I feel your heartbeat ♥ All the time

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It's been a year since... everything. Since their house blew up, since Extremis. Since Toni had officially lost her mind. She likes to think she's doing better, but there's no true litmus for something like that. She goes to her therapist once a week, as promised. It's still a struggle, but it's getting easier. Sometimes Pepper sits in with her and sometimes she's alone. Depending on the week, one or the other could be harder. Sometimes she doesn't talk the whole hour. Sometimes she doesn't let the doctor have a word in edgewise. Sometimes she cries -- that's the hardest for her, showing weakness in front of an authority figure; allowing herself to be helped. Maybe it's not making any difference, but she knows Pepper appreciates the effort.

There are two shiny suits in the lab, as promised, too. One that she's repairing now as the other stands idly by. She's working with the Avengers again, sort of. It's kind of on-again-off-again. And her remodeling efforts had been for naught, of course none of them wanted to stay here, what was she thinking? Except Bruce, when he bothers to come back from whatever third-world shithole he's in at any given time. Sometimes she gets along with Steve, but usually not. Things are tumultuous, but it's her version of normal and she feels like her head is at least above water again.

Pepper is back to work, solving world hunger and light fare like that. He does so much better at the helm than Toni ever did. It makes her proud, but with the tiniest bit of niggling jealousy she can't ever seem to shake. He seems happy -- fulfilled. She hears his oh-so familiar footfalls predictably right on time. Or really, five minutes early. It's their scheduled "reconnection" time, and she feels her heart speed up from his proximity alone, finding a stopping point as soon as she can so she can give him a look over. Handsome as ever, of course. And her in a threadbare Pinkfloyd tanktop and holey jeans, grease smeared across her cheek and safety goggles pinning her hair back that had fallen out of her bun. What a pair they make, as ever. Yin and yang.

Comments

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"Hm? Nuh-uh," Pepper denies a little belatedly, though he keeps his eyes closed. Inhaling deeply as if in a prelude to a yawn, he strokes his hand from her shoulder down along her side to snag around her waist, patting her flank soothingly. "I wouldn't do that to you, princess." He's totally falling asleep. He's had a long day, ok!

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Toni plucks his wine glass out of his hand, taking a sip before setting it aside for him. She presses a kiss to the side of his mouth, unable to resist for a second before popping up off the couch and taking both his hands in an attempt to help him up. "Come on, up and at 'em." She doesn't believe his pledge for a second, and the second he's up she starts to dance in place a little, any waning self-consciousness completely gone in favor of being drunk and silly. Toni snaps and JARVIS starts playing "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi, motioning for Pepper to join her.

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Pepper snaps his eyes open when she plucks away his wine glass, blinking a few times; lips curving into an automatic smile at the quick peck to the corner of her mouth. His smile grows into something fond and indulgent when Toni tugs him up, sighing and groaning a little in faux resignation as he straightens up. Her little dance garners a genuine laugh, and he takes her hands in his to swing her about and not giving a fuck this song isn't the best for that kind of dance.

"You know you're a crazy person, right?" he asks on another little laugh as he proceeds to twirl her.

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"Uhm... nope, that's news to me," she sing-songs, spinning around obligingly before leaning against him with her hands on his chest to recover so she doesn't get too dizzy. "I think you should explain your theorem, professor." Toni smiles up at him, loving his laugh, and that he's one of the only lucky ones who gets to hear it in unreserved glory.

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Pepper snags Toni close when she leans against him, wrapping both arms around her waist and proceeding to sway them like a pair of high schoolers in prom, again completely uncaring this song doesn't really lend itself to lame slow dancing. "I think it's a fact as proven by peer review," he returns with a crooked smile, dipping down to kiss her nose.

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She isn't about to complain about the change, placing one hand flat on his arm and the other squeezing his shoulder like a true Disney princess. "What if it's really my peer who's the crazy one?" she postulates, going a bit cross-eyed when he kisses her nose.

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"Can't be. I hear he's a handsome, successful businessman who's definitely not too old," he returns innocently, pressing his lips together to stop them from twitching with mirth. It's not entirely successful.

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Despite his joking tone, she can't help the fluttering in her tummy. "My mistake then," Toni says softly, for once easily giving up the joke in favor of the moment, resting her forehead easily against his with her boots solving their height discrepency. "Definitely too old for the French woman though..." She adds on just to be coy, her fingers digging into him in a telling way as the next metal hair ballad comes on, this one a bit softer and more conducive to their slow dancing.

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Pepper has no complaints, tightening his arms around her a little, one palm flattening warmly against her lower back and nuzzling his nose gently against hers. "Okay. I can agree to that," he sighs, focusing for a moment on just swaying in a little circle with her.

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An involuntary little noise leaves her parted lips at the way he holds her close, feeling more safe and warm than she can ever remember feeling. "You just like it when I admit defeat," she points out, and it's not like it's a measurable thing since she so seldom actually does.

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Pepper breathes a little laugh that starts somewhere deep from his chest, kissing her temple. His train of thought takes pretty much the same course as hers, prompting him to reply, "Nah. It's enough for me that I know I'm right."

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"As long as you have that," she says in a placating tone, patting his arm in a mock condescending manner. "That was really good wine..." Like, really really good.

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"You're all sympathy, my dear," he teases wryly and without heat. He leans the side of his chin lightly against her temple, humming a little in agreement at her verdict. "I might be persuaded to share the rest of mine. If you're nice."

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"What counts as nice?" she queries, dragging a light, tickling touch down over his arms and then down his ribcage.

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He hums a little at the touches, a light shiver coursing pleasantly down his spine at the feel of it. "You're on the right track, already."

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She grins up at him, hands running up and down his sides as she loses track of the music overhead, her feet slowing so she can focus on him instead. One palm presses against his hip while the other neatly untucks his shirt from his trousers, fingers sneaking up and under to rove over bare skin. "How about now?"

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"Madam..." he starts, mock-stern, inhaling deeply as Toni's fleet hands trail over his bare stomach. Dropping the act, he relents with a crooked smile, "Me and my wine yield. Since this is bound to get embarrassing for me real fast if I don't."

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The way he calls her that is sexy, for some reason, her tongue darting out and running across her lips suddenly. "Pity. You're cute when you're embarrassed." Toni drops her hands suddenly, smoothing out his shirt on the way and offering up a sweet smile in their place.

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"Only then?" He twists his lips into a vague pout. "I thought I was cute all the time. What a let-down." But he can't help but drop a light kiss to her lips, unable to resist that sweet smile.

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She smiles toothily, thinking the pout is sexy too. When he leans in for a kiss, she immediately deepens it, one hand sliding up his arm and hooking around the back of his neck to bring him closer. Toni nips his bottom lip and runs her tongue along it after, begging to be granted access. He may have had something sweet and brief in mind when he'd kissed her, but she doesn't ever hesitate to up the ante.

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He gives a tiny hum, half surprise and half pleasure, when she pushes in and deepens the kiss he'd meant as light and brief. His lips curve a little into the kiss, amused and fond. Just like her to push the envelope; not that he can much complain in this case, gladly parting his lips for her and meeting her questing tongue in the middle. At some point, they've stopped moving, standing still instead holding each other and kissing, like something out of a gooey lifetime movie. "Are you using your wiles on me?" he murmurs teasingly once they break apart for breath, lips brushing against hers.

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Toni has the same thought about Lifetime movies or the like, one heel lifting slightly so she can press flush against him while they kiss. "I wasn't under the impression that I had to," she admits after taking a much needed breath and pushing her forehead against his to rest. "In fact, I don't think you could handle my wiles, Mr. Potts."

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Pepper can't help but laugh softly at that, smiling and closing his eyes as their foreheads meet. "That's definitely the truth. I can barely handle your non-wiley self, Ms. Stark."