It has been about a month since Tony and Pepper got engaged and the gossip media has lost interest. the lack of interest from the gossip media has been a great thing for Tony and Pepper who are now able to spend time together in public without being attacked by gossip reporters as soon as they leave the front door. but it has also been a very busy month for Pepper as CEO with a lot of out of town meetings. so Tony spends most of his alone time in his workshop working on his iron man suits or on improving the spiderman suit. It is late afternoon and Tony is in his workshop working on his Iron man suit.

"boss cornel Rhodes is here," FRIDAY announces and Tony quickly leaves his workshop to greet his old friend in the living room. Tony hasn't spoken much with Rhodey since the events in Berlin where Rhodey got injured. Tony has felt really guilty about it, which is probably why he hasn't reached out to Rhodey for a while.

"Rhodey…" Tony greets with a big smile as he enters the living room. Rhodey is still recovering after the events in the airport in Berlin but he is starting to be more stable on his legs again.

"hallo Stank." Rhodey greets. He doesn't seem as cheerful and happy to see his friend as Tony does.

"how you been? Tony asks. "long time no see." Tony says with a big smile. "you want a beer?" Tony hurries to the kitchen and grabs 2 beers from the fridge before Rhodey can even answer. Back in the living room, Tony drops down on the couch and Rhodey, a bit slower on his feet sits down next to Tony.

"you are getting old," Tony comments at Rhodeys slow movement. Rhodey just shoots Tony a look. Tony just grins at him. it has been over a year since the incident at the airport where Rhodey got injured. The two old friends have come to a time now where they can start joking about the injuries.

"so how is recovery going?" Tony asks after he has taken the first sip of his beer.

"good." The conversation feels more forced and awkward then it used to be between the two friends. Tony feels like there is some unresolved situation between them.

"what is going on?" Tony asks more serious turning to his friend.

"what is going on?" Rhodey asks and raises an eyebrow. "really Tony?"

Tony looks confused about why his friend seems so upset with him.

"You got engaged. Thanks for telling me." Rhodey says. he seems hurt about that his friend hasn't told him in person. "I saw it in the news and then I saw you confirm it on the news. You didn't tell me?"

"listen man." Tony says a little more defensive. "it didn't exactly go as planned okay."

"Oh, so you had a plan? Who are you and what did you do to Tony Stark?"

Tony stands up in his usual defensive way.

"okay… maybe I didn't have a plan, but Pepper did."

"that sounds more like it." Rhodey interrupts with a mocking smile. "it didn't go as planned okay."

"Let me guess… you screwed it up." Tony has a smock smile on his face clearly telling his friend that he definitely played a big part in it. It doesn't surprise Rhodey. Tony has all ways been the plan to screw up plans that Pepper made and it has always been either Rhodey or Pepper who has cleaned up Tony's mess.

"let me guess she gave you a hard time about it?" Rhodey asks. Tony is about to say something but thinking about how Peppers plan on giving him a hard time about it ended with very passionate lovemaking in the workspace… and in the living room… and in the bedroom… Tony remembers with a big smile.

"Well…" Tony says. "let's just say she tried." The smile on Tony's face clearly tells Rhodey that there are details in that story he doesn't need to know.

"Okay, I'm not sure I want to know," Rhodey says with slight discomfort in his voice.

"you remember you told me I should stop being a playboy if I were to ever have a change with Pepper?" Tony asks with a smug smile. Rhodey nods. He did tell Tony that many times over the past few years after Tony and Pepper broke up and Tony started being a playboy again. "let's just say I think she loves me being a playboy." Tony has a big childish goofy smile on his face that makes Rhodey a bit uncomfortable.

"Okay, I really don't want to know about your love life, Tony," Rhodey says with discomfort. Rhodey knows that his friend isn't exactly discreet about his love life. Rhodey used to not be bathed by it but that was until Tony started bing with Pepper. Pepper and Rhodey had come to be friends through their work for and with Tony over the years. So Rhodey feels a lot more uncomfortable hearing about Tonys lovelife with Pepper then he did hearing about all the blonde reporters Tony would sleep with years ago that Rhodey had no interaction with.

"where is Pepper, by the way?" Rhodey asks while looking around the living room. It seems more messy than usual. It looks like Pepper hasn't been here in a few days. it looks more like Tony's single style. Pepper would usually be the one keeping Tony's place clean.

"She is at a business conference in Switzerland," Tony says sounding a bit sadder. That sound of sadness and loneliness in his voice doesn't go unnoticed by Rhodey.

"as the CEO of Stark industries?" Rhodey asks. Tony nods and takes a sip of his beer.

"then why are you not in Switzerland? Aren't you two co-CEOs of Stark Industries?" Rhodey asks. Tony smiles at Rhodey. "she would rather I stay in my workspace blowing things up than she wants me near a board meeting at Stark Industries. I am on co-CEO of Stark Industries by title."

It makes both of the 2 men laugh. "you make less trouble for her at the workspace?" Rhodey asks. Tony nods. "yeah something like that. She prefers I stay as far away from Stark Industries management and investors as possible. I tend to create more trouble when I go in there." Tony takes a sip of his beer. It amuses Rhodey that Pepper prefers to keep Tony away from the company because Rhodey knows that administration Stark Industries' as CEO has always been a big burden for Tony ever since he was 21. So Pepper and Tony really is the perfect couple. Pepper prefers to run Stark industries by her self and Tony prefer to stay as far away from it as possible and just being in his workspace and working on his inventions. It must be a match made in heaven Rhodey thinks. Rhodey also notices how happy Tony looks when he is talking about Pepper.

"when is she coming back?" Rhodey asks.

"Tomorrow night." Tony leans his head back and looks up into the ceiling. "I miss her." He says more to himself than to Rhodey. Rhodey smiles. It is sweet and a little amusing to see his friend so soft and vulnerable. Tony looks over at Rhodey like he suddenly realized that he just said that out loud. Rhodey has an amused smile on his face. Tony sits up straight again.

"did I just say that out loud?"

"yeah." Rhodey says with a teasing smile. "hey man I think it is great that you are so happy. And I am happy for you."

"I can't wait for her to come back," Tony says against when he leans back against the backrest. Rhodey leans back too. Tony looks up into the ceiling.

"I just wish she wasn't so dam tired when she comes back from those conferences."

"hasn't she only been gone for 3 days?" Rhodey asks.

"yes…" Tony says with a tone that indicates that he thinks 3 days is a really long time. Rhodey starts laughing.

"you are such a softy man."

It makes Tony smile.

"Yeah, I know. I just wish that when he comes home she wouldn't be doing like 1000 other things. I know it sounds selfish but…

"what other things does she do?" Rhodey asks and takes a sip of his beer.

"just all different kinds of things. Work, cleaning up, shower or just go to bed. I mean… I get she is tired but…"

"you want her attention?" Rhodey says more as a statement than as a question. "then why don't you do some of the things for her?" Tony looks confused so Rhodey elaborates. "look around. Your apartment looks like shit, Tony. It normally doesn't look like that because Pepper cleans it for you. If you cleaned up your self before she comes home…" Tony makes a face like a little child who is served broccoli instead of candy. It makes Rhodey chuckle.

"Tony you should clean up in here before she gets back tomorrow." Tony makes a facial expression like a little boy who has been told by his parents to clean his room. It amuses Rhodey. Sometimes Tony is like a kid who needs an adult to explain thinks to him in a different way. And Rhodey knows he is often the adult who has to explain thinks to Tony… especially when it comes to his relationship with Pepper and also when it comes to dealing with Tony's self-centered and self-absorption.

"Okay, Pal think about it this way…" Rhodey shifts his body to look directly at Tony. "Pepper comes home tomorrow. If she doesn't need to clean the house for you she will have time to be with you… doing other things." That logic brings up a big goofy smile on Tony's face but it also brings out the discomfort in Rhodey. Tony like the idea of what other things Pepper would have time to do but he doesn't like that he has to clean his apartment.

"Okay, it seems like you have a lot of work to do. I'll see you around pal." Rhodey empties his beer bottle and places it on the table before he gets up by the help of his walking stick that he still needs to support his legs from time to time.

Tony sits back alone on the couch and looks around his living room. It really is a mess. Pepper has only been in Switzerland for 2 days. How did he manage to make such a mess? Tony runs his hand through his hair and exhales sharply before he starts cleaning his apartment. It better be worth it, he thinks to himself as he starts collecting all of his clothing that somehow has ended up all over the place.