Can We Be Fixed? (Stony)

Chapter Three: Tony's Resolve

A/N: Ok so at this point I probably should say this story is probably going to be having a lot of updates (maybe), within the next few weeks. Also should say that this story might not have a regularly scheduled update day, and whenever I finish a chapter I will edit and post it. Although I should try to not go overboard considering I have to make you guys wait a few days, or weeks, or maybe even those long dreaded months before I update again, lol. What kind of author would I be if I didn't make you guys wait!? But either way, you get chapter three because I finished it and well, I love writing.

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Tony didn't really consider himself as someone who really needed love in his life. Don't get him wrong, he absolutely loves the idea of being with someone- and that didn't have to mean sexually, because yes he knows that before he used to be a playboy, bringing different women, and on occasions, men into his bedroom where he could be as intimate as he wanted with no strings attached. Simple, harmless fun that he could partake in without any repercussions. He never understood what it was like to wake up next to a partner you wanted to see in the morning, or what genuine love was, until he met Pepper.

Pepper Potts had his eyes always on her, from the way she moved, her hips swaying from side to side, the way she carried herself, head held high, shoulders rolled back, spinal column straight, picture perfect posture, down to the way she talked to him. She left no room for his bullshit, always seeing right through him and calling him out on it, but understanding on a deeper level what he was trying to hide from her. She was his better half, and he adored every minute he got to be with her, right up until he let her go.

It hurt, and why would it not hurt? He loved the way his hand fit perfectly at the small of her back, guiding her around the Galas they went to, making sure she was with him for the majority of the event, scared to let her out of his sight in fear that he might lose her to someone better than he was. Truthfully he always thought Pepper could do better, but he kept her for as long as he could, selfishly keeping her all to himself like a rare, precious diamond. She was his diamond; perfectly polished, bright, and overall beautiful to look at, stunning, absolutely beautiful. He was in love with her, and he never really got over her after they broke up.

He locked himself away in his lab, forgetting the necessities of life; food, water, sleep, all three foreign concepts to him that he couldn't quite grasp as he spent day after day working on upgrades for his suit and the other Avengers. He wasn't willing to admit that he missed the days when Pepper would drag him out of his lab and force him to drink something other than coffee, or go to sleep, or even eat, because it was so much easier to stay in his safe space, surrounded by his creations that wouldn't harm him, and in a way understood him. They wouldn't judge what he was doing; and even if Jarvis on occasions did scold him and suggest that he should step out of the lab, the AI at least made sure he was in good health, and if things got bad the other Avengers would be notified.

That's where things took a turn. It was when that blonde, blue eyed beauty named Steve Rogers started entering his lab, with promises of food and coffee, but only if he came out of his lab and slept like a proper human being. It was a trap, which is what he first thought of in his mind when the soldier started pestering him and refusing to leave, standing his ground and even going so far as to drag Tony away from his tinkering much like Pepper used to. In a way, Steve was Tony's Pepper, and maybe at the time he thought with their growing friendship, or relationship, it was all too confusing for him at the time, that maybe he might be Steve's Peggy. But Peggy was soft, with a steely, no shits given attitude she carried with her everywhere. She was calculating, clear minded, intelligent, and Tony, well he for sure was intelligent and calculating, but also the opposite of Peggy. He was reckless, self-destructive, always putting up metaphorical masks where his face is and walls where his heart was to protect himself from letting someone get too close. It worked wonders for him, until Steve tore down everything he worked for.