we're gonna be okay.

     while pepper doesn’t expect this to be the topic of conversation this evening , she can’t deny that she’s flattered to be asked this . after all , laura is right : this isn’t something to talk to tony about . he’d turn into a protective father , and that isn’t what the young girl needs right now .     “ well , there are lots of ways to know if you’re attracted to someone . sometimes you get butterflies in your stomach . . . sometimes your heart beats really fast . other times , you have a hard time getting words out , ”     all of which had happened to pepper with the man she now calls her partner and lover . of course , she’d played it off initially , but after so long she’d been unable to hide her adoration of tony .     “ why do you ask ? ”

     “ yeah ? what’s the answer going to be , babe ? ”     both brows lift at tony then , pepper entertained by the confidence radiating off of him now .     “ morgan loves that garden as much as i do , tony . i’ve said that already . . . i’m pretty sure she’ll side with me just for that alone -- i don’t even need to talk to her beforehand . ”

     what does she even say to that ? is he trying this hard to make something up ? is he trying to throw her off ? pepper isn’t sure .     “ -- you expect me to believe that ? ”     it’s too far fetched for the blonde to accept , truth be told , but the more she thinks about it the more wild it gets . would he make this up just to distract her from the real reason he’d gotten her that rabbit ? maybe she needs to give tony more credit . . .     “ you realize i hated that thing , right ? ”     the sentiment is sweet , but the physical gift was hideous .

     the other’s optimism is almost contagious , but there’s a lump in pepper’s throat that keeps her smile from being completely genuine . what would it take to get the world to that point ? what would it take to rid this planet of evil ? who ( or what ) would they have to sacrifice ? it’s something pepper doesn’t want to think about ( because she knows at least one person that would volunteer first to give his life for everyone else’s ) .     “ you think we’ll get there ? ”     pepper asks , genuine in such a question despite the rather sad tone of her voice .

     pepper offers a scoff at the explanation given on behalf of an alpaca . is tony serious ? she will never understand his affections towards the animal .     “ no , that’s what you do . an alpaca doesn’t have the mental capacity to lash out for a human’s attention . ”     she objects , glancing back at the man for a brief second to give him a look before focusing back on washing the dishes .     “ keep him out of my garden , understood ? if you don’t , we won’t have an alpaca anymore . ”

     this world does not deserve him . pepper barely feels as if she deserves him , but he’s chosen her and she’s chosen him , too . . . she’d do it over and over again in a heartbeat .     “ you’re allowed to be selfish , tony . even if it’s just for a little bit . you can take a break . focus on our family while still helping in other ways . ”     the other avengers -- the ones that also remain -- are working around the clock to help keep the world safe . tony is entitled to take time to himself .     “ if you don’t do it for you , do it for morgan and me . blame it on me . ”

     she hates how easy it is for tony to sweet talk her , how easy it is for him to comfort her and make her feel safe . or maybe she loves it , and it’s simply a feeling she’s never experienced with anyone before the genius . their lips touch and it’s as if nothing else exists in the world but them and their baby , and briefly she’ll wonder if they can stay like this forever . . . would the world allow it ?     “ if i weren’t so tired i’d argue with you , but for now i’ll let you win this round . ”     pepper chuckles as she pecks his lips one more time before pulling back and looking down at his hands at her belly .     “ how much longer do you think we’ve got ? do you think she’ll come early ? ”     of course they’d found out the biological sex of the baby right away . . . pepper had been impatient .

     he is such a gentle person , even more so with pepper herself , and the way he lowers his hands to her growing belly will only serve to relax and comfort her further .     “ do this all the time and i’ll have a hard time figuring out how to annoy you , ”     pepper admits softly a mere second before his lips find her own and her own hands rest atop his at her stomach .     “ i love you so much , tony . ”