"Too bad, Platypus. You lost. Be a man about it."

"I never said I would."

"Yeah, you did," Tony responded, a grin on his face as he glanced at his friend.

Rhodey sighed. "Tony, I was kidding."

"Doesn't matter. Get some nair or something while you're out."

"I am not streaking down the football field in a thong. There's no way in hell."

"Uh, we had a deal." He stopped in the middle of the hall. "I can get JARVIS to send you proof if you want."

"Dude, I can't."

"Do it at the party tonight then."

"How many times do I have to say it? I'm not-"

"Which one's less embarrassing?"

"How do I know you're not lying? I mean, you and Pepper? Really? Just saying it is unbelievable."

"I'm with Pepper," he reaffirmed. "I even made out with her."

Rhodey raised his hand to stop him from talking. "TMI, Tony."

"We're on a Ferris Wheel and its-"

"Okay! I believe you. Just stop talking, alright?"

Tony smiled triumphantly and in the corner of his eye saw Pepper walking out of class. Great. "You need to wear it the entire night to count though." He'd just gotten out of Calculus with Rhodey with five minutes left until fifth period. Their date was four days ago and he was already excited for the one coming up and the one after that, especially the one after that.

"Boo!"

Pepper jumped and turned around. Her eyes were closed and she let out a deep breath. "Why do you always do that to me?"

"Because it's hilarious," he replied with a smile. "I waited until you got your stuff out this time so you can't yell at me for it."

"So I should thank you?"

"You don't have to, but-"

"Don't hold your breath."

Tony shrugged, he wasn't expecting one anyways, and leaned in until their lips met softly. She smiled and returned the kiss feeling his hands settle on her hips as hers travelled up his chest to the collar of his shirt.

"Get a room," someone close by said.

Surprised by the outburst, Pepper broke the kiss and turned towards the voice. From his letterman and physique, the guy was one of Tony's friends.

Tony laughed and shook Brad's hand. "Shouldn't you be at practice?"

"Yeah, I'm heading over. Look, I just want to tell you I was against this whole thing from the start. Coach needed a replacement and I ended up being chosen."

"No, it's fine." As part of his recovery, he had to stay away from strenuous activity for six months, which meant giving up sports. He was upset he had to, was mad there wasn't another choice, but he wasn't going to blame his teammates for it. "But don't get too comfortable. I'm taking it back next season."

Brad chuckled. "Got it." Then he left.

"Come on," Tony said, grabbing Pepper's hand. "Bell's gonna ring. I know you hate being late and all."

"I don't hate being late. I'd just rather not get detention."

He glanced at her sideways as they turned down the hall. "It'll be fun. We can guess how long it takes for Stampher to figure out his glasses have been on his head the entire time."

"I don't get why you just won't tell him."

"Because he gives me this stare like I hid it from him or something."

"He's old."

"Hey, you're supposed to be on my side," Tony protested.

Pepper chuckled and shook her head as he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her in. He continued walking her to class and together they argued over little things the rest of the way.

"Why didn't you tell me you quit soccer?"

"Cause it wasn't important," Tony said, hoping it'd convince her just as much as he had convinced Brad. He had said 'it's fine,' but that been far from the truth. Aside from loving the sport, he also used it as an outlet. "It's not like I've been kicked off the team or anything." Whenever he was mad at something, Howard, he'd go out on the field and kick the ball around until most of it passed. Now he couldn't and had no place to channel it to...but this was his problem; not hers.

"Okay," Pepper quietly responded. She nodded and shot him a soft smile. She knew he didn't like talking about his life, he dismissed it each time she had asked, and it was alright. He'd learn to trust her eventually.

Tony returned her smile and picked up the pace again, glad she dropped the topic. "So there's a party tonight. Want to come?"

She shook her head, but before she could get a word out he spoke. "Just go to this one; try it out. You might end up liking it."

"I've been to parties before. I just don't understand-"

"Tony!"

Truth be told, he was getting tired of people coming up to him and asking if he was alright or not. He appreciated their "concern," but seriously? Interrupting him when he was clearly in the middle of something? Who he saw once he turned around didn't help matters: two girls from the cheerleading team decked out in red sports bras and matching skin tight shorts.

"I'm in the middle of something. What do you want?"

Pepper took a quick look at them and sighed inwardly. She did not want to deal with this. Not ever.

"We were looking everywhere for you," said the one on the left. "Who's she?"

"Why are you guys staring at her like that," Tony asked instead. He was well aware of the social ladder that ran high school and on the bottom rung was Pepper. It didn't sit well with the popular girls that he was spending all his attention on her.

"Nothing. It's just that no one gets why you're chasing after her so hard. She has nothing to offer."

Sure they had flirted with each other in the past, maybe even swapped spit, but there was no way he was going to let Taylor off the hook for what she just said.

"Like you do?"

"More than her," she told him, not backing down.

Tony knew how rude girls like her could be. They bullied anyone below them just because they could. He was hoping her words hadn't gotten to Pepper, and not surprisingly, they hadn't. If anything, Pepper was mad. Her eyes were dark blue, dangerous to an extent. Remind me to not get on her bad side, he told himself as he stared back and forth between the ladies.

She wasn't going to let some cheerleader have the pleasure of putting her in her 'place.' She could keep dreaming. "If you have something to say, say it to my face."

A scoff came out of Taylor's lips. "You think Tony's going to stay with you once he gets what he wants? He won't. Don't kid yourself thinking you'll be different."

"You know what," Pepper said as she took a step forward. "I'd rather be nothing than be his bitch."

"Ohhh," Tony called out. That was the last thing he expected to come out her mouth. His eyes flicker to Taylor and he snickered at the outraged expression on her face. Did Pepper just provoke a fight? He wasn't going to stop it if she had.

"I mean, that's what are you are, isn't it? You follow him around like some dog trying to get his attention. He tells you to get lost and you come running back sometime later with something you think will change his mind. It'd be sad if it weren't so pathetic."

Taylor turned to Tony, who was still shocked about everything coming out Pepper's mouth. "You're gonna let her talk to me like that," she venomously asked.

"Um..." He trailed off, speechless. Of course he was on his girlfriend's side, but at this second he was at a loss of words. This whole confrontation was ridiculous.

"All we're saying is that you're in a crowd she isn't part of," said the other cheerleader finally. "It's kind of social suicide."

Now that rubbed him the wrong way. "And you think I care about that?" He never did and he never will. He was who he was, screw what other people thought. "I'm not with her because she has something I want. I'm with her because I like her. Get that in your guys' brain and tell everyone else that."

Taylor didn't believe him and dared to eye Pepper down with a dirty attitude. "She has something on you. Doesn't she?"

"Back the hell off," Tony said in a tone that surprised all three girls. He was tired of this, of her. His stare turned cold. "I'm not fucking around."

Silence filled the space between them. He was relieved when Taylor and everyone else that had gathered around walked off. "Come on, let's get out of here," he told Pepper.

She nodded and followed his lead thinking about what'd just happened. What came over me? She didn't even realize she had that kind of fierceness in her. She'd been getting a couple dirty looks ever since Tony stood up for her against Robert, but didn't think too much of it. It was clear this girl wanted him, was jealous he didn't end up with her. That aside, she was incredibly proud. She stood up for herself.

"You alright," Tony asked.

"Yeah. It's just that I don't remember what I said," she told him. "It just came out."

An amused smile crossed his face. "You said she was my bitch." She halted and looked at Tony in shock. "Then she had this expression on like she shit her pants or something."

"I seriously said that?"

"Yeah," Tony chuckled.

"Great," she sarcastically said. "I'm on her hit list."

"Hey, don't worry about that," he replied, softening his tone. "She's not going to bother you."

"But other people will."

"Uh, other people," he asked, not believing what he'd just heard.

"It's nothing," Pepper waved off.

"No," he said, not letting this go. "What? This isn't the first time someone's come up to you?"

"Tony, you're overreacting. It's high school; drama's included."

He ignored her. "Who?"

"Who," Pepper repeated. She was wishing she hadn't said anything.

"Yeah," he said a matter of factly.

"Tony, I can handle it."

"Answer my question."

Pepper sighed at his irrational behavior. "It's just that ever since we got together people have been looking at me different. Guys like you aren't supposed to date girls like me. They're supposed to date the cheerleaders, volleyball players...but no one's giving me a hard time, alright? And if someone was, it's not something I can't handle. I'm not useless."

He shot her an apologetic look. "I didn't mean it like that. I just don't want people giving you trouble. You don't deserve it."

She knew where he was coming from but he couldn't protect her from everyone and him wanting to do so made her smile.

"What are you smiling about?"

"You," Pepper said, staring at him. "Standing up for me."

"Really," he growled hotly, closing the gap between them. He'd never admit it, but hearing Pepper chew Taylor out in front of everyone had turned him on a bit.

"Gross," said a voice behind them.

Tony couldn't believe this. "Seriously?" They'd been interrupted three times today.

Pepper moved aside and let her brother get into the driver's seat. "You're leaving?"

"Yeah."

She looked over at Tony apologetically.

"No," he frowned. "One more second."

Pepper chuckled and followed him off to the side.

"So this party tonight is literally across the street from where you live."

"Still not going."

"But, Pep...please?"

"The more you ask the more I think you want me there so you can get me drunk."

"Getting drunk is fun," Tony pointed out.

"Uh huh," Pepper played along.

"But that's not what I'm doing. Promise."

"I'll think about it."

He smiled. "Great."

"That doesn't mean I'm going."

"You are," he answered with certainty and enforcing it with a quick kiss on the lips.

"What part of I'll think about it don't you understand?"

"What part of getting plastered don't you understand?"

"Mhm," Pepper said as she opened the door to the passenger seat.

"Okay, so if you're not gonna go, what are you gonna do tonight?"

"I don't know."

Tony rolled his eyes and looked into the open window. "You're stubborn."

She shrugged.

He smirked. "I can think of a few things we could do."

"You're disgusting."

"Says the person going out with me." He turned to Peter. "You got a PS4? I have Advance Warfare and Rhodey plays like a fucking girl."

"You have it," Peter asked in disbelief.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I? Wait 'til you see the post-round upgrades for the Exo Suit."

"What about the maps?"

"It's still shit, but a lot better than what it was before."

Somewhere in the middle of their conversation, Pepper let out an annoyed breath. It was if she was invisible or something. They had been going on about video games for fifteen minutes and it was getting tiresome.

"Chill, Pep," Tony smiled. "I didn't forget about you." He ducked his head inside the window of the passenger seat to get a better look at her. She might be a bit mad at him for ignoring her, but he could also see it was a ruse.

"Could you start driving," she asked Peter, acting as though she hadn't heard him.

"That's cute," he teased. "You're mad at me. If I came over tonight does that mean we'd be having make up sex?" He heard her sigh, but also saw the way her upper lip had quirked up. He tried to poke her shoulder, but got shooed off. He chuckled at her antics and grabbed her hand, making her head turn. "I'll miss you then." He leaned in and kissed her on the very spot her cheeks had turned a different color and felt her lean towards his touch. "Bye, Pep." He knew everything was alright when she flashed him a smile as their car took off.

He headed back towards campus with the intention of setting a few people straight. There was no way he was going to let anyone make Pepper's life miserable.

Ah, Pepper's caught up in the never changing high school drama. Will Tony make things worse? On a completely unrelated note, I have begun the next chapter, should be out soon :)