Sorry for the delay in updating, school's back in session. Here's a new chapter, enjoy :D

"Oh my god, this has got to be the best cake I've ever eaten!" Pepper exclaimed after she finished the lemon crème cupcake. Tony grinned and took a bow.

"I'm glad you enjoy them. Happy birthday, Pep." Tony said earnestly. Pepper smiled, dropping the cupcake wrapper into the trashcan.

"And here I was thinking that you had forgotten." Pepper said, smiling. Tony placed a hand on his chest and looked affronted.

"Me, forget your birthday? I would never." Pepper rolled her eyes.

"And I have three identical grossly expensive tennis bracelets from Cartier that say otherwise. Next time you assign Jarvis to do your shopping, make sure he doesn't get me the same thing three years in a row." Pepper said, patting him on the shoulder. Tony was about to counter that he had personally picked out last year's bracelet and maybe if she had actually worn them he would remember when he was cut off by the sound of the elevator doors opening.

"Happy birthday, Miss Potts!" Steve greeted, holding out a bouquet of lilies. Pepper gave him a bright smile as she accepted the flowers.

"Oh Steve, they're beautiful! My favorites!" Tony shot a look at the roses he had asked Happy to get. Better make a note.

"I figured you'd enjoy them. Hey Tony, how's it going?" Steve said, giving Tony a little wave.

"Pretty good, Cap. What brings you over to Stark Industries?" Tony asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I wanted to wish Miss Potts a happy birthday. And potentially do damage control. You did remember, right?" Steve asked, looking sheepish.

"He did, Steve. Have a cupcake, they're delicious." Pepper said, gesturing to the box. Steve glanced a Tony before picking up a lemon crème. Tony beamed, glad that his present was so well received.

"This is pretty good. Where did you get these?" Steve asked after taking a bite.

"Tony got them for me." She said, smiling at Tony.

"Yeah, I picked them up at bakery called Bifrost. Very exclusive." Tony said.

"Uh huh. I'm sure Jarvis did an excellent job searching Yelp for the first bakery that popped up." Pepper said.

"Hey! I was the one that suggested it!"

Tony finished the day in high spirits. He nodded good-bye to his secretary before kissing Pepper on the cheek and promising to pick her up at seven for her birthday dinner. Happy was waiting downstairs with the limo.

"Good day, Mr. Stark?" Happy asked, opening the door.

"Excellent day. She loved the cupcakes. And the roses." Tony added, settling himself in the cool leather seat. He opened the small refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of premium scotch.

"Happy, make sure you stock this with Pep's favorite wine and a bottle of champagne." Tony said, pouring himself a glass.

"Will do, Mr. Stark." Happy said, putting the limo in gear.

"Oh, and don't wear that hideous green tie tonight. I hate that thing." Tony said, taking a sip.

"Okay, Mr. Stark."

"Where did you get that thing anyway?"

"You gave it to me for Christmas last year." Tony blanched, making a mental note to never buy Happy a tie again.

Tony arrived at the towering apartment complex he called home. Stark Tower was the first residential complex in the world to run wholly on clean energy. Each apartment was outfitted with state-of-the-art Stark® appliances and electronics that ran off Tony's patented Arc Reactor™ technology. Tony was proud of the fact that Stark Tower was accessible to people of every income level; he had struck a deal with the New York City Housing Authority in order to make the first forty floors of the ninety-three floor building affordable housing for lower-income families. The remaining fifty floors housed pricier apartments, holding the kind of residents who felt they deserved to live at Stark Tower. And at the very top was the three-story penthouse that Tony called home while he was in New York.

Happy pulled into the private parking garage that housed Tony's other luxury vehicles. Tony exited, reminded him to be back at 6:15 and then got in the elevator that would take him directly to his penthouse suite. Once in his apartment, he collapsed on the large leather sofa in his living room.

"Welcome home, sir." Jarvis greeted, sending Dum-E out with a glass tumbler of scotch. Tony accepted it with a nod.

"Thanks, it's good to be back." Tony said, taking a sip. "Oh, and Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?"

"Add that bakery to the list of my favorites, go into Pepper's profile and add "lilies" to her favorite flowers, and set a reminder for Happy's birthday with the note "no ties."

"Noted, sir. I take it that Miss Potts enjoyed it, sir?" Jarvis asked, turning on the TV to Tony's favorite channel.

"She loved them. I'd say it beat the hell out of a necklace from Cartier." Tony replied.

"I'm glad, sir."

"So where am I taking Pepper for dinner?" Tony asked. It had been decided long ago, after the third year Tony had neglected to plan something (and by default, had forgotten to make reservations) and Tony had to pull the "I'm Tony Stark" card with the restaurant, that Pepper would tell Jarvis where she wanted her birthday dinner to be at and Jarvis would make the reservation.

"You, Miss Potts, Captain Rogers, and Mr. Hogan will be dining at Le Bernardin." Jarvis informed him.

"Oh goody, I love their bread." Tony grinned, relaxing into the seat.

All in all, Pepper's birthday dinner had been a rousing success. Everyone had enjoyed themselves and Tony had gotten extra bread to take home. After dropping Steve and Pepper off at their respective apartments, Happy and Tony returned back to Stark Tower.

"In for the night, Mr. Stark?"

"Probably not, Hap. Don't worry; once you get me home you're off the clock. Hell, you can take tomorrow off. I'm not needed at the office." Tony said, leaning back in the seat.

"Will do."

Tony decided to take the Porsche out, if only because the Lamborghini would be too pretentious. He drove around aimlessly until he came upon a small bar. It hadn't been his intention to go out and drink tonight, but his impulse control was terrible.

It was small, dark and smoky. Smooth jazz was being played out of the speakers, barely heard over the din of conversation and clinking glasses. Tony sidled up to the bar and plopped down next to a slim, young man with sandy blond hair. He nodded at the man and was given a soft smile in return.

"What'll you have?" asked a gruff voice. Tony looked up and tried to contain his surprise. The voice belonged to a formidable looking bald man with an eye-patch. Tony tried not to stare too hard at the patch.

"Uh, a whiskey on the rocks, please." Tony said, eyes darting between the patch and the eye.

"Coming right up."

An hour and two drinks later, Tony found himself chatting up the young man next to him. His name with Bobby Brandon or Blake and he was an actor, an accountant or both. Tony tended not to focus too much on the details, only whether or not he was interested in "checking out his Porsche."

He was and fifteen minutes later they were out in the parking lot, making out in the back of Tony's expensive luxury car like a couple of teenagers.

Yes, Tony thought as Bobby/Brandon/Blake reached for his zipper, an excellent day.