Sorry, I was away for the weekend visiting family, so didn't have any time to write. I wanted to give Rhodey some more time other than walking in on Tony and Pepper. He deserves better.
When Pepper and Rhodey return to the ballroom with Tony following behind a bit, Happy looks visibly relieved. While Pepper leaves for more socializing, Timothy sidles over to Tony.
"I know you're Iron Man and all, but if I were you, I'd be careful," he said to Tony.
"Huh?" Tony said, completely surprised by Tim.
"I think Rhodes is Pepper's secret boyfriend," he continues.
"Why would I care who Pepper's boyfriend is?" Tony responds, ignoring Happy's panicked facial expression. "He's probably a fantastic fellow, whoever he may be, underneath all the crazy possessiveness and homicidal digits."
"Because you've always wanted her, but for some dumb reason, never did anything about it," Timothy said. "You're the reason Pepper's boyfriends have never been around all that long, Mr. Stark. You always took priority over everyone for her. As both you and Mr. Rhodes have suits that can blow lots of things up, it could get ugly for the city, if the Stark Expo is an accurate gauge."
What is with everyone having an opinion lately? Tony gives a little laugh and shakes his head. "Pepper sure can pick 'em," he said. "Thanks, Tim."
"It's Timoth-"
"You really should drop that 'It's Timothy' thing," Tony said, shaking Tim's hand. "It makes you sound pretentious. Unless that's what you're going for."
"Thanks... I think," Tim says, "I'm heading out. It was interesting." Tim steps away and says a brief goodbye to Pepper, who's in conversation with another partygoer. She excuses herself shortly after the exchange and walks back to Tony.
"I thought you didn't like Tim," Pepper said. Tony smiles when he hears which name she uses and she gives him a tired look. "It's shorter to say his name that way!"
"I never said I didn't like him," Tony said. "I said he was boring and that I didn't trust him when he had two first names. Now that he has three first names, it's more an unfortunate burden Tim has to carry because of poor parental decisionmaking. He's an okay sort of guy, but he's still not allowed to call you Pepper."
"I'm glad you're done intimidating him," she said, about to head off again.
"I don't think I'll ever be done intimidating your ex-boyfriends," Tony said. "Maybe I should've invited all of them to the benefit. A clean sweep, so to speak."
"Then I am grateful for the restraint," she said, reaching out to straighten his bowtie and then walking off again.
Later, Tony sees her and Rhodey dancing and makes his way over when they step off the dance floor.
"Tim thinks you're dating Rhodey," he said.
"Wait - what?" the man in question sputtered.
"Based on what you said to him about my secret boyfriend, what did you expect?" Pepper asked, tilting her head a little.
"What secret boyfriend? I thought that was Tony," Rhodey asks, but to no effect, as Tony and Pepper are continuing their exchange as though he's not there.
"Maybe someone with more style than, let's say, someone with a suit epitomizing an erectile dysfunction drug?" Tony is drumming the fingers of one hand against the back of one hand and smirking.
Rhodey puffs up and hisses, "Stop insulting War Machine! You're still not over the fact that we had Justin Hammer weaponize the suit! You know what? The next time you two are on a roof about to rip each other's clothes off, I'm going to bring a bunch of reporters to watch!"
"You two need to back down before people start running out of here like they did at Tony's birthday party," Pepper chimed in.
"I'm not sure if Pepper will ever be okay with exhibitionism," Tony pondered, as though going over scenarios in his head, and ignoring Pepper's comment. "What do you say, Pep?"
"That's a definite never," Pepper said, walking away and leaving the two of them.
"Was she always so disrespectful?" Tony asked Rhodey, while enjoying the view of her walking away.
"Yes," Rhodey said. "You just notice it more because you aren't being stupid anymore about her."
"What is it with people lately insinuating that I'm stupid?" Tony asked.
"I didn't insinuate. I just said it," Rhodey quipped back at him.
Tony rolls his eyes, and suddenly realizes what Pepper must feel when she talks to him.
"Whatever. I'm a genius, definitely not stupid," Tony insisted. "Maybe I was a little thick in the head about realizing what was in front of me for so long, but I got there, in a meandering fashion."
"Thick in the head," Rhodey said, as though feeling the words out. "It probably results from you using too much hair product."
Tony shakes his head, chuckling, and smacks Rhodey on the shoulder. From across the room, Pepper smiles. It's not like she was that worried about them blowing up the concert hall.