"I fucked up so bad." He put his face in his hands and groaned.

"You could always kiss her after class."

"Are you out of your mind? I can't do that."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah."

"Because it's a big deal!"

"It's just a kiss. You've done it before."

He sighed. "Never mind." He took the homework his class turned in yesterday during lecture and began to grade it according to his standards. No proof or thought meant automatic disqualification of points.

He ended the call with his best friend and almost fell off his seat as he leaned back. "Shit," he cursed, saving himself from falling. "Stupid stool."

Last night was a nightmare. He woke up this morning with the intent of explaining himself, but Pepper had left with only a note beside the bed.

He couldn't kiss her. He just couldn't. It was that thing people said about kissing being more personal than anything. It meant closeness and feelings. Kisses are built on feelings. It's not something a person can hide behind. It's intimate and you're vulnerable. You get close to the person and it exposes the softer sides of yourself and he isn't ready for that just yet.

"Knock, knock."

He looked up. It is Pepper.

"Hi," she greeted warmly.

"Hi." He put down his pen and watched her come towards him.

"Can we talk?"

"Is this the part where you've had time to think and you're here to tell me it's not going to work out?"

She shook her head. "No, not at all." She sees the graded homework on the table and said, "You're not gonna give me an F for leaving you this morning, right? Because that'll be rude and highly unethical."

"No, look." Tony went through the graded stack and pulled out hers. "Five points. A couple of them are wrong, but you tried, so that's full points."

"I didn't understand it in high school, I'm not going to understand it in college."

"You'll never learn with that attitude."

Pepper rolled her eyes and then said with sarcasm, "Yeah, cause it'll be super important in the future."

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Physics was awesome. She didn't know what she was talking about. "Gimme it back. I still have to enter it into the system." He takes the papers before letting out a breath. "What did you want to talk about?" Just the thoughts in his mind made his heart beat quicker. He hates not knowing what's happening. He hates the anxious feeling that comes with it.

"It's about last night." He crossed his arms over his chest and squared his jaw. His defensive mechanism was in full force. "It scared you. And if we're being honest with each other, it scared me, too. We got close and the point is not one of us is at fault. We both-"

He chose to finish the sentence for Pepper. "Fucked up."

"Yes," she confirmed. "I shouldn't have acted impulsively. It wasn't fair to you."

"What I did wasn't fair either. I didn't mean to play with your feelings like I did."

She smiled softly. "It's alright."

"I just-" He let out an exasperated breath. "I have a lot of baggage."

"Everyone has baggage, Tony. It doesn't define who we are though."

"I know. Look, I get this is a relationship. I get people go into relationships with expectations of things falling in line. I'll never do that and what if you get frustrated about it? Like being married or wanting-"

"Okay, Tony, just hold on. Stop. Marriage?"

"Yeah, you want that, right? I mean, it's-"

She laughed at how serious he was being. "Just stop your thought process, alright? I know you have family and commitment issues, it's not new to me, and that doesn't change anything. You're right, with you I'll probably need to wait years until I get a proposal from you, but I'm honestly fine with it. I might tease you about it, I might want it, but I don't need it. I know you think I can easily get what I want if I left, but marriage, kids, I can't see myself having those things if the right person's missing from it. Part of me would be sad if I settled for second best and there is no way I'm gonna live my life like that. So if it means waiting longer than usual to have some dreams fulfilled, I can enjoy the ride. Because when those milestones actually do happen, it'll be incredibly special for the both of us and that's all that matters in the end."

That seemed to calm him down a bit. "So where do we go from here?"

"I'm available tonight."

His brows furrowed, not knowing what to do with that comment.

She offered him another hint. "I usually have dinner around eight o'clock."

"And I eat around-" His eyes widened. "Oh." He shot her a sheepish smile.

Pepper chuckled.

"I swear I'll get better at this."

"I'm afraid that's not possible."

"Spend time with me tonight."

She feigned surprise. "Tonight. Really?"

"Yeah, you'll like it. Italian is delicious."

"Pasta does sound good."

"Oh, that's awkward." He hummed. "Your mind went to food but I was talking about myself."

She rolled her eyes. "And just how many girls have actually fallen for that lame pick up line?"

"Only one. And she happens to be standing next to me."

"You better watch it because I just might stand you up."

He gave her a smile and cleared his throat as he heard the door open. He went back to his TA persona quite quickly and handed Pepper her homework. "Yeah, so the lowest two scores are dropped. It's nice, but it doesn't mean you should ditch."

"Okay, thanks." She took a seat from where she sat on Monday and watched as he told the two guys that had walked in to grab their papers if they wanted. She shot him a small smile and the two of them ignored each other until class started.

"How about you with the red hair? What's the difference? I swear, anyone who answers this is going to get three extra points."

Everyone turned to look at Pepper. She could feel the people behind her staring at her back and she looked around as people sitting in the front turned in their stools to face her. "Um..." She looked down at her notes she wrote in class yesterday, but wasn't sure if it was right. "Kinetic deals with speed, but potential's about position."

"Good. And if you all will quit being lazy and look in your notes like she did, this question would've been answered minutes ago." He glanced at the next page. "So there's five questions dealing with what we just talked about, so get in your groups and start."

"I never thought he'd be this serious," Jake commented.

Tiffany shrugged. "I think it makes him more sexy."

"What about the guys that are sensitive and nice?"

Pepper came into the conversation. "There can be both."

"No, they don't exist."

"Jeez, Pepper, I knew that, and I'm a dude. Anyways, let's get this over with."

Of course the first problem was always the easiest one and by the time they got down to the third question, fifteen minutes had passed. They were stuck and it looked like everyone in the class shared that same sentiment. Tony explained the problems and used the blackboard to write out the equations and by the time he finished, class was over and everyone was in a hurry to go. Some stayed behind to ask questions and he was quite patient in answering them. She grabbed her belongings and headed for the exit.

"Uh oh." She turned around and held in a laugh as she saw him look around to see if anyone saw what had happened. He sounded like a three year old who'd been caught doing something wrong. His face contorts into a frown as he stares at the papers on the ground.

She walked over to him and bent down to help. "Here you go."

He looked up and took them. "Thanks."

"No problem."

"I'll pick you up at 7:30. Is that okay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." He hesitated for a small second and ultimately decided to rid the voice in his head that was telling him to kiss her. "I'll see you." He leaves it at that and walks off in the direction of the parking lot.


"You think this will be okay or is it too casual?" Pepper was currently standing in front of her bathroom mirror contemplating what to wear. This was the second outfit she had chosen to put on for the night.

"Well, it's not like they're going to kick Tony Stark out for being underdressed. And I like this one more. It shows off your legs."

She had on a vintage gravel sleeveless romper. It had a round neck and a front keyhole cutout. The waist was elasticized and there were side slit pockets with a button closure at the back of her neck. "That is not important."

"You're not showing much else, so trust me, it's important." This made Pepper smile. It was true the romper was a little short, but she couldn't put it back on the rack at the mall the moment she'd seen it. "You two okay after the almost awkward last night lip lock?"

"Yeah. We're fine." She paused to collect her thoughts. "I think we're in a good place."

"No kiss? Because that would make things interesting."

"No kiss. He's not just ready for it. I think because it makes our relationship feel real."

"Well, he better get with the program."

"He's trying not to disappoint me and I don't know how to tell him it's not necessary. If Tony doesn't remember, he doesn't remember, but if I tell him that I come off inconsiderate and it's not what I want."

"Just help him when he needs it. I think that's what he's counting on. And don't act like he is the only one being cautious about this relationship you two have going on."

"Why wouldn't I be cautious when it comes to him? When he left three years ago, it really stuck a knife in my heart. I don't even think that wound is completely healed."

"I think he was saving you the heartache. You gave him the green light and he took it. Sure, he could had stayed and fought for you, but he didn't have an incentive to."

"And after what happened with Robert, I didn't want to do another long distance relationship even if it hurt." She sighed before walking into her bedroom and toward her closet to grab a pair of strappy high heels. "Anyway, this is a fresh start. It's going to fun. We can start over. I'm excited we're where we are and I think he is, too."

"I hope you have fun. I'm gonna hang out with some friends. You'll probably be home before me."

"Alright. Bye. Be safe." Morgan left her room. Several minutes later and the front door closes. She puts the rest of her make up on and finishes with a couple minutes to spare. She stares at her reflection in the mirror and lets out a deep breath. She's beginning to feel nervous.

"You can do this," Tony muttered to himself as he got out of his car. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he made his way over to Pepper's unit while simultaneously attempting to calm himself down. "Just do it." He knocks on the door and waits impatiently. One of the lights in the apartment turns off and his stomach feels like it's about to churn. This is it.

Opening the door, Pepper smiled softly at him as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Hey."

He could feel his breath hitch in his throat. "Hi," he replied in a loud whisper.

"I think I have everything, so if-" She's looking through her purse to make sure everything's there and before she knows it, his hands cup her cheeks and brings her face up. Her shock muffles into the kiss and he's starting off timid, slow, trying to find a rhythm. Panic is coursing through her veins as she processes what is happening. Tony has kissed her. She opens her mouth to him and he quickly reacts to it. Her mouth is warm and tastes of chocolate and he's pretty sure he feels a jolt of electricity passing through him as she places a hand on his arm. He moves himself between her legs, moves closer, choosing to press her against the exterior of the apartment as she moans into the kiss. They break apart for air for not more than a second before locking lips again with an even greater passion. His hands run down the sides of her ribcage as their kiss becomes deeper, more hungry. He can't find it in him to pull away because he's realizing at this moment he's been wanting to do this since the hospital.

All of a sudden she laughs and breaks the kiss, grabbing his touchy hands that have found their way to the swell of her bottom. "Cool it. You haven't even brought me dinner yet," she teased. "Second base is not on the table for you and that is your first warning."

"My first warning?" He raised a brow in interest. "And what if I reach three?"

"I go home, put on some comfortable clothes and watch Netflix," she stated.

He let out a snicker and looked down at their intertwined hands.

"What made you do that?"

He knows she's referring to the kiss and he keeps his head down and shrugs.

"Hey," Pepper called out, squeezing his hand as she waits for him to look up. "I enjoyed it."

"Yeah?"

She nodded and he smiled. They're still quite close so she nuzzles her face into his neck and kisses him there before pulling away to meet his gaze with a smile. "Come on, let's go. I'm starving." She loosely links her arm around his as they walk down the sidewalk. "You're so warm," Pepper noticed.

"I'm sweating."

"What?" She glanced at him. "Why?"

"Do you think kissing you was easy?"

"You were that nervous about that?"

"Yeah!" Tony thought it was obvious.

"Aww," she cooed. She got in the car and shook her head when he rolled his eyes at her. He took off at lightning speed and she couldn't wait to see what their night entailed.


Yay, they kissed! Stayed tuned for PART 2 :)