It was easy, habitual even, to hide her concern. It was much harder to be taken at face value. Stark took one look at her when she entered, then turned back to his wet bar, saying only, "Oh, it's you."
"Everyone you would actually listen to is busy, unfortunately."
He slumped into a plush chair, ice cubes jingling. "I'm fine."
Natasha claimed a barstool. "Did I say you weren't?"
"Not yet. Please, I wouldn't even play you at rock-paper-scissors without thinking fourteen steps ahead."
"Is that a challenge?"
He chuckled, a small victory. "What are the stakes?"
She smiled. "Transparency."