Can't buy me love
"Pepper!" I could hear Tony yell form the bottom of his stairs that led to his work shop. "Where are you? I've got a surprise for you." He finished as he reached the top of the stair case. In one of his hands I could make a small box, wrapped in crimson and gold paper with a small aquamarine bow on top.
I sighed. This was really starting to get annoying. Tony tried asking me out again three weeks ago, I refused again saying that I hadn't thought he had changed enough for us to get involved in a serious relationship. So for the past three weeks he has been attempting to show me how much he has changed by "surprising" me with extravagant gifts – the new Audi he saw me eyeing, a diamond necklace, the list goes on and on. I had to admit I was curious as to it would be this time. You would think he would have run out of ideas by now - he's not a genius for nothing I guess.
"Another present?" I sounded frustrated, but that was because I was.
"Yep, and I know you're going to love it." He said smiling confidently as he handed the small gift over to me.
I carefully unwrapped it because I knew he took a lot of time to come up with whatever this gift is and wrap it so neatly. Once I had the paper off I saw that I had a small velvet box in my hands. Nervously, I chanced a glance at Tony. He was grinning that idiotic grin of his, looking back down at the tiny box I opened it slowly peering inside. My breath had gotten caught in my throat when I got a good look at the diamond ring that was hidden inside. It was beautiful… no, calling it beautiful would be like spitting on the magnificence of this precious ring.
"Tony, this is amazing." I said tears coming to my eyes from looking at such a sight.
Tony looked at me triumphantly. "However I can't accept this I'm sorry." I held it out to him.
Tony looked like he had been punched in the gut. "Why not?" he asked with his shoulders slumped.
"Because you have yet to prove to me that you have truly changed." My hand still outstretched waiting for him to take the gorgeous item away and out of my reach, before I could change my mind.
At first Tony looked at a loss for words, but that can only last for so long. "That's what I've been trying to do Pepper." He looked at the ring in my hand and back to me.
"No, Tony you have been giving me expensive gifts that is not the same." I shook my head disappointed in his cluelessness.
"Tell me what to do Pepper just tell me what you want and I'll do it." Tony took a step closer to me.
"I want you to tell me how you really feel about me, honestly." I took a step as well.
"Pepper I don't know much about love, but I honestly believe with all my heart that I do love you. Whenever I'm with you I feel like a can fly without the suit. And I would never even think of cheating on you Pepper because you're not just some one night stand to me. You're special. You are the only person I want to be with; I wasn't lying when I said that you were all I had." Tony had taken a few more steps until we were almost pressed against each other.
"Do you really mean that?" Tony caught me off guard with his confession.
"Of course." He nodded putting his hands on my waist and looking at me with those big brown eyes of his. He was telling the truth. Ok I was really going to cry now.
"Tony," I wrapped my arms around his neck pulling him closer. "I've been waiting so long to hear that from you. I love you too." Tony leaned down and kissed me putting all his love into it. "You're all I have too you know." I said after the kiss, still trying to catch my breath. I could see a smile forming on his face.
"So does this mean you still don't want the ring?"
I had completely forgotten about the breathtaking gem. "No, I want it now." I pulled away from Tony a little bit to take the ring out of its box. "Tony?"
"Yes, Pep?" He was looking at me looking at the ring.
"Can you put it on for me?"
Tony took the ring and placed it on my ring finger. "Perfect."
I held out my hand to see how the ring looked on me and I had to agree with Tony. It looked incredible. I brought my arms up to pull Tony into a tight hug my cheek resting right next to the reactor.
"Thank you, Tony." My voice was slightly muffled, but I'm sure he heard me.
"You're welcome." We stayed in the comfortable embrace for a little while longer, until I pulled back to look him in the eye.
"Just remember one thing Tony Stark," My tone was hard and dead serious. "I didn't say yes because you bought me all those presents, I said yes because I want to be with you and only you. So you don't have to go overboard with the expensive things ok?" He nodded his head. "Besides you can't buy me love."