Pepper's Rage.
Tony woke up and immediately felt a surge of strength. It was more than just the power he possessed as Hephaestus; it was a tenfold increase in every aspect. His fire abilities, his strength, his durability – everything was enhanced. As he tried to gather his thoughts, he heard the sound of heels approaching. The footsteps were fast and forceful, and he could already tell that she was furious. They hadn't been on good terms lately.
"Tony! You better have the best explanation ever this time!" Pepper shouted as soon as she saw him awake. Her voice was loud, causing him to wince in discomfort.
"Pepper, please calm down," Tony replied, feeling the weight of her anger.
"Do you ever think about anybody but yourself? Do you have any idea how all of this makes me feel? Do you even care?" she continued, her anger escalating.
Tony had been accused of being selfish countless times. If everyone around him believed it, there must be some truth to it. He had given Pepper everything, or so he thought. But it seemed like it was never enough for her. The one thing he couldn't give up was being Iron Man. It was a part of him, and letting go of it would mean losing a piece of himself. But Pepper didn't understand that. She saw Starks as destroyers of worlds, and she wanted him to stop, to step away from the heroics and enjoy a normal life. She didn't see Iron Man as a hero but as a nuisance, a monster that destroyed lives.
"Do you realize the amount of stress I'm under because of your shenanigans? I'm not asking for a lot, but even the little I ask, you can't give me," Pepper shouted, her voice filled with frustration.
Tony felt like he had given her everything, but she still wanted more. The only thing he couldn't give her was the one thing he wouldn't give up – Iron Man. It was what kept him whole. Pepper didn't like the Tony from before Afghanistan, and he understood why. He hadn't been someone worth loving back then. But she liked him after the three months in the cave, before Iron Man came into existence. Maybe it had been a sense of relief on her part, knowing her boss wasn't dead after all. He wasn't even sure what they were sharing anymore.
He knew he hadn't been fair to her, dropping the CEO position on her shoulders. She had been efficient and capable, but the palladium poisoning had taken a toll on his mind. Driving a Formula One car had been fun but ultimately reckless. He had trusted Pepper's capabilities, but he was still doing half of her job. The board saw through it, not because she was a woman, but because he still needed to assist her. Pepper knew the ropes, though. He had shown her everything when she was his assistant. She complained that he didn't have time for her, but when was he supposed to organize a date? After the Avengers' missions and before the R&D research? Or after fulfilling her CEO duties and before even thinking of sleep? Now, at least, that wouldn't be a problem anymore.
"I can't do this anymore, Tony. It's just too hard on me. I've tried. Maybe now you'll understand that you can't save the world all by yourself. You need to think about the people around you first and foremost. I resign, Tony. I'm giving up my position to anyone who wants it. I can't be the girlfriend of someone who doesn't care about me, or the CEO of a company when its owner does everything to ruin it. Maybe now you'll understand. Goodbye, Tony," Pepper said, her voice filled with determination.
Part of him wanted to be mad, feeling ambushed by Pepper's outburst when he couldn't even defend himself properly. It felt more like an ultimatum than a breakup. "If you do what I want, I'll stay." He could read between the lines.
"Well, Pepper, sorry to disappoint you once again," Tony thought to himself. Before Siberia, before regaining his memories, he might have tried to win her back, buying her anything she wanted and trying harder to be what she needed. But not anymore. He no longer cared for her in that way. His thoughts were consumed by Aphrodite, by Dite. Fate had taken her away from him, so he would live without Pepper. It was mainly because of the impending invasion he knew was coming to Earth. He had a job to do.
Tomorrow, he would have to call Rhodey. That conversation would not be easy, no matter what. Rhodey deserved that much, despite how he had treated Tony. Even after knowing that Rhodey had only been on his team because of his contract with the Air Force. The colonel would never walk on his own two legs again. But before that, he needed to talk to Friday, his AI, to reassure her that he was alright. That was a lie, of course. He had never felt worse in his entire life after all the betrayals – from the Avengers and now from Pepper. But his baby girl, Friday, didn't need to know that just yet. She was still so young, and losing track of him must have been traumatizing. Her core protocol was to protect her boss, her dad, and she hadn't been able to do anything this time.
As Tony drifted back to sleep, he couldn't help but think that the day ahead would be difficult.