Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel or any of its characters and lines from the movie used in this story. What is written here is for entertainment purposes only. I do not make any profits from it.

"Pepper! Pepper!"

"Has the engagement been broken off?"

"Why aren't you wearing the ring?"

"Is this another break?"

Pepper pushes past the hounds of paparazzi crowding her personal space and taps the first song in her jogging playlist before breaking off into a run, leaving behind the annoying pack. The wireless Stark earpods she's wearing drown out the clamors and annoying cries with Beyoncé's hits.

She tries not to notice that her left hand feels significantly bare and naked.

36 hours earlier

Tony flashed the media his signature grin as he walked up to the podium after Pepper, waving at the select few journalists he knew by name and actually liked a decent amount.

Pepper motioned at him to take the mic, genuinely interested at what he was going to say in order to deliver on the big announcement they promised.

A tiny part of her was hoping he'd fail. After all, this was entirely his fault for calling the media before getting a decision out of Peter. But if this all ended up in ruins (literal ruins since Tony had a habit of doing that), Pepper would be left dealing with the fallout, answering phone calls, placating the board, and handling stock drops.

Like she said. A tiny part.

Tony greeted the gathering of journalists and said, "I bet you're all just dying to hear what the big announcement is. Well, I'm here to introduce the world to the newest member of the Avengers."

Aside from the slight widening of the eyes and tensed muscles, Pepper had to control herself so as not to appear confused and panicked at Tony's latest bright idea.

The man in question turned to her, smirked, and promptly got down on one knee, lifting an engagement ring up at her.

This time, she was unable to catch herself and her eyebrows shot up and she took a step back in surprise.

The room slowly fell silent; each excited chatter and conversation drifted away save for the sounds of cameras flashing and shutters clicking as the audience was likewise driven speechless.

Nobody expected this.

Not even Pepper who only moments before told him not to do it.

Idiot, stupid, jerk—

"So, what'd you say, Potts?" Tony asked, his eyes sparkling with barely contained joy and amusement. "Will you be the Iron Lady to my Iron Man?"

Pepper pressed her lips together and considered the matter very carefully. Tony sought attention like a moth to a flame. Of course, he was going to propose in front of the media and put her under their spotlight. Did she really expect anything better?

And calling her the newest member of the Avengers? Really? Didn't he get how that could be misconstrued and taken literally? She could already hear the board and SHIELD and the UN calling her.

But she couldn't refuse Tony either. Not in front of the whole world. He had boxed her in a corner.

Oh, you are so going to pay for this.

Pepper shook her head and rejoiced in the flash of panic in Tony's eyes. "Not if you call me that. Iron Lady makes me sound like Margaret Thatcher."

Tony visibly relaxed and so did the journalists watching.

She waited a beat.

She looked at Tony.

"Mrs. Stark will do."

And it was like somebody had flicked a switch. The journalists rose to their feet, crying out questions and congratulations.

"Miss Potts, when's the wedding? Got any dates in mind?"

"Tony, did you think she was gonna say no?"

"This is the closest thing to a royal wedding in the US!"

"Will Steve Rogers be invited to the ceremony?"

"Miss Potts, did you have any idea he was going to propose!"

Tony barely heard it all, though. He slipped the ring on Pepper's finger and hugged her.

"For a second there, I thought you'd say no," he whispered in her ear.

"Me too," Pepper replied.

They shared a moment before Tony turned to the crowd and talked over them. "If you lot don't mind, Pepper and I are gonna go and um, celebrate." He winked suggestively at the last word and pulled her out of the room with him.

Once inside the privacy of Tony's assigned living space, he began sputtering on about entourage and wedding songs.

He turned to get Pepper's approval only to find her looking gravely at him.

The sight is disconcerting.

"Pep?"

Pepper looked down at the ring in her finger and then up at Tony, something uncertain in her expression, something Tony couldn't read and didn't want to.

Tony almost staggered towards her. "Pep—"

She started removing the ring.

Tony felt everything leave him, his breath, his hopes, his life.

Pepper moved closer to him and held out the ring.

Tony shakily took it, all while screaming a question at her with his eyes.

"Propose to me again."

He choked. "What?"

"Propose. Again." She smiled lovingly at him. "Just us. No media, no avengers, no… just the two of us."

Tony sucked in a breath. "Oh my God, I thought you were gonna leave me! I thought you were gonna take it all back and leave me. You almost gave me a heart attack, Pep!" Instead of proposing, her grabbed her by the arm and crushed her to him in a gripping hug.

"And this is why I'm gonna marry you and probably shackle us together by the wrists. I'm not letting you—" Tony trailed off when he felt Pepper shaking against him.

He pulled back to find her holding in laughter.

She was laughing!

"What the hell? Are you kidding me?"

"This is what you get for proposing in public! What the hell were you thinking?"

Tony took a step back. "Whoa, I was thinking we needed a big announcement and since I was planning on proposing anyway, might as well be that."

Pepper folded her arms. "Well, I take it all back."

"What?"

"I want you to propose to me again. Properly this time."

"I'm not so good with doing anything properly."

"I know. But I think you'll do great on this occasion."

"Very well." Tony cleared his throat and began. "Pepper."

She shook her head and signaled at him to get down on his knees.

Tony conceded with a smirk. He knelt down. "Pepper."

She shook her head again.

"Love of my life, pearl of my seas, the reactor to my suit—" Tony's nose crinkled. "Too much?"

Pepper nodded.

This time Tony pocketed the ring, took her hands, and held them reverently.

"Better?"

"Better."

Present Day

Pepper manages to do 11 uninterrupted rounds after the paparazzi finally took the hint and dispersed.

She spots a familiar figure standing by a tree and she jogs up to him.

"Saw the headlines before I drove out here. Have you been goading the paparazzi again, honey?"

Pepper giggles. "It's fun."

Tony shares the smile and pulls something out of his pocket. It's the engagement ring and enclosed in a box this time.

He opens it, takes the ring out, catches her eye, and without breaking eye contact, slips it back on her ring finger.

"Is it still loose?"

Pepper extends her fingers, inspecting the readjusted ring. She wiggles her fingers and relishes in the feeling of the ring being back where it belongs.

She shakes her head at Tony in reply and as she does so, she notices familiar movement from the corner of her eye.

She inches closer to Tony and places her hands on his biceps. "Looks like the paparazzi's back. Want to give them a little something to work with?"

Tony cocks his head thoughtfully. "You did make them think we broke up. You're not gonna make a habit out of this are you? Because I'm all for playing jokes on them as long as I'm in on the joke."

Pepper laughs and hovers her lips to his. "Well, you have done everything so very properly…"

Tony closes the gap and kisses her.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed!