A/N: It's been bugging me for awhile that I haven't given Thor much of a voice in 'Precious' or this story to date, so I wanted this chapter to flesh him out a bit more as a character. It's also been bugging me that I forgot to explain Thor's presence in this realm if I was taking off after the movie which left him in Asgard. See, those are the little things that slip by when you write at the speed I do. LOL Anyways, I've kind of tried to address it here, but really, I should have done it in one of my first chapters of 'Precious', and that will forever annoy me.

Ah, we writers, such crosses to bear. LOL

Enjoy...

Chapter Eight

Tony padded into the kitchen, bare feet almost noiseless on the tiles. He absently rubbed the bump on his head, pulling a face at the slight pain it caused. "Stupid screwdriver," he muttered to himself. It was late and Pepper was getting ready for bed when she'd requested some water. Tony had dutifully headed off to the kitchen to retrieve the requested item. He didn't bother with the lights, knowing his way round, but when he went to get the bottled water from the refrigerator it was to find the appliance was sporting a huge dent in the front of the door which had almost taken the door off its hinges. Tony gave a heavy sigh as he surveyed the carnage. The door didn't close properly anymore, but it seemed like the fridge was still more or less working as he reached in and retrieved the requested bottles of water. Tony walked out from the kitchen and into the dining room to find Thor sitting at the table, staring at a computer screen. The thunder god was just wearing grey sweat pants and a white t-shirt. "So, I noticed my fridge has been recently remodelled," said Tony calmly. "You wouldn't know anything about that would you, Thor?"

"I was in your food preparation area when a voice behind me spoke," said Thor, glancing over at him. "I dispatched the voice with my hammer."

Tony gave him a thoughtful look. "And what was the voice telling you exactly?"

Thor paused. "The time in a place called Tokyo."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, that would have been the msn homepage I had programmed on the fridge computer being helpful."

"I did not realise it was your electrickery. I thought it was an intruder."

"Here's the thing, thunderbolt and lightening, not many burglars break into places in New York to tell them the time in Tokyo," said Tony dryly. "That's more of a mid-west thing."

"I am sorry about your cold box," said Thor quietly.

Tony shrugged. "That's okay, I was getting bored with how the door always stayed on when you opened it anyway." He came to stand by the other man, curious to see what he was doing. Tony looked at the computer screen and saw the Skype profile of one Doctor Jane Foster. "You have to hit that button that button which says 'Video Call'," Tony instructed him, "otherwise it won't work."

Thor did not look up from staring at the picture of the pretty, young brunette. "I know how to use your magic, Tony Stark," said Thor grimly.

Tony pulled out a chair and took a seat, regarding the man's stoic features as he set down his bottles of water. "Okay, so what's the problem then?"

"I have not contacted Jane since I became trapped in your realm," said Thor tightly.

"I'm still working on that," Tony told him quickly. "I haven't given up. When you came across that last time after taking Loki back to naughty god prison something happened to the bridge between our worlds, but I can fix it." He gave Thor a bright smile. "I can always fix things. Fixing things and having a butt that won't quit are my two go to things in this world."

Thor gave him a confused look. "What is it that your butt will not stop doing?"

Tony grimaced and waved a hand at him. "Let's not get caught up in my butt," he said easily and then paused. "Always good advice now that I come to think about it." Tony nodded at the screen. "What's the problem here, Thor? You obviously like this Jane Foster girl. Why don't you swing over to Switzerland so you can play Tarzan to her Jane?" Tony waggled his eyebrows at him. "If you know what I mean?"

Thor just stared back at him blankly. "I very rarely know what you mean, Tony Stark. Your words are as those of a mad man or a fool to me most of the time."

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"How?" asked a mystified Thor.

"I have the rare talent of only hearing what I want to hear," said Tony blithely. He tapped the screen. "So, what's the hold up here, Thor? Call the woman."

Thor stared at the image on the screen unblinkingly. "You were in fear of Pepper's life today, were you not?"

Tony frowned, taken aback by the question. "I was worried about her, yes."

"First with all the destruction going on around us and then when one of your old enemies sought her out," continued on Thor softly.

Tony regarded him steadily. "What's your point, Thor?"

"If you could take it all back, have your time again so that you did not bring Pepper into such a world," queried Thor and then looked directly at him, "would you?"

Tony sat back in his chair and thought about the question. "It was different for us, Thor. Pepper was already in my life, for a long time before any of the Iron Man or Avengers stuff happened." He gave a lopsided smile. "I was already addicted to the woman, so leaving her out of my life really wasn't an option."

"But if things had been different," Thor insisted urgently, "if you could go back to the beginning, would you still chose to have Pepper in your life knowing the constant danger she would be in?"

Tony scratched his beard and took his time in answering. "Here's the thing," he said slowly, "I know the noble, high-minded thing here to say is no, that I would want Pepper far away from the craziness and danger of my life but I'm not going to say that." Tony looked him directly in the eye. "I'd do it all again, in a heartbeat, no questions asked."

"Don't you believe that to be a selfish act, Tony Stark?" asked Thor with a note of censure in his voice.

"Do you know what's selfish?" Tony returned. "It's selfish to be the one who gets to make all the decisions in a relationship and expect the woman to thank you for it." He squeezed his eyes shut and groaned. "Oh God, here I go, being a grown up again. This is becoming a disconcerting habit." Tony opened his eyes and looked intently at Thor. "Look, I used to think I knew all there was to know about women but then I fell in love and realised I knew diddly squat and that was on a good day. Relationships are messy and dangerous and as frustrating as hell, but if you're doing it with the right woman, then none of that matters." Tony shrugged. "And I'm kind of working on the assumption that it's the same for women as well, otherwise I don't know why the hell Pepper is with me."

Thor nodded slowly. "You have given me much to ponder, Tony Stark. I shall think on your words of counsel."

Tony stood up. "Okay, but don't think on it for too long. Your Doctor Jane is a hottie, and hotties don't wait around forever for indecisive thunder gods to make up their minds."

Thor frowned and looked confused again. "Jane was of normal temperature when we last met." He gave Tony a concerned look. "Do you believe her to have a fever now? Is she unwell?" Thor asked unevenly, looking undone by the thought. "Should I bring her to the care of a physician?"

Tony picked up his drinks and still managed to jab a finger at Thor. "Those are the semi-hysterical overreactions of a man who is already in too deep," he told the other man with great authority. "Trust me, I know what I'm talking about. You can pretend to sit here and think you have a choice about contacting Jane, but I'm telling you now, you don't. That's just the way love works. If there was any kind of choice in love, Pepper would be waiting for me upstairs in a fully self-contained hamster ball, completely safe and out of harm's way."

Thor arched a blonde eyebrow. "You're starting to sound like a mad man again."

Tony was unconcerned. "Pepper would understand if she was here." He gave Thor an encouraging smile. "You'll work it out." Tony nodded approvingly at Thor's casual attire. "And good job with breaking that cape habit of yours by the way. At least you're not going to get that outfit caught in my elevator doors every five minutes. Capes may look cool on a super hero, but on a practical, day to day level, they're just not feasible."

"Capes are normal attire in Asgard," Thor protested.

"Well, you're not in Kansas anymore Toto," Tony advised him, "so you need to get with the program."

With that last bit of no doubt confusing advice delivered, Tony left Thor to ponder what to do next when it came to the pretty, young doctor. A short elevator ride had Tony stepping off onto the level he and Pepper shared in the Avenger's Tower. Pepper was just climbing into bed as he walked into the bedroom. "Pepper, do me a favour and don't sneak up on Thor, ever." Tony handed her one of the bottled waters. "And whatever you do, don't tell him the time in Tokyo."

Pepper stifled a yawn as she accepted the offered bottle. "I'm sure there is a perfectly reasonable reason for both of those requests but I'm too tired to ask."

Tony came to sit down on Pepper's side of the bed. He rested a familiar hand on her thigh, rubbing his hand back and forth over the toned flesh lovingly. "You know, I was thinking today, about how if things hadn't gone according to plan today with that bomb."

Pepper frowned. "Tony, don't. I don't want to even think about it."

"I know," said Tony, "but neither one of us can deny that I've got a dangerous hobby and one day, things may not work out so well for me."

Pepper bit her bottom lip. "I know."

Tony looked at his tanned hand moving against Pepper's pale flesh, resisting the urge to replace his hand with his lips while he got this thought out. "So, I was thinking, that if the worst did happen, I'd want you to be happy, Pepper."

Pepper gave him an indulgent smile and covered his hand with her own. "I know, Tony," she said huskily, "you'd want me to find love again and not shut off my heart to another man."

Tony gave her a horrified look. "What? No! There are to be no other men after me, Pepper, and that's final!"

Pepper sat up in bed and rolled her eyes. "You know, Tony, the noble thing to say was that you wanted me to find love again after you were gone, so I could be happy."

"Why is everyone expecting me to be noble all of a sudden?" asked Tony in dismay. "Where is that coming from?"

Pepper raised her eyebrows at him. "Don't you want me to be happy?"

Tony took her hands and gave her an earnest look. "Pepper, sweetheart, I've ruined you for other men, we both know that. You'll never love any other man now that you've loved me."

"You're a one off, I'll give you that," said Pepper wryly.

"Who?" asked Tony abruptly.

"Who what?" asked Pepper in confusion.

"Who are you moving on with before my body isn't even cold in the ground yet?" asked Tony in outrage.

"Tony, you're not dead," Pepper pointed out patiently.

"But clearly you've got candidates lined up," said Tony indignantly. "So, who are they?" He jabbed a jealous finger at her. "And your list had better not include Captain Frostbite, do you hear me? The thought of you two together would be the death of me."

Pepper folded her arms in front of herself and gave him an amused look. "Aren't you already dead in this little scenario of yours?"

"That would kill me again," said Tony melodramatically.

"What exactly have you got against Steve?" she asked in vague frustration.

"Well, for one thing, he's dating my woman," said Tony loudly. "That's a big old black mark against his name for starters."

"You've gone insane," Pepper announced. "Steve and I aren't dating, you're not dead and there is no list. You're the only man in my life, Tony, and quite frankly, you're a full time job and then some."

"And don't you forget it," Tony warned her.

Pepper gave an inelegant snort. "Chance would be a fine thing."

Tony walked around to the other side of the bed, still trying to reign in his feelings from where their conversation had taken them. Pepper occupied his whole world, she was in every cell of his body, every pore and nerve ending and the thought of any other woman trying to fill that hole if she left was an inconceivable one to Tony. He hadn't expected Pepper to so easily accept the thought of him being gone, even though she didn't seem to be taking him seriously. Tony didn't know what to make of this at all. "Find someone else," Tony grumbled as he settled into bed beside her, "what the hell, woman?"

Pepper rolled over in bed so she was on her side and facing him. She put a hand on his chest, to the right of the arc reactor and gave him a tolerant look. "Looks like you've got a boo boo," she said mischievously as she took in his disgruntled features. "Would you like me to kiss it better?" Pepper didn't wait for permission. She started to kiss feather light kisses down Tony's neck and onto his chest.

His heart immediately leapt into overdrive, the thrall of this woman exciting every nerve ending in Tony's body as Pepper nipped and kissed her way along his chest. "No," said Tony with mock petulance, "don't touch me, all women repulse me right now."

Pepper giggled, clearly not taking him seriously as she straddled him in one swift move, wiggling a little on top of him. A mischievous smile played around her lips. "You don't feel repulsed," she teased him.

Tony was forced to swallow a little groan as Pepper's lithe body had its usual effect on him. He attempted to keep his composure as he tried to continue with his outrage. "It seems that most of my revulsion has pooled somewhere south of the border," he managed unsteadily.

Pepper gave him a knowing look. "So it seems," she purred.

"I thought you were tired," Tony rasped, already completely lost in her, but trying to hold out for as long as he could.

Pepper's smile widened. "Apparently I find the ramblings of a mad man to be quite a turn on," she noted in amusement.

This was very good news to Tony. "Thank God," he said with heartfelt gratitude as he rolled them over, trapping Pepper's lusciousness beneath him now. Tony fixed her with a sultry look. "Because there is plenty more where that came from, baby," he growled playfully, forgetting all of his concerns when he had Pepper in his arms like this.

"That I never doubted," giggled Pepper before they lost themselves in each other completely for a good portion of the night.

A/N: I like this chapter simply because it showcases quite a few sides to Tony Stark. He can be a straight shooter, a jealous fool, a lover and a whack job in a short amount of time. LOL

Who wouldn't find that level of dysfunction intoxicating? ;)