fic: Charming Possibilities
Title: Charming Possibilities - Part Four
Rating: R
Author: tony_edw_stark
Length: 2.100 words
Warning: Heavy angst.
Part Four
Between fucking hot and gorgeous redheads and fearing for the worst thing that might happen if he doesn’t stop this soon enough, Tony was bored. He had been sitting on his bed for approximately two hours without doing anything. The glass of vodka on his nightstand was almost empty, and he would have finished it if it didn’t remember him of that night on the rooftop that much.
He felt like if he took that one last sip, the chance of stopping this mad competition would completely disappear. Instead of standing up and doing something worth his time, he continued to stare at the ceiling until his eye-lids began to drop.
He fell asleep sprawled on the top of the covers.
---
February fourteenth was a disastrous day in Pepper’s opinion. She remembered one time when she had been invited alongside her boss at a party in Miami - that one time when he had tried to convince her into sleeping in the same bed as him. He had been so drunk that night that he had thrown up five times before he passed out in one of the bathrooms.
If it wasn’t enough, when she had tried to help him into his bed, he had pulled her atop of him, claiming that he needed a little attention to his hard-on which was pressing up into her ass. She had slapped him then - the single time she did it all those years.
“I love it when you’re bossing me ‘round.” He had told her then. “I wish you’d realize that you’ve made me even harder by slapping me.”
The frustration in her eyes had become evident and he stopped abruptly, murmuring a little apology. What for? She didn’t bother listening to it anyway.
February fourteenth - four years later… Look what they’ve become. Strangers… That’s the best word to describe their current relationship. After all they’ve been through they don’t even talk anymore.
“Don’t say that. You mean a lot to me.” What did she mean to him after all?
Why would he say that if he continued sleeping around with other women? Why wouldn’t he admit that he wants her, the same way he did when he had asked her to be his girlfriend. Why, why, why?
Those thoughts kept running through her mind even at the restaurant where she was supposed to meet with her boyfriend. She really liked Sean, even though she didn’t want to be into a relationship.
Outside the weather was terrible. The sky was getting more and more darker, big grey clouds covering it. The wind blew with intensity, making everyone shiver. It was too cold - it was the weather that represented the emotions gathered inside her heart and Tony’s.
---
Tony woke up startled by a thunder. He rolled onto his side, his head spinning. His mouth tasted terrible and he grimaced at the state of his designer clothes.
“Great.” He whispered as he stood up with a groan.
He went to his bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.
“You look extraordinarily fine, Stark. Haven’t you heard of shaving?” He asked himself as he passed a hand over his grown stubble.
No, you did. You just didn’t find time to stop by and shave your goddamn goatee.
“Why would I?”
Because you look terrible. His mind responded back, making him snort.
“Why do I need to? I mean, seriously, now. Who’s there to impress?”
Not the woman I love, apparently.
Those words made him nauseous. Pepper didn’t want him. She didn’t need him the same way he needed her. She didn’t love him like he loved her. It was a tough realization. One that made him stumble into his living room in the search of something to gulp down. Something that will drown out the pain and the misery that was already burning his heart.
He searched impatiently through the kitchen cabinet and finally he took out a half-full bottle of Johnnie Walker. He sighed in triumph while he opened it and took a small gulp out of it.
“I should advise that you stop drinking immediately, sir. Your vitals show that your blood pressure is high and that you’re in great distress. You might need to go to the hospital if you insist on finishing that bottle.”
“What’s today’s date, Jarvis?” He asked with misery.
He already knew what day it was - he just needed someone to remember him that he was still alive.
“Today’s the fourteenth of February 2010, sir.”
“Knew that…” He mumbled and shut his eyes tightly. “Valentine’s Day.” He croaked out through gritted teeth.
“Yes, sir. It’s Valentine’s Day, indeed. It’s also known as the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery.”
“I hate it when you read the Wikipedia.”
“Maybe you should try and send Miss Potts some flowers. It would make her feel cared about.”
“Why would I?” Tony slurred. “She’s already mad at me and if you didn’t know, she has a boyfriend, Jarvis. That means I mean nothing to her.”
“Of course you mean something to Miss Potts, sir. If you didn’t, be sure she wouldn’t have called you to ensure that you are sober and not drunk, as you might recall the last five Christmases.”
“I didn’t get drunk last year.” Tony pointed out accusingly.
“Yes you did, sir. And if I may, you’ve kind of been on the front page of every major publication in the states these past months.”
“Right.”
“You have returned to your old habits - the drinks and the women. If you are really interested in having Miss Potts I suggest you stop doing these things. She might notice it, eventually.”
“I, uh… I’ll head towards the shower. If Pepper calls, you know what to do.”
“Sir?”
“Tell her I’m sorry, all right?”
“Will do, sir.”
---
“So what do you say?” Sean asked Pepper with a glint in his eyes.
Pepper looked back towards him and realized that she hadn’t been paying attention at all.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked you if you want to move in with me.”
Pepper gaped at him in shock because she didn’t know how to respond.
“That’s very… tempting.” She admitted with her eyes downward. “I’ll think about it.”
In all truth she didn’t want to leave her home for a man she barely knew. She didn’t want to rush things.
“If it’s too early, I’m sorry, but I’m kind of… you know that I love you, right?”
“I know. I… I love you, too.”
Sean grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, shaking her lightly when he realized she was far away into her own thoughts.
“Am I interrupting something in here?” He asked affectionately and pressed another kiss to her knuckles this time.
“Oh. It’s nothing major, I promise.”
Lying was the best option, anyway. What was I supposed to tell him after he had just asked me to move in with him? Hey, listen, I’m in love with someone else, but I don’t want to hurt you and your feelings so I pretend that I’m in love with you and not with my former boss who is the biggest jerk on the whole planet.
“Let’s go. I have a surprise for you.” That brought her out of her reverie.
Sean stood up and helped her with her coat before kissing her lightly on her cheek.
“I’ll go and bring the car around. You stay here ‘cause it’s raining.” It was indeed raining, Pepper realized with a small sigh.
Forty-five minutes later they stopped in front of the Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA. A wave of panic splashed over her as she saw the well-known building in the front of her eyes. She didn’t realize that Sean was holding out his hand for her to take it.
“What’s going on here?” Pepper asked hesitantly as they walked calmly into the building, a few dozens of paparazzi taking shots of them together.
“Well… what can I say? You look extremely delicious and I thought we might dance a little… you know… doing couple things.” Sean told her with a grin.
Pepper felt a pain in her chest as she was being pulled towards the dance floor by her boyfriend.
“Relax, baby. You’re too tensed up.”
Slowly, she began to relax in his arms, but the feeling of being here again was too overwhelming. She closed her eyes as the song started to play.
Not ten minutes after she noticed that there were perhaps three reporters in there, craving for some good news.
“Let’s go outside.” He whispered in her ear.
Pepper obeyed reluctantly and followed him with a heavy heart. Every step seemed so familiar and it hurt. It hurt a lot, but she had to be tough.
Everything that happened next blurred as Sean kneeled down on one knee in front of her and pulled out a blue velvet box. Her heart stopped beating and her chest tightened painfully. Her tears fell freely when she half-nodded and half-shook her head.
…
---
“Sir, you might want to see this.” The British voice of the AI echoed through the living room.
“What is it?!” Tony shouted from the bathroom.
He found it odd that Jarvis didn’t respond, so he decided to go downstairs and see what his AI was talking about.
“What…” Tony’s voice faltered when he noticed the images on his plasma TV.
His ears buzzed and his vision blurred as he watched the happy couple on the screen.
“Stark Industries’ CEO, Virginia Potts engaged to doctor Sean Williams. More details on www….”
The wet towel he had used to rub his hair with fell from his hand and he stumbled over it on his way towards the entrance door. He didn’t realize he had moved until his feet touched the wet sand of his private beach.
He stopped as soon as the ice cold water hit his feet and he looked around frantically for something - something…
---
The phone rang for approximately fifteen minutes. No one picked it up.
---
Outside was still pouring with ice cold drops when James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes showed up at the Stark Mansion.
Even though it was past four and it was getting dark, there was no sign of Tony. When he entered the mansion he noticed that the plasma in his living room was on, and guess what - Pepper’s engaged?!
“What the hell? Jarvis?”
The AI responded immediately.
“Good evening, Colonel.”
“Hey. Where’s Tony?”
Jarvis seemed reluctant. “He’s taking a walk on his private beach.”
Rhodey’s eyes widened. “Like now?! It’s freakin’ raining outside.”
“Mr. Stark has been there for approximately an hour and seventeen minutes.”
“Jesus.” He gasped and looked back at the frozen screen, seizing the connection immediately.
He grabbed an umbrella and a blanket and ran as fast as he could towards the beach.
“Tony!” He yelled and looked around, desperately.
Rhodey knew exactly what happened with his friend and he needed to find him as soon as possible. Knowing Tony, he could have held a gun to his temple all this time.
“Tony!!!” He yelled again and kept running through the slippery sand.
An unmoving body on the sand made Rhodey apply all those military trainings as he ran as fast as he could. He fell down to his knees in front of Tony who was collapsed onto the cold sand, hair and clothes wet and cold at touch.
Rhodey trembled as he checked him for pulse. He found one and it was fairly good, but given his conditions he needed to be taken care of immediately.
“Tony!” Rhodey said as he slapped him slightly.
He undressed Tony quickly and pulled off his own sweater and dressed him with it. Then he wrapped the blanket tightly around him and stood behind him before taking him in his arms. The umbrella protected them from getting wet and he brought out his phone and dialed Jarvis’s number.
They would need help.
---
A/N: Guess who’s going to come and help them? Review/Comment, please!
Rating: R
Author: tony_edw_stark
Length: 2.100 words
Warning: Heavy angst.
Part Four
Between fucking hot and gorgeous redheads and fearing for the worst thing that might happen if he doesn’t stop this soon enough, Tony was bored. He had been sitting on his bed for approximately two hours without doing anything. The glass of vodka on his nightstand was almost empty, and he would have finished it if it didn’t remember him of that night on the rooftop that much.
He felt like if he took that one last sip, the chance of stopping this mad competition would completely disappear. Instead of standing up and doing something worth his time, he continued to stare at the ceiling until his eye-lids began to drop.
He fell asleep sprawled on the top of the covers.
---
February fourteenth was a disastrous day in Pepper’s opinion. She remembered one time when she had been invited alongside her boss at a party in Miami - that one time when he had tried to convince her into sleeping in the same bed as him. He had been so drunk that night that he had thrown up five times before he passed out in one of the bathrooms.
If it wasn’t enough, when she had tried to help him into his bed, he had pulled her atop of him, claiming that he needed a little attention to his hard-on which was pressing up into her ass. She had slapped him then - the single time she did it all those years.
“I love it when you’re bossing me ‘round.” He had told her then. “I wish you’d realize that you’ve made me even harder by slapping me.”
The frustration in her eyes had become evident and he stopped abruptly, murmuring a little apology. What for? She didn’t bother listening to it anyway.
February fourteenth - four years later… Look what they’ve become. Strangers… That’s the best word to describe their current relationship. After all they’ve been through they don’t even talk anymore.
“Don’t say that. You mean a lot to me.” What did she mean to him after all?
Why would he say that if he continued sleeping around with other women? Why wouldn’t he admit that he wants her, the same way he did when he had asked her to be his girlfriend. Why, why, why?
Those thoughts kept running through her mind even at the restaurant where she was supposed to meet with her boyfriend. She really liked Sean, even though she didn’t want to be into a relationship.
Outside the weather was terrible. The sky was getting more and more darker, big grey clouds covering it. The wind blew with intensity, making everyone shiver. It was too cold - it was the weather that represented the emotions gathered inside her heart and Tony’s.
---
Tony woke up startled by a thunder. He rolled onto his side, his head spinning. His mouth tasted terrible and he grimaced at the state of his designer clothes.
“Great.” He whispered as he stood up with a groan.
He went to his bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror.
“You look extraordinarily fine, Stark. Haven’t you heard of shaving?” He asked himself as he passed a hand over his grown stubble.
No, you did. You just didn’t find time to stop by and shave your goddamn goatee.
“Why would I?”
Because you look terrible. His mind responded back, making him snort.
“Why do I need to? I mean, seriously, now. Who’s there to impress?”
Not the woman I love, apparently.
Those words made him nauseous. Pepper didn’t want him. She didn’t need him the same way he needed her. She didn’t love him like he loved her. It was a tough realization. One that made him stumble into his living room in the search of something to gulp down. Something that will drown out the pain and the misery that was already burning his heart.
He searched impatiently through the kitchen cabinet and finally he took out a half-full bottle of Johnnie Walker. He sighed in triumph while he opened it and took a small gulp out of it.
“I should advise that you stop drinking immediately, sir. Your vitals show that your blood pressure is high and that you’re in great distress. You might need to go to the hospital if you insist on finishing that bottle.”
“What’s today’s date, Jarvis?” He asked with misery.
He already knew what day it was - he just needed someone to remember him that he was still alive.
“Today’s the fourteenth of February 2010, sir.”
“Knew that…” He mumbled and shut his eyes tightly. “Valentine’s Day.” He croaked out through gritted teeth.
“Yes, sir. It’s Valentine’s Day, indeed. It’s also known as the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery.”
“I hate it when you read the Wikipedia.”
“Maybe you should try and send Miss Potts some flowers. It would make her feel cared about.”
“Why would I?” Tony slurred. “She’s already mad at me and if you didn’t know, she has a boyfriend, Jarvis. That means I mean nothing to her.”
“Of course you mean something to Miss Potts, sir. If you didn’t, be sure she wouldn’t have called you to ensure that you are sober and not drunk, as you might recall the last five Christmases.”
“I didn’t get drunk last year.” Tony pointed out accusingly.
“Yes you did, sir. And if I may, you’ve kind of been on the front page of every major publication in the states these past months.”
“Right.”
“You have returned to your old habits - the drinks and the women. If you are really interested in having Miss Potts I suggest you stop doing these things. She might notice it, eventually.”
“I, uh… I’ll head towards the shower. If Pepper calls, you know what to do.”
“Sir?”
“Tell her I’m sorry, all right?”
“Will do, sir.”
---
“So what do you say?” Sean asked Pepper with a glint in his eyes.
Pepper looked back towards him and realized that she hadn’t been paying attention at all.
“I’m sorry. What did you say?”
“I asked you if you want to move in with me.”
Pepper gaped at him in shock because she didn’t know how to respond.
“That’s very… tempting.” She admitted with her eyes downward. “I’ll think about it.”
In all truth she didn’t want to leave her home for a man she barely knew. She didn’t want to rush things.
“If it’s too early, I’m sorry, but I’m kind of… you know that I love you, right?”
“I know. I… I love you, too.”
Sean grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm, shaking her lightly when he realized she was far away into her own thoughts.
“Am I interrupting something in here?” He asked affectionately and pressed another kiss to her knuckles this time.
“Oh. It’s nothing major, I promise.”
Lying was the best option, anyway. What was I supposed to tell him after he had just asked me to move in with him? Hey, listen, I’m in love with someone else, but I don’t want to hurt you and your feelings so I pretend that I’m in love with you and not with my former boss who is the biggest jerk on the whole planet.
“Let’s go. I have a surprise for you.” That brought her out of her reverie.
Sean stood up and helped her with her coat before kissing her lightly on her cheek.
“I’ll go and bring the car around. You stay here ‘cause it’s raining.” It was indeed raining, Pepper realized with a small sigh.
Forty-five minutes later they stopped in front of the Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA. A wave of panic splashed over her as she saw the well-known building in the front of her eyes. She didn’t realize that Sean was holding out his hand for her to take it.
“What’s going on here?” Pepper asked hesitantly as they walked calmly into the building, a few dozens of paparazzi taking shots of them together.
“Well… what can I say? You look extremely delicious and I thought we might dance a little… you know… doing couple things.” Sean told her with a grin.
Pepper felt a pain in her chest as she was being pulled towards the dance floor by her boyfriend.
“Relax, baby. You’re too tensed up.”
Slowly, she began to relax in his arms, but the feeling of being here again was too overwhelming. She closed her eyes as the song started to play.
Not ten minutes after she noticed that there were perhaps three reporters in there, craving for some good news.
“Let’s go outside.” He whispered in her ear.
Pepper obeyed reluctantly and followed him with a heavy heart. Every step seemed so familiar and it hurt. It hurt a lot, but she had to be tough.
Everything that happened next blurred as Sean kneeled down on one knee in front of her and pulled out a blue velvet box. Her heart stopped beating and her chest tightened painfully. Her tears fell freely when she half-nodded and half-shook her head.
…
---
“Sir, you might want to see this.” The British voice of the AI echoed through the living room.
“What is it?!” Tony shouted from the bathroom.
He found it odd that Jarvis didn’t respond, so he decided to go downstairs and see what his AI was talking about.
“What…” Tony’s voice faltered when he noticed the images on his plasma TV.
His ears buzzed and his vision blurred as he watched the happy couple on the screen.
“Stark Industries’ CEO, Virginia Potts engaged to doctor Sean Williams. More details on www….”
The wet towel he had used to rub his hair with fell from his hand and he stumbled over it on his way towards the entrance door. He didn’t realize he had moved until his feet touched the wet sand of his private beach.
He stopped as soon as the ice cold water hit his feet and he looked around frantically for something - something…
---
The phone rang for approximately fifteen minutes. No one picked it up.
---
Outside was still pouring with ice cold drops when James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes showed up at the Stark Mansion.
Even though it was past four and it was getting dark, there was no sign of Tony. When he entered the mansion he noticed that the plasma in his living room was on, and guess what - Pepper’s engaged?!
“What the hell? Jarvis?”
The AI responded immediately.
“Good evening, Colonel.”
“Hey. Where’s Tony?”
Jarvis seemed reluctant. “He’s taking a walk on his private beach.”
Rhodey’s eyes widened. “Like now?! It’s freakin’ raining outside.”
“Mr. Stark has been there for approximately an hour and seventeen minutes.”
“Jesus.” He gasped and looked back at the frozen screen, seizing the connection immediately.
He grabbed an umbrella and a blanket and ran as fast as he could towards the beach.
“Tony!” He yelled and looked around, desperately.
Rhodey knew exactly what happened with his friend and he needed to find him as soon as possible. Knowing Tony, he could have held a gun to his temple all this time.
“Tony!!!” He yelled again and kept running through the slippery sand.
An unmoving body on the sand made Rhodey apply all those military trainings as he ran as fast as he could. He fell down to his knees in front of Tony who was collapsed onto the cold sand, hair and clothes wet and cold at touch.
Rhodey trembled as he checked him for pulse. He found one and it was fairly good, but given his conditions he needed to be taken care of immediately.
“Tony!” Rhodey said as he slapped him slightly.
He undressed Tony quickly and pulled off his own sweater and dressed him with it. Then he wrapped the blanket tightly around him and stood behind him before taking him in his arms. The umbrella protected them from getting wet and he brought out his phone and dialed Jarvis’s number.
They would need help.
---
A/N: Guess who’s going to come and help them? Review/Comment, please!