A Very Avengers Christmas

Tuesday 15th December

Tony has been up all night in his lab after what is now being referred to as 'The Incident' by everyone. To no one's surprise they ended up watching The Nightmare Before Christmas last night. Steve and Bucky had enjoyed it immensely but Tony spent the night down here. No one knew what he was doing. Bruce claimed it was something to do with discovering new atoms, Pepper insisted he was making Christmas presents and Natasha told everyone that he was making cheap changeable wallpaper.
Regardless of what everyone is saying, however, Tony is watching The Grinch on repeat. It is his favourite Christmas film and Tony doesn't do obsession by halves.
Whilst watching the film, Tony is also constructing a grinch robot which is designed to respond to the emotional needs of its owner. The presents lie in the corner of the lab and will probably be wrapped by a machine he constructs specifically for this purpose.
At around noon, Pepper knocks gently on the door to the lab and sees that Tony is half lying, half sitting on the hammock she got him so that he could sleep here. In front of him is a screen playing The Grinch. She picks her way through the mess of Tony's lab that he insists is organised chaos.
"The presents are in the corner so don't look."
"Okay, Tony. Is it okay if I join you?"
"Sure," he says and shuffles along so that there's space for her to snuggle in next to him.
"How many times have you watched this?" she asks him.
"I've been watching it non stop since Natasha beat me at that game of chess."
"I thought so."
They are both quiet for a bit as the colours and sounds flash before them. Then Pepper says, "we've been invited to a Christmas party Saturday night if you want to go."
"Whose?"
"Is it important?"
He shrugs. "It didn't use to be. But it seems to now."
"George Stevens. You used to be friends with him before Afghanistan...happened." She trails off.
"I might as well go. A party will be nice. But why is he inviting me now."
"Are you curious because you screwed his wife or because you gave up on weapons."
"I didn't screw his wife!"
She sighs. "I think I'd remember. I was the one who had to clear up. Blonde hair? Green dress? Lots of emeralds?"
"Oh...that was his wife."
"Yup." They are quiet for a bit longer and then Tony says, "Pepper. I'm tired."
"Shall I help you to bed?"
"Thank you, Pepper."
"No problem, Tony."
They slowly move towards bed with Pepper guiding Tony around the various inventions littering the floor and then up the lift and to their room. Tony collapses into the bed and Pepper tucks him in before realising how tired she is and snuggles in next to him. No one will even realise that they are missing until the next morning.