TONY LOVES THOR

Gee, it's been so long since I post a story, I can't come up with an inventive title! I hope you like the story.

Alone at last.

Pepper Potts didn't say the words out loud; she merely basked in their reality: The Avengers weren't there, and she had the kitchen to herself.

She closed her eyes for a moment, basking in the quiet. Heavenly, she thought.

It's not that she didn't love the guys dearly; she did, for different reasons –and in different degrees. It's just that sometimes… well, they really got to her. They were so boisterous and big. So damn clumsy too; you'd think Steve and Thor would have learned how to handle the appliances by now, but no, they didn't. They were always making a mess! Even Bruce, so careful in his lab, had caused some unfortunate incidents in here. And the worst part, they looked like they enjoyed making a mess! Even Bruce, she thought peevishly.

But not today. She opened her eyes and looked around, as if to make sure she was quite alone. Then she smiled. Yep, they were all gone –her boss included. And maybe this was the best part, she admitted sheepishly. Without him, she'd finally get to do something she'd been dying to do for a long time. She raised the bag she'd been holding in her hand. It was still warm, and the scents wafting from it so strong, she could almost believe Tony's claims that he could smell them while wearing armor. Her smile turned wicked as she opened the bag and took a peek inside. Golden and covered with tiny bits of crisp onion, the muffins looked perfect. And the smell –Oh, my God, the smell!- it was enough to make her close her eyes in a momentary swoon. Oh, it had been too long…! And all because her unreasonable boss hated onion muffins just as much as he hated the Chitauri.

But he was not there now and so, with a flourish, Pepper placed the bag on the table, and then went around the kitchen, picking her favorite mug and plate, napkins, and lastly, the tea kettle. She carried her tray back to the table and gleefully took a seat next to the windows –the precise spot that Bruce had chosen for his own.

She took a muffin and raised it to her lips and, after a few seconds of delightful expectation, took a tiny bite first, then a greedy one.

"Mmmmmh." Wonderful. She chewed in blissful contentment, very appreciative of this rare treat. It was her bad luck that Tony had the worst sense of smell –and by worst, she meant the absolute best. He could detect onion breath by a mile and was very vocal about it.

But hey, today was her birthday; she was entitled. That Tony was away was only a happy coincidence, one that she ought to thank a god for. Not God, she thought irreverently; a god: Odin. It was because of him that the Avengers were visiting Asgard. Two days before, he'd issued, as Thor put it, 'a most kind invitation'.

Kind invitation, my ass, Pepper thought, and not for the first time. Everybody knew Odin wasn't pleased by his son's constant returns to Midgard, and in Pepper's humble opinion, this sudden invitation was the equivalent of a stern father summoning his precious son's new friends in order to appraise them… and warn them off, perhaps?

"Poor Odin," she muttered. He wasn't going to win this battle.

But she wasn't concerned about Odin. Right now, the only thing that mattered to her was the onion muffin in her hand. It was the best ever. And the tea? Lord, it was the perfect blend of leaves and spices, and the merest hint of honey; even Tony would like it. Well, maybe not Tony, but -

"… with Mr. Stark."

It took Pepper a moment to realize that JARVIS had just said spoken. Something about someone asking for Mr. Stark -

"Wait, wait," she said, "What did you just say?"

"It's Mr. Estes, Miss Potts. He asks whether Mr. Stark intents to keep his date."

She scoffed. She always knew there was something slightly off with Estes, and this was a confirmation of it.

"I canceled that date myself, JARVIS. It was two days ago," she added pointedly; "I told him Tony was going away on business."

"Yes, Miss Potts, but Mr. Stark called Mr. Estes last night. He said he'd go rock climbing after all."

"That's impossible. Tony's in Asgard, remember?"

"Mr. Stark returned last night."

Pepper blinked. For a couple of seconds, she wondered whether she was only dreaming; either that, or JARVIS had malfunctioned.

"He couldn't have, JARVIS," she said as calmly as she could, even though inside she was reeling. If JARVIS malfunctioned, then they were royally screwed. "The Avengers weren't supposed to return until -"

"Friday," JARVIS cut in. "But Mr. Stark returned late last night. He placed a call to Mr. Estes, and then -"

"Wait, wait," Pepper cut in, "Are you serious? Tony IS here?"

"Yes, Miss Potts. As I just said, he called Mr. Estes; he said he was going on this rock climbing expedition after all. This, despite my various reminders to the fact that he isn't ready to take on a real canyon," JARVIS added righteously. "Then he picked a bottle of Vodka and -"

"Oh, no." Pepper was instantly on her feet.

"-one of Tequila, and then he went down to his workshop. He has refused to respond to my messages since then."

Pepper hastily dropped the muffin into a napkin. "And you didn't think I should know this?" She spoke as she moved to the door. "My God, JARVIS! What's wrong with you?"

JARVIS was apologetic. "I didn't think he'd appreciate having you around, Miss Potts. Not until much later. Those onion muffins…" JARVIS discreetly let the word trail off.

"Oh, brother," Pepper muttered. JARVIS was right. Tony would know even if all she did was handle a bag holding them. Hastily, she retraced her steps and picked her purse. There were mints in there, and some perfume. "You should have told me anyway," she said as she liberally sprayed herself. "Vodka and Tequila –you know that's a lethal combination."

"That's exactly what I said to him last night! He told me to lighten up."

"Well, I'm not going to lighten up," she said firmly.

"What I should I tell Mr. Estes?"

Tell him to go to hell, Pepper thought. Aloud, she said, "Tell him Mr. Stark's left on urgent business." If Tony was drinking, he'd be in no condition to go on dates or climbing expeditions.

There were only a few lights on in the workshop, but the little Pepper saw of it was enough to make her shake her head in disapproval. It wasn't the shameful state of disarray; after all, Tony thrived in chaos, and the workshop was a reflection of that. No; what she disliked the most was the granite wall taking up half the space. It was the first thing you saw now; the wall and the ropes with the harnesses, and the chains that made the place look like a dungeon. It was Tony's latest hobby/passion/toy: indoor climbing.

Pepper sighed. Why couldn't Tony take up chess or scrabble or… well, anything that didn't put his life in danger? One would think wearing armor and flying up in the sky would be enough of a thrill, but oh, no, Tony had taken indoor climbing.

Actually, the indoor part was perfectly safe. It was only when Tony started talking about going to a real canyon that she started to worry. That, and his budding relationship with Derek Estes.

She'd kept quiet so far, but if Tony was adding drinking to the mix, then it was time for her to intervene.

Determined, she took a step inside the gloomy room.

"Tony?" Another step. "Are you there?"

There was no response. There was however a little tinkling sound of ice cubes in a glass, and Pepper turned in its direction. There, sitting by a darkened window, was her boss, a glass in one hand, and a bottle in the other.

"Good morning."

He still wouldn't talk –a bad sign. Looking for another, Pepper took a deep breath; if Tony was on a drinking binge, then the heady scent of booze would be noticeably even from a distance.

Unfortunately, all she got was the onion smell still clinging to her lips. It made her hesitate. If Tony caught a whiff of it, he would let her know in his most acerbic way; but if she backed down now, she wouldn't find out what the heck was going on. And checking on Tony was definitely more important than saving face.

Courageously, she took a step forward and then another. On the third, she tripped on a bulky object on the floor.

"Damn," she muttered. "Tony?" Still no reply. "It's awfully dark in here," she said plaintively; "Can I have a little light?"

Tony acknowledged her at last. He lowered the glass, glanced in Pepper's direction, and said, "Onion muffins, Potts?"

"And a good morning to you too," Pepper replied testily. "Can I have some -"

"You may," he said, and damn if he didn't make it sound like he was granting her a great favor.

'Oh, don't give me that', she thought, her eyes narrowing. She didn't even get to give the order; JARVIS immediately heeded their boss' command and turned on the lights, though only some of them and in their lowest setting, in obvious deference to Tony.

But even the soft lights seemed to bother him. He rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, unwittingly putting the bottle he was holding on display. It was only for a quick moment, but it was enough, and she was grateful for what she saw: a bottle of mineral water. Then she glanced at the window sill. The bottle of vodka was there, an inch down –but only one inch!- and next to it, the bottle of tequila, with its seal still on. There was nothing to worry about, she realized - unless he'd sneaked other bottles behind JARVIS' back, and that wasn't very likely. So, why was JARVIS so concerned…?

And then Tony lowered his arm and put the bottle on the floor, and reached for something else: a whisky decanter.

He paused when he saw her looking at it.

"What? It's a good muscle-building exercise. You lift the bottle… you tilt it for a second… then put it back on the floor." And he did just that. He took a sip of his drink, grimaced a bit, and then he looked up defiantly.

She stared back just as openly.

"All right," she said. "I get it. Something's wrong."

"Not with me," he said casually; "I'm having a great time."

"Yes, well, there's still something wrong going on." She nodded at the bottles. "You brought out the Three Amigos." That's how Tony had called them in the past: Vodka, Whisky, Tequila –his 'three best friends'; the only ones he could always count on. "You're sitting in the dark instead of taking full advantage of the sunlight -"

"It's my home," he retorted; "I can sit wherever I want. And didn't you get my memo concerning onion-muffin breath?"

"- and you're acting like a jerk," she added, waving her hand in the air as if to make an invisible check on a non-existent clipboard. "Oh, yes. I'd say something's wrong."

Tony ostensibly wrinkled his nose.

"From Carny's Bakery, right?"

Pepper took a step forward, only to trip again. She impatiently kicked at the object on the floor, but it didn't yield. She looked down. It was a backpack; fully equipped, and with a climbing helmet resting on top.

"You were really going to do it." She looked up incredulously. "You were going rock-climbing with Derek."

"Sure."

"When JARVIS said you were going on a date with Derek, I thought it was a 'date' date."

He frowned. "A 'date' date?"

"Well, it's obvious that you have a thing for him."

"A thing?" He smiled, amused, (as always) by her excessive primness.

And yes, it was excessive –and she'd be the first to admit it- but she liked being a prude, and truth to be told, it had served her (and Tony) very well over the years.

She pretended not to see the smile.

"You know what I mean," she said evenly; "He's big, tall, blond…" She paused. "Want me to go on?"

"Go on with what?"

She sighed.

"Fine," she said, "I'll spell it out for you: you want to have sex with Derek Estes." She crossed her arms in a 'are you happy?" gesture.

He was frowning. "Sex with Derek Estes? Me?"

She shook her head in slight exasperation. "Yes, Tony; you."

Tony didn't reply; he merely took a sip of his drink and then stared into the glass.

Pepper took a couple of cautious steps in his direction; it would probably earn her another 'onion breath' comment, but she was going to risk it. She needed to make sure he was ok.

He looked tired –no wonder, if he'd stayed up all night. But there was something else in those eyes; something she couldn't quite pinpoint. They blinked when she spoke next, as if he'd momentarily forgotten she was there.

"To tell you the truth," she said, "I was hoping sex was the only reason you got into climbing."

"How come?"

"Well, it's a dangerous activity. And every time you put your life at risk, I can't help but worry that you -"

"Wait," he cut in. "How is rock climbing any more dangerous than fighting the Shoggoth? 'Cause I don't remember you being this concerned last month, or the one before, when I was battling the Chitauri!"

"But you were wearing armor! And you had JARVIS and Thor backing you up! But every time you get into a reckless situation all by yourself, well, it can only mean you're battling some inner turmoil!"

"Inner turmoil," he repeated. "What the hell does that mean?" He frowned. "You've been reading that woman, what's-her-name, haven't you."

She ignored that. "Car racing in Monaco, three years ago," she said. "You were dying, remember? You got into that car hoping to end it all in a blaze of glory. And two years before that -" But she didn't have the heart to say the rest. She let the word trail off, knowing, by the look on his face, that he knew what she was talking about and he didn't appreciate the reminder.

Gently, she added, "There's a reason you put yourself in life-threatening situations, Tony. I only wish I knew why. I mean, you have friends who care about you." She paused, then, "And you have a PA who's pretty good at listening."

Emboldened by her own words, she walked up to him and after a moment's hesitation, put a hand on his shoulder. "Talking helps, you know."

He winced at the touch of her hand –and no wonder; it wasn't often that she broke the one rule that Tony held sacred: never, ever get maudlin with me. She was hoping it would shake him into confession, and for a moment it looked like it'd work. He drew a deep breath. He looked up… his lips parted… He visibly struggled for a moment…

And then he said, very carefully, "I'm fine." Holding her gaze, he added, "Ok?"

No, it wasn't ok and she almost said it out loud. But there was no point in arguing; not when Tony said 'OK' in that tone. Leave me alone, it meant; if I needed help I'd ask for it.

She felt silly, all of a sudden, standing there with her hand resting on his shoulder. She let it drop and then, as if that had been her intention all along, she reached for the decanter.

She spoke as she moved, forcing herself to sound casual. "At least you didn't keep your date with Derek. He's -"

"Mad about climbing," he muttered.

"He's just plain mad." She placed the decanter on a nearby table. She smiled a little. "I don't usually recommend drinking as a solution to a problem, but in this case -"

"I'm not drunk, Potts."

The tone of injured dignity almost made her roll her eyes. But he was right; he wasn't drunk, (yet); he was just…Sad.

She finally knew what was wrong.

Oh, Tony.

She said it out loud. "Oh, Tony. What's going on? And don't bother telling me nothing's wrong, because it's not true."

Tony's response? A snort.

Pepper sighed. Fine, she thought; have it your way. Meanwhile, she'd keep him talking.

"So," she said, "Where are the others?"

"Who?"

"Steve and Natasha. Bruce –your buddies," she said, to keep it short. "Didn't they all return with you?"

He shook his head.

"You mean they're still in Asgard?" She paused for a couple of seconds. An appalling thought had just occurred to her. "What did you do?"

"What do you mean, 'what did I do'? And why are you looking at me like that? I didn't do anything," he said defensively; "I just…" He visibly struggled to find the words, "…got bored."

"Bored." She frowned. "In Asgard?"

"Yep."

She paused for a couple of seconds. "Are you telling me there was nothing to see or do? Nothing interesting, at all?"

He nodded evasively. He couldn't even hold her gaze anymore.

And that could only mean…

"You screwed up, didn't you," she said breathlessly. "Oh, my God, I knew it; you did something or said something disrespectful to Odin, he got angry and expelled you, and now -"

"What the hell are you talking about? He didn't expel me! I came back on my own accord!"

"But why? I mean, what could possibly have happened? Were the bedrooms too crowded? Or was it the food? There were too many carbs on the menu, or -"

"Jesus, you make it sound like I'm a pampered bastard! I liked the food all right! The rooms were ok –everything was ok. Ok? I just thought I'd come back -which I wouldn't have if I'd known it was onion-breath day!"

She didn't let the jab distract her.

"Let me get this straight," she said slowly; "You didn't insult Odin, and you didn't do anything to provoke his anger. You left because, what, you just weren't having any fun?"

"Yeah," Tony said defiantly; "I thought I'd come back and -" He let the word trail off while he (very obviously) searched for a plausible explanation. "- check things up. I mean, it was irresponsible of us, to leave Earth at the mercy of –of -"

Pepper smiled. She couldn't help it; here was Tony Stark –charming, witty, sharp-tonged Tony Stark- having a hard time lying to her.

And yes, he was lying.

"I don't understand it. You were so stoked about going to Asgard…! I mean, you didn't think twice about cancelling your business meetings–even the one that cost us the Donner contract. And what about Derek? You dropped him the minute Thor issued the invitation! I would have thought you'd -"

She didn't finish what she was going to say. Something had suddenly clicked in her mind, the moment she said those two names out loud. Derek Estes… Thor. She pictured the two as she spoke, and the images -Derek Estes, tall, blond, with a wild streak in his character, and then Thor –taller, blonder, and with an infinitely wilder streak… Drop-dead gorgeous, both of them; a handful, to anyone who'd dare approach them.

Just the kind of men Tony fancied.

She gasped. "Oh. My. God."

Tony looked away.

"Oh, my God," Pepper said again. She couldn't believe she didn't notice this before. Suddenly, lots of things started to make sense. "No wonder you didn't care that Hammer would get the Donner contract," she said breathlessly. "You wanted to be with Thor." Of course, business deals would take second place, just as rock-climbing trips would, no matter how handsome the instructor. "That's why you dropped Derek so easily… And that's why you took up with him in the first place!" Her eyes widened at this sudden insight. "He was just a substitute for the real deal!" Tony winced at this, but didn't put up a denial. "Oh, my God."

"Stop saying that," Tony muttered uncomfortably.

She stopped but only for a second; she still had plenty to say. After all, it wasn't every day that she got a chance to unsettle the great Tony Stark.

"Well, well, Mr. Stark," she said a smirk; "It looks like you have a thing for men with big hammers."

Tony shook his head.

"It's not funny," he muttered.

"Sorry." But her contrition didn't last long. "Aw, Tony; I'm not laughing at you. I'm just… I don't know. Surprised? I mean, yes, Thor is attractive, but to tell you the truth, I thought you'd go after Steve Rogers first."

"Steve?" He looked scandalized.

"Well, he's the real challenge here. Thor, on the other hand… well, he acts like he'd be game for anything." She looked curiously at Tony. "Is that what happened up there?" She lowered her voice, "Did you two get too loud and offended everyone?"

Tony snorted.

"Did you two have a fight?" Pepper's smile disappeared. "That's it, isn't it? Something went horribly wrong -" Tony's response to that? A second snort. And another swig of whisky. "Tony? What happened?"

"Nothing happened, Ms. Potts." he said, and the 'Ms.' which he rarely used when talking to her, told her this was personal business. "All right?" he added, and the tone said the matter was closed.

Pepper hesitated. A part of her wanted to comply; he was the boss after all. But he was a friend too -her best friend, in fact. She couldn't leave the matter alone; not while he was sitting in the semi-dark, slowly getting drunk, (which was worrisome in itself: she knew what to expect when he got bombed in a hurry, but not when he did it slowly).

She did know that asking him questions would lead her nowhere.

"All right," she said calmly; "You don't want to talk about it. I understand. But if you change your mind, I'll be in my office." She turned and started to walk away, only to trip on the backpack again. Exasperated, she gave it a kick, which only managed to dislodge the helmet. She picked it and put it back on the backpack but it wouldn't stay put. "Oh, for -" she muttered, and finally, she simply took it to the workbench and dropped it there. It landed with a loud thump, but she didn't apologize. Frankly, she was pissed.

"You always do this," she said. "Keep things inside and let them fester." She didn't look at him as she spoke. Instead, she started picking trinkets at random and putting them on a corner. "Maybe if you talked things over, you'd realize they aren't as bad. I mean, think of the pain you'd have saved yourself over the years if you'd talked to someone instead of hoarding the bad stuff. Think of the fines you've paid, the interviews you had to give in exchange for a reporter's silence -"

She was babbling, but she didn't care; she just had to say it. And if he didn't like it, well, then she'd take the consequences –whatever they might be. Not that there'd be an immediate reaction from Tony –that wasn't his style. He'd probably pretend this never happened, and then two years from now he'd say or do something that'd show her what this moment meant to him.

All she could do was hope that one day he'd look back and realize he could –and should- trust somebody.

She never thought he'd start talking right away.

"He's got a palace."

She stopped abruptly, then slowly turned around. "Thor?"

He glared at her. Who else? The look said.

"Ok," she said slowly. He was in a bad mood, but this was good, actually; a cranky Tony was infinitely easier to deal with than a beaten-down one.

She'd just have to be careful about the things she said.

"Is it beautiful?"

Tony pointed at the ceiling over him. "The ballroom alone's bigger than this."

She frowned. "Bigger than the workshop?" Tony glared again, and this time it took her a couple of seconds to understand. Her eyes bulged. "You mean it's bigger than the Tower? Oh, wow."

A new glare told her she'd better tone down her enthusiasm.

She did just that. "That big, huh," she said nonchalantly; "Well. I guess they need their space; if they're all as tall as Thor, I mean." But this was the wrong thing to say, as it obviously made Tony self-conscious about his own height. Damn! "Well, it's not that impressive, if you ask me;" she said dismissively; "After all, they don't have City-Planning Departments in Asgard, do they? There's no one breathing down their necks, telling them just how tall their buildings ought to be. And labor must be cheap. Do gods even build their houses, anyway? Don't they simply conjure them?"

He didn't glare this time. He took a long swig from his glass instead.

Uh, oh. "So," she said, not wanting to lose his attention; "He's got a big house. Why is that a problem?"

He didn't answer. "He's got a throne," he said instead. "Huge," he added, as if in anticipation to her question. "It's so big it looks like they used a dozen oaks to build it. And tons of gold and gems," he added bitterly.

Pepper stared at him. Finally, she thought she knew where this was going.

"He's got a throne and you don't have one," she said slowly. "Is that what this is all about? He's got bigger toys than you?"

Tony shook his head. "It's not envy, Potts."

She didn't believe that for a minute. "Well, then what is it?"

He shrugged. He looked out the window. "He's got an army."

"You have employees. Hundreds," she added grandly; "And each one of them has a great dental plan."

"He's a god -"

"And you act like one." Tony glared, but she didn't care this time. "So, he's richer than you. Big deal," she said good-naturedly; "It wouldn't be the first time you don't get to call the shots, would it?"

"I'll never get to call the shots," he shot back. He looked her in the eye. "Do you understand now?"

She blinked.

"Oh," she said. 'Oh' wasn't much, but what else could she say in the present circumstances? This was the one thing she didn't expect –at all. Used as she was to Tony's easy conquests, she'd assumed he'd managed to snare Thor too.

Oh, boy. She'd definitely have to thread carefully now.

The next question would probably earn her another glare, but she just had to ask it: "Did he actually say 'no' to you?"

Tony shook his head almost imperceptibly.

"I didn't ask."

"You didn't -"

"Hell, no. Like I said," he added in a slightly patronizing tone; "He's got a fucking palace, a throne, and an army. He fucking lives a world away. You see what that means?" He paused but didn't wait for a response –not that Pepper had one to give him. "There's really no reason for him to come back here."

"He promised he would. He's already come back twice this year!"

"Because Midgard needed him," he said resentfully. He was silent for a couple of seconds, then, "Man, I've never felt so fucking small. So insignificant," he added bitterly. "Up there, I mean. You should have seen it, Potts. That palace is…" But he had no words for it. "And the throne and the -"

"Things," she cut in. "That's all they are."

"Yeah, but they're big. And he loves them." He gulped. "He loves it up there. And the people love him too. Hey, who wouldn't, right? He's awesome." He gulped. "He's so…" He paused. He had trouble finding the right word. "He's so fucking… good."

It amazed her, how such a little word could pack such feeling when spoken like that. More amazing yet was the fact that Tony could still recognize goodness and hold it dear, after all these years.

Pepper studied him. She'd never seen such naked emotion in Tony's eyes. Not while relatively sober, that is. And while there was quite a lot of anger in those eyes, there was also pain.

It hit her then: This was not a mere infatuation.

"Tony, you really -" She hesitated. "You really are – Are you…?

Tony raised an eyebrow. "What, you can't say it?"

"I… no, I can't. You'd never… I mean, yes, you've been -" In love, why couldn't she say it? "But you've never…" she waved a hand in the air.

"You mean I've never been this pathetic?" He smiled indulgently.

"I didn't say that," she said gently. "What I'm saying is, you never admitted being in love." Not that he actually had right now, but still… "Oh, Tony…"

"Oh, please, don't use that tone."

"What tone?"

"The one that says you're so sorry for me."

"I'm not sorry. I'm –I'm in awe, actually. You're in love. That's a big deal."

"Hell, yeah," he said wearily. "I agree with that." He raised his glass and drained it, then looked forlornly at it.

Pepper knew what that look meant: he was struggling with his need to have another drink. The longer he struggled, the worse the binge would be.

She wished she could make the decision for him. She wished she could help.

"Tony -" she started, but before she could say more, he put the glass on the window sill. He sat back, and sighed, mournfully.

She closed her eyes for a couple of seconds. Oh, thank God, she thought. Then she looked back at him.

"You still haven't told me why you came back."

He blinked. "Oh, that. Well… It started with Thor's mom talking about a big party they were giving in our honor. I was thinking how lucky I was that my PA had packed my best Armani, when Odin suddenly fixed his one eye on me and said something about some princesses his dear son was to meet that night. Oh, that guy," Tony said, shaking his head. "He knows, all right."

"Odin?"

"Yep. For a couple of seconds it felt was like he was drilling holes into my brain, and he was reading my thoughts."

"Ew."

"The father-in-law from hell," Tony said wearily.

"Is that why you came back? You didn't want to deal with him?"

"No. It was the princesses I didn't want to deal with. Odin made it sound like it was an engagement party of some kind."

"Oh."

"Oh, is right," Tony said wearily. He was silent for a moment, then, in a 'what can you do' tone, "Ah, well. It's like the song says: Love Sucks."

"It's 'Love Hurts', Tony."

"That, too."

He smiled, but it was a cover-up; she knew him too well. Deep down, he was hurting. Unable to cope, she looked away. Her gaze met her own reflection on the darkened windows. Outside the sun was shining, tinting the skyscrapers with shades of gold, and, in Stark Tower's case, turning it into what some called 'Manhattan's Jewel'. How ironic then, that Tony would be sitting in the dark.

"Tony, what I don't understand is why you didn't tell Thor anyway." He started shaking his head, but she didn't give him a chance to speak. "He's got a crush on you; he does," she insisted. Actually, she didn't really know if this was true, but everybody had a crush on Tony at one point or another.

He shook his head one more time. "There are no gay gods in Asgard, Potts." And before she could ask, he added, "Yeah, I asked."

"But that doesn't mean he wouldn't be interested in you. Or that he wouldn't be pliable enough to…" she waved a hand in the air while she found the right words. "…let himself be convinced? You could have at least tried," she added. "Did you?" She waited until Tony reluctantly shook his head. "No, you didn't. What you did was flee; flee instead of putting up a fight!"

He stared at her for a couple of seconds, then, to her dismay, snorted loudly.

"You've been reading slash fiction again, haven't you." It wasn't a question. "Well, Miss Potts, this may come as a surprise to you, but happy endings rarely happen in the real world." He paused. "No matter how hard a Personal Assistant might wish it." He looked curiously at her. "It bothers you, doesn't it? Knowing there's something you can't get for me, I mean."

She was taken aback but recovered quickly. She shook her head. "You've never needed my help in that regard, Tony. And this may come as a shock to you, but your love life has never been among my top priorities." She defiantly held his gaze while she spoke, and a little longer after that… But it was hopeless; she couldn't lie to Tony. "Ok," she said wearily. "You're right. In part. I mean, I'd get him for you if it were in my power."

He smiled good-naturedly.

"Thanks, Potts. I appreciate the thought." Then, in an obvious effort to shake off the gloom, "Tell you what. Next time he comes visiting, give him a little push in my direction. Make him fall into my lap, or something."

She smiled back. "A little push? That'd be too subtle." She lowered her voice. "Give me a suit, and I'll make it happen. I'll go to him, grab him by the hair -"

He snorted again, but this time the mirth was real.

"You covet that hair, don't you."

"He doesn't even work for it," she said indignantly; "It's not fair!" Then, because she'd just revealed something she'd never meant to, she quickly went on. "Anyway, I'll grab him and hog-tie him to your bed. Will that give him the message?"

"Loud and clear," he said. "Thanks, Potts." He was about to say something, then he paused. He pulled back as if to have a better look at her "What are you doing here, anyway? Isn't today your birthday?"

"Yes it is. I'm amazed that you'd remember."

"Actually, JARVIS told me last night," he said sheepishly. "He always does; I just pretend not to know."

"Why?"

"It's more fun that way. You get better presents too. But again, why are you here?"

"Well, someone had to cover for the boss," she said matter-of-factly. "He was supposed to be in Asgard, remember? Besides, I've got lots to do; this Avengers' business has wrecked my schedule, as you very well know."

"Yeah," he said ruefully. "I know. But you can still take the day off now. The boss is here. He'll cover."

"I'd rather stay." She looked at him. "You're not just the boss, Tony; you're my friend. Friends are always there for each other."

He was momentarily speechless. Then he shook his head. "Aw, Potts. "You're gonna make me puke."

"Wow. For a second there I really thought you were gonna say the word 'cry'. I should have known better." But she was grinning, and so was Tony.

"Seriously, Pepper; you should be somewhere warm and sunny right now. You know, lying on the beach while some dude named Ricardo brings you a drink and offers to put suntan oil on your back."

"I don't tan, Tony; my skin burns and then peels right off."

"Really? That's disgusting." He paused for a couple of seconds. "Well, what about that guy…? The one with…?" He made a vague gesture with the hand. "You know."

She rolled her eyes.

"You don't even remember the guy's face, do you. That's all right. I almost forgot it myself."

He eyed her sadly.

"Aw, Potts. It's not fair. You're a good gal. You should… I don't know. Find someone?"

"I will," she said confidently. "One of these days." She smirked, "I should probably stop eating onion muffins first, shouldn't I?"

"No. See, that'd be a huge mistake, Peps. You should find someone who loves them as much as you do."

She blinked. That sounded… sensible.

He smiled at her reaction.

"Ha. You didn't think I could give good advice, did you. Well, I can. When I care."

Pepper was speechless for a couple of seconds. Then she recovered. "That's nice, Mr. Stark. Thank you."

Tony smiled back, but only for a moment.

"All right, that's enough." He shifted in his seat as if the chair was the source of his discomfort. "If we go on thanking each other, we're both gonna puke." He nodded at the door. "Go. Take the day off."

She knew better than to say thanks again. She nodded and started to walk away… then stopped. She looked back. It didn't feel right, leaving just like that.

"Isn't there anything I can do for you?"

"Yeah," he said tiredly; "If Estes calls again, tell him I'm giving up climbing. And take those bottles away."

She obeyed; she gathered the bottles and held them in her arms, but she still wouldn't leave.

"He'll come back, Tony. He's bound to miss you." She smiled. "And when he comes back, we'll give a huge party. In Dubai. We'll show him what we've got."

He smiled. "Deal," he said.

Suddenly, JARVIS spoke into the intercom.

"Mr. Odinson has just arrived, sir."

Tony was taken aback.

"You're kidding me."

"No, sir. He is here, indeed."

"Shit!" Tony bolted from his seat, then nervously raked a hand through his hair. He looked up the door, then winced when he saw Pepper still standing there.

She was smiling. "There! What did I tell you?"

Tony scoffed. "What, you think you did that? Said the magic words, and boom, he appeared?"

"Maybe I have special powers," Pepper said mischievously.

Tony's retort got lost because the door opened just then. Thor entered the room and after a moment's hesitation strode towards them, red cape billowing behind him.

He nodded respectfully at Pepper.

"Lady Potts," he said.

She nodded back, not that he noticed. He was looking at Tony now, and the happiness he felt was obvious –from the smile to the twinkle in his eyes.

"There you are!" he said boisterously, and without further ado walked up to Tony and pulled him into a bear hug that probably crushed the air out of Tony's lungs. Pepper would have intervened right then –especially when he heard poor Tony moan something like, 'oof'- but didn't, for two reasons: Tony wasn't pulling back and secondly, he was hugging Thor just as tightly.

He pulled back after a moment. Frowning, he looked up at his friend.

"Why are you here?"

"Ah, Metal Man…!" Thor said, "Asgard was boring without you."

To Pepper's surprise, those words really got to Tony. Or maybe it wasn't the words but the look on Thor's face as he spoke -which Pepper totally missed because she was standing behind him. But she could see Tony, and his reaction was priceless. He opened his mouth, tried to say something, failed, then tried again… and again-

Pepper held his breath. This is it, she thought, He's gonna say it! She strained forward, hoping to catch the words.

She should have known Tony wouldn't reveal his feelings that easily. He got a hold of himself and nodded, as if Thor's presence was no big deal after all. "Good," he said. "I'm glad." Then he hit Thor's arm and said, just as casually. "Well, you're just in time, big guy. It looks like the Mandarin's preparing an up-rise in Siberia."

"Is he?" Pepper was instantly alert. "I didn't hear anything."

Tony glared at her. "He could be," he retorted. "What, you want us to get ambushed like the last time? We've got to be vigilant!" And before she could ask what he meant by that, he turned back to Thor. "Wanna go upstairs and check the magic mirror?"

Pepper gaped. 'Magic Mirror' was Thor's pet name for the radar at the top of the tower, and the fact that Tony, (who hated it when Steve or anyone else forgot the correct terms for the Stark gadgets), was calling it 'mirror' was enough to make her wanna puke. Then she realized this was proof positive that he really was in love. Aw, Tony.

And now that Thor was here, Tony was making the most of the moment. He was holding on to Thor's arm while he discussed what they were going to do upstairs.

Thor didn't understand a word, but he seemed content enough. He fondly ruffled Tony's hair. "Let us go, then!" and together they turned to the door.

Pepper followed them at a distance, taking note of the men's interaction. They were walking close together; close enough to hold hands, really, only instead of holding hands they were punching and nudging each other, and generally acting like little kids. Not very romantic, she thought critically, until she noticed the looks they were giving each other.

Smoldering was one way to describe them.

Wow, she whispered. If Odin saw them looking at each other like this, then his reaction was understandable. Not fair, but understandable. You'd have to be blind not to notice the affection these two felt for each other. But affection was too tame a word.

Looking at them, she could tell they were NOT going to the magic mirror room. And even if they did, they wouldn't be looking for the Mandarin.

As the doors closed after them, Pepper fought with her conscience; part of her wanted to follow them into the hallway, but part of her wouldn't think of it. She had ethics after all! But she also wanted to see -well, whatever there was to see. A kiss, maybe?

You shouldn't, she thought; you shouldn't, you shouldn't –

Suddenly, and before her ethical side prevailed, she blurted out, "Follow them, JARVIS."

"Miss Potts!" JARVIS sounded appalled.

"Now, JARVIS," she said calmly. She had a tone of voice for every occasion too, and it worked. Promptly, a screen lit up on the wall. It showed Tony and Thor walking to the elevator. They weren't touching anymore, she noticed, and they weren't talking, either. But they very aware of each other; one of them would venture a glance, and if the other looked up, then the first would immediately drop his gaze. And then they'd do it again.

"What is this, high school?" Pepper muttered incredulously.

They entered the elevator and JARVIS dutifully followed, only this time focusing on them from above. To Pepper's surprise, they stood on opposite sides of the elevator. Why, for God's sake, when only a minute before they were acting like they'd jump on each other the moment they were alone? Or –gulp- did they know she was watching them?

Before she could ask, Tony moved. He glanced sideways at Thor, and, clearly on impulse, spoke.

To Pepper's dismay, the sound was off.

"What did he just say?"

Whatever it was, it had caught Thor's attention. He turned and looked at Tony.

"JARVIS! What did Tony say?" JARVIS didn't reply. "JARVIS!" Pepper leant forward, straining her eyes. She couldn't read lips, but who knows? Maybe she could see something that might give her a clue as to what was going on in there. They were facing each other now, as if sizing each other. Tony was still waiting for an answer; Thor was silent but he was giving him that smoldering look again.

And suddenly, he spoke. Two words –but what?- and the effect of those words on Tony was immediate. He suddenly took a leap and –oh, my God- he climbed Thor. There was no other word; he was using the bolts and ornaments on Thor's boots and clothing as footholds! And Thor loved it; he clearly had an idea of his friend's abilities, because he didn't help; he only laid his hands on Tony's hips, steadying him while Tony worked his way up.

When Tony reached the summit, he put both hands on Thor's shoulders and then he looked down and smiled.

Pepper gasped. "Oh, my God! Did he take up climbing just so he could do that? Just so he could look down at Thor?" She didn't expect a reply from JARVIS. It didn't matter, anyway; what mattered was that Thor had raised his gaze and, oh, the look on his face was enough to take Pepper's breath away. He looked as if Tony was the most precious thing in the world; he looked as if Tony was the sun, and he was basking in the glory of it.

Tony must have felt the same, because when he raised a hand to touch Thor, he hesitated for a moment, then very carefully, (almost reverently), laid it on Thor's cheek. And then he leant closer and closer, and he tilted his head so his mouth touched Thor's at the right angle, and then –

-the screen vanished.

"NO!" Pepper jumped at the sound of her own voice. Where was her dignity, for crying out loud? She gave herself a little moment and then, as calmly as she could manage, "Um, JARVIS. JARVIS? Why did you do that?"

"I am sorry, Miss Potts. Mr. Stark and Mr. Odinson deserve a little privacy."

"Well, yes, but, um, I just wanted -"

"I am sure this is exactly what you would want if you were in Mr. Stark's position."

Pepper rolled her eyes. That'd be the day, when she'd be caught having sex in the elevator. But, damn it, JARVIS was right. She owed her boss a little privacy.

"Thank you, JARVIS," she said reluctantly. "You saved me from myself."

"You're welcome, Miss Potts." After a pause, he said, "Shall I fix you a pot of fresh tea?"

"Yes, please." She sighed. Ah, well. At least she still had her muffins to go back to.

"By the way," JARVIS said. "I've noticed Dr. Banner likes onion muffins too."

"Does he," she said vaguely. "That's nice." Then, in an afterthought, "He is nice."

The End