[ Pepper can feel the hesitation practically emanating off him, coupled with a longing that has such an intense edge to it she doesn't quite know what to make of it, his touches feeling almost starved for all that they are innocent, sending little frissons of awareness crawling across her skin. She banks her curiosity and growing concern for now, even if badly, a frown creasing her forehead when Tony brings the horse to a halt in the middle of the path. ]
But...
[ February. August. That's coming close to seven months spent here. It feels absolutely ludicrous, when Pepper had only seen him a moment ago back home. How is that even possible? But what dismay she may have been feeling over that detail pales woefully in comparison to the complete and utter shock his follow-up words elicit, like a slap across the face. Her eyes widen and she sucks in a sharp breath. ]
What?
[ She stares at him in aghast, waiting for the punchline, for the joke that must be coming even though it's in incredibly bad taste. How can it suddenly be 2016 when it was just turning 2014 for Pepper? No, there's no way.
But she already knows he wouldn't joke like that. It doesn't stop her from denying it, because if that's true... ]
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But...
[ February. August. That's coming close to seven months spent here. It feels absolutely ludicrous, when Pepper had only seen him a moment ago back home. How is that even possible? But what dismay she may have been feeling over that detail pales woefully in comparison to the complete and utter shock his follow-up words elicit, like a slap across the face. Her eyes widen and she sucks in a sharp breath. ]
What?
[ She stares at him in aghast, waiting for the punchline, for the joke that must be coming even though it's in incredibly bad taste. How can it suddenly be 2016 when it was just turning 2014 for Pepper? No, there's no way.
But she already knows he wouldn't joke like that. It doesn't stop her from denying it, because if that's true... ]
That's impossible, Tony.