I Don't Care | Tony Stark ~ wrong number

Chapter 50

AN/  DOUBLE UPDATE FOR YOU GUYS

Her month of pretend with Chase was over and they were both really glad that it was. She had a week left before her tour started and she was enjoying her last week with the Avengers before she couldn't see anyone for nearly two and a half months. And that included seeing Tony with Romee, all the time.

Things were still tense between the two of them and whenever she talked to him he would reply in a snappy, uninterested way. Everyone noticed it and commented on his behavior. She couldn't just brush it off anymore and it was starting to deeply hurt her feelings and have her react slightly negatively towards him.

"You're being unnecessarily mean to Alana." Steve said to Tony as they rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher, it was their turn.

"I'm being completely normal with her." Tony said as he placed the plate Steve handed to him in its place.

Steve stopped what he was doing and looked pretty angry with him.

"No, no you're not Tony. Being normal with Alana, when it come to you, means being close to her, always finding a way to be touching her, non sexually, whether it's playing with her hair or gently running your fingers along her arm absentmindedly while you talk about fucking politics. It means you have a leg over hers while sitting next to each other on the dinning table and laying your head in her lap on movie night or connecting your pinkies while doing anything. Being normal with her when it's you, means following her movements with your eye with the most loving, puppy dog look. It means listening closely to every word she has to say even when you don't look like it, even when you're working on something, a part of your focus is always on her. You're hyper aware to her, so cut the crap Tony. We all know you love her, okay? You fell in love with the girl in the phone and she fell in love with you. We can see it. She's acting like she's okay with how you're treating her right now, but she's not. She's drowning Tony. So stop being so childish, put your adult pants on and get."

Tony blinked.

"Screw you Rogers. Don't tell me what I'm feeling and what I should do, you don't know a thing."

He angrily walked away and let Steve finish doing their chore.

He was mad because Steve was right.

He hated it when Steve was right.

"H-hi Tony." Alana said as she walked onto the floor from the elevators and passed him. She sounded slightly hesitant and for the first time hurried past him without sparing him no more than a quick glance, not waiting for a reply.

Then it really hit him that's he's been treating her horribly and pushing her away, and even though at first she was fighting against the pushing, she's starting to take a step back. And he didn't know how to feel about that. Even though he's at fault here.

He watched her walk to Steve who opened his arms wide for her and hugged her tight while looking at Tony over her shoulders.

"You are losing her." Steve mouthed to him and then kissed her head before pulling away and ruffling her hair.

Tony frowned and took the elevator to his lab to go tinker with his suits.

But that didn't help too because her studio was there. Even though she hasn't been in there since he cut things off, it was still hers. Against his better judgment he walked into the studio and sat on the couch, remembering the day he made her her favourite drink, and when she started singing.

One of her notebooks lay open on the desk and he was sure it might have had a light layer of dust on it. He sighed and turned to leave.

"Sir, Phi Phi is making her way down." Jarvis said just in time for Alana to open the door.

She slightly startled and froze at seeing Tony.

"S-sorry. I didn't know you were in here. I was just coming down to grab the notebook if you don't mind."

"Yea yeah yeah no, this is your place, I honestly don't know, yeah, sure." He quickly said and wiped the palms of his hands on his thighs.

She quickly walked forwarded, grabbed the notebook and headed to the door.

"Alana?" He called out and she paused and turned her head slightly to indicate she was listening. "I - uh, nothing, I'll call you later?"

Her body posture perked up slightly.

"Sure."

She stepped out of the room and nearly shut the door before stopping.

"Um, Tony?"

"Yes darling?" Except he didn't say darling, he was about to.

"Look, whatever this tension between us is, doesn't stop us from being Eddie and Phi Phi first and foremost. Okay? So if you continue not being able to sleep, because I can tell, just ring me." She didn't give him room to answer as she shut the door and left.

He can't believe she noticed. 

"Okay." He quietly said feeling very glad, because before everything that has happened between them, he used to call her and she used to help calm him down. Now there was no one there for him and he has to deal with everything alone. But since she said that, that means he has her, kind of. She'll be there for him. He couldn't believe it. She'll be there for him even though he's being mean to her. 

She's still trying for the sake of them.

"Why'd you say that to him?" Bruce asked her from where he was leaning on a table as she walked out of the studio and shut the door.

"Because Bruce, you don't give up on the people you love and you try to be there for them." She said.

"You love him?"

"And it hurts like hell to." 

Her sad smile spoke a million words and broke the scientists heart.