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It only took her a couple of days to realize that Tony Stark was an extremely spontaneous person. The times he decided to be spontaneous and decided to weight a lot of work on Pepper’s shoulders had always been the worst. So when he decided to go on a spontaneous vacation to Italy, the Cipriani hotel to be exact, Pepper had thought it to be a vacation full of work.
“Mr. Stark, is there a particular reason for why you decided to miss out the meetings that were scheduled for the next two weeks?” Of course Pepper knew how much he hated the meetings, but this seemed like a terrible exaggeration. What was she supposed to think about it?
“Meetings can be rescheduled. It’s the last month of the year, Potts, don’t you think a vacation in the heat of Italy is appropriate?”
Her gaze gave away the answer to that question and Pepper had to say no more. The ginger was sure, the flight over to Italy had been the most quiet of times they had ever spent together. Not that she had minded it at all, it had been quite refreshing (yet, she couldn’t help but being worried).
The hotel had been amazing. Even though she had been in a couple of amazing hotels in the USA before, The Cipriani was something completely different. Maybe it was just the combination of hotel and surroundings, but Pepper fell in love with that place as soon as they arrived.
“Your room is right next to mine, Ms. Potts. In case there is an emergency, of course.”
Tony Stark Emergencies were a different kind of emergency. But she wasn’t in the position to complain about it. Especially not since he was paying for everything, making sure she had the best comfort possible.
Pepper Potts wasn’t a woman to use her boss for her own comfort, so even with such a gesture she wasn’t willing to take advantage of the situation.
It only took her a couple of hours to notice that something was wrong. Usually, she was doing various things for him, making sure to do whatever he asked her to do. But during their first day in Italy, almost nothing happened. He hardly asked her to get things for him or organize something else; if anything, he kept quiet and behaved even more normal than would have been likely for Tony on his worst days.
“Enjoy your vacation, Pepper. In two weeks, we’ll be back in LA and you can go back to normal work days.”
It should have been a major hint for her, but Pepper didn’t really think about it when he said those words to her. In fact, she was more than willing to enjoy Italy, spending money on new heels and dresses and just enjoying a time without work. If only Tony hadn’t behaved so strangely.
They didn’t go out that first night. He had told her to go and have fun, that he would eventually join her, but Pepper already felt that there was a lie in his words. But not wanting to argue with him, she tuned and left, making her way to the hotel bar, wondering if he would really join her.
Three hours later, Pepper had found some company, but none that seemed interesting enough, and decided to go back to her room and finish the day. The sound of her heels clicking on the ground was the only sound that came from their floor and Pepper wondered if Tony had eventually left his room and have some fun.
Instead of going straight to her room, she eventually knocked on his door, simply wanting to make sure he was out or at least alright.
“Mr. Stark? Tony, are you in there?”
Two minutes passed and Pepper thought he wasn’t in his room and wanted to head to her own one when she suddenly heard sounds from inside. First thinking he had a woman with him, something she knew was very likely for her boss, she wanted to leave even quicker but stopped.
“I’m fine, Potts. Go and get sleep or something.” The slur of his words, or rather the tone of his voice, gave it away that he was lying.
She had known something was wrong and immediately she was blaming herself for not having been stubborn enough to question him.
“Tony, are you sure everything is alright?”
Usually, Pepper didn’t call him by his first name, only ever doing so when she knew he was too drunk to remember what she was telling him. But this wasn’t a talk between boss and employee, she was seriously worried.
“Just go away, Pepper. See you tomorrow.”
She was in no position to thrust herself upon him. He was still her boss, even though she was worried.
When she saw him the next day, it was as if nothing happened. Tony seemed to be his usual self and Pepper could only wonder what had happened the night before.
“Come along, Potts. We have things to do today.”
“Hello to you too.” She rolled her eyes, knowing it would be a long day.
Quietly, she wondered if their short talk the night before had really happened but Pepper knew better than to say anything. Maybe she had just been imagining things that weren’t real – it would be the first time (though these other things had been less appropriate).
At the end of the day, Pepper had gotten herself three pairs of new shoes and a new dress. Nothing in comparison of what Tony had bought. She knew that man had no idea how to handle money.
“See you at the bar, Ms. Potts,” he grinned that charming grin she came to grow fond of.
“Are you sure, Mr. Stark? Last night I had to find myself some other company as well.”
“I… got distracted last night. Not going to happen this time.”
Blue eyes looked him up and down and Pepper decided it was best to trust him. However, she made a mental note to look after him if he happened to stand her up again.
Another moment passed before she nodded, opening the door to her room. “See you at the bar, Mr. Stark.”
Pepper shouldn’t have been surprised. Even though he had promised not to stand her up again, she was all by herself, much to her worry. She wasn’t angry, hadn’t even expected to see him much should he come down; it was the worry that drove her to walk up to his room, determined to get in this time.
“Mr. Stark? Tony, I know you’re in there, and I need you to let me in.” No response.
“Tony, please open the door.”
“I’m fine, go away.”
“We were supposed to meet at the bar.”
“Sorry ‘bout that. Tomorrow, promise. Now go.”
“No. You will let me in now.”
Silence followed her words, and for a moment she worried that something happened. Inside the room, the strawberry blonde heard footsteps coming closer and the next thing she knew was the door opening.
Pepper expected to see Tony who would sound her away, but instead, he simply turned around and walked back to the couch. A bottle of whiskey in his hand, she could only imagine how much he had been drinking already. The empty bottles on the table were no good sign either.
“Tony, what’s wrong?”
She had seen many different sides of Tony, but seeing him as such a mess was a first. This wasn’t the Tony Stark she knew. Sitting down next to him, she watched him taking another gulp of his whiskey.
“Ogni lasciata è persa.”
Of course she knew that his Italian was very fluent, she had heard it the day before. But this came out as a surprise.
“I’m sorry?”
“An Italian saying that means something like ‘Every opportunity is unique’. My mother used to say it to me when I was younger.”
After a year of working for Tony, Pepper had never heard him talk about his parents before.
“The anniversary is on Thursday. The anniversary of their death.”
“Tony…” What was she supposed to say? He had never opened to her (she was, after all, just his PA), and this was so unlike him.
“She was right, you know. Every opportunity is unique. I missed mine, couple of times. I failed them, failed her. She just wanted that Dad and I get along, but I failed her. We both did. She’d be disappointed to see me now.”
Frowning, Pepper took the bottle from his hand, putting it out of his reach, and causing him to look up at her. “Your mother would be proud of what you’ve achieved. And you seem to keep up with your Italian, which mother wouldn’t be proud of that.”
A small smile was offered to Tony and she hoped he would trust her.
“She loved Venice. I thought it would be a good place go to. I never spend this time of the year with anyone else – except for Rhodey a couple of times.”
“Being alone isn’t a good idea, Tony. You don’t have to deal with it on your own.”
He didn’t say anything, simply looked down at his hands. Pepper knew it was up to her to do something.
“Do you trust me?”
The confusion in his eyes as he looked up already answered her question, but he still wanted to hear it from him.
“No other PA has ever stayed as long as you did so far. You wouldn’t be here if I didn’t trust you, Pepper.”
“I’m in charge for the rest of our vacation. We will honor your mother and I’ll make it easier for you.”
It was her job to do everything Tony asked her to do, but this time he didn’t seem to realize that she could offer help with his grief. All she needed him to do was to agree. To give her complete control for the time being.
“What do you have in mind, Potts?”
“First of all, you need to sleep. Tomorrow, we will do something different.”
Tony didn’t argue. He had to trust her and knew he wouldn’t regret it. They didn’t speak a lot when she helped him to bed, making sure he would be alright. It wasn’t a moment between boss and employee, but rather between two friends. As soon as he fell asleep, Pepper left him alone to go to bed herself.
The following two weeks, Pepper managed to distract Tony as much as possible, not allowing him to lock himself away at night to drink, but rather to share stories with her instead, making him think of happier times. During those two days, she learned more about the real Tony Stark than she did the past year.
On their way back home on the plane, they remained quiet, enjoying their last hours of vacation.
“Thank you, Pepper.”
Maybe the Cipriani could be a safe haven, Tony thought. Maybe they should come back next year. Pepper’s smile was met with a genuine one from him.