The Play
Hello! Hello… This is just a quick one shot that I am thinking about as we speak. I'm not really in the right mood to right a fabulous chapter full of cliffhangers… but I am in the mood for a quick one shot.
I did mention this to this person, and I hold true to my word. This story is dedicated to one of my new followers: Twitchyness! How about a warm welcome the newest member of IMAA. I constantly get emails about PMs from many of you guys, but day after day I get many "Story Favorites" or "Story Follower" and at first I was confused about the 15 emails I got in the hour… but hey! It was Twitchyness! So thank you for all those followings, and favorites! ESPECIALLY THE REVIEWS!
Oh, and if you have read my recently updated story, which I believe is Safe House? The winner of the nickname contest is definitely Someone who gladly complimented me as "Percy Jackson, Lover of the Evil Cliffhangers." Quite clever, if I must say so myself.
In each update the reviewers who mentioned a nickname will be featured, so that they can just agree with the fact that I am quite evil!
Okay, on with the show! Oh… this is based on a play, but I won't go exactly by what the play said. In fact I'll be making up some lines—but it isn't plagiarism by all means… I'll be sure to disclaim it.
Disclaimer: I own nothing but this story. And I also do not own William Shakespeare's play, Romeo and Juliet.
So what the stupid invention didn't work, that wouldn't stop him! The eerie feeling of the invention not function just seemed to bring the Hulk out of him. The calculations were right, and so were the formula's written on the holographic screen in front of him.
"Come on! Just pop you stupid popcorn! POP!" Tony shouted. It didn't make sense! He added the right amount of butter and salt, yet the kernels were stubborn and refused to pop.
"It's not going to pop if you don't turn on the microwave." A voice said sarcastically behind him. Tony felt a blush rise to his cheeks but forced it down as he swiveled on his heels to face his friend.
Pepper leaned against the kitchen counter, amused by his struggle. "It's called a 'microwave' Mr. Genius." She added with a chuckle. Pepper pushed herself off and pushed the buttons on the machine. Sure enough it sprang to life and the smell of popcorn immediately began to waft around the kitchen.
"What are you doing here?" Tony asked staring at the revolving kernels in the microwave. "You said you would be out of town this weekend."
Pepper shrugged and turned to face him. "Guess I'm not now." She smiled and walked back towards the granite counter. She placed her hands on the counter top and lifted herself up to sit on it. "My father got a call. It was an emergency, so—here I am."
Tony leaned back on the stove counter top and folded his lean arms across his chest. There was something else in her voice, and he spotted it as easily as he spotted a bird poop stain on his armor. "There's something else isn't there?"
Pepper looked away and bit her lower lip. It was such a cute gesture that warmed Tony's heart. "You know me too well."
"I sure do. Now tell me, what do you have in mind?"
A quick wave. That wasn't good. "It's nothing really. You know the play that they're doing at school?"
Tony's attention skyrocketed. The play, the school play that he deliberately told Pepper he wanted nothing part of no matter how much she pleaded. "You didn't." He hissed.
The popcorn kernels sounded as the temperature rose inside the microwave. They might as well be distance sirens, because Tony didn't pay any attention to it. He could only focus on Pepper's hands twisting in front of her and her teeth that gnawed at her lip.
"I was just thinking we could give it a shot, you know? I always wanted to do a play, and this seemed like a great idea." Pepper looked up at him, her hazel eyes flaring in guilt. "At the time." She added quietly.
The microwave beeped in conclusion of popping the stubborn kernels. Without taking his eyes off Pepper, Tony pulled on the handle, reached inside, and grabbed the hot bag in his hands. The burn was nothing compared to the dread inside of him.
"You know I wanted nothing part of it." Tony said slowly. "When did you do this?"
"The moment you walked away. I kinda just scribbled us down."
Tony set the bag on the counter behind him and dusted off his hands. "Well, excuse me ma'am but I have a small business I need to take care of." Pepper hopped down from her nest and ran in front of him. She pushed both her hands on his chest and shook her head wildly.
"You are not going to go erase your name off that list!"
Tony snorted. "What's stopping me?"
Pepper's eyes widened, showing the amount of fear she really felt at that moment. She left something else out when she mentioned the play. "You're already casted." She said quickly.
"I'm WHAT?" Tony yelled in hysteria. "What—who am I?"
"Uh—Romeo…." Pepper said lightly.
Tony's heart sank, and a groan escaped his lips. "William Shakespeare? Come on, Pepper! You already know how the English project went two years ago! I can't do this!"
"But you did fine!"
"Pepper, Rhodey was telling me the dialogue the whole time. That's not fine if I black out on the stage and stare helpless at the mercy of the audience and smile because I have nothing to say!"
Pepper scoffed. She thought he wouldn't take it this far, because she just wanted him to cooperate. "How about we practice today? I have the play with me. We have our parts, and we can practice the rehearsals that'll happen this Monday."
Tony ran a hand down his face and let out a long sigh. "Pepper—I can't."
"Yes you can. Come on." Pepper grasped her hand in his and dragged him out of the house and down to the armory. It was a short walk, thankfully, and only meant that he would be more comfortable with the equipment he works with rather than the house.
When they entered, Pepper handed him the copy of the book and went of gathering all the tools scattered on his desk. She carefully stood them up and created a sort of "audience" in front of them. She then pushed the furniture, and other objects around them, away and pulled Tony towards her.
That sneaky boy was trying to walk out of the armory. Not on her watch.
"Okay! Fine… I'll do the script today. Only today. I'm Romeo, right?" He looked up and saw her nod. "Who are you?"
Pepper blushed. "I was chosen as Juliet." Tony stared at her a moment longer and blushed even worse. He knew the tale of Romeo and Juliet well enough to know what went down with those two. Even worse, they were about the same age as they were now.
"Oh—uh you know what the rehearsal scenes are for Monday?" He cleared his throat and absentmindedly scanned through the pages in the book.
Pepper turned her pages as well until she reached the page that the Theater teacher told her to look over. "Yeah—Mr. Young said Scene 5 page 21." She looked it over, and quickly shut the book. Her hands shook and she glanced quickly at Tony before, once again, blushing enormously.
"Page, 21? Don't you mean 121? Scene 5 doesn't—OW! PEPPER!" Tony pulled his hands back as Pepper yanked the book out of his hands and slammed it shut. The tingly feeling of a paper cut faded as he glared at her in accusation.
"I thought you wanted me to look over the play, Pepper." His voice came out slowly and quietly. That paper cut did hurt, so he had to make her pay. But before he could attack her with tickles, he noticed how similar Pepper's hair and face were.
They were quite red.
"Uh—I don't think we should start where it said we should start." Pepper said clutching the books to her chest. She folded her arms across them to keep them from being pried from her grasps.
Tony folded his arms and tapped his foot. "What do you mean by that? Let me look at it." He made a grab for it, but Pepper hopped back out of reach. "Pepper, this is stupid. Come' ere." And so cat and mouse went down for a while as Tony attempted to catch her and Pepper danced out of the way.
At last he put a hand up to have her wait and stood, fixing his blue eyes on her. He turned to his computer, and before Pepper could slam her hand over his mouth, he said, "Computer, pull up Scene 5 page 121, William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet." He was tackled to the ground as the computer pulled up the scene.
"No! Tony, don't—oh god." Pepper threw the books to the side and rested her head on his chest as Tony read the scene wide eyed.
"They—they kiss in this scene? Is that even allowed in a high school play?" Tony asked casting her a careful look. They were both on the floor when Pepper took him down, and her forehead was resting on his chest, refusing to look up.
"It gets a lot worse, keep reading." She spoke softly. Tony obliged and continued to read through the rest of the scene. He gulped at the—the sounds that were required to show the true love Romeo and Juliet had for each other.
"Well—we better start working on it." Tony said standing up. Pepper rose too grabbing the books again. She didn't look so sure anymore, but she handed him one of the books and opened up her own to the scene.
"Tony—this is… this is a-" She couldn't complete her sentence. This scene was too graphic, and too descriptive with what Romeo and Juliet did. It might not be that scene which was further down the book, but this scene was bad enough. It was when Romeo takes Juliet into a room, avoiding being caught, and well—they kissed.
A lot.
Tony cleared his throat. "So—I just speak the words right?" Pepper nodded, already dreading what they would have to do.
Another cough. "'My friend, I yet to see the maiden that I had seen just the day before.'" Tony skipped the line where his "friend" said something back. "'Ah! Is it she? The one on the balcony? I must speak to her—I must get to Juliet.'"
Pepper looked at her book. "It says I look for you too and spot you hiding behind a pillar. I come down the stairs and quickly make my way over to you, standing right opposite of you." So, Pepper and Tony both turned around and stood, back against back.
"Thou wait hither, my loyal friend. I wilt findeth my beloved." Tony read out.
"'Romeo, art thee here?"
"My Juliet, it is I, Romeo. I am here for you."
Pepper turned to face Tony and smiled, as the script said. "O my love. I hast been waiting for thee."
Then as the script instructed, Tony grasped Pepper's hand and yanked her towards him. She came close to the point where she could practically feel his breath on her. His overwhelming cologne made her want to melt into him, but she cleared her throat and gestured at Tony to say his line.
"I'm going to make it so that we ran away and are hiding like fugitives. Is that okay?" When Pepper nodded, Tony quickly flipped the page and read the line. "'Tybalt is a nuisance isn't he?'"
"'He is only my father's right man. He keeps me in check from doing aught wrong. Like me being with thou." Pepper was apparently supposed to whisper it softly to him, and so she did.
Tony cleared his throat, because this close proximity was almost too much for him to bear. "'Ah, but true love shouldst not interfere with his overbearing.'"
"'I only live to agree with thee, my love.'"
"'Then kiss me, Juliet. Prove to me your love is as strong as mine.'" Tony gulped and looked down at Pepper. "So I suppose Juliet jumps right into it?"
"I would believe so. These two were in love." Pepper said glancing at her script and noticing how belligerent Juliet was.
"Do we have to do this at the rehearsals?" Tony asked. If that was the case, this was going to be real awkward.
Pepper nodded, confirming his dread. "Everything that happens happens. That's what Mr. Young said. I asked him if the kissing scenes would be in there too, and he said… he said yes."
"So—you want to wait until Monday? Or…" He didn't want to complete the sentence. He got the answer he needed when Pepper looked up at him, her eyes gleaming brighter than before.
It seemed strange because Tony thought of nothing as the book tumbled out of his hands, and both his hands moved up to grab Pepper's face. Her hands encircled his wrists and held on tightly anticipating the moment when Tony's lips crashed on to hers.
The rush of energy that overwhelmed the two of them was enough to make their breathing ten times stronger. Each inhale was in desperate attempt to quickly get back to their kissing. Pepper's book fell from her grasps as well, and quickly found their way behind Tony's back. She pulled him closer, and received a grunt.
Tony removed his hands from her face, because it seemed to be getting in the way of his kissing. And he had to admit, Pepper was a good kisser.
The two of them knew this was not how the kiss would work out on Monday. It would be shorter, and less heated, because well—they were sure that their parents would be there watching them, one. And two, if it lasted as long as this, Tony's head would be cut off by Pepper's dad. It had to be simple, but today, simple was out of the picture.
It got even more heated, and so Pepper moved forward, pushing Tony back. She continued to push until his back struck his worktable. And it continued. She never kissed anyone, and by how Tony was kissing, she safely assumed he had kissed before. It didn't bother her, only because she knew he saved this kiss for her.
At last, when they figured it was best to stop, they pulled away and stared at each other. Tony leaned back against his table, catching his breath, and he felt Pepper's head fall to his chest where she was catching her breath as well.
"That will not happen on—stage." Tony quickly reminded her. She nodded and strayed a moment longer on his chest before pulling back and breathing in deeply.
The smile on her face would forever be branded into Tony's memory. "That—that was interesting." She seemed fully recovered, and even her face was no longer red. Her lips were a little puffy from the intensity, but as Tony looked her over he noticed how the swelling was coming down.
He on the other hand, was out of breath and out of energy. "Never kissed like that before."
"Does this mean you're doing the play?"
Tony looked up. "If I say no?"
Pepper shrugged, biting her lip and keeping herself from laughing. "Gene will have to take over Romeo's part." She let out a laugh the moment Tony stumbled and stood up straight.
"GENE? He's my backup?" He shouted in shock.
Pepper grinned. "He sure is, and I mean I wonder how well he'll kiss." Tony's exasperated headshakes were too good to not laugh. She couldn't stop laughing as he stomped his foot like a child.
"AH! I was going to say I couldn't do this play! Gene—if Gene is going to be my backup there is no way I'm letting him get near my girlfriend." Whoops, that word came out.
Pepper froze where she was and the laughter poured right out of her. She stood and slowly faced him. "What did you say?"
"I—uh—couldn't do this play."
"After that…"
"There's no way Gene'll be my backup?"
"Tony!"
"You're my girlfriend! All right? That's what I said… And even if you say no, I still love you." Tony squeezed his eyes shut as he recalled himself saying the "L" word.
Oh crap.
"You love me?" Pepper asked gasping.
Tony glanced at her sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "For a while, yeah. I didn't want to tell you, because I was scared, and well to be honest; I thought you were too good for me. But—I really didn't want to have to tell you after we kissed. It isn't—it isn't right."
Pepper stared at him, her hazel eyes going soft. Her heart pounded against her chest as she came forward and wrapped her arms around his torso. "You're the most gentlemen-y guy I have ever met. You're apologizing for the kiss aren't you?"
"I am. I shouldn't have done that, especially when we didn't have anything before. But—I guess my feelings were too strong to ignore."
"Consider me yours, Tony. And trust me, I love you too. And I go each day hoping you would ask me. And I accept the title as Tony Stark's girlfriend." Pepper said closing her eyes on his chest. She felt Tony's warm arms close around her and his lips kiss the top of her head.
"I guess I have Shakespeare to thank for that." He said. And Pepper giggled. She was a genius, and besides, he didn't need to know that they weren't signed up for the play. Or the fact that she wrote Scene 5 herself.
Ya! There ya go—something short? Actually quite long, but short in the fact that it was all done in the same scene. I didn't want to really get it complex and make it some sort of multiple scene type story! So—tell me what you think! Tell me what you think about that little bit at the end… I always love to add some twists, as y'all know.
For today's review tell me what is your favorite type of chocolate! It can be the brand of chocolate (Hershey's or what not) or what kind of chocolate (dark, white, milk, etc.).
Thanks for reading! REVIEW!