"PEPPER!" Tony Stark bellowed as he slammed open the door to his assistant's room. Pepper glanced up quickly from her laptop and raised an eyebrow. It was becoming a normal factor almost everyday for Tony to parade into her office like this. She had just received this….erhem, wonderful job 3 weeks ago. If you counted working from 7 AM to pretty much 12 AM for a man who goes borderline on giving you sexual harassment wonderful. Not to mention she was just getting used to this 'Pepper' thing.

"Yes Mr. Stark?" Pepper asked, looking at her boss. Tony gave her a quizzical look.

"Pep, I need your opinion on something, "He began, stroking his chin. "And I need your absolute honest opinion, alright?"

Pepper heaved out a sigh. "Alright, Mr. Stark."

"How do you think I'd look if I grew a goatee?" Tony asked, glancing down at her as she took a sip of her coffee.

She pretty much choked on the lukewarm liquid. "You okay?" Tony asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Yeah, yeah," She said, waving her hand, coughing a bit, "I'm sorry, but…a…a what?"

"Goatee! Y'know, those beards stylized on your chin and…" He began using his fingers on his face as to animate a goatee. Pepper chuckled.

"No, Mr. Stark, I know what a goatee is. I'm just wondering why in the world YOU, out of all people, would want a goatee."

Tony's face suddenly got serious. "Because Pepper, I believe it'll give me a much more dignified look! I'll look older and more dashing." He finished his sentence with a trademark grin.

Pepper snorted. Men and their egos. "Why would you want to look older? I mean, considering your way with woman and everything."

"Woman always go for the older looking men, Pep," He watched as she rolled her eyes, "And! I think people will respect me more. I mean, I'm not sure people would want a kid-looking man to be running the biggest weapons manufacturer in the world."

She nodded absently, glancing at his chin, trying to imagine a beard on it. "And why do you need my opinion?"

"Because, I need a woman's perspective." He said, matter-o-factly. Pepper pursed her lips slightly.

"That's a pretty important decision, Mr. Stark. I mean, it will be pretty much how the public eye sees you. Sure you should trust me with this?" She asked.

Tony sighed. "Well Pepper, seeing as out of the 18 assistants I have had before you, you have lasted the longest." Pepper furrowed her eyebrows. "The longest lasting assistant before you was probably about a week, if you were wondering. Seeing as you have managed to NOT sleep with me and somehow tolerate my drunken ass every couple of days, how could I not trust you?" Pepper couldn't help but feel flattered.

"Well okay then." Pepper nodded before glancing back at his chin again. She tilted her head, as Tony waited patiently for her to make a decision.

"Mmm yup. I think you could pull it off." She said with a smile. "I mean, as long as it's not like Obadiah's, that would just be creepy."

Tony's eyes went wide. "Oh, GOD NO. Just a neatly trimmed goatee. I think one mountain-man beard is enough here." He explained quickly.

Pepper chuckled. "Well then, yes, I think you'd look rather dignified and professional." Tony smiled like a 5 year-old kid on Christmas Morning.

"Thank you, Pepper." He said. Pepper lightly smiled and nodded.

"Will that be all Mr. Stark?"

"Yes Miss Potts, that will be all."

And with that, Tony quickly spun on his heel walked out the door. Although he'd never admit it out loud, he felt the need to have her approval for it. Like a kid asking his mother to spend the night at a friend's house. He smiled lightly, plus, it was always great to have a reason to just talk to her.

--

I, sadly enough, do not own Ironman, Tony Stark, or Pepper Potts. Stan Lee owns them D: and so does Marvel.

ANYWAYS this was my first fic, so whaddya guys think? Should I continue with little oneshots? I know I need to improve on my writing, but this idea hit me xD