Keep that to yourself...

[Naraya]

So... This is my first ever attempt at posting anything anywhere. I know it's short but I will add more - if it is of interest. (Please be gentle with me...)

Saturday Night

Tony sat on hard plastic seat and brooded. Leather jacket collar pulled up, shades on - despite the time of night, he tried to desperately zone out of the scene before him. A cold and damp Times Square, packed with people clutching camera phones as a dance troupe boomed music which, ricocheting off the surrounding buildings, whipped the crowd into a frenzy. He had grudgingly agreed, a few days previously, to attend the show with Pepper. Not being his scene at all, he had looked towards the weekend with a feeling almost a kin to dread, especially when he awoke that morning feeling less than his usually healthy self.

As the now familiar tickle in his sinus gathered, he attempted another futile attempt at scratching the raw roof of his mouth with his tongue. The tickling sensation he had woken up with had been steadily worsening throughout the day. Shivering slightly, he rammed his hands deep into his pockets, just as the need to sneeze caught him off guard. He turned sharply, stifling it into the crook of his arm.

“Ehhhttshhhtxx!”

He sniffed deeply, “Great. What’s betting that’ll be on YouTube in the next 24 hours” he deadpanned. Pepper dug out a packet of Kleenex from inside her huge designer handbag. “Bless you. Are you okay, Tony? I hope you’re not coming down with something?“ The sight of Tony sneezing had taken her by surprise. He ignored her question, taking a single tissue then handing her the packet back.

“Why is it women always have Kleenex on them, Pep? Is it something they teach you in High Sc…. Hu IISSCCHH...ISSHCCHHH..Uh !! What the … Huu-IIIISSSCHoooo!!"

Sighing, Pepper stood up, automatically smoothing down her skirt. “It’s just in case our boyfriends come down with spontaneous colds, Tony. When was the last time you came across a man carrying Kleenex? Come on, I think we ought to get you home.” Relieved, Tony wasn’t about to argue, he was bored, cold and desperately in need of something warm to ease his aching throat.

He followed Pepper through the crowd, keeping his head down for fear of attracting unwanted attention. They made their way out of the crowd, down a side alley whilst Tony called for his ride to collect them. Very quickly they became aware of footsteps not only following them but closing in. “Hey lady?” a voice behind them shouted, ignoring it, Pepper linked her arm through Tony’s.

“Hey? You not hear me or sumthink?” A youth shrouded in a grey hooded sweatshirt stepped in front of them. Both Pepper and Tony stopped short as a blade glinted before them. “Tony…?” Pepper whispered. Tony stepped in front of Pepper squaring up to the hooded youth. “Uh..Huh. It’s fine, stay behind me” He instructed firmly. Their assailant moved closer, daring to reveal more of the knife in his hand “Give me your wallet, your watch, your laptop and the ladies bag and I’ll let you live.” Tony frowned, “Give you what? This..?” he indicated the case which held his suit, slung over his right shoulder. “Laptop…? Seriously? You’re not from New York are you?” He smirked as he swung the case off his shoulder, it landed at his feet with a heavy thud. The man before him seemed outraged “Hell yeah I’m a New Yorker, Coney Island, Brooklyn man, don’t get no more New York than that!”

He either dismissed or failed to notice Tony kick his feet into the base of the case. Immediately sprung into action, assembling around him.

“What kind of voodoo-ass apple mac is that?” The man garbled backing away, holding the knife at arm’s length in full view now.

Tony, fully suited, stared at him for a moment “Funny, being a New Yorker, I’d have thought you’d know Iron Man.” He flipped down the visor, lifting his left hand, one single shot blasted his attacker straight into the side of a parked car. Pepper, crouched down on the pavement, yelped and covered her face with her hands as the impressive machine stalked down the street and picked up the man with one ankle, carrying him with ease. He swung the screaming male from one arm as he carried him back to packed square, where he dumped him unceremoniously into a group of NYPD police bikes. “Special delivery” he growled, activating his jets to fly back to Pepper.

Without pausing for a moment he scooped a shaken Pepper in to his arms, returning to Stark Tower just a few minutes later.

“Tony! Don’t you ever…” She began, pounding her fists against his chest. He staggered backwards another sneeze caught him off guard.

‘Eeeeessshhtttxxx!’

“Activating filtration System” JARVIS responded, as Tony flipped the faceplate back just in time to sneeze a second and third time. ‘Eeshhhttxx! Hu… Hu.. Hutttccchhxxx! Urgh” He sniffled miserably. “Maybe I am coming down with a bit of a cold… But keep that to yourself, I don’t need it to be common knowledge.”

[Spoo]

Holy awesome fic, Batman! This was great, Naraya! I really liked the scene you set up. I also liked the idea of Tony sneezing fully suited... It's a nice mental image (and sound I would imagine!). I hope you do end up continuing. This is good stuff!

[Lime]

Very nice story ^^

[Naraya]

Ahh thanks People, feeling a little better about posting now

[sneasons greetings]

This is fantastic, bud

Love it.

More would be great.

[Ezmac_45]

This is great! You should write more!

[Naraya]

Gee thanks! More is what you want, so more is what you shall get...

Notching it up a gear, this time. (Depending on the response I get) It is certainly to be continued...

Later that evening...

Tony sunk down into the couch, tissue box in one hand, whisky tumbler in the other. What had earlier been an irritation was fast becoming full on. He sighed, feeling the pressure in the roof of his mouth. His entire head felt full of concrete and his taste was distinctly metallic. For a few minutes he flicked through the channels on the smart TV before the programme froze to receive an interruption from JARVIS.

“Recent diagnostics indicate a raise in both temperature and white blood cells. Rhinoviral infection seems the most appropriate diagnosis. Vitamin supplements would be more effective than alcohol with recent research suggesting a combination of Vitamin C and Zinc is the most beneficial for the onset of a cold, at an amount of 2000 milligrams to reduce the longevity by a full 24 hours, side effects inclu…”

“Bmute” Tony snapped, silencing the unprompted report as Pepper walked into the room, dressed unusually in khaki cargo pants and a white vest top, her hair hanging loose over her shoulders. Tony’s eyes followed her across the room. “You. Look. Fadtastic...” He attempted to flirt, scowling at how badly the congestion affected his usually smooth patter. “…that’s a dnew look for you idndt it?”

“Bed!”

That was music to his ears, and he didn’t need telling twice. Raising one eyebrow suggestively, he whipped off his long sleeved tshirt in one fluid motion revealing his tanned muscular body, the arc reactor glowing reassuringly. Taking a step towards her, he maintained eye contact, closing the distance between them

“Cobe with me…. We dod’t have to have do adythid, we cad just get dnaked ad see what happeds?”

For a fleeting moment, he thought he’d managed to convince her, as she raised one hand to gently stroke the side of his face, then his mutinous sinuses had intervened, giving him barely enough time to turn away sharply, snatching a fistful of tissues from the discarded box.

‘Huh-issschhkk!’ he sneezed wetly into the bundle of tissues. ‘Huh-ISSSHHKK! Shit, what the fu.. IISCCHHuuu’

He snatched up more tissue in frustration, blowing his nose hard but unsatisfactorily. Pepper took a cautionary step back. “Oh that’s easily solved.” She purred in her most seductive voice. “What’s gonna happen is you are taking as many aspirin based meds as you can sensibly get away with, then you are going to get some sleep, whilst I rearrange your appointments for tomorrow. Then, eventually I may get to bed… In my own room. Comprende?” She smiled sweetly at his crestfallen expression.

“Sleep? Yeah like that’s ever godda happed! Idt’s like a Udicord, apparedtly it exits but I’b dever godda see it!”

_________________________

Pepper sighed and glanced at the clock. It was almost three in the morning and she had managed a meagre ninety minutes sleep. Her intentions had been good. She fully intended to leave him to sleep off the worst of his cold, with a hope that it would have eased significantly by morning. Only, she seemed to have developed a fascination with this brand new side of Tony. She couldn’t recall feeling like this before, but then Tony had never really succumbed so badly before. All night, Tony’s sneezing had seemed to stir something deep inside her, some innate yearning she wasn’t sure how to quell and didn’t really want to understand.

He had pitifully made his way upstairs, showering and climbing into bed in nothing more than Hugo Boss boxers, with his hair tousled but still damp. The drop in temperature as he’d emerged from the steamy bathroom had worsened his symptoms significantly, and Pepper had climbed into bed alongside him, innocently enough, intending to warm him up as he was shivering against the satin of his sheets.

Laying there next to him, swathed in the seductive, silky material, breathing in a combination of shower gel, deodorant and an intoxicating smell that was unique to Tony, she started to feel light-headed with want. She lay face to face with him, slowly running the tips of her nails down his broad chest until she could feel him pressing against her. Reaching over he kissed her hard and fast, rolling on to his back, pulling her over to straddle him.

[Spoo]

Ohhh myyyyy.

I am so loving the way this is turning out. You're going from hilarious and 'Oh, Tony' to 'Hell yeah, Pepper!' and I'm more than okay with this, haha. Seriously, this is flowing so well. I love your descriptions, especially:

"Laying there next to him, swathed in the seductive, silky material, breathing in a combination of shower gel, deodorant and an intoxicating smell that was unique to Tony, she started to feel light-headed with want."

Okay, as a writer I found that line beautiful. It definitely evoked some WANT in me, too.

Great job so far, Naraya!

[Naraya]

Thank you, means a lot!!!! I have written loads and loads of stuff, this is the very first time I have ever let anyone read it.

Although I am thoroughly enjoying myself I am making this up as I go along - please feel free to throw ideas at me.

Not much sneezing in this bit - but do bare with me

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Pepper felt her heart rate quicken at the memory. Something had awoken in both of them, something new and very raw. Their lovemaking – as that is what it had certainly been – had taken on a different edge. An urgency had suddenly developed, a primeval need to get as close to each other as it was physically possible to be. Frantic to meet the craving that each induced in the other, until, finally, as though perfectly choreographed, they had reached their mind blowing climax together, as different again to anything either of them had ever experienced.

Tony had lay on his side staring at her, a smile creasing the corner of his eyes. His hair was soaked in sweat, slicked back, exaggerating the shape of his face. “Wow….Oh yeah! Can we do that again?” He gasped and dissolved into fits of laughter whilst affectionately linking his fingers between Peppers, raising them to his lips to kiss her hand. “…that was something else, wasn’t it? Actually feeling a bit better now…” he sniffed, experimentally, sounding a tad clearer.

Pepper propped herself on one elbow, watching him. He had instigated everything, her conscience was clear, she could see that now, yet her initial response to his sudden cold and his worsening symptoms had puzzled her. No doubt that was where the intensity had come from? Usually, sex was at a steady, almost lazy pace. Gentle caresses with both of them content with the familiar rhythm of their relationship. She snuggled in the crook of his arm, as they both settled, contentedly. His breathing eventually slowed, turning to congested snoring.

______________

Tony wasn’t in bed when JARVIS activated the morning notification system, his dulcet tones listing all forecasts and trend predictions Tony felt he couldn’t possibly function without each morning. Pepper, feeling as though she had only just managed to drift off, rolled over to find his side of the bed, cold and empty. Raising her head from the pillow enough to ascertain he wasn’t in the bedroom or en suite, she asked the AI to trace him through the intercom, only moments later to be told he had been located in the gym, however he was currently listening to his iPod, resulting in all communication attempts failing.

Satisfied that he must be feeling better to have hit the weights bench, Pepper snuggled back down under the sheets, luxuriating in Tony’s extraordinarily expensive bed which was now saturated with his scent. Nobody would begrudge her just half an hour more R&R, she had hardly slept during the night, and it was Sunday after all. All business that had been pending was on hold on account of Tony’s sudden onset of illness. Down time was hard to come by so she wasn’t going to waste a moment of it.

______________

Tony had been conspicuous by his absence all day. Perhaps her imagination was playing tricks on her, but Pepper had a strong suspicion that he was deliberately avoiding her, though heaven knew why. Tony’s bipolar mood swings were legendry, but usually she didn’t find herself at the brunt of them. Apparently, she’d been reliably informed, he’d worked out in the gym, swung by the firing range to see Clint and Natasha (for reasons only known to him) then spent most of the afternoon and a fair portion of the evening out with Rhodey.

Trying not to let it trouble her, Pepper had arranged lunch with a girlfriend then trawled Bloomingdales in an attempt to blot out any paranoia that may be lurking beneath the surface. Expenses covered a clothing allowance, and there had been a rather gorgeous Elie Taharie pencil skirt calling her name across the store… Feigning a nonchalance she really hadn’t felt, she had deliberately opted to take a long bath and had an early night, rather than join the others in the lounge for their customary Sunday night Netflix fest. No contact had been made at any point during that time, the thought of which kept Pepper awake well into the night.

_______________

Monday morning meant meetings. Pepper had thought out today’s wardrobe carefully, so breezed into the boardroom as though taking to the catwalk. Tony’s mantra echoing in her mind “Don’t ever tip-toe… You need to strut!” causing a small secretive smile to cross her face as she entered the double doors. That was until her eyes met Tony’s.

[VividBubbles!]

Oh no. No you just did not. Cliffhangers are evil. Bad bad bad bad. Well, just, just grrrr. Ugh.

bye.