Pepper didn't fall in love with Tony Stark: genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist. She didn't fall in love with Dr Anthony Edward Stark: ruthless businessman, irresponsible CEO, brilliant futurist. She most definitely did not fall in love with Iron Man, the armoured hero who flew around in a red and gold suit to save the world.
No, Pepper fell in love with Tony, just Tony: intelligent, generous, loving and far, far too good for this world.
Sight
One of the very first things Pepper noticed about Tony was his eyes, which were a rich brown gold, amber in the correct light. But more importantly, they were dark; not with color, but with secrets.
It's said that the eyes are windows to the soul. It was true in Tony's case. Maybe that was why he wore those ridiculous sunglasses all the time; so no one could see what he tried so hard to hide.
He never hid them around her. As glad as she was of that, she sometimes wished he didn't. It would make it easier to resist him. She could handle the perfectly chiselled jawline, the muscled, grease-smeared arms, the smug, knowing smirk that sent tingles down her spine. But when he was smiling softly and staring fondly at her, it was hard not to submit to each and every one of his inane requests. The pull of Tony's gaze was magnetic and resistance was utterly futile.
She decidedly avoided thinking of how it would feel to have his eyes focused only on her, burning into her as she lay beneath him.
(Tony hadn't been able to take his eyes off her since he'd watched her pepper spray Happy. He'd been drawn in by the vivacious personality and the purity of her blue eyes. It had been so long since someone looked at him like he was human and he'd resolved to keep her as close as she would consent to.)
Smell
Tony had an utterly unique scent. It was something that had always annoyed Pepper. It was an odd mix of coffee, fire and machine grease.
She could feel it invading her nostrils now, as she stepped in close to bat his hands away and start knotting his tie. She tried her best to avoid her fingers brushing against the warm skin of his neck, but she couldn't escape that workshop smell, which could never be completely covered up by expensive cologne.
She let out a shaky breath as she finished with the tie and stepped back, fighting the urge to smooth her hands against the lapels of his silver-toned blue suit. She prayed fervently that he didn't notice how weak-kneed she was and seriously, when did the overall pungent smell of his garage become more seductive than Hugo Boss?
She wondered if the girls he often brought home ever noticed that smell, if they ever wondered what it was of.
(Her scent was completely imprinted in Tony's brain. He was confident that if he were blindfolded and kept in a room full of people, he'd still have no trouble picking out Pepper, guided only by the perfect mix of subtle Elizabeth Arden, citrus shampoo and flowery soap.)
Hearing
Pepper wasn't supposed to be here, not on this date. It was something that both Rhodey and Obidiah had made sure she knew when she'd started as Tony's PA: leave him alone on December 16th. It was no secret why that was so.
Tony had never said anything to her, but she'd always abided by the rule. Until today.
Because if Tony didn't approve this transfer, the company could lose millions. Tony had hired her because he'd respected her guts to do something no one else had dared to, simply because she wanted to get the job done. She could only hope that he would feel the same way and not fire her. And besides, she'd tried to assure herself, Tony did actually care about SI. He wouldn't forgive himself if they lost this deal.
But now, Pepper was frozen in place, watching in awe as Tony sat at the piano. His fingers moved across the keys as fluently as they manipulated his holograms and his voice was smooth and soothing, in spite of the tears trickling down his face. It was the tears that did it. She was across the room and beside him in an instant, engulfing him in a hug. He didn't stop singing, Italian, as she just noticed, but his sobs became more pronounced and he allowed himself to weep in her arms.
(He couldn't remember the last time someone had been this gentle with him, had spoken so calmly and lovingly. Pepper's familiar voice wrapped around him and it felt more like a safety blanket than anything else. The grief was still there, of course, but maybe the pain was just a little less acute.)
Touch
Tony was touchy. This was something that had become obvious within Pepper's first week. But somehow it never felt like he was flirting with her. He normally flirted with her all the time, of course, he flirted with anything female that moved. But the touches felt more personal.
Sometimes it was a friendly hand on the forearm, sometimes at the small of her back to guide her through doors and across halls, the warmth of his palm bleeding through her clothes, no matter how many layers she had on. Sometimes, he slung an arm across her shoulders as he showed her whatever he'd been working on and she tried her best to follow.
Once, he'd absently reached out to drag a few strands of hair away from her face. She'd stuttered through her list of "Chores for Tony", the rough callouses on his fingers catching on her skin and making it difficult to breathe.
Her favourite type of touch, though, was when he'd place his arm around her waist, his hand resting on her hip as they posed for photos. She felt that was physically the closest she could ever get to him, pressed against his body, leaning against his side like she belonged there.
She tried her best not to feel jealous of all those who'd been even closer, who'd felt the heat of his flushed skin on theirs, his heart beating wildly and erratically under their hands.
Her efforts were in vain.
(Touching her became an addiction. Tony found himself grabbing every opportunity to hold her, to limit the physical distance between them as much as she would allow. The fact that somehow, her hand, her hips, her waist, were all a perfect fit for him; well, that only encouraged him.)
Taste
The one rule Pepper had set for herself was to not sleep with her boss. She didn't remember giving herself permission to break it. Tony was drunk, of course, and usually it was Pepper's job to keep her wits and get him home safe. It helped that she basically lived in his house.
But this time, Rhodey and Happy had both encouraged her to enjoy herself, with the promise that Happy would drive them both home safely.
It had been fine till then. Pepper had drunk, forgetting just how much of a lightweight she was, and by the time Happy dropped them off, and Tony and Pepper began making their way up the stairs, she was giggling and stumbling against Tony, who despite being much further gone than her, was somehow still steady on his feet.
She should have left him at his bedroom. She should have said a laughing goodnight and headed to her own room. But Tony pulled her in and suddenly he was kissing her, soft but insistent.
The small, sober part of Pepper's brain screamed at her to push away, to stop this now. But the intoxicated part was larger, louder and controlled by her foolish heart. So she tugged him closer, looping her arms around his neck and sighing into his mouth. He was a good kisser, which was no surprise, really, and he seemed content to just stay like that. But Pepper wanted more. She'd wanted more for years.
He'd had her pressed against the wall, her body bowed against his, but now she tried to push him back towards the bed. He understood and if he felt any surprise, he didn't show it, just spun them both around so he fell on top of her.
They stayed there like that for a moment and it was everything Pepper had ever imagined. His dark, dark eyes lasered onto hers, the movement of his chest in rhythm with hers, the soft, whispered, "Pepper," that had her arching into him, aching for what she wanted, but knew she shouldn't have.
She got it anyway. His mouth was suddenly on her with a ferocity that was reminiscent of his everyday hurriedness. Every inch of her body screamed for attention and he gave it accordingly, treating her in a way that made her keen brokenly. The angel on her right shoulder was still begging her to stop, but Pepper had known she was pre-approved for hell the minute she'd lost her soul to the man above her.
The next morning, she woke up early. She took a minute to admire how relaxed and younger Tony looked in his sleep, before getting up to leave and nurse her broken heart. It was a bittersweet moment for her. Tony wouldn't fire her; he'd promised her repeatedly, whenever he'd tried to get her to break the rule. But he wouldn't even remember this. He could never recall anything he did after the nights when he was so completely plastered. Pepper had gotten what she'd thought she wanted, but she should have known that one night would do nothing to assuage a woman in love.
(She wanted to pretend it didn't happen. He wasn't surprised. If she'd wanted to confront him, have a conversation about it, Tony would have had her checked into a hospital for mental evaluation.
She also obviously thought he didn't remember; that he'd been too drunk to notice exactly whom he'd slept with. She didn't know that he always remembered. True, he had trouble with names, but his eidetic memory never let him forget what he saw.
But Pepper wanted to forget it, so he would let her. Being in love wasn't all it was made out to be, but he'd dealt with it for years, he could continue doing the same.)
6 months later, the workshop, Malibu, California
"Don't ever ever ever ever ever ever," Pepper begged, as Tony began laughing at her disgusted expression. "Make me do that again, ever!"
"I don't have anyone but you."
The brief honesty made both of them freeze up for a moment, both of them recognizing yet denying the depth behind the words. But was there any point in acknowledging it? When doing so would only bring tears and pain?
"Will that be all, Mr Stark?" Pepper asked softly, hoping against hope he couldn't hear the desperate longing in her voice.
"That will be all, Miss Potts," Tony answered just as quietly, expertly hiding the heartache in his eyes.
Pepper walked away and Tony turned back to his work, both of them oblivious to each other's thoughts.
R&R please.