Avengers Fic - Ten Reasons Why Pepper Potts Should Marry Tony Stark
A/N: An Iron Man fic set after The Avengers. Just Tony/Pepper romance. Some spoilers are about.
This is mostly written for avengers_land.
It’s late at night and Tony Spark and Pepper Potts are in bed on a still structurally sound floor of Stark Tower, almost ready for sleep.
“Pepper, can I ask you something?” Tony asks.
Pepper turns over in bed and looks at him. The light from Tony’s miniature arc reactor is muffled by the sheet he’s under, but there’s still a hint of illumination. It’s enough to see that she has a smile that’s small, yet somehow still reaches up to her eyes. “Yes.”
Tony swallows, not quite believing what he’s about to say. “Would you like to marry me someday?”
Pepper blinks in surprise, and then laughs. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“Well, yes, kind of. Not right at this very second, hence why I said ‘someday.’” He frowns deeply. “And to be frank, I’m hurt that you’re laughing at that. Am I still really so horrible?”
He’s not kidding about the hurt. Pepper can see that in his eyes, feel it in the way his muscles have tensed, like he wants to turn away from her. She sobers instantly. “I’m sorry, Tony. I just… never thought of you as the type to want to get married.”
“But I am the marrying type?”
Pepper shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t know what ‘the marrying type’ is.”
Tony sighs. “How long have we been together?” He knows the answer, and she knows he knows.
“We don’t have a set anniversary.”
“We haven’t been together as a couple long enough for one,” Tony admits.
“That’s true. We’ve been together as a couple for a week.”
“Just the one week? I would have said a week and a half.”
“Either way, that’s not enough time for us to even think about getting married, let alone even mention the words ‘married’ or ‘wedding’, Tony.”
Under the covers, Tony places a hand on Pepper’s hip. Part of him is pleased he can now do so and she won’t scold him for being unprofessional. “But you’re the one I want to be with for the rest of my life, Pepper. There’s honestly no one else I’d rather be with than you.”
Something in Pepper’s chest tightens a little. He used to say things like that all the time to her. “I need you.” “I have no one else.” “You complete me.” Every time, she thought it was just banter, or he was talking about her job as his PA, then as CEO. Now, maybe she thinks there’s more to it than that, that for a long time there’s always been more to it than that. She just didn’t let herself see it before.
She beats herself up for missing all the clues he was trying to give her that he was sick and dying. He was giving away his art work and other possessions. He didn’t want his birthday party, because he knew it would be his last, and then he proceeded to get drunk and destructive during it. He made her CEO of his company, confidant that she’d look after it well. He let Rhodey take a version of the Iron Man armour. (Despite Tony insisting that Rhodey had stolen the armour, he was the only other human on earth who had the security code needed to operate it.) He wanted to go somewhere with her to “be healthy.”
Maybe it’s time she stopped ignoring all the not-so-little clues about his true feelings for her too.
“I’ll tell you what,” Pepper suggests, “when I wanted something big from my mom when I was younger, she always made me write a list of ten reasons why I wanted it. If they were good ones, then she’d get it for me or help me get it myself. If I couldn’t come up with enough good reasons, then it probably wasn’t worth wanting in the first place. If you can come up with a written list of ten good reasons why I should marry you someday, then barring something horrible happening, I will.”
She didn’t want to think of all the possible horrible things out there that could stop
them.
Tony nods. “Okay, deal. You’ll have that list now.”
Even though he doesn’t have ten reasons handy, Tony is prepared to improvise. He takes a deep breath to start, but Pepper puts a hand to his lips.
“No, Tony, not tonight. I need sleep first. Give me the list tomorrow night.”
Tony pouts under her fingers, then takes her hand gently and gives her a kiss. “Okay. Sleep well.”
She kisses him back, bidding him a good night. Then she rolls over to sleep.
Tony lays awake for a while, staring at the ceiling. One finger quietly taps the metal circle in his chest as he contemplates his answers to Pepper’s challenge.
*
Unfortunately, Iron Man is called away on a mission to Africa a few minutes before Pepper was due back at Stark Tower after a long day at work. He calls her quickly just to let her know he won’t be there, and she only has enough time to tell him to be careful.
The building always feels too empty and quiet with him away.
“JARVIS, how long do you think Tony will be gone?” Pepper asks the room.
“Mr Stark’s mission is estimated to take a total of eight hours, including flight time,” the cool, disembodied voice replies. “However, there is a chance that he may be delayed longer than that.”
Pepper sighs, already knowing that she’ll wait up for him as long as she can, but she’ll probably be asleep before he comes to bed, assuming that is he even makes it home tonight. She pre-emptively curses her tired body for betraying her heart.
Suddenly, JARVIS speaks up again. “Mr Stark wanted me to let you know that the list you requested is in the bedroom.”
“Oh, um… thank you.” Pepper hadn’t forgotten about the list. She’d been thinking about what Tony might have written down all day.
She thought, like a lot of other things, that Tony might have left this list until the last minute. The piece of paper resting on her pillow on their bed proves her wrong. He wrote it by hand, and though his handwriting isn’t the neatest, she has years of practice at reading it. She takes off her shoes and sits on the bed to read.
Some of the reasons make her roll her eyes. Some make her blush. Some make her chest feel tight with emotion. Just about all of them, Pepper is a little surprised to realise, she can rationalize as being good enough reasons.
Ten Reasons Why Pepper Potts Should Marry Tony Stark
1. Studies show that most married people have more sex than single people. (Despite popular belief. I know! I was surprised too! If you don’t believe me, ask JARVIS to bring up the research that says so. Apparently, while single guys are buying drinks trying to woo women, married guys are at home having sex with their wives.)
The studies also show that married people have better sex than singles as they can get to know their partner’s body better over time. Like that spot you-know-where that made you squeal and moan that first night we were together. (I still can’t believe that none of your ex-boyfriends have ever done that.)
2. If we’re married, I could hit that aforementioned you-know-where spot every day and/or night for as long as you want me to. I also promise I will always give you back/shoulder/neck rubs, and look after you if and when you get sick. I’ll learn how to make chicken soup and I swear it’ll be better than my omelettes.
3. You’ll never, ever have to worry about money. That goes without saying.
4. Even if something horrible does happen and Stark Industries goes bankrupt, you and I have enough skills and resources to support each other through hard times.
5. Every time I’ve almost died, since Afghanistan at the very least (and I’m pretty sure a few times before that as well… I remember an over-night hospital stay after I drank something I shouldn’t have while drunk,) thinking of you is what brought me back. You make me want to keep living. This supports the fact that most married people live longer than single people.
When I flew through that portal, I was staring at your face because JARVIS was trying to call you. I felt like you were there with me, somehow. You are my whole reason for wanting to save the world.
6. I hate bringing up the topic of children right after bringing up the topic of marriage, but if you ever do want kids, I’d be a fantastic dad. If you want another list of reasons why, I’ll happily give you one.
7. I trust you with my life. For example, if my arc reactor dies (again), you’re the first person I’ll call to help me replace it. (Again.) You have held my heart, literally my life, in your hands. You know as well that I’d do the same for you in an instant.
8. Going back to the sex thing, you’re the only woman I’ve slept with for the past six months. That’s literally a record for me. I promise that I will never cheat on you, and if I am ever unfaithful, you hereby have my express written permission to castrate me in the most painful way you can think of.
9. You’ve helped to make me into a better person, into a super hero, into a man whom I hope is worthy of your love and affection.
10. I love you and you love me back. You would’ve quit a long, long time ago if that wasn’t the truth.
By the time Pepper is finished reading, she has tears in her eyes. She swallows hard, wiping them away. As she reads through the list again, she bites her lower lip.
She’s convinced.
But she’s still not going to marry him.
Not right away.
Though they’ve known each other for what feels like forever, their relationship suddenly feels like it’s moving at the speed of light. Pepper thinks she needs a little time to breathe, and if Tony loves her as much as he claims, he’ll slow down a little to her pace.
When Iron Man returns and Tony gets out of his armour she will hold him tight and tell him that yes, he is the marrying type. He has Pepper’s heart, but she wants to have some more fun dating him first.
So long as she’s still his, he’ll have to be happy with that, for now.
This is mostly written for avengers_land.
It’s late at night and Tony Spark and Pepper Potts are in bed on a still structurally sound floor of Stark Tower, almost ready for sleep.
“Pepper, can I ask you something?” Tony asks.
Pepper turns over in bed and looks at him. The light from Tony’s miniature arc reactor is muffled by the sheet he’s under, but there’s still a hint of illumination. It’s enough to see that she has a smile that’s small, yet somehow still reaches up to her eyes. “Yes.”
Tony swallows, not quite believing what he’s about to say. “Would you like to marry me someday?”
Pepper blinks in surprise, and then laughs. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“Well, yes, kind of. Not right at this very second, hence why I said ‘someday.’” He frowns deeply. “And to be frank, I’m hurt that you’re laughing at that. Am I still really so horrible?”
He’s not kidding about the hurt. Pepper can see that in his eyes, feel it in the way his muscles have tensed, like he wants to turn away from her. She sobers instantly. “I’m sorry, Tony. I just… never thought of you as the type to want to get married.”
“But I am the marrying type?”
Pepper shrugs. “I don’t know. I don’t know what ‘the marrying type’ is.”
Tony sighs. “How long have we been together?” He knows the answer, and she knows he knows.
“We don’t have a set anniversary.”
“We haven’t been together as a couple long enough for one,” Tony admits.
“That’s true. We’ve been together as a couple for a week.”
“Just the one week? I would have said a week and a half.”
“Either way, that’s not enough time for us to even think about getting married, let alone even mention the words ‘married’ or ‘wedding’, Tony.”
Under the covers, Tony places a hand on Pepper’s hip. Part of him is pleased he can now do so and she won’t scold him for being unprofessional. “But you’re the one I want to be with for the rest of my life, Pepper. There’s honestly no one else I’d rather be with than you.”
Something in Pepper’s chest tightens a little. He used to say things like that all the time to her. “I need you.” “I have no one else.” “You complete me.” Every time, she thought it was just banter, or he was talking about her job as his PA, then as CEO. Now, maybe she thinks there’s more to it than that, that for a long time there’s always been more to it than that. She just didn’t let herself see it before.
She beats herself up for missing all the clues he was trying to give her that he was sick and dying. He was giving away his art work and other possessions. He didn’t want his birthday party, because he knew it would be his last, and then he proceeded to get drunk and destructive during it. He made her CEO of his company, confidant that she’d look after it well. He let Rhodey take a version of the Iron Man armour. (Despite Tony insisting that Rhodey had stolen the armour, he was the only other human on earth who had the security code needed to operate it.) He wanted to go somewhere with her to “be healthy.”
Maybe it’s time she stopped ignoring all the not-so-little clues about his true feelings for her too.
“I’ll tell you what,” Pepper suggests, “when I wanted something big from my mom when I was younger, she always made me write a list of ten reasons why I wanted it. If they were good ones, then she’d get it for me or help me get it myself. If I couldn’t come up with enough good reasons, then it probably wasn’t worth wanting in the first place. If you can come up with a written list of ten good reasons why I should marry you someday, then barring something horrible happening, I will.”
She didn’t want to think of all the possible horrible things out there that could stop
them.
Tony nods. “Okay, deal. You’ll have that list now.”
Even though he doesn’t have ten reasons handy, Tony is prepared to improvise. He takes a deep breath to start, but Pepper puts a hand to his lips.
“No, Tony, not tonight. I need sleep first. Give me the list tomorrow night.”
Tony pouts under her fingers, then takes her hand gently and gives her a kiss. “Okay. Sleep well.”
She kisses him back, bidding him a good night. Then she rolls over to sleep.
Tony lays awake for a while, staring at the ceiling. One finger quietly taps the metal circle in his chest as he contemplates his answers to Pepper’s challenge.
*
Unfortunately, Iron Man is called away on a mission to Africa a few minutes before Pepper was due back at Stark Tower after a long day at work. He calls her quickly just to let her know he won’t be there, and she only has enough time to tell him to be careful.
The building always feels too empty and quiet with him away.
“JARVIS, how long do you think Tony will be gone?” Pepper asks the room.
“Mr Stark’s mission is estimated to take a total of eight hours, including flight time,” the cool, disembodied voice replies. “However, there is a chance that he may be delayed longer than that.”
Pepper sighs, already knowing that she’ll wait up for him as long as she can, but she’ll probably be asleep before he comes to bed, assuming that is he even makes it home tonight. She pre-emptively curses her tired body for betraying her heart.
Suddenly, JARVIS speaks up again. “Mr Stark wanted me to let you know that the list you requested is in the bedroom.”
“Oh, um… thank you.” Pepper hadn’t forgotten about the list. She’d been thinking about what Tony might have written down all day.
She thought, like a lot of other things, that Tony might have left this list until the last minute. The piece of paper resting on her pillow on their bed proves her wrong. He wrote it by hand, and though his handwriting isn’t the neatest, she has years of practice at reading it. She takes off her shoes and sits on the bed to read.
Some of the reasons make her roll her eyes. Some make her blush. Some make her chest feel tight with emotion. Just about all of them, Pepper is a little surprised to realise, she can rationalize as being good enough reasons.
Ten Reasons Why Pepper Potts Should Marry Tony Stark
1. Studies show that most married people have more sex than single people. (Despite popular belief. I know! I was surprised too! If you don’t believe me, ask JARVIS to bring up the research that says so. Apparently, while single guys are buying drinks trying to woo women, married guys are at home having sex with their wives.)
The studies also show that married people have better sex than singles as they can get to know their partner’s body better over time. Like that spot you-know-where that made you squeal and moan that first night we were together. (I still can’t believe that none of your ex-boyfriends have ever done that.)
2. If we’re married, I could hit that aforementioned you-know-where spot every day and/or night for as long as you want me to. I also promise I will always give you back/shoulder/neck rubs, and look after you if and when you get sick. I’ll learn how to make chicken soup and I swear it’ll be better than my omelettes.
3. You’ll never, ever have to worry about money. That goes without saying.
4. Even if something horrible does happen and Stark Industries goes bankrupt, you and I have enough skills and resources to support each other through hard times.
5. Every time I’ve almost died, since Afghanistan at the very least (and I’m pretty sure a few times before that as well… I remember an over-night hospital stay after I drank something I shouldn’t have while drunk,) thinking of you is what brought me back. You make me want to keep living. This supports the fact that most married people live longer than single people.
When I flew through that portal, I was staring at your face because JARVIS was trying to call you. I felt like you were there with me, somehow. You are my whole reason for wanting to save the world.
6. I hate bringing up the topic of children right after bringing up the topic of marriage, but if you ever do want kids, I’d be a fantastic dad. If you want another list of reasons why, I’ll happily give you one.
7. I trust you with my life. For example, if my arc reactor dies (again), you’re the first person I’ll call to help me replace it. (Again.) You have held my heart, literally my life, in your hands. You know as well that I’d do the same for you in an instant.
8. Going back to the sex thing, you’re the only woman I’ve slept with for the past six months. That’s literally a record for me. I promise that I will never cheat on you, and if I am ever unfaithful, you hereby have my express written permission to castrate me in the most painful way you can think of.
9. You’ve helped to make me into a better person, into a super hero, into a man whom I hope is worthy of your love and affection.
10. I love you and you love me back. You would’ve quit a long, long time ago if that wasn’t the truth.
By the time Pepper is finished reading, she has tears in her eyes. She swallows hard, wiping them away. As she reads through the list again, she bites her lower lip.
She’s convinced.
But she’s still not going to marry him.
Not right away.
Though they’ve known each other for what feels like forever, their relationship suddenly feels like it’s moving at the speed of light. Pepper thinks she needs a little time to breathe, and if Tony loves her as much as he claims, he’ll slow down a little to her pace.
When Iron Man returns and Tony gets out of his armour she will hold him tight and tell him that yes, he is the marrying type. He has Pepper’s heart, but she wants to have some more fun dating him first.
So long as she’s still his, he’ll have to be happy with that, for now.