keepers of the stones. [avengers infinity war]

chapter eleven.

❝ A PROMISE TO KEEP ❞
( KEEPERS OF THE STONES )
xi. guardians meet avengers
chapter eleven

◌ ◌ ◌

NEW YORK, TWO YEARS AGO

Tony ran a hand over his face as he sat down in one of the swivel chairs, found in the conference room. Sloane stood across the room, a mug sitting idly in her hand, the look on her face expressing deep thought as the now-cold coffee sloshed in the cup. Steve, Sam, Bucky, and a new player to the game, King T'Challa of Wakanda, had just been arrested a little over an hour ago; it was all over the news, and Tony wasn't taking it too well.

" I don't know what to do. " Was all he said, in a quiet voice, almost like he didn't want Sloane to hear it; her head slightly tilted towards his direction, her dark eyebrows pulling together as she watched his gaze locked to the ground.

" You don't have to do anything, Tony. " She insisted, setting her mug down gently on the long, glass table in the middle of the room. " Steve and the others can get themselves out of this one, they'll be fine. "

" That's not what I meant. " He muttered, sighing as he crossed his arms tightly across his chest, his black button up wrinkling even more; the stressful look on his tired face was concerning.

Sloane tried to lessen her worried expression as she walked over to him, standing before him and gently grabbing the bicep of his tensed arm, causing him to flinch as his eyes met hers.

" Tony, you can tell me anything, you know that. " She reminded him; they had known each other for a long time now, between the constant night terrors and untimely panic attacks, she wasn't afraid of anything he had to say. The man stared long and hard at her, for a solid minute at least, before inhaling deeply.

" Pepper left. " He said shortly, " She couldn't deal with all the "Iron Man stuff", so she packed up and left, and I haven't seen her since. Cap' is chasing down a wanted criminal, getting him and the others into this mess. Vero won't listen to a thing I say and I- I don't know what to do. I don't know how to make them understand. . . "

Ah, yes, Pepper. She had been practically running Tony's company when Sloane met her, and not much has changed within the given time. He never told her, he didn't need to, but she always assumed there was something between Pepper and Tony. Things had changed, though, even she could see that. They didn't speak as much, Pepper distances herself from being around Tony or Sloane, for that matter, and Tony became more enthralled with his current project. Sloane couldn't say she exactly liked Pepper, but she wouldn't miss her while she was gone.