Pepper
Pepper knew she shouldn't compare…
But when Phil sat next to her all evening asking questions and actually listening what she thought about her problems, she just remembered how difficult it had been to get somebody else to listen even when it was about him and his own problems.
And how rarely they had ever really talked with each other. (She knew how well he talked body language, but she didn't want to think about it now.)
And Phil was there for her every night. Well, not exactly every night, but all the nights they were in the same town, they were together. From late evening till early morning. Neither of them left in the middle of the night for work on some inspiration.
Pepper knew she shouldn't compare…
But she was younger, shorter and curvier.
She knew how to use her feminine charm and get his full attention much better than Pepper had ever done.
She was a natural talent with the press. She played with her public role and enjoyed hitting back when Pepper had done everything she could to avoid being hit.
And she actually made him happy and carefree, but at the same being a wild-child herself, forced him to be the responsible one. A trick Pepper could have never even imagined.
Pepper knew she shouldn't compare…
But being with Tony had made them both stressed and unhappy.
They had survived a lot together and thought that will of survive was love.
(And they had desired each other, but she didn't want to think about it anymore.)
They had tried to fit in with each other, but neither of them had had the space to grow and live with their full potential. Even though at work he had given her the opportunity to grow beyond her potential she could have never on her own imagined having. And she was forever thankful for him for that.
Pepper knew she shouldn't compare…
But sometimes she missed him too much. And then she let herself dwell on things that had been full of stress, pain and sorrow.
And after a short while she was happily back on the present day, ready to share her day with her husband who was an excellent listener.