Hey ya'll! This is my first fanfiction EVER so constructive criticism is most welcome!! And I know its super fluffy/smutty! Anyways, I don't own anything, Marvel does. Enjoy!
That's it. That's it! Pepper Potts thought angrily as she turned off the news and slammed the remote down. The whir of machines announced Iron Man's return and Pepper stormed down the stairs to meet him.
Tony was free from the suit from the waist up and the machines were quickly removing the lower pieces when Pepper punched in her security code and entered the room. Tony turned in surprise at the noise of Pepper stomping towards him in her stiletto heels. "You know Pepper, you might break a heel marching that way, or worse yet, an ankle, better be careful." He grinned before returning his attention to the robot working on the last piece of his suit. "Come on dummy, hurry up," he chided.
"Really Tony? Really?!" She stressed, "I can't believe you actually care for the well being of people. Telling them to be careful when you clearly cannot follow your own advice!"
"What are you talking about Pepper?" He mumbled without facing her.
"You know what I am talking about! And I refuse to be around while you try to kill yourself! And you know what Mister Stark, I quit!"
"Oh that again." Tony hopped down from the robots' hold and turned to face his assistant ready to go on another bout of her threatening to quit and shifting from calling him Tony to Mr. Stark. He secretly hated when she did that, but also enjoyed working towards her calling him by his first name again. But when he really looked at her he finally noticed that she did look genuinely upset. Her face was flushed and her small hands were balled into tight fists at her side.
"Listen Pepper, I'm sorry, I honestly don't know what you are talking about. It was just like any other mission I've been on, and you were fine with all of those." Tony stepped towards her, but Pepper took a step back and held up a hand warning him to stop, so he did.
"No, Mr. Stark. I can't do this anymore. I'm done. My resignation will be on your desk tomorrow."
"Now wait just a minute! At least tell me what you are so mad about!"
"I saw you on the news. Flying upside down and doing TRICKS around that guy! Tricks, Tony! Posing for cameras and then getting hit with his machine gun and some other missile while you were prancing around! I can't believe you! I mean I actually fell for the 'I have to do the right thing' speech." She made finger quotations in the air as she spoke. "I won't hang around to watch you feed your ego and get yourself killed as a result!"
"Listen Pepper I'm sorry I was being careless. I promise to never fool around like that again, ok?" He addressed her gently while circling around her to block her escape route. He knew he couldn't let her leave him without making this right. He didn't think he would survive if she walked out of his life. And she seemed perfectly serious about doing so this time.
He stepped closer to her and saw the anger in her eyes start to dissipate. "I really meant that I want to help the people I've put in harms way. And this was a mission for SHIELD. That guy had hostages Pepper, and I couldn't just let them die when I could do something about it!" Her eyes softened even more and her fists started to unclench at her sides.
"Besides that imitation Iron Man suit was pathetic. I mean, you saw how I flew circles around him! He couldn't even get off the ground. I mean he was using a lithium battery to power it. Can you believe that?!" Tony laughed again and shook his head at the absurd thought. But Pepper grew angry all over again and moved to leave the workshop as Tony realized his mistake for taking things so lightly.
Tony sobered immediately and he grabbed Pepper's wrist before she could run by him and whirled her around. She came crashing into his chest breathing hard. "Please Pepper! Don't go. I'm sorry. I'm sorry!"
"Clearly you aren't. Now let me go," she struggled.
"Just listen to me for a minute. Pepper please!" Pepper huffed, but relaxed slightly. Tony didn't relax his hold on her though. "I admit, I was being a complete ass. And I honestly will not do that again! I don't mean to worry you, I just get kind of caught up in the moment. . .but I'm going to work on that," he rushed to add before she could interrupt. "Trust me, I don't ever want to cause you to worry on purpose."
"You could have been killed." She whispered without looking at him.
"Pepper, I'm not going anywhere. I promise. Besides that guy couldn't have killed me," he grinned broadly, "the suit's bullet proof."
Pepper rolled her eyes and choked back an angry sob trying to push herself away from him. "Unbelievable," she fumed. Tony couldn't believe how angry she was, but he was finally realizing how much she must worry about him every time he was out in the suit. He hated that he did that to her, but at the same time it made him love her all the more that she cared so much.
Love?! Did he just admit he loved her. To himself sure, but yes that's what it was. That was the unexplainable feeling he got every time she entered the room, every time she said his name. That was what kept him up at night and what entered his dreams when he did sleep and when he wasn't having nightmares. He loved her. He absolutely could not let her walk out that door.
"Hey I was just trying to lighten the mood," he pleaded. "I'm trying to tell you that I was perfectly safe. I'm trying to tell you.." Pepper continued to struggle and almost worked her way free before Tony wrapped his arms around her back locking them like a vice so that she couldn't move.
"Damnit Pepper! I'm trying to tell you..." He paused with the weight of his next words. She paused in her struggles noticing the change of tone in his voice and the tension in the atmosphere. Slowly he placed his finger under her chin and lifted her face so he could look into her eyes. They were glossy with unshed tears and her lips were parted seemingly in expectation. He noticed the fear that also laid in her eyes. Fear, anger, and something else. . .could it be hope?
"What Tony? What are you trying to tell me?" She whispered.
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