Tony isn't weak. Fact.
He'd survived three months being held hostage by terrorists in a dry cave and came out with his first suit and arc reactor. He'd also died at least three times now.
But there were times when he was made to feel weak (Take off the suit, what are you? Stop pretending to be a hero!) and that's where Miss Virginia 'Pepper' Potts comes in.
The Avengers had just come back from defeating a bunch of Doom Bots but it hadn't go as planned. Steve was angry at Tony as he apparently 'disobeyed' orders which caused Clint to get a sprained ankle and two bruised ribs, Natasha had a dislocated shoulder along a broken wrist and rib and bruises littered their bodies.
As soon as the entered the tower, Tony made a beeline for the bar, pouring a glass of scotch, while the injured spies, who were sending daggers towards the billionaire, sat on the couch as Bruce carefully checked their injuries. Thor was covered in dust and was munching on Pop Tarts at the kitchen bar. Steve, who was fuming, threw his spangley shield on the ground.
"Stark!" Steve scolded. Tony looked up from his phone and smirked
"Yes dear?" Tony said in a teasing jest, that made Thor and Bruce smirk a little but they quickly wiped them off their faces when they caught the glares that Clint and Natasha were giving them and got back to what they were doing.
"You think this is funny?" Steve seethed "You disobeyed direct orders!" Before Tony could explain, the Captain continued "You flew into a unstable building while Clint and Natasha were inside and it collapsed! I told you to stay in the air"
"We didn't' need any help Stark, so thanks a lot for the unwanted injuries!" Clint sneered sarcastically while wincing as Banner touched up his injuries
"We had everything under control, but then you had to be that narcissist jackass you are and try and save the day" Natasha spat out with venom lacing every word. Tony blinked in response and Natasha muttered something in russian to Clint.
I told you this before, stop pretending to be a hero" Steve stated coldly. Tony breathed in a sharp breath before picking up his glass and a bottle of scotch and approached the elevator to go to his lab, not making any eye contact with the others.
"Why can't you be more like Howard?" Steve spat out. Tony froze in place and felt like someone just ripped out his arc reactor... again.
"Fuck you Rogers" Tony simply said with a certain icy tone in his voice before going into the elevator to his lab
Pepper sensed a tense atmosphere walking into The Avengers common room. All Avengers were watching a movie but Tony was no where to be seen, which was strange as he always loved movie nights, teaching Thor about Midgaurd movies and teasing Steve whenever a risqué scene would be shown, but the five were just watching Prince of Persia and munching on popcorn, so she asked JARVIS to pause the movie, which earned a groan from Clint and the CEO walked in front of the screen, a business expression fixed on her face.
"Oh it's just you" Clint said relieved but with a sense of annoyance, which made Pepper raise her eyebrows at him
Good evening, Lady Potts" Thor greeted with a smile. Pepper simply smiled back at him and nodded
"Where is Tony?" She asked. Natasha, Clint and Steve all rolled there eyes and groaned slightly
"Hopefully drinking himself to death" Natasha muttered under her breath but Pepper heard and raised her eyebrows at the Black Widow.
"What happened?" Pepper asked
"Why don't you ask your precious boyfriend?" Clint said venomously. Pepper raised an eyebrow at the archer
"I'm asking you" Pepper stated "And Clinton, don't even think about using that sort of tone with me again" Clint was about to protest but backed down when he saw the look that the red head was giving him
"You wanna know what happened? Fine" Steve snapped, standing up. Pepper, yet again, raised an eyebrow. Since when was the shy man from the 40's so.. rude?
"Stark disobeyed orders" Steve began but was interrupted by Pepper scoffing loudly
"Is that supposed to be a surprise?" She asked
"He went into an unstable building and it collapsed on Natasha and Clint" Steve continued. Natasha and Clint looked at Pepper.
"Dislocated shoulder and an assortment of cuts and bruises" Natasha said "Tell Stark I said thanks". Clint nodded in agreement
"The situation could've been a lot worse. He needs to learn to work with us as a team and not disobey my orders" Steve finalised, the assassins nodding in agreement
Pepper sighed in annoyance "If its as simple as that, he would've been up here by now but something else happened. Didn't it?" She scanned the room and her eyes rested on Bruce. She could count on him to tell the truth.
Bruce took off his glasses and stood up and shot a glare at Steve "Steve told him to and I quote 'Stop pretending to be a hero' and then asked him why he couldn't be more like Howard, to which Tony replied 'Fuck off Rogers'"
The next thing that happened took everyone by surprise. Pepper right hooked Captain America in the face, leaving a red mark near his eye which would later on become a bruise. Tears were in her eyes but they weren't of sadness. They were of pure anger. As Steve looked up at Pepper, he saw the anger in her face.
"What the Hell?" Clint asked. Pepper ignored him and looked Steve right in the eyes.
"Don't you ever use that bastard's name again and never compare him to Tony" Pepper hissed in a venomous voice before storming to the elevator, leaving everyone else (apart from Bruce) to figure out what in God's (or Odin's) name what just happened.
Tony was twirling a screwdriver in one hand while holding a glass of scotch in the other, sitting at his desk with a neutral expression. How dare Steve compare him to Howard? Perfect little Captain America? Fuck him and Fuck Howard. Steve didn't know shit about what Tony had to go through as a child. His train of thought was interrupted when the elevator pinged and out came Pepper. His Pepper.
"Hey Pep" Tony stammered slightly "I um, did the paperwork that you asked me to and sorted out any upgrades on the StarkPhones and StarkPads" Pepper sighed slightly at Tony and went over to him and cupped his face with her soft hands
"They told me what happened" Pepper said softly. Tony looked down and held Pepper's hands "Can you tell me what happened?"
Tony's voice began to break "My earpiece got damaged when I fell and I-I tried to tell them but then he had to m-mentioned Howard" Pepper pulled him close to her, stroking his curly brown hair as he hugged her waist
"It wasn't your fault baby" Pepper reassured him. And she was going to make sure the others knew that too.
The next morning, the Avengers (minus Tony and Pepper) were sitting around the breakfast bar eating. Steve was sporting a black eye from Pepper's right hook and when he asked Bruce to look at it, he simply replied "Karma's a bitch, deal with it" and went back to reading his book.
"I wonder where Son of Stark and his Lady are?" Thor wondered as he was devouring a box of Pop Tarts
"Who cares?" Clint said "As long as he's not collapsing any buildings on me or Tasha, then I'm fine"
Soon after, Nick Fury emerged from the elevator, looking pissed as hell. Clint, Natasha and Steve stood to attention and sat immediately seeing the expression on his face
"What's going on?" Fury barked "Miss Potts called me saying it was an emergency" Bruce smirked into his book and took a sip of his tea, but that didn't go unnoticed by the spies and soldier
"Something funny Banner?" Steve asked sharply. Bruce looked up and put down his book
"Nothing, Rogers but all I'm going to say is Revenge is a bitch, kind of like how you guys were acting yesterday" and with that the doctor went back to his book. Natasha was about to interrogate him further but was interrupted by JARVIS
"Incoming video call from Miss Potts" JARVIS chimed. They all turned their focus to the screen to which a smiling Pepper Potts appeared
"Miss Potts? What is this?" Fury demanded
"Oh Fury, a little thing I like to call payback" Pepper smirked
"Is this about Stark, disobeying my orders?" Steve asked, angry
"That's the thing, if you had let Tony explain, his earpiece got damaged when one of Doom's bots hit him. He tried to get JARVIS to fix it but he couldn't, so Tony couldn't hear your precious orders" Pepper said, anger in her voice
Clint, shuffled at his feet and suddenly Natasha found her shoes very interesting "Do you guys really think Tony would hurt you intentionally?"
"I feel so bad, we gave him hell for it" Clint said. Pepper turned her gaze to Steve who felt nor showed any regret or remorse for what he said
"What's the mattered Captain?" Pepper taunted "Thinking of more ways to compare Tony to you precious Howard?"
Everyone, even Fury was shocked to hear the tone that Pepper was talking to them in. Normally she was soft and kind but today she was furious.
"Well don't and If you even think of mentioning that abusive bastard's name ever to Tony or even think about comparing the two. You. Will. Burn" Pepper threatened darkly
"Miss Potts, what are you doing?" Fury asked slowing. Pepper simply gave out her sweet smile
"Lets think of this as the sparks to the fire" Everyone but Bruce who gave her a smile, looked at her in confusion and fear
"JARVIS, initiate Lockdown Protocol" Pepper ordered. They looked at her in shock
Natasha had a thought "Wait, you can't do that as JARVIS only answers to Tony with things like that"
Pepper gave out a bitter laugh "Oh Natasha, you really don't know anything"
"My first demands are to suit Sirs' needs but my secondary commands are to suit Sirs' family's need a.i Miss Potts or the Future Mrs Stark" Jarvis said. Was that taunting they could hear in his voice?
"Pep? Who are you talking to?" An all too familiar voice said and then the man himself Tony Stark came into view in an expensive suit and sunglasses
"Stark!" Fury barked
"What is Mad-eye moody doing in the tower?" Tony questioned. He then turned to Pepper who had a look on her face that he had seen before. That smug look
"I initiated the Lockdown Protocol. Maybe the Captain" Pepper explained with a smug look "Will get that stick out of his ass"
Tony was in shock. He didn't think that Pepper would ever do that "Uh guys, you might not like this but Lockdown last for a week, no one in or out" Tony explained then turned to Pepper "Wait, is that why you were talking Brucey on the plane?"
Everyone turned to look at Bruce, who too had a smug look on his face "Like I said, Revenge is a bitch and Fury, I suggest you stop scowling at me, unless you want my green friend to fix that"
Clint then spoke up "Plane? Where the hell are you two?"
Pepper smirked "Venice, we're celebrating our engagement"
"Congratulations Lady Potts and Son of Stark, tis a joyus occasion!" Thor boomed with a smile
"Thanks Point Break" Tony quipped "Anyway, we'll be back in a couple of days but we might stop off in India to get some herbal teas for my science bro"
"Just remember that this is just the beginning. Anything like this happens again, well.. We'll just have to wait and see" Pepper threatened "Anyway, ciao" and with that the line was cut.
Steve and Clint were in shock, Natasha was simply dazed, Fury was furious while Thor was happy for the couple and Bruce was laughing.
And That day, the Avengers learnt two valuable life lessons:
1. Never insult Tony Stark
2. Under no situation, never piss off Pepper Potts
Hope you guys liked it! Review and Rate or I'll send Pepper! *keeping her on speed dial*
If you guys want a follow up or sequel, whatever. PM or review to tell me what you think it should be about!