A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, you guys are amazing, keep it up! I love hearing from you all.
James Rhodes
The pull of his lip against his teeth is involuntary, hand tightening around the glass in his hand as he clears the stairs from his garage pausing just for a moment once when his eyes land on two people currently occupying his couch. Rhodey sits on the slightly sideways, still dressed in his uniform, looking every ounce a first lieutenant; Nobel, strong and confidant. Pepper sits nestled beside him, notebook abandoned on her lap, shoes set neatly next to the couch and a large smile on her face.
"No!" She cries when Rhodey continues, torn between amused and horrified, her hand covering her face in an effort to conceal her laughter.
"All true! Get out while you can," Rhodey warns with a good-natured smile.
Pepper's shoulders shake with laughter red ponytail bouncing with the movement as she shakes her head in disbelief, "That didn't happen."
"Oh it did."
"What happened?" Tony asks in slight annoyance, fighting to give a genuine smile when they both turn to look at him.
"Your drunken, stupor in a generals' fountain. Where you told him he wasn't hot enough for a salute." Rhodey laughs while Pepper cringes as the mental image he's just painted.
"Oh we're sharing stories are we?" Tony challenges with an evil glint, moving between the table and the couch plopping himself in between Pepper and Rhodey.
"Did he tell you about the time he kissed a man," He grins cheekily, his back to Rhodey and while he focuses solely on Pepper.
"What!" Rhodey cries in outrage, pushing at his shoulder. "I did not! Don't lie to her."
"I'm pretty sure he's gay," Tony insists with a laugh, swatting at Rhodey's hand. "Okay, okay, fine," Tony shouts in defeat, still wearing a mischievous grin. "But he has kissed a pig, though. Naked."
Pepper snorts at the mere thought, convinced it's nothing more than another wild tail strung together by her boss, but the sobering look Rhodey gives behind Tony's back causes her pause. "No!"
"It was a hazing thing," Rhodey fights to explain while Pepper cringes in embarrassment. "Why would you tell her that?!" Rhodey yells, pulling Tony's attention away from Pepper.
"Oh but it's totally fine for you to tell her naked stories about me!"
"She's working for you, this is stuff she needs to know."
"Hey! Hey!" Pepper calls, slipping off couch when they begin to banter back and forth, invading each other's space; she's all but forgotten. Tony laughing hysterically goes tumbling off the edge of the cushion carelessly dropping to the floor, drink slipping from his hand. Pepper instinctively reaches out catching the glass just before it crashes to the ground.
Shaking her head and rolling her eyes at the display she sets the glass on the table then begins to collect her bag and slips her shoes back on, smiling as the two continue to push each other. "Mr. Stark," she speaks up, breaking up the impromptu fight. "I think it's time I head home," she informs them, shifting her bag on her shoulder; With Rhodey's recent return from an over sea deployment she knows he and Tony have a lot of catching up to do. "James thank you so much for the company-"
"James," Tony sneers looking up at her from the ground. "Why are you calling him James?"
"Because it happens to be my name," Rhodey scoffs, using Tony's head as leverage to get up off the couch. Tony retaliates by swatting at his legs when Rhodey attempts to step over him. "Let me walk you out Pepper." He offers kicking at Tony's side.
"I'm sure she can walk to her own car," Tony growls, giving a good-natured shove to Rhodey's back before struggling to get off the floor.
"It's dark," Rhodey defends, quickly swallowing up Pepper's retort as he begins to lead her towards the front door.
"She'll be fine!" Tony shouts in a huff following after them, stirring his drink lightly before taking a swig.
"It's called being a gentleman Tony," Rhodey hollers back, leading Pepper through the door
"It's called being a gentleman Tony," Tony mocks, chewing on a mouth full of ice as he follows them outside. "She's parked 20 ft from the door and Jarvis is watching."
"We didn't ask you to come with T." Rhodey shakes his head, while Pepper simply rolls her eyes, and shakes her head slightly, trying to hide her amusement.
"Phft, It's my house." It's a thin veiled response, but it's all he has as he stops on the pavement in front of her silver car, unable to help a snort when Rhodey opens her door. Rolling his eyes he busies himself with another swallow of liquor, watching Rhodey over the rim as Pepper slides into her car.
It's not that he's opposed to a friendship between them, in all honesty it's easier that they get along, did she have to call him James?
A/N: Struggled with this one quite a bit, hope it wasn't too bad. Obadiah is next!