"It's an engagement ring," he said after he took a deep breath. "Don't tell me jewelry can't fix this. Marry me, Pepper. I do love you and there's no one else on Earth I want to be my wife. I'll get my shit together starting now, I swear to you," and he clutched the ring in his hand tightly now. "I will make this work because it's not your fault it's been falling apart. It's been me and my stupid brain because I haven't been able to claw myself out of this hole I've dug. Just...don't leave." God, if this didn't work, he seriously would end up in a looney bin in the end of this for a while until...well, until he stopped acting like this.