Who: Tony Stark and Pepper Potts. When: Backdated to Halloween. Where: Stark Tower. What: Work Party~ Rating/Warnings: low/none. Status: Complete.
Tony had set up the Halloween party with Pepper’s help. It was pretty cool, actually. He liked the holiday well enough. It was certainly better than Christmas, though sometimes being in Orange County around this holiday made things complicated. He figured he’d pop into the suit and go out after the party for a while, just to make sure nothing out of the ordinary was happening. He had a good feeling about this holiday, though. This year was going to be different.
The party was going smoothly. Tony was hanging around with a drink in hand, watching all his employees mingling, enjoying the sight of the costumes. He’d gone as James Bond this year. Easy costume, all he needed was a tux and a martini.
Pepper had a last minute costume change. She had put together a sensible, and quite cute, Casablanca-esque costume to attend the party with, but at the last minute she felt something just … Come over her. Wasn’t Halloween supposed to be a time to let go, anyway? Why not live a little.
When she walked into the room, she handed her coat to one of the men by the door to reveal her new outfit - Jessica Rabbit from head to toe. There was something strangely delightful about not blending into the background for once, where she was usually more than happy to stay, and she spotted Tony quite easily. Slipping over to him, her lips curled up into a smile.
“Let me guess - James Bond,” she said, taking his martini to have a sip.
“Astute guess,” Tony’s eyes were locked on the woman in the red dress. Was that really Pepper Potts? She was absolutely amazing. Enthralling. He had to remind himself that she wasn’t his Pepper. Not the same one from the Dreams. But she was here, and beautiful, and smart. And he was smitten.
“And you… are a sight.” He stepped closer, as if he was drawn by magnetism. “That dress…” There were no words. He wanted to touch her all over.
Pepper just laughed, but the way she smiled suggested a false sense of modesty. “It’s not too much? Be honest with me.” She turned to get her own martini, with extra olives, and brushed her hair out of her face. “You know, I think James Bond is a bit of a safe and lazy costume,” Pepper added, just as a teasing jab.
“No.” Tony said, shaking his head stupidly. He stepped closer to her, sidling up to the bar, and let one hand come to rest on her lower back. His thumb moved against her skin there. “It’s definitely not too much.”
He motioned to the bartender, too, for another drink. “You think James Bond is safe and lazy, do you?”
“Oh, no, I think James Bond is a prime specimen of the male species,” Pepper corrected. “I think Tony Stark is lazy for dressing up as him.” She didn’t mind the touch to her back. Something about it was familiar, a bit of a dream seeping into reality. “It is a very good looking suit, though.”
Tony chuckled softly, drawing in closer to her. This was the real life--the waking life--and yet she was just as intoxicating here as she was in his Dreams. The Dreams that were so much like memories. He sighed, leaning in and whispering in her ear. “You look absolutely amazing tonight, Pep.”
Pepper laughed, ducking her head except … She really wasn’t feeling all that modest. She was liking the attention. “People might talk,” she said, her voice a low murmur, just for the two of them. “More than they do.”
“They talk about us? Of course they talk about us,” Tony answered his own question, but didn’t give her any more space than was absolutely necessary. It was amazing how much his hands wanted to wander over that dress, how much he wanted to trail fingertips up the length of her legs. He cleared his throat. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Of course they talk about us,” Pepper said. They’re not exactly a conventional team. Her head tilted, giving Tony an amused sort of smirk. “We’re standing at any open bar, Tony, it’s not much of a stretch.” But she’s teasing. “Do you remember what I drink?”
“What kind of a man would I be if I didn’t?” Tony asked. He took two steps to the bar to order them each the perfect cocktail. Whatever Pepper’s favorite was--because in this world, Tony paid much more attention than he’d done in his Dreams. Something he’d learned the hard way there and wouldn’t repeat here--he ordered two.