Here she is! I'm liking this one.
Haven't I put enough disclaimers on these things? I mean, really, I don't own Iron Man. Have you got that?
Cold
When he finally looks up from his work, the clock reads 1 a.m. He's been repairing the suit for six hours. His hands are raw from the labor, eyes dark and heavy from exhaustion. The headache he developed a couple hours ago still persists, pounding at his head as his brain furiously tries to work past the fatigue.
Tony rises from the chair, stretching his sore muscles. Tossing aside the old screwdriver, he wipes the grease from his hands and lifts his shirt to examine a deep but healing cut on his abdomen. He's been gone for most of the week on missions and the physical exertion and dangerous situations have taken their toll.
He looks across the room to the woman sprawled elegantly on the couch. Pepper's long hair partially covers her pretty face, her head resting on her hands in what must have been an attempt to keep herself awake. Every once and a while, she murmurs to herself in her sleep.
"Come to bed," she'd urged him earlier than night, "You need to rest. The suit will still be here in the morning." When he had kept working, she had sat down on the couch with a huff, unsatisfied, but determined to stay with him.
She's always worrying. Even before they became a couple, she preoccupied herself with his well-being. Through it all, Pepper remains strong for his sake. It's not an easy thing to take, your boyfriend being gone for days at a time and then returning injured and exhausted. Sometimes she lets a little of the worry show, revealing itself in a quick glance, a subtle gesture.
He had told her to go to bed when he caught her dozing around 11 p.m. Pepper, stubborn as always, had refused, instead getting up to make him a sandwich and some coffee. Both still sit on his desk, the coffee cold and the sandwich half-eaten. Tony can never eat while he's working, anyway. Pepper knows this about him, but she does it anyway, as a sort of comforting ritual.
He crosses the room to her sleeping form in graceful, even strides. He reaches his hand beneath her neck, supporting, and lets his hand slowly skim up her flawless legs, coming to rest in that sweet spot behind her knees. He is about to lift her from the couch when he sees her smooth lips part, forming soft whispers that he can barely make out. At first, Tony thinks he is hearing things, but then she says it louder, and there's no mistaking her words.
"Tony." She sighs, sleep creating a serene expression on her stunning face. He freezes in his movements above her, his form growing still as he listens. When Pepper repeats his name, he leans closer to her, lifting her up and into his arms. She snuggles closer against him, seeking warmth. Her hand softly brushes against the arc reactor, and Tony shudders as it hums, the vibrations reverberating throughout his body at her touch. Even after years of being with her, his body still reacts to hers in ways he can't control.
As he makes his way up the steps to their bedroom, he thinks about who he would be without her. They've been together for so long that it's hard to imagine a life without her in it. She's the one who keeps him grounded, the reason he fights to stay alive and come home after a mission. Pepper is the relief of cool air as he takes off the suit, the rush of adrenaline he gets from flying. Now that he has her, he doesn't need alcohol. She is his addiction.
Thanks to everyone who keeps reviewing! Lately, I've been a bit discouraged with writing because RL is so stressful, but you guys really make it worth it. Thanks. :)