Archive of Our Own

“You don’t look stupid,” Natasha reassured her. Coming up from behind, the ballerina smiled as she wrapped her arms around her friend. “You’re nervous and it’s showing.”

“Am not!” Pepper shimmied herself out from Natasha’s grasp. Giving her best friend a silly look, she sighed. “It’s not like I haven’t been on a date with him before. We literally went over this the other day.”

Natasha shrugged, laughing as she looked through Pepper’s accessories collection. Grabbing a simple barrette adorned with faux pearls, she looked at Pepper. “Come here,” she told her friend. Pepper sighed, but followed her back to the mirror. Natasha grinned, brushing back part of Pepper’s hair, pinning it back with the barrette. “There, simple is always key. You always assume that Tony likes to be impressed by flashy things. Just be yourself, Pepper… obviously he really likes you already.”

Turning around to face herself in the mirror once again, Pepper looked at herself, her cheeks were a little red from Natasha’s comment about Tony already liking her. What was this? High School? No. They were in college. Yet, why did this feel like a high school crush all over again. “Thanks Nat… the barrette looks great,” she smiled at her friend. “It’s just… I don’t know… it’s silly to feel this excited because I’ve already been on a date with him.” 

“You literally told me that doesn’t count,” Natasha rolled her eyes. “You’ll have a good time. He agreed to let you pick the place, so that’s a start. Now, I have an exam to study for. Shall I expect you home tonight?”

“Nat!” Pepper laughed, bumping her shoulder as Natasha headed back to the kitchen. Turning to look at herself in the mirror again, she quickly straightened out her necklace so the clasp was behind her neck once again and fixed the barrette once more. “Okay, not bad Potts… not bad…” 

~

Tony stepped up to the front porch of the apartment Pepper lived in, bouquet of flowers in his hand. Raising his arm to knock on the door, he hesitated for a minute. The fact that Pepper Potts gave him a second chance bewildered him. Which is why he couldn’t stop thinking about her from the second she reconsidered his offer for another date. He completely screwed up the first time and he wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

Taking a deep breath, he finally knocked on the door. Natasha answered and Tony almost immediately felt exposed. Something about Natasha unnerved him. “Romanoff,” he grinned, flashing her the great Tony Stark smile. 

“Stark,” Natasha smiled at him. “How’s the degree going?” 

“It’s great… pretty much have my thesis nailed, just have to start testing it out,” Tony said, rocking on the balls of his feet. “So, is umm… is Pepper around? We have a date.”

“Mhmm,” Natasha grinned again, popping her piece of gum. “Hurt her again, Stark and I’m coming after you. Understood?” 

Tony choked, nodding when he heard her. He was certain she was an assassin in another life, or something. “Message received and understood. So… where’s Pepper?”

“She’ll be down in a minute,” Natasha said before turning around, leaving the door open. 

Soon, Pepper came into view and Tony took a long look at her. She lookedradiant. Her hair pulled back by a simple, but elegant pearl barrette; her blue dress accentuated her figure just right and made her blue eyes sparkle. Tony was speechless for a moment, having to clear his throat before he spoke. “You look lovely tonight,” he said, offering Pepper the bouquet. Tony hoped his cheeks weren’t red. He hadn’t felt butterflies in his stomach in years… and yet, here was Pepper Potts, looking all gorgeous in her outfit and Tony was afraid he’d turn into a puddle.

Smiling when she saw the peonies, Pepper smelled them quickly before giving him a smile. “Thank you,” she smiled at him. “You look great too. Ready to go?” 

~

“Potts… why are we standing outside the library?” Tony asked, looking at his date. He’d agreed to the terms that Pepper gave him, to let her decide what they were doing on this second-chance date, but he still couldn’t quite figure out where the university library factored into this. Not to mention, he felt really silly for being so dressed up with other students around.

“Shut up for one second, okay,” Pepper chuckled as she fiddled in her purse for something. Pulling out a copy of Great Expectations, she held it up before going to sit on one of the benches on the library lawn. “This just so happens to be where we first met. Do you even remember that day?” 

It was three years ago, when they were freshman. Well, technically Pepper was a freshman and Tony was already working towards his first PhD… but that wasn’t important. But Pepper remembered this vividly. She had been reading her copy of Great Expectations for her British Literature class, panicking for an exam that was coming up when she had looked up to see the great Tony Stark walking towards her, surrounded by all his friends. Maybe he wasn’t technically walking up to her, but Pepper didn’t think that at the time. So when he suddenly waved in her direction, she caught his glance, but when she realized he wasn’t actually waving to her, she ducked her head in embarrassment and carried on with her reading.

“You seriously count that as the first time we met?” Tony laughed, sitting beside Pepper as she bumped his shoulder. 

“Do you remember what you said to me?” Pepper looked at him. But when the look on Tony’s face indicated that he had no clue, she shook her head. “You said: See you around, kid. And guess what… you sought me out at ever since. You found me at my job, you found me in class, you found me at the club. Tony Stark, I think you’re stalking me.”

Tony was shocked. Had he really said that to her that time outside the library? Honestly, he couldn’t remember. But the fact that it still resonated with Pepper three years later… well, he had some making up to do. “I’m not stalking you, you’re the one who agreed to a date with me the first time,” he told her. Then, while they sat together on the little park bench, Tony looked at her. “Was I really that terrible when I met you?” 

“You had your moments…” she shrugged. “You have an incredibly big ego and you definitely don’t like it when you don’t get what you want, but… you’ve definitely changed since that first time we met. Do you know why I think this book brought us together?” Pepper asked, showing him the cover of the famous Dickens novel. “Because you’ve learned that status isn’t always everything. Sure, you still messed up on our last date, but you’re learning and that’s progress.”

“Oh gee… thanks,” Tony rolled his eyes. But he had an idea of what Pepper was talking about. Not to mention, he felt butterflies in his stomach anytime he was with her or thought about her or just saw her across the room. A few years ago, he didn’t know who he wanted to be aside from someone who was just looking for a good time. Now, he was actually taking Pepper on dates. Well… he hoped to take her on more after this. 

Before he knew it, Tony felt Pepper tug on his hand. “Come on… I’m getting hungry,” she laughed. Though, before they left, Tony tugged her hand back, pulling her in for a kiss. Pepper smiled, melting into his kiss. “What was that for?” 

“Really, Potts?” Tony smirked. “I think you know the answer to that. Now, where are you taking me to dinner?”