pepper/tony, angst. (by angst I mean rIP MY HEART OUT)
The harsh reality is that one of them has to die first. Even in a world where immortality is out there, somewhere above the horizon, death comes for us all.
The harsh reality is that everyone expects it to be Tony. Tony is prone to rash impulse and rough desire. His semi-suicidal drive mixes poorly with his hero complex and newly-achieved selflessness. It’s a fear in the back of everyone’s mind. Tony will get himself killed.
The harsh reality of it is that Tony does not get himself killed.
The harsh reality of it is that Tony gets Pepper killed. Not in the reckless abandonment sort of way. Instead, it’s a freak accident. Some manufacturing factory had cut corners, or maybe even just made a mistake. Either way, Tony slides the last part of his newest invention into place just as Pepper stops by to ask about dinner. Just as the device explodes.
The harsh reality is that Tony happens to be wearing most of his suit, while Pepper is wearing a pencil skirt with an untucked blouse and no shoes.
The mercy of it all is that it’s not really Tony’s fault. Not in the way that it can reasonably keep him up at night. Not in the way that it should twist his soul in anger and his lips in bitterness. Not in the way that it should make him shut his doors and uninstall JARVIS from the tower because silence is its own noise.
The harsh reality is that he does all these things anyway.
jbbartram-illu
gummygunk
baratheonpilled
blakekathryn
jacobvanloon
