touch me, save my life [for intheread]

[shesright]

It had been a few weeks since the destruction of the majority of Stark Tower, and though Pepper couldn't exactly blame Tony for the strain on their relationship. It was difficult to deal with him, and the guilt of costing them both millions in property damage. It left her with a shorter fuse than he could handle. So Pepper opted to return to Malibu for a while, and Tony spent his sudden increase of free time playing hero with a renewed enthusiasm.

That didn't put an end to her responsibilities as CEO either. A close thing, but Tony refused to accept anyone else could actually run his company with any amount of success. The occasional sacrifice of a building seemed a small prize to pay, at least that's what he'd professed.

Pepper believed him, reluctantly.

She also reluctantly continued to attend the events she was expected to. Without Tony to accompany her, it was almost as if she'd returned to being an invisible assistant. Albeit, generally thought to be an attractive woman in the right dress, but nothing striking in itself.

Comments

[stillfriends]

The key to being an interesting companion was maintaining a bit of mystery. Natasha had learned this lesson early on with men, which was why she had slipped away from her date's arm and now found herself in deep conversation with an analyst by the massive fountain. She knew her mark would find her there and see her seeming interest in this other man as a challenge.

She had prepared for the mission well enough that she felt confident that she was prepared for every possible scenario. Clint was out of sight, but well within distance if she needed backup. The thin wrap she was wearing over her evening gown could easily be turned into a strangulation device, should the need arise. She may have felt slightly vulnerable without her hip holster, but the dress had proven that to be impractical. Besides she didn't see any real threat from this mission. It was more about information reconnaissance than danger.

Still, when her eyes had strayed from the man in front of her to do a quick visual perimeter check and she spotted Pepper Potts standing a few feet away she found herself caught off guard. This was not a scenario she had prepared for. She drained her champagne glass and then reached out to touch the analyst's srm to stop his talking. "Excuse me," she said, giving him a small smile before moving towards Pepper.

She was going to kill whoever hadn't checked the guest list and noted Pepper's name. The only choice she had was to warn Pepper before she could possibly compromise Natasha, or worse herself.

"There you are," Jacob Braden said, emerging from the crowd in front of her just as she'd reached Pepper's side. He gave Pepper a once over that made Natasha's easy smile tighten the tiniest bit. "Who do we have here?"

"I have no idea," Natasha said quickly, reaching out and touching Pepper's shoulder lightly. "But I was just about to compliment you on your dress." She widened her smile, meeting Pepper's eyes. "It's gorgeous. May I ask who it is?"