Day 24
---
I make sure no one's around when I show up at half past five in the morning at Pepper's condo. Not an hour ago I received a call from Nick Fury while I was downstairs in the workshop, tinkering with a new scheme for the suit.
He said that he got a message from his cute little puppy, Agent Phil Coulson, and that the message was about the Black Widow.
She's after you, Iron Man.
This is absolutely wonderful. It's not enough I had to fight with her two months ago, and now she's coming after me, and possibly after Pepper. I don't want to risk her life, and that's why I'm here now, knocking at her door at half past five in the morning.
After a minute or so, the door opens, revealing a sleepy Pepper Potts in a robe - her hair is messy and her eyes look tired. She manages a weak smile, though and my heart skips a beat when she gives me that look.
"Good morning, sleepy." I say and walk inside, closing the door after me.
She gives me a confused look and moves a bit to give me enough space.
"Is it morning already?" She asks gently, her voice raspy.
"No, it's not." I whisper and find myself giving her hand a gentle squeeze. She doesn't pull back and I smile a little, feeling a little dizzy.
"And…" She starts, quizzically, but I cut her off.
I've been thinking about how I should tell her this, and I think I know how she'll understand the whole meaning of my request, but it's not that. Not yet, unfortunately.
"I need you to pack all your things by tonight." I tell her softly and look her in the eyes.
Her mouth opens and closes for a few times while she looks at me with wide, unblinking eyes.
"Why?" She manages to croak out, eyeing me intently. She's clearly not a fan of this idea, but I have to do this – hell, I'll even obligate her. I really don't want her harmed or anything, especially not by the woman I've slept with.
She's innocent in this case.
"You're moving in with me." I say softly.
Pepper pulls her hand out of mine and looks at me, disbelievingly.
"Why?" She asks again.
Why does she have to be this stubborn all the time? I muse and wrap my hand, gently around her wrist.
"Please," I beg her, looking serious. "Pepper, please do this for me."
She doesn't hesitate when she responds, her words oddly sharp.
"We're not together, and I remember I told you that I'll think about it, Tony." She whispers, slightly irritated.
Oh god. I hope she's not thinking that I came all the way to her condo at this hour just to ask her to move in with me. I hope so, because if not I'll have no credibility in her eyes, anymore.
"It's not about us." I admit with hesitance. "I mean it is, but it's not."
Pepper shakes her head and walks away from me.
"What do you mean it is, but it's not? I don't think I understand, Tony."
This whole thing starts to annoy me.
"I don't understand either." I murmur and pass my hands through my hair, not helping at all the disheveled mood it's in.
"What is it then?" She whispers more softly this time.
"Pepper…"
She turns to me, curious.
"I promise I will tell you, but not now, – tonight." I respond very seriously. I'm freaking afraid that she won't believe me.
"All my things?" She asks after a good minute.
"I think that's what I said."
"What are you going to do, Tony?"
What am I going to do? I don't know… I'll probably sell it to another SI worker. I just don't want her living her. It's too dangerous.
When she sees me so still she walks up to me and cups my cheek in her hand. I try not to move, but it takes all my willpower. I'm so fucking afraid… Not of her, of course. I'm maybe just a little bit too paranoid, but I won't risk anything for her.
"What's wrong?" She whispers and moves her eyes to mine.
I want to brush it off with a silly comment or a sly remark, but I know I can't. Not with her. She's so used with my behaviors that it won't probably take her a second to know I'm lying to her.
"Something's wrong. I can feel that." Well, yeah. Something is wrong, indeed.
"Yes," I exhale sharply. "Something's wrong. I need you to do this for me."
"Is it…" She hesitates and tips my chin up with two fingers, her touch warm and secure. "About her?"
How does she know? I mean, is she a mind-teller? Oh no. She better be not, or else I'm so fucked up. She might now my deepest secret – oh, hell. It's not even a secret.
"Tell you tonight. Promise." I smile at her and lean in quickly to brush my lips at the corner of her mouth.
I freeze when I hear her startled gasp and pull back quickly. I'm sure I'm all red over my face because I feel I have fever.
"Uh…" I trail off and look down at the dark wood covering the floor.
"Yes…" She whispers back, flustered.
"I- uh…"
"Yes?"
Babbling. Not sexy.
"So…"
"Yes?" She replies back quickly.
"Gonna send Happy to get you at eight sharp."
"Alright." She smiles at me. "Tony…"
---
The day passes rather quickly with me calling several S.H.I.E.L.D agents and having a video conference with Nick Fury.
Fury said that his agents managed to track down their target – luckily. But it's hard to find her though, with all of her… resources. Nevertheless he had assured the security at the Stark Industries and sent a few agents to my mansion. Of course it wasn't necessary but he had insisted.
Grinning, I pull back from the desk just in time to spot a flash of red hair. Red hair, actually. It's most definitely not strawberry blonde hair, like Pepper's. I hope it's not…
I sit up and make a walk careful to the door. Everything seemed alright. But in truth – it was NOT.
"It's good to see you again, Mister Stark." Comes a purring voice behind me.
I feel like I've swallowed a rock and I can't stop the sudden need to throw up.
She's here. GOD she's here! In my own house and oh god, it's past eight and Pepper's not here and I hope nothing bad happened, because if this EVIL woman touches a single fiber of the woman I love and cherish the most in this whole goddamned earth – I swear I'm going to hunt her down and kill her in the most brutal way.
I swallow hard and turn to face Ms. Romanova, my ex-PA and my ex-lover. This is all the way weird; I muse and look around desperately for something that could use me some help…
"Hey." I mutter breathlessly.
She's wearing her latex, catty suit and her hair is falling down her face carelessly.
"Are you going to turn down an invitation for sex, Tony?"
My eyes widen at her words and my mouth goes dry. I back off against the door as she walks provocatively towards me. Fuck. Oh holy fuck. This is not happening!
"J-Jarvis?" I babble and look thoughtfully to the ceiling. "Don't come this close." I try to warn her but my voice fails me.
"Oh." She sounds utterly surprised. "So… I'm not going to get that hot sex session you've promised me?"
"What?" I blink at her, utterly confused. What the hell is she talking about?
"You know what." She threatens back, her knee coming up and stopping into my groin.
I can't feel anything but the painful throb down there. Oh dear Lord. She hit my damn balls!
---
Part 2???
