Sleeping Arrangements

The first time it happens it's a few days after the idiot that is her boss announced to the world that he is freaking Iron Man. Of course, the press went ballistic afterwards and there has been so much to do, so many he-didn't-mean-thats, he was drunks, that Pepper feels like she's barely slept in weeks. Which, if she really thinks about it, isn't even that farfetched. Because she's so stressed, even more so than she is usually anyway because of her job as Tony Stark's personal assistant and because she's kind of mad that her idiotic boss wouldn't stick to the freaking cards that she's kind of giving him the cold shoulder since then. Also, his try to get into her pants again didn't help any either. It's not like she doesn't understand where that's coming from. He's practically been living like a monk for the past six months and she gets that it's difficult for him to have sex with random women now that there's the arc reactor in his chest.

It's been a few days since the press conference and while everything has calmed down a bit, she's still far from finished with her work. Therefore, she finds herself on a Thursday evening in Tony's mansion, working on emails and making calls. In the week that has almost past, he came up from his workshop every few hours and tried to talk her into spending time with him, for lack of a better word, which is kind of astounding because Tony Stark doesn't spend time with someone just for the sake of it. For the past seven hours though, he hasn't tried bothering her again which is honestly bothering her a little. The irony isn't lost on her but Pepper has long learned to ignore her conflicted feelings regarding her boss.

"Miss Potts, it is past midnight. I recommend you head upstairs into your room to rest," Jarvis suddenly says and Pepper can't help but feel touched at his care. While she knows he's an AI, his understanding of human behavior and even emotions is a sign of Tony's incredible capabilities as an engineer because Jarvis is learning. Sometimes, in the back of her head, that thought scares her a little but she knows that Tony programmed Jarvis to always look out for their wellbeing as his first priority.

"Thank you, Jarvis, I will," she replies and can't help but smile up at the ceiling. Sometimes, Tony makes fun of her for that but she has seen him do it himself. Biting her lip, she addresses him again. "Hey, is Mr. Stark still up?"

"In fact not. He fell asleep on the couch in the workshop seventy-two minutes ago," Jarvis informs her which causes her to do a double take because Tony Stark usually doesn't fall asleep until very, very late, if he does at all.

Sighing, Pepper shuts down her laptop and slowly makes her way down the stairs. While she still might be furious with him, she still needs to check up on him. As soon as she reaches the doors, she punches in her code and enters.

"Sir, Miss Potts just ar-", Jarvis starts to inform his master and Pepper quickly cuts him off.

"Jarvis," she hisses, "let him sleep." Instantly, the AI mutes and Pepper walks slowly over to the couch on which Tony is sleeping.

"Lights, Jarvis," she whispers.

She frowns slightly when she notices the sweat on Tony's forehead. His jaw is clenched and his whole face looks as he is in pain. Her heartbeat picks up upon realizing he must be having a nightmare.

"Please not again," he mutters in his sleeps and even starts trashing a little. It's not violent yet but it concerns her enough that she quickly sits down next to him and gently starts shaking him.

"Tony, wake up. It's just a dream."

Apparently touching him is the wrong move because he instantly freaks out. He fights her and screams and it kind of causes her to scream in return and it takes her and her wildly beating heart a full minute to calm down enough to get him to wake up.

When it happens, his dark eyes are wide and frightened and he is incredibly sweaty. Yet, Pepper quickly wraps her arms around him like she would to comfort a child or a wounded animal and the fact that Tony just lets her gives her a glimpse at how bad his dream must have been.

"It's alright," she whispers, "you're fine. You're alright and here. Nothing is going to happen." She is sure her words don't even make sense but it's all she can come up with.

The position is awkward because they are both half sitting and half laying and Tony's hands have tightly knotted themselves in her blouse while his forehead rest somewhere around her collarbone. She can feel every shuddering breath he takes and every puff of hot air he releases onto her and the less professional part of her she keeps hidden enjoys the closeness and even gets a little turned on. She mentally slaps herself and concentrates on drawing soothing circles on Tony's back while she continues to mutter calming nothings into his ear.

Apparently, their current position is uncomfortable for him as well because at some point he starts leaning back, effectively pulling her with him. It happens so slowly in a matter of minutes that she doesn't really realize what is happening until she's laying in his arms, or maybe he's in hers and it warm and soft and damn it, she's really tired. She knows this definitely crosses the line of them being employee and employer, but he's already asleep and won't ever know and damn it, she missed him so much and worries so much and when her eyes finally fall shut, she really thinks it's only going to be for a few minutes.

She is wrong.

Tony Stark likes to think of himself as easygoing. People, especially women usually like him, and he's always one for a good joke. The one thing he cannot accept though is when he is denied. The concept of being unable to do anything is not something he seems to be able to grasp. It's why he bothered his father when he was little even though the every strict Howard Stark told him numerous times he didn't wish to be bothered by him while at work. It's why he, at least until Afghanistan, bedded every woman he saw and why he build inventions like no one else. Because no doesn't exist in his world.

Of course, to every rule there is an exception and his seems to be his feisty redheaded assistant. In the beginning, when she started working for him, he tried every way he could think of to get her to sleep with him, only to for her to reply she would rather quit her very well-paid job than sleep with him. The words "sexual harassment" and "law suit" weren't only said once and therefore, Tony eventually stopped. Not completely, of course, because he was Tony Stark, but at some point he realized his wish for Pepper to stay with him was actually stronger than his need to fuck and leave her.

His time in the shitty cave made him grow up, at least in some aspects and changed him and his views on a few things. And it made him realize that if Pepper actually agreed on sleeping with him, he wouldn't mind it so much if she were to be the only woman he would ever sleep with again. It was a pretty astounding realization for him and for months he didn't really know what to do with it.

Asking her to be his girlfriend was kind of a spur of the moment thing but his reaction to her rejection made him realize he actually wants that, really wants that, but has no clue how to go about it.

The fact that Pepper has started to use him as a human pillow but always sneaks off as soon as sunlight barely touches his room does not help him either. He kind of remembers the first time it happened because he just had one of the worst nightmares and Pepper held him and they kind of fell asleep together on his couch in the workshop. Or at least he thinks they did. Because when he woke up in the morning she wasn't there anymore but his shirt and the pillow still smelled like her. A part of him wanted to ask her and yet he didn't because the incident left him feeling a little unmanly and how didn't want Pepper to think too much about his nightly episode. And besides that, he knows what stealing away means. He's done that countless times to the women he slept with hours prior and had Pepper make them leave in the morning.

The thing is, Pepper continues doing it. Sleeping with him that is, literally. For a while he doesn't know it and only wakes up to find his pillow smells like her and it's driving him nuts because he can't get enough of her smell and her period anyway. But then, four nights after the one in his workshop he wakes up because he hears his bedroom door opening. At first he wants to jump into defensive mode because he knows for a fact Pepper went home five hours ago, but he recognizes the way she moves. It is Pepper. Quickly, he decides to play along and closes his eyes again and forces his breathing to sound calm and rhythmic. And waits.

Not for long though because Pepper quickly crosses over and picks up his sheets to get in besides him. She doesn't snuggle or even touch his for that matter, but she lies close enough that he can feel the heat radiating from her body. She holds her breath for a moment, as if to check if he is going to wake up, but when he continues to breath rhythmically, he feels her starting to relax and soon, her own breathing slows and a moment later he knows she must have fallen asleep.

What astounds him the most that there definitely isn't anything sexual about this, not even romantic because it's not like she's cuddling him or holding his hand. She hasn't even so much as kissed his cheek. Yet, his heart pounds wildly in his chest and he knows he won't fall asleep again. Instead he wonders why she doesn't want him to know she's spending her nights in his bed. Of course, this isn't in her job description, but they are friends, right? And friends hug from time to time and they can share a bed, simply for sleeping. Which is what they have apparently been doing for almost a week now.

"Sir?," Jarvis says as suddenly as quietly, making Tony slightly jump in reaction.

"What?", he hisses.

"For my evaluation process I need to know why you did not announce your consciousness to Miss Potts."

He glares at the ceiling. "Well, why didn't you tell me she's been spending the nights in here?"

"Because she specifically asked me not to do so, sir," Jarvis replies and Tony rolls his eyes.

"Traitor."

"My apologies, sir."

"Mute."

He doesn't need for his stupid AI to wake up Pepper because he has no doubt she'd flee like a spooked deer. He lets out a sigh, then freezes because in her sleep, his beautiful assistant has closed the distance between them and now her head is gently resting against his shoulder. Tony knows his own reaction is incredibly cheesy but his heart skips a beat anyway and then he just tells himself to grow a pair and smoothly wraps his left arm around her, causing Pepper's head to come to fully rest on his chest. He closes his eyes and lets the feeling wash over him.

Damn it, he's in love with her.

It continues for a while. It doesn't happen every night, simply because he doesn't always go to bed and he wonders how Pepper knows when to come and when not.

"Miss Potts always asks me if you are already asleep, sir. And if you aren't, I am supposed to inform her as soon as you are," Jarvis tells him which makes him grin because it means his pretty little assistant really wants to sleep with him. Literally at least and since he's been paying close attention lately, he thinks she does figuratively, too. At least a little. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking on his part.

"Jarvis, do you know why Pepper always comes to me for sleep nowadays?" The question's been on his mind for a while now. Because sometimes Pepper actually goes home in the evening, only to return in the early morning hours to share his bed and the more sensitive part of him has started to worry about her.

"I am unable to give a precise answer, sir, but my conclusion based on the circumstances of the various incidents is that Miss Potts has seemed to have developed a sleeping issue."

That makes him stop working on his suit and concentrate solely on Jarvis. "How?"

"Sir, I feel uncomfortable telling you this."

"What? You're a computer, you can't feel uncomfortable."

"While that assessment is correct, sir, I must inform you that by telling you I would be overriding Miss Pott's instruction."

"I don't care. Tell me."

"Very well," Jarvis says and Tony imagines he sounds a little defiant. "For the past sixteen nights Miss Potts has only ever slept when sharing a bed with you, Mr. Stark. Otherwise she has been unable to relax enough."

"Oh god," he groans.

"It is indeed unfortunate."

Tony glares up at the ceiling. "Shut up, Jarvis."

"Very well, Mr. Stark, sir."

That night he's decided he needs to do something. He knows Pepper well enough to understand she won't reveal her little secret any time soon, but he desperately wants to sleep with her again and not feel used afterwards. Because that's what she's been doing. Using him and not even letting him know. And because he let her without her knowledge he's been using her too and this is way too complicated to work. Therefore, their cards need to come on the table, but he knows there's no way in hell Pepper will be amendable to that. There's only one way: he needs to trick her. He's come to realize that she's stayed more often in her room upstairs lately because it made it easier for her to slip in and out of his bed than if she went back to her own place first. She does it especially then when he works late and she needs to fear he won't go to sleep at all. Therefore, he stays late in his workshop that night and has Jarvis tell him as soon as Pepper inquires if he's asleep yet. He's decided that if he went into Pepper's room she won't be able to escape. It's a tricky idea though because he isn't quite sure yet how he's actually supposed to get into her bed without her kicking him into the balls.

Around eleven, Jarvis cuts through the music. "Sir, Miss Potts just went to bed now."

"Alright, thanks. Has she asked you to check up on me yet?"

"Yes, she has. Sir, I must inform you that if Miss Potts were to ask me if I was telling you I couldn't lie to her. You programmed me accordingly."

"I know. But Pepper won't ask you, don't worry."

"Very well."

After that, he tries to concentrate on his suit for another half an hour before Jarvis announces Pepper asked him to check up on Tony again.

"Jarvis, what is Pepper doing right now?"

"Miss Potts is in her room and watching a cartoon on her laptop."

Alright. Taking a deep breath, he quickly jogs up the stairs and slowly opens the door to her room. She's indeed still awake, leaning against the headboard of the bed and only the light of the computer's display is illuminating the room.

Surprised, she looks at him. "Hey." She shoots him a smile and he grins back.

"Hi." He knows the look she's giving him is her way of asking what he wants but since he hasn't really figured out what to say yet, he simply ignores her and crosses over to her bed.

"Watcha watching?"

She bites her lip and he thinks she blushes a little. "Road Runner," she tells him. On a normal day he would surely tease her now because how cool is that? Strictly professional, no nonsense Pepper Potts watching something so juvenile?

"Cool," he says instead and then just gets into her bed. He knows he just threw her entirely off guard but he doesn't care. If the mountain won't come to the prophet and all that, he just needs to step up his game.

Pepper's staring at him but he simply ignores that. Instead, he tries to focus on the cartoon. Or at least he wants to seem like he is."Huh, I actually know this one," he tells Pepper.

"They're all the same," she says. It's not quite disagreement.

"Shut up," he mutters, "I wanna watch this."

That gets him a smirk and he has to bite his lip in order to hold in his own smile.

They watch in silence for a while and then exactly three minutes before the episode's ending he moves him arm around Pepper. Her spine instantly straightens before she completely freezes. Tony can feel her heart beating nervously in her chest because their upper bodies are kind of touching.

"What are you doing?", she asks and tries to put a little space between them.

He isn't entirely sure what to say to that. While he is a smooth talker and definitely a joker most of the time he knows he needs to treat carefully now. Otherwise, deer like Pepper will get spooked.

"Getting more comfortable. Your elbow is kinda poking my guts here, Pep."

She glares at him. "Well, nobody exactly invited you in here."

"Hey, don't be mean." He pouts for good measure, knowing their banter will make Pepper comfortable again.

She rolls her eyes. "We should move this onto the couch if you insist on watching this with me," Pepper says and even starts moving which he quickly stops with his arm tightening around her.

"No, come on. It's warm and cozy here. And it's late."

"All the more reasons why you shouldn't be in here."

"Oh no, hopefully your mom won't have my hide," he teases which earns him a jab of her elbow.

"Shut up. This is not appropriate, Mr. Stark." And of course, she instantly gets that frowning look she always gets when she disapproves. He knows that damn look too well.

"Oh, look, a new episodes on," he tries, but she only presses pause without taking her narrowed eyes off of him. How she managed to actually hit the right key without ever looking kind of amazes him and distracts him enough to look down onto the keyboard.

"Jarvis, why is Mr. Stark actually here?" Her voice has that no nonsense tone that it usually has when she's fed up with him and he instantly knows he's busted.

"No, don't tell her!", he cries but his traitorous AI apparently loves her more than him. When did that happen? He definitely has got to do some working on his shitty virtual butler.

"I believe Mr. Stark is trying to sleep with you, Miss Potts."

Instantly, Tony winces and Pepper's eyes widen before she stares him down rather angrily.

"Is that true?"

"No! Not like that," he hastily tries to explain. "It's not…he means…I'm just."

He's stumbling over his words which apparently Jarvis takes as a sign to cut in. "Miss Potts, I recommend-"

"Mute!", Tony cuts him off and sighs. Damn it.

"Pepper, I know you've been coming into my room at night," he begins, forcing himself not to react to her gasp and he only tightens his arm around her when she tries to escape. "I don't know why and I have no idea why you always leave before dawn, but-"

"Why didn't you just say anything?" She's entirely embarrassed, mortified even.

"Because I didn't want you to stop." By now his own heart beat has started picking up as well and his sweating like crazy. Damn it, this love thing is almost as stressful as going on a mission in his suit. Maybe even more so.

At least his admission made that terrified look on Pepper's face go away. Instead, he sees mostly confusion. "What? Why?"

"I now know what falling asleep with you in my arms feels like, Pep, and I really, really wanna know what waking up feels like, too." And, oh god, is he actually blushing? What is he, thirteen?

Well, at least his embarrassment seems to amuse Pepper because suddenly there's a smile on her face. He loves her smiles. They light up her whole face and it feels like the sun is shining and like every one of his wishes will come true. Oh god, when the hell did he become this sappy idiot?

"Alright," she agrees softly and it's kind of sudden which causes him to check again. In case he's imagined it.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Great then. Let's do this." He swiftly wiggles down and looks up at her expectantly. Pepper eyes him hesitantly. He wonders why. It's not like they haven't done this already and he just practically told her he is in love with her because let's face it, in all his life he's never had the desire to wake up with a woman in his arms.

"Pep," he whines because he's sleepy and he knows she's too and his tone makes her roll her eyes and finally shut the laptop. She puts it next to her on the floor before she lies down.

"This is weird," Pepper says not even a full ten seconds later and somehow that makes his gut clench.

"Yeah, well, want me to go down so you can sneak in again?", he quips which results in her elbowing him.

"Ow!", he lets out, "quit attacking the superhero here."

She groans. "Tony, you aren't a superhero." Yeah, it's an argument they've been having for a while now and he kind of congratulates himself because it's the opening he needs.

"Am too and I've been thinking about this girlfriend thing some more," he tells hers, turning to face her. It's a good thing that his arm is under her neck because that way he can feel it warming.

"Did you now?"

"Mhm," he mumbles and slowly lets his left hand come to rest on her hip. They are so close now and Pepper is so warm and smells good. He wonders if it would be weird if he showered with her shower gel from time to time. On the other hand, if his plan succeeds, then he will just have to cuddle up to her and put his nose into her hair to smell her.

He smiles. He likes that image.

"And I am to take there's a correlation between you wanting a girlfriend and wanting to take up next to me?"

He grins. "Why, Miss Potts, if I didn't know any better I would be thinking you were coming onto me."

Pepper, of course, is instantly riled up. "You are such an id-"

And then Tony figures he's just going to shut her up in the way he's been wanting to for some time now. He quickly leans over and cuts her off midsentence and presses his lips against hers. Hers are warm and soft and it's tickling and he's never going to stop kissing her, especially once she starts kissing him back. Her fingers find his neck, knotting themselves into his dark curls and his hand that's been resting on her hip, pulls her closer until their bodies are finally touching.

Pepper lets out a tiny sound that unleashes something wild and possessive in him and he leans over her so she lies down on her back and he covers her. He wraps his hands up in her hair and kisses her deeper, with more passion and need. His tongue darts out, caressing and coaxing and when she finally opens her perfect wet mouth so that he can get in, he's long lost himself in her. Pepper becomes restless under him. Her feet start running up and down his calves and her hands clutch at his back just before she lets out a moan.

And while he would love nothing more than to bury himself in her warmth, he realizes they need to stop for now because he knows Pepper. She isn't sure of him yet and because he wants her actually to agree to being his girlfriend she needs to understand he's serious about her and not just trying to get her to sleep with him, figuratively speaking.

With one last searing kiss and a swipe of his tongue he pulls away. They are both panting and he can feel Pepper's warm, sweet breath on his face. The light of his arc reactor illuminates her face enough so that he can see her and he moves his hand to brush away the red tresses that are falling around her head like a halo.

"You sure are happy to see me," Pepper says breathlessly and he nods.

"Yeah," he agrees, gently caressing her cheek. Her eyes are warm and there's a faint blush on her face.

"Actually I was talking about this," she says with a grin and moves slightly so her groin touches his erection that's been happily resting against her thigh. In spite of himself he lets out a groan and Pepper chuckles before she gently takes hold of his chin and kisses him again.

It's a softer kiss, its intend is to calm and soothe, not to tease and heat up, but he's a guy and he's in love with her so it doesn't really turn out that way. He moves him arms entirely around her and turns with her so that she comes to rest on him with a squeak. His hands fall to the small of her back.

"So about that girlfriend thing," he starts, still a little breathless and it causes Pepper to laugh. For a second he thinks it's the sweetest sound he's ever heard.

"You aren't going to drop this until I agree, are you?", she asks with a grin. She probably doesn't think he sees that her eyes are straying to his mouth again, but he does.

"You know me so well," he replies with a grin and enjoys how she rolls her eyes good naturedly.

They are going to be good at this, he's sure of that, and later, after a lot of more kissing he finally gets to wrap his arms around her while they are both still halfway conscious and his nose into the back of her neck and while he slowly drifts off he thinks that he can very well get used to this and that he can't wait for them to get up like this in the morning.

Finito