well, in her defense, I'm a handful. Yet Dad was a pain in the ass, but he and Mom always made it work."