The soft golden light of the evening sun streamed through the windows of Seph's apartment, casting a warm glow across the cozy space.

  Seph stretched out on the couch, held a leather-bound book in one hand, and zily turhe pages. His strikingly sharp features were softened by the peaceful moment. In this quiet sanctuary, it was easy tet that he was the most powerful being ience.

  A faint knock at the door pulled him from his reverie. His lips curled into a small smile. He didn't o look up to know who it was—her presence was a familiar warmth, one he could sense before she eve foot in his building.

  "e in, babe," He called, closing the book.

  The door creaked open, and Virginia stepped ieps purposeful but carrying a hint of hesitation. She looked stunning, as always, her strawberry-blonde hair catg the light, but her face was clouded with worry. Her usually fident green eyes were tinged with apprehension.

  Seph sat up immediately, his senses honing in on her distress.

  "Virginia," He said softly, "what's wrong?"

  Her gaze flicked to him, and for a moment, her expression crumbled. She hesitated, her fingers clutg the strap of her handbag as if it were a lifeline.

  "It's Tony," She said, her voice low and uain. "He's in trouble."

  Seph tilted his head, his intense blue eyes narrowing. "What kind of trouble?"

  Virginia let out a shaky breath and walked further into the room, her heels clig softly against the floor. "He was on a busirip in Afghanistan to demonstrate the Jeriissile... and now he's been kidhe news just broke, but it's chaos. No one knows where he is or who took him."

  Seph's brows furrowed. "Kidnapped? By terrorists?"

  Virginia nodded, biting her lip. "Yes, that's what they're saying. And Stark Industries is already in damage trol mode, but…"

  She broke off, crossing her arms as if trying to hold herself together. "I 't stop thinking about what might be happening to him."

  Seph rose from the coud crossed the room in two long strides. He cupped her face gently, f her to meet his gaze.

  "You're worried about him," He said simply, not acg, just stating a fact.

  Her eyes filled with guilt. "I know how it sounds," she whispered. "He's my boss, Seph. He drives me absolutely crazy—stantly arrogant, never on time, and doesn't eve me started on the women. But he's also a friend. A plicated, infuriating friend."

  A smile tugged at Seph's lips. "I'm not jealous of your 'plicated, infuriating friend,' Virginia," he said, his toeasing.

  "I just want to know why you're beating yourself up over g about him."

  She sighed, sagging against him. "Because I don't want you to think… I don't know… that you're not enough. You're everything to me, Seph."

  His smile softened as he ed his arms around her. "Virginia, you care about more than one person at a time. It doesn't take anything away from us."

  He kissed the top of her head, his voice dropping to a pyful murmur. "Besides, if you tried to kiss him, I'd obliterate him in an instant."

  That earned him a ugh, muffled against his chest. "You're ridiculous."

  "And you love me for it."

  She pulled back, looking up at him with a small smile. "I do."

  Seph guided her to the couch, pulling her gently onto his p. She didn't resist, settling into the f circle of his arms. Her head rested against his chest, and for a moment, the room was quiet, save for the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

  After a while, Seph broke the silence. "So, this boss of yours… how many times a day does he make you want to quit?"

  Virginia let out a groan, c her face with her hands. "Oh, don't eve me started. He's impossible. He thinks the world revolves around him."

  Seph chuckled. "It doesn't?"

  "No!" She excimed, her hands dropping as she gred at him. "And you're not allowed to agree with him, Seph. That's treason."

  "Duly noted," He said, grinning. "So, what's the worst thing he's dohis week?"

  Virginia's lips twitched as she tried to suppress a smile. "Well, before he got kidnapped, he made me reschedule aire board meeting because he wao 'charm' a Swedish ambassador. And by 'charm,' I mean—"

  "Sleep with her?" Seph guessed, raising an eyebrow.

  "Yes!" Virginia said, throwing her hands up. "And when I told him that wasn't a valid reason, he just gave me that smirk and said, 'Pepper, the world doesn't stop spinning just because you disapprove of my extracurricur activities.'"

  Seph ughed, the sound rumbling in his chest. "I see why he drives you crazy."

  "Oh, you have no idea," Virginia said, shaking her head. But her smile faded, repced by a more somber expression. "And now he's out there, in God knows what kind of danger, and I 't do anything to help him."

  "You 't," Seph agreed. "But I ."

  Virginia's head snapped up, her eyes widening. "What?"

  "I'll go to Afghanistan," Seph said calmly. "I'll find him and bring him back."

  "Seph, no," She said immediately, her hands gripping his shirt. "You don't have to do that. It's not your responsibility."

  He reached up to cup her cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin. "Virginia, you rarely ask me for anything. I see how much this is eating at you. Let me do this. Not for Tony—for you."

  Her eyes searched his, filled with worry and love. "But it's dangerous—"

  "Dangerous?" Seph repeated, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "For me? Sweetheart, you fet who you're talking to."

  She sighed, exasperated but uo suppress a small smile. "You're impossible."

  "And you're irresistible," He tered, leaning in to brush a kiss against her lips. "So, let me hahis. You just focus on what you do best—keeping Stark Industries running and making people's lives a little brighter."

  Virginia groaned, dropping her forehead against his chest. "You're too good at this, you know."

  "At what?"

  "At making it impossible to say no to you."

  He ughed, ing his arms tighter around her. "That's my job."

  They sat like that for a while, trading stories about Tony's antid Seph's dry observations about humanity's quirks.

  Virginia teased him about his "god plex," while Seph feigned indignation, remindihat he didn't need a plex—he already was a god.

  By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the room was filled with the warm glow of ughter and love.

  Virginia's worry hadn't pletely faded, but it was tempered by the unwavering presence of the man she loved.

  As Seph ran his fihrough her hair, he murmured softly, "I'll bring him back, Virginia. I promise."

  She looked up at him, her eyes shining with gratitude. "I know you will."

  And for the first time that day, she felt a sense of peace.

  --- ? ? ? ---

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