A/N Hello everybody. I'm a new user, and this will be my first post on this website. It's a small one-shot based around Tony Stark and Pepper Potts from the Avengers. I have plans to continue and expand this into a proper, multi-chapter story, and it's in the early planning stages. However, I was itching to post this, and so here it is. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with the Avengers Comics or films. All rights go to their owner.
"Hey, whatcha doing over there?" A young redhead girl whipped around, coming face to face with a smartly-dressed brunet, whose posture screamed 'rich kid', and was around the same age as the girl. A small silence ensues, before the redhead smiles at the boy, grasping his hand and pulling him forward. "I'm feeding the ducks, obviously! Look!" The brunet followed the girl, marvelling at the sight of all the ducks and their little chicks, spring time in full swing. "I've never seen anything like this before. Usually I'm holed up in the house, building machinery and stuff for my dad. He says that spring is horrid because of hey-hiy-hay fever, whatever that is." The redhead pouted, dropping to the ground and pulling the boy with her, who let out a rather unmanly shriek and fell over unceremoniously. A squeal of laughter followed, to which the brunet scowled, rubbing his head. A few moments was all it took for the brunet to join in with the joy, and soon the pair of children were laughing merrily.
A lot of laughs later, and both children were still sat on the bank, watching the sun dip below the horizon while the sky was bathed in oranges and pinks. "Well, your father's a meanie. Spring is the greatest!" The redhead exclaimed, her dress flying in the wind as she threw her arms up in the air to illustrate her point. The brunet nodded absentmindedly, still watching the beauty of the sky, and was about to reply when a shrill call echoed towards them, causing the rich kid to pause. "Ah, that my mum. Gotta go. See you again?" The redhead smiled, shaking the brunet's hand. "Yep! It's a promise!"
They didn't see each other again for over a decade.
A redheaded, female student absentmindedly wandered through the corridors of her college, sifting through the piles of notes that were balanced precariously in her arms. Her steps were steady, unhindered by the extra weight, and as she walked forward… Bang! Papers flew into the air in a fountain of white, and a calloused hand shot out to steady the stumbling redheaded woman who'd collided with it's owner. "Sorry, miss. Are you o...kay…?" The voice, obviously male from it's deep baritone sound, trailed off as the shocked eyes of the redhead met his own, and they surveyed each other for a moment. A wide smirk graced the brunet male's features, his posh suit crinkling as he reached down to scoop the female's papers up. "Well, I guess we kept that promise then." The woman's eyes lit up in recognition, and she chuckled, taking the papers into her arms once more. The male righted himself, and stood, watching the woman as she retured the favor, both stood to the side of the corridor while student streamed by in endless rivers. "I guess so. Changed your father's view on spring yet?" Another smirk descended onto the male's lips, a humor bubbling up his throat. The redhead smiled warmly, ignoring the envy of the female population at her back. "Nope, not yet. It's a work-in-progress, y'know?" The pair burst out laughing, both starting to walk to their next classes together. They didn't even register the odd looks the other students were sending their way as the pair leisurely wandered through the corridors. "So, do you want to come grab a coffee after class? I'm free for the next period. Oh, and I'm Tony Stark, by the way." The brunet commented, earning an endearing smile from the redhead woman at his side. "Sure. I'm Pepper Potts, and…
It's a promise."