"What do you think Pepper?" Tony asked as he stepped out of the dressing room in a black suit.
"It looks nice Tony," she replied. They had been shopping for nearly three hours and she was ready to go home.
Tony frowned, "Just nice?"
She tried her hardest not to roll her eyes. They had done this little dance in every store. "It looks great."
"Well, don't not be honest," he said, walking towards her. "If you don't like the way it looks, tell me. My feelings won't be hurt."
She sighed softly, "I think that you have ten of the exact same suit at home."
"But this one's got blue pinstripes," he said, fiddling with the collar.
"Then get that one."
"But you don't like it."
"I never said I didn't like it."
"Then what do you think of it?"
"It looks nice."
"But 'nice' is code for 'I hate it.'"
"Tony," she said, sternly. "If you like it, get it. If you don't like it, don't get it. I think that you could search a little harder for something that you really like, but make up your mind so we can move on."
"Fine," he said, throwing his hands up in defense. "Jeez, no need to get snippy."
Pepper put a hand to her head as he walked back into the dressing room. Deep breathing, she thought. Keep calm. Breathe. You've got some relaxing chamomile tea and delicious Belgian chocolate waiting for you at home. Breathe. He's almost done… I hope.
Tony smiled to himself as the door shut and the sales associate rushed to help him out of his jacket. He loved annoying Pepper. She was just so gosh darned cute when she was flustered. He began to step out of his pants when he heard Pepper's phone begin to ring, shortly followed by, "Pepper Pots, how can I help you?"
He listened intently to her "Hmm's" and "Mmmhmm's". "No, I'm sorry. That day won't work for Mr. Stark; he's going to be away on business." Pause. "Well I suppose that would work." Pause. Pause. "Alright. Tomorrow at twelve thirty."
As he pressed his ear to the door jam, the clerk placed another suit on the chair behind him. The call ended with a 'beep' and Tony asked, "Who was that?" as he slipped on the suit.
"It was a company interested in merging with Stark Industries," she answered distractedly. He could hear her typing the date and time into her Blackberry.
"Who would want to merge with SI?" he said as he stepped out of the dressing room.
"Oh," she said, looking at the suit. "That's nice."
He stepped over to the six-way mirror to check the suit out from all angles. "Are you avoiding my question?"
"A little," she said, stepping behind Tony and putting a hand to his shoulder. "But this one looks really good on you Tony."
"You don't think the pink tie is too much?" he asked, smoothing it down against his chest.
"Not at all. It compliments your eyes," she smiled. She walked over to the chair she had been waiting patiently in and grabbed her bag while Tony paid for the suit.
"You still haven't answered my question," he said as they walked out of the store. They were immediately bombarded with cameras and shouting.
"Come on, Tony," one persistent journalist yelled. "Just one picture? A statement on your recent defeat by Bruce Wanye for hottest bachelor? Anything?"
Tony rolled his eyes as he and Pepper stepped into the limo. "Where to, Mr. Stark?" Happy asked from the driver's seat.
"I don't know," he shrugged. "Surprise me." Happy nodded and put the car in drive. "If I have to hear about that pompous idiot Wanye one more time, I swear to God I'm going to put a gun barrel in my mouth. Why is everyone so enamored with him? Just because of one unintelligent, badly written, and totally biased magazine article?"
"I think," Pepper started, choosing her words carefully. "I think that Bruce Wayne is…"
"What?" he interrupted. "Stupid? Hopeless with fashion? Way uglier then me?"
"No. I think he's a good business man."
"Please," Tony scoffed as he adjusted the pant leg of his new suit. "That kid wouldn't know a business deal if it bit him on the nose."
"Really?" Pepper asked, sarcastically.
"Yes really," he bit back. "He's young. It takes years of business experience to acquire a taste for blood in the water that's as refined as…"
"Yours?"
"Yes mine," he frowned. "I think I've handled Stark Industries well these last few years."
"Sure," she said, absentmindedly sorting through Tony's email. "With the exception of the whole, 'Oh, we no longer make guns, sorry' thing, the 'I don't even actually run my company' thing, and the infamous 'I am Iron Man' thing. Yes, Tony. You've done a wonderful job running SI."
He waved her sarcasm away with a perfectly manicured hand. "But all of that aside, I have no doubt in my mind I'd totally kick little Brucey-boys ass in a meeting of the minds. Honestly, how hard could it be?" The car rolled to a stop in front of Tony's favorite restaurant. "Happy, you can read me like a book. I'm starving!"
Happy turned around to face him. "I do what I can Mr. Stark." He smiled at the pair and said, "Enjoy your lunch."
"Stick around, will ya?" Tony asked as he slid out of the back seat. He turned around and offered a hand to Pepper. "I don't think we'll be too long."
"Yes sir," Happy said. Tony shut the door with a slam and turned to usher Pepper into the restaurant, away from the paparazzi.
"Well, you'll find out soon enough," Pepper said as they entered the air conditioned sanctuary of the eatery.
"Table for two, please," Tony said to the hostess. As she led them to their seats, he turned to Pepper. "Find out what?"
"If you really are more sophisticated then Bruce Wanye," she said as they sat down at a table in the back of the dark bistro.
"How so?"
"You've got a meeting with him at twelve thirty tomorrow."
Tony's eyebrows rose to the ceiling. "Excuse me?"
"Yes," she said, smirking behind her menu. "He wants to merge Wayne Enterprises with Stark Industries."
Tony waved the waitress over to the table and before she could even ask what he needed, he barked, "One glass. Finest scotch you've got. Ice. Overflowing. Quickly."
