More than halfway through guys...what are we going to do when it all ends? :'(

This is what her necklace looks like (second image): blog. hello-rolex /2010 /11/ chopard-wins-two-awards-in-bahrain .html without the spaces in case you were wondering.

To Evee: Actually this all started with a dream ;P, but yes, you're right and you make my day, I always look forward to your insight As for Loki...well *points down* we will see about him but I understand, Loki!feels are a big part of this story. And heartbroken is a fine choice, he put his trust in Tony if you remember and he's not the type to do that easily. Once more, I thank you, I'm so happy that you've enjoyed this since it is my duty to service the world *bows*

This is the other chapter title inspired by a popular 'King and I' song for real this time ;P

Chapter Five: Getting to Like You, Getting to Hope You Like Me Too

"Tony?" Pepper asked, rising from her CEO chair at her CEO desk in her CEO outfit but with that same vulnerable and open expression in her eyes. Maybe that was part of the reason he chose Loki; he could never be content without a little mystery, without having to work and fiddle and tweak at the relationship and all around be kept on his toes.

No, that wasn't fair. It wasn't Pepper's fault that he got bored easily and they had stopped being something to work at a month into their dating. They were easy after that. Everything was a little too easy after that...

"What are you doing here? You should be at a hospital or-or a hospital. God, Tony, at least sit down!"

"No," he said softly, shaking his head as he stepped closer to his old desk. "I need to talk to you,"

"Tony, please sit down. You can still talk while you sit," she begged. He couldn't say no to her. Not after all that she has been through-what he put her through. He sank more gratefully than he wanted to admit, playing nervously with his hands and the weird desk objects she had nearby like the last time he was here when he thought he was dying. He would bet that that was on her mind as well since she so grimly waited for him to say something, hands folded tightly in front of her and shoulders set harsh as if preparing to carry whatever verbal weight he was going to lay upon her.

"Pep," he began. "I haven't been completely honest with you and I wanted to soften the blow with a gift first," He pulled out the decent-sized box from the large bag he had carried in and set by his feet that she only now noticed-the very same item he had just completed buying when Loki showed up. Pepper scoffed at his mistaken-world-views until she caught the name and gasped as she accepted it.

"Tony. You were in that store because of me?"

"Please don't think of it like that, you'll hate me for it later," he whispered meekly.

"I can't hate you, Tony. If I did, I would have quit years ago. I'm not about to start now," she said in her softest and kindest voice yet today. He winced inwardly.

"You just might," he mumbled. She peered at him for a moment, scrutinizing him, and opened the lid.

"Oh my god, I've been eyeing this for ages-Tony, how did you know?" Pepper literally shook with delight, fingering the elegant emeralds showcased in dripping point by diamonds almost in an inverted fleur-de-lis pattern. It was introduced nearly a year ago and won best oriental design and only just been settled for public demand at the highest price. While it was dazzling, and complimented her skin tone nicely, her heart was set on it not for its beauty-but for its craftmanship akin to purported copies of the Heart of the Ocean and the Hope Diamond and the everlasting love it signified through the Titanic.

"I do pay attention every once in awhile," Tony's lips curled without really meaning to. He got up and helped her clasp it around her neck.

"It looks perfect on you," he breathed once he returned to his seat for a good view.

She smiled as she touched the centre jewel, practically glowing. But she didn't preen as well as Loki did. "Alright, I think your little bribe worked. I can handle anything you throw at me now,"

"First, promise you won't judge me until it's all over,"

"Done,"

"And you have to stay as CEO. I need you, and not just so I put off all the boring business stuff onto you. You are important to me, Pep, and I can't bear having you so angry at me that you'd quit and leave forever. I can't handle that, I'm not strong enough-"

"Tony," she reached out and squeezed his hand. "You are stronger than you think. And I promise not to leave, ever,"

"Alright," he accepted, pulling his hand away. The touch of her kindness burned and not in a good way. He didn't deserve it-that was his punishment from her since he already had Loki's. He took a shaky breath. "Okay. Here goes: I'm sorry. I'm so sorry for what I did. You don't deserve being treated this way and it's not your fault. It's all me, all my doing. I fucked up,"

He could tell Pepper wanted him to hurry up and just say what he meant to say, so he took another breath and dove right in. "I cheated on you."

There was an extremely uncomfortable tense moment when nothing was said. Then, in a tightly controlled voice, "Who was she?"

He swallowed. "It-It wasn't with a she..."

"Okay," she nodded as if she was negotiating a business deal and taking in some notable information. It was how she dealt with tough things, how she dealt with him. "How many times?"

"Just to be clear, you mean how many times we had sex, right?"

"Don't play games with me, Tony," she said with a hint of coldness, but she really meant 'stop being an ass'. Loki said his mind and called him on his bullshit in a way Pepper never did, not that she didn't do it sometimes. But Loki was just different somehow. "How many times?"

He sighed. "I don't know...at least three or four times. But we started fooling around like a few weeks ago,"

"I see," she folded her hands. "Now, is this something serious or are you just blowing steam with him? Did it mean something to you?"

"Yes, I-" he licked his lips. "He does mean something to me," It was more than a bit of shock to him and he was the one saying it. Wow, where did that come from?

She blinked owlishly at him. "You're planning to continue this...affair, then." Not a question this time. But Pepper knew him, so she probably wasn't expecting an answer.

"If he'll have me," he said and then winced at his poor form and word choice. Pepper's face squished in a way that couldn't have been comfortable. "I mean, we kinda barely just got over a big argument," he stared at the floor for awhile.

She hesitated. "Do you need to talk about it?" she offered very quietly, very reluctantly.

"God, Pepper," he jumped back up to her gaze. "Even if I wanted to, even if I could talk to you about it, I couldn't do that to you," This whole situation was reeking of so much dysfunction right now. Here he was, talking to his five-seconds-fresh ex-girlfriend-perhaps the only stable relationship he had-about someone else. It couldn't be healthy for either of them.

She shrugged, trying to pull off nonchalance although Tony knew better. "You need me," was her simple explanation for her motives. "Do I get to know who your new boyfriend is, at least?"

He could pull off a half-smile now, one that was sympathetic but not too full of pity and guilt. "I'm sure you already know. You know me so well, after all,"

"Yes," Pepper said sadly, fingering her necklace. "Yes, I'm afraid I do." He was sure that was the end. Her tone had the sense of finality in it. So, he got up to leave and made it nearly out the door before she called him back.

"Just-" he turned around at her pause and saw her smile weakly at him. Oh, Pepper. "Be careful, okay? We already know how easily he could hurt you,"

Okay. He may have said that she knew who it was, and he didn't doubt that she did because she was that amazing, but he didn't think that it was that obvious that Loki and he had a...thing. Maybe it was just timing and coincidence. Well, he did clue her in with the argument thing earlier. Dammit, Tony. He just hoped no one else knew or figured it out yet. He wasn't ready to deal with Fury on this like...ever, not in a million years would he be ready.

"It would take a really good effort to get him mad enough to even get close to what he did today-I think I'm good," Considering what it did take to get him that furious was something he couldn't break again.

"I meant with your heart. There's only a handful of people that you've actually cared about for more than a one-night-stand type and you loved all of us deeply in your own way,"

Damn, Pepper. She really knew him. He shuffled his feet awkwardly. "You weren't supposed to know. I haven't even told him yet," he barely said out loud.

"You said it yourself, I know you too well. And I think you should. Tell him. I think he needs to hear it-and not just from you,"

"Yeah," he mumbled thoughtfully. "Yeah, you're probably right," he left the room after that, his thoughtful expression turning bright with an idea the last thing she saw before the door closed with a soft click. Pepper put a hand to her forehead and took a deep breath.

"I wish I wasn't," she told her quiet tears and shaking shoulders. "I really wish I wasn't,"

Tony had a heck of a time finding all of the spices the book said was required for a proper offering to a God and since no one apparently knew the specifics for trying to appease Loki as he wasn't as popular as Thor-wow, big surprise there-he just grabbed a pie for the one he lost and some other things that were sweet enough to match Loki's odd taste buds. He caught Thor sniffing around with a confused expression so he hurried into his lab room where the spontaneous combustion of something didn't always set off the smoke alarms.

He tossed the last ingredient-pixy stix-onto the pile he made and lit it on fire. He bowed before it, just like it said but feeling very much foolish for doing so already. He wasn't even sure that it would work aside from Thor's semi-awareness of it. "I offer to you this small tithe in your honour, that you may grace your humble worshipper with your magnificent presence and kick-ass body so that he may worship you in the way your bright eyes deserve. Amen or whatever,"

So, he went a little off the script, sue him.

"You know, that doesn't work," a husky voice answered and he had to fight the big grin that wanted to appear in order to stay the picture of cool and suave despite whatever was swirling in his stomach from his arrival.

"Oh, yeah?" he remarked casually, standing up with a pop of his joints. "Then how come you're here?"

Loki shook his head and raised an eyebrow. "You amuse me," he said and then curled his lips into a sexy smirk. "And your offer of worship...intrigued me,"

"Shall I get on my knees before you, my lord?" he pantomimed the act and tone of deference, playing into the fact that Loki liked dominating things be it world, people, or his not-brother, but kept his purely-Stark smirk. "Does this please you my king?" He heard Loki gasp as he nuzzled his face into his groin. Hands dug deep and pulled at the strands of his hair, bringing him back to his feet.

"What is with you today? Are you ill?" he asked in something so close to concern that it hurt Tony to hear. "First, you call to me through the ancient means that not even your ancestors centuries past have used. Then you do-you act...not like yourself," he ended awkwardly.

Tony deflated and leaned into the warmth of his personal space, not daring to actually lean on him. That would be too much for the both of them. "I just want...to make you happy. If only for one day," he mumbled quietly. He closed his eyes so he wouldn't see how vulnerable he had become. He wouldn't deny that he had feelings, and that he definitely had some for Loki, but he hated how they exposed him. And to Loki of all people. He was taking a major risk trusting Loki with this part of him. He couldn't think about just himself in this case, he had the world to think about.

He trembled softly under the conflicting pressure of what he felt for Loki as a man and what he should feel towards Loki as Iron Man. But it was too late now. He had gotten too close, allowed himself to get to close. And he suspected that Loki did too. God, he hoped he did. He didn't want to be alone in this. Whatever they were right now and whatever they would be-if they got that far, he didn't know how to deal with it if Loki wasn't with him every step of the way.

A hesitating hand began to apply the faintest amount of touch to bring him smooth against the whole of Loki's body. "Against my better judgement," he dipped his head to whisper in his ear, rubbing against him in a slow familiar way. He felt his skin heat up again as hope flared within him.

"I think that I'd like that very much. But-" he gripped Tony's chin so that they met eyes seriously and Tony burned with need. He couldn't explain in words just why this side of Loki made him so very horny.

"No poor role-playing performances like what I just saw. I-" he swallowed. "I want you as you are,"

Tony nodded, too grateful and shocked with relief for words at all. Even the silver-tongue God found words to be difficult. So, hand in hand, Tony pulled him up into his room and made love to him for the first time.

And, yes, Loki was with him every step of the way.