widows_kiss | Appointments Post

"Wind manipulation from Kipinn, and earth manipulation from Faeren. Although I'm still working on more advanced skills, like freezing water and working with plants." It's a steady project, one meant to take time even if the skills themselves might not prove frequently useful.

"Is that something you start to believe if you say it often enough?" She says it gently, but with a hint of doubt. Those sort of feelings aren't easily brushed aside, although enough time has gone by that there might be some truth to Natasha's words.

Unlike the excuse Natasha offers next, which Pepper doesn't believe in the least. "Of course. So busy you've avoided all human contact whatsoever." She raises an eyebrow as she glances toward Natasha. "You know, it's okay if you let me in a little bit. You really don't have to keep everything secret from me. That's one of the benefits of being friends."

"You'll have to show me sometime. If you find a spirit that gives you magical manipulation over cleaning, let me know, would you?" Natasha added wryly, working at a particularly stubborn stain, huffing out a breath that ruffled her bangs on her forehead.

Pepper's gentle words get her a sharp look before Natasha averts her gaze again, her lips twisting into a faint grimace. "I'll let you know if I ever actually succeed."

Natasha makes a soft sound, half laugh, half scoff. "I suppose it doesn't help my case to point out that I've shared more with you than most acquaintances I've had back home for almost a decade, does it?" She paused, searching for the right words to try and explain this. She wasn't very practiced at this whole 'sharing' thing. "It's complicated. And I'm still trying to figure it out myself. But no. I haven't avoided all human contact."

"Well, since you've requested." Pepper sits back, watching as Natasha scrubs harder at the floor. She extends her arm toward the bucket of sudsy water, letting out a slow breath as she focused. A moment later a small amount of the liquid slides out, gliding over the floor without leaving a trail behind until it stops over the spot where Natasha scours.

Pepper just might be smirking a little as she releases the magic, letting the water sink into the floor.

"Please do." Her sympathy softens her amusement at Natasha's reaction to the display, and Pepper reaches over to lightly squeeze the woman's shoulder in support. It's a brief moment, however, as she shakes her head just after. "And no, it really doesn't. Although it is a good start."

And as it turns out, there is more to be told. Pepper's interest is definitely piqued, and she raises an eyebrow at the careful admission. "This is new. Just who have you been in contact with?"

Natasha moves her hands out of the way as she watches Pepper summon water through the air, a look of faint surprise on her face that melts into curiosity and fascination as Pepper releases the magic. She reaches out with her sponge, the spot coming clean with ease now and Natasha sinks back on her heels, giving the other woman a grin.

"That's it. You're hired."

The moment of scrubbing gives her a distraction from Pepper's sympathy which... she doesn't really know how to deal with. She shakes her head, because Pepper's pressing for more information, which she expected, but she still had to be careful what to give. Instead, she hesitates a moment before inclining her head, hiding a small smile.

"Bucky."

"Well, I'm so glad you approve."

Laughing, Pepper goes back to her own cleaning, but keeps an eye on Natasha as she works out just how to answer. Of course, scrubbing the floor is completely forgotten when the woman drops a particular name.

"Bucky? As in Bucky Barnes?" Natasha may have hidden her grin, but Pepper's smile is wide and bright at the news. "Oh that's great. How long have you two been together?"

Natasha doesn't roll her eyes at the grin, but it's a near thing. And she's not going to admit that her tiny smile might be growing a tiny bit wider. "I'm not sure we count as a 'together' thing. we're just... I don't know. We're trying it out."

Natasha can roll her eyes all she likes; Pepper's still thrilled for her, and she certainly doesn't miss the way that smile starts to grow as she tries to play down what she's found.

"You count. You definitely count." She reaches over to squeeze Natasha's hand, excitement clear in the gesture. "I'm thrilled for you. Both of you. I take it that this is something new, then?"

"Very," Natasha confesses, dropping her sponge for the moment to sink back on her heels again. "Maybe a week or two. Like I said, we're still figuring it out as we go."

Pepper nods, as she has some idea of how hard that can be for a person not used to actual relationships. Not that she really knows much about Natasha's romantic history, but given how hard of a time the woman has opening up, she's willing to guess.

"Well, let me know if I can help, even by listening." Although Pepper knows better than to think it will be as simple as Natasha coming to her with a problem. "Now that I know to ask, you can expect well-intentioned prying on a regular basis."

"Great," Natasha scoffs, rolling her eyes for real now, although her smile still lingers, teasing and playful. "I knew I should have said Tony so this could have evolved into a catfight instead."

"Sorry; it still wouldn't have worked. I wouldn't have fallen for it." Because despite Tony's history, Pepper knows he wouldn't cheat on her. Especially not with all they've been through, and it's why she can answer back with humor. "You're just doomed to have me concerned about your general well-being and happiness. I'm pretty sure there are worse fates out there."

"If I think of any, I'll let you know," Natasha drawled, laughing softly. "I happen to enjoy my secrets, thanks. You're going to be the death of my reputation."

"Yes, I'm sure the entire village will be convinced you wear your heart on your sleeve in no time," Pepper replies with a wry grin of her own. "I'm not asking for every detail you've hidden throughout your life, you know. Just a little trust--which I know can't come easy for a spy."

It wasn't just the spy part that made her that way. Trust was not a thing she did easily. Or rarely at all. Still, she made a face at Pepper's teasing, her manner playful. "See? I knew it. I'm onto you, Potts," she scoffed, shaking her sponge at her in mock suspicion. But her smile softened then, her expression turning rueful.

"Harder than most."

"Damn. My secret identity as a menace has been revealed." She goes along with the banter for as long as it lasts, not wanting Natasha to feel too uncomfortable. And the woman admits she has a difficult time with it, causing Pepper to nod.

"We'll get you there."

Pepper gets a wry look for that.

"And if I don't want to get there?"

Pepper raises an eyebrow. "Then maybe I'm wrong. But do you really want to stay closed off from everyone, Natasha?"

"Trust isn't a useful commodity in my line of business, Pepper."

In some cases it was. Like knowing who she could and who she couldn't. Natasha tended to have very good instincts in that sense of things. But just because she could didn't mean she did. She was too cynical for that.

"No, I'd imagine it wouldn't be." She meets Natasha's gaze with an even look, the hints of a dry smile showing at the corners of her mouth. "But I'm hoping our friendship isn't about your line of business. At least, that's the assumption I've been working off of."

Natasha's lips quirk faintly at that. "No, the months under cover at SI were quite enough, thank you. This... this has nothing to do with work. I'm not on assignment, Pepper, if that's what you're worried about."

"I have to say, I'd be pretty impressed if you were on assignment under the circumstances." And maybe more than a little frustrated, because if SHIELD knows about Luceti and isn't doing anything? Pepper might have to have words with Nick Fury herself.

But there's another reason she brought up that particular point. "But since our friendship isn't because of your work, I don't think you get to use your work as an excuse to limit it so much. You're more than just a spy, Natasha. You're a person."

"There you go again, trying to ruin my reputation," Natasha rolled her eyes, but there's a hint of self-consciousness in her reaction as she drops her sponge in the bucket.

Being a person was still something that sometimes felt strange. It was certainly a newer change. Maybe since that day Clint brought her in, when she ceased being just a weapon. A tool to be used, a dagger to be wielded or cast. Considering the years she'd spent being otherwise, this still felt new and strange at times. She wondered if she'd ever get used to it.

"I'm not trying to make excuses or limit it, Pepper. It's just a little strange at times."

"You think I'd be better at not doing that, with my PR experience." But the tease is gentle, because she can tell Natasha's starting to feel uncomfortable. It's not what she wants, even if Pepper does hope her point has come across somewhere along the way.

"I know it probably seems that way. But strange doesn't mean bad."

"Which is a very good thing in my case," Natasha counters wryly, realizing Pepper had picked up on her discomfort. She shakes her head, giving her a small smile. "Still, I appreciate the offer. And it's one I might take you up on. The whole dating thing is about as new a concept as the rest of it. This was so much simpler when it was a job and a cover."

"That's because there's less risk to you." Although once she realizes just how that sounds, Pepper hesitates and tries to clarify. "I mean, there's definitely risk. Getting hurt or something. But actually dating someone means you're emotionally vulnerable. You're opening yourself up to someone, and that can be hard for anyone."

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