I feel your heartbeat ♥ All the time

[cheeseburgerfirst]

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

[cheeseburgerfirst]

"Cop-out," she accuses with a tiny smirk of her own, shaking her head in mock-disapproval. "There's no way you miss everything about me all the time." She can be like, super annoying and she's well aware of it. But then she's thnking about it further and... even some of Pepper's more obnoxious traits are attractive to her. Maybe that's why they're so good for each other, in the end. She rubs her ankle experimentally against his, another little thrill zinging through her midsection.

[effectuate]

Pepper humphs, mock-offended, at the accusation. "Yes, way." Yes, even when she's being super annoying. They're all part of what make Toni Toni and as such, he loves every single trait. He grabs his glass and grins dorkily over the rim, pushing his foot forward a little to rub back.

"And you liked that answer enough to start playing footsie with me, so it's definitely a winner."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

This time she really does flush beet red, the liberal amount of wine she's already ingested only aiding the cause further. Her foot stills a moment, almost in defiance, shaking her head and assessing how much of her meal she's put away vs. how much more she can eat. She wants to eat it all just because it's so good, but her stomach is already so full of deliciousness and it forces her to ease back a bit, mostly pushing the rest around her plate now.

"You are such a dork."

[effectuate]

"I know. You love it," he retorts with a smile, nudging her ankle gently with his. He notices she's done eating, but he didn't expect her to finish it all. She has a small appetite; he's glad she put away as much as she did. He polishes off the last of his own meal and takes the final sip of wine in his glass before getting up. "Let me take these away. Pour me another glass, would you?"

Pepper totes their plates back in the kitchen and rinses them out, popping them in the dishwasher. He doubts Toni's up for dessert, so he only plates one slice of the cheesecake he'd brought home; though he brings two forks with him to the table. "You can help me with this if you're up to it."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

"Yes, dear," she parrots, tipping her head and watching him leave deliberately before moving to do as he asked. Toni gets up and moves around the table to pour his glass, her vision already pleasantly hazy from the drinking she's been doing herself. It feels good to let go after so long being so careful. Her shirt slips down again, unnoticed, revealing one lacy strap of her bra as she pulls her chair closer to his and plops down to wait for him, her own refilled wine glass in hand.

"When did you have time to make this?" she asks, a bit incredulous. What's he doing? Something feels off, and she can't decide if she likes it or not. "You're making me nervous." It's blurted as he retakes his seat, leveling him with a surprisingly steady gaze.

[effectuate]

Pepper breathes a little laugh, shaking his head wryly. "I'm making you nervous? Because of cheesecake?"

He breaks off a piece of the cake with his fork and pops in into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. It's excellent, but he can't focus properly on just how good it is, suddenly concerned about Toni's mood. "I didn't make it, if that makes you feel any better. I picked it up on my way home."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

"It does, actually." Make her feel better, that is. She sips her wine and watches him eat it, undecided if she wants any yet. "You're acting funny."

Her eyes narrow. It's probably nothing, she's overthinking things as always. "Funnier than usual," she amends a moment later, setting down her glass and picking up the second fork experimentally.

[effectuate]

"How am I acting funnier than usual?" he shoots back as he picks on the cake, still mostly amused but a little baffled, too. "I've made you dinner before."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

She reaches out to stab a tiny piece of the cheesecake for herself, shaking her head. Maybe she's just being paranoid. "I just feel like you're up to something." A baseless accusation and she knows it, but it's still this niggling feeling she can't shake. Toni leans forward to take her bite, brushing her knee against his under the table in the process.

[effectuate]

Pepper takes a sip from his glass, setting it down and giving her a look under his lashes. "I'm always up to something," he quips with a smile. He rubs his knee against hers, arching a brow and pointing his fork at her. "Maybe I should be the one to accuse you of being up to something, instead."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

That response so doesn't ease her mind, but she can't help but return his smirk with one of her own, chewing and swallowing her cake before responding. "Who, me?" She bats her eyelashes and smiles sweetly as she goes for another forkful.

[effectuate]

"Yes, you," he confirms, nodding at her once again bare shoulder. "Distracting me with peeks of your lacy underthings." He shakes his head and tsks in mock-reproach. "Sly tactics, mademoiselle."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

It startles a laugh out of her, once again reflexively pushing up the shirt. It must be slightly too big for her or something, what does she know about these things? "If I knew it would offend your delicate sensitivities, I would have worn my Quaker outfit."

[effectuate]

"Hey, I don't know," he returns around a laugh, forking a small piece of cake in his mouth and swallowing before cracking a grin, teasing back, "That might've turned me on, too."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

She shakes her head and drops her fork in favor of the wine glass again. He might be on his own for the rest of the cake. "You always have to make it weird."

[effectuate]

He's good with that! Toni might have a tiny appetite but Pepper's is alive and well. "You love that, too," he says with a tiny smirk.

[cheeseburgerfirst]

"Good thing," she comments off-hand, but watches him eat fondly. Toni's mostly dropped her suspicions, at least on the surface. She's still internally preparing herself for a curveball, but more or less content to just enjoy his company for now.

[effectuate]

"Like you're not just as weird. Don't even try," he teases, smiling fondly. Pushing aside the empty plate, he takes a moment to sip on his wine and simply watch her, a warm look in his eyes. "You make candlelight look amazing."

And no, he didn't mean the other way around.

[cheeseburgerfirst]

She opens her mouth to protest, but he beats her to the punch. Halfway through a sip, she nearly chokes, managing to gingerly set her glass down while her face turns beat red. "That's so corny," she protests, even though it's clearly getting to her deep down. Toni drops her hands into her lap and looks at the tiny flame in question, images from movies and TV and commercials cycling through her head at breakneck speed. She feels like she's inside one of them now, surely life could never truly be so perfect?

Her eyes light on his after a long pause, shaking her head though she can't bring herself to actually dismiss his claim. "Okay, where is Ashton Kutcher hiding?"

[effectuate]

"Yeah. That's me," he smiles self-deprecatingly, glancing down and idly turning his wine glass about on the table by the stem. When Toni goes on, he glances up and quirks another smile, though it's perhaps a little forced. He knows things like these aren't up her alley, but is it so ridiculous to want to give her a nice night without ulterior motives? "Oh, you know. Shoved him in the closet, probably hasn't found his way out of there yet."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

She reaches out for the meat of his arm when he turns away, catching his eyes earnestly as the red slowly drains from her face. "Kinky," she comments offhand when he goes on, sensing he's not in the banter like usual and wanting to do something about it. Her hand slips down his arm until she reaches bare skin, gently and deliberately lacing their fingers together. "Thanks for dinner. It was... perfect." Just like everything he does, and here she is being paranoid -- any other girl would kill for romance like this, she reminds herself.

[effectuate]

His lips curve into a small smile, genuine this time, when she twines their fingers. Squeezing gently, Pepper lifts their joined hands to his mouth and kisses the back of her hand softly before letting them rest on the table again.

"You're welcome," he says quietly. "No agenda, I promise. I just... wanted to give you a nice night. It's been a rough year and it hasn't always been easy for you, but you've stepped up and made an effort." He strokes her hand with his thumb, smiling sweetly. "And I'm really proud of you."

[cheeseburgerfirst]

Heat comes back to her face easily, and she shakes her head. Nothing she's done is so great -- most of the time she feels like she's running in place. "You're a saint," she reminds him, the way he stays by her side without wavering much more impressive than any efforts she's put in.

[effectuate]

"So you keep claiming," he returns at length with a small smile, a hint of color rising to his own cheeks. "Want to take the rest of the wine and go sit on the couch?"

[cheeseburgerfirst]

"I thought you'd never ask," she admits, standing with only a little wobble and leaning down for a kiss. It's brief, but firm and warm, and as she pulls back she takes up the bottle and her glass in one hand.