"No." he stood firm on the word. "Haven't we been through this before? Actually, I'm pretty sure we have. A few times."

He was postured like a defiant child. Arms folded across his chest tightly, Tony tilted his head away from the woman in front of him. There was nothing she could say further that would change his mind on the issue.

Tony Stark was not going to work.

"You have a board meeting with the seniors in an hour. A presentation at eleven, and Tony, you have to be in attendance for the Stark Industries employee awards at two. And you ARE going, so go upstairs, get ready and meet me outside. Try not to take longer than an hour, please."

"No." he shook his head, stepping back and turning away to open the door for her. When it was clear she wasn't going to leave, he slipped out instead, charging up the stairs quickly to avoid any more of her demands. 

Once he got up to the main floor, he moved towards the crystal decanter filled with scotch on the corner table and filled a glass up a quarter full. As soon as he turned, she stood with a stern look etched into her features. For a minute, he could have sworn if she was any closer that he would feel the sting of her hand across the back of his head.

"What is it that you people don't get? I'm CEO and as CEO, I make the rules."

As soon as he was finished his last word, Pepper Potts heaved a frustrated sigh.

"Why do you insist on arguing so much? Do you know what people call me, Tony? They call me 'the babysitter'.  I ignored it. I told them they were wrong, but they aren't."

He listened, but his expression didn't change. Instead, he quirked a grin.

"Are you saying that you want a raise now?"

Muse: Tony Stark
Fandom: Iron Man (Movie)
WC: 313