What is this?

Chapter twenty-one

Bruce hadn't heard from Tony after the friday dinner and started slowly bothering him. Usually they text at least once a day. To be fair it was only sunday, so there had been only one they when they didn't talk. However when that happens Tony makes sure to text Bruce right in the morning. Of course Bruce had tried texting Tony, but no answer. The idea that something happened at the dinner, sadly, wasn't impossible at all. Pepper had been flirting with Tony pretty much non-stop. Shivers went up Bruce's back. He really hoped Tony was just too busy to answer or something.

"Is everything okay?" could be heard behind Bruce.

"To be honest.. I'm not sure.." Bruce murmured.

"Oh, is that so? What exactly could be off?" Loki wanted to know more.

"It's Tony. Usually we text everyday, but he hasn't texted nor answered my texts since friday's dinner", Bruce frowned looking at his phone.

"Hmm. Could he just be busy? After all he is the heir to the Stark-industries", Loki wondered.

"That did cross my mind, but even if Tony is busy all day he manages to find a slot to text in", Bruce explained.

Loki remembered the thing he had said to Tony at the balcony. Surely that couldn't be the reason why Tony was ignoring Bruce? It may have sounded harsh and Loki did really mean it, but not in this way. He was so caught in his thoughts that he quailed when Bruce continued talking.

"By the way, your dad didn't send Thor with you this time?"

"Ah, yes. You know just because dad didn't want me to go alone to the dinner doesn't mean that I can't do anything without my brothers supervision. Plus I think Thor begged dad to make up the whole 'you can't go unless Thor comes too' thing", Loki admitted.

Bruce looked at him wide-eyed asking: "Why would he do something like that?"

Before Loki could answer, or more like make a sarcastic comment, to Bruce the latter one spotted someone.

"Tony! What are you doing here? Why haven't you answered my texts?" Bruce ran to his bestfriend.

Tony was sitting on a bench making him jump up at the surprise. He had blood-red eyes and looked awful in general.

"Oh god you look horrible", Bruce blurted.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so", Tony laughed a bit.

"What happened?" Bruce worried.

Tony stiffened. He really didn't want to talk about it. At all. He just wanted to be devoured by mother earth.

Tony felt a hand on his shoulder: "Tony, really, what happened? You've been crying."

"Nothing, I just realized I don't deserve Steve", Tony finally admitted.

Well, maybe that wasn't the full truth. But that was a big part of it.

"What?" Bruce exclaimed.

Loki laughed which made Bruce hit him.

"What is he doing here?" Tony inquired.

"Do you have to have that reaction every time?" Loki challenged.

"Please stop. We were going to a cafe. Now back to the whatever you are thinking. What the heck Tony?" Bruce really did want to know what had happened to his bestfriend.

"I really just realized that I'm not good enough for Steve", Tony repeated.

"Since when have you taught that you aren't good enough for someone?" Loki huffed.