So, here be the final chapter of this two-shot known as 'Yes'. You guys have a fifteen hour car ride and a boat to thank for this chapter, plus another Avengers fic that's going up tomorrow. It's... not as happy as this one. Very angsty. Sorry. But for now, be happy and enjoy some cuteness and attempted humor!
Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers or anything Marvel (gigantic tear). I also do not own the card game known as 'Rich Man, Poor Man', although it is so much fun!
"And when did fiancée happen?" Clint questioned.
"Honestly, I'm surprised you don't know, considering you seem to spend all of your time sneaking around in the vents like a rat," Tony snapped. He was rather ticked off after having been interrupted for the second time.
"Stark, we need a deck of cards," Natasha announced as she strolled back in. She sent a pointed look at the couple on the couch that clearly said 'PG. Now.'
Underneath Tony, Pepper squirmed. She was clearly uncomfortable with the position that they were in while the attention of two people was focused on them. Tony sighed and sat up, deciding to finish later what had been started just a minute or two ago. Pepper quickly followed suit, keeping her right hand in his left one.
"Why do you need cards?" Tony asked. "You're not allowed to gamble without me." He made no move to release Pepper's hand.
"We're trying to play 'Rich Man, Poor Man'. So we need cards," Clint explained.
"You don't need cards. We can play that right now," Tony said. Pepper sighed, knowing exactly where this was going.
At the slightly confused looks from Natasha and Clint, Tony continued. Pointing to himself, he said, "Rich man," he pointed to Clint, "poor man."
Natasha gave a small chuckle. You couldn't argue with the man's logic and quick thinking.
Clint changed the subject. "Seriously, Stark, when did fiancée happen?" He turned to Natasha. "Did you know about this, Nat?"
Natasha looked to Pepper's free hand, noticed the expensive but simple golden ring resting there, and put the pieces together in her head. "They're engaged? Well, actually, it's about time," she said as if the couple wasn't in the room at all.
The rest of the team chose that moment to walk in.
"About time for what?" Steve inquired.
"Stark finally grew up and proposed to Pepper," Natasha said. Oddly enough, she quirked her eyebrows at Steve and Bruce.
"Dammit," Bruce muttered. He rummaged around in his pants pocket for a second before producing a ten dollar bill, which he handed to Natasha. Steve mimicked his actions, sans cursing.
"Woman's intuition always trumps the soldier and the science bud," Natasha said with a hint of smugness in her voice.
"I didn't think that agents qualified as women – especially not triple agents," Tony said, reminding her of two years ago. Natasha shot him a glare.
"You had a bet pool going?" Pepper asked, her tone making sound much more like a statement than a question. This time, it was her turn to glare.
"Uh, yeah," Bruce said a little hesitantly.
Pepper sighed. "You all need to stop spending time with Tony." From the way she looked at the three, they knew that they were off the hook.
Thor broke in with a question of his own. "You say that Stark proposed to her. What did he propose?"
Sometimes, Tony wanted to take the guy's hammer and whack him hard on the head with it until he understood American culture.
Steve took pity on Thor, seeing as he understood what it felt like to be displaced. Although Thor wasn't from a different time, he had been royalty on Asgard and was probably used to different types of proposals.
"Marriage. He proposed marriage." At Thor's still slightly confused look Steve continued. "You know, when a guy asks the girl he loves to marry him? Stark did that and Miss Potts said yes."
"What of arranged marriages? You do not have those here?" Thor asked.
"Not in many places," Pepper told him. "Are there arranged marriages in Asgard?"
"There used to be. But the concept of proposing was never touched on in my studies. I was focused mainly on fighting, training for my time as king," Thor explained.
"Did they teach you 'the birds and the bees'?" Tony asked. Except for Thor, the team members and Pepper winced slightly, remembering those oh-so-awkward classes.
"No, they did not. What is this lesson of?" Every person that was standing took a step back, as if to say 'not it!'
"How about we just go play cards," Natasha quickly filled in the silence. The people around her nodded and murmured their agreement.
"Stark?" Steve turned to the man on the couch with his soon-to-be bride. His eyes asked two questions: do you want to join? And, where are the cards?
"Cards are in that drawer right there. Knock yourself out." Tony motioned to the kitchen drawer that contained pens, magnets, and other things.
Clint, being the closest, grabbed the cards and led the team out and back to the room that they had been in before the previous discussion.
"Hey," Steve called before walking out. "Congrats, Stark." Tony nodded his thanks. Things between him and Steve were still slightly awkward.
"You sure that you don't want to join?" Bruce asked.
"Nope." Tony stood up, taking Pepper with him as his hand was still grasping hers. "I've got a much more urgent matter to attend to." He smirked. Bruce and Steve both groaned.
"Someone find some music and turn it up loud," Steve called after the three that had already left to play the game.
"Stark, I told you, PG!" Natasha shouted.
"Deal with it! It's my house, I do what I want," Tony called back.
Bruce and Steve left to go help find some loud music as soon as possible.
"Shall we?" Tony turned to Pepper.
"We shall," she responded.
Keeping hold of her hand, Tony led the way down a different hall, whispering sweet nothings in Pepper's ear the whole way.
Tony realized that, even with the others wandering around, life was great. For the first time in the playboy's life, he couldn't wait to say 'I do'.
What do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Leave a review, favorite, whatever you please - I'd love to know your thoughts. Until next time, I leave you with this: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! :D
