I maybe should inform you, that even if I would like to own the Avengers, I don't. They belong to these awesome guys from Marvel, who didn't keep their 'marvellous' ideas for themselves but shared them with us.
Also, I don't own Nirvana, Slade, McDonalds, Facebook or something else that might sound familiar to you. They all have small guest roles in this fanfiction.
Everything was Pepper's fault. Tony was sure. Who else could have had the great idea to invite the children of an orphanage to Christmas in the tower?
He was currently sitting in his workshop. His stereo was blasting Nirvana's Smells like Teen Spirit at top volume, his today's favourite song.
The others had agreed on this plan the second Pepper had finished explaining. Steve was just too happy baking muffins, cookies and even pies, Natasha and Clint had started decorating the whole tower after Pepper and Bruce had went shopping and had bought tons of christmas jewelry. They had even managed to put a christmas tree in 59th floor, and the last time Tony had left his workshop, they had JARVIS playing christmas songs. And not even Slade's Merry X-mas Everybody, but some children's choire music.
It really sucked.
So the genius had locked himself in his workshop (an entire floor only for him and his private playground), had muted JARVIS and was listening to all of his hard rock/metal/whatever songs. Before locking the doors he had stocked up on pizzas, McDonald's menus and alcohol.
And during his time there he had managed to make forty-three updates to his Iron Man-suit, make a new application for his Starkphone, had hacked into Nick Fury's Facebook and had even managed to get some information about the Budapest-mission of his two favourite assassins. Even if the information wasn't really worth his time: Budapest had been about some secret files stolen from SHIELD about Project PEGASUS and the two assassins had been sent out to get the files back. So nothing really interesting.
Tony had run out of alcohol thirteen hours ago. He was mostly sober now, compared to how drunk he was before.
The last slice of pizza vanished and he sighed and stared at what he was working right now. Pepper would drag him, willing or not, to the party, and he would have to be polite all the evening.
Steve hummed softly to himself. It was the melody of Oh, christmas tree, and it fitted perfectly, because he was busy decorating some cookies with little christmas trees.
He really liked cooking, and when Pepper had come up with the idea of a big party with orphans, he had been on fire immediately. Also the two agents had agreed instantly, because they now had an excuse to climb through the building. Bruce liked decorating and putting candles everywhere, and Pepper was supervising everything.
And the only one who wasn't happy at all was Tony. But that was to be expected, Steve told himself. Tony probably wasn't used to so many people around him or being happy, or celebrating like normal people at all. He would find his pleasure, the super soldier was sure.
"Hey!" Pepper walked into the room. "How do the cookies do?"
Proudly, Steve presented her five jars of cookies, all decorated, and then he pointed over to the table.
"Look over there." he insisted.
She turned her head.
"More? Oh my god, Steve!"
"They're cooling." he explained. "Because otherwise the drawings would be destroyed."
"May I taste?"
"Sure."
"They're wonderful!" Pepper assured him. Then she frowned. "Have you seen Tony?"
Steve shook his head. "No, but since there is not one pizza left in the fridge, I assume he comes out of his hiding at night. We should build traps."
"Well, I'll get him two hours before the actual party, because he surely hasn't showered since we last saw him."
"How can one hate christmas like he does?"
"He doesn't hate christmas, he hates that we don't leave him in peace. But I'll make sure he will be there. And you have to hurry up, the children will arrive in half an hour."
"I'll do my best." he said.
She punched him playfully in the shoulder. "Your best is just enough."
Pepper left a smiling cook to the intro of Jingle Bells.
Natasha and Clint were having fun. Since it had snowed in New York last night, they had had a snowball fight with Steve, Bruce and Pepper this morning. Even Happy and Rhodey, who had originally wanted to see Tony, had participated. Unfortunately, Rhodey had to leave without having achieved anything, because the elevator didn't even stop at the floor Tony's workshop was in.
But the fight had been fun. And after that they had warmed themselves up with some of Steve's cookies and tea. Normally, Clint would have given everybody who gave him tea a death stare, but this time it had been ok. It was christmas, after all.
So now the two master assassins were busy climbing the walls and attaching christmas decorations and exchanging jokes.
Pepper had ordered some Avengers-baubles, and they were hanging all over the building.
When the children finally were there, the atmosphere was uneasy at first, but after some minutes of jokes and cookies (made by Steve), they all were more relaxed and were joking and chatting. Pepper soon excused herself to search for Tony.
JARVIS opened Tony's workshop for her, and surprisingly Tony didn't argue that much with her, but got into the shower and dressed nicely.
When he stood in front of the mirror, he felt the tense in his stomach.
Tony Stark isn't nervous!, he told himself.
No, of course. He wasn't nervous, was he?
He was of course not nervous at all.
"Tony, are you coming?" Pepper called from the door of the bedroom they shared.
"Sure, sure." He took a second to check whether it was still there, and then went after Pepper into the living room.
The other Avengers had done a good job. The room and the christmas tree looked fantastic! And all these little children were there, playing, eating cakes – delicious looking cakes – or chatting, and Steve wore something that really showed just how nice his ass was, after all, and Bruce and Clint and even Natasha were dressed nicely, and, well, Pepper obviously was the queen. She had put on decent makeup, a white blouse and a dark red skirt with a black belt. Her hair was in the most wonderful ponytail ever, and her legs were covered in transparent thights and she wore dark red flats that matched her skirt. And she had that necklace on, the one Tony had once bought her. And she was smiling. Smiling, smiling.
He could feel his heart beat faster. This wonderful smile, the one that made him do anything for her, if she just gave him that smile. That smile that broke the walls around him and left him vulnerable and still feeling so full, so protected, so loved.
And yes, Tony was staring at her. Damnit, Stark, you most of the time don't even realize just how beautiful your girlfriend is, do you? She's a goddess!
She definitely was. He was one thousand percent sure.
The time flew by. Tony was focusing Pepper most of the time. The way she bit into that cookie. The way she laughed with Steve. The way she helped one of the smaller children with opening the present. She had taken Clint with her to buy the presents for the orphans. And now...
He tried to get his thoughts somewhere else, but landed involuntarily with Pepper. How she had forbidden him to buy her anything too expensive. How she had squeaked when he had made her try his new flying boots. The look on her face at board meetings. The scent of her hair, her skin... The way she looked at him when he woke her. The way she laughed. How she liked to cuddle. How she teased him with him being not only her boyfriend, but also her nightlight. He was only her boyfriend, but he intended on changing that.
The children had started playing with their new toys, the two assassins were busy playing a 'How many cookies can you pile?'-game, Bruce and Steve were talking, and Pepper just finished helping a small girl adjust her dolls hairs.
This was it. This was his moment.
Tony cleared his throat and swallowed. Snow was starting to fall outside the windows. Part of his mind wanted to start thinking about snow in New York, but there was his mission. And he couldn't screw it up.
"Pepper?" he called. Softly. Totally not-Tony.
She turned around and smiled. Looking like an angel god had personally sent to Tony.
"Yes?" Oh, and her voice.
Tony stood up and crossed the living room with five steps. He had practised for hours to make this five steps perfect. To not to fall or something.
When he stood in front of her, he took a second to admire her. His girlfriend. His girlfriend.
Well, he wanted her to be more than just that.
After swallowing again, he searched for every last bit of bravery that was in his body – not very much, he had to admit.
And slowly, just like he had practised it, he knelt down in front of her.
Pepper looked... well, surprised.
Okay, Tony, you're gonna do this just fine, okay? Everything is alright. Everything is alright. You're gonna make it. No problem, right?
Yeah, no problem. And no stupid babbling for once.
Tony pulled out the small black box he had been hiding. Then he cleared his throat once again and looked up to her.
"Virginia Potts, I – uhm..."
He swallowed thickly. God, how often had he practised that very line? And still, his head was totally empty.
"I love yo – no, that's wrong, I adore you, actually – so what I want to say is that I like you very much, and I really appreciate how you still put up with all these stupid things I do –"
Do not start to babble nonsense, Tony advised himself.
"And so I, uhm, I want to ask you: Virginia Potts, will you marry me?"
He opened the black velvet box and revealed the ring. He had crafted it himself. It was made out of silver with the tiniest inscripions on it saying I love you all over the ring, and instead of a diamond he had chosen a miniature ARC-reactor. Because she had told him once that she absolutely loved the glow of it, and that ist color would remind her of him.
Pepper had been surprised when Tony had called her, but not that much. After all, he had behaved strangely the moment she had pulled him out of his workshop.
But now... he had proposed. And it was such a sweet, adorable tony-ish proposal that she nearly fainted. Her heart raced, and there was just Tony at the moment. The way he had dressed. The way he kneeled in front of her. The way his hair was messed. The way his lips were slightly parted. The way the tiny ARC-reactor on the ring gave his face the faintest blue touch. And the puppy dog look in his big, chocolate brown eyes.
Her heart felt as if it couldn't contain all the feelings she had for this man and was going to burst every second. She loved him, oh god, and how much she loved him.
What if this was going too fast for her? What if she after all didn't love her? He could totally understand that. What if she had just never intended to settle down with him? What if-?
Tonys heart was racing, along with his breath and his mind. What if she was still angry because of what had happened in Manhattan? What if she thought he might not be able to stay away from other woman? What if she said no?
God, why had he done that? Why had he told her?
With every passing milisecond, his doubts grew until he was ready to panic.
He shouldn't even have thought about proposing!
Pepper couldn't move. But she could see the hints of the panic Tony was trying to hide from her in his eyes. Tony Stark, commitment-phobe number one had just proposed to her!
And, oh how she wanted to say yes! But she was afraid she couldn't say a word.
"Tony, I-" she started. "I – I... oh god..."
His heart stopped beating for a second. That was it. She didn't want him.
She swallowed and tried to continue.
"Tony, I love you too, and... yes, I will marry you."
She didn't really say that, did she? He couldn't believe it. She had accepted!
It was like all the mountains of the world had sat on his heart, and now they fell down and left him feeling lighter than anytime before.
So he took her hand and slid the ring over her ring finger.
It was unbelievable. She had accepted! She had accepted!
The only thing that prevented Tony to jump around like crazy were Pepper's finger that had wrapped around his and pulled him close. Closer than he already was.
The kiss they shared pulled them back into the reality, because there were still people in the room who started cheering then.
Tony didn't let go of Pepper for the rest of the evening. They ate soup, and lasagna, and as a dessert Steve had prepared cremé brûleé, and since Tony hold Pepper's hand all the time, he had to learn how to eat with only his left hand.
After the dinner they watched disney movies with Pepper sitting in Tony's lap, and when they eventually went into bed, the couple snuggeled together.
"Thank you." she whispered.
"For what?"
"For.. everything."
She could feel him smile.
"Is it an ARC-reactor?" Pepper asked after a while.
"Yes, a tiny one. I don't know how long he will live, though."
She smiled and played with his hair.
"I love you, Tony."
"I love you, too."
Thank you for reading, ladies and gents *bowing*.
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