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….
Tony Stark's Estate. Malibu.
A phone call to her personal number distracted Pepper at the most inopportune moment, when she, hiding in a corner and pulling out a compact with a mirror, was trying to shake confetti out of her bangs.
Almost dropping the compact in surprise, the girl took out her cellphone and was amazed to find the line "Number Unknown" on the panel, and this on her phone.
Nevertheless, such a number clearly deserved an answer; after all, no one had called her personal phone without reason since her senior year of college.
"Hello," the girl accepted the call.
"Pepper Potts?" an unfamiliar male voice clarified in a businesslike manner.
"Yes, speaking."
"Outrageous!" the interlocutor suddenly became indignant, momentarily stunning the newly minted CEO of Stark Industries.
"What is that slacker thinking?! Kick him already so he proposes to you; how much longer can this be tolerated?!"
"Excuse me?.." the degree of, ahem… the girl's bewilderment reached heights that even Tony could rarely achieve.
And considering the essence of the voiced question, adding, to put it mildly, some awkwardness to the emotions, it was completely… uncomfortable.
"I am amazed at this genius idiot," the unknown man continued, "how can one be so shy at his age and with his track record? I was sure he'd pull out the ring as soon as he found out he wasn't dying anymore, but it seems I underestimated him."
"Who are you?" shaking her head, the experienced secretary tried to seize the thread of the conversation.
"Ah yes, I am his… In a sense, colleague. Well, you've already sensed that I can do to people what Tony loves doing to them. Anyway, why am I calling? Pass him my apologies that I won't be able to attend the party. I won't congratulate him on another year in this terrible universe, but make sure you kick him for me. Tell him God is displeased with his cowardice in his personal life!"
"What is going on?" this whole strange conversation was starting to annoy her. "Who are you?!"
"I am His God. And, as is proper, I'm calling to congratulate him on Overcoming another year," her interlocutor was clearly out of his mind and spouting nonsense.
But how could this be reconciled with the fact that he not only called a not very widely known number, but also Stark Industries' monitoring systems, which "identified" even calls from S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, impotently displayed "number unknown"?!
And the interlocutor continued to destroy her inner world with his words:
"Just don't think anything… unnatural. I am a God of strict and old views; I recognize only a harem of beautiful nymphs… Ahem, never mind, basically, just pass on that I called and apologized. And yes, don't forget to kick him! It is important!"
And the connection cut off, leaving the faithful secretary, and now General Director of Stark Industries, in utter disarray.
"Mmm, who called?" Tony appeared as if out of nowhere, wielding two glasses.
"Pepper, for heaven's sake, just don't say it's work! You can rest and relax at least on my birthday, if you categorically refuse to do so on yours? Consider it my demand as the birthday boy!"
"One of us has to work, right?" she habitually protested her boss's behavior. "But no, it was just some strange psycho."
"Strange psycho?" instantly perking up, another str… eccentric billionaire raised an eyebrow.
If the girl hadn't been absolutely sure of the opposite, she could have believed this was another prank by this overgrown slacker.
Besides, Stark would have had both the skill and resources to pull such a prank… even while remaining in sight, but… no. Pepper sighed.
Given the context, it would have been too cruel a joke, and this guy, for all his dissoluteness, never allowed himself such things… well, towards her.
"Yes, introduced himself as God and said he was extremely displeased with you… and that I should kick you…"
"And he didn't say what exactly he was displeased with?" with a suspiciously soft and smooth movement, Tony took her arm, leaning closer and shooting glances around as if he didn't want to be overheard.
And the question sounded as if he understood perfectly well what and whom she was talking about.
"So-o-o," the faithful secretary frowned, straightening her back and reflexively moving the glass away from her lips, "Mr. Stark, did you forget to tell me something? Because this mysterious someone also mentioned something about 'dying'…"
"No idea what that's about!" the engineer with the "electric motor" darted his eyes around the area…
"…" filled with the worst suspicions, Pepper continued to drill him with a heavy gaze.
"But…" this overgrown child raised a finger, "I did indeed forget something. And I suspect that guy couldn't help but say something about it… I definitely wouldn't have held back in his place…" he chewed his lips, slightly bristling his beard, but immediately came to his senses and turned to the crowd of guests.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I ask for a minute of your attention. I understand you gathered primarily to destroy my stock of collectible whiskey," chuckles were heard, "and also to verify that I am still just as magnificent and courteous," now female giggling was heard, causing Miss Potts to roll her eyes in suffering.
"However!" the billionaire raised his voice slightly, forcing the guests to focus their attention, "now I will ask you to distract yourselves a little from these, without doubt, most important activities… especially verifying my magnificence and courtesy… and bear witness!"
"Tony, your jokes again?" Pepper hissed at her boss, feeling extremely uncomfortable under all these gazes.
"No. This time I am deadly serious," he turned to her and… got down on one knee, pulling a box with a ring from his jacket. "Pepper Potts, marry me!"
"…" she was speechless.
The gathered guests also fell silent, unable to believe that the world's most eligible bachelor had finally decided to settle down.
The ensuing silence was broken by the sound of clapping.
"Well finally!" shouted a strange young-looking man with long black hair slicked back.
With the edge of her consciousness, the girl noted that she didn't remember his name and there shouldn't be anyone with such a face on the guest list either… unless, of course, Tony dragged someone in at the last moment, as he loved to do often.
"…"
"Not to rush you…" Stark whispered quietly, "but for your information, it's damn uncomfortable standing here, and it seems I landed on a beer cap with my knee… Who even drinks beer on my birthday?"
Along with the last remark, Tony's gaze acquired an insanely touching expression, a mixture of feeling betrayed in his best feelings, refusal to believe that anyone in their right mind could prefer some beer to his personal whiskey collection, and timid hope that she would somehow save him from this cruel reality.
"Pffft," Pepper laughed. This was Tony all over, he was always a master of introducing a dose of absurdity and reckless madness into any matter. "I agree."
….
If you want to read ahead by 20+ chapters from here you can visit my Patre-on.
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[email protected]/Yggdrasil_Loki