Not quite sure on this one. But it's a finished story so i'm posting it!
WARNING: Not my best work.
Tony did always have a great sense of humour and it synced perfectly with hers. She smiled around him, laughed around him and basically just enjoyed being with him. He had a glint in his eye and a spark in his personality. He was a real A class character.
They were at another benefit. All in honour of her multibillionaire, charismatic boss. As if his ego wasn't big enough already. But they had to attend and as soon as Pepper said she would go with him, he was up for it.
Anyway, they were laughing and having a good time standing at the bar. They were 'people watching'. This was one of Pepper's favourite things to do when she was waiting for a train or in a crowded place. Watch strangers walk past and comment on what could be going on in their lives. Make up stupid and comical stories.
Tony had just cracked a joke about a man across the room. He was following a woman round like a puppy dog, one in which clearly had no interest in him. He was quite young and the woman looked like a proper Cougar. The way Tony raised his tone of voice to impersonate the woman made Pepper cry with laughter.
Pepper scanned her eyes across the room to find the next victims of their game when her eyes fell upon a man. He was staring at herself and Tony. It was freaking her out how he didn't seem fazed by Pepper noticing him looking. Tony had his back to the man and so Pepper grabbed his arm.
Tony's eyes looked at her grip on his arm and then back up to her eyes "Pepper what?"
"Act like i'm talking to you,"
"You are talking to me?" Tony raised his eyebrows and answered sarcastically.
"Oh shut up, and pretend you're making a pass at me or something,"
Tony smirked and leaned his body in closer "You know we don't need to pretend-"
Pepper punched his arm in a sort of pathetic girly way, but it still hurt. She furrowed her eyebrows at him and sighed so a puff of air left her mouth. She then pursed her lips tightly.
"Ow?"
"Will you grow up for five seconds?" Pepper blew her fringe out of her eyes and closed her eyes together. Before opening them again to look at Tony's confused face. "Now look over at the guy standing by the doorway-"
Tony rolled his eyes and Pepper's stressing. It would probably be nothing. He turned his head discretely and took in the man Pepper was talking about. He was standing next to the exit of the hall near the security guards. His arms were behind his back and his stance was one of discipline. His face showed the look of irritation. He was wearing all black and had a long coat on. One of his eyes covered, probably from a bad accident judging by the matching scar on his face.
"Should I be worried or is he just a weirdo?"
Tony turned back to look at Pepper. A smile slowly grew on his face and eventually burst into a laugh. Right in Pepper's face, although he did try to conceal most of it.
"Core you do make me laugh," Tony said whilst wiping away an imaginary tear.
Pepper punched his arm again before drawing in closer so that she didn't make too much of a scene. The people around were starting to give them funny looks as they were laughing their heads off not more than three minutes ago.
"Pepper please can you stop punching me," he rubbed his arm.
"Some creepy looking guy is staring at us and you're laughing?"
Tony smirked at her again before sliding his hand down her arm and clasping her hand. He then turned to walk in the direction of the man, dragging Pepper with him. She dug her heels in a bit because she didn't want to go anywhere near the guy, but Tony kept pulling her.
Tony abruptly stopped walking causing Pepper to bump into his back. They were now standing right in front of the man. He still didn't say anything to the pair of them, but Tony seemed relaxed which caused Pepper to cool off a bit more.
"Pepper Potts," Tony pulled her hand up and offered it to the man "Meet Nick Fury."
The man took her hand, his expression unmoved. He spoke in a gravelly voice "Pleasure to meet you."
"And you." Pepper smiled awkwardly. She looked at Tony for help, but he was too busy swinging back and forth on his heels. Pepper looked at Fury reassuringly again before asking "Sorry, but who are you exactly?"
"A colleague."
"Tony's boss." Fury piped up again.
"Boss?" Tony raised his eyebrows at Fury and snorted. Fury in turn gave him a stern look as if to stop Tony from causing any fuss. Tony agreed sarcastically "Yeah okay, my boss."
"Boss." Pepper seemed amused at the idea of Tony being bossed about. Especially by a leather coated, eye patched, bald man. She couldn't help, but laugh a little.
"Anyway, as nice as it is to finally meet you Miss Potts, I came here for you," Fury pointed a finger at Tony "There's a problem with a heavily armed gang in the middle East which won't sort itself out. Feel like dressing up Stark?"
Tony rolled his eyes "I'm pretty intoxicated right now. I may not be of much use so maybe you should just leave me here to enjoy myself with my lovely PA?"
"Nice try," Fury smiled comically "But as the Avengers is a bunch of self-absorbed pretty boys the team had to come up with a miracle drink a long time ago for times like these. Tastes a bit like bleach, but it works. Suit up and be at base in no more than an hour."
With that Fury nodded politely at Pepper and walked out.
"I better be off," Tony kissed Pepper's cheek unexpectedly "Don't have too much fun without me."
Pepper grinned at the sudden show of affection from Tony and yelled after him "Be careful."
"And so the hero returns," Pepper crossed her arms and watched the bots dismantle the suit to reveal Tony Stark. A very dirty, beaten up and tired Tony Stark.
"Alright sarcy," Tony stumbled "Can you not take the piss and come and help me?"
Pepper settled Tony on the medical bench. She kept him sitting up so she didn't have to deal with heaving him up right once she patched him up. She was currently standing in the middle of his legs concentrating on sterilising a cut across one of his pecks. Not too far from his arc reactor which made Pepper give him a disapproving look for not being careful like she had told him.
Tony broke the silence which had filled the room.
"The Avengers are after you."
Pepper stopped her work and watched Tony. He was biting the corner of his mouth and watching her with a thoughtful look. She got her thoughts back so she could ask "What do you mean?"
"When I got to the base, Fury had told them what a fox you were," Tony furrowed his eyebrows and replayed the scene in his mind "When I got there they were all asking about you. Things like hobbies and interests and stuff. Few of them asked for your number."
"And?" Pepper asked rolling some gauze across his cut.
"And what?" Tony leaned back on his arms "It's not like I was going to give them it."
"Why's that?" Pepper looked at him then.
Tony stuttered for a bit, he was expecting Pepper to be happy with him. Was she actually telling him that she wanted him to hand out her number to a group of heroic wankers? Tony was waiting for a bit of appreciation. Instead he just stammered "Well because,"
"Because I could really use a date, and a muscley hunk doesn't sound too bad to do some exercise with."
Tony scoffed. What was with the openness all of a sudden? He gave Pepper an odd look and laughed lightly at her blunt answer. He observed her some more and kept eye contact with her. After a minute or two he then gestured to the length of his body with one hand.
"What? You hurting somewhere else?"
"No." He then gestured to himself again "Muscley and a hunk."
Pepper clocked what he was suggesting and looked at him through heavy lidded eyes. She thought it might feel awkward to kiss Tony. After watching him with all those women over the years, wouldn't she feel like he was tainted? That his passion was false? She didn't want to drop herself in it and halfway through not feel the attraction anymore.
"Tony-"
"Plus I already know your hobbies, interests and your number. It'd feel comfortable and I bet pretty bloody fantastic," he pushed himself from the bench with his hands so he was leaning forward, inches from her lips "And I would happily exercise you all night."
Pepper's eyes dragged from his eyes to his lips and then back to his eyes again. She watched him jump from being her friendly, flirty boss. To an aggravatingly, alluring, hunky supertwat. He really knew all the lines. All the right strings to pull. Tony was well practiced in this department. Pepper swallowed the lump in her throat.
"I'm not sure that you're the right partner to exercise with,"
"How come?"
Pepper didn't move despite the fact that when either of them talked their lips ghosted over each other's due to the proximity of their bodies. Pepper's own hand had managed to find its way to grip at Tony's lower arm just so she felt she had the slightest bit of control over the situation.
"You're too big for me-"
"-Well then you can be on top."
With that he didn't even let her take a breath before pressing his lips to hers. He filled the tiny gap that was left between them and kissed her. His hand which wasn't being held by Pepper cupped her cheek gently. Tony slanted his mouth so he could vary the pressure of his lips against hers. Pepper dug her fingernails into Tony's arm where she held it. She knew they shouldn't be doing it, but they were. So she did was enjoy it.
"Feel like a work out?"
Pepper licked her lips and revelled in the taste of Tony before making the snap decision that the attraction wasn't going to ware off at all. She wanted more of him. Smiling cheekily, Pepper nodded and leaned in again. She kissed him thoroughly once more.
"Phew," Pepper gave Tony a questionable look "It's just the boys back at base told me that plan would never work."
"What?" she pulled back slightly "Are you telling me that no one wanted my number?"
"Pepper after seven years of trying to get you into the sack I came to the genius decision that I needed some form of a plan to draw you in. Otherwise you never would have looked twice."
"I can't believe you tricked me-!"
Tony cut her off with another slow, sensual kiss.
Pepper looked at him breathlessly "Oh as if I care."
Too tired to even care that i'm not happy with this. Enjoy it despite my disappointment? Review my dears, AnnaTW (:
