Meet and Greet Mini
“How did this become normal?” Tony exasperated to the room.
How indeed, Pepper thought. She’d never imagined her life would turn out this way. When she’d pushed her way to the Stark Industries prodigal son to tell him about the accounting error she’d found, she’d never dreamed he would have promoted her to be one of his PA’s. When he’d started inviting her to his house for afterhours work she’d been wary of him, what with his reputation and all. But after a while, after he’d made no romantic overtures towards her, and they’d just sat in his workshop while he tinkered with something and they talked over one project or another, she learned to see his love for his work through all his derision and cynical taste for the world. Somewhere in those early meetings, with both of them barefoot and drinking a good bottle of wine, she’d fallen in love with this man.
Her self-esteem had taken a beating the first month or so when she took over as his chief PA, but he always managed to build it back up when he’d call her down to his workshop or entrust her with even more responsibility for his life.
Still.
She was just a normal woman who’d come into a wonderful place in life, meeting and working with a man she admired and who she thought might even admire her back. He should; she put up with him on a daily basis for heaven’s sakes.
“Excuse me, sir, the Vigil’s car has arrived.”
Pepper pulled her thoughts to the present and gathered up some of her papers into a semblance of order. Oh god, the present. The present where all the Avengers and a prisoner, including two gods, and the highest authority in SHEILD, a super-secret government organization that handled super-powered threats to the world, were all in her living room. She knew working for a major weapons company would make for some unusual life experiences, but this was so unlike anything she had ever imagined.
She waved away Bruce’s apology for covering some of her papers with the alien-infused tablet, slipping a hand covertly into one of Tony’s when he came to stand beside her. He gave her a little squeeze as he slurped loudly from his sixth cup of coffee. She loved this man, she really did. But that caffeine addiction had to go.
Pepper shifted a little in her seat as the three very scary looking men who’d just entered through the main elevator walked towards everyone. She had no problem sitting across the table from scary and misogynist CEOs and government contractors, but these young men were a little bit different than that. The first had a scar, which gleamed against his dark skin, and was noticeably older than the other two, who looked like they might be related. She felt Natasha shift behind her, and her gaze traveled over their clothing and bags again. She wasn’t an expert, but they seemed to be heavily armed and carrying suspiciously heavy bags. One was dark blond, with his hair pulled back in a queue, and the other had the blackest hair she’d ever seen, as well as the palest skin she’d ever seen.
The first man greeted Phil before turning to the rest of them. “I’m Samuel King,” he started, introducing himself as the Vigil’s version of Phil and the liaison for the two young men, the younger of which had locked onto the two gods like a child in a candy store. “These two are Niko and Cal Leandros,” Samuel said, pointing to first the blond and then the younger one. “Cal here is your gating expert.”
“Wait, this kid?” Tony said, leaning forward slightly. The action put his coffee cup directly above her head. While the Avengers checked the young man’s credentials, Pepper discreetly reached up and commandeered his coffee, setting it down.
Thor frowned slightly. “You are a skywalker?”
The young man in question stared at the god of thunder like lightning had perhaps struck him in the head once or twice, then snorted. “Yeah. Yeah, I got Jedi powers. Totally.”
Ah, a Star Wars fan. They might just get along then.
“I need proof before I condone this.” Natasha said, several other Avengers murmuring agreement. Pepper had to agree too, she wasn’t sure she was comfortable hiring someone so young to watch over someone like Loki.
Apparently, the Leandros brothers came to a decision on how to best show his ability, since he suddenly disappeared and spoke to everyone from behind them. Pepper squeaked a little and turned with everyone to see him sprawled along the couch, glad Natasha was still behind her. Then suddenly he was next to her at the breakfast bar. “Or how about now?”
Pepper startled so hard, she let go of Tony then grabbed onto to Natasha for an anchor. Natasha curled around Pepper, but the young man had already moved on, invading the personal space of the gods next. “Or now?”
Pepper re-situated herself, untangling from Natasha and smoothing her skirt over her crossed legs as Cal Leandros appeared back besides his bemused brother.
“I have no problem with this,” Steve announced. “He seems more than adequate to watch Loki.”
“Excellent!” Thor exclaimed.
Pepper sought out Tony’s hand again as Thor released Loki before anything could be done about it. They both stood there for a second, flexing and stretching in their new found separation. Pepper held her breath as Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “That feels better.” And then he disappeared.
Pepper focused on her breathing as Tony and Cal Leandros moved around her. Then he disappeared too. Presumably to go bring Loki back into her house. An awkward silence followed, where the Avengers glared at Thor, who gave a token of looking sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. She was just a normal human. All of her specialness came from her relationship with Tony Stark and her position as Stark’s CEO, which was also because of Tony. If there were dangerous gods to be running around her house, she wanted to be in Washington, D.C. or at some other business meeting while they were doing it. Yes, she owned Tasers, and yes, she knew how to use them. She’d passed Natasha’s training, which meant she was more competent than average at it, but even so. Just because she knew how to use them, didn’t mean she wanted to.
“Can I have that drink now?” Tony asked.
Pepper resettled herself back in the familiar. “No,” she said. Tony wouldn’t let something happen to her, and there was always JARVIS as backup.