Inspired by the lyrics from the song 'Be Alright' By Dean Lewis. The italic sentence at end of this story during Clint's talk are lyrics from the song.

Canon Divergence, Domestic Avengers, Pepper Bashing.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers or Marvel.

Cross Posted on my AO3.

He was crawling through the vents as he usual when he heard moaning coming from the room below. With a smirk, he made his way towards the sounds as he realised it was coming from Pepper's room. He thought he could get a blackmail image to use against Tony -of course, he wouldn't actually do anything, but he and Tony had a bit of a prank war going on so he could pretend and stuff. As he crept closer to the end and peeked through the gap, his eyes widened. Quickly he fled, going to a different vent and leaving as quickly and quietly as he could. Panting as he ran down the stairs to the communal floor -why he didn't take the elevator, no one knows.

"Has. Anyone. Seen. Tony?" He asked between breaths, the others looked at him with confused expressions,

"He left for a meeting yesterday. Miss Potts told me she wasn't able to attend because she had something today, so he had to go. I think he'll be home." Steve paused and looked at his watch, "Well anytime from now I guess. He messaged me half an hour ago."

"Why are you asking, Clint?" Natasha asked,

"Umm…no reason." His voice was tight as he answered before turning on his heel and heading to the security area to wait until Tony entered the tower. As he got there he caught sight of one of the other screens. Turns out Tony had entered the Tower as Clint was speaking with the others. He was also making his way out of the elevator…and heading towards Pepper's room.

"Shit. Shit on a stick." He muttered before finding the closest vent and making his way to the floor Pepper's room was on.

—LINE BREAK—

Tony smiled to himself as he headed to Pepper's room. He had just come home from the meeting and was hoping to surprise Pepper, who had been too sick and wasn't expecting him home till much later. As he walked quietly to her door, he noticed it slightly ajar…and he heard something. Peering inside, he stifled a gasp as his brown eyes widened in horror and shock. Stumbling away, he headed to the elevator once more and went up to the Penthouse, only as he turned around he saw Clint.

"Oh, Tony." Murmured the archer, who walked over to him and wrapped his arm around the slightly shorter man's shoulder before directing him into the elevator, "Want to get wasted?"

"…Just…take me to the common room…please." He whispered looking down at the ground, Clint's arm tightened slightly.

"You sure, bud?"

"Pep…Miss Potts will stop at the communal floor to say goodbye to you all or hi…I guess depending on whatever she told you all…" His voice was full of vulnerability and then the metal doors opened and the pair walked into the communal area where they found the rest of the team sitting in the living room playing Call of Duty -probably Natasha's choice. As the pair walked around the corner they heard the redheaded assassin shouting,

"Take that you moron." and then a terrifying, "Did you see that, bitch? I just blew your fucking head off and it exploded like a watermelon!"

"Well, that's always horrifying to hear," Clint muttered to Tony, who (to the archer's delight) gave a small chuckle.

They made their presences known as they took a seat on the spare couch, the others paused the game in order to talk to them.

"Hello, welcome back Tony, how was the meeting?"

"It was fine. Thanks for asking Brucie." He murmured and everyone's eyes fell on the man as he was acting out of character,

"What's wrong?"

"Oh…nothing, I'm fine, don't worry about me." Before anyone could say anything a ding echoed through the floor and two sets of footsteps were heard, one of which was the all too familiar sound of Pepper Potts' high heels clicking against the laminate flooring. Tony sighed and stood as she came around the corner surprisingly -or not- with the man she had been sleeping with.

—LINE BREAK—

"We should probably get dressed and go down to see the Avengers, I'll introduce you to them to make it less suspicious if they see you here more." She murmured as they got cleaned up and dressed,

"That sounds fine, sweetheart. But won't the spy be suspicious?"

"Natasha? Hmm, doubtful, she's good but none of the team would ever suspect that I could do this."

"Ah. That's good." The two grinned and leaned in for a long kiss before standing and straightening up.

They exited the elevator with an air of professionalism. Shoes and heels clicking significantly on the floor as they walked towards the communal living area. Their steps faltered ever so slightly as they caught sight of Tony standing up to them entering and at the glare that Clint was sending their way.

"Oh, hello, Tony. You said you weren't going to be back until tonight."

"And you told me you were sick." He looked her up and down, "Yet here you are fresh as a strawberry."

"That isn't the saying." Steve murmured in confusion at the tension in the atmosphere much like the others minus their archer,

"No, but Miss Potts " No one could suppress their flinch at the tone, "is deathly allergic, isn't that right, honey."

"Tony? Whatever is the matter with you? I was a little ill this morning, but you know me I'm always working. In fact, I just came up here to introduce you to my PA, his name is Charles Davison."

"I believe we need to discuss some things in private, Pepper," Tony said clenching his hands and knowing the others should not be around for this,

"No Tony. I think they should all hear whatever petty issue you have with me. It's probably some ridiculous thing like me making you go to that meeting!" She almost yelled,

"You sure?"

"Yes. Have at it, let's all hear how ridiculous you are!"

"I caught you and blondie here fucking in your bed on your floor."

"That's…that's ridiculous. Honestly, Tony are you that insecure to make such crude things up! If anyone would cheat it would be you!" She replied with, her voice shaky and high, something the unknowing party picked up on and realised that the kind and loving woman before them really had cheated.

"Un-mute JARVIS. Right now." He demanded and Pepper whispered 'un-mute'

"Sir, I do apologise, I have been trying to get past the command to inform you of this…act. I am sincerely sorry you had to walk in on her." The disgust was intriguingly obvious from the AI,

"Lies. All lies!" Pepper yelled with an urge to storm over and slap Tony, except the minute she took one step forward the Avengers stood up and Clint moved ever so slightly in front of Tony from his position at his friends' side,

"I told you we should've done this in private." Tony muttered and wiped a hand over his face, "All I want to know is why." He looked her in the eye and she took a step back at the rare emotion in his brown orbs, "Why'd you do this, Pep?" He whispered loud enough for everyone to hear, the confusion and pain in his voice made the team tense up in anger,

"Why? Why do you think? I've had to put up with you and your fucking nightmares for too long. You don't pay enough attention to me always working on your stupid projects in your workshop. Hell maybe try and be around more and I wouldn't have had to. You're a terrible boyfriend. A broken and irritating fool. It's your fault! I only did what you would've done. God, everyone cheats, Tony!" A choked laugh came out of the short billionaire,

"I never did Pepper. I never once thought of cheating on you. In fact, I've never actually cheated on anyone, before well Afghanistan I just had one-night-stands. You were my first committed relationship and I tried. I tried so fucking hard to keep us together. So fucking hard, Pepper. If you had just talked to me-"

"Don't you try to blame me! It's your fault, Tony. You led me into doing this."

"No. You did this to yourself." Tony's voice cracked as he spoke and he started to walk towards the elevator. As he passed Pepper and her PA, he paused, "I want you out. You have an hour to pack your bags and leave."

—LINE BREAK—

Arriving in his workshop, Tony caught sight of his desk and wandered over to it. His hazel eyes brushing over all the photographs on it. Many of which were of him and Pepper, whilst the others were of Tony and the Avengers or Tony and his bots -no he was not ashamed to have photos of his bots as they were his children. Grabbing the picture closest, he looked at it. In it was Pepper and he was slightly cut out of it. He had just wanted a picture of his girlfriend and it had been a lovely photo so he'd just cropped himself out of it slightly. In it, Pepper was smiling at him as the two shared a bottle of champagne in celebration of…well, something.

There was an audible cracking sound that echoed through the lonely walls of the workshop. Tony was unsure whether it was the sound of his heart shattering into a million pieces or if it was the photograph's frame that had smashed when he had thrown it to the ground. Either way, it did not matter. Seconds later, Tony was shoving everything on the desk onto the floor, filling the room with the sound of glass breaking and bangs.

"Oh, Tony." Said man stopped and panted,

"Why? I tried so hard to keep us together." He turned towards the other in the workshop, "I really did try, Clint."

"I know you did." Clint wrapped his arms around the sobbing genius and led him to the couch, sitting them both down, "I know." Minutes passed with only Tony's cries filling the silence among the machine sounds, "Oh, Tony, don't do this to yourself, man." Clint murmured as he watched Tony looking at his texts from Pepper and their photos, "I know you love her, but it's over, mate. Put your phone away." Surprisingly, the distraught man just handed his phone over to the archer and stayed curled up at his side, eventually crying himself to some much-needed sleep. Clint stayed with Tony the whole time, comforting his friend.

Anyway,
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Bye~