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

[letmetakeaselfie]

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?"

Comments

[valuedstrength]

Steve couldn't smile any more warmly at Pepper if he tried. He knows that she is fully aware of what he's up to. Rather than chide him for being invested in his marriage, she just sends along the message. Of course Tony's antics have him shaking his head in fond exasperation.

Steve turns the camera towards himself. "The possibility of marriage is already weighing heavily on them. I give them a month, Peg." He winks at the camera before turning it off. Okay back to reality until the next round of photos.

"So you're really going with the story Pepper had all the say when you proposed on stage?" He raises an eyebrow in Tony's direction. Yes, he's helping Pepper pick on you.

[efficacy]

"Mm-hmm," Pepper hums in playful disbelief, not falling for the wounded puppy dog eyes Tony is giving her, though she has a slight weakness for them. This time though, he's deserved every and any bit of teasing thrown his way, from her and Steve. The fact that Steve is on her side only makes her smile triumphantly, raising a brow at Tony as she waits for his answer.

[letmetakeaselfie]

A slight weakness. He tips his head, but winds his arm back around her obligingly. "You guys have really honed the art of ganging up on a guy. It's my birthday." Sigh, sigh. He turns all his attention to Pepper. "You were surprised, weren't you?"

[valuedstrength]

"Practice makes perfect." Steve shrugs as if it can't be helped. Bullying Tony is a part of life. "But, fine. I guess I owe you a few words like happy birthday or congratulations on finally working up the nerve to ask your girl to marry you. That didn't take too long at all."

He gently punches Tony in the chest before turning his attention to Pepper. "Thanks for agreeing to take him off our hands for the rest of your life."

[efficacy]

"Oh, I was definitely surprised," Pepper tells Tony, smirking wryly even a she leans against his side. Along with few other emotions, but never mind that now. Her smirk grows a little at Steve's admonishment, drawing no little amount of amusement from it.

"I guess someone had to make that sacrifice," she smiles in response to Steve's grateful words, but there's such warmth in her tone and in her eyes when she glances at Tony and kisses his cheek gently that nobody could ever doubt her devotion to him.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Ugh. The most offended look ever is being shot Steve's way. But it's short-lived as he receives that cheek-kiss, eyelashes fluttering just for a second and yet in such a telling way. "Then mission accomplished. On all counts." We're all winners etc etc let's raise the roof. But then he's lifting a brow for them both. "Like anyone else could put up with me." If there's one thing Tony knows (and ignores) it's his own limitations.

[valuedstrength]

Steve laughs at her initial response. His expression softens greatly at that little exchange. They're so cute. His heart really can't take this. He has to look away for a second. Somehow he manages to survive yet another session of Pepper and Tony's love being the cutest thing ever. He resumes eye contact with them both. It is of course to say something gushy and embarrassing.

"That's why it's called finding the right partner." He points out gently for the hundredth time. Don't worry. Steve finds his sense of humor a second later. "Not 'God I hope they don't kill each other before they get down the aisle.'"

[efficacy]

Pepper would be sorry to inflict their gross lovey-doveyness on Steve, but they did just get engaged. It's a little hard to suppress it.

It's Pepper's turn to laugh now. "Don't be so hasty, there's still the actual wedding planning to get through." Who's to say there isn't a small bridezilla inside of her? She doubts it, but they just don't know yet.

[letmetakeaselfie]

That gets a look from Tony, incredulous and enamored. "If anyone's doing the killing, it's you." He brushes some bangs out of her eyes and kisses the corner of her mouth before settling back at her side, ear resting against her shoulder. He definitely feels no such inclination to tone it down for his uncle; he's too happy to notice how sickening they're being. "That part's whatever you want, though, I mean it. Connecticut in the Fall, right? Like we said."

His gaze flicks over to Steve, as if calculating. Now is already Summer... "Not-- not that it needs to be this Fall. That wouldn't give us much time to..." Oops. Yeah he's leaving that one, trailing off nervously.

[valuedstrength]

"Did we ever really have a doubt?" Steve asks evenly. Really who wouldn't want to kill Tony if they dated much less married him? Steve raises a brow at the rest of that. "Am I missing something? The idea sounds great by the way." The Fall wedding part. Not the what are you talking about part.

[efficacy]

"We can pull it off in time for this Fall," she says with a light shrug, giving Tony a curious look. By that she means she can pull it off. She thinks. And while she normally is on the same wavelength with Tony, this time she's not entirely sure what he means, either.

[letmetakeaselfie]

She always makes it so simple. He nods, still a little nervy and weird, but no worse for wear. "I just meant -- Fall happens every year." They don't have to rush to get it going right now as much as he wants that. For all that he'd hemmed and hawed about the right time, he doesn't think he's ever been readier for anything his entire life.

[valuedstrength]

Steve stares at him a moment as if accusing Tony of something. "It's up to you two obviously." Which is to say he is going to throw his two cents in. "If I can make a friendly comment? Maybe point something out? I'd like not to be a hundred when I attend the wedding. It's actually a dream of mine."

His tone may be joking, but it's clear from the look in his eyes that he does legitimately fear being a hundred at this wedding. Please get married already.

[efficacy]

Pepper chuckles at Steve's contribution, although she's not disagreeing. They probably should have gotten engaged years ago; it's not a fully realized concern, but a part of her wonders if they don't go forward with this soon, they'll wind up procrastinating for another few years.

"Don't tell me you're getting cold feet already," Pepper teases gently, nudging Tony.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He leans over to slap his uncle's arm. There's only so much teasing he can bear okay. This is his day so shut up, grandpa. Especially since he has a point. "You won't be a hundred," he promises, turning towards Pepper and shaking his head vigorously even if he knows it's only a continuation of Steve's joke. "I just don't want... you to get stressed out thinking you have to plan this thing by October. But if anyone could do it's you. Or a really gay wedding planner." Tony leans in to kiss her cheek, feeling silly for waiting so long, but that doesn't matter. Not when it feels this great. When the timing just didn't link up for them before. So what? They're here now. They're really getting married. He smiles a rare uninhibited smile just for his family. Just for the two people who mean more to him than anyone else ever could.

[valuedstrength]

Steve smiles warmly in return. He feels so very proud of both of them. All jokes aside, they found the right moment to commit. They're happy which is all Steve has ever really wanted for both of them. The future will always bring problems, but for now life is good.

He snaps out of it long enough to snort at the idea that Pepper ever wasn't stressed out in some capacity. "Oh come on, Tony. You act like there aren't a hundred people who would kill to help Pepper Potts plan a wedding much less one to you." He shakes his head in mock disappointment. "I know why they love you Pepper, but I'll never get their fascination with Tony."

He tilts his head. "Must be because even he looks good on your arm." He grins, knowing he's probably earned himself yet another completely ineffective slap to the arm.

[efficacy]

"It's just the matter of finding the one who cares about the wedding and not the prestige of it," Pepper comments with a chuckle, though it's not really a joke. Some people just want to benefit from the association to anything to do with Tony -- she still thinks she's just along for the ride, honestly. Half the people here tonight are probably just here to be seen, which is a little sad to her.

Steve's teasing pulls a more fondly amused laugh from her, and she nudges Tony affectionately. "Must be."