encompass | ᴏᴘᴇɴ ᴘᴏsᴛ 2018+2019 ( ɢᴇɴ + sᴍᴜᴛ )

[ Pepper's done dozens of public speeches, hundreds, probably, but this one has her a little nervous. This one is important, a charitable pet project of hers spearheaded by the September Foundation, one that she'd somehow managed to find the time for in addition to everything else she already did. She'd written her speech ten times over until she was happy with it, called Tony out of the blue to go over a random line or word choice. She really needed to get this right. The day finally arrives; her speech is finally perfect, her outfit is perfect, the weather is perfect -- she feels so good once she finally takes the podium out on the courtyard, smiling at the crowd and the TV cameras before glancing down at the note cards containing the speech she is so very proud of.

Everything happens in seconds.

She barely gets past the first sentence when someone shouts, then there's a loud crack Pepper can't place and doesn't even have time to dwell on before something slams against her side. Next thing she knows she's lying on the ground, tackled there by a security guard. Breath's knocked out of her lungs and her ears ring, people are screaming and scattering; security drags Pepper up and hustles her out and into the car that's suddenly waiting for her. Shaking and dizzy, she tries to wrap her mind around what just happened, when she realizes she can't seem to catch her breath and there's a strange wetness clinging to her side. When she touches her ribs, her hand comes away bloody. She does not get much further than that before she crumples against the leather seat and loses consciousness.

Her mouth feels cottony and everywhere aches when she next comes around. She doesn't open her eyes, but she can hear the steady beep of machines and smell the disinfectant, so she hardly needs to guess where she is. At least the hospital bed is mostly comfortable though her side feels like it's on fire, whatever medication she's on making her feel a little fuzzy.

Apparently getting shot is just a terrible experience all around. ]

...Ow, [ she gets out around a pained groan, wincing as she flutters her eyes open, fingers brushing against the thing tickling her nose-- oh, it's an oxygen cannula. Probably should leave that alone. ]

[ what followed wasn't quite unlike the time Tony found out Rogers' old war buddy is the same man who killed his parents. He's more than ready to go for a kill again, almost does when Rhodey interferes, saying something about how Tony mustn't kill the man he just blasted unconscious, had to keep him from smashing his head in with a punch of steel and a righteous fury.

Tony has bought several private rooms in various hospitals. Mostly, they're for his use - he let Rogers have one after he basically blew HYDRA from the sky. He never thought he'd have to see Pepper there, not unless it was a delivery room.

Two days later, he's still furious, still seething in his anger without Pepper there to balance it. It all evaporates the moment she comes to; he inches his chair closer and covers her hand with his. ]

I remember someone saying how we have to stop meeting at hospitals. Now who was it - she was saying something about the food being awful?

[ he smiles - it's amazing how easy those come around her. ]

[ Pepper breathes a faint laugh at that, thought it's immediately followed by a wince and another "ow" as the action shoots fire up and down her side. ] Don't-- [ make me laugh right now.

She squeezes at his hand weakly, careful of the IV line in the back of hers, and attempts to clear the stuffiness from her mind. She hates how sluggish she feels, bogged down by ample medication no doubt. Tony looks pretty terrible, but she probably isn't appearing any better. She wonders how long it's been-- what exactly happened. ]

Is there water? [ Her voice is whisper-thin as she wets her dry lips with her tongue, eyelids feeling heavy still as she struggles against the pull of lethargy. ]

[ It takes a moment for her words to register at all. Tony brushes a few strands of bright ginger hair from her forehead and caresses her skin, reminding himself that she's warm and real and very much alive. It helps against the avalanche of anger and guilt that's bubbling in his veins, all this new nano-tech and he wasn't able to help her and now she's here and hurting because someone targeted her ( because of him ) and managed to shoot her ( again, because of him ). ]

There's also vodka, I won't tell the nurse if you won't.

[ he can't help it; if he won't joke he may start apologizing and he knows she won't like that. He brings a cup to her lips, helps her take a few sips. ]

[ Pepper closes her eyes at the gentle touch, simply enjoying it for a moment. God, she's tired-- how can she be this tired when she's presumably been sleeping since... however long it's been.

His quip about the vodka draws a little hum of wan amusement under her breath, and she opens her eyes and smiles slightly before sipping from the cup Tony helps her with. She can only manage a few sips, but it's enough; just to get her mouth and throat wet, ridding her of the dry rasp in her voice. ]

Maybe a little later.

[ A belated answer, and she has to close her eyes again for a brief moment, sighing through her nose. Probably in this situation "what happened?" is the most pertinent question, but Pepper can remember enough. Even if not specifics. But whether it was a deliberate attack on her person, some random nutjob with a bad day, an attempt to get to Tony through her, or something else entirely; she knows that someone took a shot at her.

And that probably, she's lucky to be awake now. ]

How long have I been here? [ She flutters her eyes open a crack. Most importantly; ] When can I go home?

[ he puts the little plastic cup down and shifts his attention to her, one hand caressing her forehead, the other resting above hers. ]

About two days. It might take a little longer, honey.

[ it's a role-reversal and so he allows himself a small, fond smile. ]

Remember rule #18? always listen to your doctors.

[ she quotes that one at him maybe a hundred times. he never listened but a part of him hopes Pepper would be a better patient than he was. ]

[ She smiles at the reminder too, even if tiredly, in spite of it all amused by the reversal of their usual roles. ]

That's rule fifteen, [ she corrects softly, lips twitching a little. You'd think something so obvious would be higher up on the list still, but not when it came to one Tony Stark. Miraculously, there are other even more obvious things more important than that, Pepper has discovered along the years.

She intends to at least attempt to be a better patient, but the truth is she can be every bit as stubborn as Tony, especially when kept from her work. ]

So, what do the doctors say? Is there... damage? [ Beyond the obvious. ]

Is it? I could swear fifteen was about me quitting red meat.

[ he shakes his head, presses a soft kiss to her palm. All his sarcasm fades, leaving worry and care and an anxious sort of guilt. the latter he puts away in favor of her peace of mind. She needs her rest; she won't get it if Tony falls to pieces. ]

I got Dr. Cho here. She was ready to say no but then she heard it's you and she actually likes you.

[ he smiles. ]

She made sure there's no damage. You'll have a seriously hot scar, though. I mean it, I'm already into it.

[ Pepper merely shakes her head a little with a small smile, too weary to point out he got the two mixed up. It hardly matters.

The prickle of concern she'd felt earlier eases at his explanation, mollified by a lot to hear about Dr. Cho's involvement. The bit about the scar garners him a brief chuckle, knowing he's trying to put her at ease and doing her best to appreciate it despite the pain and disorientation. ]

I guess that's something, since you're the one who has to look at it more. [ Perhaps a bit morbid, but she doesn't really have the presence of mind to notice, her eyelids drooping under the haze of medication. ]

Shame about my speech... [ Her words slur just a little as she struggles to keep awake, but her eyes slip shut despite her best efforts. ] It was a really good one.

It really was.

[ he listened to it several times, offered his own corrections ( both as a jest and then very seriously ) and she's right, it really is a good speech. One of her better ones, he hates that it got spoiled for her. ]

You'll give it another time.

[ he shifts ar her side, making himself comfortable. ]

Get some Z's.

'M not tired... [ she insists mulishly with a frown, a knee-jerk reaction even though she's already falling asleep mid-sentence. She nods off into dreamless, medicated sleep barely a second later.

Pepper has no idea how long she sleeps this time around, but when she next wakes up -- slowly as ever -- she's feeling a lot less discombobulated. Still a bit groggy and in noticeable pain, but honestly she'll take it over feeling like her whole head is stuffed with cotton.

Tony is still there, right next to her. It makes Pepper smile a little, but now she's also more coherent and able to grasp onto the fact that he looks terrible. Predictably, but still. Gingerly, she finds his hand with hers. ]

Hey. Are you okay?

[ It's soft with concern-- like it wasn't her that had gotten shot. ]

[ Rhodey comes by, Bruce does too. When both fail to get him to leave her side, they go for the big guns and ask Happy to bring Parker from Queens. The kid brings balloons and a little Spiderman action figure that holds a little GET WELL sign.

Tony thinks the kid is hopeless but that's when he goes to take a shower, letting the kid do his homework by Pepper's bed. He eats a slice of pizza and then he's back. After this, he doesn't leave again.

He doesn't sleep, either. Sleep brings a flash of horrible images, a gun shot, Pepper crumbling at the backseat of a car, Pepper's pretty suit jacket stained red.

And through it all, when she wakes up eighteen hours after their last conversation, she worries for him. It's such a Pepper thing, to worry for everyone else but herself, even when she's terribly wounded, to be sweet and overwhelmingly kind to Tony when he's the one who put her there, who put her through so much since they've met. ]

Yeah.

[ he says, even though he knows she won't believe it. He's never been good at sparing Pepper; this time, he tries. He shakes his head and points at the balloons and the Spiderman action figure. ]

Kid got you presents.

[ True enough, Pepper does not believe it for one minute and that disbelief flickers in her eyes for a moment. She knows all too intimately how Tony looks after several sleepless nights. Hell, right now anybody with eyes could. But she can't find it in herself to be upset, knowing if the roles were reversed she would be in the exact same shape. But she can be sorry to have worried him so, unwittingly as though it was, her expression softening with wordless empathy. She squeezes his hand gently.

She turns her head slowly against the pillow to glance at the brightly colored balloons, the action figure pulling a breathy huff of a chuckle out of her. ]

Oh-- that's sweet.

[ The smile lingers on her lips for a moment longer as she looks back at Tony, sighing a little. ]

How long was I out this time?

[ She dreads the answer a little bit. Already, she thinking of the handful of deadlines on various projects she's probably missed already. ]

christening this post with some delicious h/c

h o w d a r e

i'm evil like that

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steve » endgame continuity

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