The Cereal Aisle

She hated grocery shopping for him.

Pepper looked down at the list in her hand, Tony's messy handwriting making the items on it nearly illegible. The first item on the list she could not comprehend but the second she clearly read as tomato. She walked over toward the produce and found herself faced with a large array of tomatoes. There was beef steak, tear drop, heirloom, and grape. Of course, Tony did not specify what he wanted. She glanced at the list and saw a similar lack of detail. She grabbed a pint of grape tomatoes, primarily because she shared a meal here and there with Tony and she preferred the grape variety. His vague request of cereal, however, necessitated a phone call.

"Tony, I have a question about your grocery list."

"Ask away."

She placed a particularly ripe pineapple in her cart (not on the list) and told him, "You want cereal-"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Okay, but you failed to specify what type of cereal."

"Something sugary."

She stopped in front of the breakfast aisle and switched her phone to the other ear. "Tony, that doesn't really answer my question."

"Yes, it does. I want something sugary. Just go from there."

"Okay, listen, just stay on the phone while I pick it."

"Pepper-"

"Last time I brought you my selection of cereal you made a show of not eating it for the next week."

"That is because you brought me home Total."

"There is nothing wrong with Total," she argued. "It is a very healthy cereal. Lots of whole grains."

"Cardboard," Tony corrected. "Now, give me some names."

She swallowed the irritation that seemed to naturally accompany any phone call including Tony Stark and suggested, "Lucky Charms."

"No, proportion of marshmallow to cereal is never right."

"Fine, how about Captain Crunch."

"Do they have the one that has only berries?" Pepper looked around and upon being empty handed told him, "No, only regular Captain Crunch."

"Scratch that, then."

Pepper sighed. "Tony, what do you want? Just, give me the name of a cereal."

There was a slight hesitation and then he enthusiastically blurted out, "Cookie Crisp! Do they have Cookie Crisp?"

Pepper Potts had never felt such joy as when her hand closed around the box of Cookie Crisp. She dropped the box into the cart and told him, "It is now in the cart."

"You are too good, Pepper. Any other questions?"

She figured while she had him on the phone she would ask him about the first illegible item on the list and after a moment he said, "Oh, blueberries."

She looked down at the scribble, wondering how in the world it could be construed as blueberries. It didn't seem to have enough letters. Or any bs. Or rs.

"Anything else, Pepper?"

"Nope," she said, cramming the list into the cart's seat. "I should be back soon."

"Alrighty then, see you later."

She hung up and collected the list from the seat again. Sighing audibly, she set to finding the next vague item.

She really hated grocery shopping for him.