Work Text:
Peter has a secret. A dark, dark secret. One he's been trying to shove down for a few months now.
He doesn't like Pepper Potts.
Don't get him wrong, she's been nothing but nice to him since they first met. Nicer than she probably should be, honestly. And she's also really badass. And a good CEO. And… well, you get the point.
But there's just.. something about her. It's the way she talks to Tony, specifically. Sure, Tony's just got a.. very odd way of talking with his friends. He and Rhodey shit-talk eachother all the time, most of their conversations are half-sarcasm. But Pepper's.. different.
Maybe it's because Tony's the only person Peter's seen her talk to like that. She says she's friends with Rhodey, and Happy, but she never speaks to them the way she does with Tony.
When it's Tony it's like she's always assuming the worst. Like that time he was going to let her know he's letting Peter stay the night, and she asked if he broke something before he could even start talking. She said he had his 'I fucked up' smile on. Tony had laughed and Peter let it go at the time, but it just doesn't sit right with him.
He knows Pepper's known Tony since before he was born. Hell, she was his personal assistant for over a decade. Maybe there is a "face." Maybe Peter's thinking too deep into this. He probably is. He knows that. But he just can't get the thought out of his head.
Then the final nail in the coffin came last week. MJ was reading some book on emotional manipulation, and Peter made the mistake of reading over her shoulder. And.. Peter couldn't help his mind wandering to Pepper and Tony
Not that he's saying she's manipulating him! May taught him not to make assumptions about people's lives. And, besides, Pepper doesn't seem to want any harm toward Tony. Manipulation is kind of a purposeful thing, Pepper certainly isn't hurting him on purpose. She doesn't seem like the type to do that. She and Tony clearly love eachother, it's plain as day.
Which is exactly why Peter hates that he doesnt like her. Because what's he even supposed to say? "No, Mr. Stark, i wont come over for dinner because your fiancée has bad vibes?" Surefire way to ruin whatever hopefully-familyship he's forming with Tony.