Title: a reasonable explanation
Fandom: Avengers/Marvel
Rating: R
Length: 540
Content notes: Sexual fantasies, sexting, kink, oversharing, embarrassment over sexual talk.
Author notes: For fan-flashworks for the challenge Cheating.
Summary: Bruce finds out that Tony likes fantasizing about him. Pepper attempts to explain in a calm, sex-positive way (Bruce would really rather just disappear with embarrassment). Established Tony/Pepper, with fantasies about various pairings.



“Okay, just let me get the SI contract for you,” Pepper said with a smile. She and Bruce were friends, but she was the consummate professional in meetings, happy to have Dr. Banner as an official consultant on Tony’s new nanotech project.

As she walked over to the table to retrieve the contract, her phone, which she had left on the desk in front of Bruce, beeped with an incoming text message.

She got back to the desk and glanced down at the text message, then looked up at Bruce, mortified. Bruce was looking down at his hands, doing a poor job of pretending he hadn’t read it.

Text message from Tony: Can I jack off while thinking about Bruce? Pleeeeeease???

“This is so awkward,” Pepper said, closing her eyes.

“It’s fine,” Bruce said quickly. “I’ll just sign the contract some other time.”



“No, let me explain,” Pepper said.

“It’s okay, really.”



“See, Tony and I like to play this game.”



“I don’t need to know.”



“I don’t like when he jerks off thinking about other people. But if he asks permission first, then it’s okay. It’s like the difference between cheating and having a threesome, you know?”



“I do not. But that’s okay. It’s none of my—”

“I mean, it’s not something you should worry about. I mean, I don’t want you to think for one second that your physical attractiveness has anything to do with why you’re being offered the consultancy.”



“I didn’t think that.”



“I mean, Tony has sexual fantasies about all kinds of people, hundreds of people, and I can assure you that almost none of them were asked to be SI consultants.”

“That’s not my concern. I’m sure the science is fine.” Bruce was still hunched over, looking very uncomfortable.

“It’s really just a fun thing for me and Tony to do. Like, I enjoy giving him permission to do it, you know? The dominance of it.”



“It’s okay, you don’t have to provide details.”

“And sometimes he doesn’t ask, and then I punish him,” Pepper explained.



“Right. Of course. Sure.”



“So it’s just a way to keep the spark in our relationship, okay?”



“Yes, I’m very happy for you,” Bruce said, still blushing.

“Bruce,” Pepper said, voice a bit sharp, departing suddenly from being cheerfully informative.

“Yeah?”


She took a deep breath. 
“What I’m trying to say is, don’t read too much into this. I can see this makes you uncomfortable. But it’s just a fantasy. And even if it weren’t, Tony would never pressure you do anything you didn’t want to do. This is a game that Tony and I like to play sometimes, that’s it. You’re one of the very few people in the world that Tony genuinely trusts as a friend, and I would hate to see that change because he and I occasionally like to spice things up. Okay?”

Bruce seemed to calm down. He nodded. “Okay. I’m actually happy to just… forget this ever happened.

She smiled, relief sincere. “Thank you, Bruce. Really.”

The phone buzzed again.

Text Message from Tony: Plz say yes! PS Now I’m imagining Steve on his knees giving Bruce a bj. In full Cap costume. Score!!!

Pepper closed her eyes in frustration again. “And, needless to say, your discretion is very much appreciated.”



“No problem.”