Work Text:
A distant beeping pulled Tony out of his dream. The scent filling his nostrils was one he could recognise anywhere, giving him a form of comfort he could only describe as home. His arms wrapped tightly around the body on top of him, as he let out a soft groan. He really didn’t want to get up yet.
Pepper supposedly had the same idea. Burying her face between his shoulder and his neck, trying to snuggle even closer to him, she let out a content sigh. Today marked the month of Tony and Pepper’s relationship, and if Tony had any choice in the matter, he would spend the whole day with her wrapped in his arms like this.
However, before he knew it, Pepper rolled off of him, stretching her arm to turn off the alarm. Missing the warmth of her body instantly, Tony couldn’t help but roll over too. It was his turn to bury his face in her neckline now.
‘Morning’ he mumbled as he pressed a sleepy kiss on her collar bone.
‘Good morning’ she whispered, returning the gesture by giving him a kiss on his forehead.
They lay there in silence for a good minute, Pepper playing with his hair, limbs intertwined, giving each other time to wake up.
Tony slowly raised his head, needing to admire the woman who rocked his world. Everybody knew Pepper was an amazing woman– smart, determined, honest, compassionate, beautiful, and a million other things. But it was during moments like these, when she was in this dreamy state of comfort, when she didn’t have anything she needed to do or needed to be, that he found her most adorable. She was breathtaking in every way of the word, and she was his.
Tony’s chocolate brown eyes met the greyish blue of hers as he muttered
‘Happy one month anniversary miss Potts’
Referring to their old formalities with a wink.
‘Happy one month anniversary mister Stark’ she rolled her eyes, but played along as they shared a slow, loving kiss.
He still couldn’t believe it. They had been dating for a whole month. Tony Stark, once the biggest playboy in the world, is in love, dating someone who was in love with him.
Up until a year ago all of these things seemed impossible. It’s why he’s so afraid he’ll screw it up. It’s why they have been keeping their relationship a secret.
Happy and Rhodey already knew of course, together with Pepper’s closest friends and family members. They had both agreed the first people to know were their loved ones.
They just didn’t want too many people middling into it, as it was already difficult enough in the beginning.
Hiding their relationship however, wasn’t as much of a challenge as they thought it would be, since they were already pretty close with one another beforehand. No one bat an eye when Tony carefully placed his hand on her back, when they shared their meals together, not even when Pepper spent the night at Tony’s house. The two of them did all of those things as colleagues too. Even the stolen glancing was happening more than any of them would have liked to admit back then.
So, the only thing they had to hide was the physical aspect: the kissing & the sex. Tony being Tony (but secretly also Pepper being Pepper), it was not always that easy. Being head over heels in love with each other, combined with the thrill of doing something ‘in secret’, did help to lighten the burden though. In the beginning. After a month they were getting tired of it. The doubts about the security of their relationship were as good as gone, and they felt ready to tell the world about their love for each other. Or at least a part of the world.
After a few more good morning kisses Tony pulled away a little.
‘Hey, so I was thinking about a way to celebrate these past thirty days of amazing sex; ’ he winked ‘and.. what if I cook for you tonight?’
As he expected, Pepper raised an eyebrow at his question.
‘Hmm, I can think of more fun things to do than to put out fires and potentially burn down the kitchen.’
‘Pepper please’ he begged ‘let me try’ he gave her his best puppy eyes.
That was her weakness and he knew it.
Only his cooking reputation was so bad, that she still had her doubts.
‘Tony I-’
‘We can cook together! I mean you could watch me prepare an amazing meal, and when I forget something because I’m too busy thinking about my gorgeous girlfriend, you could help me.’
Pepper rolled her eyes at his ridiculous attempt to convince her.
‘Fine’ she gave in
‘Great! I can make pizza’s and-’
‘but if you fail’ she interrupted ‘you’ll take me to the best Italian restaurant in town’
‘Got it.’ he said as he gave her a quick kiss. ‘You won’t regret this Pep, I promise’
He leaned down to kiss her again when the ring of his cellphone interrupted them. With an irritated groan Tony grabbed it to look at the caller ID.
‘Rhodey’ he frowned ‘Why is he calling me at seven in the morning?’
‘Well pick up’ Pepper urged.
He pressed the green button of his Stark phone and brought the device to his ear.
‘Platypus’ he answered flatly, making his best friend know that this was a very inconvenient time to call.
‘Morning Tones, sorry to interrupt you. I’m on training weekend and I can only call now’ the military said ‘I just wanted to know what time you’re expecting us tomorrow?’
Tony might be a genius but this time he had no clue what he was talking about.
‘Tomorrow?’
‘Yes tomorrow Tony,’ Rhodey replied irritatedly. ‘Happy, Pepper and I are coming over for pizza’s remember.’
‘That’s tomorrow!’ he gasped with a panic in his voice
‘Yes that’s tomorrow! Don’t tell me you forgot man, we planned this thing like two months ago, so that everyone would be available.’
Tony gave Pepper a panicked look, but his girlfriend just rolled her eyes in return. She had obviously heard everything, since he was laying right on top of her. However, Pepper Potts was not like him. Pepper Potts kept an agenda. She remembered things and then reminded him of those things. Or at least she used to. In the process of not having Pepper as his assistant and living on cloud nine for the past month, he must have let this little rendez-vous slip his mind.
‘Tony, you still there?’
‘Uhhh’ he mumbled, lost for words. Suddenly he saw Pepper holding up seven fingers, covering her face.
‘Yeah be here at seven.’
‘Allright, see you tomorrow’
Tony mumbled a quick goodbye.
‘Soooo..’ he looked at Pepper, who was trying her best not to laugh at his stupidity
‘...what if I take you out to dinner tonight, and I make pizzas tomorrow?’
She couldn’t help but giggle this time.
‘You idiot’ she gave him a playful nudge.
‘Roll over, pizza baker. I need to go to work.’
‘On our anniversary’ he whined and held her even tighter than before.
‘Tony, the world doesn’t stop because we’ve been dating for a month.’ she tried to wiggle out of his grip. ‘And your company needs at least one CEO.’
‘Well we’re both CEO, so if we both work for half a day, would that count as one?’
Ignoring his absurd remark she tried a different tactic
‘If you want me to be on time for dinner tonight, you better let me go to work, mister CEO.’
At this let her go, but not before giving her one last, passionate kiss.
‘See you tonight, missus CEO.’
Tony couldn’t help but smile when he saw the hickeys covering her neck. Now surely some of their coworkers would start to have some questions. Pepper apparently hadn’t noticed-
‘Tony!’ he heard her yell
-yet.