Summary:

Tony cursed under his breath. "This is payback isn't it?"

Pepper sent him a questioning look.

"For all the times I came home bruised and bleeding."

Rating: Teen

Tony Stark wouldn't say he was overprotective.

He was the normal amount of protective, thank you very much.

Okay, fine, he once went after his mentor for threatening to harm his then personal assistant. He did also threaten a terrorist on live television when the latter blew up his best friend. There was also that time he created an Iron Legion—an attempt to place a suit of armor around the world after Earth was attacked by aliens. Oh, and he took away his mentee's suit after the kid ran around causing havoc and almost killing himself (and others). Once, his daughter wandered around the property without telling Tony and he panicked.

But those were very isolated incidents. Totally called for.

Okay maybe he was a tiny bit overprotective.

Just a tiny bit, though. He wasn't going to lock his family up just because he was afraid they were going to get a papercut or something.

At least that was the case before he saw the state of Pepper's body.

She came home after a late night, already halfway towards the bathroom, unbuttoning her shirt.

Tony wouldn't have noticed it at all if she hadn't let out a slight gasp as she lifted her camisole off.

Her entire back was covered in bruises. And not those old ones that were yellow and green that hardly hurt when you pressed on it. These were fresh—Tony would know; he had had his fair share, after all.

There were red and purple blotches on Pepper's back, and they didn't stop there. There were more splotches on her arms. God only knew the state of her legs.

Pepper was unzipping her pants when Tony finally found the voice to ask, "What's that?"

Pepper turned, completely clueless. "What's what?"

Tony pointed at her back. "That!" he walked over to where she stood, hands hovering her back like he was afraid to touch them and cause her any more pain. "Jeez, Potts, you're covered in bruises." He curled his hands into fists and his voice was low and threatening when he asked, "Who did this to you?"

Realization dawned on Pepper's face. "Oh." Then she gave him a small knowing grin that almost drove Tony crazy because she had the nerve to smile right now? He was currently thinking of 57 ways to get back at the person responsible and she was smiling?

Wait.

She was smiling, Tony realized.

She wouldn't be smiling if she had been attacked which meant she had welcomed being beaten like it was a spa appointment.

The heat in his chest subsided a little at the knowledge that his wife had not, in fact, been a victim of some kind of abuse or violent attack.

"Why do you think somebody did it to me?" she asked.

Tony scoffed. "Cause I'm having a hard time believing you could land a punch on your back. You're flexible, but you're not that flexible. So, who's been beating you up and where can I have a word with them?"

Pepper shook her head, chuckling but stopped with a wince. She pressed a hand on her side, making Tony frown and grimace as if he could feel the pain too.

"Fine. I've been taking self defense classes," she admitted.

Tony took Pepper's hands and frowned when he saw some abrasions there.

"Are you really sure it's self defense?" he lifted her knuckles as proof. "Cause I'm seeing a lot more evidence of offensive attacks here."

Pepper tilted her chin up. "Nat doesn't pull her punches. Why should I?"

"Romanoff," Tony growled. He should have known. The Black Widow just couldn't leave his family alone, could she? Sometimes he admired her drive, how she still managed to get up everyday and lead the remaining Avengers. Other times, like right now, he was annoyed. He wanted her to keep her avenging out of his life.

Almost reading the direction his mind was heading, Pepper touched his arm. "Hey, I asked her to do this."

Somehow, that piece of information made Tony snap out of the fit of annoyance for Natashalie.

He softened. "Why didn't you tell me?" He couldn't keep the hurt away from his voice. If Pepper wanted to learn self-defense, Tony would have arranged it with someone who wasn't maybe an assassin. He would have done it himself too. But a voice in his head said there was nobody better and nobody he trusted more to teach Pepper than Natasha Romanoff

Pepper shrugged. "Because you would have insisted on teaching me yourself. Which would only have made you treat me like glass. I know how overprotective you can get."

"I am not—"

Pepper raised a brow, challenging him.

Tony shut his mouth. He would absolutely go off the rails, like teach Pepper self-defense while she's covered in bubble wrap.

"Besides, Nat's a woman," Pepper continued. "She knows how to use our smaller build against an attacker."

Tony ran a hand over his face. He seemed more tired now than when he spent the entire day playing with Morgan.

"I'm fine, you know," Pepper assured him, a hand on his forearm. "Although, I could really use your help getting my pants off because I don't think I can bend over. It didn't hurt this bad the first time."

Tony sighed and nodded. He bent over and Pepper placed her hands on his back to support her.

She made a small whimper when she had to bend her legs as Tony pulled the pants off.

Tony cursed under his breath. But there was something of a resigned tone to it. "This is payback, isn't it?"

Pepper sent him a questioning glance.

"For all the times I came home bruised and bleeding," Tony clarified, "You want to torture me."

Pepper laughed this time, amidst the pain Tony knew she was feeling. "Contrary to your belief, not everything's about you. And unlike you, I'm woman enough to admit that I am hurting and in need of care. You on the other hand would rather put an icebag on everything and let your body internally bleed to death."

"Touché." Tony regarded her for a minute, drinking in the sight of her. Yes, she was black and blue—or rather, purple and red—and yes, her legs were not much better off than her back and arms. But her eyes were just as bright and determined as the day she burst in his office threatening to pepper spray his guards. Only this time, she may no longer need the pepper spray.

Tony wasn't too overprotective to control his wife's life, to hover over her meetings in case some douchebag hit on her, or to forbid her from taking self-defense classes. He knew even with half the universe gone (and some rather ugly looking purple nut sack too) that there still existed some minor threats—human ones—and you could never be too careful.

A tiny part of him was also quite proud and supportive…

Maybe a big part.

As soon as he got over the bruises, he'd definitely visit and observe a session to see Pepper's progress. He'd document and take photos. Maybe he'd ask Nebula to join in.

Hold on a minute. If Pepper stopped using pepper spray, did that mean he was going to have to call her something else now?

Tony shook his head. He's getting ahead of himself.

"Look," he started, "It was just kind of a shock to see you like this. Usually, your choice of weapon is pepper spray or the use of words. Never let it be said that Pepper Potts did not have a sharp tongue."

"Sometimes actions speak louder than words." Pepper sent him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Apology accepted," he regarded her again but this time in a teasing manner. "You know, as the foremost authority on pain—"

She raised a playful brow. "Oh, you are, are you?

"—cause I did live with an arc reactor embedded in my chest which is years of chronic pain to you, Missy."

"Mrs," Pepper corrected.

"Right," Tony nodded. "Anyway, as the pain master in this household, I can help relieve the pain."

Pepper eyed him suspiciously. "This isn't a euphemism for something else, is it? Like sex? Cause I currently cannot even—"

Tony laughed. "Oh, no. I'm actually being serious. As soon as you finish your shower, I'll introduce you to all the pain-relieving salves and aromatherapy that I've bombarded my body with over the years."

Pepper smiled softly at him. "So, you're gonna give me a massage?"

"I'm gonna give the most satisfying massage you've ever had," Tony promised.

Pepper sighed happily, the pain in her body making way to a different feeling, one of anticipation. "You're my favorite husband, you know that?"

"I am actually the only husband you've ever had so that may not be accurate but yes, I do know that. It's always nice to hear it, though. Maybe you should say it like once a day. During meetings and press conferences. Company memos."

Pepper giggled and then cupped his cheek. She leaned in to kiss him slowly. Apparently, moving that part of her body wasn't too much effort.

She pulled away. "I'll be right back," she whispered and then walked in the bathroom.

Tony nodded, almost following her when he remembered he had some essential oils to get.

"Right. Now if only I can remember where I kept them," he murmured to himself before heading out and down to the basement to interrogate the location out of Dum-E.

A/N: Anything you guys want to see during the five year gap?