Chapter Text
You winced as you reached for your apron in the pantry, biting your lip as another stab of pain ripped through your lower abdomen. You had to get Pepper's afternoon coffee ready.
Thank heavens it's Friday... you thought with a sigh. Fridays, in addition to being the last day of the work week, it was the day that the dress code of the Stark Industries office was looser and more casual. You had on your favorite "comfy" dress, flat sandals, petite stud earrings, and your favorite birthstone ring. You were especially glad that you could dress down today...
"Hey there, Barista Girl!"
You turned around to find Tony standing in the doorway. "Hey," you answered, hoping he could not detect the note of tiredness in your voice.
He immediately rounded the island in the middle of the room and came to your side, looking you up and down. "What's wrong? Tell me! Is Pepper over-working you? That's it; I am taking you off for the rest of the day."
"That's not necessary." You shook your head. "I'm just tired."
"No," he countered. "It's not just that. You not wearing your usual style of clothes."
"It's casual Friday."
"Nope," he said, popping the p. "I've seen your 'Casual Friday' outfits before. This isn't it. This is more.......... comfy-casual-day-off than usual."
Dang, he learned you quickly.
"I'm......I just woke up not feeling well," you hedged, subconsciously playing with the ring on your finger.
"Not feeling well how?" he demanded.
"...It's...well.......It's nothing for you to worry about," you dismissed his concern as you finished off creating Pepper afternoon cup of coffee. However, you could not help but wince when yet another stab of pain ripped through your lower abdomen.
"Boloney." Tony gently grabbed your shoulders to stop you and looked you firmly in the eye. "What's wrong?"
"It's......stomach issues," you hedged one last time.
"Eesh," Tony winced sympathetically. "What type? Nausea? What medicine do you need? I get you whatever you need."
"Tony," You rolled your eyes. "It's no big deal." I deal with this every month...... "I need to get Pepper's coffee up to her."
"No, you need to find someone else to take it up to Pepper," he answered, taking the coffee cup out of your hands. "Then, you need to tell me what you need to feel better."
"I just need some pain-relievers, then a long, hot soak in the tub when I get home," you replied. "If possible, to go to bed early tonight."
Tony's brows scrunched together in a frown. "I've never heard of painkillers treating stomach problems."
Great.................Just perfect.......
"Its...um...you know....... That time of the month."
Tony's eyes went comically wide at your muttered words. "You...You mean....l-like......"
"I started my period this morning, Tony," you deadpanned. "I'm just experiencing the normal tiredness, cramps, and a general feeling of 'bleh'."
"Yikes." Tony winced. "That does not sound cool. At all."
"Nope," you answered. "Now let me reheat Pepper's coffee and get it up to her so I can find some painkillers and make it through the rest of the afternoon.
"Nope!" Tony replied. "Pepper will have to get her java from somewhere else today. I am calling you in sick for the rest of the afternoon." He pulled a cell phone out of his back pocket and tapped the screen a few times before holding it up to his ear. "Hey, Pep.......yep, she's here................ Actually, I'm calling her in sick....She's having....uh...stomach issues this afternoon......." he actually blushed a little as he stumbled over the euphemism.
You crossed your arms and quirked an amused eyebrow at him.
"...yep... I will........Talk to you later........" Tony hung up and turned to you. "See? No big deal. Now, you, young lady, are coming with me."
"Tonyyyyyyyy......" you moaned. "I just wanna go home, take a long, hot soak, then curl up on my couch with my favorite TV show with take-out for the rest of the night."
"Soak, I can do. TV on a couch, I can do. Take-out, I can do," he answered. "Do you have to go home though?"
You sent him an unamused look. Your cramps were starting to get worse.
"I just wanna spoil you and take care of you," he pleaded, putting on his "big brown puppy eyes". "Please? Please, please, please-"
"...Tonyyyyyyyyyyy.........."
"-please, please, pleeeeaaaseeee?"
You sighed, looking at his pleading face. On one hand, you usually weren't over social or in a people-y mood when you were on your period. On the other hand, however, being pampered a bit for once instead of having to soldier through sounded really nice...
"A long hot soak, I mean really long, really hot soak, TV or movies of my choice on a comfy couch, then take out from the Chinese place on 24th?" you listed.
"Done, done, and done," he nodded.
A thought struck you. "But what will I wear? It's hard to get comfortable in work clothes, no matter how casual." You motioned to your outfit.
"Don't worry, sweetheart, I got you covered," he grinned as he led you toward the elevator.
Requested by reader Rhyme ( Rhyme ) on Quotev.