Theme 79 - Mettle
Title: Courage
Author: ZionAngel
Theme: 79 - Mettle
Rating: PG-13
Length: 594 words
Summary: Pepper finds the courage to get a little closer.
The elevator in the downtown Los Angeles skyscraper is too small, and quickly becomes crowded as Pepper and Tony travel to the upper levels for their business meeting. The pair began the ride in the center of the elevator, a few good feet between them. But as they ascend higher and higher, and more people join them, they find themselves pushed farther into the back corner, and closer together. For every person who gets off, two more get on, and by the time they are halfway to their floor, Pepper and Tony find that they have somehow come to stand flush against each other.
She can’t quite quell the thrilling little rush she feels. She tries her best to ignore the flush of heat, and when that fails, tries to keep her breaths even, her eyes on one spot on the wall behind him, and her body steady. She doesn’t want anyone else - or Tony - to notice the effect his closeness is having on her.
But she can’t pretend away the intimacy of it, or the way it makes her feel. She can’t keep her mouth from going dry at the subtle scent of his cologne. She can’t stop her heart from fluttering at the sensation of their bodies pressed lightly together. She can’t stop her breath from hitching as she feels his slide across her cheek and neck. Most of all, she can’t fight the urge to seek out his face, find those soft brown eyes and quirky little smile. But somewhere deep down, she knows she doesn’t want to.
The elevator jolts just slightly as it continues upward, and she slides a hand around his waist. For stability, of course.
He doesn’t move away, or give the slightest hint that the touch makes him uncomfortable. She tightens her grip, squeezing just slightly, pressing her hand flat against his back. She feels the shape of his muscles beneath the fabric of his suit. She wonders - longs to know - what they might feel like if she could touch his bare skin.
The doors open again - still at least a dozen floors left to go. Bodies shift around them, jostling and bumping each other. Tony presses a hand to her back, just between her shoulder blades, and pulls her further into the corner, holding her tighter against him. When the chaos settles and the doors close once again, she does not step back. He does not drop his hand.
She isn’t quite sure what compels her to stay where she is, what gives her the courage to keep her arms around boss, especially when any one of these people could turn and see at any moment. She’s sure that at any moment, her nerves will fail her, she’ll come back to her senses, succumb to the fear that someone will see, that her fear of impropriety will overwhelm her, something. But the seconds tick slowly by, the ding of the elevator bell tolling at each floor, and in each split-second battle, her courage and desire to be near him wins out. And each time, the thrilling feeling of the moment becomes ingrained into her memory.
“Our stop, Pep.” When she looks to his face again, she’s sure she sees a trace of disappointment. And just maybe, that sweet, dizzy look in his eyes is because of her, too.
But she doesn’t dwell, and neither does he. They step away, squeezing through the slightly thinner crowd, and out the doors. She only just manages to keep her giddy smile to herself.
Author: ZionAngel
Theme: 79 - Mettle
Rating: PG-13
Length: 594 words
Summary: Pepper finds the courage to get a little closer.
The elevator in the downtown Los Angeles skyscraper is too small, and quickly becomes crowded as Pepper and Tony travel to the upper levels for their business meeting. The pair began the ride in the center of the elevator, a few good feet between them. But as they ascend higher and higher, and more people join them, they find themselves pushed farther into the back corner, and closer together. For every person who gets off, two more get on, and by the time they are halfway to their floor, Pepper and Tony find that they have somehow come to stand flush against each other.
She can’t quite quell the thrilling little rush she feels. She tries her best to ignore the flush of heat, and when that fails, tries to keep her breaths even, her eyes on one spot on the wall behind him, and her body steady. She doesn’t want anyone else - or Tony - to notice the effect his closeness is having on her.
But she can’t pretend away the intimacy of it, or the way it makes her feel. She can’t keep her mouth from going dry at the subtle scent of his cologne. She can’t stop her heart from fluttering at the sensation of their bodies pressed lightly together. She can’t stop her breath from hitching as she feels his slide across her cheek and neck. Most of all, she can’t fight the urge to seek out his face, find those soft brown eyes and quirky little smile. But somewhere deep down, she knows she doesn’t want to.
The elevator jolts just slightly as it continues upward, and she slides a hand around his waist. For stability, of course.
He doesn’t move away, or give the slightest hint that the touch makes him uncomfortable. She tightens her grip, squeezing just slightly, pressing her hand flat against his back. She feels the shape of his muscles beneath the fabric of his suit. She wonders - longs to know - what they might feel like if she could touch his bare skin.
The doors open again - still at least a dozen floors left to go. Bodies shift around them, jostling and bumping each other. Tony presses a hand to her back, just between her shoulder blades, and pulls her further into the corner, holding her tighter against him. When the chaos settles and the doors close once again, she does not step back. He does not drop his hand.
She isn’t quite sure what compels her to stay where she is, what gives her the courage to keep her arms around boss, especially when any one of these people could turn and see at any moment. She’s sure that at any moment, her nerves will fail her, she’ll come back to her senses, succumb to the fear that someone will see, that her fear of impropriety will overwhelm her, something. But the seconds tick slowly by, the ding of the elevator bell tolling at each floor, and in each split-second battle, her courage and desire to be near him wins out. And each time, the thrilling feeling of the moment becomes ingrained into her memory.
“Our stop, Pep.” When she looks to his face again, she’s sure she sees a trace of disappointment. And just maybe, that sweet, dizzy look in his eyes is because of her, too.
But she doesn’t dwell, and neither does he. They step away, squeezing through the slightly thinner crowd, and out the doors. She only just manages to keep her giddy smile to herself.