Author: hell_grrl

Disclaimer: As much as I keep saying, "I think I can. I think I can" I can't. Anthony Edward Stark and Virginia "Pepper" Pott's fictional souls belong to Stan Lee. Meh.

Word Count: 628

A/N: Yeah buddy! First fic. Here we go girlies. (And guys.) This was based on its_always_been's seventh challenge, photo number 25. You can find it here: . :)

James Rhodes took a deep breath.

Showtime.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a hush fell over the crowd. He grinned. "Thank you all for attending the annual Stark Industries Charity Gala. I hope you're having an excellent time. Now for what you've all been waiting for. I'd like to call to the stage your gracious host and my personal friend, Tony Stark."

The entire ballroom turned their heads face the side of the stage.

No Tony.

"Tony Stark!" James hissed into the microphone. Still no Tony. James shifted uncomfortably.

Here we go again.

"Tony, come on! We passed fashionably late and heading towards totally rude!" Pepper Potts shouted across the Malibu mansion. Screw rude, this was heading towards a complete disaster. The gala had started nearly two hours ago. The party was well underway. Everyone who was invited should have showed up by now. Everyone but them.

The two of them, obviously, had yet to arrive, and as far as Pepper was concerned, that was totally inappropriate. They were practically throwing the goddamn party to begin with.

"Tony!" She called again. No response. Pepper grabbed her coat and stormed down the stairs to the workshop.

She wasn't prepared for what she saw. Tony was sitting on his chair. His fingers twiddled away on some game thing. A cup of coffee sat absently by the TV which was practically blaring. And to top it all off, he was half naked. His pants hung loosely around his hips. His shirt, jacket, and tie were on the back of his chair.

Pepper hadn't decided whether to scream or drool.

"What the hell are you doing?" Pepper had chosen to yell.

"All part of the master plan, Pepper," smiled Tony, not looking up from his game.

Pepper rolled her eyes skeptically. He was such a dick sometimes. "Really?" She asked. "And what is this master plan?"

Tony grinned, "Elementary, my dear Potts."

"I never took you as a Sherlock Holmes guy."

"I'm not. The movie's on." Pepper moved over to see the screen. It was.

"Have you ever noticed that the guy who plays Holmes kinda looks like me?" Tony asked as he put the game down.

Pepper studied the screen. He did have an almost eerie resemblance to her boss. Creepy.

Then it hit her. This is a complete waste of time. She clicked the TV and the game thingy off. Game over.

"Pepper! I didn't get to save my game!" Her twenty five year old boss pouted. Pepper shook her head. He completely baffled her sometimes. There were days when he was completely focused and in what she called "leader-mode". Then there were days, like today, when he was like a helpless five year old.

"Let's go."

"Come on, Potts, everyone knows you come in the middle of the party."

She cocked her eyebrow. "Last time I checked the whole point of a party is to get there at the beginning and leave at the end."

Now it was Tony's turn to cock an eyebrow. "Good one, Pep. You may be damn good at schedules, but you suck at working the media."

"Sorry I'm not an irresponsible playboy billionaire." Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

"I am not irresponsible. Anyway, imagine this, the party's in full swing. Everyone's slightly drunk and they gossip. They're wondering where so and so is. Then you show up, taking all of the attention off the rest of the party. All the paparazzi come and see you. You smile. You woo. You have a nice girl hanging off your arm- that'll be you, Peps. You get everyone talking."

Pepper rolled her eyes. He was such a dick sometimes. A loveable dick, but a dick nonetheless.

"What?" He cried. "It works! All publicity is good publicity."

Pepper threw his shirt at him and smiled. "Get dressed."