Pepper felt less air pass through her throat with each breath she took. Gene's grip was getting too tight, and holding his arm to provide a little more airflow was not proving a very effective thing to do.
"G-Gene…I can't…b-breathe…" Pepper choked out. Gene smirked.
"I don't know why Stark is even coming for you, you're not even worth it," Gene said. Pepper knew his words were false, and she knew that Tony was coming for her because he cares for her, and she knew to disregard his words; but at the same time, it was all so hard.
"You're…wrong…" Pepper said quietly. It was all she could muster, and she knew she should try to stop talking because it would just waste air that she needed to breathe. Where was Tony?
"You're just too in love with him to admit that you know he doesn't really care. You're just a pathetic little girl." Gene said. Pepper glanced to her feet to see that she was dangling precariously over the busy street below. She knew that with one tiny slip of his finger, she'd be done for. It was all his call.
"I-I thought we were f-friends, Gene…" Pepper whispered. The amount of air that found their way past Gene's cold grip was not a large amount anymore, and the amount was decreasing more rapidly.
"We were never friends, you pathetic waste of air. Gene Khan doesn't need friends. Gene Khan doesn't have the tolerance, nor the time, for friends." Gene spat. Pepper was beginning to worry of Tony's location. Was something slowing him down?
With the cold grip of Gene's hand on her neck, Pepper felt the heat of the fire on her back. It was spreading rapidly from the building that had been next to them and if they didn't move fast she knew she wouldn't be the only one to die tonight. With each burst of flames, and with each squeeze of Gene's hand, Pepper felt more fear pour into her as she waited for Tony to arrive and rescue her.
"I don't know why you're still waiting for him, he's not coming. He won't sweep you away like he always did, Potts. He's not coming." Gene taunted her more. His main tactic was to say things such as what he'd just said that would crush her spirits more and eventually make her despise Tony Stark completely. After she hated Stark, he knew that Tony would lose the purpose to do anything anymore and that would leave him open to crush the puny city he lived in like a bug.
"He'll…be…here…" Pepper managed to choke out. Gene despised her optimistic attitude. She was in the arms of death, her rescuer wasn't showing yet, and she was still saying he would be here? What went through her head to make her not see that she was about to die?...Why was she so fond of him?
Suddenly, Pepper heard the faint sound of boot jets; the sound of hope. Yet, she felt the warmth from the fire behind her on her back and she still felt scared.
"Let her go, Gene!" Tony exclaimed in a metallic version of his voice. Pepper smiled as her surroundings began to spin around in her vision. She heard Tony's repulsors, and suddenly she felt a heavy amount of air flow through her throat. With the air, though, she felt herself suddenly falling from the building. She remembered that Gene had been holding her over the edge. With the ground nearing her second by second, Pepper tried not to look down. She shut her eyes tight and prepared herself for the impact; yet, she didn't feel anything.
Pepper carefully opened her eyes to see that she had stopped falling. She looked around, and she realized that she was floating in mid-air. She wasn't standing straight, though, she was laying in mid-air and she felt arms across her back and the back of her knees. She looked beside her to see Iron Man, just staring back at her.
"Tony, where have you been? I'm pretty sure I was a second away from death!" Pepper complained. Tony smirked behind his armor.
"I'm sorry, it's just, Gene had so many goons after me that it was almost impossible for me to get to you on time. Are you okay?" Tony said. Pepper smiled at him, but then her smile faded when she remembered what Gene had said. You're useless.
"Tony, am I useless to you?" Pepper asked. Tony opened his face mask.
"What? Pepper, that's ridiculous. You're the most useful person I've ever known." Tony said. Pepper smiled.
"Yeah? What's so useful about me?" Pepper asked playfully.
"Well, you support me mentally, and, without you I wouldn't have a girlfriend now would I?" Tony answered playfully.
"No, I guess not." Pepper leaned in and pecked Tony. Tony was silent for a moment.
"Pepper, you've been through that, and…well, being my girlfriend could be dangerous. Villains could be after you left and right." Tony said, worriedly, "are you sure you want to stay with me?"
"Tony, I don't care about consequences. I care about being with you. Besides, I've managed to survive being your girlfriend this long. I think I can make it." Pepper said with a bright smile. Tony smiled back at her. He knew she was always there for him to say the right thing.
Placing her on the ground where he knew she would be safe, he flew back up the roof to fight Gene.
Okay, before I say anything else, I need to give credit where credit is due. Kimberly08 of DeviantArt's picture gave me this idea, and the beginning is also just me describing what was most likely going on then. The end was just the part I added for cuteness :3 so review!
Edit: I said the wrong name! :O silly me! I'm so embarrassed *blushes* I was talking to Finny at the time and I just totally brain farted there! My bad! :O my goshhh do I feel like a dummy now….