Chapter 11
Pepper found one teammate, but not the other.
She accepted this. If Sasuke were reincarnated—and he was, they always came together—they just hadn’t met him yet. Nobody appeared with the requisite qualifications.
Tony was known across the world, famous in his own right. She was just as well known-- if subtler, quieter, and behind him.
He put on flying, futuristic armor and saved the world.
She was theirs, and they were hers, but Naruto and Sasuke had ever been clashing foils, if not enemies, and equally loud.
They together had balance, but Naruto and Sasuke were two sides of the same coin. She fit, she did, but she was… held apart, just a little, just enough to keep them both grounded (and sane).
To be the balance of their balance—those who would quite possibly destroy the world when they met, two unstoppable forces-- she had to be an unmovable object between and around them. She had to be able to take them both. To stay just a tad bit removed, just enough to keep her grounded (and sane.)
Tony and Pepper’s places were clear.
Tony didn’t have anyone to fill Sasuke’s roll.
(She considered Steve, but dismissed him almost immediately. For various reasons.)
Then she saw the video footage.