potts enterprises.

@mspxtts

private 1x1. est june 2014, reborn feb 2016.

32.2K posts

tony works as snow falls outside on manhattan, christmas looming over the city. he works through the day, past sunset and into the night, when he finally feels confident enough in what he’s come up with to send it to bruce for his input. before heading up stairs, he casts a furtive look over his shoulder, having jarvis generate a file folder for the next iteration of the suit. then he heads for the elevator, bringing his plate from breakfast with him.

pepper is curled up on the couch, nestled into the blankets with her book on her lap. she hears the elevator doors open and deposit tony on their floor, and looks up at him with a tired smile. "hi, honey," she says warmly. "was about ready to send a search party," she teases him gently, setting her book aside.

pepper notices that he’s in pain, and she can only hope the painkillers will help because she can’t do anything else. it’s her fault in the first place.

she gets out of bed and gets dressed quickly, heading into the kitchen to make them breakfast. english muffins in the toaster, bacon and eggs on the stove, and after ten minutes she’s got two pretty stuffed breakfast sandwiches. she heads into the elevator, plate in hand, and goes down to the third floor where his workshop is.

tony is a notorious packrat when it comes to intellectual property, so his previous work on extremis is still available to him, digitized years ago. he has everything pulled up when pepper steps into the workshop, his hand raising silently in acknowledgement, the other scribbling down notes. biology isn't exactly his strong suit, more of a mechanic than anything else, and he might need to get bruce banner's help the further along he gets.

pepper steps into the lab and eats the sandwich down on the workbench next to him. she can see a stream of data fleeing down the screens, and she walks over to stand next to him, biting into her sandwich.

tony pauses from his work long enough to lean across and give the closest part of her a kiss, which happens to be her forearm. “thanks, honey. do me a favor and relax today, okay? watch a movie, read a book, sleep… just chill out.”

she nods and runs her fingers softly through his hair. “deal. come up for air and some lunch later.”

tony mumbles something noncommittal in response. he pulls away from her, gnawing at his sandwich as he returns to work.

pepper goes back upstairs to the penthouse and settles herself on the couch with a throw blanket and a book. she feels calmed this morning given that tony is working on extremis and will hopefully figure out the first steps to getting her cured.

pepper notices that he’s in pain, and she can only hope the painkillers will help because she can’t do anything else. it’s her fault in the first place.

she gets out of bed and gets dressed quickly, heading into the kitchen to make them breakfast. english muffins in the toaster, bacon and eggs on the stove, and after ten minutes she’s got two pretty stuffed breakfast sandwiches. she heads into the elevator, plate in hand, and goes down to the third floor where his workshop is.

tony is a notorious packrat when it comes to intellectual property, so his previous work on extremis is still available to him, digitized years ago. he has everything pulled up when pepper steps into the workshop, his hand raising silently in acknowledgement, the other scribbling down notes. biology isn't exactly his strong suit, more of a mechanic than anything else, and he might need to get bruce banner's help the further along he gets.

pepper steps into the lab and eats the sandwich down on the workbench next to him. she can see a stream of data fleeing down the screens, and she walks over to stand next to him, biting into her sandwich.

tony pauses from his work long enough to lean across and give the closest part of her a kiss, which happens to be her forearm. “thanks, honey. do me a favor and relax today, okay? watch a movie, read a book, sleep… just chill out.”

she nods and runs her fingers softly through his hair. “deal. come up for air and some lunch later.”

pepper notices that he’s in pain, and she can only hope the painkillers will help because she can’t do anything else. it’s her fault in the first place.

she gets out of bed and gets dressed quickly, heading into the kitchen to make them breakfast. english muffins in the toaster, bacon and eggs on the stove, and after ten minutes she’s got two pretty stuffed breakfast sandwiches. she heads into the elevator, plate in hand, and goes down to the third floor where his workshop is.

tony is a notorious packrat when it comes to intellectual property, so his previous work on extremis is still available to him, digitized years ago. he has everything pulled up when pepper steps into the workshop, his hand raising silently in acknowledgement, the other scribbling down notes. biology isn't exactly his strong suit, more of a mechanic than anything else, and he might need to get bruce banner's help the further along he gets.

pepper steps into the lab and eats the sandwich down on the workbench next to him. she can see a stream of data fleeing down the screens, and she walks over to stand next to him, biting into her sandwich.

she sits up slowly and watches him get up, the burns on his back bright red against his tanned skin. “i’ll make some breakfast. breakfast sandwiches?” she suggests, yawning quietly.

"sure, that sounds good," tony replies, moving to the dresser. his briefs and jeans are easy, but when it comes to a shirt... he manages to get a worn mit shirt on, but it's obvious that he's in pain as he limps to their door, holding himself oddly to keep the fabric from rubbing. "i'll be down in the 'shop."

pepper notices that he’s in pain, and she can only hope the painkillers will help because she can’t do anything else. it’s her fault in the first place.

she gets out of bed and gets dressed quickly, heading into the kitchen to make them breakfast. english muffins in the toaster, bacon and eggs on the stove, and after ten minutes she’s got two pretty stuffed breakfast sandwiches. she heads into the elevator, plate in hand, and goes down to the third floor where his workshop is.

pepper presses a kiss to his shoulder. “take painkillers when you can. it’ll help with the inflammation.” she closes her eyes and forces herself not to apologize for the hundredth time. he’s forgiven her.

"i will," tony promises, turning his head against the pillow so that he can look at her with sleepy, bloodshot eyes. "love you so much, pepper," he sighs, and then he lifts his arm from her and pushes himself up onto his knees so that he can get out of bed. he tenses once he's upright, eyes closing against the pain, but forces himself onto his feet.

she sits up slowly and watches him get up, the burns on his back bright red against his tanned skin. “i’ll make some breakfast. breakfast sandwiches?” she suggests, yawning quietly.

pepper smiles softly and shifts closer to him, his arm holding her down. “sorry,” she murmurs, brushing her fingertips over his shoulder. “just wanted to put some ointment on your back.”

"hurts," he admits sleepily, his skin warm under her fingertips. "i'll get up in a second. go down to the 'shop."

pepper presses a kiss to his shoulder. “take painkillers when you can. it’ll help with the inflammation.” she closes her eyes and forces herself not to apologize for the hundredth time. he’s forgiven her.

she gently applies the medication to his burns, trying to swallow the nausea when she recalls that her hands did this to him. she closes her eyes and exhales, rubbing the ointment into his skin until her hands are clean and then returning to her spot in bed next to him.

tony starts to stir when she settles back into bed, his arm lifting and landing heavily across her abdomen, pinning her. "stop moving," he mumbles, pressing his face into the pillows to block out the sunlight.

pepper smiles softly and shifts closer to him, his arm holding her down. “sorry,” she murmurs, brushing her fingertips over his shoulder. “just wanted to put some ointment on your back.”

pepper slides out of bed as quietly as she can and slips into the bathroom to get the first aid kit. she finds some burn salve — tony would often burn his fingers when working on the earlier suits — and pads back to their bed. he’s snoring quietly and she rests her hand gently on his back to see if he wakes. if she can get this done while he’s asleep there’s a better chance it won’t end up all over the sheets.

tony doesn't stir as pepper's hand brushes against his back, though goosebumps rise in the wake of her touch. he hasn't slept since malibu, not properly, and he really is exhausted. once he wakes, he'll devote himself to extremis until he's come up with a solution.

she gently applies the medication to his burns, trying to swallow the nausea when she recalls that her hands did this to him. she closes her eyes and exhales, rubbing the ointment into his skin until her hands are clean and then returning to her spot in bed next to him.

pepper sleeps soundly for the first time since they got to manhattan. she reaches for tony at some point in the night, her hand on his arm when she rolls over to find him in her sleep. but when she wakes up the next morning she feels considerably more composed than she has the last few days.

tony is snoring softly into the pillows, the burns on his back livid and blistered in the morning light, sure to scar. his forearm twitches under pepper's hand, fingers tapping briefly against the sheets, like he's typing something — at work on extremis even as he sleeps.

pepper slides out of bed as quietly as she can and slips into the bathroom to get the first aid kit. she finds some burn salve — tony would often burn his fingers when working on the earlier suits — and pads back to their bed. he’s snoring quietly and she rests her hand gently on his back to see if he wakes. if she can get this done while he’s asleep there’s a better chance it won’t end up all over the sheets.

pepper rests her hands gently on his, feeling the reactor digging gently into her back as he breathes. she matches the soft pace with her own, and soon she feels her lids drooping heavily with weariness. she shifts her legs against his, body settling into sleep.

"god, i love you," tony murmurs once pepper is asleep, lax in his arms, her breathing deepened. he breathes in the scent of her shampoo, her hair tickling against his nose. it's late — or early, depending on perspective, nearly dawn. he waits half an hour before untangling himself from her and gently arraying himself on his stomach, his head turned so that pepper's back is what he sees as he falls asleep.

pepper sleeps soundly for the first time since they got to manhattan. she reaches for tony at some point in the night, her hand on his arm when she rolls over to find him in her sleep. but when she wakes up the next morning she feels considerably more composed than she has the last few days.

pepper lets him arrange her under the fluffy duvet, tucking the pillows around them until they’re in a cozy nest. she really is exhausted, even with extremis coursing through her veins. “okay,” she murmurs quietly as she tries to settle down her racing mind.

"yeah, okay," tony says, breath warm against her ear, his body spooned up against hers, legs tangled together. he holds her fearlessly — pepper could have ran him through with a sword, and he still would've crawled hands and knees bleeding across the floor to get to her. "love you, baby. just breathe with me. we're okay."

pepper rests her hands gently on his, feeling the reactor digging gently into her back as he breathes. she matches the soft pace with her own, and soon she feels her lids drooping heavily with weariness. she shifts her legs against his, body settling into sleep.

pepper blushes as darkly as the burns on his back. she hides her face against his neck. “oh god, please don’t ask me to give you more burns as a kink,” she groans softly.

"i won't, because it hurt like the dickens," tony tells her cheerfully, his hand now caressing down her spine. "i'm gonna figure out extremis, baby, i promise. first thing in the morning, i'll go down to the 'shop. but..." now it's his turn to manhandle her, getting her into bed, in his arms, under the duvet with the pillows surrounding them. "for now, you're gonna sleep. and i'm gonna hold you til you do." and then he'll have to sleep on his stomach, he thinks sadly.

pepper lets him arrange her under the fluffy duvet, tucking the pillows around them until they’re in a cozy nest. she really is exhausted, even with extremis coursing through her veins. “okay,” she murmurs quietly as she tries to settle down her racing mind.

pepper settles on his lap, being ever so gentle as she runs her fingers over his skin. they trace the circumference of the reactor’s casing, her eyes still closed against the bright glow. “i never meant to hurt you,” she says softly. “i love you so much.”

"i love you, too," tony replies, not tense at all as pepper's fingers circle the reactor, the sensitive skin surrounding it. he kisses her slowly, his hands brushing up her sides. "made me come, actually," he says against her lips. "at first. felt good."

pepper blushes as darkly as the burns on his back. she hides her face against his neck. “oh god, please don’t ask me to give you more burns as a kink,” she groans softly.

pepper lets him pull her closer to him, but she’s still feeling uneasy about everything. “i’m so sorry, honey,” she whispers in the darkness. she closes her eyes, the glow of the reactor still discernible through her lids. “i just needed to feel okay and i was selfish and didn’t think about what would happen…”

"i'm okay," tony says, grunting as he lifts her up onto his lap. he takes her hands, chilled from the ice, and presses them against his chest. his heart beats steadily against her palm, the reactor thrumming quietly. "you're okay. it's just some burns. i've had worse. touch me, baby."

pepper settles on his lap, being ever so gentle as she runs her fingers over his skin. they trace the circumference of the reactor’s casing, her eyes still closed against the bright glow. “i never meant to hurt you,” she says softly. “i love you so much.”

pepper’s hands are trembling with anxiety and panic as she tends to him, almost afraid to touch him. she switches to tend to the other burn on his back, which isn’t as bad as the other but is still starting to blister slightly. second degree at worst, but still incredibly painful which just makes her feel even more disgusted with herself.

the ice melts in the bag, condensation trickling slowly down tony's back, mingling with his sweat. he cards his fingers through his damp hair, thinking. at the forefront is the fact that having pepper's hands burned on to him actually kind of turns him on. but now is not the time, he knows she's probably sick with anxiety and self loathing. he's been there. tony reaches behind him and takes the melted bag of ice from her, setting it on the floor.

"lights, j," he murmurs, the room going dark except for the reactor, as tony reaches for her to pull her to his chest.

pepper lets him pull her closer to him, but she’s still feeling uneasy about everything. “i’m so sorry, honey,” she whispers in the darkness. she closes her eyes, the glow of the reactor still discernible through her lids. “i just needed to feel okay and i was selfish and didn’t think about what would happen…”

she’s glad his back is to her so he can’t see the tears tracking down her cheeks as she gently wraps the freezing bag of ice in her discarded pajama top so it doesn’t stick to his skin, before gently applying it against one of the marks on his back.

tony shudders at the bag of ice against the burn, even muffled by the fabric of her shirt. the chill is a relief, his breath huffing out of him in a pained groan, pressing back into the ice. "it's good. that helps."

pepper’s hands are trembling with anxiety and panic as she tends to him, almost afraid to touch him. she switches to tend to the other burn on his back, which isn’t as bad as the other but is still starting to blister slightly. second degree at worst, but still incredibly painful which just makes her feel even more disgusted with herself.

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