Work Text:
3 – “She freaking bit me!”
Morgan is only 1 year old, but Tony can't seem to remember a time without his daughter. She changed his entire life – their entire life. Neither Pepper or him would have thought that this would be their choice just a few short years ago. But then everything went to shit, fell in place, went to shit and fell into place again, and in between everything they got married and then little Morgan was born. Now they built their life around a beautiful place in nature, with a cozy and comfortable house by a lake with trees instead of a cold, modern palace made of glass and metal.
They wouldn't want it any other way.
Tony is walking around their backyard by the lake, with Morgan securely in his arms and a bluetooth headset in his ear. Pepper is on the phone with him because she needed to leave for SI business in LA, and she's using a break to call home and check on her little family. They chat away about anything and everything, and Morgan chimes in with happy baby babble every now and then, which both of her parents encourage enthusiastically.
While he tells Pepper in great detail about their afternoon, they pass by Gerald the Alpaca. Morgan squeals in delight, and Tony steps closer so his little one can reach out and carefully stroke his thick fur. The animal barely looks up, continues munching on the goji berries he keeps stealing from Peppers flower bed. Gerald is of patient and gentle nature, letting the little girl run her tiny hands through his fur to her hearts content.
“We need to plant some more gojis, by the way.” Tony informs his wife and Pepper groans over the phone. Against her better judgment, she loves the silly alpaca, even though she often claims otherwise.
“And Gerald will end up eating those, too.” she huffs, but there is laughter in her voice.
“Well, we can always plant more. I'll do it, I like gardening.” Tony answers, and can't stop smiling. This is his life now. He's happy.
“Yeah you do. Didn't see that coming, to be honest.” Pepper replies, and she sounds fond. Happy.
“Me neither. But hey, here we are.”
Morgan babbles something back, looking up at her dad with huge, brown eyes. Tony smiles down at the little girl in his arms and strokes her hair back and out of her face. She squeals again, and then she gets a surprisingly fast hold of his hand.
“Ow! She freakin' bit me.” Tony exclaims, blinking a bit stunned at Morgan who gurgles in baby talk. Pepper is outright laughing on the phone.
“Jeez. You wouldn't think that such a little human can bite so hard. She doesn't even have that many teeth yet! Don't you, Morgie?”
Morgan giggles, and grabs the collar of Tony's shirt in her small fist.
“Okay Honey, repeat after me. Daddy's fingers are not a suitable chewing toy. Alright?” he directs at the little girl, smoothing back her hair once again and caressing her soft cheek.
Morgan gurgles again, then she snuggles closer to her dad.
“You know, I thought the same thing, and then I started breast feeding her.” Pepper chimes in in between laughing. Tony winches slightly in sympathy.
“Yeah, okay that's fair.”
“Alright. Love you both, I'll be back soon!”
“Love you too, Pep. We miss you.”