Fifty chapters! :O

Even I am shocked...

SMUT at the end of the chapter


She was

Fire in the night

And when she burned

The whole world turned

To see what shone

- Atticus

He opened his eyes and looked around him. There was nothing but darkness, around him, above him and beneath him.

He realized he was slowly drifting in this endless area of pitch blackness.

And why am I completely naked...

Suddenly he felt a freezing coldness surround him. He shivered uncontrollably as he tried to float away from the cold but he couldn't seem to escape it.

God's Teeth! So cold... so damn cold... I... I must...

His blood was starting to freeze, his bones felt as if they were made of ice and he was breathing in short gasps, trying to keep his chest warm.

He wrapped his shivering arms around himself and tried to curl into a ball but the coldness wouldn't go away. His skin had turned stiff and icy to his own fingers.

Cold... so cold... what is this place...

He looked around him blindly but could see only the darkness and feel only the endless bone-chilling cold.

Is this... the end... am I dead...

Then he heard something in the darkness. A faint sound. He peered into the inky blackness, trying to see what made the sound.

He widened his eyes in shock as he could see a tiny orange fleck shining in the black distance.

He watched wide-eyed as the tiny fleck seemed to be approaching him, growing in size. And his heart began to pound with excitement.

What is that?

Then he gasped as it picked up speed and swooshed towards him. Suddenly the blackness seemed dwarfed by the large fiery being of reddish orange light, zooming towards him.

It... it has wings!

He tried to move back but it kept coming towards him. He could hear nothing but the loud roar of fire as the being flew towards him.

Now he could clearly see what it was and he dropped his jaw in awe.

A bird! A bird of fire! Bright and blazing red fire!

The large bird of flame moved around him in a circle, emitting a piercing shriek as it straightened its magnificent wide wings to glide seamlessly in the darkness. It had a curved beak and a delicate crest of fire tendrils that danced with its flight. And its tail was a wondrous train of feathers, blazing bright with flames.

It circled him, shrieking at him as if trying to tell him something. His instinct told him to stretch his hand out. He did so, trembling as the beast flapped its wings and hovered before him.

He could feel the heat of its fire on his body, on his face but strangely enough it did not burn him, he did not feel any pain.

He grazed it with his fingers and felt nothing but a gentle warmth at his fingertips. Emboldened by this, he placed his hand on its chest, feeling gentle warmth and the softness of feathers.

I know you... I've walked with you once upon a dream...

Then he smiled, closing his eyes as the beast wrapped its wings around him, enveloping him in bright red fire.


Warm gentle fingers moved over his back tenderly, warming his flesh with their slow touches. He sighed as they moved to his chest, stroking him slowly, his skin tingling with the heat from their touch.

Tony was no longer cold, a gentle flowing heat moving over him in a wave. Then he felt his own fire roar loudly in his ears and opened his eyes.

"Pepper..." he whispered in awe as he gazed into her eyes, deep sapphire orbs looking at him with love. Tony looked down to see her hand on his Arc, his fire rushing up, as usual, to her touch.

He swallowed as his fire moved through him in a whirling blaze, Pepper's eyes gleaming with the blueness from his Flame.

Her lush lips curved into a small smile as she whispered dreamily, "So blue, so powerful... the way it lives within you..."

"You are one to talk, my lady." Tony said wryly, "You can create fire from your fingertips. Surely, that is more powerful."

"But this Fire," she moved her fingertips over his Arc and he gasped as his Flame reacted to the tiny movement and moved even faster, "this Fire, Tony... is truly magical... and is alive..."

"Pepper, are you alright?" He asked with concern as she sighed softly. "Are you still cold?"

He took a deep breath as she placed one hand on his heart and the other at the back of his head. Pepper looked up at him, her lips curving into a beautiful smile and he couldn't help but grin back at her.

"My lord," she whispered throatily as her fingers moved through his hair tenderly and massaged his scalp.

"With a love like yours," she pulled his head down gently and whispered, "How can I remain cold?"

Then she touched his lips with her own, oh so softly and slowly, that he held still from the sensation. Pepper nibbled on his lips tenderly as if he was made of cotton. Tony growled low in his throat and felt her lips curve against his face.

The hand on his heart stroked him and her tongue teasingly touched his. He deepened the kiss, moving his arms to her hips and cupping her soft backside, to pull her flush against him.

Pepper made a pleading noise in her throat as his mouth ravished hers hotly, his lips feverishly claiming hers as his hands massaged her soft skin. He kept kissing her, drowning in the feel of her moist soft mouth beneath his and her lush curved body pressed against his, her nipples hardening against his chest.

He moved one of his legs between her soft thighs and pressed up against her core. Pepper gasped at that and pulled back from the kiss, to rub herself harder against his thigh. He could feel the moisture from her heat against his skin.

Tony caught her chin in one hand, holding her still as he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth, nibbling on the soft flesh.

She writhed desperately against his leg, mewling and he let her mouth go, to squeeze her soft breast and thumb her nipple.

"Tony!" she cried out and he lowered his head, still holding her chin, to gently bite her neck, while his thigh rubbed harder against her aroused warm core even more.

Pepper shuddered against him and then suddenly turned the tables on him by teasing his nipple with her free hand.

Tony let go of her chin, his hand falling to her hips as she traced the outline of his nipple with her fingertip. It was his turn to shudder as her other hand did the same to his other nipple.

"Pepper..." he moaned out as she moved her hands over his chest, stroking him and feeling his flesh slowly with her fingers.

Then she lowered them to his abdomen and he clenched his muscles as her fingers gently caressed him.

"Pepper..." he whispered, "Pepper..."

She looked up at him, eyes sparkling and whispered, "Shush, Tony... it is my turn..."

Then she rubbed her knuckles against his stomach and he groaned loudly, closing his eyes.

"Tony, have I ever told you that you have a beautiful stomach... so hard and muscled, yet so...soft." his abdomen clenched as she lazily trailed her fingers in circles over his skin.

He laid his forehead against hers, taking a deep breath as Pepper palmed his cock softly. She tightened her grip and he gasped, clasping her arms.

Pepper swiped her tongue across his lower lip, her hands busy untying his braies, brushing against his cock excruciatingly. She kissed him softly as he felt her nimble fingers slip into the cloth and slowly pull his cock out.

Tony whispered her name over and over against her lips, breathing hard as she cupped his balls and then slowly moved her hand over his length. "You are so beautiful, all over, my lord... so virile and so," he gasped as her thumb flicked his tip teasingly, "So responsive..."

"I object to nothing but the use of the word 'beautiful' ", he rasped out as her fingers began to move all over his cock, feeling him intimately.

Tony closed his eyes, trying to hang on to his control because his woman was driving him crazy with her devilishly soft but firm hands.

"Pepper!" He cried out as she tightened them on his now semi-erect cock, her fingers traced the outline of its tip and then caressed it softly.

"What do you want, Tony?" she whispered against his ear. "Tell me."

She licked the outline of his ear with her tongue and he blurted out, "More!"

Pepper moved back, letting him go and he huffed loudly at that. She tsked at him and gently pushed him onto his back, then moving to lie on top of him.

"You want more... yes, my lord, I will give you more..."

Tony watched, his heart thumping loudly as Pepper lowered herself down his body to his hips. He clasped her shoulders and she looked up at him.

"Pepper..." he said tightly, even as his traitorous libido desperately wanted her to go on.

"Shush, my lord," she whispered, blowing onto his hardening member and making it twitch with need. "Just lie back and relax." she said, placing her hand on his Arc and pushing him to lie back down.

He did as she said and then closed his eyes as her warm lips kissed the flesh above his groin while her hand lightly stroked his cock.

Tony took a deep breath as her lips moved lower and even lower. She licked his tip, making him cry out, the sensation overwhelming. Her tongue moved over it, tasting him and licking him until he saw stars.

He moved his hands downwards and wound them in her soft hair, groaning loudly as Pepper took him completely into her warm soft mouth. She began to suck on him gently and Tony threw his head back hard against the floor.

"Pepper!"

She moved her head up and down and over his cock, her hands playing with his balls all the while. Tony felt as hard as stone. His heart was throbbing in his ears. He felt one of Pepper's hands sneak under his hips, to stroke his backside.

He tightened his grip in her hair, taking care not to hurt her as he began to thrust lightly into her hot passionate mouth. She took his length even deeper into her mouth and he gasped and shuddered violently.

Then she gently let him go and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Pepper..." he said, thinking she was done.

"Wait, my lord, I am not done yet." Pepper said with a mischievous smile. Then she lifted his cock in one hand and lowered her lips to gently nibble on his balls.

Tony cried out and quickly caught her shoulders, lifting her.

"That's enough! I want to..." he sputtered, his tongue tripping over the words because he was drowning in sensation. "Pep! I want to come inside you!"

She nodded eagerly and lifted herself on her knees. Then Pepper sank down hard on his erect cock, filling herself to the hilt. They both groaned at the same time and Tony caught her by the hips.

"God's Teeth! You are so damn tight!"

Then he rocked himself against her, making her moan. He kept rocking as she began to clench herself around him. Tony was right at the edge of his control but was holding back, trying to make sure Pepper was right there with him.

"Come on, sweetheart! Come for me!" He cried out, thrusting into her hard. She lowered her head, her glorious fiery mane tickling his chest and cupped his jaw.

"I love you, Tony." Pepper softly whispered as she rocked her hips into his thrust and Tony lost control.

He roared out her name as he felt his white-hot release come inside her tight core, his body shaking with the force of it. Pepper tightened around him beautifully and he could feel her wet hot core convulse around his cock as she reached her release.

She moaned loudly and collapsed heavily on his chest, soft body pressing into him. Tony sighed with contentment and tenderly stroked her soft hair.

After a while, he whispered, "Was it you warming me up as I slept?", stretching upwards to kiss the top of her head.

Pepper propped herself up on his chest with her elbows and looked down at him. Her sapphire blue eyes seemed so deep and soft as she touched his face.

"Yes, my lord and I should be very angry at you for freezing yourself... but I love the way you look out for me."

Then she lowered her head but not before Tony noticed tears gathering in her eyes. He sat up, settling Pepper in his lap and cupped her chin, to raise her face to his gaze.

"Sweetheart, why are you crying?"

She quirked her mouth upwards in a sad smile. "Tony, my love, I fear horribly that you will put yourself in danger to keep me safe. Putting your life at risk to save me..."

He blurted out, "Of course, I would, Pepper! I love you! I couldn't bear it... if anything were to happen to you!"

She pushed his hair back from his brow and gently touched her forehead to his. Tony felt her soft face against his, their lips nearly touching, their arms wrapped around each other.

"Tony... I know how you feel... because I feel the same way..." Pepper whispered lovingly. "I do not want any harm to befall you either. So... promise me... you will take care of yourself... and not risk your life to come to my aid."

He swallowed hard and nodded.

Tony felt her lips curve against his cheek and Pepper said with a laugh in her voice, "Anthony Stark, you have no intention of keeping your promise, do you my lord?"

He moved back and looked at her. "Would you keep the same promise, my queen?"

Pepper shook her head, biting her lip and Tony cradled her face in both hands. He gently kissed her eyes, her nose and her lips.

"I can't stop trying to protect you, Pepper. We just need to be extra careful and vigilant."

"Yes, Tony. We need to be. Together." she said clearly.

He smiled and they both lay down, side by side. Pepper was fast asleep in a few minutes, her hand as always on his Arc.

But Tony lay awake and stared up at the ceiling quietly, listening to her breathing even.

What troubles you, Anthony? The battle ahead? whispered the Dragon.

No... well, yes... I need to keep Pepper safe. I want to protect her at all costs but I worry... I worry I am not up to the task.

Anthony... hissed the Dragon. From where is this insecurity coming? You've protected Virginia before admirably.

The stakes are higher, this time, Dragon. Much higher.

Rest Anthony... tomorrow is a new day and we go scouting for a path into this wretched castle. Worry about tomorrow, tomorrow. Go to sleep.

He closed his eyes and placed his hand on Pepper's stomach, smiling as he drifted off to sleep.


So in the previous chapter, as igotyourfirst noted yesterday, I used the trope "you're freezing so guess what, I'm gonna warm you up with my body heat".

But today I reversed it and twisted it by letting Pepper warm Tony up with her FIRE. :P

My fic is full of tropes, can't help it. (or maybe I can but I don't know how)