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seren_ccdTitle: Hands – Theme 021
Series: Tight Coupling
Pairing: Tony/Pepper –ish
Rating: PG
Summary: A meeting, an emergency and the mention of curly fries. Not necessarily in that order.
Chapter 5: Hands – Theme 021
He’s taken to letting her enter rooms first. Whether they’re heading into the office or the living room or even the work room, his hand is at her lower back and guiding her through the door.
She’s a little unsure of what to think about this.
On one hand she likes it. Really likes it. His hand is warm and large and she know those fingers are dexterous (she watched him idly work a Rubik’s cube once while going over his schedule and had to remind herself to keep breathing and not stutter)and the security of it is really very, very attractive. In fact, she finds herself getting used to it.
Which is why, on the other hand, she really doesn’t like it.
Pepper has always prided herself on not being that girl. She engages freely in their little quip fests and lets the occasional double entendre slip out, because she knows that she is not that girl.
However, when that warm hand is resting on her lower back as he guides her through a throng of reporters and he is whispering sarcastic comments in her ear, remembering that she is not and does not want to be that girl is very difficult.
Such is the case at this particular moment.
It was another one of those grab and grin meetings that Public Relations always scheduled and that the old Tony Stark would have gleefully skipped. However, with his new projects in the works and Stark Industries still having to justify their actions from a few months ago (Re: big blue explosion, a missing CEO and the head CEO flying around in a metal suit) Tony had been informed that his attendance was mandatory.
So far Pepper was impressed. Tony had really been on his charming and brilliant best. He had entertained some of the good old boys from the Governor’s office and, from the guffaws echoing all over the room, Pepper supposed it was going okay.
Now, an hour since his arrival and he was making his way out the door. His hand was at her lower back and he was gently pushing her towards the exit. She reminded herself to pay attention to where she was going and not the fact that she could feel the heat from each finger pressed lightly into her back through her suit jacket.
“I seriously don’t remember inviting all of these people,” he murmured into her ear.
“You didn’t,” she reminded him smiling at a local councilman. “PR did, so smile and act like you’re enjoying yourself.”
How he managed to snort and grin at the same time always amazed her.
“Yeah well, make a note that in the future we have fewer people to these things,” Tony told her as he manoeuvred around a group of older women. “The mixture of Eternity and Old Spice is killing me.”
Pepper nodded in agreement and they tried to speed up the exit process and still had to stop five more times before emerging onto the sidewalk.
“Actually, you know what?” Tony said as Pepper finished calling Happy to pick them up. “Invite more people next time. Easier to leave with more people.”
Happy pulled the familiar Audi right up to them and Tony opened the door and ushered Pepper inside.
“Where to Boss?” Happy asked.
Pepper opened her mouth.
“Curly fries,” Tony said loudly.
Pepper turned to stare at him.
“Trust me. They are the only thing that could erase the stench of this afternoon,” Tony told her. “Any establishment that sells curly fries Happy. The greasier, the better. I’m not particular.”
Pepper raised an eyebrow and then quickly looked out the window. She wasn’t quick enough.
“What?” Tony said. “I’m not.”
“Tony, you could give Meg Ryan a run for her money,” she informed him.
“Oh, look who’s talking Miss-Soy-Milk-and-Gluten-Free,” he shot back. “When was the last time you had a bunch of greasy, crunchy curly fries?”
“Probably the last time you did,” she said. “And I have the empty Tums wrappers to prove it.”
Tony tsked at her and flipped on the little television screen in front of him. They both stared at the screen in dismay.
The images flashed between people running for cover from bullets to dusty arms vehicles racing through streets to a large orange explosion. The news reporter described the events occurring in Afghanistan in a far too upbeat tone.
Pepper glanced over at him. His jaw was set and his eyes were glittering.
“Raincheck on the fries Happy,” Tony said in a casual voice. “Head back to the house please.”
“Yes sir,” Happy said.
Pepper leaned into the most likely illegal u-turn and didn’t take her eyes off Tony who didn’t take his eyes off the screen. She finally decided to chance it.
“You don’t know that they’re yours,” she said quietly.
“Yes, I do,” he said just as quietly.
“You could call Jim,” she said.
“I could,” he said.
“But you won’t,” went very loudly unspoken.
“After you’ve dropped me off,” Tony called to Happy. “Please take Miss Potts anywhere she wants.”
“The house is fine Happy,” Pepper said.
“Pepper,” Tony said finally looking over at her.
“You said anywhere I want Mr Stark,” she informed him meeting his gaze.
“So I did Miss Potts,” Tony said.
The ride back to the Stark Mansion was silent except for the explosions on the screen. Tony continued to watch the television and Pepper continued to watch his hands that had so gently guided her through a throng of people as they tightened into fists.
Series: Tight Coupling
Pairing: Tony/Pepper –ish
Rating: PG
Summary: A meeting, an emergency and the mention of curly fries. Not necessarily in that order.
Chapter 5: Hands – Theme 021
He’s taken to letting her enter rooms first. Whether they’re heading into the office or the living room or even the work room, his hand is at her lower back and guiding her through the door.
She’s a little unsure of what to think about this.
On one hand she likes it. Really likes it. His hand is warm and large and she know those fingers are dexterous (she watched him idly work a Rubik’s cube once while going over his schedule and had to remind herself to keep breathing and not stutter)and the security of it is really very, very attractive. In fact, she finds herself getting used to it.
Which is why, on the other hand, she really doesn’t like it.
Pepper has always prided herself on not being that girl. She engages freely in their little quip fests and lets the occasional double entendre slip out, because she knows that she is not that girl.
However, when that warm hand is resting on her lower back as he guides her through a throng of reporters and he is whispering sarcastic comments in her ear, remembering that she is not and does not want to be that girl is very difficult.
Such is the case at this particular moment.
It was another one of those grab and grin meetings that Public Relations always scheduled and that the old Tony Stark would have gleefully skipped. However, with his new projects in the works and Stark Industries still having to justify their actions from a few months ago (Re: big blue explosion, a missing CEO and the head CEO flying around in a metal suit) Tony had been informed that his attendance was mandatory.
So far Pepper was impressed. Tony had really been on his charming and brilliant best. He had entertained some of the good old boys from the Governor’s office and, from the guffaws echoing all over the room, Pepper supposed it was going okay.
Now, an hour since his arrival and he was making his way out the door. His hand was at her lower back and he was gently pushing her towards the exit. She reminded herself to pay attention to where she was going and not the fact that she could feel the heat from each finger pressed lightly into her back through her suit jacket.
“I seriously don’t remember inviting all of these people,” he murmured into her ear.
“You didn’t,” she reminded him smiling at a local councilman. “PR did, so smile and act like you’re enjoying yourself.”
How he managed to snort and grin at the same time always amazed her.
“Yeah well, make a note that in the future we have fewer people to these things,” Tony told her as he manoeuvred around a group of older women. “The mixture of Eternity and Old Spice is killing me.”
Pepper nodded in agreement and they tried to speed up the exit process and still had to stop five more times before emerging onto the sidewalk.
“Actually, you know what?” Tony said as Pepper finished calling Happy to pick them up. “Invite more people next time. Easier to leave with more people.”
Happy pulled the familiar Audi right up to them and Tony opened the door and ushered Pepper inside.
“Where to Boss?” Happy asked.
Pepper opened her mouth.
“Curly fries,” Tony said loudly.
Pepper turned to stare at him.
“Trust me. They are the only thing that could erase the stench of this afternoon,” Tony told her. “Any establishment that sells curly fries Happy. The greasier, the better. I’m not particular.”
Pepper raised an eyebrow and then quickly looked out the window. She wasn’t quick enough.
“What?” Tony said. “I’m not.”
“Tony, you could give Meg Ryan a run for her money,” she informed him.
“Oh, look who’s talking Miss-Soy-Milk-and-Gluten-Free,” he shot back. “When was the last time you had a bunch of greasy, crunchy curly fries?”
“Probably the last time you did,” she said. “And I have the empty Tums wrappers to prove it.”
Tony tsked at her and flipped on the little television screen in front of him. They both stared at the screen in dismay.
The images flashed between people running for cover from bullets to dusty arms vehicles racing through streets to a large orange explosion. The news reporter described the events occurring in Afghanistan in a far too upbeat tone.
Pepper glanced over at him. His jaw was set and his eyes were glittering.
“Raincheck on the fries Happy,” Tony said in a casual voice. “Head back to the house please.”
“Yes sir,” Happy said.
Pepper leaned into the most likely illegal u-turn and didn’t take her eyes off Tony who didn’t take his eyes off the screen. She finally decided to chance it.
“You don’t know that they’re yours,” she said quietly.
“Yes, I do,” he said just as quietly.
“You could call Jim,” she said.
“I could,” he said.
“But you won’t,” went very loudly unspoken.
“After you’ve dropped me off,” Tony called to Happy. “Please take Miss Potts anywhere she wants.”
“The house is fine Happy,” Pepper said.
“Pepper,” Tony said finally looking over at her.
“You said anywhere I want Mr Stark,” she informed him meeting his gaze.
“So I did Miss Potts,” Tony said.
The ride back to the Stark Mansion was silent except for the explosions on the screen. Tony continued to watch the television and Pepper continued to watch his hands that had so gently guided her through a throng of people as they tightened into fists.
