More fluff, anyone?

No copyright infringement is intended. Only fluff is intended. (Seriously.)

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Pepper let out a slow sigh of content. She had finally westled her baby back from her father, who had insisted to hold her all through dinner, and put her down in her cot.

Morgan, as they'd decided to call her, already slept almost well for her age, and she couldn't be more grateful to Laura for lending out all her expertise. She hoped she could stick around for a while, and from what she gathered when hinting as much the other woman was fine with sticking around since it wasn't a problem that her kids did too.

Pepper didn't mind having all the Bartons about, and she knew that Tony loved it. She knew how he had grown up and how lonely it had been, and she completely understood why he'd like having a family of sorts, that included so many people. She smiled for herself. With Thor and his redeemed brother showing up, all they lacked was for Colonel James Rhodes to drop in or Tchalla to come by for a surprise visit. She didn't doubt for a moment that both those things would occur within the week, if not sooner.

Shaking her head, Pepper settled on the sofa next to her husband and closed her eyes as he immediately reached out to grab her feet. Placing them in his lap, he gently rubbed the arches while he doubtlessly studied the various games going on around them.

Pepper didn't open her eyes, but she could hear enough to know where they all were. Laura was putting Nathaniel down, Barton had gone downstairs with Steve, Bucky and Lila to do archery in the range Tony had helpfully set up (because of course he had) and Natasha was lying a puzzle with Cooper. Meanwhile, Loki was freezing shot glasses Tony had pronounced was expendable for a fascinated Bruce.

Her last thought was about how perfect it all was, and then she fell asleep right there on the couch.

Pepper woke with a small start, realising a second later that Tony was carrying her through the dark penthouse to their bed. They had a nursery up here, but Morgan usually slept in her cot on the other floor. That way there were so many more possible babysitters.

"Are you not as little old for carrying me about?" She teased, getting a reluctant laughter in reward for her troubles.

"I, I'll have you know, am an actual superhero and I won't allow that kind of talk!" Tony tried to sound severe and put out, but he was snickering audibly. He put her down gently on the bed, following her there with a yawn. Sensing her chance, Pepper took the oblivious moment to push him into falling into a reclining position and crouched predatorily, laughing inside.

In his defense, Tony didn't even try and defend herself, merely letting her press him into the bed and collapse on top of him while giggling. He didn't seem to mind. She hadn't thought for a second that he would.

"I asked Laura to stay a bit longer," she noted after a few moments of silence, lying her head down just below Tony's shoulder blade.

"I assumed," he replied, gently caressing her shoulder. "I like having them here. Luckily - Natasha might not let go of her BFF again..." he smiled as she laughed.

"They're good to have around," Pepper agreed, closing her eyes. She only shifted when Tony reached for the duvet to make their position a little more appropriate to sleep in. She didn't really care. Fortunately, Tony didn't seem to mind being slept on - she knew that from experience.

"Not as good as you are," it took her a moment to understand him, but then she smiled.

"I love you too," she woved, "'til the end of the line, as our friends would say."

"Yeah..." Tony agreed, voice so soft she could suddenly barely hear him. "Always."

"Always," she agreed, shifting her head just an inch and back again so that she could give his skin a kiss. "I've spent far too much time making you into a sensible human being to give up on you now." She felt his somewhat startled laughter, and then the kiss he dropped in her hair.

"There's that," he whispered into her hair. "Don't ever change, Pep."

"No, nor you," she replied, and wasn't that the confession of the century. But for all that she was glad he had stopped his self-distructive ways, she'd never want him to change. Not for the world. And she knew that he knew that, but sometimes she just felt like reminding him. He was her own personal genius, and she found him just as perfect as he found her, scars and all.

It was, after all, what made him her Tony.

Reaching out, she took hand, and it was with their fingers effortlessly interlocked that they drifted off to sleep. Together for that always they'd both always wanted. And it was theirs.