editing is a long process of which all perfectionists suffer in.

also: titling and summarizing things is a ridiculous tradition in the writing world. i petition that we can just put: FIC #_ and WORD VOMIT EXISTS HERE respectively.

BEHIND THE SCENES
PostIM2. PreAvengers. "It's a stable-ish relationship thing, right?"

In the midst of a choral "Mr. Stark!" from the make-up room, she hears a sharp "Pepper!"

She doesn't look up from her laptop, until she hears his "Pottspottspotttttssssss" becoming more incessant and louder as he finally locates her, in a small room off to the side, from the set-up of the photo shoot

"Yes?"

She smiles at the small, distressed team of men and women with various make-up implements in hand, evidently having followed Tony. She's startled though, when a bulk of ties are thrown her way, falling over her laptop, her lap, and simultaneously watches and feels cool fabric slip off her arms to the floor and her lap.

"Mr. Stark, we haven't finished your-"

"It's alright," Pepper interjects with another assuring smile, "Just get everything he needs. I need to speak with Mr. Stark anyway and he'll be right back."

"See. Pepper's on top of it," Tony grins, watching as they shuffle back, slightly less concerned, but still confused as to what to do with themselves and...well. Tony.

He turns his full attention back to her, while hers is on retrieving and organizing the ties neatly on the table before her.

"Pick one."

Pepper blinks, looking up at him, "What?"

"Pick. One. Jeez, Pepper," he swoops his arm down to pick up her coffee and takes a sip, "this is not strong enough. No wonder you're slow on the uptake."

"It's five o'clock in the morning."

"I didn't ask you to stay and work until two yesterday. Or should I have. Would that have been more courteous? Is that what we do now? ...Can we now?"

"No," she says curtly, as a collective response to all of his rambling, "But why I did overtime is technically your fault."

Tony leans down slightly (doesn't take much, she's on a stool) towards her, "You know... You could stay up until two for other reasons. I would willingly take the blame for that. Accountability. All that."

"Oh, that's certainly a new one," she replies dryly to his subtleness, before picking up a tie, eyes never leaving his, "The green one."

"You don't even know what suit I'm wearing."

Pepper smiles at him confidently, "I'm on top of everything."

He grins and raises an eyebrow suggestively, "Everything?"

She just smiles at him, takes the tie, and slips it over his neck. She tugs gently, so that he has to lean down a little more towards her.

"Oh," he swallows and she just laughs softly at that.

When she finishes making the knot, she simply presses the pads of her fingertips gently against the RT, though he can't feel it, but still firmly enough to indicate he can straighten himself.

He doesn't.

Tony just grins, "So this is what we can do now."

"Yes," she says with a slight tilt of her head, acknowledging him with a soft smile, "yes, this is what we do now."

He starts to shuffle closer, but she pulls away, "But not right now. I need to run your company, And now, you get back there. And remember to ask them to let you dress yourself. No one needs to see your RT."

She drums her fingertips lightly against said RT.

"Except you," he waggles his eyebrows.

She rolls her eyes, turning her stool back towards the laptop.

"One? Please?"

She sighs, "Tony. We both know that impulse control is not one of your strengths."

"Two then," he grins, as he reaches behind her head, tugging on the end of her ponytail playfully.

"We're also in public. So. Don't push it, Tony."

"Wow. Already being sent to the doghouse."

She blinks at him, noting the subtle eagerness in his tone.

"...Are you...excited to be in the doghouse?"

"It's a stable-ish relationship thing, right?"

Pepper sighs.