Pepper slumped on the cold kitchen tiles, ignoring the chill that seeped through her jeans and the cabinet handle that was jamming her in the spine. As she sipped at too-hot coffee, she wondered if Black Widow knew where she lived and how she was planning on getting the things to Pepper. Pepper didn't think it would be a challenge for the street rat to find her personal information if she didn't already know the address. Pretending not to worry about where the materials were going to come from, Pepper tried to focus on something else. It didn't work.
'Would she turn up here?' She didn't know if she found the idea frightening, or exciting. And she didn't know which feeling was worse to admit. She shrugged it off; she could handle herself, she knew that. Being underestimated had always worked to her advantage and she'd lived rough before. She knew a thing or two.
Picking at the chip in her mug she huddled close to its warmth. Only one day left, after today, until hibernation begins. She could probably stay awake for another day and a half if she pushed herself. Looking over at her silent, unmoving, broken machine, Pepper found it hard not to lose hope. She didn't even know what was wrong with it. Was three days enough time?
A knock at the door snapped her out of her thoughts and she stood reluctantly, getting irritated. She made her way across the room, kicking a screwdriver out of the way as she did and glancing around her one-room home. She paused, looking around. A desk and filing cabinet were lined against the wall adjacent to the front door, and next to them were a chest of drawers and a wardrobe, neither from a matching set. Bathroom and laundry were in a corner sectioned off with large canvas screens, and along the far wall the kitchenette and living room merged into the workshop area, separated only by two small couches and one of the workbenches, all of which were often used interchangeably as beds. For a fleeting second Pepper wondered if she should be self-conscious about her strange home.
A second, more impatient knock sounded at the door.
"Okay I'm coming! Fuck!" Pepper yelled, jogging the remaining distance without spilling her coffee. She wrenched the door open, "What?"
Black Widow stood on the doorstep, a bag on one shoulder and a hand on her hip. "I'd hoped you'd be saying those words in a whole other context," she said with a smirk and suggestive raise of an eyebrow.
Pepper rolled her eyes and headed back to the kitchen, leaving the door open and taking a big gulp of her coffee. Natasha lingered for a moment, unsure of whether Pepper realised exactly who she was dealing with and allowing into her house, but took her actions as invitation. She followed Pepper in, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
The house was not what she'd expected. At her job at Stark Industrial Mechanics, Pepper had only ever been polite, professional, and tidy in her pencil skirts and suit jackets when Natasha saw her. Natasha had expected at least white carpeting and a hallway lined with framed achievement certificates. But now, it was like she was a completely different person altogether when away from work. Natasha swept her eyes across the room, noting there was only one exit point (front door) and large skylights in the roof were the only source of natural lighting; no wall windows. 'Skylights,' she thought disdainfully, 'Impractical for escape and for the snowy climate, but probably nice in summer.'
Natasha wondered if the building had once been a warehouse, converted into the most open-plan living she'd ever seen. Her eyes were drawn to the work area, where tools and parts of various machines and inventions were scattered or piled up. After a few minutes she turned to see Pepper watching her, anxiously awaiting her evaluation. "I thought you were just the receptionist," she said with a nod at the work area.
"How do you know what my job is?" Pepper asked, her voice surprised and ever so slightly concerned.
Natasha shrugged. "Pepper, I've seen you there," she said, as if it was obvious that the Black Widow checked out the receptionist at a mechanics.
"Oh," Pepper cleared her throat and flicked the electric kettle on, more out of habit than practicality. "I work in reception and in the head office, I practically run the business. I also help out with mechanic stuff when they're short-staffed or overloaded."
Natasha looked around the room and back at the work area again, and smiled. "They don't pay you enough."
Pepper laughed, "I could give myself a pay rise if I wanted it."
"Then why don't you?" she asked, genuinely curious.
Pepper shrugged, "Not used to the extravagant lifestyle I guess."
"Hmm." She cleared her throat, reprimanding herself for getting off topic. "Anyway, I brought you your things," she said, quickly. She dropped the bag down on the closest couch.
Pepper looked at it but made no move to take it. "What do you want in return?" she asked, trying to sound stern.
Natasha shrugged, "Nothing," she decided, "Just willing to help someone out before hibernation."
"Liar. On the streets people can't afford random acts of kindness. What do you want?"
Natasha matched Pepper's glare with her own, and to her surprise Pepper didn't seem to want to back down. "What would you know about the streets?"
"More than you think I know, clearly." The tension grew thick in the air, and for a moment it looked like either a fight would break out or they'd spend the winter months glaring at each other. Finally, Pepper clicked her tongue and went to the bag, opening it up and checking everything was there. She picked it up and walked over to her work area and for a second Natasha thought she'd forgotten she wasn't alone. "You can stay here if you want," she called casually over her shoulder.
Natasha spun around, "What?"
"You can stay here tonight, or however long you want to stay. It's fine by me."
"I didn't ask for that."
"You didn't ask for anything." Pepper met Natasha's gaze again, "You can stay if you want."
Natasha marvelled at how evenly they were matched in terms of stubbornness and death-stare-strength. "Um, okay…" she agreed hesitantly.
Pepper smiled almost triumphantly, "Just don't steal my stuff," she said with a knowing look.
"What, I'm from the street so you assume I'm gonna steal your stuff?" Natasha said, sounding mock-offended.
"No," Pepper said with a smirk, "I assume you're gonna steal my stuff because you're a thief by trade, and you just pocketed my wrench."
Natasha should have been embarrassed, really, for being caught doing such a dishonourable thing, but she was just impressed Pepper caught her. She stalked over and handed it back. "Sorry, old habits die h…" Her words were cut off by the shrill tone of a mobile phone.
Pepper groaned and tossed the wrench almost across the room, "Whaaat?" she asked the air loudly. Natasha watched wide-eyed as Pepper searched the room and dug out two mobiles, one labelled 'work' and the other 'burner,' from between the couch cushions before finally answering on a third, labelled 'ugh.' "Hello mother," she said sweetly.
Pepper's mood swings were beginning to give Natasha whiplash. But more surprising than that, as Natasha witnessed, was how quickly and convincingly Pepper could change her tone to be manipulative.
"No, m- no mother, I'm fine. I promise – yes I'm all prepared for it, can't wait! – Yes I've found someone."
Natasha was only getting one side of the conversation, and assumed it was to do with finding someone for hibernation. She momentarily felt rude for eves-dropping, but that thought was pushed to the back of her mind when Pepper began lying like a true street kid. No shame. No hesitation. No mistakes.
"Mother! Yes I have found someone for this winter, he's wonderful really – no not Tony – I don't work for him anymore, mother – Yes, he's tall. Handsome, conventionally attractive for sure, but not in a 'devilish' way…" she said, pretending to sound scandalised by the very notion, "I will, he's here right now – no you can't, he's presently engaged in… – no not that kind of engaged mother! He's busy is all! – I'll call you later on and you can speak to him then, ok, ok, yes mother. Bye."
Pepper huffed and tossed the phone back to the couch, where it slipped between the cushions and out of sight again.
It was only through experience on the street, and her own knowledge of what was true, that Natasha was able to tell that Pepper was lying about most, if not all, of what she'd been saying. She watched as Pepper returned to working on some kind of mutant mini-fridge machine. "'Mother?' How formal."
"Yeah, well, that's how it is with her," Pepper said flatly, not really in the mood to discuss it.
Natasha was about to let it drop when the phone rang again, she fished it out and checked the caller ID. "It's your mother again."
Pepper stood and held her hands out to catch, and after some indecision, Natasha tossed her the phone.
She accepted the call and held it to her ear. "Mother dear – why of course he is. Can we...can we not discuss this now?" Her mother must have said something that made Pepper tick, because Natasha could almost see Pepper make the decision to drop the 'nice' façade and be cruel. Well, Black Widow was impressed. "He's so wonderful" she began scathingly, "he made me wonder why I ever thought I was bisexual! Gee Golly, I'm so straight now. And as an added bonus; he's conservative enough to fart church hymns!" she spat. "– then stop calling me! Delete my number!" She hung up and threw the phone across the room, and only by some miracle did it landed on the floor and stay in one piece.
Natasha felt awkward, but at the same time she was mesmerised. 'Should I just leave?' she wondered, 'I might end up making things worse…' She looked to Pepper, trying to judge what she'd want right now. She heard herself asking, "Fart church hymns?"
Pepper winced but laughed at her own joke, "I'm sure God can forgive me for that one." She stretched up to the top cupboard, standing on her toes to reach a bottle of half empty scotch. "Do you want a drink?" Pepper called.
The question caught Natasha off guard, "What?"
Pepper took a swig from the bottle she'd grabbed and pressed it to Natasha's chest as she headed back to the work area for what felt like the hundredth time that day. "Welcome to my life, enjoy your stay," she deadpanned.
Natasha had been intrigued by the Dangerously Capable Receptionist Pepper, impressed by the Kind Hearted Trusting Pepper earlier, and now completely stunned by the Intelligent, Attractive Multilayered Pepper she was discovering had great taste in aged scotch. She again wondered if she should just leave, before she got herself in too deep.
She glanced at Pepper, working away, and made an executive decision to ignore her logical side and go with her passionate side. 'Well, I've got nothing to lose.' She drank and sat herself on the bench behind Pepper, watching her arrange wiring with a pair of pliers.
She decided she'd stay, for now at least. It seemed like Pepper could do with the company, and who was she kidding? She found Pepper quite interesting, and it was nice to be with someone who didn't tiptoe around her.
A/N: If you have any feedback, please feel free to let me know and I'll take it into consideration. Suggestions, comment, corrections, requests, criticism – are all welcome, just let me know. Yeah I'm still getting free food from this...no shame.