Mad Dash

[thatwasawful]

The Random Scenario Meme

HOW IT WORKS:
❧ Post a comment with your character's name, canon, and any preferences you have. (You can choose your own scenario or let others decide.)
❧ Go to RNG. Enter 1 - 6 to choose a scene, then 1 - 20 to choose a prompt
❧ Play out the scene.
❧ But, play nicely. If someone doesn't want to play something out, please

Comments

4.11 Meeting Again - though clearly not a family reunion

[redinmyledger]

While things with Pepper Potts had been left on reasonably friendly ground, it had been a while since Natasha had had to contact the man. She tended to steer clear of Tony Stark unless he was 'consulting' on something, and that generally meant steering clear of Potts whether she wanted to or not.

She understood that her cover, that the fact that she wasn't Natalie Rushman might have left everyone in the Stark camp - minus Happy who seemed content to find out she was a spy - a little burned.

Now she found herself in California with a file in hand and waiting to see Pepper Potts. Gone were the pencil skirts of Natalie. Instead she was wearing tailored pants and a white blouse. Not entirely unlike the first outfit she ever wore as Rushman, but it was much more inline with Natasha's tastes.

The door opened and Natasha stood. Her hair was shorted too, the red curls a little more pronounced now that the weight of her longer hair didn't hold them down. Her eyes seemed to light up at the sight of Pepper and she even smiled. "Mr Potts."

[pottsonthelease]

Sitting on the jet watching the footage of what was happening in Manhattan had been the most scared Pepper had ever been in his life. There had been moments as a child and a few when Tony first started his Iron Man crusade, but that took the cake. He honestly thought Tony was going to get himself killed. Not to mention the numerous citizens caught in the crossfire. Pepper could be a bit of a bleeding heart when the people were innocent bystanders. They didn't deserve to be caught in that crossfire. Just seeing that Tony was actually alive was enough to put the man back at ease again. It was back to business on the Tower. A significant remodel was in order for Stark Industries

[redinmyledger]

"I know, I made sure of it," Natasha responded as her smile grew. Her head tilted to the side briefly and she seemed to look Pepper up and down for a moment. "I'm glad you're alright. I had hoped Tony would get you out of New York before anything happened."

She tapped a finger against the file in her hand. "And please, call me Natasha. I'd correct you and make you call me Agent, but I don't think it's necessary. I'm not here entirely on business."

The former Russian seemed to remember herself and the smile was tucked back away, but the brightness remained in her gaze even as she continued to appraise the man in front of her. "I hope Malibu is treating you well once again."

[pottsonthelease]

"Ah." It wasn't uncommon for people to skip past Tony and deal with Pepper directly. A number of business executives preferred Pepper's tactics to Tony's. It wasn't that Tony wasn't a genius and without him Stark Industries would be no more. Pepper had a softer touch when it came to business politics. He was much better at navigating those waters than Tony. He also had a better attitude concerning people he didn't like. If he had to play nice he was usually sucking it up and trying to make the most of the situation. If he had the freedom to dislike the others then you bet your ass he wasn't going to play nice. It was a subtle hatred though

[redinmyledger]

Natasha just nodded once in conformation. She had suspected Pepper wouldn't be entirely surprised even if her reasons for seeking out time with the man alone were slightly more selfish. She might be on the same team as Tony but she didn't need him here making a nuisance of himself or creating a buffer. She also knew that Happy would either be scarce or with Tony, so another obstacle was gone for the moment

[pottsonthelease]

Speaking of Happy. "Happy's going to be sorry he stayed in New York with Tony. He's been hoping to get a glimpse of you since the Manhattan attack. I believe he's developed a bit of a crush." He did like Happy. He was a dear friend. That didn't mean he appreciated the moment he got with Natasha in the car and the wardrobe change. He was a reserved man though. He wasn't going to fly off the handle like Tony. He would however bring on the guilt trip of trying to catch a glimpse of a naked woman in a mirror. Happy practically melted in the floor when Pepper turned onto the guilt. It was the only way he was able to deal with the situation at hand

[redinmyledger]

Natasha's eyebrows went up. "Oh really? Well, I'll be sure to try and bump into him when I'm back, but he really shouldn't get his hopes up. As nice as Happy is, he's really not my type." And she hadn't exactly appreciated that moment in the car either, but circumstances had meant she'd needed to change quickly and en route. Though she couldn't say she hadn't appreciated the look on Happy's face once he'd realised how many men she'd taken down compared to his one guard. He had underestimated her

[pottsonthelease]

Pepper and Happy were very different men. They came from different backgrounds. Some could describe Pepper as being a bit waspy, but he preferred to stay away from that term. Connecticut was technically still home, but he had found that his home was near Tony. As cheesy as it sounded it was incredibly difficult to walk away from his friend. He could never in his right mind just leave the man to his own devices. He didn't know what kind of trouble he'd get up to without any supervision. Happy never told Tony no and JARVIS didn't know he had the right to. Pepper was the only adult. Also he's a little worried about how he'd deal without him

[redinmyledger]

Natalie had been designed to have an effect as soon as she'd entered Stark's world, but she couldn't deny that Natasha had felt more moved by Pepper than Tony. The billionaire had tried some of his best lines and fallen flat where as she'd had more of a chance to get to know the real Vaughn Potts. Sometimes she wondered what might have happened had Tony not been involved in his downward spiral, but she couldn't fault Pepper for how he handled himself with the Expo had been under attack

[pottsonthelease]

She sure did put an extra step into their routine. Happy was always trying to focus enough to cater to Tony's needs and Tony was blatant and ridiculous about his lust. He had no problem pulling out all the stops to try to get Natalie Rushman into his bed. Pepper found her attractive, smart and very nice, but he was technically her employer in multiple respects. At the time he was trying to remain professional. He was still holding onto that guise. It felt easier to be professional than to admit he liked the way she smiled. It was easier to keep a respectful distance than to admit he liked to just listen to her talk sometimes. Tony would laugh and that was one of the reasons he hadn't told him. He didn't need that annoyance

[redinmyledger]

Playing into Tony's tastes had been the plan from the start, and while she was used to men looking regardless of her guise it was still a strong woman that could keep saying not to Tony Stark and be civil about it. Several times she'd been close to breaking cover just because she'd wanted to punch him. He had a way of getting under her skin

[pottsonthelease]

Pepper tried not to walk on eggshells. He tried to be as real and honest with Tony as he could. A lot of people coddled Tony. They didn't make him get out of that comfort zone. They were content to let him sit in his lab and waste away. They let him eat bad food and drink until he passed out. Pepper was the one that told Tony when he had too much or when he was being a jackass. Usually Tony respected him enough to respond well and not fly off the handle. Though sometimes his emotions got the better of them and Pepper dealt with the blowback. Moral grey was the color of Tony Stark's life. You learn to life within and you learn to accept certain ideas

[redinmyledger]

Natasha really didn't have the patience for coddling Tony, nor did she have Pepper's finesse when it came to handling him. She tried. She really did. And she would continue to try for the sake of the team but more often than not she'd be better off just walking out of the room and returning later. Things between her and Stark would take time to patch up

[pottsonthelease]

It seemed like being apart of Natasha Romanoff's life would be a difficult task. She seemed to have a number of things going on. She was a member of SHIELD and now the Avengers. Heavy responsibilities to put on a person. He could only imagine that dating someone would only add to the stress. He didn't want to make things difficult for her. For a moment it did make sense that she wouldn't date outside of work. Schedules were probably hectic and was just easier to find someone with the same lifestyle. Pepper's life was crazy due to his connection to Tony, but it wasn't anywhere close to hers and Tony's. He was the man outside of all of that. A Connecticut boy with overbearing parents and a very typical childhood

[redinmyledger]

It was a heavy burden to ask any man. And a fine balance to find in one. She needed someone that understood her schedule, understood that she might not always be around. She needed someone that accepted that there might not be things she could tell them. That she might not want to debrief after a mission. And there would be times she did, and she needed to be able to trust that person and for that was a big ask. But she looked at Pepper and she saw a man already invested in his own life. She saw someone that knew what it was to have confidential information at his fingertips and yet never say a word. And she saw a man that could be fun

[pottsonthelease]

Pepper didn't know the other side of her. He didn't know the side she was concerned about. He didn't know the darker part, but he didn't think he'd change the way he looked at her if he did know. Tony's darkness wasn't like hers, but it was monumental. He had drug that man out of more low points than he cared to admit to. Though these days Tony tended to drag himself out of those low points. Pepper's job was starting to change. The burden started to life just a touch. Tony still couldn't keep a calendar to safe his own life or be on time, but he was trying. Thankfully