"I don't even know what I think anymore," I murmur, pressing my palm to my forehead in exasperation. We're talking in circles, and I can't help but wonder if I'm making an already precarious situation worse. That doesn't stop me from continuing all the same.
"In case you haven't noticed, my life's not exactly in tip-top shape, either -- I've nearly died twice in as many months. But fine, let's say I was mistaken about your role in his alcoholism for the past year. I'm sorry. That doesn't change the fact that you still jumped at the chance to make a dying man happy, so my calling you an enabler stands." I let my hand drop back in my lap, and I absently roll a loose thread between my forefinger and thumb, a nervous habit in the absence of being able to pace like I want to.
"That said, I don't need you to apologize anymore than you already have -- you feel guilty. I know. I have a lot of expertise in that area, trust me, because I've been sitting here feeling nothing but for my involvement -- and lack thereof -- in all of this. I made Stark my responsibility the second I saw you sitting at that bar, and I put him above my wife. My wife, Pepper. I don't think poorly of you. You're as much a victim of that man as I am, so that'd be a pretty lousy thing to think."
Scoffing, I add, "But I mean, this isn't even about you, is it? Which, honestly, I don't know you even realize, since you come in here, wishing I'd been more understanding, that I told you sooner, that I'd done all of these things, effectively placing more of the blame on me. You're villainizing me, when all I have tried to do since I learned about his condition is come up with a means to buy the love of your life some more time so he can fix himself. You think your life sucks? So does everyone else's. And what you're supposed to do right now is stop feeling sorry for yourself, which as someone you consider your friend, is my duty to tell you, because I understand. You're Pepper Potts, for crying out loud. Start acting like it."
Peter Parker, also known as the vigilante, Spider-Man, is one of Marvel Comics' flagship characters. Created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko in 1962, Spider-Man first debuted in Amazing Fantasy #15.
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Date: 2010-09-19 09:42 pm (UTC)"In case you haven't noticed, my life's not exactly in tip-top shape, either -- I've nearly died twice in as many months. But fine, let's say I was mistaken about your role in his alcoholism for the past year. I'm sorry. That doesn't change the fact that you still jumped at the chance to make a dying man happy, so my calling you an enabler stands." I let my hand drop back in my lap, and I absently roll a loose thread between my forefinger and thumb, a nervous habit in the absence of being able to pace like I want to.
"That said, I don't need you to apologize anymore than you already have -- you feel guilty. I know. I have a lot of expertise in that area, trust me, because I've been sitting here feeling nothing but for my involvement -- and lack thereof -- in all of this. I made Stark my responsibility the second I saw you sitting at that bar, and I put him above my wife. My wife, Pepper. I don't think poorly of you. You're as much a victim of that man as I am, so that'd be a pretty lousy thing to think."
Scoffing, I add, "But I mean, this isn't even about you, is it? Which, honestly, I don't know you even realize, since you come in here, wishing I'd been more understanding, that I told you sooner, that I'd done all of these things, effectively placing more of the blame on me. You're villainizing me, when all I have tried to do since I learned about his condition is come up with a means to buy the love of your life some more time so he can fix himself. You think your life sucks? So does everyone else's. And what you're supposed to do right now is stop feeling sorry for yourself, which as someone you consider your friend, is my duty to tell you, because I understand. You're Pepper Potts, for crying out loud. Start acting like it."