Most of the characters and situations in this story belong to Marvel Comics, Fairview Entertainment, Dark Blades Films, and other entities, and I do not have permission to borrow them. No infringement is intended in any way, and this story is not for profit. All others belong to me, particularly Cedric, and if you want to borrow them, you have to ask me first. Any errors are mine, all mine, no you can't have any.
This chapter is dedicated to my sister-in-love, who not only introduced me to the term Tony uses below, but shares his opinion thereof, if not for the same reasons.
And, of course, Cincoflex is why this story exists at all!
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His fury cooled slowly, but more hurt rose to take its place, and Tony slumped in a chair in his shop, unable to do more than brood. Pepper's refusal felt like a blow, like someone had punched him from behind; Tony had expected delight, not dismay, and he tried to figure out what he'd done wrong.
But he couldn't. She's my fianceé, he thought stubbornly. She's going to be my wife. Why shouldn't I give her things?
Part of him wished he'd never had the idea. But he'd given her gifts before, many times, though mostly he'd just told her to pick something she wanted.
Maybe she didn't like the jewelry; but that didn't fit either, because she'd barely looked at the pieces. Tony rubbed irritably at his forehead, where a stubborn ache sat. None of it made any sense, and the worst of it was the creeping fear that he'd ruined things somehow, that he would go back upstairs and find her packing to leave--
And yet, he couldn't move. Pride stood between him and the stairs, barring the way.
He sat for a long time, cycling through fear to anger and back again, wondering if everything was ruined now. She forgave me for what happened at the party, but--
The thought of Pepper gone made him feel sicker. The house would be far too empty without her, echoing and hollow.
Logic told him to go upstairs, to find Pepper and cajole her, coax her until she laughed and the whole thing was behind them. Tony knew he had charm enough to do it, to overwhelm whatever objections Pepper had and make her see things his way.
But he didn't. It didn't feel right, though what right was he didn't know. Turning on the charm was his old habit, a way to slide out of consequences, but it smacked of dishonesty and he didn't want that.
And of giving in, and he couldn't do that either.
Pride kept him from turning, hours later, when the door beeped open and heels tapped across the concrete. They halted behind him, and Tony half-expected Pepper to just give him some work-related statement in the cool voice she used when she was pissed with him.
But instead the steps started up again, circling around his chair. Tony looked up as Pepper came into view.
She was still dressed in her work suit, but it was wrinkled; her eyes were swollen and her nose pink, as if she'd been weeping. Part of Tony wanted to jump up and grab her, but the anger and fear held him still and silent.
Pepper was holding one of the velvet boxes, and she cleared her throat before speaking. "I'm sorry."
That made him blink. Pepper went on, her voice low and a little hoarse. "I was wrong, Tony. You...you have every right to give me whatever you want. I just..." She hesitated. "I guess I'm still not used to the idea. I'm still thinking like I'm just your PA."
Her words left him speechless with surprise. Tony stared up at her for a breathless moment, and then his stomach unknotted with a flood of agonized relief. He reached up and pulled Pepper down onto his lap, hugging her tightly.
"Apology accepted," he managed, pressing his face into Pepper's hair as her arms went around his neck. She burrowed into him hard, and Tony could feel her trembling.
His throat swelled, and he pulled her closer still, rocking a little. She was scared too. The realization was humbling, and yet it gave him a strange shamed elation to think that Pepper wasn't as confident as she seemed--that she too feared to lose what they were building between them.
They held each other for a long time, slowly relaxing. Tony rubbed Pepper's spine with languid strokes, breathing in the scent of her and savoring the feel of her weight against him. When she spoke, half-muffled against his collarbone, she sounded almost dreamy.
"I didn't want to believe it, you know."
Tony made an inquiring noise, too drugged with relief to bother with actual words. Pepper let one hand slide down to rest on his chest, next to his implant, and went on. "I suspected that you...that it was more than just playacting for the media, but I couldn't quite believe it. I couldn't take the chance."
The low admission gave him another pulse of hurt, but only a small one, because now Tony could see how afraid Pepper must have been. He let himself smile.
"I'm starting to think we owe Wells Fargo a thank-you note." He slid his hand into Pepper's hair and coaxed her head up; her eyes were still red-rimmed, but her smile was back, wry and sweet. Tony leaned forward to brush his lips over hers. "If it's confession time, Potts, I really didn't think as far ahead as marriage until the ring got stuck on your finger. All I knew was that I wanted more from you than I ever had from any other woman."
Pepper nodded. "That was part of the problem, I think." She returned the kiss, a soft clinging touch. "Impulse works for you a lot of the time, Tony, but not so much for me. I need to have a framework of some kind, and when it came to a relationship with you, there wasn't one."
Her sigh was soft against his skin. "This...it's all seemed like some incredible dream, and I kept waiting to wake up. Part of me didn't think it was real, and that's why..."
Pepper trailed off, her voice hoarsening, and Tony felt her shiver. He tightened his hold, understanding what she was trying to say--that his gift had been too much for the disbelieving part of her. But she's here now.
Tony let his head rest against hers, so that his lips skimmed her cheek when he spoke. "Does this mean I can't give you any more surprises?"
He wasn't really serious, and Pepper laughed a little. "No...no." She sat up a little. "It really is too much, but that's you, Tony, I can learn to live with it."
She reached up behind his head, bringing back the box. "They're gorgeous, and I love them, and I'm so sorry I spoiled everything...."
Tony kissed her again to stop her words. "Not spoiled," he mumbled after a long sweet moment. "Not if you really want them."
Pepper's other hand was rubbing the back of his neck, in just the right spot to make him want to melt all over her. "I do," she said against his chin, and Tony reached for the box.
There wasn't a lot of room between them, but he managed to fumble it open and reveal the black opal pendant on its sparkling chain. Tony plucked it out, tossing the box carelessly aside, and squinted at the tiny clasp before shrugging. "Hell with it," he said, and slipped the whole thing over Pepper's head.
She reached up to pull her hair free of the chain. The pendant was as stunning on her as he'd imagined, a darkly glowing contrast to the gold-speckled cream of her skin, and Tony quickly undid another button on her blouse so he could get a better view.
Pepper laughed again, and took his face in her hands, and kissed him, slow and deep. "Thank you," she murmured when she let him up for air.
"I almost bought you a tiara," Tony told her, a little dazed, and Pepper clucked.
"Where would I wear something like that?" Before he could grab her, she slid lithely from his lap and held out her hands, eyes lit. "Come on."
Obedient, he let her pull him to his feet. "Where are we going?"
Pepper led him towards the elevator. "There's this phenomenon called make-up sex--maybe you've heard of it?"
Oh yeah. Tony tugged on her hand, trying to get her to slow down. "What's wrong with the couch down here?"
Pepper glanced back. Her smile was the private, sensual, promising one that always did very good things to him--and meant very good things for him. "I want room, Tony. Upstairs."
Well, he could hardly argue with that.
She took him up to their bedroom and undressed him slowly, brushing aside his attempts to help, and all Tony could do was give in and let her do as she pleased.
And, he found, being laid out on their bed and being made love to by a Pepper wearing only her engagement ring and the opal pendant was something he would never, ever forget.
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"So what are we doing?" Tony asked on Saturday morning, sitting down next to Pepper on the couch. She had her computer on her lap and an apple in one hand, and Tony appropriated the fruit, taking a huge bite before she grabbed it back.
"You're going to have to be more specific," she said, her glance amused rather than annoyed.
He pointed at the laptop screen, which was displaying a catering Website, and made an inquiring noise around his mouthful.
Pepper's face went puckish. "I thought you didn't want to know, Tony."
Tony swallowed, grabbed the laptop and slid it to the table, and tackled her. The apple soared out of sight and Pepper squealed, laughing, as he did his best to test her assertion that she wasn't ticklish. Whether she was or not, her squirming attempts to escape were very pleasant, and Tony finally pinned her wrists to the cushions, looming over her and smirking in triumph. "I said I'd do whatever you wanted, Potts, not that I didn't want to know."
Her grin was infectious. "Will you still wear a bunny suit if you know about it ahead of time?"
"Depends on what you're wearing." Tony arched a brow. "Is this your deep dark secret? You're a furry? And does that mean you love to dress up as a Playboy bunny?"
Pepper rolled her eyes. "It's scary that you actually know what a furry is."
"Actually, it's scarier that you know." Tony regarded her thoughtfully. "What other hidden predilections are you concealing from me? And what do I have to do to you to find out?"
It felt so good, this teasing; not just the lovely softness of her body beneath his, but the fact that there were no barriers on their flirting any longer, no dangerous edge to veer away from. Their banter had lost none of its piquancy; instead, it had gained a satisfaction that had been lacking before, a comfort underlying the back and forth that seemed to feed him rather than leaving him hungry. Pepper's smile widened. "You'll just have to wait and see, Mr. Stark."
For that, he bent his head and blew a raspberry against her throat, and Pepper shrieked and bucked, tumbling them both to the floor. Fortunately she landed on top of him, and Tony whooped with laughter, grabbing her when she tried to roll off him in alarm. "Damn, I love you."
"Gah." Pepper braced her hands on either side of his arc reactor and peered down at him. "Are you okay?"
For answer he slid a hand up to the back of her head and tugged her down for a kiss, which didn't work very well because he was still laughing, but she relaxed and returned the kiss, covering him like a warm and very enticing blanket. When it was over, she raised her head, eyes crinkling with humor and affection. "You're going to have a bruise on your backside, you know."
"You'll just have to kiss it and make it better." Tony ran his hands down her spine to her own backside, just enjoying the freedom to touch and caress. Pepper laughed.
"Later. To answer your nonverbal question, and it's about time you asked--" She paused to drop a swift kiss on his nose. "--A very simple ceremony here, with just a few guests, and then a party afterwards. I'd like to keep the guest list under a hundred people if possible."
It actually sounded good to him. Tony had thrown any number of elaborate parties in his time, many of them orchestrated and managed by Pepper herself, but in this case the most important thing would be the vows, and he suddenly realized that he didn't want that to get lost in the shuffle. Still, there were certain considerations. "What about the press?"
Pepper hesitated, her smile fading into thoughtfulness. "That's a complicated question. I don't want a horde of photographers, but we can hardly keep them all out..."
Tony considered for a moment. "Tell you what. Let's get Vralia in to take photos, and she can release some of them to the press directly afterwards. Then we can do a scheduled appearance later, during the party maybe. It won't keep 'em from hanging around the front gate, but it'll stop the howling."
Her expression eased. "That's a good idea, yes. I understand that we owe them a certain amount of access, but--"
She didn't finish the sentence, but Tony knew what she meant--some things were private. And while he'd spent his entire life in the public eye, often seeking the attention, there were times when the glare was just too much. "We'll make it work. So, party?"
"Definitely." Pepper's smile returned. "If we have the ceremony in the early afternoon, we'll have the rest of the day with our guests."
Tony shook his head. "Uh-uh. It has to be the morning, Potts. We'll have a honeymoon to get to, remember?" He let his grip tighten gently on her ass. "Even with a private plane it's going to take a little time."
He half-expected to have to argue with her, but Pepper merely blinked. "You have a point," she said thoughtfully. "All right, I'll shift things forward." Her mild expression was belied by the way she pushed back against his hands, and Tony squeezed a little harder, delighted.
"Traditionally the groom handles the honeymoon, right? Have you done anything yet?"
Pepper shook her head, and Tony pursed his lips. "Good, I'll take care of it." At her skeptical look, he pretended hurt. "What? I'm not completely helpless, Potts."
She snickered, and kissed him again, soft and swift. "No, you're not. All right, I will leave it in your hands." Before he could stop her, she pressed her palms to the carpet and levered herself off him; he grabbed, but was too slow.
"Hey, come back here, things were just getting interesting." Tony propped himself up on his elbows.
Pepper climbed to her feet, grinning. "Later," she repeated, ignoring his pout. Gathering up her laptop, she strode out of the room, pausing only to scoop up the apple from where it lay near the fireplace. Tony let himself back down and sighed, contemplating later.
And honeymoons. When Pepper was out of earshot, he spoke softly to the air. "Jarvis, get me information about Orcas Island."
"By your command," Jarvis replied, and Tony laid an arm over his eyes.
"I never should have let you watch that. Put it on Terminal One downstairs, and while you're at it, pull up stuff about honeymoons in general." He lowered his arm and rolled to his feet. "We're going to do this right."
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This time, they went in through the front door of Frascatti's. Discretion wasn't an issue, and besides, Tony felt like showing off. Pepper walked beside him, and while her attire was her usual workday suit, she wore the diamond bracelet, an elegant and fitting accent clasped around her slender wrist. He really liked the look of it, and the way her other hand would occasionally play with it, as if she liked the feel of it slipping through her fingers.
He already knew that he could spend a ridiculously large amount of his life making Pepper happy, if only she would let him. So far, so good...
There were two people browsing in the main part of the shop, but at the sight of Tony and Pepper the salesman nearest the door came forward instantly, smiling a welcome, warm without being smarmy. He bowed slightly over Pepper's hand and just bowed to Tony, gesturing at the carpeted stairs at the back of the room. "Ashima is waiting for you."
Tony glanced over at Pepper. "You called ahead, didn't you?"
Her smile was small but genuine. "Of course."
Tony grinned, and let the salesman escort them upstairs.
Ashima was indeed waiting, and greeted them both with a grace that simply didn't care that Pepper's status was moving from employee to wife. Pepper, for her part, smiled warmly at the little woman and let Tony pull out a chair for her at the tea table. The tea was already waiting.
They each had a cup, chatting lightly about the weather and pearl fishing, and when the paraphernalia was cleared away one of the silent attendants brought two wide velvet trays to lay on the table. One held men's rings, and the other women's; they ranged from gold to what Tony trusted was platinum rather than silver, from the narrowest of undecorated bands to wide, elaborately chased rings.
As the second tray was slid into place, Ashima rose. "Excuse me for a moment, there is something I must attend to. If you have any questions, please, ask." She gave them both a regal smile and walked away.
Pepper bent over the nearest tray. "It's going to be hard to choose," she murmured.
Tony hitched his chair a little closer to hers and reached for her left hand. "Want to get something to match?"
She looked down at the opal ring, startled. "I don't think they're going to have the same pattern, Tony."
"If you want it, I'll bet they could make it," Tony pointed out, intrigued by the idea.
Pepper nibbled on her lower lip, then looked back to the trays. "Let's see what they have first."
They pored over the bands for a while, but Tony had to admit he really did like the concept of matching Pepper's engagement ring. He himself only wore one, his MIT class ring, and when they tried on various kinds he found he liked the wider bands. Though because they were more comfortable, or just more visible, was a toss-up.
After all, he'd meant it when he'd told Pepper he wanted to wear her ring. He wanted it clear that they were both taken.
Ashima rematerialized after about fifteen minutes, listening quietly to their discussions before speaking. "Will you wear this ring on your left hand or your right?" she asked, gesturing at Pepper's engagement ring. Pepper turned up her other hand.
"It depends on what we choose, I suppose. These are all lovely, really, but none of them seem to quite work somehow..."
Ashima looked over at Tony. "And what do you think?"
He shrugged. "Whatever Pepper wants is fine with me."
Pepper glanced over at him herself, her lips turning up. "That's not the question, Tony." She laid her hand on his leg beneath the table, a reassuring touch. "This is a long-term decision. What do you want?"
He was tempted to repeat himself, but it was a fair question. Tony let out a breath. "Frankly, I think we should match the band," he admitted.
Ashima smiled, and Pepper nodded. "Let's do that," she said, pulling off the ring and holding it out to Ashima.
The jeweler took it and handed it to her assistant, who carried it away to the back of the room. "Now, tell me what width you would like," Ashima said to Pepper.
In the end, the two women settled on a medium-sized band, as broad as her engagement ring. Tony chose a ring that was a width he liked as a guide, and Ashima promised them results in about a week. The assistant returned Pepper's ring, and Tony felt a tiny pulse of pleasure as he watched her slide it back on. Mine.
And the thought wasn't pure possession; it was wonder and gratitude and love as well, all tangled together in a sweet confusion.
This is gonna be good.
As they left the shop, Pepper looked down at the ring and laughed. "They cleaned it," she commented before slipping her hand into Tony's. He wrapped his fingers around hers and squeezed gently.
"It's a full-service establishment. Want some lunch?"
Pepper nodded. "Let's get something to go--we need to talk and I'd like to do it somewhere private."
Tony wondered if he should be alarmed, but her expression was serene, so he simply helped her into the limo and directed Happy to find the nearest Burger King.
They ended up on one of the scenic overlooks on the coast, sitting under a tree next to the little parking lot and eating while Happy leaned on the hood of the limo and smoked one of his half-guilty cigars. Tony polished off his salad before tackling his cheeseburgers, and Pepper was still sipping at her milkshake when he crumpled the wrappers into one ball and stuffed it in the bag. "Okay, Potts, why so ominous?"
Pepper raised her brows, took one more tug, and set the cup down. "There's nothing wrong, I just didn't want to have this discussion in front of Frascatti's. I think we need to lay out some ground rules about my job, that's all."
"Huh?" Tony stole one of her French fries. "What about it?"
Pepper flicked another to an austerely hopeful gull waiting nearby. "I like my job, we already established that, and I'm going to keep doing it after we get married, at least most of it--correct?"
Tony blinked. He hadn't really thought about it, actually, not in any detail, but he certainly hadn't imagined Pepper doing anything else. "Right..."
She nodded. "Good. But I don't want you to pay me for it."
He sat up straight, startled. "What? Pepper, you--"
She held up a hand. "Hear me out, Tony. Even with the adjusted prenup, you insisted on giving me equal shares in more assets than I could ever possibly need. Paying me a salary on top of that is just ridiculous."
"Yeah, but it's work, Pepper. You work damn hard, don't think I don't know it--why should you do it for free?" He scooted forward a little, taking her hand. Her proposal sounded massively unfair and he didn't like it.
"Because I like to do it." She smiled at him, her thumb rubbing his knuckles. "Because you need me. Because making your life easier means good things happening for other people--weapons removed, new inventions, employees working, a company turning out innovations. I know my value."
"Pepper..." Tony wanted to kiss her. He also wanted to argue, because it still didn't sound right.
She wrapped her free arm around her knees, still smiling. "I intend to make a few changes, maybe--add a couple of staff at SI and delegate some of the workload--because I want more time to spend with you that's not work. But I want to do it because I love you, and because it needs doing, not because you're paying me." Pepper shrugged. "Also, it will look better, but that's not my primary consideration."
Tony barely heard her last sentence, because the one before it had turned his insides to mush. Giving in to desire, he reached out and gathered her up, pulling her onto his lap and resting his cheek on her head. Pepper sighed happily and worked an arm around his waist.
"Tell you what," he said after a long moment. "I'll deposit your salary, bonuses and all, directly into an investment account. You don't have to touch it if you don't want to, but you'll have it in case you ever need it."
Pepper hummed thoughtfully. "It's a thought, but seriously, I already have a pretty fat nest egg. If I'm not spending that--"
Tony set his jaw stubbornly, and lowered his voice. "Pepper. Please. I need to give you something." He tightened his arms as she sniffed. "You don't understand. I need to."
He didn't know how to articulate that need. Pepper gave him so much, did so much, was so absolutely essential to his soul--the money seemed such a small thing in comparison, but he had to do it.
She tensed slightly in his arms, but then sighed again, this time resigned. "How about this--half into an account, half to the charity of my choice."
"Done," Tony said instantly. He might not like it entirely, but he had learned compromise in the boardroom; and, he was realizing, it applied elsewhere as well. "Just let me know which one."
Pepper chuckled, leaning back to straighten and meet his eyes. "You don't trust me to do it myself?"
"Nope." Tony gave her a slightly stern look. "Don't think I've forgotten what you did with last year's bonus."
"That was totally unnecessary, Tony, and besides--" But she was blushing, and he cut her off with a kiss, caressing her protest to silence. It wasn't that he didn't approve of charitable giving--Pepper might have set up Stark Industries' matching contribution program, but it had been his idea--but the bonus had been intended for her, for putting up with all the difficulties of the newly minted Iron Man. Having her deposit it whole with the Bernice Seth Memorial Animal Rescue had been a bit deflating.
Pepper rocked slightly when he let her mouth go, and slowly opened dazed eyes. "You may have a point," she murmured after a moment.
"Damn straight." Tony kissed her nose too for good measure. "And as much as I'd love to sit here and neck, it looks like it's going to rain."
She glanced up at the sky, where clouds were curdling, moving fast in the sea wind. "Yes it does. Okay--"
As she scrambled up out of his lap, Tony smirked. "I wouldn't mind getting you wet if you want to stay, Potts, particularly in that blouse."
Pepper, who was wearing a white cotton top, gave him a dry look and stood. "Equal time, Tony, and your reactor would show through." She held out a hand. "Let's go."
"You serious?" Tony let her pull him up.
She turned and headed for the limo. "No," came the saucy reply, and when he reached for her she sprinted out of reach, laughing. Tony growled in mock anger, and chased her to the car.
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"I'm going to go shopping tomorrow," Pepper said one Friday evening as they cleared the dinner dishes. "You have nothing scheduled for the day, so I plan to take my time."
Tony stuck a handful of silverware in the dishwasher basket. "Shopping for what? Does it involve power sources in any way?"
Pepper laughed. "Sorry, just clothes."
He gave her a hopeful look. "Lingerie? I could help with that. A second opinion is always good, isn't it?"
She ruffled his hair. "Lingerie might be a part of it, actually, but no. I need a dress for the wedding, and tradition holds that the groom doesn't get to see it before the ceremony."
"Spoilsport." Tony pouted at her. "Promise me one thing."
Her glance was comically suspicious. "What's that?"
"No butt bows." At her gape, Tony tried to explain, gesturing. "You know, those big bows right above the ass--"
Pepper collapsed into the nearest chair, laughing so hard she had to bend over. Tony stopped, a little baffled, but her amusement was contagious and he grinned. "You're not into them either, huh?"
She waved one hand weakly, her face bright red. "Butt bows," she gasped at last. "It's such a...male...thing to say."
"But it's true," Tony pointed out cheerfully. "That's exactly what they are. Big bows right on top of the bride's butt."
That set her off again, and Tony leaned against the counter, fascinated as usual. It wasn't often that he could reduce Pepper to hysterics, and it always gave him a strong sense of satisfaction--not least because he could so rarely predict what would make her lose it.
"They make 'em look like packages," he said thoughtfully, egging Pepper on. "It always makes me wonder what would happen if somebody pulled on it, like would the whole skirt drop off, or what?"
She was wheezing now, tears running down her face. Tony yanked at an imaginary bow, and grinned as she whooped. "Seriously, why not just go all the way and put bells on there too?"
Finally Pepper started to cough, and he had to pat her gently on the back and get her a glass of water before she calmed.
"Butt bows," she murmured, still flushed and snickering. "I'm not going to be able to look at one of those with a straight face, now."
"Good." Tony grabbed a chair and turned it around so he could sit backwards, leaning his arms on the back. "If I see one of those on your butt, Potts, I might refuse to go through with the ceremony."
Pepper took that as seriously as he meant it, sipping again at the water. "I'll keep that in mind." She set the glass on the table. "I wasn't really planning on a traditional dress anyway, so it shouldn't be a problem."
Tony frowned. "What do you mean, not traditional?"
She smoothed her hair, ruffled from the force of her laughter. "I was just thinking of getting something fancy, that I could wear again later," she explained. "Since we're not having a big wedding, or a formal one, I don't have to look like a marshmallow confection."
"Oh." Tony looked away, surprised by disappointment. The event he'd been picturing for months now had always centered around a vision of Pepper in something white and floating--nothing too specific, but definitely bride-like.
The touch of her hand on his arm made him look back to her. "What is it?" she asked, serious now.
Tony shrugged, trying to be casual. It's her choice, he reminded himself. You told her, whatever she wanted to do. "Nothing."
The lift of her brow told him she wasn't buying it. Tony sighed, pushing up and off the chair. "It's nothing, Pepper."
He reached for the last plate on the table, but Pepper's arms surrounded him from behind, locking together just under his arc implant. "Tony, I need to ask you something very important," came her voice over his shoulder.
He looked down at her hands and saw the opal ring gleaming at him, symbol of all that he wanted so much. "Okay."
A kiss landed on the nape of his neck. "Do you trust me?"
That startled him, and Tony turned in the circle of Pepper's arms, feeling a tiny pulse of anger at the question. "Fuck yes. More than anybody." Despite the emotion, his hands settled on her hips without his conscious thought.
Pepper's gaze was calm and without doubt. "Then trust me. Tell me what's bothering you."
The anger crumbled into ash, and that warm ache took its place. Tony sighed again and leaned his forehead against hers.
"I...I have this picture in my head," he said slowly. "Of the wedding, I mean. I'm wearing a tux, and you're in a wedding dress. A white one."
He gave her a tiny smile, trying to make light of it. "It's nothing, Pepper, it's just what I imagine and it doesn't matter..."
The last word came out muffled as Pepper laid her fingers on his lips. Her smile was soft. "If that's what you want, then that's what I'll do."
Tony immediately felt guilty. "But--"
Pepper replaced her fingers with her lips, and his half-formed argument disintegrated under the caress. When she let him go, her hand lingered on his cheek, and Tony leaned into the touch. "This is a mutual thing," she murmured. "We're allowed to compromise."
"Okay," he said, too entranced to protest any longer. Pepper dimpled.
"Besides," and the laughter was back in her voice, "it's not like I mind. We may not admit it any more, but lots of women still have fantasies about their weddings, including what they'd like to wear. I was just trying to be practical."
"Forget practical," Tony said immediately, squeezing her. "'Practical' is a dirty word around here, Potts."
She snickered. "I'm still not going to do the marshmallow thing, though."
"Fine by me." He lowered his voice to a dire note. "Just one thing."
Pepper's smirk was a challenge. "What's that?"
Tony leaned in so he could whisper directly in her ear. "No. Butt. Bows."
She laughed so hard he had to carry her out of the kitchen.