Restart Op: Pending
This one is mostly dialogue. No Powers AU but Tony still has the Arc Reactor.
"Did you love him?"
"Yes." James says, as if is a heavy burden to carry. Tony crumbles a little inside because it has always been that, he's a burden.
"And you told him so?"
James glares, "Repeatedly, he never said it back."
He can't help it and laughs: bitter and brittle.
"Glad you find it funny."
"Oh, hilarious," Tony answers, making eye contact with James over his sunglasses and pins him there, like a bug. "Now tell me, did I look for you for the sole purpose of sex?"
"No."
"Did I memorize your favorite foods, coffee order, fruit, color?"
James doesn't sound as righteous anymore. "You did."
"Did I include you in personal projects, let you meet the truly important people in my life? Did I or did I not make sure that you arrived home safe, attempted and most spectacularly failed in making chicken noodle soup when you had the mother of all colds because canned soup could never rival the homemade stuff?"
"I...yes."
"But no, James, you're right. How can you expect a robot like me to love anyone, right?" He stands, tapping repeatedly over the arc reactor. "I don't even have a real heart, for fuck's sake, love is an impossible task, what would I know about human emotions?"
He doesn't let the other man to get a word edgewise before leaving, his chest tighter, his throat burning and tears just fighting to get out. Tony breathes or tries to as he walks to his car.
"Stark!"
No, no, no, no. He will not turn around, he already made the mistake of working with this man and put himself on the spot to be hurt again; Tony will at least pretend he has some dignity left.
"Anthony, stop!" And it sounds like James is running, well, fine! He can run if he wants. Tony still feels like his lungs are finally giving out and his hands are shaky. Then, there's a hand wrapped around his bicep, halting his steps. "Anthony."
"What?!" Tony snaps, all the pent up emotion boiling over. "What more do you want from me?"
"I didn't know."
"Of course not! Because if someone can't say those three fucking words then they sure as hell can't love anyone, they can't hurt. My inability to say those words was enough for you to tuck your tail and run and blame me, so what Barnes, what more do you...?"
"Sweetheart, no!" It's like a plea, James' face transformed from a mask of cold disdain Tony had -not so- bravely endured for weeks, into something achingly familiar. Hands on his cheeks failing to catch all the tears, damn traitors. "Don't cry, please."
It's not like Tony can help it, he sobs. "I really fucking tried, I did."
"God, I'm sorry, dollface. I'm so sorry." They must look like a picture, standing on the sidewalk, having an overdue heart-to-reactor aided heart. James, hugging him while continued to spill his emotions. "Tony babe. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."
(OneNote Snippet Series)
