Post Captain America: Civil War.
Tony leaves Pepper voicemail messages.
21:03 voicemail message from Tony Stark
"Hey, Pep. It's me again… You're probably getting tired of all these messages I've been leaving you, and I really wanted to respect your wish to let you be able to think things through, but I just… I just really want to talk to you, like, all the time. And I know you're not talking back to me like this, but it's the next best thing I guess. … I just wanted to let you know – again - how much I love you, Pep. And I miss you so much. I think about you every day. … The nights are the worst, you know. I wake between 4 and 10 times a night, and the nightmares have never been worse. And then when I wake up, it's not a relieve, but it's even worse when I reach for you and remember that you aren't there. Every time… [sounds of a swallow and a quick sniffle] God, I sound pathetic. No wonder you don't want me anymore. You deserve so much better. … But I wanted to let you know I'm still not giving up on us. You are it for me, Pep. You're my everything- my better half. I know that sounds so corny, but it's the best way I can describe it. And I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you asked for, but I can't give up being Iron Man yet. Maybe it's not my job to protect the world, but I have been responsible for so much pain and destruction- I just can't walk away just yet. I hope so, so much that you will forgive me someday. Even though I don't deserve you… And I hope I haven't added to your workload at the company with my actions. If I have, I'm truly sorry for that too. I never wanted to cause you more trouble. … So, uhm- please call me, because I miss the sound of your beautiful voice, but if you don't I understand. I love you, Pepper."
It had been a long day at the office for Pepper Pots. The board had been riding her for weeks and the events in Wakonda had given the company a hit. She had dozens of missed calls, so she only noticed Tony had left another message when she came home at midnight. She had been living in their home in Malibu Point, which Tony had let rebuild. Even though they were taking a break, she still considered it their home. She knew Tony did too. When she came home Friday greeted her, as she had grabbed some take out left-over's from the fridge, heated it and took it upstairs. She ate while she undressed, and then finished after she showered. She just wanted to go to sleep as soon as possible. She felt a little twinge in her chest every time she stepped in bed without Tony there. She worried about him so much. Even more so now than when they were still together. She just hadn't been able to take it anymore then. The constant danger, the obsessions, the nightmares, him snapping at her after a long day... One day, she'd just had enough and left. She'd cried herself to sleep that night. And the pain of that night lingered every time she went to sleep. She grabbed her phone to look at the time real quick and to see if she had any important messages that needed immediate attention. That's when she saw Tony's name on her screen. "21:03 voicemail message from Tony Stark" She unlocked her phone, tapped the notification and put her phone to her ear.
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She was crying when the message ended. She then replayed it three more times, just to keep hearing his voice. Her heart broke when she heard he thought she didn't want him anymore. She hated that she had made him feel that way. That he was not good enough for her. Could he not see that he was her everything too? His last message had been two weeks before. He had been leaving them ever since she left, but she had never answered. She just didn't know what to say to him. Her heart wanted to run to him, hold him, kiss that (in)famous 'Tony Stark'-smirk off his face and never let him go. But her head simply couldn't deny their problems. They weren't just magically going to disappear. But problems could be worked out and it wasn't going to happen if they didn't talk to each other. She decided their break had lasted long enough, and they both were just hurting more and more by the second.
"Friday"
"Yes, miss Potts." The female A.I. answered.
"Send the messages to get the jet ready for me to fly to New York tomorrow around noon." Pepper ordered.
"Of course, miss Potts. Do you want me to notify you when I've got conformation?"
"Just tell me in the morning when I wake up."
"As you wish, madam."
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Tony was working late again in his personal workshop at the new Avengers Facilities. He'd been tinkering with his suits, giving them even more upgrades. But he had also been working on improvements for the new Spider kid's costume. No, not Spider Kid. What did he call himself again? Oh right, Spider Man. He wasn't anywhere near being a man, but he could appreciate the boy's aspirations and guts. If he and Pepper ever had a child and it was a boy, he wanted him to be like Parker. Not that it was ever going to happen if Pepper and he never even talked to each other. And that wasn't going to happen until he stopped being an idiot, who puts himself in danger and destroys other peoples life with his own mistakes. He sighed again and whispered her name. He'd been doing that. Saying her name made him feel like she was a little closer.
"Sir, you have been awake for 26 hours and haven't eaten for the last 12. I strongly recommend you eat something and go to sleep." His new A.I. reminded him.
"Well, thanks for the concern" he said sarcastically, "but I can do as I damn well please. I'm fine. And no offence, but there is only one woman who can tell me what to do." He snapped at his electronic assistant.
"Sir, I am not a woman. I'm a program with a female voice. And I believe I'm not the person you're really upset with."
Tony sighed.
"I know Friday, I'm sorry. I just miss her."
"I know, sir. But that's why I'm pleased to let you know that-"
"Mute." He cuts his A.I. off.
"I'm sorry, F. I just need a little quite time right now. But with music, please. Drop my needle, would you."
AC/DC start blasting through the workshop as Tony returns to his suit. He is so engrossed with a wiring problem that doesn't seem to want to be fixed, that he doesn't notice someone else had entered the room. Suddenly the music stops.
"Friday, check if there's something wrong with the record player again. Run diagnostics on the wiring." He orders without looking up.
"You really should listen to your own creations, you know. Because she's right." A female voice echoes through the room, resembling the one of the very redhead he's been thinking about 24/7.
For a second he doesn't dare to turn around, in fear the voice of his girlfriend is a hallucination due to sleep deprivation. It would break him if she wasn't really there. Then he feels female hands gently squeeze his shoulders and a kiss being dropped into his hair.
"I hate seeing you neglect yourself." Pepper whispers into his hair.
He covers her hand on his shoulder with his briefly before he turns around and stands up. He looks into her eyes for a moment, before wrapping her up in a tight hug. He buries his head in her neck and breathes her in. They stay like that for what could be minutes or hours. He doesn't even know he had started crying, until he feels her shirt under his chin becoming wet. He pulls back to look her in the eyes again.
"I'm sorry" he says.
She brings a hand up to cup his cheek and brushes a tear away with her thumb.
"I'm sorry" she echoes.
He then cups her face with both his hands and pulls her in for a kiss. It starts softly, but then becomes more urgent as the need to feel her against him becomes overwhelming to confirm that this isn't just a dream. He leaves her mouth to drop kisses along her jaw and down her neck. Pepper moans but pulls him back upwards, wanting to keep kissing him too.
"I want you" Pepper says between kisses.
"Let me take you to my quarters upstairs" he hums as his hands roam her sides and back, causing shivers to run up her spine.
"No Tony" she says and puts her hands on his chest to create distance to look him in the eye. He looks confused and his face falls a little. She sees he thinks she's rejecting him, and jumps in to explain her words.
"What you said in your message, that you think I don't want you anymore. That not true. I do want you- You're my everything too. There is no one else for me, Tony. But that doesn't mean that this-" she gestures around the room "is not hard on me. On us."
He sighs and nods. He knows the pain he causes her and he hates it. Not being able to keep eye contact in the self loathing that washes over him, he averts his gaze downwards. She tilts his chin back up gently and smiles softly at him.
"But I want to try and figure it out with you. If… You want that too." She offers.
He takes a moment to study her face. He could look at her for hours and still not get enough. It baffles him that this amazing women would want him.
"How did I get so lucky to have you in my life, when I so clearly don't deserve you?" he says shyly as he brushes a strand of her strawberry red hair behind her ear.
She brings her hands up to lock behind his neck and pulls her body up to him.
"Because you're a good man, Tony Stark. And you do deserve me." She tells him before she presses her lips to his again. He opens his mouth to run his tongue against her lips and she responds happily by opening her mouth up to him as well. When their tongues touch, he lets out a muffled moan on a sigh. How he'd missed her.
When the need for air becomes too overwhelming, they both pull back a little. That's when she suddenly slaps him on the chest.
"Ouch! What was that for?" He yelps and rubs his peck to exaggerate the pain.
"For also being an idiot, who neglects himself as soon as I'm not around! You haven't eaten in 12 hours!" She lectures him with mostly concern hidden in her voice.
"What can I say. My girlfriend had left me heartbroken. Didn't really feel like eating." He shrugs, but they both feel the weight of the truth his answer holds.
She lets out a sigh.
"Let's get you something to eat." She says.
She steps back, but slides her hand down his arm to interlace their fingers together to pull him with her to the kitchen.
"But you just said you wanted me" he whines. "And I do believe you also meant, like, right now. Don't even try to deny it. And I can assure you, miss Potts, that my feelings regarding that subject matter are currently very mutual." He smirks cockily.
She lets out a laugh. She had missed their banter.
"Yes, but I don't exactly want you to pass out on me during sex due to starvation!"
"Okay, I have another proposition. Eating during sex. I'm sure we have sexy foods here. Oh! We have strawberries in the fridge." He thinks out loud.
She stops walking and turns around to face him. "Tony-" she says on an annoyed sigh, but stops when she she's the devious look on his face and realizes he's just messing with her.
"You almost believed I forgot you are allergic, didn't you?" he smirks. It earns him a stomp to the shoulder anyway.
"Okay, I deserved that one." He admits and rubs his shoulder. "Then I'll just have to eat something else. Whip cream maybe?"
"Tony, whip cream doesn't qualify as food."
"Oh, then what does it qualify as if it's not food?"
"Okay fine, it's food. But it's not like a meal, Tony. You need to eat something with some substantial nutrients and- "
She is cut off when he suddenly scoops her up in his arms.
"Fine, I'll grab a banana. Isn't that what athletes eat before a race?"
She giggles and wraps her arms around his neck. He carries her all the way to his bedroom. When they pass the kitchen, he has her take a bunch of bananas from the counter. They pass Vision in the hallway, who looks pleased to see the two together again. Pepper briefly registers the red faced being sounding exactly like Jarvis, but is too distracted to give it any serious thought. As soon as Tony kicks the door shut and puts Pepper down on the ground again, the two start feverishly taking off each other's clothes. When they fall backwards on the bed, equally naked, Tony suddenly slows down and takes his time to take in her face. She feels a little overwhelmed under his intense and loving gaze.
"Tony" she encourages him to say what's on his mind. She practically see the gears turning in his head.
"Please don't leave me again, Pep" he pleads and his voice breaks a little. "I can't do this without you."
"Oh Tony" she sighs and pulls his head down to kiss him briefly. "I don't think I could ever really leave you. You are the one for me too."
I hope the end wasn't a little much, but after Civil War, I think we (and they) kind of needed a little compensation;) Please leave reviews to tell me what you think!