#hotpotts

[bleujotunn]

“Mrs. Stark?” 

Ronan edged himself into Pepper’s office, perched on the top floor of Avengers Tower. Kennedy had come to talk to Tony about Steve’s surprise birthday party,, but Ronan found an opportunity in being alone in the Tower. Pepper’s office doors had been open, and so he hoped he wasn’t intruding...

“Can I... can I have a word? If this isn’t a good time, I mean... I can come back.”

[fashionfly]

The party - since Jan’s request to call it a ball had been shut down - was turning out to be spectacular. From the decorations to the finger foods being passed around by exquisitely dressed waiters, it was exactly what Jan had wanted it to be, and it was a perfect representation of Hank’s work - which was was it fundraising. The money wasn’t why she had asked Pepper to plan the event, though, and the main reason was what had her struggling to schmooze.

It was three days before Hank’s birthday, and the event was supposed to partly be a surprise party for him. But it had been almost two hours since the guests started arriving, and he still wasn’t there. She had already cancelled the birthday aspect of the party, thinking the big “Happy Birthday!” cake would be ill-fitting food for a fundraiser, but now she just wondered where he was. She didn’t know if she was worried about him, angry with him, or some stressful mixture of both.

She smiled her way through the thick, laughing crowds in her search for Pepper. When she found her, she smiled and said something witty to the man she was talking to and gently pulled her away by the elbow.

“Have you seen Hank?” She asked, knowing full well no one had. She glanced around, uncharacteristically worried. “I tried calling him, but it goes to voicemail. He wouldn’t just... not come, y’know?” She crossed her arms. “Should I go look for him? I mean, do you think it’s okay to leave the party?”