Tony sits at the dining table, staring at the small flip phone. The coffee machine on the counter behind him lets out a low rumble as it gets prepared to drip coffee into his second favourite mug. He hears footsteps behind him and turns his head to see Pepper opening the fridge and taking out a carton of milk.
"Tony, we're almost out of milk," she calls out absentmindedly, grabbing a glass from the cabinets above the sink.
"Yeah, I'll ask Happy to get some," he says back, his attention shifting back to the flip phone.
"Or you could actually do it yourself for once," Pepper says, pouring the milk. Not hearing a sarcastic response, she picks up the glass and moves to the dining table.
"Hey, what's wrong?" she asks softly, resting a hand on Tony's shoulder. When she sees the flip phone, she sighs. "Steve?"
Tony holds up a hand. "Pepper, I really don't want to call him."
"I wasn't going to say that." She places the milk on the table.
"Yes, you were. I know you were." There's a hint of humour in his voice, but it seems almost forced, as if he's trying to take his mind off something.
Pepper cracks a small smile, tentatively, like she isn't in the mood for joking. "Okay, maybe I was. But if you don't want to call him, why do you keep looking at it?"
Tony breathes in deeply and lets out a sigh. "I don't know." He pauses, then looks up at Pepper.
His mood is different, she can tell, and she waits for him to say something witty.
"You know, this thing is like, twenty years old." He picks up the phone and shakes it lightly.
Pepper raises an eyebrow.
"It's practically ancient. You think he'd at least get an iPhone, right? But nope."
"Tony," Pepper says pointedly.
He turns back to the table and folds his hands. "Please don't yell at me. I don't need it right now."
"Okay," she breathes out, peeling her hand off his shoulder. She walks to the coffee machine and takes the mug from the tray, then returns to the dining table, setting the coffee down.
"No cream?" Tony says.
"We ran out yesterday." Pepper goes to the counter to grab a box of Cheerios and a bowl and spoon.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Tony asks.
"Because you're the one who found the carton empty?"
"Oh. So why didn't Happy get any?"
Pepper pulls out a chair and places her breakfast on the table. "He's really busy, Tony. You know, with the kid and everything."
"Happy has a kid?"
Pepper rolls her eyes, opening the box of Cheerios. "No, I meant Peter." She fills the bowl, then sets the box back down. "Are you not hungry?"
"No, but I could go for some shawarma," he says, leaning back in his chair.
"Tony, it's eight. They're not open until ten." Pepper takes a sip of milk. "Are you sure you aren't hungry?"
Tony scrunches up his face. "Nah, not really. I can wait."
She shrugs and begins eating. "Suit yourself."
There's a pause, and then Tony says, "Nice one."
Pepper looks up at him. "What?"
"That was a pun. You know, 'Suit yourself.'"
Pepper's face is blank, and then she laughs, her spoon hovering in midair. "I didn't even realise."
Tony sighs dramatically. "What would you do without me?"
"I'd probably be married by now," Pepper says nonchalantly, lowering her head to eat a spoonful of cereal.
"Yeah?" Tony says. "Maybe we should do that."
Pepper stops eating again and looks at him. "You're not serious."
"I'm not," Tony confirms, getting up from the table and going to the bedroom.
"What are you doing?" Pepper calls out.
"Changing," Tony says, walking into the closet.
"Why?"
Tony grabs a new pair of pants and a blazer. "I need to go somewhere."
Pepper finishes her cereal and rinses the bowl and spoon, then puts both in the dishwasher. "And where's that, exactly?'
"Um," Tony says, pulling on his dress slacks, "to uh, to check on the kid."
It's quiet for a few seconds, and when he looks up, Pepper is leaning against the doorframe of the bedroom.
She smiles. "See, you do like him."
Tony pulls on the blazer. "No, I just need to make sure he's not getting into trouble and putting other people in danger. It's a professional visit."
He seems to have trouble with the blazer, so Pepper walks over and buttons it for him.
"Thanks." He pulls at the sleeves.
Pepper hums in acknowledgement. "I'm sure it's just a professional visit, no feelings attached."
"Exactly," Tony says, then stops. "Wait, were you being sarcastic? You were totally being sarcastic."
Pepper grins. "Just make sure you don't wake him up if he's sleeping."
"He's not. It's already eight."
"Eight is pretty early for most people, Tony." She finishes with the top button and steps back.
"Fine, I won't interrupt his beauty sleep. But I'm sure he's awake."
"Whatever you say," Pepper says as he starts walking back to the kitchen, and she follows closely behind.
As he passes the dining table, Tony picks up the flip phone and puts it in an inside pocket of the blazer. Pepper notices but doesn't say anything. When Tony switches his shoes, the only words that come out of her mouth are: "It would be nice if you could grab some milk on the way back."
"Sure," Tony says, stepping out.
Pepper sighs and sits back down at the dining table, folding her arms and resting her chin on her hands. She toys uninterestedly with the filled glass of milk and stares out the window. Tony probably won't be back for a while. Maybe, she thinks, she just might get some shawarma later.