615: Away at War/Battle/Just off fighting Meme 2.0 (Because angst can be fun)

[bethefaceless]

Away at War/Battle/Just off fighting MemeWe all know war can be a hard time for everyone but those left behind? It can be torture. Hoping you get a letter or a call, staying glued to the television and cringing at those news stories. Guess what happens to you now? Your loved one has gone off to fight a war (battle, fight, in that ilk of things) and

Comments

3? I couldn't resist him XD;;

[stark_ceo]

Pepper wrapped her hands around her mug of tea and stared at the second mug she'd poured sitting across from her hoping that Eliot would come and sit with her this time. She felt so useless to him.

Nearly every night seemed to send him back and there was nothing she could do to stop it. To save him from what he'd seen. She sucked in a breath and clenched her eyes to hold back her tears. Those wouldn't help him either. She just needed something she could do for him, and crying certainly couldn't be it.

3 is just... XD so IC!

[distinctive_guy]

Eliot was hurting her but he couldn't do anything to stop it. He shrank away from her gentle touches, barely keeping himself in check from doing her damage whenever he jumped in response. It had gotten to the point where the only way to prevent it was to tell her to not touch him, to not startle him in any shape or form.

He didn't want any of this to come between them, yet, they couldn't even sleep together anymore. After all he had seen, all he had done, he just couldn't forget.

So when he jerked awake at the slightest noise that night, he made an effort to calm down before walking down to the kitchen for a hot cup of tea. Reflex made him tense when he saw the lights on in the kitchen -at 0200H?- but relaxed when he saw it was only Pepper.

"Pepper? What're you doin' up so late?"

I thought it might work for them! :D

[stark_ceo]

Pepper swallowed her grief and gave him a small smile. She couldn't tell him he she had basically been able to memorize the motions and noises he would make in his nightmares before waking and was making it her goal to make sure he wasn't alone unless he asked to be.

"I heard you stirring and thought you would want some tea." She nods at the second mug still steaming across from her.

It used to be he would sit next to her this early in the morning while she yawned over her final office projects if he stayed up with her, but now he was terrified of hurting her and she was terrified of reminding him of horrors accidentally.

It definitely would! Too bad no one was here for him in canon. :(

[distinctive_guy]

His glass shard eyes softened at her words and sorrow. Walking quietly into the kitchen, his footsteps made no sound, he took the seat across from her. Across, not beside. Another thing in the series of things they had to adjust because of his condition.

It raised the rage in him that he couldn't be normal, but before that beast could rear its head, he cut it off brutally at its legs so it fell tumbling down back the dark hole it emerged from.

He wrapped both hands around his cup and took a scalding drink. "Thanks." Letting the heat burn its way down and warm him first, he then added, "Sorry for keepin' you up."

;A; It's so sad. But! Pepper is all the reliable and caring :D

[stark_ceo]

"No apology necessary, Eliot. You know that. Besides, I owe you countless times for staying up with me when I had things to do for work."

Slowly and carefully entirely in his line of sight she reaches over and takes one of his hands in her own.

"I know...things are bad right now. Worse for you than for me, but we can wait it out, or if it's not something to be waited out and it's just the way things are going to be...we can adjust, Eliot. Better together than apart." She pauses only a moment letting that sink in.

"I haven't said it before because I was pretty sure you knew, but you should know absolutely that I'm not going anywhere."

He's so lucky to have her there for him. Awww.

[distinctive_guy]

Eliot saw what she did, how careful she was being like she had to walk on eggshells around him, and he honestly didn't want to tie her to that.

But he was also too selfish to let her go.

So he tried to smile and did the selfish thing as he turned his hand around to grasp hers in his. A guilty light took up residence in his gaze. "I'm not lettin' you go, Pepper. I promise you... I promise I'll try my best to get through this, baby. I know it's hard for you too... I'm not easy to deal with. I know, man, I'll work on it."

He looked down at their linked hands and gave it a squeeze. "I want to go back to the way we used to be too."

This is too adorable XD:; All the fluffy feelings.

[stark_ceo]

Pepper squeezed back and smiled. "I'd love for things to be like they were, but I want you to promise me you won't force yourself."

She laughs a bit trying to chase the guilt off his face and bring a smile out. "You're stubborn enough to do it eventually, I know. You just have to not rush. As for not being easy to deal with, well, neither of us have been easy from the beginning."

She knew she was far too knit-picky and worrying, and Eliot had always been a bit gruff, but they had liked each other enough to work it out and that's what they'd continue to do.

It's rather nice.

[distinctive_guy]

"Yeah, I am." He was bullheaded and stubborn and wouldn't back down from a fight, even if it was his own psyche that he had to battle. He. Will. Win. It was what he did and had been doing for most of his life, the war just enhanced those skills.

Yet, no matter how he kept telling himself that, he still had doubts aplenty. He was a long way from winning and it felt as if all he did was take the war home with him.

A war he kept bringing to the woman he cared about. Dragging his hand free from her grasp, he pulled it over his face in a tired gesture.

"Pepper, it's late. You should head up. Don't you have work tomorrow mornin'?"

Yes~ :)

[stark_ceo]

Pepper downed the last of her tea with a little nod and rose rinsing the cup and putting it into their dishwasher before turning back and leaning slowly across the table to plant a gentle kiss on his lips.

"I can go in a bit late, the boss is out of town, but you're right I do need to get some sleep. Come up and try to rest some more if you can. Don't worry about whether or not you'll wake me."

*wonders what would the boss think about Eliot*

[distinctive_guy]

Eliot was about to protest using the exact same excuse, but she beat him to it. Grudgingly admiring her for that, he drank more of his tea to stall for time to formulate an answer. When it became apparent that she wasn't going to let it up or take 'no' for an answer, he sighed and finished the rest of the mug.

"I can try," he finally allowed, taking both of their cups to put in the sink for the night. He can wash them in the morning.

"Pepper," he called softly as he brushed her temple with his lips, "Has anyone ever told you what an amazin' woman you are?" He drew her into a quick chaste kiss and conceded to walk back upstairs with her, even when he knew he will be spending another night staring up at the ceiling.

Tony would thank Elliot for serving their country and then threaten him about Pepper's happiness

[stark_ceo]

She grinned at him over her shoulder as she went up the stairs.

"My Boss tells me every time I save his company from bankruptcy, but I like hearing it from you more."

She slides off her fuzzy slippers and crawls underneath the blankets knowing he'll follow at his own pace.

I have this funny image of Eliot clocking Iron man (out of suit) for some reason.

[distinctive_guy]

Recognizing her attempts at levity, he attempted the humorous route as well. "I think that man works you too hard."

Once they got into the room though, it was much slower going. He puttered about a bit, doing practically everything he could in the bedroom as if he didn't want to go to bed. He didn't, but he eventually had to and by the time he did, he made sure to climb in carefully in case Pepper was asleep already.

Pft if he makes Pepper cry probably. Also lol what would the team think of her I wonder? xD

[stark_ceo]

"Ah~ But he pays me well for it."

Pepper ignored his puttering entirely except for the small noises he made that sent her off to sleep. She didn't even stir apart from a half smile in her sleep when he crawled in.

I'm taking this pre-team. This might be Eliot Spencer.... Bah, can't even fit it to timeline. AU! XD

[distinctive_guy]

Eliot stayed awake in the bed for hours, keeping stiffly to himself as he stared up at the ceiling. Sometime before dawn he finally drifted off.

The slumber, light as it was, would last until Pepper woke for work. If he was lucky.