Pepper Pots prided herself on being
able to mask her emotions with a smile most of the time. Working as
the glorified babysitter of Tony Stark gave her that ability. So when
she found herself sitting at her usual table in the food court as per
usual, waiting for Phil, she didn't immediately loose her composure
when she realized he wasn't going to show up. Without missing a beat
she disposed of the food she had ordered, enough for two, and quickly
exited the mall.
It wasn't until she was safely home
that her mask broke. She mentally berated herself for forgetting, for
showing up to something that wasn't going to happen. But he had been
her close friend and she had grown close to the S.H.E.I.L.D Agent.
He'd been there when Tony became too much for her and gave her
someone to talk to about those things. About how Tony being Iron Man
was harder on her then even she knew. And in turn she had been there
for him. She helped introduced him to the cellist that he had
mentioned was pretty. But that was all over now. He was gone and she
had to accept that. She had to put aside all the things they had
talked about, everything she knew about him. She had to remember that
none of it mattered anymore.
Pepper bit her lip, throat tightening
against the oncoming tears. She hadn't really cried for him yet.
Hadn't had time to grieve. This had been her first day off since
Phil's death and it was just now hitting her. She let the tears fall.
What did it matter, there wasn't anyone around to see. She knew it
would help, to think about it, to accept that he was gone. But it
hurt. He was such a close friend, was so understanding when it came
to talking about Tony. He listened.
She sobbed quietly, sounding loud in
the silence of her home.
Based on this Headcannon for the Avengers: Phil Coulson
