i love this so here’s a ficlet:
He’s leaning on Jim as they walk off the plane. It’s mildly terrifying but not altogether unexpected. Waving away the stretcher and the med team is definitely expected, so much so it’s almost a little comforting. Pepper takes a deep breath to steady herself and swallows down any tears she has left.
He doesn’t swagger as he makes his way to her, but his chin is still raised and defiant and his shoulders are still squared. She begins a mental catalogue of his injuries. There are two small cuts on his face, his left arm is in a sling and when Jim called to tell her he’s back, he’s back, he got out, we found him he’d mentioned something about a thing in Tony’s chest. All in all, incredibly, it could be worse. She’d expected worse.
He comes to a stop in front of her and who knows what’s going on in that bizarre and brilliant brain of his. The worse Pepper had feared could still be lurking in the dark behind his eyes.
“Your eyes are red. A few tears for your long lost boss?” He says, so he’s still Tony then.
And she’s still Pepper so she replies “Tears of joy, I hate job hunting.”
She can’t tell what exactly her face is doing but from the look in his eyes she’s making a pitiful attempt at hiding the pure joy of seeing him here and alive and safe and in the suit she sent with Rhodey on the very first rescue mission, only a few days after he went missing and months ago now. Pepper dreamt about that suit. Good dreams and bad and this isn’t exactly like the good dreams (he’s not sweeping her into an embrace and kissing her passionately for one thing) but it’s a hell of a lot better than the bad.
He swallows and something flickers in his expression and he’s not okay but that’s okay and totally to be expected. He’s not okay but he’s still him. So it’s okay.
It’s okay it’s okay it’s okay.
He’s pale. It’s odd that being in the desert would leave him so pale. Pepper can’t tell if it’s pain or exhaustion or something else entirely that has drained all the colour from his skin. She doesn’t want to think about it.
It’s okay it’s okay it’s okay.
She wants to touch him. She wants to cling to him actually. Instead she turns and walks to the other side of the car as Happy opens the door for him.
“The hospital please Happy,” she says after they’ve all slid in.
When Tony says no she argues but really, it’s only what she expected.
iampinbitch 