penistower | ✵ the conversation stopped and i looked down at the ring ✵

Entry tags:

✵ the conversation stopped and i looked down at the ring ✵

This has the makings of every Tony Stark party to date, plus a few. It's loud, dark; and so totally nineties. It's his era, he can't help himself. Big yellow sunglasses accompany his light-colored suit, hair slicked back and a smile glued on his face. He's ready to make this an affair no one will ever forget.

Before making his way out, he stops to see her, hanging in the doorway as she pulls on her dress. "Did I get you that?" he asks, slowly slipping into the room to help her zip. It's been a few days since he's seen her -- they've barely spoken. Sometimes he gets up long before her and is in the lab long after she gets home. Though they sleep in the same bed, it's as if they lead entirely separate lives at times. He owes her so much more, this week especially, and this is his grand occasion to make up all his misgivings.

He smiles softly, thinking of their night under the stars. Eating diner burgers and garlic fries and looking over their life together. It was impossible to look forward so they had looked back, enjoyed the past for what it was. Though he had never accepted there wouldn't be a future for them, he had had to entertain the possibility that his father would let him down one last time. Fortunately for everyone, Howard had come through, and just in the nick of time.

Tony's forty today and it feels ancient. He's known Pepper for well over half his life and here they are. Once her dress is secure, he pulls her into his arms from behind, hands winding possessively around her waist. "I can tell everyone to go home." Maybe he really should have listened -- made this an intimate affair. But the wedding would be small -- quaint and New England in every way. The engagement had to be big. West Coast big. He sighs against the side of her face, unable to keep from grinning.

He is very, very drunk when he gets up on stage, but no one here expects anything less. He has a glass of champagne and he calls Pepper out of the crowd. This is it; their moment. The one his family's been pushing him for since the moment they'd met. "Damn," he says into the mic as she stands, whistling lowly and shaking his head. "What took me so long?"

It gets laughter, of course, but then it's quiet like a library. The New Haven library where they first met, even. No music, no nothing. When Pepper joins him , a walk that seems to take forever, he doesn't hesitate to get down on one knee, his glass left on the podium as he pulls a box out of his pocket.

"I know you wanted to keep this small, so naturally I did the exact opposite." He drops the microphone so he can pry open the box, a giant but tasteful vintage stone shining up at her. Tony swallows back his nerves, playing up the cheese for the crowd, tipping his head with a lopsided smile. "Now that I'm not dying, what do you say?"

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Steve slips away from the big scene in order to work on a more important mission: documentation. He's got collect as much proof as he can that this happened. Naturally if Peggy can't be here, he'll bring the party to her. He hasn't given up on his wife. This is going to make her year once she finds out. She's been waiting for this since Pepper turned eighteen, after all. He can't let her patience go unrewarded.

Steve can be found milling about with his phone. He's taking pictures and getting in a few short videos in wherever he can.

(Pepper should prepare to be cornered for one sans Tony at some point.)

Someone may want to stop him at some point to at least indulge in the idea of enjoying the moment rather than observing it for his wife.

Natasha slips up behind him; she makes no noise. Her thumb presses against a vital pressure spot in his neck, which to any partygoer would look like a friendly greeting between partners. She speaks lowly into his ear.

"Put the phone down, Rogers. You have three seconds."

Steve grimaces. Okay, okay. He's slipping it into his pant pocket. He already got the shot he wanted anyways!! "You know some people just say hello, Natasha. I like your suit. It's great your nephew is finally getting married."

Why do you hate him? :(

"I like your suit," she admits with a half smile, hand moving down to thread through his elbow. It serves a double purpose of making sure the phone stays pocketed, but of course seems 100% casual. She sighs, deliberately wistful. "They look happy."

He knows exactly what you are up to Natasha!! Whatever snarky comment he had lined up dies on his lips at the sight of them. Steve sighs wistfully as well. "That's because they are. This is one of their big moments." He really doesn't care that makes him sound old. It's the truth.

Their big moments. She grins, dragging him onto the dance floor before he can protest. He might sound like an old guy, but it's damn adorable anyway. "It might even be the big moment. You think you can secure me an invite to the wedding?" It's a really lame joke -- she learned those from the best.

Steve shakes his head in fond exasperation. Fine, he will be dragged around like the big pushover he is when not fighting for truth, justice, and the American way aka dad mode. "Like you need an invite to go anywhere."

Pepper's attention has been fairly effectively dominated by Tony since his birthday bash turned into their surprise engagement party. Not that she minds that in the least, but eventually she gently shoos him off to mingle with the guests one on one while she does the same. Though first, she pulls back to the sidelines and away from the crush of people to take a moment for herself -- relatively speaking, at least.

But when she spies Steve, she makes her way over with a happy smile. "Gathering proof for posterity's sake?"

Steve nods, snapping a photo a second later. "You caught me." The phone is going down. This is Pepper's big day. He's not going to stick his phone in her fact the whole time.

"How do you feel?" This is a little crazy. He wouldn't blame her for feeling just a little overwhelmed.

Pepper shakes her head at the question, giving a wry grin. "Oh, I... definitely didn't expect this tonight of all nights, but I guess I should have known better. Go big or go home is pretty much the only setting Tony has, most of the time."

Something that Steve very well knows. Her smile softens into something more subdued and sincere. "But I'm happy. More than I expected to be."

She never needed to get married in order to be happy and content, but now that it's actually happening, she feels a profound sense of completion that's hard to ignore.

Steve shrugs, but his eyes betray his understanding. It's not like he married Peggy right away either despite the impulse to do so from basically the moment he met her. "You don't think it matters what a piece of paper says until it does. Getting a little early ring probably isn't any different."

He is quiet a moment before adding seriously. "You've always been good for him. I know Tony's never going to stop trying to be his best for you. You're going to have an amazing marriage." He knows she doesn't need to hear him say that. She has to know after all these years and yet he reassures her anyways. She's always been family so it's natural for him to continue trying too hard at every opprtunity.

Pepper smiles softly, nodding once in silence. It doesn't surprise her that Steve knows exactly what she means.

"Thank you. You and Peggy have always been so kind and supportive since day one." Of her, as well as the relationship between her and Tony. She blinks, swallowing back sudden tears of emotion. She wouldn't be the person she is today without Peggy's -- Steve's too, but especially Peggy's -- guidance along the years. It hurts Pepper to think Peggy can't be here to celebrate this with them, that she won't be there at the wedding ceremony either. "I just wish she could be here with us to see this with her own eyes."

Edited 2015-01-24 01:32 (UTC)

Steve shatters as much as he'll ever allow himself to in public in regards to his wife's condition. His eyes well up with tears. It takes a lot of willpower to keep his voice steady as he reaches out to touch Pepper's shoulder reassuringly. "I know. I wish she could be here too."

He always notices her absence. Days like today it's nearly unbearable because he knows what she would do. She'd hold her head up high and make sure the couple got their due. Peggy would be so proud of them and no illness would rob her of that later. He wishes not for the first time she had gotten the serum instead even knowing logically that had a whole different set of serious problems. The fact her husband would have never made it to thirty for example.

He forces a smile and tries to sound okay. "She'll have this for a little while. You'll both make her very happy."

The sight makes him sad. He knows exactly why Steve is filming. But he pastes on a bright smile, holding out a champagne glass for Steve. He saw him refuse the one the waiter brought for everyone, and it's tradition damnit!!!

"You got my good side, right?" he asks, glomming on to Steve's shoulder. It's selfie time, bitch.

Steve's not accepting it until he snaps that selfie of them since he knows Peg will love it. Then of course he has to be a jerk about the whole thing. He hesitates as if holding off on the bad news. "Well I did the best I could, but you see what I have to work with."

He sips the champagne innocently. What? Did he say something wrong? Honesty is important in a relationship!!

"Yeah, you're right. They both look good next to your ugly mug." It's the very most important thing. He taps Steve's cheek affectionately. "Enjoying the party? Or have you been filming the whole time."

"I haven't been filming the whole time." He pockets his phone. Steve has also taken pictures. That doesn't count as filming. "I'd ask you, but Pepper didn't actually run away so I assume things are going great."

Tony barely suppresses the eyeroll, holding up his glass to clink against Steve's expectantly. He's switched to scotch since their dance. "Peachy. Though I'm pretty sure it was a near thing for a second there." Thank god Pepper has had 20 years of his shenanigans to get used to the way he does things. Which is as insanely as possible. Just look at the people who raised him...

Steve takes a sip out of obligation. He tilts his head to the side as he nods. He gets why she would be tempted. "You really should take it down a notch for the wedding. I'm not just saying that because I'm tired of girls half your age thinking it's okay to hit on me." Seriously that might be a factor. God why does everyone get weird on him at these things?

That gets a full-out guffawing sort of laugh. He shakes his head and claps Steve on the shoulder. "Most guys who look like you wouldn't complain about it." ...The rest of Cap's statement is catching up with him have an offended scowl in no seconds flat. "And they are not half my age. Two-thirds. At least." Okay Tony good 2 kno you can still delude yourself in this AU.

Steve can only stare at him in astonishment. He's been hanging out with Tony since he kicked Maria in the ribs. He knows damn well how old he is compared to the party goers. "Right." Keep living the lie. "Two-thirds."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

✵ the conversation stopped and i looked down at the ring ✵

steve - open

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject