[mspxtts]

pepper hums softly as she listens to him, smoothing down the edge of the bandages. “these are waterproof and shouldn’t fall off for a good week or so. you’ll be able to shower and sleep more comfortably,” she murmurs quietly.

[willthxtbeall]

“it’s a good thing you’ve got small hands, baby, or we’d be in trouble.” tony shivers slightly as she smooths the bandages down over his unburned skin, lifting his head from his hands to look over his shoulder at her with a tired smile. “sent off my work to bruce for him to look over. might have something done by tomorrow night.”

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

tony limps to her, stiff from not moving all day, and from the pain in his back. one of the blisters had popped, his shirt sticking to the burns. he sinks down onto the couch beside her feet, eyes shadowed, tired from staring at screens all day. “hi, baby,” he murmurs, the plate from breakfast tossed onto the coffee table.

[mspxtts]

pepper reaches to softly stroke his cheek with her hand. "i'm going to get you some more painkillers and then check your back, honey," she says quietly, but not before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. it's gratitude that he's working so hard to help her.

[willthxtbeall]

“okay,” tony replies, closing his eyes as pepper kisses him. “thanks, honey,” he murmurs, hand brushing against hers for a moment before pulling away.

[mspxtts]

she gets up off the couch and goes into the kitchen to grab the first aid kit they keep there — there’s one in most rooms due to tony’s activities as iron man and tinkering. she finds some of his prescription painkillers as well as everything else she’ll need including some protective bandages. at least this gives her something to focus on other than her guilt over hurting him.

[willthxtbeall]

tony is hungry, breakfast was a long time ago — but he hurts, too, and he knows the burns need tending to. while she’s off getting supplies, he wrenches his shirt up over his head, the fabric ripping from the deeper burn, groaning quietly.

[mspxtts]

pepper flinches when she sees the burns and how raw and painful they look. she goes over to him and sets the supplies down aside from the ointment. “the bandages should help a lot so nothing is rubbing against the burns,” she murmurs as she delicately smooths the ointment over the burns. she cuts the bandages to size and applies them to the worst of the burns that are blistering. the hydrocolloid should allow the new skin to grow without being disturbed.

[willthxtbeall]

tony’s next groan is one of relief as pepper’s slender fingers gently massage ointment into the burns, holding his head in his hands. “reminds me of aghanistan,” he says into his palms. “i was so goddamn sunburned by the time rhodey found me.”

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

tony limps to her, stiff from not moving all day, and from the pain in his back. one of the blisters had popped, his shirt sticking to the burns. he sinks down onto the couch beside her feet, eyes shadowed, tired from staring at screens all day. “hi, baby,” he murmurs, the plate from breakfast tossed onto the coffee table.

[mspxtts]

pepper reaches to softly stroke his cheek with her hand. "i'm going to get you some more painkillers and then check your back, honey," she says quietly, but not before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. it's gratitude that he's working so hard to help her.

[willthxtbeall]

“okay,” tony replies, closing his eyes as pepper kisses him. “thanks, honey,” he murmurs, hand brushing against hers for a moment before pulling away.

[mspxtts]

she gets up off the couch and goes into the kitchen to grab the first aid kit they keep there — there’s one in most rooms due to tony’s activities as iron man and tinkering. she finds some of his prescription painkillers as well as everything else she’ll need including some protective bandages. at least this gives her something to focus on other than her guilt over hurting him.

[willthxtbeall]

tony is hungry, breakfast was a long time ago — but he hurts, too, and he knows the burns need tending to. while she’s off getting supplies, he wrenches his shirt up over his head, the fabric ripping from the deeper burn, groaning quietly.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

tony limps to her, stiff from not moving all day, and from the pain in his back. one of the blisters had popped, his shirt sticking to the burns. he sinks down onto the couch beside her feet, eyes shadowed, tired from staring at screens all day. “hi, baby,” he murmurs, the plate from breakfast tossed onto the coffee table.

[mspxtts]

pepper reaches to softly stroke his cheek with her hand. "i'm going to get you some more painkillers and then check your back, honey," she says quietly, but not before pressing a soft kiss to his lips. it's gratitude that he's working so hard to help her.

[willthxtbeall]

“okay,” tony replies, closing his eyes as pepper kisses him. “thanks, honey,” he murmurs, hand brushing against hers for a moment before pulling away.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

tony limps to her, stiff from not moving all day, and from the pain in his back. one of the blisters had popped, his shirt sticking to the burns. he sinks down onto the couch beside her feet, eyes shadowed, tired from staring at screens all day. “hi, baby,” he murmurs, the plate from breakfast tossed onto the coffee table.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.”

[mspxtts]

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

[willthxtbeall]

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

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.”

[mspxtts]

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

[willthxtbeall]

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

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.”

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

"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."

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

"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.

[mspxtts]

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.”

[willthxtbeall]

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

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

"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.

[mspxtts]

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.

[willthxtbeall]

"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."