When anger rises, think of the consequences - Confucius
Pepper crept into the workshop and signed inwardly at the scene in front of her.
Tony and Happy were busy poring over Tony's extensive weapon collection. And arguing loudly. They were trying to decide which weapons were best suited for this quest. The suit was dismantled, ready to be placed in the emblazoned wooden trunk, Tony always used for transporting his armor.
Happy was standing on one side of the workbench with a large battle axe in his hand, absently swinging it back and forth.
Tony was on the other side of the bench, with a belt of blades of different sizes. Both were arguing on the merits of each other's choice of weapon.
Happy said, "The battle axe inflicts pure mayhem. It wins ever argument."
Tony countered, "How can we sneak in, with you walking around with a huge axe! Come on, Happy!"
"Suppose we have to fight a troll? Will you stab it with your pencil sharpeners?"
"We have to be subtle, we are not trying to start a war with Carinthia. We can pick up additional weapons while in the castle. I'd like to see you sneak around, catching that huge thing between your hands."
Tony smirked lewdly at his double entendre, while Happy looked askance for a moment and then started snickering. Pepper rolled her eyes. Men will be Men.
"Good one, Tone. But never fear, I have experience, handling long big things between my hands. Hee hee..."
"Hey! I bet I have even more experience. But big and long doesn't always guarantee ..."
Pepper cleared her throat loudly. They both stared at her in shock as they had never noticed she was in the room.
"Boys, if you are done comparing the lengths of your weapons, I would like to ask for your opinion on what should I use." She smiled at them.
Happy opened his mouth wide and then abruptly shut it.
Tony straightened and said in a very firm, commanding tone, "Pepper, you are not coming with us on this quest."
It was Pepper's turn to be shocked. "Why, Tony, why ever not?"
He mulishly shook his head. "It is too dangerous for you. For a lady. There's some unknown force at work here. We can't focus on the quest, if we are busy worrying whether you are alright. "
Pepper pinched her nose. "Tony, you seemed to have forgotten our fight against the Chonsario, where I held my own very successfully. Isn't that right, Happy?"
Tony raised his voice now. "Last time, you were looking after women and children and taking them away from the battle. Besides, Happy was there as well. He was looking out for you, I'm sure, weren't you Happy? This time around, I need him to focus."
They both looked at Happy, who had turned a bright red and was acting like a goldfish, opening and closing his mouth rapidly.
Pepper huffed at his lack of support. "You have trained me well, Tony. I can handle myself. I'm light on my feet, so I will be good at sneaking around. Plus, your foe here is a woman. You may have need of a woman to get close to her."
Tony shook his head. "This is going to be dangerous, Pepper. Why don't you understand that? You are not a knight, you do not have enough strength. Why can't you stay here and take care of the villagers?"
Pepper changed tactics. "Tony, at least take me along. When we reach there, if the situation is too dangerous, I promise, I will stay back. But please, don't leave me out of this." She looked at him appealingly.
He tightened his jaw and turned his back to her. "That would be a waste of time and energy. Stay at the Keep, please."
He gestured at Happy to come closer and they both huddled together, whispering about the weapons now.
Pepper felt multiple, conflicting emotions at the same time. She didn't know which one she should express out loud. Anger, sadness, disbelief. The urge to scream or cry was also confusing her.
She went with instead, with calmness and reason. She reached out to Tony and touched his arm.
He reacted jerkily and looked at her steadily, moving away from her touch.
She bit her lip, the reaction hurting her somehow and spoke. "Happy, can you give us a moment alone, please?"
Any other time, Pepper would have laughed at the speed with which Happy ran out of the workshop, dropping the axe on the bench, with a loud bang.
She looked at Tony. Be calm, Pepper, do not get emotional. Do not get emotional.
"Tony, lately, I sense... there's been a... I mean, there's been some distance between us. We don't talk as much as we used to and we don't spend much time together. We haven't gone on a midnight ride for quite some time. Is there something wrong? Have I done something to offend you?"
He didn't look at her but instead, looked at the battle axe, running his fingers over it and talking in an impersonal, casual tone. "Pepper, you need to understand something here. I have other commitments. Besides, you spend a lot of time in the village, with the village women. And with other village folk. So I don't understand why you are making demands on my time."
She swallowed, once again controlling her emotions. "I know I've been interacting a lot with the villagers but I never meant for it to interfere with our time together. I... I treasure our relationship, Tony. You are... the closest thing, I've had to a friend, for a long time. I miss your company. I miss our training and rides and conversations."
Again, Tony didn't look at her. He started to polish his set of blades. "Pepper, that was just for a point in time. You were on the run, nervous and I was trying to be nice. But I need to spend time with like-minded people. I may not be one anymore but I used to be a knight of the realm. Happy is more suited for training you. Besides he enjoys the experience."
Pepper mulled over his last statement.
Oh... he didn't like training me. I... I never considered that. Pepper, focus on what he's saying. We will think about this later.
She tried to speak but Tony turned and the expression in his eyes made her throat close up. It seemed as if he was looking right through her, as if she wasn't even there.
"Pepper" he said coldly, "I want to speak plainly, now that Happy is not here. In this quest, we do not know what we are up against. And I feel, here you will slow, I and Happy down. And I do not want Happy to be distracted because he's busy worrying about you. You stick to what you are meant for and that is working with the villagers. So you will not be coming with us to Carinthia. And that is my final word."
Pepper felt her eyes welling up with tears. You can't take care of yourself. You will just slow them down. You always need rescuing. The self doubts were so loud in her head.
She lowered her face and said in a low tone, "As you command, Lord Stark. I will not hamper your quest with my presence."
Then she walked quietly to the workshop door. She looked back at him sadly. He had turned his back to her and was looking at something on the workbench. She left the building and walked towards the stable, needing to go for a ride.
Absorbed with her thoughts, she did not hear the sound of the battle axe slamming against the workshop wall with anger.
