Red or Gold
Summary: [Takes place before the first Iron Man movie] Tony doesn't usually pay attention to anything except himself. Until he detects something different with Ms. Potts…
"Pepper, come up here for a sec, will ya?" Tony all but yelled startling Pepper who was busy handling some paperwork.
What could it be? Was his hair good? Did his ass look cute in those jeans? Which sunglasses should he use? What color should be his tie? That man had more beauty dilemmas than a woman.
Pepper walked inside Tony's room and fortunately he was fully dressed in casual jeans and t-shirt. His brown eyes shot up to her and he wrinkled his nose, furrowing his brow.
"What can I help you with, Mr. Stark?"
"Come closer, Potts, I don't bite," Tony smirked.
His assistant eyed him warily and approached him. Tony was standing in front of a full length mirror, so like she thought it was a beauty problem. He would be a good addition to 'Toddlers and Tiaras' as a beauty consultant.
"Yes, Tony?" Pepper asked annoyed.
"Look at that mirror and tell me what you see…besides a good looking man," he grinned cheekily and she rolled her eyes, not looking at the mirror. "Amuse me, Potts, come on!"
Dragging her eyes to the mirror she sighed. "I see myself standing beside a crazy man," she muttered.
"Describe yourself to me," he requested.
Pepper shot him a dark look.
"This is innocent, I swear," Tony raised his hands in defense.
Knowing that she could get back to work faster if she just rolled with it, Pepper looked at herself and sighed. "I'm wearing a white pencil skirt with a matching blazer and a baby blue silk blouse with black Louboutins pumps. I have jewelry on me. Should I tell you my height?"
Tony ignored her snark. "What about your hair?"
"It's straight," she said.
"What about the color of your hair," he pressed.
"It's blonde," Pepper shrugged.
"That's right, it's blonde!" Tony shouted making Pepper jump. "It shouldn't be blonde. It should be more reddish. Like a strawberry!"
Pepper blinked. "Did you call me up here to talk about the color of my hair?"
"Yes, it was urgent," the serious look on his face made Pepper want to laugh.
"Urgent? Tony, I changed my hair color, what's the big deal?" Pepper chuckled.
Tony looked at her like a petulant child. "I don't think it suits you," he confessed.
"I got several compliments about it and you noticing it, it's a compliment too since you only look at yourself and yourself only," Pepper pointed out.
"I don't like blonde, Pepper," Tony narrowed his eyes.
"Says the man who sleeps with blondes on a daily basis," Pepper threw at him. Maybe he was colorblind…
"Those are just women, you are you, you shouldn't be blonde, you should be different because you are different," Tony rambled turning his back on her and walking to his desk to get his watch and cell.
Pepper stood there, unsure of what to make of the situation. Should she be flattered that Tony noticed her hair color and was actually telling her that she was different from the other girls? Should she be offended with his input because she actually liked her blonde hair and he was being whiny?
Maybe she should go with the first one…
"Was that all, Mr. Stark?" Pepper asked calmly.
"That was all, Ms. Potts, thank you," Tony replied nonchalant.
Pepper left his bedroom and Tony sighed. What was he thinking? Criticizing her hair like that? Women had the tendency to change hair colors it was no big deal, and honestly, Tony hadn't care about it before but…seeing Pepper that morning with her hair in pure gold…it was not that she didn't look good. She looked amazing, fresh, young and with a carefree attitude. But blonde was a mainstream color that Tony associated with models and other types of women who he had fun with. He didn't want to put Pepper in that category. And her red hair was beautiful and unique. It made her look smart and super sweet. Blondes could have more fun but redheads could have the world at the palm of their hands.
Next morning found Pepper sitting at a bar stool near the kitchen island, typing away at her laptop. She was so concentrated that she didn't even hear Tony.
"Morning, Potts, you look lovely this morning," Tony grinned and actually kissed the top of her head, getting his coffee and sprinting away from the kitchen.
Pepper blushed and twirled a piece of her again ginger hair in her finger. Maybe being a redhead was better than being a blonde.
It's three am and I had to get this out. Forgive me if it's not my best, I wrote it under twenty some minutes. Reviews?