Chapter Text
Everyone has their breaking point, the point where they’ve been pushed too far. It’s a point of no return, and some people are lucky enough never to hit theirs. Tony’s never been very lucky though.
It happened on a random Tuesday. A Tuesday that was no different from one thousand other Tuesday’s. There was no world ending event, no record loss at Stark Industries. Everything was absolutely fine.
Tony has three meetings on Tuesday’s, the first one is with the Avengers, and it was, as always, annoying, and repetitive, and pointless. The second one, was with a liaison for the United States Government, and it was, as always, tedious, and boring, and pointless. He got through both of them.
“We’re currently approaching the end of the fiscal year and stocks are-“ Pepper turns towards him, and stops. “Mr. Stark, are you paying attention?”
“Of course,” He doesn’t bother to look up from his phone, he’s been working on a sudoku puzzle to keep his hands busy while she talks. He is listening though, it’s just to hard to focus if that’s all he does.
“Mr. Stark.” Pepper snaps, walking over to him. “This is an important meeting. You can’t just be on your phone in the middle of it.” She goes to take his phone out of his hand, and something inside him breaks. He pulls it away from her.
“I can.” He says, and he can see her eyes harden, preparing for a fight. He doesn’t want to fight anymore. “Don’t.” He warns her, a line in the sand.
“Give me your phone.” She says, stepping right over it. Just like everyone does, all the time.
“No.” He rises to his feet, and turns to leave, tapping away at the puzzle. He can see out of the corner of his eyes, the way her eyes go wide. The door shuts behind him. “Friday?”
“Yes Boss?” Friday asks, and he smiles fondly.
“I need you to call a press conference.” He says, stepping into the elevator, and hitting the button for his garage.
“Regarding what exactly?” Friday asks, sounding just a little unsure.
“My resignation.” The elevator doors open, and he doesn’t hesitate, heading for his fastest car.
“When would you like this press conference to be?” Friday asks, and he smiles, an empty smile.
“I’ll be at Burger King in ten minutes.” He answers, and peels out of the parking garage. He doesn’t want to stop, and thing about things. “They can meet me in the parking lot.”
“Of course, Boss, directing you now.” The navigation pops up. Friday doesn’t ask him why, she doesn’t ask him if, he’s sure. He’s not sure how he would answer if she did.
“Send Pepper, and Maria Hill an email.” Tony says, “tell them both that I quit, and make it absolutely clear to Maria that I quit as an Avenger, and as financial backer to the Avengers.”
“Done Boss, Ironman was always better as a solo act.” Friday says, and his phone starts ringing as he pulls into the parking lot.
“Screen all my calls.” He says, as he get’s out of the car. “I don’t want to talk to anyone.” He put’s his sunglasses on, and steps up to the small crowd of reporters Friday managed to gather.
“Man, do I have a headline for you,” He grins at them, and steps up onto the curb. “Thanks for coming on such short notice.” There are a few awkward smiles, and a thumbs up from a particularly enthusiastic reporter.
“What’s this about?” Christine asks. He’s not surprised to see her, she always is there when something important is happening.
“You know, when I was trapped in that cave in Afghanistan, I wasn’t alone.” He starts, he hadn’t talked about Yinsen in the weeks following his kidnapping, he’d kept it to himself. “There was another captive, a doctor, by the name of Ho Yinsen, and despite the fact that he lost his family to my weapons, he saved my life.”
There’s a couple of questions from the gathered reporters. Tony ignores them.
“He was a good man, and he was wise, far wiser than I was then.” Tony shakes his head, looking past the crowd. “He told me something that stuck with me, told me that I was a man with everything, and nothing.” Tony looks down then. “He also told me not to waste my life.”
The gathered reporters are dead silent, waiting for his next words.
“For a while, I thought I wasn’t.” Tony continues, offering them a hollow smile. “I though New York, being an Avenger, quitting the weapons business. I thought that all of that was me, not wasting my life.” He shakes his head. “I was an idiot, because despite all of that I am still the man with everything, and nothing.”
Camera’s flash, and Tony smiles.
“Because of that, effective immediately, I have resigned from the Avengers,” He pushes past the sudden noise from the gathered reporters. “I am resigning from Stark Industries, and I’m going to try something different.”
“Mr. Stark, are you really going to abandon all of the people who rely on you to protect them?” Christine asks, and a part of him wants to laugh.
“Ms. Everhart, I am not the only superhero in the world.” He says, as if he’s sharing a secret. “I’m not the only inventor either, and I am not quitting Ironman. I’ll still be here, although I won’t be here.” He gestures to the area. “I’m done being in the limelight Ms. Everhart.”
There are a few more shouted questions. Tony ignores them all.
“I don’t plan on doing anymore interviews.” He announces, and then he ducks back into his car, and pulls into the drive thru.
“Friday, revoke anyone in the personal, and shield list’s access, and override codes, and get me a map of the US.” He requests, pulling forward.
“What can we get you?” A tinny voice comes over the drive thru speaker. His car is fully charged, and he’s free as a bird.
“Two burgers, a large fry, and a chocolate shake.” Tony orders. There are miles of road in front of him, the car is fully charged, and there’s a million stupid road side attraction’s he’s never seen.