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Pepper was happy for Tony, truly. She thinks there may have been a time when she wished that it was her in Steve’s place, when she was jealous, but that time has long since passed. She and Tony were good co-workers, and even better friends, and somehow, they thought that would translate to a stable relationship.
And for a while, it did.
But it didn’t last.
It took them longer than it probably should have to figure it out. Or maybe they did figure it out too soon, but stubbornness is a quality they both share.
Pepper didn’t need a partner who was a force of nature, who went from A to Z in 0.2 seconds and made a hundred pit stops along the way, each one changing the world as they knew it. She needed someone who was there with her, encouraging her to dance along whilst they made breakfast in the early mornings as the sun rose to mark another day.
And Tony didn’t need someone who was a better CEO or boss to him than a partner, who just wanted him safe even though throwing himself headfirst into danger, donning the Iron Man suit, that was his way of repenting for past mistakes. He needed someone who understood his drive, his motivation, someone who was there after each battle with soft kisses and reassuring touches instead of "I can’t see you hurt Tony!"
They both knew that they weren’t what the other needed, and it’s why they still get along so well, if not better than when they were in a relationship. She was there to give Tony fashion advice when Steve asked Tony out on a date for the first time, and Tony was there to tease Pepper when she came back blushing, with an iced coffee in tow.
Once upon a time, she might have envisioned herself on the other end of Tony’s I do, but right now, as she cheers and claps as Steve and Tony seal their promise of forever with a kiss and an exchange of rings, she knows there’s no other place she’d rather be.
**********
Pepper had agreed to watch Peter, Steve and Tony’s newly adopted four year old, for the day, while the new parents take a well-deserved break. As she’s let into the lake house by FRIDAY, she’s met with giggles and loud footsteps.
“Come on Peter!” Tony groans, even though he’s clearly smiling. “Your Aunt Pepper will be here to take you to the zoo soon!”
Steve chooses this moment to relive Tony, and Peter lets out a peal of laughter as Steve hauls him up and throws him into the air a few times. Pepper chooses not to make herself known just yet, content to watch the family. It’s clear that Steve and Tony work better together than she and Tony ever did, but she’s not bitter anymore, or even wistful. She waits until Tony manages to wrangle Peter into his favourite top, a cute dinosaur one, before stepping into the living room.
“Aunt Pepper!” Peter cheers, launching himself at her, and Pepper laughs as she hugs her favourite nephew.
“Hello turtlebug! Ready to head to the zoo?”
“Yeah!”
“Go get your shoes then,” she says fondly, and Peter races off.
“Pepper, I am warning you now, Peter better not come home with more than one stuffed animal,” Tony warns, but Pepper just grins, before turning around.
“No promises!”
She firmly believes that everything happens for a reason, and whilst she waits to see if that cute barista that Tony and Natasha have been teasing her about turn into something more, she’ll definitely be using her "I’m his favourite aunt" rights to spoil the absolute heck out of Peter. He is absolutely coming home with more than one stuffed animal.
*******
“Tony. Stop crying.” Pepper says exasperatedly, smoothing out the front of her wedding dress.
“This is an emotional time and I am an emotional man!” Tony defended. “Besides, if you didn’t want me crying on your wedding day, you shouldn’t have asked me to give you away!”
Pepper rolled her eyes, but resigned herself to the fact that she was going to have an emotional Tony for her wedding.
Not that she minded. She was emotional herself, not having really seen herself in this position, waiting to get married, for a long time after her break up with Tony.
But her belief in the fact that everything happened for a reason worked out, and here she was, three years on getting married to someone she adored with her whole heart.
“I know that I’ve asked this a million times, but I think it’s my duty as your man of honour. Are you sure you want to marry Audrey? She came out clean when FRIDAY did the background check blah blah blah but still-”
“Yes Tony, I still want to marry Audrey,” she smiles, shaking her head. Tony had completely taken over the planning for her wedding, with her permission of course, bar the actual dress, and it’s safe to say that she was very impressed. She had seen the outdoor venue when she made her way to her room to start getting ready, and it looked gorgeous.
“Then that’s all that’s important to me.”
There’s a knock on the door, and Emma, the actual wedding planner, pops her head in. “Ms Potts? It’s time.”
“Thank you Emma.”
Tony hands her the bouquet of flowers and offers her his arm. “Okay Ms Potts, time to get you married.”
Audrey wanted to be the one waiting for Pepper at the other end of the aisle, so that’s what they have done. They step out to the start of the aisle, and the opening notes of How Long Will I Love You by Ellie Golding play as the guests stand. It feels like nothing short of forever, but they make it to the stand, and Tony squints playfully at Audrey.
“Look after her, she’s one in a million.”
“Of course Dr Stark, she definitely is.”
They shake on it, and Tony turns to Pepper. This time, Tony isn’t the only one with tears in his eyes, Pepper is close to tears too, but they manage a watery smile at each other.
“Will that be all Ms Potts?”
“That will be all Mr Stark.”
A/N: Here's a lil moodboard I made for Pepper's Wedding!!
