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]

Natasha doesn't miss the comment and she bites back a small smile as she slides his key in and out of the door. She leans in toward Braden's mouth and fakes a laugh, making sure her voice carries back to the guards. "I think we can manage that. We'll stay as long as you want us to."

She pushed open the door and moved the three of them inside, shutting it with her foot. She motioned with a nod for Pepper to drag Braden over to a rug before they unceremoniously dumped him on it so that the thud would be muffled.

Natasha was all business as she moved back to the door and locked it, then moved to the computer on a desk in the corner. Two seconds later she was pocketing the USB she'd come for and pressing into her ear with a finger. "I've got it. I can handle it from here."

She glanced at Pepper as Clint spoke to her from his vantage point. "Braden's down, information's secure. My escape route is uncompromised. I'll debrief Pepper." Her jaw tightened at the joke that came a second later. "Out," she said, her tone hard steel as she slid the comm from her ear.

[shesright]

Her arms were just beginning to protest the strain of Braden's weight when they did dump him down on the rug. Pepper took a few quick steps back from the man, who she hoped wasn't dead, but didn't much spare him a thought for pity beyond that.

She rubbed her wrists nervously. More for something to do with her hands than from any real pain or discomfort. Pepper waited until Natasha was done speaking with her SHIELD team before she ventured an apology.

"I'm sorry, Natasha, I didn't mean to jump in like this. It all just happened-" She flutters her hand up as if to say 'quickly' or 'in an instant' though Pepper knows very well that excuse can only carry her so far. There were moments between the sudden meeting and the elevator that she could have taken to remove herself from the situation.

And she hadn't.

It's practically impossible to read Agent Romanoff's expression when she doesn't want you to. Pepper's best guess is that Natasha is a little frustrated with how things turned out, but hopefully not angry enough to say something disparaging. Actually, Pepper doesn't think that Natasha has ever said a mean word to her. Then again, it never seemed to matter as much as it did now, what the agent's thoughts were. Particularly regarding Pepper herself.

"...what did he do?" They are here for a reason, after all. Pepper can't ignore the actual problem, even if she was never meant to be involved in the first place.

[stillfriends]

Natasha moves towards Pepper as she begins to talk, stopping a few feet away from her to watch her as she nervously apologizes. She's aware of how intimidating she can be when she doesn't want to be read, but she needs to know how Pepper wants to explain this.

There's still time and opportunity for excuses even if they would be incredibly frustrating, especially since she can't seem to get the thought of that kiss in the elevator out of her mind or the small sound Pepper had made before she'd had to get back to business. If Natasha does what she actually wants to do, there won't be any going back.

"He's built up his fortune over the last six years finding buyers for blood diamonds," she says, moving closer to Pepper. "We haven't been able to get the evidence via normal means."

She stops in front of Pepper, almost touching but not.

"Why did you really come with us?"

[shesright]

"Oh, that's a pretty nasty business then." But the words are only half thought through. Right now Pepper can't think clearly when the fact of the matter is, she's been thinking about Natasha for weeks. Finally with the short spy standing right in front of her, things begin to click into place.

Pepper's gaze unconsciously dips down to look at Natasha's lips. She's just kissed that mouth, but not long enough, not nearly enough for as much as she wants to. And then there is the other matter too, the way that the dress Agent Romanoff is wearing hugs every curve. It's a miracle that anyone can look away from her. Pepper can't.

Self control is something that Pepper has more than an average amount of. She isn't a trained government spy, or any kind of soldier though, so when it reaches it's limit, that's that. Her body tends to betray her desires before she's even really aware that she's doing it, Pepper leans towards Natasha. "I just wanted to spend more time with you."

[stillfriends]

Natasha knows when she's being assessed, it's something that she's supposed to encourage, to tolerate, to use but she's never quite enjoyed it as much as she does when Pepper does it.

Her eyes are bright and alert as she studies Pepper's expression. "Why?"

There's no judgement in the question, no surprise or expectation. It's soft but matter-of-fact. She knows the answer. It's her job to know the answer, but she's not sure Pepper does.

[shesright]

"I don't -" She was about to say that she didn't know, but that wasn't the full truth. Pepper did know. She wasn't afraid to face something different. Even if it was a bit of an inconvenience for them both.

"I think it started even back when you were 'Natalie'." Not this one, the one that Pepper had distrusted and then practically adopted for herself. There had been a certain measure of jealousy, though not towards Natasha, in the end. "It has to be a natural skill that you have, the ability to collect everyone's attention. I suppose I'm not immune either."

Pepper's face flushed a little at the frankness of the conversation.

[stillfriends]

Nat smiles slowly, taking in the color in Pepper's cheeks. Satisfied that Pepper knows exactly why she's here she leans in, lowering her voice to something just above a whisper. "Well, now you've got my attention."

Her smile softens into a small grin. "Not many people would crash a SHIELD operation just to get close to an operative. I'm flattered."

She was more than flattered. Impressed was more of the right word, but then again Pepper had her own natural ability of impressing others with her sheer capability to adapt to whatever situation at hand. It was a trait that Natasha admired and enjoyed.

She took another step forward, closing what little distance there'd been between them. "Just one thing though."

[shesright]

The flood of relief that Natasha doesn't seem to be angry is a heady thing. Pepper even forgets for the moment, that there's a drugged man in the room with them. She smiles at the spy, not really able to portray the coyness or flirty look that other's might.

Pepper isn't afraid or timid when it comes to matters of attraction. In fact, confidence is something that follows here as well as in business matters. But she does try to keep in mind what's appropriate. This really isn't. Not because Natasha is a woman, but because she's a dangerous woman. Already proven to have been able to meld into Pepper's life with ease.

"And what might that be?" Pepper's hand settles on Natasha's hip, her fingernails catching against the smooth fabric, her breath held wail waiting to see what the spy had to say.

[stillfriends]

Pepper's smile may not be coy, but it's honest and Natasha can feel her stomach tighten the tiniest bit at it. She wonders if Pepper knows what that smile does to her.

"That," Natasha nods towards the door and the man lying unconscious, but doesn't actually take her eyes off Pepper's. "Can't be our first kiss." If love is for children then she demands a do over.

Yet again she's grateful for the little height difference her heels remedy as she leans in, her own hand settling on Pepper's waist in a mirror of the other woman's. Without an undeserving audience she can kiss Pepper the way she wants to. She can take her time and focus her attention fully on the blonde in front of her.

[shesright]

A thousand small things register to Pepper while Natasha is this close. The room seems warmer, but that can't be anything more than just the effect that the red head is having. Pepper's pulse jumps to match the fluttering in her stomach, each little breath before their lips meet is counted and kept as a perfect memory.

"No, of course not." Pepper never really remembers to control her tongue at times like this. She agrees without thought because she's caught up in the overwhelming want of it all. It's not a stretch to say that Pepper is extremely easy to seduce, if you're the right person.

Slow, but not timid, this kiss is something that Pepper can devote herself to. With the focus that characterizes all of her efforts, Pepper kisses the spy.