✵ 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

[efficacy]

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."

[valuedstrength]

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."