Title: Paper Dolls
Author: S J Smith
Rating: K+
Disclaimer: Don't I wish I owned something of this.
Summary: They probably should've had this talk sooner.
Tony didn't believe in the paper media – "Paper is dead, we need live trees, support streaming media!" – so it was a shock when the paper appeared on Pepper's desk, one of those lurid rags that had chased after Tony so hard when he was being the ultimate playboy. The splash page had her on the cover, with an inset picture of Tony, photoshopped to have his eyes wide and staring at her ass. Pepper didn't even bother reading the headline, pushing the paper into the trash with a fingertip, not wanting to sully her hands with the garbage. "Ugh."
"Ugh?" She glanced up to see Tony leaning against the door frame, peering at her over his sunglasses. "What ugh? I hope that's not directed at me." Spreading his hands, he pushed away from the door, turning a slow spin like he was on a model's runway. "Personally, I think I'm looking good."
Pepper cut her eyes toward him, then away. If she stroked his ego, she'd never hear the end of it, but Tony was right, he did look good. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about the paper on my desk, would you?"
"Paper? You mean, like newspaper? Print's dead, Ms. Potts, as you know."
"Your photo sells papers," Pepper said.
"I think your photo was on that cover, and I was just a little thumb nail." He spread his finger and thumb about a half-inch apart. Pursing his mouth, he said, "Have you noticed my picture hasn't been in the paper for a while?"
Pepper fixed him with a stare. "Paper's dead, Mr. Stark. As you just reminded me."
"Mm, yes, well," he bobbed his head. "What do you want me to say, Pep?"
"I'm not sure." Folding her arms, Pepper crossed the office with a slow step, realizing she had Tony's undivided attention.
"Well, I could say that my handsome face hasn't been in the media for a while for a lot of reasons. First, I've stopped partying; second, I've joined a super secret to no one boy band; third – I'm sure I had a third." He frowned, and by that time, Pepper was close enough for him to touch her, which he did, laying his hands on her hips. "Didn't I have a third?"
Pepper cupped his cheeks. "Did you?"
Tony considered for a few seconds. "Maybe it was this." He leaned in to kiss her.
"That's not so bad."
"Yeah, now if you can just move…that way…" Tony used his hands on her hips to guide her along.
"Tony?"
"Hey, the paparazzi don't sell those papers by themselves!"
Pepper punched him in the chest. "There. That'll sell something!"
~ end ~