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]

"Who, me? Come on..." He makes a show of looking around before settling next to her again, laying his head back on the pillow and immediately picking up where he left off staring at her. After a long pause, he nods, and for once it isn't a lie. He actually feels really well rested, if pleasantly lethargic even now. "Yeah. I did."

[efficacy]

Her lips twitch at his antics but she says nothing, similarly just watching him. "Good," she says softly when he responds, happy he'd gotten at least some rest. Briefly, she wonders what they're going to do now; are they really going to spend another day hiding in this little hotel room? Eating steak and... she doesn't know, having sex?

Okay, maybe that's not a terrible idea. But still.

She kind of feels like maybe napping some more, but that feel rude when Tony's wide awake. So if sleep is off table... she pushes tangled hair back from her face and rolls over on her belly, the blanket slipping down her freckled shoulders some as she props an elbow on the pillows and leans her chin into her palm, smiling at him. "Is it breakfast time, then?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

His eyes twinkle with bemusement, biting into his lip when she shifts, his eyes drawn down over one pale shoulder. Idly, he brushes her hair away so he can lean in and drop a kiss right on the top. "Depends... What's on the menu?" he queries lazily. He'd never been much for breakfast, but since they're still hiding from the world -- it seems as good a plan as any.

[efficacy]

She smiles fondly at the way he kisses her shoulder, a faint shiver coursing down her spine at the brush of his lips. She laces her fingers together and rests her chin on them, humming a little in thought. "Mm... coffee. Eggs," she lists slowly, pursing her lips and arching her brow inquisitively. "Bacon? Pancakes? And ooh, fruit salad." Since someone else is doing the cooking for them, they may as well take full advantage of the fact.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He nods as she goes on, smile getting wider and wider with each addition. "That sounds like breakfast and lunch, with a little left over."

[efficacy]

Pepper sniffs a little, with mock hauteur. "You clearly just have no ambition," she teases, tsking and shaking her head.

[letmetakeaselfie]

"Is that a challenge?" he asks, narrowing his eyes a bit. Not that he really needs to be challenged in order to be motivated to eat lots of bacon and eggs, but hey. "As long as it's still on Fury, I'm in."

[efficacy]

Pepper snorts, giving Tony a Look. Come on bro, get real. "Of course it's still on Fury. Duh." Chuckling to herself, she drops her hands and slips on her belly over to her nightstand and the phone there, ignoring the way the blanket slides down her back at the movement to barely cover her backside. It only takes her a couple of moments to call the room service and order them some of each item she'd just listed. Setting down the receiver, she glances over her shoulder with a tiny grin. "No backing down, now."

[letmetakeaselfie]

His mouth goes dry as his gaze tracks down her spine, breathing heavier as the blanket continues to slide downward. "...What?" he asks dumbly, his gaze snapping back up to her eyes.

[efficacy]

She breathes a little laugh at his reaction, dropping her chin in a moment of bashfulness before looking over her shoulder at him again. "See anything you like?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

Eyes widening a little at being caught out, he swallows and tries desperately to rein himself in. It isn't easy when she looks at him like that. "W-what would give you that idea?"

[efficacy]

Her lips curve a little more, easily picking up on his struggles. She knows it's mean, but she can't help but tease him some more, giving him a look under her lashes. "So... you don't see anything you like, then?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

"That's not what I said," he points out, licking his lips unconsciously. His eyes roam down over her body again before tracking back up to her eyes. Breakfast all but forgotten, he's suddenly hungry for something else entirely.

[efficacy]

Her smile turns more satisfied as she leans her cheek against one propped up hand, fingers loosely curled into a fist. "That's good to hear," she murmurs, only a touch playfully, a new awareness unfurling somewhere deep in her belly at the look in his eyes. "You had me worried, for a moment."

[letmetakeaselfie]

He has to wonder if she's actually worried, almost jumping at the opportunity to prove there's nothing to worry about. But he's worried, too. He has no idea what they're doing still -- what she ultimately wants from him. Tony reaches out, tucking some hair behind her ear. "That's the last thing you need to worry about." It's a bit more serious than is probably warranted for the moment, but he can't help himself.

[efficacy]

She smiles softly at the tender gesture. It's not like she doesn't have her own concerns, the quip just now aside. They should probably talk about this whole thing -- never mind they already did, earlier. But that was just... establishing attraction out loud. Nothing was really decided, aside from a vague 'I wanna hang out with you after this'. Loathe as she is to ruin this pleasant mood, she forges a little reluctantly, "You know, we should probably--"

She starts at the brisk knock on the door, biting her lip. She'd completely forgotten about room service already. Smiling gamely, she starts getting up. "Eat breakfast. I'll get it." Except she's still totally naked, and she adds slightly sheepishly as she takes a step toward the bathroom to fetch her robe, "In a bit."

[letmetakeaselfie]

He draws back a little bit when she starts in seriously, and he's already preparing himself mentally for whatever it is she thinks they should do. When the knock sounds at the door, he actually jumps, so taken by her he'd forgotten entirely about breakfast himself. "Right." Busying himself with trying to get his heartrate under control, Tony leans back against the bed and watches her go, unable to keep his gaze from lingering at her backside. He props up a pillow under his head and sighs, tracking her movements by ear when she disappears from sight.

[efficacy]

She pulls on her robe in the bathroom, cinching the belt tightly around her waist and making sure the front is closed neatly before padding out again, flashing a brief smile at Tony on her way to the door. Her smile turns more polite and impersonal when she takes over their breakfast cart from the staff member, thanking him shortly and closing the door again, wheeling the cart next to the bed.

"Breakfast is served," she quips, climbing back into bed and sitting up, tugging the cart right against the bed frame so she can serve them. Picking up the metal carafe first, she starts to top up the first cup. "Coffee?"

[letmetakeaselfie]

"Is that even a question?" he asks, reluctantly sitting up to receive it from her with a little nod of thanks. His hair is a hopeless mess, and his robe gaping open to bare most of his chest as he folds one leg under the other in order to have more stability. The second the coffee cup is in hand, he's sucking in some of the too-hot liquid, humming to himself and offering up a lethargic smile her way.

[efficacy]

Pepper merely smiles back, offering Tony his cup before fixing up her own, adding a bit of creamer. "I hope you like scrambled eggs," she says idly, setting her coffee on her nightstand after taking a little sip and going for one of the domed platters. Each plate has scrambled eggs, two fluffy pancakes and a couple of strips of crispy bacon on them, smaller cups of fruit salad sitting by the coffee carafe. Pepper offers the first plate she uncovers over to him. "Eat while it's warm."

[letmetakeaselfie]

He takes the plate, though he really isn't hungry yet, setting it on top of the flattest part of the sheet in front of him. "Maybe I like cold eggs," he comments, just as offhand. Really he just wants an excuse to drink his coffee and watch her unencumbered. He knows she was about to say something important before they were interrupted, not that he's sure how staring at her will help him discern it.

[efficacy]

Pepper on the other hand is actually pretty hungry, happily cutting off a piece of pancake with the side of her fork and chasing it down with some eggs. "Good for you," she shoots back after swallowing, lips quirking a little. "Because this really isn't very warm to begin with." Not that it's slowing her down any, cutting off another piece of pancake and blithely ignoring the fact that she can feel Tony staring at her again. She's starting to get used to it.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Her comment actually spurs him into action because he hates cold eggs -- don't most people? Tony takes a few half-hearted bites of his, more interested in the fruit salad than usual and washing it down with more coffee. "Did they bring ketchup?" he asks her, wondering idly if she'll think he's gross, but he happens to think ketchup makes most things better.

[efficacy]

"Mm... no ketchup. Sorry," she says with an apologetic little wince, taking a bite out of a strip of bacon and chewing thoughtfully. "Are you one of those people who puts ketchup everywhere?" she asks after a moment, her tone playful and a smile on her lips.

[letmetakeaselfie]

"...Not everywhere." This said as he dumps syrup all over his plate instead. He shrugs, nibbling on some pancake before going for a piece of bacon himself.