Fire And Ice (Steve And Tony)

If Only.

Returning back to normal life was not as easy as Steve had presumed it would be. He worked with Tony, so of course it was awkward. He wanted to talk, but he was sure that Tony was pissed off at him, so he didn't dare approach him.

If only he hadn't been so damn indecisive! Why had he let Tony go? He had fucking proposed to Steve. How could Steve had said no? His heart was broken. He missed and loved Tony, he knew that now.

Steve wasn't himself anymore. He could barely function, couldn't focus. He decided to take a vacation for a few days, to take some time to get his head together. He looked into some places to go. He didn't want to go anywhere cold, since there had just been that whole spell of them being stuck at Steve's parents. Parents who had alienated Steve since he and Tony departed. They were refusing to speak to Steve, and he couldn't lie, but he expected it. His father was seeming to be much more open to the idea, but his mother always had an influence, and Steve knew it was a matter of time before his father gave in to her ideas. Not that he cared. He and Tony weren't "pretend boyfriends" anymore. They weren't friends anymore. Tony wasn't reaching out, either.

Oddly enough, the only vacation spots that weren't too expensive or too packed were the Austrian Alps. Steve never was fond of mountains, but he figured why not. So before he talked himself out of it, he booked the trip and went to alert Nick Fury of his days off.

On his way to Fury's office, Steve passed Tony, who was busy chattering away with Bruce about one of their new inventions. God only knew what it was. He couldn't help but feel just a little annoyed. Tony didn't seem to be suffering much. Maybe he didn't care anymore...

At lunchtime, Steve sat with Natasha and Bucky, but he was ready to move away from them because they were basically making out every seven seconds. Steve finished some last minute details for his trip, including the car rental, hotel room, and researched the area for things to do. The trip would last a week, and to be honest, it was the R&R that he needed. And being away from Tony would help clear his mind of the longing.

Across from his table, Tony sat with Bruce and the other science geeks. "So I have decided to go on vacation," Tony was saying. Steve leaned in to hear better. "I thought about somewhere tropical, but for some reason the price tags on those are just through the roof."

"Says the billionaire!" Bruce joked, causing a ripple of laughter around the table, and a smirk from Tony.

I miss that smirk, Steve thought. I remember when he was looking at me that way. If only I hadn't been so stupid!

"So you aren't going on vacation?" One of the other geeks asked.

"Oh no, I'm going. I just booked the cheapest flight I could find. I don't really know what the fuck I'm gonna do while I'm there, but I will figure out something."

"Tony. You missed the most important thing! Where are you going? And are you taking Pepper?"

"I'm going to the Austrian Alps, and yes, I am taking Pepper. I am sort of entitled to, since she thinks we are in a relationship. Should I give her the news at the Alps, or on the flight there?" Tony shrugged. "She just isn't my cup of tea."

The Austrian Alps? And Pepper was tagging along? Fuck me.