[for Pepper] Down to Earth.

[notawastedlife]

It had been a hell of a day. It wasn't exactly over yet, and frankly he'd still be up there if Jarvis hadn't started harping on about the fact that he was running out of residual power and he'd left his arc reactor back with Pepper. Who was probably a little bit... there might be an issue there. Still, he couldn't have come running back immediately

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[wildlyconflictd]

After the second hour, Pepper had sent Peter home. It had taken some doing, but ultimately claiming that she wanted to be alone had convinced him, and wasn't that appropriate? Wasn't that what people requested when they were in mourning?

Be right back.

Tony hadn't been right back.

For awhile she'd waited, in the workshop and then on the front balcony, first with Peter and then without. She'd waited, time like a vise around her chest, every minute that ticked by tightening it just a little more. Stunned, powerless, she'd eventually wandered into Tony's bedroom, laid down atop the meticulously made bed and stared numbly at the wall.

"I'm not ready yet," she whispered, manicured fingers curling into the coverlet.

[notawastedlife]

He'd kind of thought she'd be on the balcony. That was how it was meant to work, wasn't it? He touched down, feeling slightly discouraged but waving it off, because, space station.

She wasn't immediately inside, either. He poked his head down the stairs to the workshop, then finally thought to ask Jarvis. He did not anticipate the answer. He pulled off his helmet and crossed to his room, opened the door, and stared at her.

"...hi?" he ventured. He'd found more than a few women in his room over the years. It had never felt quite this awkward.

[wildlyconflictd]

When the door had opened, Pepper had assumed it to be Peter. The sound of Tony's voiced startled her so much that she sat abruptly up and stared, a shock of red hair falling across her eyes. He was just standing there, in the damned suit, like it was normal.

How was this her life? How?

Before she quite knew what she was doing, Pepper had pushed herself to her feet, crossed to Tony and slapped him soundly across the face. Letting out a loud, frustrated cry, she battered her fists uselessly against the front of his armor and then stopped as abruptly as she'd begun, stepping back to fix him in a glare.

She felt marginally better.

[notawastedlife]

Also not the first time that had happened. Maybe he should have left the helmet on. Of course, then she might have done it anyway, and he'd be to blame for her hand, as well.

Just as he was about to put his hands up to try and stop the barrage, she stopped on her own, leaving him with his arms awkwardly halfway up.

"Are you- was that it?" he said, giving her a wincing look.