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Tony inhaled deeply, stretching and arching in the comfort of too soft sheets, groaning lowly as warm light washed over his closed eyelids. Rolling over abruptly, Tony reached out to the other side of the bed only to find it empty and cold.
His eyes snapped open, head lifting as he scanned the room, trying to calm the rapid beating of his heart. Relief slid over his skin, prickling and needy as the thumping of some unknowable object was dropped behind the closed door of the bathroom.
Tony huffed when he finally let his gaze rest on the clock, staring uncomprehendingly for a moment, “Its 6AM Pepper.”
The door opened and Pepper emerged in what look to be a simple ensemble of sweatpants, a black T-shirt, and an unzipped grey sweater. Her make-up was already done, and her hair was pulled back into a relaxed ponytail. Simple. Breathtaking. Sadly familiar.
“I tried not to wake you, but I needed the light,” she murmured.
Rubbing at one eye he reached out as she walked too close and snagged her hand, pulling her back onto the bed. Pepper let out a startled cry, but she was smiling as Tony wrapped his arms around her.
“I thought your flight wasn’t until noon,” he grumbled into her neck.
Pepper’s fingers ran through his hair, nails scratching at his scalp, sending tingles down his spine, “I told you last night they moved up the time to avoid that storm cell,” she sighed. “I take it you weren’t listening?”
“I did listen, I just got distracted,” Tony insisted. “What’s the point of having a private jet if you can’t pick your own departure time?”
Pepper didn’t answer him, but she was smiling, looking down at him with oa familiar mix of exasperation and adoration. Something in Tony’s chest squeezed harshly, stomach fluttering as was so common when with Pepper these days. Tony had never really envisioned himself as the domestic type. He had spent a half dozen therapy sessions coming to terms with the very real fear that he might end up too much like his father. Now…with Pepper those concerns lived only on dark nights, at the back of his mind. He had begun to think, to imagine what his life, what their life might look like if there were three of them instead of two, if there were toys scattered about and-
“Tony?”
Blinking rapidly, he found Pepper watching him with one raised eyebrow, barely concealed worry in the depths of her gaze, “I’m good. Just thinking.”
“Always thinking, about what this time?”
Smirking lightly, Tony rested a hand firmly on her thigh, looking to distract, “about how much I’m going to miss you.”
“You know,” Pepper confided. “There is nothing stopping you from coming. I’d imagine there wouldn’t even need to be a negotiation if you came.”
Tony waved off her words, “they need us if they want to get their company off the ground. Without our investment their entire plan collapses, this is their hail Mary before they give up.”
She opened her mouth, no doubt to begin regaling him with her plan of attack for the upcoming meeting and as much as he wanted to let her voice sooth him back to sleep, he didn’t want to stop looking, watching until the moment she stepped outside his door. So, shifting minutely, Tony got an elbow settled beneath himself and heaved up to press a hard kiss to her lips.
Pepper stopped mid-sentence. Her softened and eased into his own, Tony hummed happily as her long fingers slipped into his hair once more. They kissed for several long minutes, bodies pressed tightly together, and Tony decided right then and there…when Pepper came back from this trip, he’d talk to her about all of this. About the possibility of a family.
Pulling away, Tony patted at her now messier hair. Luckily, she was dressed for the plane and would have hours to change and fix everything, “I love you so much.”
Pepper’s eyes softened as she looked up at him. The worry was there again but buried deep this time. Tony understood that it would always be there, couldn’t be helped after months and years of nightmares and drinking and PTSD and fear. There was a time he would have hated anything that felt so close to pity…but not anymore, not when it was Pepper. She’d fought her own battles and he’d always be grateful for each and every sacrifice she made for him, over and over again.
In the end, it was nice to have those bright, intelligent, caring eyes on him. Watching, loving, wanting despite all the pain he had given in return.
Smiling just a little Pepper pushed his hair back indulgently, “I think we’re getting a bit old for all this long-distance, aren’t we?”
“Hmm, couldn’t agree more. How about no more travelling? We’ll send the interns or someone in your place.”
“Oh, I’m sure that couldn’t go wrong.”
“How about video conferencing, you know we’ve got holograms now right?”
“They are businessmen Tony; they’d appreciate face to face negotiations.”
“They’ll appreciate whatever gets them their money.”
At one time that might have offended her but as it was, Pepper just smacked at his shoulder, laughing and rolling her eyes. He liked the sound of it, especially when he’d had a good night’s rest and not a single Avenger oriented mission in nearly three weeks.
It was not easy to ignore the guilt that thought inspired.
“I have to go, Happy will already be waiting.”
“Let him wait.”
“He might but the plane won’t,” she murmured. Without much preamble Pepper pressed another kiss to his lips and slipped from his grasp with practiced ease. “I’ll call you when I land and before I go to bed. I’ve already programmed Friday so you won’t accidentally ignore me again.”
She shot him a look, but Tony had already collapsed back into the sheets, face covered as she grabbed her suitcase and left the room, throwing out a quick but no less sincere, “I love you.”
He didn’t even try to hide his smile.