January 2010 - In need of a Vacation
by Sopranozone
Tony had an infuriatingly good knack for earning her forgiveness when he didnt really earn it. The Venitian blown glass fish he'd set on the table in front her her was evidence of his most recent attempt.
"I'm not talking to you, Tony."
She continues to stare steadfastly at her computer screen, ignoring both the fish and the man trying to get her attention from the other side of the couch.
"Come on, Potts. It wasn't that big deal-"
She spares him a scathing look, and he has the good sense to look properly chastised.
"-Okay, yeah, maybe it was, but its not like I do it on purpose-"
"Heaven forbid if you ever did it on purpose."
"You know I love you too much to do that to you, Potts. Besides, you'd kill me. I'm not stupid."
She makes a small noise in the back of her throat, but continues her work. They sit in a tense silence for several minutes.
"Pepper, I just think its time for us to take some time off."
He's finally shifted back to a more serious tone, at which point she decides its time to discuss. She looks up from her computer to meet his eyes.
"I understand that Tony, but now is not the time-we're JUST getting this mess with the Expo cleaned up, not to mention the whole other mess with Hammer Industries."
He lets out a frustrated sigh, head flopping back against the back of the couch.
"But when WILL be the time? I mean, seriously, we haven't been on a vacation since Venice, and that was more than two years ago." He reaches to rub his eyes. "God, Cipriani was great...That whole trip was." He sighs again, and leans forward, elbows on his knees as he continues.
"I just...I'll level with you, I'm...I'm at my burn out, Pepper." She pauses at the raw honesty in his tone. "And I get that most of this crap going on is my fault, but..." He gesticulates, trying to find words. He finally just shrugs. "I just need to recharge, for lack of better term."
She sighs, looking back to her screen and pulling up his calendar.
"I'll book it. Where do you wanna go?"
A sincere grin breaks across his face, and he leans over and plants a spontaneous kiss on her lips.
"You're an angel, Pepper. And I wanna go wherever you wanna go. Every time I've picked the destination its ended in disaster."
"You do have a knack for that..." She says wryly, "Maybe we can try Monaco again in a few years, maybe WITHOUT you driving."
She watches as he excitedly gets to his feet, walking towards the workshop stairs. She calls after him.
"Tony? Next time, just...don't cancel the entire calendar. Just...let me handle that."
"Sure thing, Potts. But since it's already clear, lets just go now. Pick somewhere fun!" He calls back to her, as he disappears down the stairs. She shakes her head, eyes landing on the blown glass fish on the table before pulling up the information for Hotel Cipriani.
