I didn't see that coming
Pepper was sitting at the table, leaning over a pile of papers. Suddenly, the door bang broke her focus.
"Hi, babe, I'm here." She called but got no answer in return. Someone came in. "Tony, is that you?"
"Yeah. It's me." The voice replied. She heard Tony heading the other direction. There was something odd that caught Pepper's attention, some kind of peculiar tone that timbered in Tony's voice. Pepper put down her pen and stood up. She followed Stark led by a strong gut feeling. She found him in the penthouse, pouring himself a drink. He took a glance at her and looked away at once.
"What's wrong? Did you guys quarrel?" She asked alarmed, walking up to Tony. He sipped on his drink silently.
"No." He gave a terse response. Pepper frowned.
"What is it then?" She asked touching Tony's arm gently. Stark rubbed his face, letting out a heavy sigh. Then she noticed it, clothes torn into pieces laying on the countertop. Pepper gasped in sudden realisation. Her heart raced frightened.
"Oh my God! He turned green?!"
"Yeah." Tony knocked down his drink and poured himself another. Pepper's eyes opened wide.
"Where is he?"
"I don't know. Could you, please..."
"Has someone attack you?" Pepper cautiously scanned Stark's body in search of any injuries.
"For God's sake. Pepper, stop!" Tony hissed withdrawing from her touch. "You're doing it again." Potts startled. She blinked a few times before setting her arms akimbo.
"What am I doing?"
"You're flooding me with all those questions. I'm fine."
"I can clearly see your not. Obviously, something had happened." Tony ignored her. "Tony, please... Bruce is the most composed man I know. No one is so centred as him. He doesn't simply hulk out out all of blue." Tony acted just as she wasn't there at all. Pepper felt her heart coming up to her throat.
"I'm freaking worried if you didn't notice yet! Don't brush it off like it's nothing!" Pepper's voice raised, breaking at the words. Tony just stood there, sipping on his drink and looking into space.
"It is though." He snorted.
"No! You are going to tell me what happened, like, now!" She demanded firmly, she gestured. Tony sighed with irritation. He grabbed the shred clothing and passed by Pepper.
"Don't wanna talk about it." He refused any explanation, he steered towards the stairs.
"Tony, I swear... If you won't talk to me now I'm calling Fury!" Pepper yelled at his back. Tony stopped and slowly turned to face frenzied with terror Pepper.
"And I swear if you'll start babysitting me again..." He paused in mid-sentence. Pepper's eyebrows moved up to her hairline.
"Then what?" She challenged.
"I really thought we got over it already." Tony snapped back and left.
Pepper bit her knuckles, clenching her teeth. "Shit..."
***
Pepper found Tony in the workshop.
When he left a wave of helpless anger overflew her but somehow she managed to walk it away. Then fear kicked back in. A cold gnawing dread was almost unbearable. That wasn't like Tony at all, she thought to herself. Something bad had happened to Bruce, no doubt. Pepper bit her thumbnail, holding her tears back. However, letting her emotions lead would could only worsen the situation. And Pepper chose to take her time to put herself back together. She decided to let Tony cool down too, before talking to him.
It wasn't hard to guess where he could be. Tony always tended to do one thing when upset, distracting himself with work. And there he was, occupating himself with data analysis. Pepper knocked on the doorframe before coming in.
"Hey, babe." She said softly when their eyes met. Tony looked back at holographic numbers and graphs, still agitated. "May I come in?"
"You already have." He noticed, his gaze focused on work. Pepper sighed silently at the dig, she turned a deaf ear to it though. She stood next to Tony, determined to untangle this mess.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you. I didn't mean to be so pushy." Pepper said in a conciliatory spirit. "I freaked out. I got scared and I didn't notice you're wound up even more. I'm sorry, babe." She put her hand on Tony's back, hugging him gently. He let a long breath out, his body loose tension a bit in response. Pepper smiled at Tony tenderly when eventually he faced her.
"If you prefer to leave it unsaid I'm okay with that. I can wait until you feel like telling me. I just... didn't see that coming." She continued, stroking Tony's back.
"Me neither..." Tony said in a low voice. Pepper looked deep in his eye and it occurred to her how sad Tony was. She smiled at him compassionately before reaching for his lips. Tony kissed her back. That was a good sign. Pepper snuggled against Tony's chest, his arms embraced her affectionately. She closed her eyes, listening to the pounding of Tony's heart. Silence fell between them. Pepper set on giving Tony her full presence, so she stood there, embracing him. Time was passing by and gradually Pepper started to accept that Tony would never speak of Bruce.
"He's got it bad for me." Tony said eventually. Pepper raised her head to meet Tony's eyes, astonished.