I'm prepared for this ✫ I never shoot to miss

[letmetakeaselfie]

I've been here before
But always hit the floor
I've spent a lifetime running
And I always get away
But with you I'm feeling something
That makes me want to stay

Tony's heart is still beating fast, though it's been nearly an hour since his house was destroyed (yet again) by supervillains. Why his house? Why is it always him? He's not really feeling sorry for himself though, because for as much as he criticizes Fury, his plan really worked this time. His face-plate flips up as he pries off the left arm of his suit, indented dangerously close by one of those feisty Doom-bots. He flashes a wan smile over at Pepper, similarly battleworn. They really do work extraordinarily well together, he can't believe how he'd ever dismissed being partners before.

"Thanks for saving me - again." She really was good at that, and without her he'd most certainly not be standing right now. Though, yes, he is still lamenting his poor house. Oh well, easier repaired than he would be, probably.

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[letmetakeaselfie]

He leans into her touch like an affection-starved pet, watching her carefully for each tiny shift and more than ready to follow whichever directive she might give. But then she seems just as lost as he is and it has him frowning, nuzzling against her hand and digging his fingers gently into her skin. Regrets. It's a double-edged sword in so many ways, but just the word from her lips has him reeling.

"Fuck 'em." The team. Nick. SHIELD, especially. They had never made him feel welcome to begin with. He'd practically had to bully his way in. If the one good thing that comes out of the Avengers for him is this? Is Pepper. He can more than live with that. "Do you regret... anything?" It's hard for him to ask, especially knowing it can so easily end in rejection. But if she does then he's really read this wrong so he needs to know now. Still, the words he really wants to say stick in his throat, and for once he's frustrated that they aren't freely jumping from his lips without his permission. That would make things easier about now.

[efficacy]

She gives him a look torn between exasperation and helpless amusement at his prompt sentiment. "Don't say that," she chides, but it's lackluster and lacking all heat. Still, she knows how important the team -- or at least some aspects of it -- are to him. But the question derails thoughts of that, her gaze softening in the fact of it as she cups his cheek tenderly.

"No. Nothing," she finally says, quietly but clearly and earnestly. Her expression wavers slightly uncertainly after a moment though, a hint of vulnerability entering her blue eyes. "Do you?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

He smiles softly when she touches his face, seeing that vulnerability shining in her eyes and instantly wanting to banish it away. Relief spreads through his chest warmly at her reassurance, but they're still dancing around the real issue and it's getting under his skin. "Yeah," he admits, holding tightly to her as if worried she'll pull away with that revelation now aired. "I regret not doing this sooner." Tony leans in, pressing his lips to hers in the softest kiss yet. He wishes she could pick up everything he wants to say from this one point of contact, but he lets it break after only a brief layover, petting her hair as he pulls back.

[efficacy]

She does pull her head back slightly at his response, a small frown of concern knitting her brows together as a dozen thoughts and fears collide in her head abruptly. But then Tony goes on and she can only blink, lips parting in a soundless oh and barely even managing that before Tony presses his lips to hers in a gentle kiss. Relief and happiness well up in her chest, and she smiles against his mouth.

"Oh," she finally vocalizes softly once they part, unable to keep the pleased smile from curving at her lips. "Well."

[letmetakeaselfie]

He nods, smiling goofily now too as his hand runs down her arm, rubbing bare flesh. It's so refreshing to see her this way -- happy and unreserved. A privelege for Tony, actually.

"Is that okay?" he asks softly, no longer worried about rejection though tingling like a million butterfly wings flapping is threatening to burst his chest. She makes him nervous; a lot of things do, especially after Afghanistan. But Pepper is the only thing that makes him nervous in a good way. It throws him off but only in the best way imaginable. "I mean... I'm not making you uncomfortable, am I?"

[efficacy]

She hums a little, something fondly amused in the soft sound. Her heart feels light and full all at once, and she can't remember ever being so completely content and optimistic about the future. "You're not," she shakes her head slightly with a small, gentle smile, brushing her fingers across his cheek. "You couldn't."

[letmetakeaselfie]

Almost expecting a quip of some sort, it catches him off guard when she's earnest, heart leaping that much more in his chest. "Oh," he says, predictably, grinning wider and wrapping his other arm around her waist. "Well, in that case--" Bouncing back on the bed some, he drags her with him neatly, both his legs latching onto one of hers when they're both laying in the middle of the bed. Tony takes his perfect opportunity to stare at her uninterrupted, merely enjoying being close while their cartoon wraps on TV.

[efficacy]

She gives a surprised little yelp when he drags them down, the tiny sound turning into a chuckle when they settle. She's smiling as she returns his gaze, so warmly and earnestly it crinkles the corners of her eyes. Tony's octopus-like clinging should probably feel claustrophobic and uncomfortable, but it doesn't -- were it anyone else, she knows it would. But this? She only feels warmth and contentment to be so surrounded by his presence. Shifting her arm a little between them, she lays her palm flat against his chest again, beside the reactor.

"So... now what?" she murmurs with a touch of playfulness in her voice, still smiling. "Do we just stay here for the rest of the day?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

"Preferably for at least that long," he admits, resting his face against hers as his heart pounds up against her fingertips through his shirt. He would gladly stay just like this for eternity, or at least it feels that way in this moment. And for a man who finds it impossible to sit still, that's quite a feat. "But maybe..." Nudging his nose against hers and closing his eyes, Tony presses a firm kiss to her lips, fingers stroking over a hipbone as he deepens the contact automatically this time. Practice makes perfect, right?

[efficacy]

Pepper's eyes close into the kiss, issuing a soft noise as she parts her lips for him and allows him access deeper. Warmth spreads through her at the stroking fingers at her hip, her own flexing slightly against his pectoral as if to grasp a better hold.

"Oh," she murmurs lowly as the kiss breaks after several moments, a new, sensual awareness in her tone. teasing gently, she goes on, "I suppose I can agree to that." She presses smiling lips to his, initiating the kiss this time; it's soft and slow but still passionate, questing fingertips climbing up again from his chest to trail up his throat.

[letmetakeaselfie]

His breath hitches against her mouth at the sensation of those soft fingertips moving over sensitive skin. No one has ever touched him this way, passionate but sweet, and he's already addicted. He takes a much needed gulp of air before kissing back with absolutely no reservations left, his other hand moving back up under her shirt to stroke the small of her back. "At least we can agree on something."

[efficacy]

"We agree on stuff," she murmurs lazily as their latest kiss breaks, her lips brushing lightly against his as they twitch into a fond smile, eyes lidding at the way he strokes her lower back. "Every now and then."

[letmetakeaselfie]

He goes a little cross-eyed, looking at her from this close up. "Oh yeah. Like what?" he challenges, trying to think of something himself in the moment. They're very different people, in a lot of ways, though maybe only the ways most like to measure. They have plenty in common he never would have thought they did.

[efficacy]

"Well, we... both like coffee and ice cream," she says the first thing that pops into her head, grinning a little crookedly as she nudges her nose against his. It's silly, maybe, but it's a start.

[letmetakeaselfie]

His lips twist into a silly smile echoing hers, idly drawing patterns against her skin. "Anything that 99.99% of humans don't also agree on?"

[efficacy]

She bursts into soft giggles she simply can't stifle, breathing a short, quiet laugh. "Oh, come on. That number can't be more than... 98%. Not everyone likes coffee, those weirdos." Because obviously everyone likes or at least should like!! ice cream.

[letmetakeaselfie]

"It's so sexy when you do math," he admits, something of a dreamy sigh in his voice before he closes the scant distance again, one hand coming up tenderly to cup her throat. This kiss is more thorough and involved than before, closing his eyes and allowing his hips to graze hers innocently. What's not innocent is the half-hard state he's in, impossible to ignore with the shift.

[efficacy]

"Really?" she manages to murmur with a smile before he leans in for a kiss, through and focused -- it has the same kind of quiet intensity he devotes to his projects, Pepper thinks with a soft shiver -- unlike any of the kisses they've traded before, loving the gentle press of his palm over her throat. Her own hand slips down his front to palm his waist, fingers drawing tiny patterns through his shirt. A softest little hum leaves her when the kiss winds down; pleased, fondly amused and a little aroused all at once. It's hard not to let her smile shift more toward a smirk, picking up her train of thought from a moment ago -- thought it now has a more tangible connotation, feeling his predicament as their hips bump gently. "Math turns you on?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

He smiles too, breathless as they pull back and a steady flush creeps up his throat. "Only when you do it," he clarifies, kissing her cheek and then her ear as his lungs slowly stop burning and he starts breathing normally again.

[efficacy]

"Oh," she repeats the often-used word between them softly, lips curving into a pleased smile under the press of his on her cheek. The light kiss to her sensitive ear has her sighing audibly, loving the tender gesture. "What else?" she murmurs before fully registering the fact that she'd spoken. It could mean a lot of things, to be honest; what else turns him on, what else she does that he likes. Not even she can tell what exactly she meant at the moment.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Pleasant shivers pull up under his skin at the question and her soft voice so close. What else. Such a simple inquiry but one he knows is his to interpret. That too is exciting and he isn't sure what will come out when he opens his mouth, not that that's an unusual feeling for him. "I like it when you're sure, which is most of the time. Bonus points if you're telling me what to do." That got a little fetishy, but he's cool with it. He was more thinking about them on the battlefield and how seamless Pepper makes it all with her utter command of every situation. It's truly breathtaking... but even simple, small things have been getting to him, especially these last few weeks. How she'll ask him for something in a way that brokers no argument -- it's hot.

[efficacy]

"You do need someone around telling you what to do," Pepper agrees in a husky murmur, smiling, though she recognizes it's something of an uncharitable sentiment, really -- but still, a truthful one. Even Tony himself is aware of it. And Pepper doesn't mind it one bit. Her hand on his waist slips under the hem of his shirt, fingertips drawing circles into bare, warm skin now. Some completely unexpected urge enhanced by their intimate closeness has the words spilling softly and slowly from her lips, her heart skipping a beat once she realizes exactly what she'd just done. "Is that what you were thinking about in the shower?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

Her statement is easily agreed to, so much of a given that he doesn't even bother responding. His eyes drift closed at the soft touches, entirely caught off by her next question. Tony pulls in an audible breath and holds it, his eyes popping back open in a telltale way. "...Y-yes. Among other things." Slowly, he forges their eye contact back, finding it undeniably exciting that she'd been listening in. "But it's always you. You in control, you getting everything you need from me." It isn't easy for him to talk this way, his voice crackly and soft as a result, but still certain. He wants her to know how important that is to him -- that she always get what she needs. If he can make it happen then all the better. He doesn't realize yet that she can glean he's been having these fantasies for some time from the admittance.

[efficacy]

She sucks in a soft breath at the implication in his words, becoming clearer every time she runs them through her mind again and again. Heat blooms deep within her and courses through her veins, a flush coloring her cheeks. She swallows thickly, licking her dry lips and breathes out slowly in preparation of the next question.

"Always?" she queries softly, almost timidly. "How long have you had... about me?" Her voice is breathless, almost hesitant to believe he'd been carrying such a torch for her longer than she'd imagined. It's humbling, startling and helplessly exciting, flattering even.

[letmetakeaselfie]

"A while," he confirms, flushing too in almost automatic mirror to hers. It's hard to pinpoint exactly when, but before she came to stay with him. It was something he'd brushed off until they actually started getting to know each other. "Sorry, I--" His face gets redder in an instant and he looks away. He's sorry for a lot of things, but most especially for pushing her away because he had feelings for her. In his defense he never thought she would have gone for a guy like him, let alone him in specific.

"Well. You know I'm bad at this."