c34 - Psychological Issues
However, the atmosphere among them improved considerably after those earlier conversations.
After chatting for a while, Pepper Potts curiously inquired about the qualities a woman should possess to meet Harvey's ideal type.
"Just tell me, I'm quite curious about how you choose," Tony Stark said, his usual playful curiosity surfacing, clearly interested in the topic.
"If I had to say what qualities would suit my taste,"
Harvey replied after a moment's thought, "beauty, intelligence, and strength."
He occasionally spent nights with young and beautiful women, much like Tony Stark had done in his earlier years, but that was purely for physical intimacy, an occasional indulgence.
It wasn't about selecting women who truly matched his ideal.
"Beautiful appearance, intelligent mind, and strong character?"
"Many women meet the first two criteria, but meeting the last one is much harder."
"Women aren't men, after all. Even if they appear strong on the surface, they're often more emotionally complex underneath,"
Pepper said thoughtfully, choosing her words more carefully.
Tony Stark, however, had a different interpretation of Harvey Ambella's criteria.
The first point beauty was straightforward: physical attractiveness.
But intelligence, in Harvey's context, clearly went beyond being clever; it implied the ability to read situations, to understand intent quickly, much like how top-level figures in organizations such as S.H.I.E.L.D. operate.
Knowing what to say and what not to say, what to do and what not to do, that alone would eliminate countless candidates.
Because emotions often influence judgment; even highly capable individuals can lose composure under pressure.
And the "strength" Harvey Ambellaca mentioned wasn't limited to emotional resilience, but also hinted at physical capability, something closer to the level of enhanced individuals that had begun appearing in recent years.
Otherwise, the other person wouldn't even be able to understand Harvey Ambellaca's perspective, let alone stand alongside him.
Tony Stark thought for a moment, unconsciously comparing this to people like Natasha Romanoff, but even then, he couldn't confidently say she met all three conditions perfectly.
After thinking it through, he still couldn't find a woman who fully met these standards.
"Your standards are a bit idealistic,"
Tony Stark said.
"I'm afraid even if you search the entire world, it would be difficult to find someone who truly matches that ideal."
"I know,"
Harvey replied with a faint smile, "but I have plenty of time to look. It doesn't matter if I don't find one in the end."
Given his current condition and the nature of his power, time was the one thing he would never lack.
"You're being too absolute," Tony said.
"Even if the standards are high, there are still many women in the world who are beautiful, intelligent, and strong."
Pepper retorted, feeling that both Tony and Harvey were being overly definitive.
"Pepper, you didn't quite understand what he meant,"
Tony quickly added, instinctively glancing at Harvey to read his reaction.
From experience, Tony knew that forcing oneself into a topic without fully understanding it could easily lead to awkwardness or worse.
"Yes, but if given the chance, Miss Pepper, you'll understand,"
Harvey said with a faint smile, noticing Tony's subtle reaction.
Harvey Ambella's seemingly casual remark caused Tony Stark's eyes to flicker.
Was that a hint?
Was Harvey implying that Pepper could also step into that world of power and transformation, or was Tony simply overanalyzing?
"Is it possible for her?"
Tony asked directly, looking at Harvey for confirmation.
"That depends on whether you can convince me,"
Harvey said meaningfully.
"Give me some time. I need to think it over carefully… and talk to her."
Hearing this, Tony Stark understood that Pepper had a chance.
Even if it required effort and perhaps a difficult decision, it was undeniably good news for him.
After all, compared to facing that path alone, having someone he trusted by his side would make all the difference.
However, the atmosphere among them improved considerably after those earlier conversations, especially as Tony Stark seemed far calmer after temporarily setting aside the pressure of his Arc Reactor problem and the lingering threat of palladium toxicity that had once nearly killed him during his early days as Iron Man.
After chatting for a while, Pepper Potts curiously inquired about the qualities a woman should possess to meet Harvey's ideal type.
"Just tell me, I'm quite curious about how you choose,"
Tony Stark said, becoming a bit gossipy, his usual playboy curiosity surfacing despite everything he had experienced since shutting down Stark Industries' weapons division after the events involving Obadiah Stane.
"If I had to say what qualities would suit my taste,"
Harvey replied after a moment's thought,
"beauty, intelligence, and strength."
He occasionally spent nights with young and beautiful women, much like Tony had done in the past, but that was purely for physical intimacy, similar to Stark's pre-Iron Man lifestyle before his captivity and transformation changed his worldview. It wasn't about selecting women who perfectly matched his ideal.
"Beautiful appearance, intelligent mind, and strong character?"
"Many women meet the first two criteria, but meeting the last one is much harder."
"Women aren't men, after all. Even if they appear strong on the surface, they're often quite vulnerable underneath,"
Pepper said thoughtfully, her perspective shaped by years of managing Stark's affairs and later stepping into leadership at Stark Industries.
Tony Stark, however, had a different interpretation of Harvey Ambellaca's criteria.
The first point of beauty that Harvey mentioned is easy to understand: physical attractiveness, something Tony himself had always valued in his past relationships.
But intelligence, in Stark's mind, wasn't just about being clever, it was about being able to keep up with minds like his, or even those of people like Reed Richards or Bruce Banner individuals capable of reshaping the world with their thoughts alone.
Understanding Harvey's intentions from just a few words, knowing when to speak and when to remain silent that alone eliminates countless people.
Because humans are emotional; they might lose control, just as Bruce Banner struggles to control the Hulk within him, or as Tony himself once struggled with recklessness before becoming Iron Man.
And the strength Harvey mentioned wasn't merely mental fortitude, but potentially something closer to the kind of power seen in enhanced individuals people like Captain America, whose body and will were both pushed beyond normal human limits.
Otherwise, the other person wouldn't even be able to stand in the same world as Harvey, let alone understand or support him.
Tony Stark thought for a moment, but couldn't find a woman who met these standards.
"Your standards are a bit idealistic,"
Tony Stark said.
"I'm afraid even searching across the world, even among enhanced individuals or those connected to organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D., it would still be difficult to find someone who truly matches your ideal."
"I know,"
Harvey replied with a smile,
"but I have plenty of time to look. It doesn't matter if I don't find one in the end."
"You're being too absolute,"
Tony said.
"While the standards are high, there are still many outstanding women in the world—even among agents like Natasha Romanoff, who possess both intelligence and strength."
Pepper retorted, feeling Tony and Harvey's conclusions were too rigid.
"Pepper, you didn't understand what he meant,"
Tony quickly said, glancing at Harvey to gauge his reaction, aware that pushing too far into unknown territorynespecially involving powers beyond human understanding could easily provoke discomfort.
"Yes, but if given the chance, Miss Pepper, you'll understand,"
Harvey said with a faint smile, noticing Tony's glance.
Harvey Ambellaca's unintentional remark caused Tony Stark's eyes to flicker.
Was he implying something similar to what Nick Fury had once hinted at—about stepping into a larger world filled with superhumans—or was he overthinking it?
"Is it possible for her?"
Tony asked, looking at Harvey for confirmation.
"That depends on whether you can convince me,"
Harvey said meaningfully.
"Give me some time. I need to think it over carefully and talk to her."
Hearing this, Tony Stark understood that Pepper had a chance. Just like when Fury first approached him about a larger initiative one that would later resemble the foundation of the Avengers this was an opportunity, but also a burden.
Even if it required effort, it was undoubtedly good news for him.
.....