At first he doesn't even notice.

It starts as a random comment about how she hired someone new to take over hiring for the new intelligence wing. And when the hiring is over she tells him that she s promoted the new guy to shift manager and general assistant which is like a glorified gopher with ten times the stress and twice as many bosses so why should Tony really care about something trivial like that? Especially when he s bogged down with Stark Industries, Iron Man, and a dozen other side projects and problems. He s too busy to realize that of the many bosses a general assistant has, Pepper is one of them, and not just one of them but the one who promoted him and opened up doors professionally.

The first time Tony sees him is when he surfaces from maintenance work on the suit. On his way to the kitchen he spots her at the front door, talking to someone in their earlier twenties, shirt wrinkled and looking beyond tired.

"Thank you so much for bringing these over, all the couriers are dead to the world at this hour."

"As should you, but I knew you wouldn't sleep until this was done so I didn't either."

She giggles, actually giggles and the preposterousness of it is what draws Tony's gaze to the young man. Gray eyes, dark hair and slumped against the frame of the door so that he looks a foot or two smaller. They say goodbyes and maybe there is a tiny bit of something lingering in her eyes but as soon as Tony notices it it's gone and she's pushing the folder into his hands all about work work work again.

Then all of a sudden he keeps hearing the same name.

"Davis helped the last buyer s presentation so we don t need to hire another intern."

"Davis's brother is one of the skaters and got these ice tickets so please arrive on time."

"I looked over these with Davis and we're getting a second opinion this afternoon. I'll drop them off after."

"Here is the new employee confidentiality agreement, if I'm not in the office just leave it with Davis."

"I'm headed to lunch with Davis, call me if the journalist from Times gets here earlier."

"Remember the conference is at 2:30, Davis included a list of all the workshops you signed off on speaking at. Try to make it to at least half of them."

But then again when Pepper finds someone reliable she uses them to their full extent which means he hears about them for a while until she promotes them and then he hears about someone else. It s a pattern and certainly not any sort of warning for when he comes home from a day of fighting the latest menace to a very dolled up Pepper Potts in a knock-down-drag-out gorgeous black dress.

"Hot patootie bless my soul, what are we doing tonight?"

"We are not doing anything."

He follows his assistant to the table where she's taking a necklace from her purse, "Let me."

"Thank you."

He unknots it, wishing he smelt less like blood and oil and more like whatever she is wearing which is a bad horrible thought that he doesn t even try to resist. Especially when she turns around and her hair is playing peek a boo with shoulders bare but for a thin strap holding the dress up.

"And uh, where was it you said you were going?"

"If you must know-"

"I must."

"Davis is taking me to dinner. It's our six month anniversary."

"Who?"

"Davis. The new head of HR and secretarial staff. My boyfriend." she adds

"Boyfriend? Since when?"

The doorbell rings.

She sends him a warning look,"Tony."

But he's already unlocking it to reveal a grinning man with a small thin package and a single purple flower. Tony's mind instantly flashes back to that night months ago and he's struck silent, only able to stare as Pepper edges in front of him to take the flower and squeeze Davis's hand. He regains himself enough to put a hand on the frame, effectively parting the two.

"I don't believe we've been formally introduced. Anthony Stark."

"Of course, it's a honor, Mr, Stark. How you doin'?"

"I'm doing great Joey Tribiani and yourself?"

Davis shakes his hand, oblivious, "Actually it's Davis. Davis Steinbeck. I'm here to-" he looks at Pepper who is too busy drilling holes into Tony's head with her eyes.

"I'm sorry how old are you again?"

"Uhm twenty-four sir."

"Excuse me." he shuts the door before Davis can respond, "Tell me you're not serious."

"What is wrong with you! You don't just slam doors in people's face."

"He's an infant!" Tony crows, "Practically a fetus."

"Good night."

She sends him one last glare and opens the door, apologizing to her boyfriend while her boss watches them leave arm in arm.

"Don't forget his booster seat!"

Tony waits for James to pick up the phone while upgrading his Mustang and reading the projection in front of him. As CEO he has access to all employee records and as Anthony Stark aka Iron Man he has access to everything else. State college graduate, rumors of a bright literary career with one critic's award winning short story and a column inching towards syndication. Took algebra twice in high school, never played sports a day in his life, registered as 'Independent'.

"James Rhodes."

"Rhodey listen up, I need the goods on a Davis Steinbeck."

"Pepper's Davis?"

He sits up, flicking the projection aside, "Since when is he hers? Since when does she... have?"

James laughs, "Look I checked him out months ago-"

"Has everyone known about this except me?"

"-he s a good guy."

"Yeah I'm sure Charles Manson's girlfriend said the same thing."

James doesn't take the bait like usual, "As your friend I'm advising you to drop it."

"You should have seen the dress she was wearing the other night." Tony barrels on, "That s how girls get a reputation-"

"And you would know.

"-and I should know." he sits up chin in hand, "Maybe it's time Potts and I had the old birds and bees talk."

James snorts, "More like the birds and bees having the Pepper talk."

"..."

"Bye Tony."

The millionaire sighs, "Guess its up to me and you Jarvis."

"May I pre-empt your orders by saying 'Oh no'."