penistower | ❄ but the most special are the most lonely ❄

Entry tags:

❄ but the most special are the most lonely ❄

I. ( tony + steve + bruce )

[ tony's face-plate comes up, all but dragging steve over the threshold. he just has to focus on keeping the super soldier awake so they can get to bruce and get patched up. and then everything will be fine - it'll all be fine. nevermind that cap's best friend is now a psycho killer and is totally on the loose and natasha blew up s.h.i.e.l.d. via the interwebs and put a huge target on all of their heads.

at least he's not panicking.

he has no actual way of knowing how injured he personally is under the suit, either. he's in so much shock and so jacked up on adrenaline that anything is possible. he just hopes it isn't beyond the doctor's scope. JARVIS puts in the passcode wirelessly so tony can carry steve through the door, princess-style. ]

Medic? We need a medic... [ the joke dies on his lips, meeting bruce's gaze across the room. god is he a sight for sore eyes. ]

II. ( tony + steve + bruce + pepper )

[ once tony and steve are cleaned up and back in their street clothes, they may as well get ready for the q&a that's coming. there are a lot of things he's still not willing to discuss - peggy and her husband; his father; bucky... but neither of them are going to get a choice. he loves pepper and bruce with all (both) his heart(s) but this is some heavy shit, so instead he just blurts out the first thing that comes to his mind.

it's also the dumbest. ] Widow will be happy you finally got yourself a date, huh, Cap? [ he nudges the other man's shoulder and looks to everyone else, sorry. that's the best he's got. ]

III. ( tony + steve )

[ tony wanders out to the living room, finding steve out on the couch where he'd left him. he knows just by the unsteady rise and fall of his chest that he's not sleeping. how could either of them after that? without saying a word, he slots his slighter frame in next to him, carefully avoiding both of their injuries and pulling out his phone. ]

I wasn't kidding about that like page, you know. [ he shows cap the facebook fan page that allegedly phil set up. it has a much more flattering image than the twitter. also 14 million something likes. ] You have almost as many fans as me.

[ he's not even being cheeky (much), he has over 19 million. ]

IV. ( tony + pepper )

[ pepper's not up yet and tony hasn't slept yet, which really, if it weren't so commonplace by now might be more traumatic. as it is, he eyes her heels at the base of the bed; she had fallen asleep in her clothes. poor pepper, he'd probably exhausted her and worried her sick with all of this. again, par for their course, but still.

before he can talk himself out of it, he sits on a corner of the bed and goes about trying to get his feet into her shoes. she would totally kill him if she woke up right now, but as they'd established that day they went to the park, it was really hard being short. ] What does she have, elf feet...?

[ he asks the open air, wobbling to his feet and immediately falling to the ground. this wasn't his best laid plan by far. he's just going to lay here for a while. this carpet is soft and his entire body is a bruise. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I was going to sleep but then I -- woke you up. And now we're here, so hi. Hello. I'll sleep when I'm dead. [ he knew he overused sayings like that, but fuck it he had earned a little leeway here. ]

Oh, so it's my fault for keeping you awake. [ It's mostly a joke, judging by the slight edge of wryness to her tone. But then she seems to remember something, brow furrowing. ] ...And were you trying on my shoes?

Oh yeah, totally your fault-- [ except she caught him, just like she always eventually does. ] No, what? That's ridiculous.

[ he wrinkles up his face in measured incredulity ]

[ She's like the world's best human lie detector when it comes to one Tony Stark, it's basically useless for him to even try. She gasps as if scandalized, playing it up a little. ]

You were too, you little sneak.

I was curious. It was a very - scientific - experiment. [ he's honestly trying not to laugh don't look at him like that oh god he'll lose it ]

Scientific, my foot! Or yours, apparently, since you were trying to shove them in my two-thousand dollar Jimmy Choos. [ oh please u can't fool her!! ] So what were the initial conclusions of this oh-so scientific endeavor of yours, Dr. Stark?

[ yeah all hope is lost he's laughing in short bursts against her ear. ]

That I still have no clue how you wear those things every day.

[ She snorts, but smiles wryly. There's really no magic to it. ]

With plenty of practice and frequent sore feet.

Remind me to put like 12 foot-rubs on your credit. [ after he's not falling apart sorry :'| ]

Noted. [ Again with the 12, but she doesn't point that out now, running her hand through his hair. ] How about a shower and a nap? Neither would go amiss, quite frankly.

[ he nods hopelessly, looking down at their rumpled clothes. ] Whatever you say, ma'am.

[ She gives a small, slightly sad smile, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead. ] Come on. I'll wash your hair for you.

[ he moves into the kiss, not liking that look on her face even a little. but he's up a second later, ready to follow her lead. ] You're a saint, Pepper Potts.

[ it's his turn to look a little sad. ]

Hardly. [ She tugs him along by the hand into the bathroom, turning to draw him into her arms when they're there and brushing her lips against his softly. ] I just love you.

[ his arms immediately encircle her waist, kissing her back gently -- almost reverently. ] I know.

Love you, too.

[ Stroking his back, she presses her forehead to his for a moment, smiling gently. Nudging his nose with hers, she pulls back. ]

Come on, then. [ Conjuring up a sly expression, wagging her brows once, she prompts playfully, ] Get naked. Or should I help?

I think I got this one. [ except when he starts to peel off his shirt, it sticks to him in some especially rough spots and he winces, realizing he's too sore to even pull it off his shoulders. ] ...Or not.

[ if he sounds frustrated it's because he is. he knows pepper will help him without being asked; without it even being necessary. but it sucks that it is necessary so he has to pout about it for a second, holding his hands up and giving her a pleading look. ]

[ She winces as well, making a small noise of sympathy. Those puppy dog eyes always get to her, and she kisses his pouting lips lightly before proceeding to gently tug the shirt off of him. She can't help but make another noise, this time less than happy, at the sight of the bruises mottling his skin. ]

The state of you... [ She breathes out with quiet dismay, shaking her head as her lips tighten into a grim line. ]

It's fine. [ he insists past a grimace, knowing how not-fine it really is. he's the one feeling it after all. after almost teetering over, he pulls away from her to sit on the toilet seat and pull his socks off, standing slowly again to unzip his jeans and pull them down, boxers catching in them and falling to the ground as well. there, naked. he unbuckles his watch and sets it on the counter before making his way back to her, pecking her lips briefly before turning the shower on as hot as it will go. ] ...It's bad, huh?

[ he finally concedes, watching her get undressed with interest though it's nothing he's prepared to act on tonight. ]

Yeah. [ She sighs even as she sheds her own rumpled clothing with no wasted movement, unable to fully appreciate the sight of him in all his glory with the blue and purple bruising in various shapes and sizes coloring his body. ] You could say that.

[ She steps under the hot spray with him, skin pinking instantly at the just slightly too hot water, but she ignores it, eyeing him with palpable concern, fingers barely skimming his skin. She's seen him badly bruised before, but this is quite something. ] I'm afraid to even touch you properly.

[ that makes him frown, cupping her cheek and blinking water out of his eyes. ] I'm so sorry, Pepper. [ sorry he makes her worry that much. sorry he can't stop. sorry that it'll kill him one day. ]

[ Pepper lays her hand over his, sliding it gently to his wrist. Her eyes are bright but she musters up a smile that's only slightly wobbly, nodding a little. ] I know. It's okay.

[ Even when it's not. She doesn't want to make him feel guilty. He does what he has to, she's long since accepted that, but it's never easy to see him like this and not be able to do anything much to help. ]

[ he leans in to press his forehead against hers, just resting a moment. it's a great deal of effort just standing here, honestly, but there's no place he'd rather be. ]

I don't want to lie to you, and I don't want to freak you out... but things are going to get worse before they get better. [ don't they always when it comes to this stuff? ]

[ Pepper draws in a slow, shuddering breath through parted lips, shutting her eyes tightly against the sudden tears that are welling up as she presses back against him gently. A few errant tears escape anyway and track down her cheek, though they could easily be mistaken for water from the shower head. Her voice is mostly steady when she replies, though, as if reading his mind -- or simply just knowing better. ]

Always do. [ Opening her eyes, she smiles tremulously, with little to no mirth, free hand carefully stroking up his other arm. ] Just... keep being careful, okay?

[ Keep coming back to me is what she wants to say, but can't. She knows he can't promise that, and she's doing her best not to let the thought get to her now. ]

[ his eyes are stinging too, but he's too tired to cry, gently kissing her cheeks instead and tasting salt. he nods, his nose rubbing against hers with the action. ] I will.

...Sorry. I brought this to a dark place. [ he huffs out a fractured segment of a laugh, if it could even be called that. all it is is a release of pure self-deprecation. ]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject