![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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: 5,365
Summary: The fifth time Tony Stark proposed it was a retcon, romantic gesture thing.
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.
Author's Note: Early post, woo! I didn't think anyone would mind. Y'all don't mind right? Lol. Have a good weekend, y'all. I certainly will be. :D
Proposal 1 || Proposal 2 & 3 || Proposal 4
V.
The limousine rolled to a stop and Pepper glanced up, taking a split second to gird herself against the onslaught of paparazzi, legions of hangers-on and already slightly drunken party goers that would be on her the moment she stepped out of the limo. Instead Pepper saw the gently lit half-circle driveway leading up to the shadows of a very familiar portico.
“Happy, what are we doing here?” Pepper asked, craning her neck to around the seat in front of her to catch a glimpse of him. “We were supposed to be-”
“Orders, Ma’am,” Happy said, in his usual easy going manner.
Pepper’s eyes narrowed. “And where is Mr. Stark?” In the rearview mirror, Pepper saw Happy start to answer. His reply was cut off by the door on her side of the car being swung open.
“At your service, Ms. Potts.”
“Do you have Jarvis spying on me again?”
Tony’s lips quirked. “Only on special occasions.”
Pepper thought about it - thought about how Tony had been genuinely surprised when she had strode down into his workshop a few days before wearing nothing but a trench coat - and decided that Tony was probably telling the truth. She could live with that. She was used to him taking extraordinary liberties when it came to, well, everything. She was equally good at pushing back and enforcing the boundaries and limits that she found to be necessary. As well as a few that weren’t strictly necessary, just to make certain that he knew he couldn’t push her around.
“And what is the tonight’s special occasion? I thought I was supposed to be attending a gala in your absence.”
“Yeah, about that. Minor change in plans. In my absence and yours. I called your assistant this afternoon.”
“Tony...”
“I really did!” he protested. “You can call and ask. I may have said something about making it worth his while to forget to mention it to you.”
“You cannot corrupt my assistant, Tony.”
“Can too,” he countered. “Bet I’d be really good at it too.”
“Stick to corrupting your own assistant,” Pepper said firmly. “I like mine just the way he is - unscarred by the Tony Stark experience.”
“But if I corrupt my assistant, my COO would kill me, Pepper,” Tony pointed out, with a hint of a whine.
Pepper’s lips quirked, not in the least perturbed by his insinuation. If she’d had any doubts about his fidelity and commitment they wouldn’t have been together in the first place. “I said corrupt, not sexually harass, Tony. I thought you’d know the difference by now.”
“Aw, Pepper, you’re the only one I want to sexually harass.”
“You say the sweetest things.” Pepper didn’t even try to hold back the smile that curved over her lips.
“Hey, Potts, what do you say we get out of here?” Tony suggested, casually offering her his hand to help her out of the limo. “I gave Happy the night off and I’m pretty sure he wants to get to that.”
“How can I refuse an offer like that?” Pepper responded, taking his hand and letting him pull her gently toward him. She gave a quick glance up and down his body before she pressed herself into his side. “You look amazing tonight, Mr. Stark.” Standing there, barefoot and in a suit - one she’d mentioned on more than one occasion was a favorite of hers - with matching tie, one of the first she had ever bought for him, his hair looking as if it had once been carefully done, but was now thoroughly rumpled, he looked more than just amazing. It was all Pepper could do to keep from jumping him in the driveway. Tony probably knew that already. He had probably dressed up on purpose. Or he could simply be being his usual absent-minded self and forgotten to change from when he’d come into the office earlier in the day. That was the wonderfully infuriating thing about Tony. She could never quite tell what was carefully calculated and what wasn’t.
Tony grinned, tilting his head down to claim her lips as he slipped his arms around her, pulling her more tightly to him. “Oh good. I was hoping you’d notice. I thought I might have to try a little harder to pull your attention away from work.”
Pepper snorted. “You always have my attention if only because you wouldn’t have it any other way, Tony.”
“Right you are.
“So where are we going? You never answered.”
“Do you know what day it is?”
Used to such conversational non-sequiturs, Pepper didn’t even blink. “Tuesday.”
“And the date?”
A smile began to tug at the corner of Pepper’s lips. She had a suspicion she knew where this was going. “March 1st, Mr. Stark.”
“Very good, Ms. Potts. And do you know what world-changing event happened-” He hesitated slightly. “-some decades ago.”
“You may have to be more precise,” Pepper pointed out. “How many decades exactly was that?”
“Pepper,” Tony growled as Pepper’s laugh rang out into the night.
“Mmm, well it is your birthday today, but I’m sure you’re not referring to that. Nothing world-changing, after all.”
Tony groaned theatrically and held his hand over his heart. “You wound me.”
“I’m sure,” Pepper said, laying her hand over his.
“As I was saying,” Tony said, still carrying a wounded air. “It is my birthday so I thought we could have a private little celebration.”
Pepper glanced over at him in surprise. “I thought that was going to be on Saturday.” Of course she hadn’t exactly forgotten that today was his birthday. That’s why she had nothing on beneath her suit besides a bra and matching garter belt to hold up her stockings.
“Yeah, I think SI insisted on having something, but I wanted something a little less corporate and formal.”
Of course he did. Pepper knew all about the birthday parties that Tony had thrown himself in the past. Last year’s being a shining example - and one that was making her feel faintly sick as she thought about it.
“Exactly how many people are waiting inside?” Pepper trusted Tony. Really she did. That was why she wasn’t already calling Happy back to take her to her previous engagement. She didn’t want to watch Tony self-destruct all over again. Her heart couldn’t take it.
“None,” Tony said succinctly. “It’s just us tonight, honey.” He leaned a little more into her personal space until his lips were brushing up against her ear and she could feel the faint tickle of his goatee. “Private means private.”
A rush of warmth and excitement surged through Pepper, both at his words and his closeness. “Did you have something planned?”
Tony shrugged. “Just dinner. Anything else is up to you.” He raised one eyebrow in what would have been a leer, but it didn’t really look like his heart was in it. “Not unless you have presents.”
Pepper smiled with all the mystique of the Mona Lisa. “I may.”
“Where?” Tony demanded. “Jarvis and I have been looking for weeks.”
“I’ll never tell.”
Pepper kept up her refusal to answer as Tony led her into the house, only giving her time to put down her bag and phone before he dragged her out to the balcony. The balcony that was covered with pillows and cushions, lit by a ring of candles. It was the candles that surprised Pepper most of all. Tony Stark was not fond of such low-tech items. She would have been less surprised to find a glowing ring of miniature arc reactors lighting their dining area for the evening. Finding the white cushions from the ridiculously expensive couch in Tony’s living room thrown down onto the ground was less surprising. It still made some part of Pepper wince at such casual treatment of things that most people would never be able to afford. The rest of her had long ago accepted that Tony would never just be normal. It was even a little charming, when she thought about. Things were just things to Tony, no matter how much they cost. Their value lay in their usefulness and tonight these cushions were most useful for ensuring their comfort during Tony’s impromptu picnic. The attitude was almost admirable in its practicality.
They also looked incredibly inviting. The smell wafting up from the small selection of plates and bowls in the middle of the seemingly impromptu pile of pillows and cushions was nothing short of divine.
“Don’t tell me you’ve taken up cooking, Mr. Stark?” Pepper asked, turning to give him a teasing glance over her shoulder. She could feel his fingers against the small of her back; a faint touch, but oh, so distracting.
“I’m a man of many skills, Ms. Potts.”
Pepper just laughed. It was true that he was; he could do anything he put his mind to - like creating the greatest leap forward in weapons technology in decades from spare parts while being held captive in a cave. She still doubted that he had cooked dinner.
It didn’t matter. He had been the one to plan this - if not conventional, then still romantic and very sweet - dinner, just for the two of them. It was thoughtful, the thing she craved the most - well, almost the most - from him, because she had seen it the least. And on his birthday of all days, arguable the day of the year where Tony Stark was at his most self-absorbed.
Catching his hand, Pepper bent to undo the buckles on her heels, wanting them off, wanting to be comfortable before she sat down. Besides, no matter how proficient she was in heels, she still thought she might break an ankle trying to go over that pile of cushions and that would not do.
“Allow me,” Tony said, stopping her with a hand to her arm. He dropped to his knees in front of her, holding her gaze for several long moments.
Pepper’s breath caught, imagining him on one knee instead of both. She had said that he should ask again. For a moment, she thought he was reaching for something in his pocket and then he was bending, skilled fingers making short work of the buckles and strap on her heel. Her heart was already pounding in her chest before he slid his hand up to the back of her ankle and gently guided her feet free, first one and then the other.
Tony didn’t let go when he was done, but rather wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. Pepper didn’t resist. Instead her hand found its way into his hair, running lightly through the thick, deliberately mussed strands.
Tony was a very tactile person, constantly touching her in ways big and small, but rarely was he ever just still. He was now though - still - long enough that Pepper almost started to worry - until he pressed his face against her hip and looked up at her with dark, sparkling eyes.
“It occurs to me, Ms. Potts, that you seem to be in a compromising position with your boss.”
“Your boss,” Pepper corrected, though who technically had the upper hand between them at Stark Industries was still a little vague. It was probably best for the company that they never had a direct, irreparable conflict of interest. “And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Stark?” Pepper asked, challenging him. Having spent a decade avoiding his double entendres, flirtations, and leering comments, it was occasionally fun to attempt to goad him to new heights of inappropriate behavior now that she could actually enjoy it.
Tony laughed, a low gravelly sound that made her stomach give a very pleasant little flip, and gave her a good natured leer as he let her go. “I was thinking I could eat Ms. Potts.”
Pepper laughed, Tony’s tone having made it clear that he meant that sans comma. It was such a Tony thing to say. “Have I ever mentioned that I like the way you think, Mr. Stark?” Pepper said, stepping past him as his arms loosened, letting her fingers tangle briefly in his hair, just enough to give it a faint tug before she let go.
Tony leaned after her, swaying dangerously before he caught himself and straightened. “Evil, Potts,” he murmured under his breath, before he shuffled after her, not caring in the slightest about any damage that might be done to the knees of his incredibly expensive suit.
Tony let out a small huff of air as he reached his destination and turned a little awkwardly to fall back against a large white cushion. Pepper stumbled, slightly off balance on the uneven footing, and Tony straightened to catch her with hands on her hips. Instead of steadying her, however, Tony took advantage of her momentary lack of balance and gave a her a little tug, pulling Pepper down onto his lap.
“Tony,” Pepper shrieked, her hands flailing for something to steady her as she fell. “I can’t believe you did that.”
Well, actually she could.
“I can’t believe it’s taken me this long - a decade, Potts - to get you right where I want you.”
Pepper arched an eyebrow and squirmed in his lap. “Right where you want me?”
Tony let out a little groan. “Okay, maybe not right where I want you.”
Pepper laughed, squirming with more deliberation this time until she had twisted around enough to wrap her arms around his neck. Her fingers curled into the fine hairs at the base of his skull, tugging painfully and then pulling him close. Pepper kissed him with a languid intensity that sent a shiver down his spine. Reflexively Tony’s hands tightened their grip on her waist, drawing her toward him. The rough calluses on his fingers caught on the raw silk of her gown as his hands roamed over her back. Pepper arched into his touch but didn’t stop kissing him, letting her hands slide from the back of his neck to cup his face. Her thumbs brushed against stubble and Tony whimpered into her mouth. His hand clutched convulsively at the back of her dress, bunching up the fabric. And then he was tugging on her dress, pulling up the skirt.
With her skirt trapped beneath her, Tony’s actions weren’t particularly effective. It didn’t take long for his insistence to penetrate the fog of want that had begun to take over Pepper’s thought process, however. Their kiss turned sloppy. Her nose brushed against his.
She let out a little laugh as she braced on his shoulders and awkwardly rose up on his lap, her knees straddling his thighs.
“Smooth, Potts,” Tony teased before his mouth was pressing against the base of her throat. His goatee tickled, leaving the tender skin of her throat sensitized and Pepper, herself, aching for more.
Pepper didn’t have to wait for long as his hands slid beneath the now-freed skirt of her gown and ran up her thighs.
“Not all of us have as much experience as you, Tony.” Her tone wasn’t accusing, just a little acerbic.
“Don’t care,” Tony mumbled against her throat. “Perfect.”
There was the faint scrape of teeth on her skin. Pepper let out a squeak and clutched at Tony harder as his lips sealed to her skin and he began to suck. His tongue laved over the mark he was making as Pepper began to pant. Tony squeezed her ass once as he moved upwards. Since a backless blue dress and the first dance that they had shared together at the Fireman’s ball, her back had always seemed to fascinate him. Tonight was no exception with the way his hands slid over smooth skin. He never seemed to get enough of her. Pepper couldn’t bring herself to mind. If he kept touching her like this for much longer she wouldn’t be capable of minding anything.
Pepper was the responsible one. That had always been her role in their relationship. If Tony Stark was an irresistible force - something to which Pepper could certainly attest -then Pepper was the proverbial immovable object that grounded him. Their relationship had evolved, changing as Tony had when he came back from Afghanistan. No longer was Tony careless and rash. Rather, his priorities had shifted. They didn’t always align with Pepper’s but they were always there, driving him relentlessly forward with as much passion and determination as he had previously thrown into the wind to be wasted on women and whatever project of the week caught his attention, only to be discarded, likely before it was finished. It was fortunate that had changed because this Tony, the one who knew exactly the way to touch her, just the right thing to say, and did things that made her heart melt, was dangerous in a way Tony had never been before. He could make her forget herself and the things that had always seemed so important before. Perhaps not for good, or even for long, but he could. Sometimes Pepper wasn’t sure how she felt about that. The rest of the time, when even the memory of him could bring a smile to her lips, could make her feel warm and safe and loved, Pepper thought that maybe it was a good thing. What they did was important but if they forgot to just live sometimes, then what was she working for? What was Tony fighting for?
“Stop thinking,” Tony growled, kissing and nipping his way down her chest. “I can practically hear it.” He nipped a little bit harder that time. “The only thing you’re supposed to be thinking about right now is me.”
Pepper laughed, the sound turning into a gasp as his tongue laved at her nipple. Her fingers clenched around a handful of his collar.
“You are hard to ignore,” Pepper admitted, her voice coming out breathier than she had intended.
“Good,” Tony said succinctly. He raised his head to look at her. “I am pretty amazing.”
Pepper rolled her eyes. She couldn’t help it. “Oh you think so?”
“I’ll prove it. Just you wait.”
“I’ve been waiting.” It didn’t take much effort for her to sound a little put out. Foreplay was good. Tony was always amazing with his hands, but now Pepper was ready for Tony to stop playing around. Her body was on fire and she ached for want of him.
“Well, never let it be said that I kept the lady waiting when she asked so nicely,” Tony countered. He cupped the underside of her thighs and lifted, tumping her onto her back.
Pepper clutched at his forearms as she fell back into the pile of pillows, drawing him down on top of her.
“Better?” He queried.
Pepper just shook her head at him. She was gasping in the next instant as he found his goal, fingers stroking over her soaked panties. His touch was light enough to tease and torment, enough to drive her crazy but not give her relief. Pepper rolled her hips, trying to push against his hand, seeking more contact. Mostly Tony ignored her, choosing to go at his own pace, to touch and stroke where he wanted. To make Pepper wait for it.
But patience had never been Tony’s strong suit. He shifted to one side of her and pulled her panties down her legs, sitting up enough that he could take them all the way off. They were discarded just as quickly, tossed somewhere to be discovered at a later time. Thoroughly unimportant now. The roughness of his fingers against the inside of her calf and then her thigh made Pepper shiver and spread her legs wider for him. The cocky grin on his face at her reaction didn’t make her heart race. Oh, no. Then Tony stroked her, his thumb brushing across her clit. The faint touch made her jerk like she’d touched a live wire. Her hips canted towards his hand. Tony slid two fingers smoothly, easily into her.
Pepper moaned and pushed back against the contact. Tony pushed the billowy fabric of her gown a little bit higher and bent over her. His tongue, his lips found her clit with unerring accuracy. He licked and sucked, wetly, messily as his fingers pushed into her and then withdrew, setting a hard, fast rhythm that was both relief and torment. Pepper panted, each inhale quick and sharp, and every exhale ending with a little gasp she couldn’t quite contain. He fondled her breast - always, always good with his hands - and flicked his tongue over her clit. Her whole body began to sing, muscles tightening, straining as Tony brought her ever closer. It built until Pepper didn’t think she could take anymore and then built some more. She was crying out Tony’s name until it was one continuous sound and clutching at Tony’s hair, holding him to her. Pepper came with a choked noise and arched back. She barely noticed Tony slipping a hand beneath her to hold her as her orgasm rolled through her.
Pepper lay spent and trembling in his arms as Tony sat up and gathered her into his lap. Her long legs dangled over his legs at an awkward angle but Pepper couldn’t bring herself to care. She raised one limp hand to run her fingers down Tony’s cheek.
“Hey,” she spoke hoarsely. Her hand trailed down his cheek and dropped onto his chest. She stopped over the arc reactor. The faint vibrating hum of it was as familiar and welcome to her as her own heartbeat.
“Right back atcha,” Tony said. He bent to kiss her softly.
Pepper could taste herself on his lips. Even in her limp and satiated state the knowledge was a turn on. She bit his lip gently and then let it go with a scrape of her teeth.
“Pepper.” This time Tony’s voice was a whine drawing her name out in plea - both for mercy and for her not to stop.
“You seem happy to see me,” Pepper murmured. She could feel his erection pressing into her hip, even if Tony hadn’t acted on it yet.
“I’m always happy to see you.”
Pepper laughed because it was true and turned in Tony’s embrace so that she was facing him. Idly, she traced around the arc reactor and then glanced back up at him. His dark eyes were dilated with desire, but he was still just holding her and watching.
“Well, you are the birthday boy. I think I could come up with a present for you.”
Tony’s arms tightened around her. “You are my present. Every day.”
Pepper knew that if some people - people who didn’t know them - heard what he had just said, they would mistake his meaning. They would think that he meant that she was there simply for his benefit. Another thing that belonged to Tony Stark. They couldn’t have been more wrong. He saw her as a gift. Something he tried, as much as he could, to never take for granted. It could be hard to see if you weren’t paying attention but it was there. And it was one of the reasons that Pepper loved him the way she did.
“Smooth talker,” Pepper said, smiling and shifting in his lap until she was sure she had his attention. She felt between them - finding him and then his zipper - and drew it down slowly, never taking her gaze from him.
Tony met her eyes until she took him in her hand. He swallowed convulsively, and his eyes snapped shut. “Pepper...”
“Shhh,” she murmured, putting a finger over his lips. “I’ve got you.”
Tony nodded once sharply and then something in him...relaxed. Pepper knew Tony trusted her. They had been through too much together for her not to know that. But every time she saw evidence of it, the nature of the precious gift he gave her so willingly, so easily, it struck her anew. For all the times Tony had been betrayed, he never tried to protect himself by holding back from her. Instead he gave freely of himself, encouraging her to take...everything.
So Pepper did. Rising up on her knees, her hand still wrapped around him, Pepper guided herself down onto him. Tony hissed. His hands clenched her hips tight enough that Pepper wondered if she would have bruises in the morning. She waited until she had sunk all the way down on him and his grip on her hips had loosened - after urging her several times to start moving - before she began to roll her hips in a languid pace. Tony’s hand dropped from her waist and bunched the sheet up with a crushing grip.
“Look at me,” Pepper said, needing to see his eyes. They were the most expressive part of him.
His gaze was soft and liquid when he met her eyes, burning with desire. She had never found him more desirable.
“Beautiful,” Tony gritted the words out through clenched teeth. “Fucking amazing.”
At any other time, Pepper might have taken Tony to task for his language. For that moment all she could do was agree, however. He was fucking amazing. They were amazing together. She never wanted to forget this moment.
Tony’s hips were rocking against hers faster, thrusting harder. Pepper stopped trying to think or process any of this and gave in to just feeling. It wasn’t like she could have strung together a coherent thought at that point, even if she had been so inclined. Her second orgasm hit Pepper just before Tony came. He thrust up into her a handful more times as shudders racked her body and she collapsed against him. Distantly she felt him come inside her and his motions cease. His heart pounded beneath her ear; the faceplate of the arc reactor was cool against her sweat-slicked skin.
“That wasn’t part of the plan,” Tony rasped hoarsely from beneath her.
Pepper arched an eyebrow that she was well aware that he couldn’t see. “You had a plan?”
“Absolutely, Potts. You seduced me. I was trying to have a romantic dinner here.”
Pepper snorted. “Well, if you have complaints...”
“Never!” Tony gasped with mock-indignation. He sat up abruptly, making Pepper slide off his chest and end up in the pile of cushions next to him. “Is this your way of telling me you have complaints, because I’ve never-”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Stark,” Pepper cut him off. “I’m not going to feed your ego any more than twenty years of being America’s Most Wanted Playboy already did.”
“Damn,” Tony said. His voice, however, lacked any hint of regret. Instead he scooted back until he was propped up against the wall of the house and held a hand out to Pepper. She scooted up beside him willingly and rested her head on his shoulder.
Pepper took one clear-eyed look at their surroundings and let her eyes fall shut. “Am I going to have to worry about paparazzi shots of this showing up online in the morning?”
“‘course not,” Tony said blandly. “For stuff this good, TMZ would wake up its head editor at 3 AM.”
Pepper pursed her lips into a thin line. “That’s so reassuring.”
Tony stroked her hip, finding himself entranced by the smoothness of her skin there and the line of her thigh. So distracted, he almost lost the thread of their conversation. “Oh, Jarvis has it covered.”
“Jarvis?”
“Ma’am?”
Pepper wished she had opened her eyes so that she could close them again. “And I suppose you were recording this whole time?”
“No, Miss Potts. Mister Stark has left me with explicit instructions about activities that supercede my usual security programing and shutdown my recording capabilities.”
Pepper glanced up at Tony. “So he watches but he doesn’t record?”
Tony shrugged, not thinking much of it until he glanced down and saw the expression on Pepper’s face. Then he sat up a little bit straighter. “But the important thing is Jarvis also monitors any nearby vessels and aircraft that might be close enough to take pictures. Even extremely long range pictures. He’s programmed to notify the cops if they are and to shut them down.”
“Tony...”
The man in question didn’t look remotely chastened. “Trust me, Pep. I promise it’s okay. No one will ever know. I’m just...very hard to photograph. Most of the paps realized it a long time ago and moved on to easier places to catch me doing stupid things. Like bars. And clubs. And-”
Pepper cut him off with a finger to his lips. “They used to take plenty of pictures of you. I remember a particularly delightful one of your bare ass plastered against the glass door leading on the balcony while you got it on with two supermodels.”
“That was before,” Tony said simply. “You weren’t involved.”
“I was,” Pepper said indignantly. “Who do you think cleaned that mess up?”
“No, I mean, you weren’t involved with me. That was just...my bare ass.”
The meaning of his words finally filter through Pepper’s mind. She’s charmed. It’s such a typically Tony thing to say. All she could do was shake her head and lean up to kiss him. His arm slid up her back and held her to him for several long moments. Even when Pepper gently broke the kiss, Tony didn’t let go.
"When I thought I was dying, when I thought it was going to be my last birthday, I talked to Rushmanoff. I decided." He waved his hand as if it didn't matter. "If it was my last birthday I was going to do exactly what I wanted." Tony looked down at Pepper, meeting her eyes with an intensity that he reserved only for her and particularly sticky feats of engineering. He needed her to understand, to know his heart’s desire. He needed her to know him. "Only I couldn't have what I wanted." He shrugged. "I settled for getting mind-blastingly drunk and trying to forget everything."
Pepper squeezed his thigh in sympathy. That night had been hard on all of them. Knowing what he had faced alone that night made it even harder. It made a small part of her even angrier that he hadn't told her.
"What did you want?" Pepper asked quietly. There wasn't many things that Tony Stark couldn't get. Even fewer that she couldn't have gotten for him.
Tony smiled. "You. This." he held her gaze. "Sitting here barefoot, watching the stars and holding you. That's all."
He held her gaze until she couldn't hold his anymore, until her heart couldn't contain the love she had for him any more.
"Oh, Tony," the fond exclamation fell from her lips just before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, pushing him back against the wall.
He had always been able infuriate her and leave her helplessly charmed at the same time. It was disconcerting to say the least. Now that she was hopelessly in love with him, it was even worse.
Pepper clung to him tighter, breaking the kiss to bury her face in his shoulder. "Don't ever do that to me again," she whispered, remembering the party, how close he had come to dying and how close she had come to losing him. She couldn’t love him more now if she tried. That he loved her just as much was the surprise. It was everything.
(4/5)
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: 5,365
Summary: The fifth time Tony Stark proposed it was a retcon, romantic gesture thing.
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.
Author's Note: Early post, woo! I didn't think anyone would mind. Y'all don't mind right? Lol. Have a good weekend, y'all. I certainly will be. :D
Proposal 1 || Proposal 2 & 3 || Proposal 4
V.
The limousine rolled to a stop and Pepper glanced up, taking a split second to gird herself against the onslaught of paparazzi, legions of hangers-on and already slightly drunken party goers that would be on her the moment she stepped out of the limo. Instead Pepper saw the gently lit half-circle driveway leading up to the shadows of a very familiar portico.
“Happy, what are we doing here?” Pepper asked, craning her neck to around the seat in front of her to catch a glimpse of him. “We were supposed to be-”
“Orders, Ma’am,” Happy said, in his usual easy going manner.
Pepper’s eyes narrowed. “And where is Mr. Stark?” In the rearview mirror, Pepper saw Happy start to answer. His reply was cut off by the door on her side of the car being swung open.
“At your service, Ms. Potts.”
“Do you have Jarvis spying on me again?”
Tony’s lips quirked. “Only on special occasions.”
Pepper thought about it - thought about how Tony had been genuinely surprised when she had strode down into his workshop a few days before wearing nothing but a trench coat - and decided that Tony was probably telling the truth. She could live with that. She was used to him taking extraordinary liberties when it came to, well, everything. She was equally good at pushing back and enforcing the boundaries and limits that she found to be necessary. As well as a few that weren’t strictly necessary, just to make certain that he knew he couldn’t push her around.
“And what is the tonight’s special occasion? I thought I was supposed to be attending a gala in your absence.”
“Yeah, about that. Minor change in plans. In my absence and yours. I called your assistant this afternoon.”
“Tony...”
“I really did!” he protested. “You can call and ask. I may have said something about making it worth his while to forget to mention it to you.”
“You cannot corrupt my assistant, Tony.”
“Can too,” he countered. “Bet I’d be really good at it too.”
“Stick to corrupting your own assistant,” Pepper said firmly. “I like mine just the way he is - unscarred by the Tony Stark experience.”
“But if I corrupt my assistant, my COO would kill me, Pepper,” Tony pointed out, with a hint of a whine.
Pepper’s lips quirked, not in the least perturbed by his insinuation. If she’d had any doubts about his fidelity and commitment they wouldn’t have been together in the first place. “I said corrupt, not sexually harass, Tony. I thought you’d know the difference by now.”
“Aw, Pepper, you’re the only one I want to sexually harass.”
“You say the sweetest things.” Pepper didn’t even try to hold back the smile that curved over her lips.
“Hey, Potts, what do you say we get out of here?” Tony suggested, casually offering her his hand to help her out of the limo. “I gave Happy the night off and I’m pretty sure he wants to get to that.”
“How can I refuse an offer like that?” Pepper responded, taking his hand and letting him pull her gently toward him. She gave a quick glance up and down his body before she pressed herself into his side. “You look amazing tonight, Mr. Stark.” Standing there, barefoot and in a suit - one she’d mentioned on more than one occasion was a favorite of hers - with matching tie, one of the first she had ever bought for him, his hair looking as if it had once been carefully done, but was now thoroughly rumpled, he looked more than just amazing. It was all Pepper could do to keep from jumping him in the driveway. Tony probably knew that already. He had probably dressed up on purpose. Or he could simply be being his usual absent-minded self and forgotten to change from when he’d come into the office earlier in the day. That was the wonderfully infuriating thing about Tony. She could never quite tell what was carefully calculated and what wasn’t.
Tony grinned, tilting his head down to claim her lips as he slipped his arms around her, pulling her more tightly to him. “Oh good. I was hoping you’d notice. I thought I might have to try a little harder to pull your attention away from work.”
Pepper snorted. “You always have my attention if only because you wouldn’t have it any other way, Tony.”
“Right you are.
“So where are we going? You never answered.”
“Do you know what day it is?”
Used to such conversational non-sequiturs, Pepper didn’t even blink. “Tuesday.”
“And the date?”
A smile began to tug at the corner of Pepper’s lips. She had a suspicion she knew where this was going. “March 1st, Mr. Stark.”
“Very good, Ms. Potts. And do you know what world-changing event happened-” He hesitated slightly. “-some decades ago.”
“You may have to be more precise,” Pepper pointed out. “How many decades exactly was that?”
“Pepper,” Tony growled as Pepper’s laugh rang out into the night.
“Mmm, well it is your birthday today, but I’m sure you’re not referring to that. Nothing world-changing, after all.”
Tony groaned theatrically and held his hand over his heart. “You wound me.”
“I’m sure,” Pepper said, laying her hand over his.
“As I was saying,” Tony said, still carrying a wounded air. “It is my birthday so I thought we could have a private little celebration.”
Pepper glanced over at him in surprise. “I thought that was going to be on Saturday.” Of course she hadn’t exactly forgotten that today was his birthday. That’s why she had nothing on beneath her suit besides a bra and matching garter belt to hold up her stockings.
“Yeah, I think SI insisted on having something, but I wanted something a little less corporate and formal.”
Of course he did. Pepper knew all about the birthday parties that Tony had thrown himself in the past. Last year’s being a shining example - and one that was making her feel faintly sick as she thought about it.
“Exactly how many people are waiting inside?” Pepper trusted Tony. Really she did. That was why she wasn’t already calling Happy back to take her to her previous engagement. She didn’t want to watch Tony self-destruct all over again. Her heart couldn’t take it.
“None,” Tony said succinctly. “It’s just us tonight, honey.” He leaned a little more into her personal space until his lips were brushing up against her ear and she could feel the faint tickle of his goatee. “Private means private.”
A rush of warmth and excitement surged through Pepper, both at his words and his closeness. “Did you have something planned?”
Tony shrugged. “Just dinner. Anything else is up to you.” He raised one eyebrow in what would have been a leer, but it didn’t really look like his heart was in it. “Not unless you have presents.”
Pepper smiled with all the mystique of the Mona Lisa. “I may.”
“Where?” Tony demanded. “Jarvis and I have been looking for weeks.”
“I’ll never tell.”
Pepper kept up her refusal to answer as Tony led her into the house, only giving her time to put down her bag and phone before he dragged her out to the balcony. The balcony that was covered with pillows and cushions, lit by a ring of candles. It was the candles that surprised Pepper most of all. Tony Stark was not fond of such low-tech items. She would have been less surprised to find a glowing ring of miniature arc reactors lighting their dining area for the evening. Finding the white cushions from the ridiculously expensive couch in Tony’s living room thrown down onto the ground was less surprising. It still made some part of Pepper wince at such casual treatment of things that most people would never be able to afford. The rest of her had long ago accepted that Tony would never just be normal. It was even a little charming, when she thought about. Things were just things to Tony, no matter how much they cost. Their value lay in their usefulness and tonight these cushions were most useful for ensuring their comfort during Tony’s impromptu picnic. The attitude was almost admirable in its practicality.
They also looked incredibly inviting. The smell wafting up from the small selection of plates and bowls in the middle of the seemingly impromptu pile of pillows and cushions was nothing short of divine.
“Don’t tell me you’ve taken up cooking, Mr. Stark?” Pepper asked, turning to give him a teasing glance over her shoulder. She could feel his fingers against the small of her back; a faint touch, but oh, so distracting.
“I’m a man of many skills, Ms. Potts.”
Pepper just laughed. It was true that he was; he could do anything he put his mind to - like creating the greatest leap forward in weapons technology in decades from spare parts while being held captive in a cave. She still doubted that he had cooked dinner.
It didn’t matter. He had been the one to plan this - if not conventional, then still romantic and very sweet - dinner, just for the two of them. It was thoughtful, the thing she craved the most - well, almost the most - from him, because she had seen it the least. And on his birthday of all days, arguable the day of the year where Tony Stark was at his most self-absorbed.
Catching his hand, Pepper bent to undo the buckles on her heels, wanting them off, wanting to be comfortable before she sat down. Besides, no matter how proficient she was in heels, she still thought she might break an ankle trying to go over that pile of cushions and that would not do.
“Allow me,” Tony said, stopping her with a hand to her arm. He dropped to his knees in front of her, holding her gaze for several long moments.
Pepper’s breath caught, imagining him on one knee instead of both. She had said that he should ask again. For a moment, she thought he was reaching for something in his pocket and then he was bending, skilled fingers making short work of the buckles and strap on her heel. Her heart was already pounding in her chest before he slid his hand up to the back of her ankle and gently guided her feet free, first one and then the other.
Tony didn’t let go when he was done, but rather wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close. Pepper didn’t resist. Instead her hand found its way into his hair, running lightly through the thick, deliberately mussed strands.
Tony was a very tactile person, constantly touching her in ways big and small, but rarely was he ever just still. He was now though - still - long enough that Pepper almost started to worry - until he pressed his face against her hip and looked up at her with dark, sparkling eyes.
“It occurs to me, Ms. Potts, that you seem to be in a compromising position with your boss.”
“Your boss,” Pepper corrected, though who technically had the upper hand between them at Stark Industries was still a little vague. It was probably best for the company that they never had a direct, irreparable conflict of interest. “And what are you going to do about it, Mr. Stark?” Pepper asked, challenging him. Having spent a decade avoiding his double entendres, flirtations, and leering comments, it was occasionally fun to attempt to goad him to new heights of inappropriate behavior now that she could actually enjoy it.
Tony laughed, a low gravelly sound that made her stomach give a very pleasant little flip, and gave her a good natured leer as he let her go. “I was thinking I could eat Ms. Potts.”
Pepper laughed, Tony’s tone having made it clear that he meant that sans comma. It was such a Tony thing to say. “Have I ever mentioned that I like the way you think, Mr. Stark?” Pepper said, stepping past him as his arms loosened, letting her fingers tangle briefly in his hair, just enough to give it a faint tug before she let go.
Tony leaned after her, swaying dangerously before he caught himself and straightened. “Evil, Potts,” he murmured under his breath, before he shuffled after her, not caring in the slightest about any damage that might be done to the knees of his incredibly expensive suit.
Tony let out a small huff of air as he reached his destination and turned a little awkwardly to fall back against a large white cushion. Pepper stumbled, slightly off balance on the uneven footing, and Tony straightened to catch her with hands on her hips. Instead of steadying her, however, Tony took advantage of her momentary lack of balance and gave a her a little tug, pulling Pepper down onto his lap.
“Tony,” Pepper shrieked, her hands flailing for something to steady her as she fell. “I can’t believe you did that.”
Well, actually she could.
“I can’t believe it’s taken me this long - a decade, Potts - to get you right where I want you.”
Pepper arched an eyebrow and squirmed in his lap. “Right where you want me?”
Tony let out a little groan. “Okay, maybe not right where I want you.”
Pepper laughed, squirming with more deliberation this time until she had twisted around enough to wrap her arms around his neck. Her fingers curled into the fine hairs at the base of his skull, tugging painfully and then pulling him close. Pepper kissed him with a languid intensity that sent a shiver down his spine. Reflexively Tony’s hands tightened their grip on her waist, drawing her toward him. The rough calluses on his fingers caught on the raw silk of her gown as his hands roamed over her back. Pepper arched into his touch but didn’t stop kissing him, letting her hands slide from the back of his neck to cup his face. Her thumbs brushed against stubble and Tony whimpered into her mouth. His hand clutched convulsively at the back of her dress, bunching up the fabric. And then he was tugging on her dress, pulling up the skirt.
With her skirt trapped beneath her, Tony’s actions weren’t particularly effective. It didn’t take long for his insistence to penetrate the fog of want that had begun to take over Pepper’s thought process, however. Their kiss turned sloppy. Her nose brushed against his.
She let out a little laugh as she braced on his shoulders and awkwardly rose up on his lap, her knees straddling his thighs.
“Smooth, Potts,” Tony teased before his mouth was pressing against the base of her throat. His goatee tickled, leaving the tender skin of her throat sensitized and Pepper, herself, aching for more.
Pepper didn’t have to wait for long as his hands slid beneath the now-freed skirt of her gown and ran up her thighs.
“Not all of us have as much experience as you, Tony.” Her tone wasn’t accusing, just a little acerbic.
“Don’t care,” Tony mumbled against her throat. “Perfect.”
There was the faint scrape of teeth on her skin. Pepper let out a squeak and clutched at Tony harder as his lips sealed to her skin and he began to suck. His tongue laved over the mark he was making as Pepper began to pant. Tony squeezed her ass once as he moved upwards. Since a backless blue dress and the first dance that they had shared together at the Fireman’s ball, her back had always seemed to fascinate him. Tonight was no exception with the way his hands slid over smooth skin. He never seemed to get enough of her. Pepper couldn’t bring herself to mind. If he kept touching her like this for much longer she wouldn’t be capable of minding anything.
Pepper was the responsible one. That had always been her role in their relationship. If Tony Stark was an irresistible force - something to which Pepper could certainly attest -then Pepper was the proverbial immovable object that grounded him. Their relationship had evolved, changing as Tony had when he came back from Afghanistan. No longer was Tony careless and rash. Rather, his priorities had shifted. They didn’t always align with Pepper’s but they were always there, driving him relentlessly forward with as much passion and determination as he had previously thrown into the wind to be wasted on women and whatever project of the week caught his attention, only to be discarded, likely before it was finished. It was fortunate that had changed because this Tony, the one who knew exactly the way to touch her, just the right thing to say, and did things that made her heart melt, was dangerous in a way Tony had never been before. He could make her forget herself and the things that had always seemed so important before. Perhaps not for good, or even for long, but he could. Sometimes Pepper wasn’t sure how she felt about that. The rest of the time, when even the memory of him could bring a smile to her lips, could make her feel warm and safe and loved, Pepper thought that maybe it was a good thing. What they did was important but if they forgot to just live sometimes, then what was she working for? What was Tony fighting for?
“Stop thinking,” Tony growled, kissing and nipping his way down her chest. “I can practically hear it.” He nipped a little bit harder that time. “The only thing you’re supposed to be thinking about right now is me.”
Pepper laughed, the sound turning into a gasp as his tongue laved at her nipple. Her fingers clenched around a handful of his collar.
“You are hard to ignore,” Pepper admitted, her voice coming out breathier than she had intended.
“Good,” Tony said succinctly. He raised his head to look at her. “I am pretty amazing.”
Pepper rolled her eyes. She couldn’t help it. “Oh you think so?”
“I’ll prove it. Just you wait.”
“I’ve been waiting.” It didn’t take much effort for her to sound a little put out. Foreplay was good. Tony was always amazing with his hands, but now Pepper was ready for Tony to stop playing around. Her body was on fire and she ached for want of him.
“Well, never let it be said that I kept the lady waiting when she asked so nicely,” Tony countered. He cupped the underside of her thighs and lifted, tumping her onto her back.
Pepper clutched at his forearms as she fell back into the pile of pillows, drawing him down on top of her.
“Better?” He queried.
Pepper just shook her head at him. She was gasping in the next instant as he found his goal, fingers stroking over her soaked panties. His touch was light enough to tease and torment, enough to drive her crazy but not give her relief. Pepper rolled her hips, trying to push against his hand, seeking more contact. Mostly Tony ignored her, choosing to go at his own pace, to touch and stroke where he wanted. To make Pepper wait for it.
But patience had never been Tony’s strong suit. He shifted to one side of her and pulled her panties down her legs, sitting up enough that he could take them all the way off. They were discarded just as quickly, tossed somewhere to be discovered at a later time. Thoroughly unimportant now. The roughness of his fingers against the inside of her calf and then her thigh made Pepper shiver and spread her legs wider for him. The cocky grin on his face at her reaction didn’t make her heart race. Oh, no. Then Tony stroked her, his thumb brushing across her clit. The faint touch made her jerk like she’d touched a live wire. Her hips canted towards his hand. Tony slid two fingers smoothly, easily into her.
Pepper moaned and pushed back against the contact. Tony pushed the billowy fabric of her gown a little bit higher and bent over her. His tongue, his lips found her clit with unerring accuracy. He licked and sucked, wetly, messily as his fingers pushed into her and then withdrew, setting a hard, fast rhythm that was both relief and torment. Pepper panted, each inhale quick and sharp, and every exhale ending with a little gasp she couldn’t quite contain. He fondled her breast - always, always good with his hands - and flicked his tongue over her clit. Her whole body began to sing, muscles tightening, straining as Tony brought her ever closer. It built until Pepper didn’t think she could take anymore and then built some more. She was crying out Tony’s name until it was one continuous sound and clutching at Tony’s hair, holding him to her. Pepper came with a choked noise and arched back. She barely noticed Tony slipping a hand beneath her to hold her as her orgasm rolled through her.
Pepper lay spent and trembling in his arms as Tony sat up and gathered her into his lap. Her long legs dangled over his legs at an awkward angle but Pepper couldn’t bring herself to care. She raised one limp hand to run her fingers down Tony’s cheek.
“Hey,” she spoke hoarsely. Her hand trailed down his cheek and dropped onto his chest. She stopped over the arc reactor. The faint vibrating hum of it was as familiar and welcome to her as her own heartbeat.
“Right back atcha,” Tony said. He bent to kiss her softly.
Pepper could taste herself on his lips. Even in her limp and satiated state the knowledge was a turn on. She bit his lip gently and then let it go with a scrape of her teeth.
“Pepper.” This time Tony’s voice was a whine drawing her name out in plea - both for mercy and for her not to stop.
“You seem happy to see me,” Pepper murmured. She could feel his erection pressing into her hip, even if Tony hadn’t acted on it yet.
“I’m always happy to see you.”
Pepper laughed because it was true and turned in Tony’s embrace so that she was facing him. Idly, she traced around the arc reactor and then glanced back up at him. His dark eyes were dilated with desire, but he was still just holding her and watching.
“Well, you are the birthday boy. I think I could come up with a present for you.”
Tony’s arms tightened around her. “You are my present. Every day.”
Pepper knew that if some people - people who didn’t know them - heard what he had just said, they would mistake his meaning. They would think that he meant that she was there simply for his benefit. Another thing that belonged to Tony Stark. They couldn’t have been more wrong. He saw her as a gift. Something he tried, as much as he could, to never take for granted. It could be hard to see if you weren’t paying attention but it was there. And it was one of the reasons that Pepper loved him the way she did.
“Smooth talker,” Pepper said, smiling and shifting in his lap until she was sure she had his attention. She felt between them - finding him and then his zipper - and drew it down slowly, never taking her gaze from him.
Tony met her eyes until she took him in her hand. He swallowed convulsively, and his eyes snapped shut. “Pepper...”
“Shhh,” she murmured, putting a finger over his lips. “I’ve got you.”
Tony nodded once sharply and then something in him...relaxed. Pepper knew Tony trusted her. They had been through too much together for her not to know that. But every time she saw evidence of it, the nature of the precious gift he gave her so willingly, so easily, it struck her anew. For all the times Tony had been betrayed, he never tried to protect himself by holding back from her. Instead he gave freely of himself, encouraging her to take...everything.
So Pepper did. Rising up on her knees, her hand still wrapped around him, Pepper guided herself down onto him. Tony hissed. His hands clenched her hips tight enough that Pepper wondered if she would have bruises in the morning. She waited until she had sunk all the way down on him and his grip on her hips had loosened - after urging her several times to start moving - before she began to roll her hips in a languid pace. Tony’s hand dropped from her waist and bunched the sheet up with a crushing grip.
“Look at me,” Pepper said, needing to see his eyes. They were the most expressive part of him.
His gaze was soft and liquid when he met her eyes, burning with desire. She had never found him more desirable.
“Beautiful,” Tony gritted the words out through clenched teeth. “Fucking amazing.”
At any other time, Pepper might have taken Tony to task for his language. For that moment all she could do was agree, however. He was fucking amazing. They were amazing together. She never wanted to forget this moment.
Tony’s hips were rocking against hers faster, thrusting harder. Pepper stopped trying to think or process any of this and gave in to just feeling. It wasn’t like she could have strung together a coherent thought at that point, even if she had been so inclined. Her second orgasm hit Pepper just before Tony came. He thrust up into her a handful more times as shudders racked her body and she collapsed against him. Distantly she felt him come inside her and his motions cease. His heart pounded beneath her ear; the faceplate of the arc reactor was cool against her sweat-slicked skin.
“That wasn’t part of the plan,” Tony rasped hoarsely from beneath her.
Pepper arched an eyebrow that she was well aware that he couldn’t see. “You had a plan?”
“Absolutely, Potts. You seduced me. I was trying to have a romantic dinner here.”
Pepper snorted. “Well, if you have complaints...”
“Never!” Tony gasped with mock-indignation. He sat up abruptly, making Pepper slide off his chest and end up in the pile of cushions next to him. “Is this your way of telling me you have complaints, because I’ve never-”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Stark,” Pepper cut him off. “I’m not going to feed your ego any more than twenty years of being America’s Most Wanted Playboy already did.”
“Damn,” Tony said. His voice, however, lacked any hint of regret. Instead he scooted back until he was propped up against the wall of the house and held a hand out to Pepper. She scooted up beside him willingly and rested her head on his shoulder.
Pepper took one clear-eyed look at their surroundings and let her eyes fall shut. “Am I going to have to worry about paparazzi shots of this showing up online in the morning?”
“‘course not,” Tony said blandly. “For stuff this good, TMZ would wake up its head editor at 3 AM.”
Pepper pursed her lips into a thin line. “That’s so reassuring.”
Tony stroked her hip, finding himself entranced by the smoothness of her skin there and the line of her thigh. So distracted, he almost lost the thread of their conversation. “Oh, Jarvis has it covered.”
“Jarvis?”
“Ma’am?”
Pepper wished she had opened her eyes so that she could close them again. “And I suppose you were recording this whole time?”
“No, Miss Potts. Mister Stark has left me with explicit instructions about activities that supercede my usual security programing and shutdown my recording capabilities.”
Pepper glanced up at Tony. “So he watches but he doesn’t record?”
Tony shrugged, not thinking much of it until he glanced down and saw the expression on Pepper’s face. Then he sat up a little bit straighter. “But the important thing is Jarvis also monitors any nearby vessels and aircraft that might be close enough to take pictures. Even extremely long range pictures. He’s programmed to notify the cops if they are and to shut them down.”
“Tony...”
The man in question didn’t look remotely chastened. “Trust me, Pep. I promise it’s okay. No one will ever know. I’m just...very hard to photograph. Most of the paps realized it a long time ago and moved on to easier places to catch me doing stupid things. Like bars. And clubs. And-”
Pepper cut him off with a finger to his lips. “They used to take plenty of pictures of you. I remember a particularly delightful one of your bare ass plastered against the glass door leading on the balcony while you got it on with two supermodels.”
“That was before,” Tony said simply. “You weren’t involved.”
“I was,” Pepper said indignantly. “Who do you think cleaned that mess up?”
“No, I mean, you weren’t involved with me. That was just...my bare ass.”
The meaning of his words finally filter through Pepper’s mind. She’s charmed. It’s such a typically Tony thing to say. All she could do was shake her head and lean up to kiss him. His arm slid up her back and held her to him for several long moments. Even when Pepper gently broke the kiss, Tony didn’t let go.
"When I thought I was dying, when I thought it was going to be my last birthday, I talked to Rushmanoff. I decided." He waved his hand as if it didn't matter. "If it was my last birthday I was going to do exactly what I wanted." Tony looked down at Pepper, meeting her eyes with an intensity that he reserved only for her and particularly sticky feats of engineering. He needed her to understand, to know his heart’s desire. He needed her to know him. "Only I couldn't have what I wanted." He shrugged. "I settled for getting mind-blastingly drunk and trying to forget everything."
Pepper squeezed his thigh in sympathy. That night had been hard on all of them. Knowing what he had faced alone that night made it even harder. It made a small part of her even angrier that he hadn't told her.
"What did you want?" Pepper asked quietly. There wasn't many things that Tony Stark couldn't get. Even fewer that she couldn't have gotten for him.
Tony smiled. "You. This." he held her gaze. "Sitting here barefoot, watching the stars and holding you. That's all."
He held her gaze until she couldn't hold his anymore, until her heart couldn't contain the love she had for him any more.
"Oh, Tony," the fond exclamation fell from her lips just before she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, pushing him back against the wall.
He had always been able infuriate her and leave her helplessly charmed at the same time. It was disconcerting to say the least. Now that she was hopelessly in love with him, it was even worse.
Pepper clung to him tighter, breaking the kiss to bury her face in his shoulder. "Don't ever do that to me again," she whispered, remembering the party, how close he had come to dying and how close she had come to losing him. She couldn’t love him more now if she tried. That he loved her just as much was the surprise. It was everything.
(4/5)
Tags: