A/N: Here it is at last Nerdy-Tomboy's prize fic for winning my 50th reviewer competition! Really really really sorry this is so late D: but i hope is lives up to your expectations.
Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with marvel, if i had then there would've been a shower scence in IM3
"Miss Potts, I highly advise against this," Jarvis spoke via the speakers in the mansion's workshop, "Mr Stark would not be pleased,"
"Jarvis just show me!" Pepper demanded, flopping down into the chair opposite the glass-hologram screens, rubbing her temples in frustration, "Or so help me I'll take a hammer to your mother board!"
"Right away Miss Potts," The AI said quickly, valuing his continued existence, unlike his master, he knew the red-head would follow through with her threats, and set about displaying the requested media on middle of the screens at the desk.
Flashing images of explosions and the sounds of bullets ricocheting of the Iron Man suit stunned her into silence, her eyes wide, the sight before her was disturbing to say the least but she couldn't find it in herself to pull her eyes away from the screen. She'd had enough of having to patch up Tony every time he came home battered from a mission with not even an explanation as to how he'd gotten hurt, so she took it upon herself to see what had caused him to return from his last mission with a dislocated shoulder.
"Miss Potts… is everything alright?" Jarvis asked quietly as he detected her accelerated heart rate and suspected she was crying, "Would you like me to stop the recording?"
"No! … I'm okay… I need to see this Jarvis…" She sniffed wiping away her tears, she shouldn't be crying over her boss, but then Tony Stark wasn't just her boss, he was her best friend, and the man she'd fallen in love with, "I can't just sit here and not know… not anymore,"
Out of respect, the AI remained quiet, after what he believed was an almost kiss on that roof top, it was difficult to see from the in helmet camera that had been thrown to the ground, he'd taken it upon himself to monitor his master and the red-head, and had come to the conclusion that they did in fact care greatly for the other, maybe even love, but couldn't seem to tell the other.
Pepper sat, silently crying as she watched the chaos from Tony's point of view, 'no wonder he has so many nightmares…' she thought offhandedly, as more bullets came his way. A few minutes later and she discovered the cause of the dislocated shoulder, something resembling a cannon was fired in the distance, hitting the suit directly in the shoulder.
*AHHH FUCK!* Tony screamed, which made her heart stop in her chest, then the camera angle shifted, showing he'd fallen to the floor, *Jarvis… thruster's now! Get me out of here and fire the chest repulsor once I'm high enough! Pepper… gotta g-get back to Pepper… - Pepper…?"
Said woman gasped as she realised that the last repetition of her name wasn't from the recording, and didn't turn to face who had entered the workshop, not wanting them to see how much she was crying.
"Pepper what're you doing?! Jarvis turn it off now!" Tony commanded, storming his way across the workshop to where his PA sat, right arm in a sling, the evidence of his last battle's injuries, "Why the fuck did you let her watch that! I swear to god you're gon-"
"I told him to show me Tony so don't you dare threaten him," Pepper said, standing up and turned to face him, eyes red, mascara running, lip trembling, showing the man before him exactly what he'd done to her, "You said my name, 'got to get back to Pepper'… explain, now."
Staring at her vulnerable expression he knew he couldn't just let the subject drop, "Because…" He rubbed the back of his head nervously and looked down at the floor, "Because you're the only thing worth coming back to…"
"What…?" She mumbled, staring at him 'did he really just say that?' She asked herself, then it clicked why he never told her anything, he didn't want her to be upset because she was the reason he wanted to come home, "I understand," Pepper murmured with a hint of a smile, closing the distance between to pull him into a tight hug, "I'm sorry for looking,"
"Don't be sorry…" Tony said, surprised that she'd hugged him but returned the embrace all the same, maybe now he could finally tell her what he wanted to tell her on that rooftop at the disastrous Stark Expo, "I shouldn't have kept things from you…"
"Tony it's fine…" She lifted her head and smiled weakly at him then gazed down at his lips, knowing that it would be unprofessional, but she was surprised to find that she didn't care at all and closed the gap to kiss him softly, praying that he'd kiss back.
He froze, she was kissing him, Pepper was kissing him, Pepper Potts his professional PA was kissing him! Grinning inwardly as he returned the kiss enthusiastically before she decided to pull away and run away, his left arm tightening around her as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss, as she slid a hand up into his hair, still having trouble believing that he was kissing back, her heart was beating so fast it was threatening to burst out of her chest. Minutes passed and the two finally pulled away to breathe, resting their foreheads together, both happy to just stand in silence, too overwhelmed with what had just happened to even speak.
"Wow you're a great kisser," Tony said eventually, a goofy grin on his face, lifting her head to look at her blushing face and found the courage to say the words he'd wanted to for so long, "I love you Pepper…"
She kissed him again at his confession, too happy to say anything then pulled away, hiding her face in his neck, "I love you too Tony, so much…" She whispered, lifting her head to smile at him, "Just please promise me you'll tell me what happens…"
Closing his eyes he nodded and kissed her forehead, "I promise," He murmured, hugging her a little tighter, "I promise, anything for you, I love you…"