The Black Widow walked into a bar one afternoon ….
Natasha sat down on the stool, and turned to the woman next to her. "Why are you here?"
"Why shouldn't I be?" Pepper demanded hotly. Her blurry gazed tried to focus on the red head next to her. "I'm an adult Natalie. I can drink whenever I want to. I didn't drive myself here. I took a cab. I'll take a cab home. Problem solved." She grinned, "Told you that I'm a responsible adult." She waved her right hand to the right, smacking Natasha against the face.
"Why are you drinking in this hell pit?" Natasha demanded.
"I'm home Natalie, I'm home." Pepper snorted as she lifted the whiskey to her lips. She took a long, deep swallow. Banging the empty glass on the counter. "Another one bar keep. Keep 'em coming."
Natasha turned, and shook her head at the bar tender.
"Hey she's paying." He said with a smirk. He blinked in surprise at the death glare that the red headed woman was shooting him. He sighed, "There are other paying customers." He turned and walked away.
"You had no right to do that bitch!" Pepper snarled as she ripped her head around to face the Russian spy.
"What brought you here?" Natasha calmly asked. "Tony?" She demanded in a sudden low hard tone.
Pepper snorted. "Tony would never send me down the dark spiral that I so desperately want too be in right now."
"Why do you want to be -" Natasha began.
"Don't act like you care. We both know you don't care about me." Pepper slammed her palm down on the rough, and very sticky wood of the bar.
Natasha blinked. "What have I done to hurt you?"
Pepper got off the bar stool and leaned forward, "L-l-like you really c-care." She whispered as she smiled sadly into the Russian's eyes.
"I do care." Natasha softly said. Her left hand lifted from her lap, and rested on Pepper's warm cheek. "I do care."
Pepper looked searching into Natasha's green eyes. A single tear rolled down her right cheek. "You have no idea." She whispered brokenly.
"I want to understand." Natasha gently pulled Pepper closer to her; she had moved her right hand to rest on Pepper's waist as Pepper had searched her eyes. "Please help me." She begged.
Pepper leaned down, and rested her forehead against the brunette's. "You aren't ready." She closed her eyes as her heart clenched even more tightly.
END OF THE DRUNKEN #1 ONE-SHOT
