Title: How Many Torments Lie In The Small Circle Of A Wedding Ring?

Author: firstflier
Theme: 009. Gold
Rating: PG-13
Length: 398 words

Summary: Regardless of what some people may believe, long before the arc reactor and Afghanistan, Tony had previously had an epiphany about his personal assistant.

Author's Note:

He notices one day that there is something different about Pepper. That there has been something strange going on with her for a while really.

It all starts when she wears her hair down more often in the office.

He doesn't notice right away but every time she leans over him to point at some important document he gets a whiff of something vaguely fruity, the feel of something silken catching in the stubble of his beard and soon deduces that it is her hair's fault for the sensory invasion. Still, it's not an entirely unpleasant sensation so he says nothing in the hopes that it will continue.

To Tony's delight, it does continue and he notices after a few weeks that there is a hint of a smile around the corners of her eyes. When she walks she almost appears to be floating and he's pretty sure he catches her humming 'Easy Lover' when she's going over some paperwork. She looks happy and it suits her. He thinks she looks radiant and, when he tells her this, her cheeks slowly blossom into a pale pink colour which he finds fascinating. He makes it his mission to see that colour on her face and on the top of her chest as often as he can.

He thoroughly enjoys himself.

Until he understands the reason for her new found happiness. He should have seen it coming really and he kicks himself when it finally dawns on him because, for a genius, he's awfully slow.

She brings him a mug of coffee down in the workshop and out of the corner of his eye he sees a flash of gold.

Instantly it has his attention (when has something sparkly not?) and he stares at it without really registering what he's seeing. She doesn't seem to notice his unwavering gaze and, if she does, she's too polite to say anything about it.

"Will that be all, Mr Stark?"

He grunts and she leaves with a slight frown marring her features; confusion at his lacklustre reply.

For the rest of the day he contemplates how she could have got a ring on her finger without him noticing until it was too late. When he fully realises what it means, what Pepper getting married and what that slim line of gold wrapped snug near her knuckle really means, he has to sit down. His knees feel weak and his ears are ringing.

There is a wonderfully delicate tinkling sound, like glass shattering, and he knows it's his heart that's breaking.

~Fin.