'Common consensus' was a buzz word for Tony Stark. Sue was sure that others had told Pepper to let her hair grow, but Tony's was the really only opinion that mattered to Pepper. Because Tony was Pepper's boyfriend. This change in their relationship was something she and Sue hadn't really discussed.
Sue suspected it was the moment Pepper confessed everything about her relationship with Tony to her, it would become real. Sue didn't want to say anything before she was ready.
She was glad to steal these moments with her best friend. With Pepper, she was relaxed. For a moment, she forgot that Reed was in a bad mood. She laughed when Pepper's eyes lit up at the prospect of planning her baby shower. It was endearing. Of course, Sue thought a lot of things were endearing these days. Her body, and her mind, were awash with pregnancy hormones encouraging her maternal instincts. She was nesting.
"Party planning could have been your calling, Pepper," Sue said. "You love it." Sue saw nothing wrong with implanting the harmless suggestion. It was like a little pseudo-scientific experiment. Did inception really work?
Sue had a long time to assess the situation: Tony was a good boss. A generous boss; a good friend. And Pepper was the best executive assistant Tony could ask for. She was highly OVER-qualified. There were ways Pepper knew Tony better than he knew himself. But if Pepper wanted their relationship to go anywhere serious romantically, she would have to stop being his personal assistant.
It was inevitable. What was also inevitable, but far more imminent, was that she, Sue, was about to be a mother.
"Yeah, he was. He made me cry when he started to tear up. He's a softie underneath all that rock." she said. When she smiled, it reached her eyes.
"It felt right. When it came to me, it felt right," Sue continued to talk, openly. "My dad was... and Ben is... two of the best men I know. I want that for him. I want him to be proud of his name when he's older. Even if everyone else only sees the connection to Benjamin Franklin, which happened by total coincidence."
"Reed and I have a favor to ask. We were wondering if you'd consider being Franklin's godmother."