I was poking around looking for some Tony/Pepper fic and stumbled over this. _Loved_ it! I could completely seeing them having this conversation, and could completely see Tony proposing in this off-beat yet utterly honest way. You did such a great job with the visuals that I could completely see them in my head. I particularly loved her impression of him as an archangel in the sunlight, and her focus on what was either the sound of the surf or the blood in her head! I also loved how you infused both their inner reactions with a real yearning and vulnerability. She clearly _wants_ to say yes, and _wants_ to be there for him utterly, confusion and his past be damned. He clearly needs her just as completely, as someone who really knows him and can be counted on at all times. It's not a bad foundation for a marriage, even if his sense of romanticism is a bit warped. :) Great story!