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Title: Five Times Tony Stark Proposed and One He Didn't
Fandom: Iron Man I & II
Characters/Pairing: Tony Stark/Pepper Potts, James Rhodes, Happy Hogan
Category: Humor, Angst, Romance, Drama
Rating: NC-17, eventually
Word count: 1,529
Summary: The second time Tony Stark proposed it was in a timely manner.
Spoilers/Timeline: This one takes place after the second movie.
Disclaimer: All characters (Tony Stark, Pepper Potts blah blah etc.) and situations belong to Marvel Comics, Disney, etc. I'm not them. Also, Star Wars. Wtf?
Beta: Many thanks to infinitlight for taking a look at this for me. I was having a definite case of the new fandom jitters and her help and opinion was greatly appreciated. As was her fixing of all my commas. Commas hate me.
I.
II. & III.
"Marry me."
Pepper gaped, lost for words. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she pressed her lips together and shook her head.
"Tony, it's our first date. They haven't even taken our drink order yet."
Her careful over-enunciation had not the slightest effect on Tony. He simply grinned bigger.
"Why waste time, Potts?"
"I...Tony, you just can't," Pepper said feebly, knowing even as she said it that her argument didn’t have a shot in hell of working. Tony was used to running over everyone and everything in his path to get what he wanted, and apparently what he thought he wanted at this moment was Pepper.
"Why not?"
So many reasons. Not nearly enough.
"You're not serious."
"More serious than I've ever been, Virginia."
Pepper trembled. She had seen and done many things as part of her duties at Stark Industries. None of it had ever prepared her for having the full, intense focus of his gaze on her. When Tony gave something his complete focus there was nothing else like it. It was what made him such a damn good engineer.
It left Pepper feeling faint and a little bit breathless.
"The Board." It was all she could manage to get out under the weight of his eyes. She couldn't - could not - think about what he had just said.
"Loves you. Thinks you're the best thing to ever happen to me." He fell back against the back of his chair. "They would be right."
"As your PA, not your wife." Just saying that word made Pepper feel a little light-headed. In a good way.
Tony waved a dismissive hand. "You'll have to do better than that."
"People will think I'm taking advantage of you."
"I don't care what people think. Just what you think."
Pepper huffed. "It's crazy, Tony. You have to know that."
"I like crazy. It's worked well for me," Tony said, sounding completely indifferent. His eyes told a different story. Anyone but Pepper would have missed it, but she recognized the faint hurt in his gaze all too well.
It was why, even in the state she was in, Pepper had held back her real reasons. Tony wouldn't understand. He would misinterpret her fear and worry and turn it into something that was all about him. That she didn't love him. And that was just not true.
She was Pepper Potts. She didn't do crazy and impractical. He was the impulsive one. She had to be grounded enough for both of them. No matter how loudly her heart was screaming to just say yes.
"Tony..."
"You know, Potts, in all of these excuses - which are absurd, by the way - you haven't said no."
Pepper's heart clenched. He had a point. Part of her, a large part, the part currently residing in the center of her chest, didn't want to say no.
"No."
Tony blinked. "Well that was not how I hoped that would go."
"You thought I'd say yes." Something that felt a lot like shame welled up in Pepper. Letting Tony down wasn't a feeling she was used to. Oh, she did it frequently with things that were work-related. This was different, personal. Pepper suddenly wished she had said yes. It was still crazy but... it was Tony. She should have expected him to throw himself into this as solidly as he did everything else in his life. It unnerved her that she had underestimated him.
Even though she had kissed him, agreed to date him, some part of her clearly still expected him to be the same Tony as always, the one who could say the most amazing things but never meant them. The Tony who brought a different woman - or two - back to his mansion every night.
Tony shrugged. "Yeah."
"I tell you 'no' all the time." Pepper realized it was different, not relevant, but she wasn't sure what to say to this Tony, the one who had really meant this proposal.
"But not about the things that really matter." And this was the most important thing he'd ever done.
Pepper swallowed hard. "No," she agreed. "Not usually."
She reached out to cover his hand with both of her own, leaning forward a little to reach. He didn't move or look up; Pepper brushed her thumb across the back of his hand in slow, soothing circles.
"Tony." This time he did look up. Pepper attempted a smile. "It's too soon. We just haven't had time yet. We don't know..."
"I know," Tony countered.
"You haven't even-" Pepper cut herself off. If she said it, it would seem like she was fishing. Which she wasn't. She would not be like those women, the ones in his life only to get what they could from him. If she finished her thought now, he would think that was all it would take for her to say yes. It wasn't true and it wasn't fair - to either of them. If he said it now, she would always wonder if he said it just to get her to marry him. She couldn't stand the thought of that.
"Haven't what?"
"Nothing."
"It's not nothing. Tell me."
Somehow, and Pepper wasn't quite sure how, his hand, the one she'd held, had gotten free. His fingertips, faintly rough from all his time down in his workshop, ghosted over the sensitive skin of the inside of her wrist. Goosebumps rose on her skin and Pepper shivered.
"Tell me or I'll have to find another way to get that information out of you." The heat in his gaze told her just what tactics he would be trying to get her to talk.
Just the thought of that sensual onslaught made Pepper flush. "Promise?"
Tony blinked, looking a little stunned, and then let out a deep peal of laughter.
"All you had to do was ask, Ms. Potts."
"But this is so much more fun." Pepper said it without thinking.
Tony's face fell. It took Pepper a moment to realize why.
"Not this," Pepper said quickly. "Not telling you no." This was gonna come back and bite her in the ass. She just knew it. Tony would be impossible but he deserved to know. "You have no idea how hard that was-"
"Then say yes."
Pepper's lips quirked. "No." She shook her head. "I meant the other. The arguing with you." She took another breath, not sure she should admit this either. "The flirting with you."
Tony let out a delighted laugh. "So you finally admit it."
Pepper flushed and smiled drolly. "I admit nothing."
Someone discreetly cleared their throat. Pepper looked up sharply to see their waiter standing by the table. She hadn't even noticed him come up. The startled expression on Tony's face said he hadn't, either.
"Hi, my name is Dan..."
Pepper tuned the rest of his spiel out, her attention still focused on Tony. She only drew her eyes away from him long enough to give the waiter her drink order.
Their laughter, her admission of how she liked flirting with him, had eased the tension. The bad tension, at least. The chemistry between she and Tony was still electric.
"So you won't marry me," Tony said, when the waiter was gone.
"Not today."
"Well, I wasn't going to drag you to Vegas," Tony mumbled. "There was going to be an engagement and everything."
This kind of sulking Pepper knew how to deal with. "You're too kind."
"I wasn't going to rush into anything," Tony continued with an air of dignified injury.
Pepper just laughed. She couldn't help it. "I'm pretty sure proposing on the first date is the definition of rushing things, Tony."
"Yeah, well..." He shrugged.
Silence grew for a minute and lingered, but it wasn't uncomfortable. There was simply no need for conversation as Pepper met his gaze easily. Tenderness welled up in her for this man. Tony could make her laugh and drive her crazy like no one else. She loved him for it and one day she would agree to marry him. Just not today.
"Ask me again." Pepper said impulsively. It was suddenly very important to her that he knew she hadn't said no because she didn't want to marry him. It simply wasn't the right time yet.
"Marry me."
Pepper laughed. "I meant later, Tony. Much later. Surprise me."
"I'll hold you to that."
"Good," Tony agreed, his speech as brusque as ever. "Just don't expect to get a peek at the ring until you say yes."
"Tony!" Pepper gasped. He couldn't be serious. He didn't really have a ring...did he?
Tony just smiled and patted his jacket pocket. Pepper could just make out the faint edges of a small box.
He really had been serious. Just when Pepper thought Tony couldn't possibly surprise her any more, he did just that. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming, so Pepper did, leaning across the table to capture his lips with her own.
She couldn't believe this impossible, frustrating man who made her feel more loved than she had ever been. Even if he hadn't said those three little words yet.
Fandom: Iron Man I & II
Characters/Pairing: Tony Stark/Pepper Potts, James Rhodes, Happy Hogan
Category: Humor, Angst, Romance, Drama
Rating: NC-17, eventually
Word count: 1,529
Summary: The second time Tony Stark proposed it was in a timely manner.
Spoilers/Timeline: This one takes place after the second movie.
Disclaimer: All characters (Tony Stark, Pepper Potts blah blah etc.) and situations belong to Marvel Comics, Disney, etc. I'm not them. Also, Star Wars. Wtf?
Beta: Many thanks to infinitlight for taking a look at this for me. I was having a definite case of the new fandom jitters and her help and opinion was greatly appreciated. As was her fixing of all my commas. Commas hate me.
I.
II. & III.
"Marry me."
Pepper gaped, lost for words. Her mouth opened and closed several times before she pressed her lips together and shook her head.
"Tony, it's our first date. They haven't even taken our drink order yet."
Her careful over-enunciation had not the slightest effect on Tony. He simply grinned bigger.
"Why waste time, Potts?"
"I...Tony, you just can't," Pepper said feebly, knowing even as she said it that her argument didn’t have a shot in hell of working. Tony was used to running over everyone and everything in his path to get what he wanted, and apparently what he thought he wanted at this moment was Pepper.
"Why not?"
So many reasons. Not nearly enough.
"You're not serious."
"More serious than I've ever been, Virginia."
Pepper trembled. She had seen and done many things as part of her duties at Stark Industries. None of it had ever prepared her for having the full, intense focus of his gaze on her. When Tony gave something his complete focus there was nothing else like it. It was what made him such a damn good engineer.
It left Pepper feeling faint and a little bit breathless.
"The Board." It was all she could manage to get out under the weight of his eyes. She couldn't - could not - think about what he had just said.
"Loves you. Thinks you're the best thing to ever happen to me." He fell back against the back of his chair. "They would be right."
"As your PA, not your wife." Just saying that word made Pepper feel a little light-headed. In a good way.
Tony waved a dismissive hand. "You'll have to do better than that."
"People will think I'm taking advantage of you."
"I don't care what people think. Just what you think."
Pepper huffed. "It's crazy, Tony. You have to know that."
"I like crazy. It's worked well for me," Tony said, sounding completely indifferent. His eyes told a different story. Anyone but Pepper would have missed it, but she recognized the faint hurt in his gaze all too well.
It was why, even in the state she was in, Pepper had held back her real reasons. Tony wouldn't understand. He would misinterpret her fear and worry and turn it into something that was all about him. That she didn't love him. And that was just not true.
She was Pepper Potts. She didn't do crazy and impractical. He was the impulsive one. She had to be grounded enough for both of them. No matter how loudly her heart was screaming to just say yes.
"Tony..."
"You know, Potts, in all of these excuses - which are absurd, by the way - you haven't said no."
Pepper's heart clenched. He had a point. Part of her, a large part, the part currently residing in the center of her chest, didn't want to say no.
"No."
Tony blinked. "Well that was not how I hoped that would go."
"You thought I'd say yes." Something that felt a lot like shame welled up in Pepper. Letting Tony down wasn't a feeling she was used to. Oh, she did it frequently with things that were work-related. This was different, personal. Pepper suddenly wished she had said yes. It was still crazy but... it was Tony. She should have expected him to throw himself into this as solidly as he did everything else in his life. It unnerved her that she had underestimated him.
Even though she had kissed him, agreed to date him, some part of her clearly still expected him to be the same Tony as always, the one who could say the most amazing things but never meant them. The Tony who brought a different woman - or two - back to his mansion every night.
Tony shrugged. "Yeah."
"I tell you 'no' all the time." Pepper realized it was different, not relevant, but she wasn't sure what to say to this Tony, the one who had really meant this proposal.
"But not about the things that really matter." And this was the most important thing he'd ever done.
Pepper swallowed hard. "No," she agreed. "Not usually."
She reached out to cover his hand with both of her own, leaning forward a little to reach. He didn't move or look up; Pepper brushed her thumb across the back of his hand in slow, soothing circles.
"Tony." This time he did look up. Pepper attempted a smile. "It's too soon. We just haven't had time yet. We don't know..."
"I know," Tony countered.
"You haven't even-" Pepper cut herself off. If she said it, it would seem like she was fishing. Which she wasn't. She would not be like those women, the ones in his life only to get what they could from him. If she finished her thought now, he would think that was all it would take for her to say yes. It wasn't true and it wasn't fair - to either of them. If he said it now, she would always wonder if he said it just to get her to marry him. She couldn't stand the thought of that.
"Haven't what?"
"Nothing."
"It's not nothing. Tell me."
Somehow, and Pepper wasn't quite sure how, his hand, the one she'd held, had gotten free. His fingertips, faintly rough from all his time down in his workshop, ghosted over the sensitive skin of the inside of her wrist. Goosebumps rose on her skin and Pepper shivered.
"Tell me or I'll have to find another way to get that information out of you." The heat in his gaze told her just what tactics he would be trying to get her to talk.
Just the thought of that sensual onslaught made Pepper flush. "Promise?"
Tony blinked, looking a little stunned, and then let out a deep peal of laughter.
"All you had to do was ask, Ms. Potts."
"But this is so much more fun." Pepper said it without thinking.
Tony's face fell. It took Pepper a moment to realize why.
"Not this," Pepper said quickly. "Not telling you no." This was gonna come back and bite her in the ass. She just knew it. Tony would be impossible but he deserved to know. "You have no idea how hard that was-"
"Then say yes."
Pepper's lips quirked. "No." She shook her head. "I meant the other. The arguing with you." She took another breath, not sure she should admit this either. "The flirting with you."
Tony let out a delighted laugh. "So you finally admit it."
Pepper flushed and smiled drolly. "I admit nothing."
Someone discreetly cleared their throat. Pepper looked up sharply to see their waiter standing by the table. She hadn't even noticed him come up. The startled expression on Tony's face said he hadn't, either.
"Hi, my name is Dan..."
Pepper tuned the rest of his spiel out, her attention still focused on Tony. She only drew her eyes away from him long enough to give the waiter her drink order.
Their laughter, her admission of how she liked flirting with him, had eased the tension. The bad tension, at least. The chemistry between she and Tony was still electric.
"So you won't marry me," Tony said, when the waiter was gone.
"Not today."
"Well, I wasn't going to drag you to Vegas," Tony mumbled. "There was going to be an engagement and everything."
This kind of sulking Pepper knew how to deal with. "You're too kind."
"I wasn't going to rush into anything," Tony continued with an air of dignified injury.
Pepper just laughed. She couldn't help it. "I'm pretty sure proposing on the first date is the definition of rushing things, Tony."
"Yeah, well..." He shrugged.
Silence grew for a minute and lingered, but it wasn't uncomfortable. There was simply no need for conversation as Pepper met his gaze easily. Tenderness welled up in her for this man. Tony could make her laugh and drive her crazy like no one else. She loved him for it and one day she would agree to marry him. Just not today.
"Ask me again." Pepper said impulsively. It was suddenly very important to her that he knew she hadn't said no because she didn't want to marry him. It simply wasn't the right time yet.
"Marry me."
Pepper laughed. "I meant later, Tony. Much later. Surprise me."
"I'll hold you to that."
"Good," Tony agreed, his speech as brusque as ever. "Just don't expect to get a peek at the ring until you say yes."
"Tony!" Pepper gasped. He couldn't be serious. He didn't really have a ring...did he?
Tony just smiled and patted his jacket pocket. Pepper could just make out the faint edges of a small box.
He really had been serious. Just when Pepper thought Tony couldn't possibly surprise her any more, he did just that. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming, so Pepper did, leaning across the table to capture his lips with her own.
She couldn't believe this impossible, frustrating man who made her feel more loved than she had ever been. Even if he hadn't said those three little words yet.
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