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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[efficacy]

"We could," she agrees slowly, smiling and lifting her legs up on the sofa, leaning against his side as she lays her closest arm along the backrest, her hand lifting up to idly stroke her fingers through Tony's hair. She holds out her free hand for the wine glass, wriggling her fingers a little in a wordless request.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He relinquishes the glass easily, especially with her fingers in his hair. Why is that the best feeling ever? Involuntarily, he shuts his eyes for a minute just to relish in the sensation, leaning his face against her shoulder. "Well, I was going to get up to get the remote." But now he's not going anywhere. At least until he can convince himself to.

[efficacy]

Pepper smiles to herself, tipping her head to rest her cheek briefly against the top of his head, never once stopping to run her fingers through his hair. She's quite well caught on to the fact that he enjoys it immensely; a fact she's more than willing to exploit.

"I suppose we'll just have to settle for each other's company instead, then." Which, to be honest, is a much preferable option in her opinion. She drops a kiss into his hair before lifting her head to take a sip from the glass, tucking her legs beneath her on the couch and leaning a little further against his side.

[letmetakeaselfie]

With a sigh, he leans into her touch that much more, enjoying the way she leans against him in turn. "Are you sure you're up for that?" he challenges, sudden nerves rising again at the prospect of being put on the spot with her. A part of him keeps believing she'll somehow see through whatever smokescreen he's managed to maintain even if logic would dictate that he's potentially been realer with her than any other living soul on this earth.

[efficacy]

She leans her chin lightly against the crown of his head, balancing the wine glass on her thigh. "Are you?" she asks in turn, perhaps unexpectedly, an edge of her usual wry amusement lacing the words even though she's far from joking. "You seem to be laboring under the impression you're the only one with any faults, here. I'm not always a picnic to be around, either."

It's actually a little frustrating. She's not looking to be placed on a pedestal like Tony seems determined to do. On one hand it's flattering, but on another she really doesn't want to be seen that way when she's just human like he is; liable to make mistakes.

[letmetakeaselfie]

She challenges him at every turn, something he strangely finds most attractive about her. At first, he doesn't get it though. He has to trace back their past arguments in his head, and even the more recent calm of cohabitating. Neither of them are perfect, of course. They have scars -- without them, they never would have been drawn to one another. Tony reaches for her arm across her body, just bracing it on her shoulder so as not to jostle the wine. He nudges his nose against hers and latches onto her eyes with his, trying to make a meaningful connection for what he's about to say. "I'm ready."

He hopes it's significant enough. Not so much that it's what she wants to hear, but something that will resonate with her and help her understand that he's already all in. If this doesn't work out, he has nothing else, so really what has he got to lose? Pepper has always been more pragmatic than that so he isn't expecting anything earth-shattering here. But he does accept her for all the faults he's seen, and even the ones he hasn't. They're part of what makes her perfect in his eyes.

[efficacy]

"Oh?" Her voice is soft and barely audible, a gentle half-smile gracing her lips as she stares into his beautiful brown eyes. It's not like she's surprised at his answer, really. He does things like these; all or nothing, come hell or high water -- she's the careful pragmatist out of the two of them. Which should probably mean she ought to think twice about this, but. She has. Maybe this has some potential to crash and burn, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. And as she'd just pointed out, she makes mistakes too.

"Okay. Don't say I didn't warn you, then," she whispers playfully, lips brushing against his before leaning in the missing fraction of an inch to kiss him sweetly.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Her warning causes his heart to flutter in his chest, leaning into her kiss as if magnetized. Now that he has her answer comes the hard part: accepting it. He had gone into this under one bad assumption, and that was that she'd never want to be with him. It's still shocking, that they're going to try this thing for real; but he's never backed down from a challenge all his life. He's not about to now, with so much at stake.

He does his best to allow the kiss to remain light and sweet though his feelings for her now are anything but. He thinks of what Yensen had said to him, that he was a man with everything and nothing. That he was bankrupt of love and of anything meaningful in his life. Tony had thought the Avengers were the answer his soul needed, but he's thinking he may have jumped the gun just a little now.

His hand runs down over her side, breath quickening as the kiss goes on. A single kiss has never felt this way before, but he also has nothing to compare it to when every other encounter he had was in the drunken whirlwind of his former life.

[efficacy]

Light and sweet is all good and fine for a moment, but the moment passes soon for Pepper, hurried along by the hand sliding down her side. Sinking her fingers deeper into Tony's hair, she deepens the kiss on a sighed little moan, her tongue sliding into his mouth as the contact turns hungrier. She gives another tiny noise -- this time of vague impatience -- when she runs out of breath, forced to break away all too soon.

"Hold that thought," she breathes, pulling away long enough to set the wine glass aside safely. As soon as it sits securely on the coffee table, she returns with a smile. "Better." Without wasting another second, she pushes into his space and crashes her lips to his in another heated kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He nods dumbly at her order, left unprepared when her lips crash back into his. Letting out a moan, his hand reflexively finds the dip in her lower back, struggling to catch up with her as always. Her robe only covers so much skin, and every inch of bare flesh touching his causes his hair to stand up pleasantly. He licks into her mouth and shuts his eyes, focusing on pure sensation and for once allowing all rational thought to leave him the hell alone.

[efficacy]

She echos his moan a moment later, shivering gently at the press of his hands at the small of her back. She presses closer still though they're already flush against each other, warmth spreading through her body and nipples perking up under her robe. Her tongue slides against his with relish, fingers of one hand losing themselves into his hair once again, nails scratching lightly along his scalp. Biting lightly at his bottom lip, she pulls away to breathe extremely reluctantly. Her own lips are slightly swollen, a hint of color on her cheeks.

"Still feel like watching a movie?" she teases breathlessly, lips curving into a tiny smirk as she leans her forehead against Tony's.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Tony lets out a whimper between their lips just as Pepper pulls away, pulling in much-needed breaths of his own as he realizes belatedly that she wasn't the only one out of oxygen. Slowly, she swims back into focus in his compromised vision and he lets out a single bark of a laugh that comes out more as a cough. Even now, she makes him so damn nervous, something he's trying to overcome but by the same point almost doesn't want to. If this is the way it will feel every time he thinks he can get used to how sexy it is to be forever on the edge of his seat -- never knowing what she'll do or say next.

"Maybe. I mean, it depends on the movie."

[efficacy]

She smiles, sliding her hands down to his chest and rubbing idly, her breath still coming in light pants as she stares down at him. He's so damn endearing when he gets antsy like this. "You look so nervous," she says playfully on a little chuckle, changing the topic. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

"N-no," he all but squeaks out, squirming beneath her touch though it already feels amazing. "Though... I'm starting to think you like making me uncomfortable." His hips graze hers in his shifting, revealing that his body is already starting to react to her all over again.

[efficacy]

"It is a little fun," she admits with a grin. "You always look like a deer caught in the headlights when I do." She's straight-out teasing him now, albeit with all fondness. Her lips twitch and one brow quirks when their hips brush, the way he's responding to her closeness sending ribbons of warmth curling down her body. It only makes her cozy up further against him, aware of the way her robe gapes again as she leans in to murmur lowly into his ear, "I'm not that scary, am I?" One slender palm slips under his robe to splay against the warm skin of his chest, drawing little circles into his flesh while her lips capture his earlobe, sucking gently.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He agrees, it is fun, for him too in the strangest way. He never would have thought that being embarrassed this way could turn him on, but Pepper has a way of turning all his expectations on their heads. A violent shudder wracking down his spine when she sinks into his ear, his hand shifts under her robe, gripping the back of her thigh before slowly dragging caloused fingertips down her leg to her knee. "Terrifying," he admits, bemusement glinting in his eyes and coming through in his tone even if it's as close to the truth as he can get, rolling his hips deliberately into hers this time.

[efficacy]

She shivers in turn when his rough fingers glide down the back of her thigh and lower still, humming knowingly when his hips bump up against hers. Breathing a chuckle, she slides her hand slowly down his chest, loosening his robe further as she goes, the white-blue glow of the reactor spilling softly between them.

"And here I thought scared stiff was just a figure of speech," she grins widely, enjoying her lame pun 100% as she grinds her hips against his on a throaty little purr, feeling how ready he is. "I want it, you know," she confesses huskily, leaning in to whisper it against his ear. "What you asked for, earlier. Your mouth between my legs, servicing me."

[letmetakeaselfie]

Heat pulls up under his skin, tinging his chest and throat pink and slowly climbing up over his face in a visible flush. The way she touches him is unreal, and her lame joke startles a bark of laughter to break free. But he cuts it off pretty instantly when she speaks into his ear, dropping dirty words on him like second nature. Tony nods against her face, nose rubbing against hers as he strives to show her how desperate he is for just that. "Let me... I'll make you feel so good," he promises, though that nervous energy buzzes over him yet again. It's been a long time since he's been with anyone this way, obviously, save for earlier with her, so he hope he can live up to expectations here as well.

[efficacy]

Pepper loves the picture he makes like this, enjoying slowly peeling him out of his robe; much like unwrapping a birthday present. (If this really were her birthday present, she would have no complaints.) She hums in approval and encouragement at his ready agreement, fleet fingers eagerly fluttering up and down his chest.

She flushes herself up to the tips of her ears when she breathes out her question, slightly embarrassed by her forwardness despite her ever-increasing arousal. "Shall I sit on your face, like you described? Or should I spread myself out for you on the bed? I want you to decide."

[letmetakeaselfie]

His eyes glaze over as she describes his options, registering the flush of her skin belatedly as his own goosepimples beneath her attentions. Before trying to formulate an answer, Tony sits up and holds his arms back so she can fully remove his robe as seems to be her goal. It feels like a trick question, and he licks his lips as he tries to come to the proper conclusion. Laying herself out for him is oh so tempting, but would put him completely on the spot. For once in his life he decides on the safer option, though his heart pounds even quicker for it anyway. "Sit on my face," he rasps into her ear, tone full to the brim with need as his fingers fiddle with the tie of her robe now. "Please."

[efficacy]

She runs her palms down his arms as she pushes the robe off of him entirely, feeling along every dip and curve of firm muscle with obvious enjoyment. She bumps her nose against his teasingly, a smile spreading to her lips as he husks his response against the shell of her ear. With a breathy little chuckle, she takes his hand and encourages him to pull open the knot of the sash, her robe falling open now enough to give him a preview of what's to come. "Let's move this to the bed," she suggests in a raspy tone of her own, taking his hand as she rises slowly to her feet, tugging him with her. "Lay down for me."

[letmetakeaselfie]

Tony's breath catches as he pulls the sash free, even though he knows what to expect by now. She's still breathtakingly beautiful and he's not sure he could ever hold back such a physical reaction. Not that he has long to ogle before she's dragging him across the room, something he takes a few seconds to be fully on board with. His hand tightens in hers to keep his balance, but then he's struggling to comply with her request as quickly as he can, sitting first on the edge of the bed so he can watch her one more second before reluctantly letting go and scooting towards the middle of the bedspread. "Like this?" he asks playfully, posing for her so each plane of muscle is highlighted, his cock already half-hard and practically weeping just from expectation alone. Tony props himself up on one elbow and bites into his lip to watch her for a moment, or for as long as he can get away with.

[efficacy]

Her lips curve with satisfaction as he stares, loving the way she commands his full attention in this moment. She feels his gaze slip along her skin like a physical caress, warm and hungry-- she lets her robe slide off of her entirely to reveal every bit of pale, freckled flesh to his eyes, her nipples tightening further and a faint flush pinking her skin.

"Just like that," she purrs in agreement as she returns the favor, letting her covetous gaze take in every inch of his gorgeous body. She licks her lips as her eyes settle on his erection, arousal twinging deep in her belly at the sight. Humming a musical little note, she lifts a knee on the bed at the foot of it and slowly begins crawling up his prone body. "You're so beautiful I could just eat you up," she smirks slyly, leaning down to trail soft kisses up his leg, blue eyes intent on his as her lips caress the inside of one knee; moving up to the thigh.

"But maybe later." She whispers it against the vee of his left hip, the tip of her tongue flicking out to lick a line along the groove of muscle and sinew. She can't possibly resist; lifting her head a little, her mouth brushes lovingly against the wet tip of his cock, kissing it gently and spreading a bead of moisture across her lips only to lick it away with a little hum of pleasure.

Her hands splay eagerly over his chest, stroking up to his shoulders as she maneuvers to straddle his lower stomach, taking his lips in a deep kiss in preparation of the next step.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He realizes his mistake instantly, laying as still as he can while she climbs up his body. The way she moves is almost predatory, his thighs tremoring involuntarily as her breath washes over his bare skin. Just that is hot, but then she speaks too, and he loses eye contact as his head dipping back against the pillow, breathing heavy as her lips trail along his flesh. His head comes back up like a shot of cold water in his veins when her tongue enters the picture. Tony thinks she loves torturing him, but what worries him more is how much he enjoys it -- the denial and the rush just as sexy, if not more.

"You're downright evil," he commentates, though it sounds much more like a praise than a criticism, eyes zeroing in on her mouth and letting out the tiniest, sharp little noise when she makes contact with his cock. He already knows she'll be moving on quickly, but his body doesn't get the memo, his member fattening up in anticipation of something his mind knows is far off into the night, if even. That too gets his heart pumping faster under her fingers as she continues her ascent. Tony opens his mouth to say something else, but she's already taking them in a kiss that somehow takes him by surprise. Whimpering against her lips, he kisses back eagerly and desperately, tasting her deeply as his hands come up to squeeze her buttocks longingly before resting at the curve of her lower back.

[efficacy]

Pepper moans riotously into the kiss when his calloused hands come up to squeeze her ass, her hips rocking once against him in reaction, a shudder running down her spine and nails biting into his biceps. She definitely liked that, nipping at his bottom lip in farewell once she pulls away, breathing heavily.

"And I think you love it when I'm evil," she accuses without missing a beat, lips curved into a knowing smirk. She leans back a little on her perch, reaching a hand behind her back and finding his fat erection, brushing her fingers lightly up and down its hard length and grinning victoriously. "Don't you?"