No one asked for this. I mean...people asked for Penny and Harry and someone asked for Penny's wedding...and it's kind of set around Christmas. I don't think this is what you wanted though lol. You asked for fluff and I gave you angst. But the idea got into my head while watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel so...it got written :)
Penny stared at her husband, watching him throw his clothes into her suitcase. He didn't fold them. Didn't pick and choose them...just grabbed whatever was handy and threw them into her suitcase. It didn't make sense...he was a meticulous packer. They'd gone on several trips together, both for work and for pleasure, and he was always careful about not wrinkling his clothes.
"That's my suitcase." She didn't recognize her own voice. Couldn't believe this was her life. It had only been a year and a half. She sounded dull...flat. She should be upset! Well...she was upset! But more than anything she just couldn't believe this.
"Penny…"
"That's my suitcase. You're leaving me and you're taking my suitcase?" She laughed even though it wasn't funny. Nothing about this was funny.
The words had come bursting out of him when she'd walked into the room half an hour before, home late from work and surprised to find her husband still up. He usually turned in pretty early, even though the next day was Christmas Eve. An affair. He didn't love her. He loved his secretary. The woman was their age, maybe a year older...Harry worked for his father and had ever since she'd met him when they were both sixteen. She'd turned down a job with Stark Industries so they could work together as soon as she was out of college. She'd given up Spidergirl because he said it scared him...said it wasn't fair to make him worry about her all night. And at the time, she'd thought that maybe he was right. She'd worry about him if he were a superhero.
She hadn't seen the Avengers in months because Harry was so busy and, by extension, so was she. Work. Family functions with his huge, extended family, especially over the holidays. Her first Thanksgiving with the Osborn family had been strange, to say the least. Overwhelming. She'd sent a text to Tony. 'Happy Thanksgiving.' And then she'd been swept up in preparations and spending time with Harry and his parents and cousins and second cousins and third...his grandparents on both sides and holding babies and petting dogs and setting the table. By the end of the night, she'd been absolutely exhausted.
Tony had called that night and she'd answered, dropping onto the sofa and rubbing a hand over her eyes. "Hey, kiddo. I was hoping you'd stop by for a visit."
"I know. I'm sorry. Thanksgiving ran so long I helped them clean up and…" She sighed, fighting a yawn.
"That's okay." His voice was calm. Serious. Kind. He never made her feel bad about being busy. May had been upset when she'd told her that she wouldn't be around for Thanksgiving. And Penny had asked Harry if there was time to stop by May's place...but he'd reminded her that they had to be at his grandparents' place by ten am and it was all the way across town...May had been upset. Tony had been calm. Understanding.
That had almost been worse.
"Come by whenever, Pen. The door's always open for you."
She hadn't gone back to school to get her master's degree, even though Tony had offered to pay...even though she'd thought about accepting. "College is stupidly expensive, kid. I can take care of it. MIT has plenty of good programs. You can even do them online!"
She hadn't worn her suit. "I...I can't be Spidergirl anymore."
"What? Why?"
"I just…" She'd struggled to find words...to admit that her new husband didn't want her being a superhero and even though it hurt she didn't really blame him.
"Okay." Mr. Stark had cut her off, smiling a little. "That's fine, Pen."
"Here." She'd held out the suit, but he'd shaken his head.
"Keep it. It was a gift."
She hadn't argued against moving into the same neighborhood as his father. "It's close to work." He'd reasoned.
"But it's so far away from May!"
"You can visit her any time, Pen." He'd made every choice and she'd gone along with it.
And he was leaving her for his secretary like they were in a film from the 1960s.
"I'm sorry, Penny." She shook her head. She didn't want his apology. Didn't want to be in this house with him anymore. He'd gone to another woman. After everything...only a year and a half into their marriage, he was leaving.
"That's my suitcase."
"Look, I never meant for this to happen...but you must have realized it wasn't working out."
She'd been happy. Well...mostly happy. She'd missed her family...May and Tony and the others...Pepper and baby Morgan. Well...the girl was five now...so not really a baby anymore. At only twenty-three, Penny still felt like a baby herself sometimes. But she'd missed her family. The Avengers. Her friends. The people who'd accepted her as a superhero even though she'd only been sixteen at the time.
May hadn't approved of her getting married so young. "You're 22 years old, Penny. You have so much life ahead of you." Her aunt had urged, cupping her face and resting her forehead against her niece's the night she'd worn the ring home...it had been her last year of college. "You don't have to choose a husband right now. Why don't the two of you keep dating...just for another year or two.
She'd told May she was sure, though. Assured her aunt that she knew what she was doing. And she had. She'd chosen him. She loved him. Loved the way he lit up when she entered a room and loved how smart he was, but how he didn't get upset that she was smarter. She loved working in a lab with him and how he kissed her forehead whenever he saw her and how he always held her hand when they walked together. She loved that he always sat beside her on the sofa, an arm around her shoulder, and how he'd kiss her cheek in the middle of a movie.
Now he was packing his suitcase.
Had she been a bad wife? She'd learned to cook! She'd cleaned the house on her days off and let him make so many of their choices and she'd spent time with his parents. She'd quit being Spidergirl because it worried him. She'd stopped patrolling, stopped saving people. Pushed down all the guilt that came from stopping. Tried not to think about it. Hadn't she given up so much? She thought of Tony, of her family, and her stomach clenched. She had.
"You can keep the house." He was saying, looking guilty as he packed. She felt herself come back to the present and shook her head. She didn't need his house, she thought as she stood, walking over to the bed and taking the suitcase by the top, scooting it toward her. She had a home. "Pen...baby…"
She flipped the suitcase over, dumping his clothes on their bed...no...his bed. "This is my suitcase." She told him softly, firmly, finally meeting his eyes.
"Baby…"
"Don't call me that."
"Pen…"
"No. You lost the right to call me that. Keep your house. I don't want it."
"Penny…"
"Let your father know that I'm resigning. Immediately." Opening her closet, she froze when she stared at the rows of business clothes...all bought with money she'd made at Oscorp. She shut the closet door without grabbing anything, then left the room, heading into the office where she grabbed her purse from the floor beside the desk where her computer sat. Their computer. There was nothing on it that she needed.
"Where are you going to go?" He called after her, and she dropped her phone into her purse, making sure the keys were inside.
Tony had bought her the junker for her graduation gift, and they'd rebuilt the whole thing together over the summer before she'd gone to college. "That's none of your business. Just send the divorce papers to my email."
She wasn't going to cry about this. It was his mistake. His screw up. She wasn't at fault here. She repeated the words as she left the building, refusing to glance at the Christmas tree they'd set up in the living room. There were presents under the tree. She'd bought him a new watch. A good one. Beautiful with diamonds and shit. He could keep it.
She would have to tell May.
That thought made her flush, shame filling her stomach. May had tried to warn her. She hadn't listened.
"Penny!" He called after her as she stepped out of the front door, flinching at the cold. It really was a beautiful house.
She should have worn a coat. Instead of going back for one, she slammed the door behind her. Hard enough for the wood to crack. She didn't care. She'd made herself weak for him. Small. She wasn't either of those things.
Climbing into her car, she stuck the key in the ignition, turned on some Christmas music, and began to drive. She didn't look back.
At least, that's what she'd tell herself years later. She'd tell herself that her eyes didn't stray to the rearview mirror...that she didn't stare at the tree in the mirror, watch the star at the top light up. She'd tell herself that her eyes didn't focus for a long time on the icicle lights hanging from the roof of their beautiful subdivision house. The house where May had only been twice...where Tony had only been once. She'd wanted to invite them more...but Harry was always busy. She was always busy.
It was nearly one am when she pulled up to the compound. "Hey FRIDAY." She told the box out front, leaning out of her open window and letting the icy wind blow into her face.
"It's good to see you, Penny." The AI must have been getting better at mimicking human emotions, she thought with a dry smile. She hadn't cried on the way there. Instead, she'd learned the lyrics to Carol of the Bells, playing the song over and over on her phone until she knew every word. It was Christmas Eve, after all.
"Think I can come in?"
"Of course, Penny. You're always welcome."
She hesitated. "Can you not tell anyone I'm here...at least until they wake up?"
"Of course, Penny."
She parked in the garage next to Tony's car. It was flashy and new...shiny too. She smiled when she caught a glimpse of the booster seat in the back. It had been months since she'd seen the little girl. She'd planned on calling...she realized that she wouldn't blame Tony if he didn't want her to stay. She had gotten married and left. Just...left, after everything he'd done for her.
Penny stepped through the side door and took the elevator up to the main floor. Tony and Pepper lived on the top floor, which was where her old room was, but the living room was on the main floor along with the kitchen and a few guest rooms. The rest of the team was spread out through the main floor and the floor below. She would stay in a guest room rather than go back to her old room. Of course, she doubted that Tony had had it redone...that he'd gotten rid of her stuff. But she wouldn't blame him. She didn't want to risk it.
She hadn't been to the compound in a long time. Months. She stared at the room that hadn't changed...lovely sofas by the window, a huge bar that Tony rarely partook in anymore. A huge TV where FRIDAY would play anything she wanted to watch. She'd spent so much of her summers here...sometimes with Harry, but usually alone. The internship had changed from an excuse to be Spidergirl into a real thing, and she'd spent hours helping Tony in the lab, then spending time with the others. After Thanos...after everything...they'd wanted to keep one another close. Penny had been no exception.
May and Tony had both walked her down the aisle on her wedding day. Ned had been her man of honor. Steve had married them. The whole Avengers team had been there, and Tony had even been friendly with Norman Osborn who he hated. The memories hit Penny as she stepped into the living room and she gripped the back of the sofa, nearly doubling over with the pain of it.
When Tony had first seen the ring, he'd lifted an eyebrow. "Something you want to share there, kiddo?" So she had. And he'd been happy for her. Hadn't told her that she was too young or tried to convince her to wait. Hadn't had any threatening talks with Harry.
"May's going to walk me down the aisle." She'd told him that afternoon in his lab. He'd barely glanced up from his work, nodding and listening like he always did. "And...um...I know you're not really...uh...well, I was hoping you would too."
He'd turned and looked at her for a moment, face softening before he'd moved over to her side, a hand resting on her shoulder. "Of course I will."
He'd danced with her at her wedding. It had all been so beautiful. Fairy lights and mason jar candles and the Avengers dancing and laughing and toasting her. Little spiders etched into some of the place cards, even though no one knew why...they were so small that very few people even noticed. Most of it was funded by Tony who had insisted. "I pay for all Avenger weddings. It's in my contract." He'd joked as he'd waltzed her around the dance floor.
"Penny?" The voice of Wanda shouldn't have surprised her. Her friend was a notoriously light sleeper. "Is everything okay? Are you okay?"
Penny didn't want to say it. Didn't want to form the words, didn't want to cry. So she held out a hand to her friend, biting down hard on her lip, and after a moment, Wanda moved forward, dressed in pink pajamas and slippers, and took Penny's hand. Wanda never looked into her mind without her permission. But sometimes it was just easier.
A red mist covered their hands and Wanda closed her eyes as Penny let herself remember.
Walking into their bedroom, surprised to find her husband awake and...packing. "Are we going on a trip?" A joke. He hadn't laughed.
"I have to leave."
Her own confusion. A hint of worry. "What? Harry…"
"I've been having an affair."
Penny had sat down hard in the chair. She didn't think of any more specifics. Just let Wanda feel her pain. Embarrassment. Shame. Then Wanda let go, and Penny reached up to wipe at a tear that had escaped, pushing past her friend to raid the liquor cabinet.
She'd never taken any of Tony's alcohol, and most of it was just there for special occasions. She grabbed a bottle at random and pulled a corkscrew out of a drawer. "Penny…". Wanda whispered. Penny shook her head. She couldn't hear it, not from Wanda who had Vision. Instead, she took a swig of what turned out to be whiskey. It burned and she hated it, but it warmed her stomach.
She carried the bottle over to the sofa, dropping down onto the cushions, and after a moment, her friend did the same, wrapping a hesitant arm around her shoulders. Penny leaned into the contact, sniffling and taking another drink. "Fuck him," Wanda whispered, as though Captain America was going to appear and scold her for her language. Penny felt herself laugh, hysterical and high pitched. It felt so good to laugh.
"She did. That's the problem." She cried, still laughing…and then she was sobbing, heart shattering. It didn't make sense...she should be furious. But all she could feel was the pain. Wanda held her close, rubbing her back but not using her powers. She could have calmed her down. Instead, she let her cry.
"Wanda? Penny?" She choked on a sob, hiding her face in Wanda's shoulder when the voice came almost an hour later. "Is everything alright?" She laughed a little, looking up to meet the startled face of Thor. Thor, who had danced with her at her wedding. Who she hadn't spoken to as much as the others, but who would be there for her in a heartbeat if she asked.
"No. Everything's not alright." She told him, shaking her head and feeling tears drip down her cheeks. "My husband fucked his secretary, and now he's leaving me for her." She'd meant for all of that to come out angry. Uncaring. Instead, it had all been painful. So she held up the bottle, taking another long drink so she wouldn't have to face the Asgardian who stared at her in stunned silence.
"Have you eaten anything?" Wanda asked gently. She'd worked late that night...had eaten dinner around five and then worked until nine thirty in the lab. She'd been trying to sneak home so she wouldn't wake Harry.
"Not in a while."
"Why don't you let me make you something to eat." Penny took another long drink, holding the bottle by the neck as if she was trying to strangle it. But she didn't break it, just stood.
"I'm fine." She told her friend, offering Thor a weak smile. "Sorry to wake you."
Thor caught her hand as she walked by, halting her in her steps. Of course, she could have broken away...but she didn't. Instead, she stared up at him, tears dripping down her cheeks. He pulled her close after a moment, and she grabbed him, throwing her arms around him as if he were a lifeline. "I'm sorry." He murmured, patting her back.
"He was packing my suitcase...he was going to leave with my suitcase." She laughed a little, shaking her head at the ridiculousness of thinking about that. Thor didn't say anything, just held her for a moment. "I don't think he'll come here but...if he does...can you tell him I don't want to see him?"
"Of course."
She pulled back, giving him a weak smile. "Thank you."
She found herself on the roof at 2am, standing right at the edge and staring out at the Christmas lights strung on the trees. She'd always loved the roof out at the compound. She could actually see the stars. Tony had taken her up there a few times...taught her about the stars and constellations. Usually, after she'd had a nightmare.
She drained the rest of the bottle, feeling the warm fuzzy feeling take over her whole body. She rarely drank, mostly because she had to drink more than normal people just to feel anything from it. Tony hadn't forbidden her from drinking before she'd been 21...neither had May. But they'd strongly suggested she shouldn't, especially if she was at a party or out with people she didn't know. She hadn't drank in months, and even then it was usually just a glass of wine at a fancy dinner. Alcohol barely affected her. But a whole bottle of whiskey apparently did the trick.
Tony had held her elbow as he'd walked her down the aisle where Harry had been waiting, Steve standing on the step and smiling at her as brightly as her soon-to-be husband. Since Thanos, Steve had been her biggest supporter, after Tony of course. He'd guided her on missions, talked to her after patrols...even consoled her after a nightmare or two. She'd asked him to marry her and Harry the same day she'd asked Tony to walk her down the aisle, finding him in his room and knocking.
"Hey there, kiddo." He'd grinned, putting his sketchpad down.
It had been hard to ask him...hard to get the words out, cheeks burning as she'd tried to explain without using the words how important he was to her. "So...can Captain America marry people?" He'd lifted an eyebrow. "Like, uh...like a pastor or a ship captain or…" When he'd just stared at her, almost amused, she'd held up her left hand, showing him her engagement ring.
He'd jumped up, hugging her then, and assuring her that of course, he'd be the one to marry them.
After the ceremony, Tony had pulled her into the dance floor, little Morgan dancing on Steve's feet. "So...Oscorp." She'd started to explain...started to apologize. But he'd only smiled.
"They don't deserve you, but neither do I." He's shrugged, guiding her along the dance floor. "I love you, kiddo. If you ever need a job or a place to stay or anything else, I'm here. You know that, right?" She'd nodded, resting her head on his shoulder, and he'd kissed her hair.
"I love you too." Then Harry has whisked her away.
And then he'd slept with his secretary.
She turned on her heels, throwing the glass bottle at the wall that ran along the side of the roof and watched the glass shatter, tears pouring down her cheeks.
His secretary. He was leaving her for his secretary. Like they were in a bad play. A bad novel. It was so cliche. His secretary was stupid...a dumb, plain woman...
No...that wasn't fair. Penny wasn't going to be that girl. She wasn't going to be the woman that blamed another woman for 'stealing' her husband. She was sure the woman was very nice...and that her husband had been the one to make the choice to sleep with her.
She took a step forward to clean up the mess and her knees crumbled. Wrapping her arms around her stomach, she sobbed, her whole body wracked with the pain of it. She'd loved him. She'd changed her whole life for him. Given up so much...and he had thrown her away. Given up on their marriage after nineteen months.
Footsteps registered and she didn't even have to look up to know that it was Tony. She always knew when it was Tony. "I'm sorry…". She managed to choke out. "I'll clean it up...I'm sorry." She'd gotten glass everywhere and sometimes Morgan came up here.
"Oh, sweetheart…". He murmured, kneeling beside her. He was wearing a robe that he pulled off, wrapping it around her shoulders. She realized suddenly that she was freezing. It was the day before Christmas and she was wearing jeans and a thin sweatshirt on the roof at 2:30 in the morning.
"He...he left…". She had left, technically. But he knew what she'd meant.
"I know. Wanda and Thor told me. I'm so sorry, honey."
"His secretary?" She looked up at Tony, incredulous and hurt, and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.
"You want Iron Man to kill him?" She choked on a laugh then, resting her head on his shoulder. He was kidding...except she knew that he wasn't. He would probably do it. Well...maybe not kill him. But her pseudo-father would make Harry pay if she asked.
"Just maim him." He chuckled, shifting so that he was sitting cross-legged on the roof, her in his arms just like when she was fifteen. Just like when she'd come back from patrol hurt or scared and he'd hold her, hesitant at first, but more naturally as time went on. "Can I stay here?" She whispered after a moment.
"Of course you can. This is your home, kiddo. Always." He was right. May and Harold had moved into their own place about a year ago...a nice house in the city. Tony paid pretty well, apparently. Of course, Penny had a guest room there...but that wasn't really her home. "You can have a job, too. Heck, I can't wait to call Norman and rub it in his face." She laughed once more, but this time it was softer. Painful. "I'm so sorry, Pen." She nodded. "Whatever you need, you've got it. Lawyers. A room, a job...you can work with me in the lab or eat ice cream and cry in your room...whatever you want."
She knew exactly what she wanted.
"Will you help me update my suit?" It had been too long...too long since she'd helped people as Spidergirl. That was who she was, and she never should have given it up.
He nodded immediately.
"Sure, kiddo. Well...maybe we should wait until after you've slept off that bottle of whiskey." She felt him press his lips to her hair and smiled a little, body warm despite the cold. That very, very expensive bottle of whiskey." She laughed, knowing that he was kidding.
"It wasn't like you were going to drink it." He chuckled.
"Fair." He pressed his lips to her hair, rubbing his arms up and down hers over the robe to warm her up. "I love you, kid. Let's get you to bed before you freeze, okay Spiderling?" She nodded, wiping her eyes and letting him help her up.
She was going to survive this.
Her family was going he help her.
"I love you too."
Thank you for reading!