“Y/N, thank goodness you’re here.” Pepper shouted over the loud noise coming from the floor above you. You scrunched your brows and took in your friends concerned expression.
“Anytime, Pep.” You shouted back and squeezed her hand. “What on earth is going on? Happy called and said you might need some help?” Pepper nodded and tugged you towards the stairs that led to the upper level.
“It’s Tony.” You stopped short causing Pepper to momentarily stumble and release your hand.
“What?” You shouted.
“Tony!” Pepper shouted in your ear.
“Stark? I came all this way for, Stark?” You narrowed your eyes and hissed his name. Pepper shook her head and reached for your hand again.
“I know. I know. And I wouldn’t have called you if I thought I could handle it.” You crossed your arms and looked at Pepper, thoroughly unconvinced. “Look, I know you two don’t exactly get along,” You snorted, and Pepper shot you a look, “But it’s serious this time.” Pepper hugged her arms to her chest. “He’s gone nuts and I’m afraid he’s going to hurt himself or someone.” The sound of breaking glass pierced through the loud music, startling the you two. You looked at Pepper and nodded, quickly taking the stairs two at a time. Bursting through the doors, you froze in time to see Tony, drunk out of his mind wearing the iron man suit.
“Is he crazy?!” You shouted, looking to where Pepper had been standing. Not finding your friend there, you looked about frantically, only to find your friend edging near Tony, trying to reason with him. “Is she crazy?” You mumbled to yourself. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Natasha (posing as Natalie Rushman) by the bar cool as a cucumber. You swiftly made your way to Peppers side and cupped her elbow with your hand to get her attention. Pepper turned to you with a lost look on her face. Another man came to stand at her other elbow.
“Some people ask me how I pee in the suit.” Tony had grabbed a microphone and was talking. You put your face in your hand and moaned. Tony closed his eyes and stood for a second. “I just did!” He opened his eyes and laughed.
“Charming.” You snorted. Turning, you noticed that Pepper’s face was drained of all color. The man looked livid.
“I don’t know what to do.” Pepper muttered. The man, you recalled hearing him called ‘Rhodey’ looked like he was about to head for the stage. Pepper restrained him.
“I’m going to handle it, let me handle it.” You opened your mouth to offer help but stopped when you saw the determined glint in your friends’ eyes.
“Handle it.” Rhodey said. “Or I’m going to.” With a final nod, Pepper straightened her back and headed for the stage. You crossed her arms and looked at the serious man next to you. He glanced at you, then back at the stage, folding his own arms over his chest. “Names Rhodey.”
“Y/N.” You glanced at him once more before back at the stage. “Delightful place for social introductions.” He snorted despite himself. You both watched Pepper whisper heatedly at Tony before taking the microphone and trying to cut the party short.
“Mr. Stark thanks you for being here, but sadly the party is over, if you could all begin to disperse.” She gave an apologetic smile to the crowd. Tony quickly grabbed the microphone and drunkenly back away from Pepper.
“That’s true, I mean the party ended for me an hour and a half ago, but…” He paused looking from Pepper to where her line of vision was leading towards you and Rhodey. “The after party begins in fifteen minutes!” You narrowed your eyes and shook your head in distaste at the spectacle he was making of himself. “And if anyone, Pepper, or,” he turned to point at you, “The Duchess here, doesn’t like it, they can leave,” He was cut off by the loud bast of his repulsor and the shattering of glass. A small throng of scantily clad women began cheering and throwing things in the air for him to shoot. Pepper looked at you and Rhodey in defeat. Rhodey moved once again to leave when you quickly grabbed his arm.
“You going to stop me to?” He looked from your hand on his arm to your face. “How exactly do you plan on handling this?” Rhodey scoffed. You shrugged off his comment and tossed Natasha a quick glance, noticing the woman’s slight nod of approval, you smirked and looked back at Rhodey. He noticed your fingers twitch with small sparks of electricity.
“I have something a bit more…direct in mind Mr. Rhodes.” Rhodey looked at you uncertainly before nodding. You looked in Peppers direction in time to see Happy leading her away from the fray. It was just as well. Rolling your shoulders, you carefully made your way to Tony’s side. “Mr. Stark.” You looked up at him and waved a hand to get his attention.
“Duchess!” He said too brightly, trying to focus on your face through his alcohol haze. With a smile, you placed a hand over his arc reactor. His grin turned suggestive as he looked down at your hand on his chest. “Why, Duchess,” His words slurred around the edges slightly, “You do care.” With another smile, you leaned forward towards his ear.
“Say goodnight to your guests, Mr. Stark.” Pulling back, you smiled at him, and his brows drew together in confusion.
“What do you mean,” Your fingers lit suddenly with electricity and fried the circuits of his suit, bringing the man down. Unfortunately, he landed on top of you, knocking both out. In the wake of this activity the building was quickly cleared.
“Y/N! Y/N.” You came around to the sound of your name being called, and the feeling of a cool cloth on your forehead. Opening your eyes slowly, you saw Rhodey kneeling over you. With a groan you tried to sit up. “Easy, easy.” Rhodey said, helping you up into a sitting position on the couch. Looking around, you noticed the cleaning crew working on cleaning up the broken glass. Looking about once more you turned to look at Rhodey.
“Where,” you tried to work her vocal cords.
“The idiot is in his room sleeping it off.”
“And Pep- you tried again but broke into a coughing fit. Rhodey rushed to get you a glass of water.
“Pepper is fine. She’s furious with Tony right now, and even more so after hearing that he took you down with him when he fell, but she’s fine.” You nodded and took a drink of water. Rhodey looked at you intently. “How did you do that?” You cocked her head to the side and looked at him.
“Do what?” Your voice came out slightly hoarse. He made a zapping motion with his fingers. “Oh. Ever heard of technopathy?” You took another sip of water. He shook his head knowingly.
“So, you’re a technopath.” You nodded.
“He’s going to be eating a lot of crow when he wakes up tomorrow.” You gave him a conspiratorial grin. He chuckled. “Do you think I could manage to be around to see it?” Your eyes lit gleefully.
“I think we can arrange that.” He smiled back at you.
(The next day)
Tony knocked on Pepper’s office door, before showing himself in. Looking first and Pepper, then at the floor, he rushed to sit in the chair across from her and placed a small box of strawberries on her desk. Pepper pursed her lips and folded her hands on the desk.
“Can I talk to you for just-just a minute.” He ran his fingers through his hair. With a nod, Pepper looked down at some papers and began quietly counting. “Do you have any idea how short life is Pepper- “She slammed the papers down and glared at him.
“Are you even planning on apologizing?”
“Well, that goes without saying,” He brushed his nose and looked at the swinging knick knack in front of him. “Can I move,”
“No, you can’t” She cut him off again. He pulled a face and wheeled his chair further to the right so he could look straight at her.
“I’m just trying,”
“I’m just trying to run a company.” She looked at him pointedly.
“I know, and”
“A company you should be running, Tony.” He flinched at her tone. “I’m doing my best,”
“And you’re doing a great job,”
“While you ‘save the world’ as Iron Man. I’m putting out fires. Fires you start.” With a sigh, her eyes flickered to the strawberries. “Did you seriously bring me,”
“Strawberries,” he pushed the box forward. Pepper’s frown deepened.
“Did you know,” she leaned forward, “There’s only one thing on earth that I’m allergic to,”
“Strawberries.” He muttered, pulling the box back. From the corner of the room, he heard a quiet snort. Slowly a chair turned around. “Duchess?” He breathed, the previous night’s events flooding back to him.
“Miss Potts,” Natasha rushed in with some papers for Pepper.
“Ready, Boss?” Happy stood in the door. Tony turned to address him, only to realize that he was referring to Pepper. With a sigh, Tony stood and quickly left the room. Pepper noticed the way your eyes followed Tony with disgust.
“Y/N?” Pepper waived her hand to get your attention.
“Hmm?” You turned to your friend. Pepper smirked and narrowed her eyes.
“You like him, don’t you?” You snorted. “You do!” Her tone turned playful.
“Don’t you like him, Pepper?” You ignored the question. Pepper rolled her eyes and turned back to the paperwork.
“He’s attractive, but it’d be like going to the buffet after it’s been picked clean.” Rhodey stood in the doorway, knocking on the frame lightly.
“Ladies?”
“I’m finding there are more important things. Like stability.” She turned to you with a meaningful look before standing and straightening her dress. Before leaving she nodded to the strawberries. “Maybe you can find some use for those.”