The Waterspout

In Which Pepper Saves the Day

Tony threw his glass across the room with a snarl, watching as it shattered against the opposite wall in satisfaction. Amber liquid splashed against the white paint, dripping down in rivulets.

It made both the usually pretty drink and the usually pretty panel look dirty and unkempt.

Tony was still watching the alcohol run down the wall and across the tiled kitchen floor when Pepper entered a few minutes later.

"What the hell was that, Tony?"

"You heard what he said."

"I also heard you rip him a new one in front of fifteen cameras and storm from the room. You're lucky I was there to keep things from completely exploding!"

Tony didn't look up, still brooding.

"Tony."

"He wasn't there about nanotech, or blueprints. He was there about the Accords and nothing else."

"Most people are," Pepper said, laying a hand on his shoulder. "It's never bothered you before."

"It always does."

Pepper sighed. "Rephrase; you've never unleashed the fury of the concentrated Stark sarcasm on them, left mid-meeting, and thrown your beer at a wall."

"I couldn't just let him say those things about you! About us! And about Peter, even though he didn't know it."

Pepper went to the cabinet, getting out a new glass. Tony heard the refrigerator door opening and closing as she removed a can from it. "I can just drink it out of the can, you know."

Pepper ignored him. "What Johnson said was hardly the worst you've heard. Not even the most double-barbed."

Tony shrugged, taking the glass as she handed it to him. He took a swig, then spewed it across the counter. "What the hell, Pep?"

"It's Ginger-Ale. You shouldn't be drinking."

"Says who?"

"Says me. It's Saturday morning; you've got a whole day ahead of you."

Tony groaned and let his head thump down onto the tabletop, trying not to feel desolate. He'd made it through another week. Hooray.

"Tony, tell me what happened." Pepper sat down next to him.

"I'm supposed to be an asshole, remember? I was just delivering," Tony muttered into the counter.

"Not that much of an asshole. At least not in public areas, in front of the press."

Tony grumbled something unintelligible.

"You've been like this all week. On edge. Irritable. Lashing out at people. Me," said Pepper. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just stressed."

"You're always stressed." Pepper sighed. "Are the nightmares worse?"

Tony shook his head, forehead still pressed against the counter. "Same shit as usual."

"You've been avoiding me, Tony."

"No I haven't. I've been busy."

"You are also always busy. And so am I. That's never gotten in the way before."

Tony gesticulated, bending his arm behind him awkwardly.

"I need more than that, Tones." Pepper tapped his neck. "Something happened. Something besides your little shouting match with Rhodes; you were fine after. You were fine until... I don't know." FRIDAY had told Pepper about the phone call the day of, needing help clearing him time to recuperate. Tony didn't know exactly how much his fiance was aware of, but he trusted that his AI had done what was necessary.