14194/Home Sweet Penthouse

Home Sweet Penthouse
Date of Scene:	15 March 2022
Location:	Penthouse, Stark Tower
Synopsis:	After the attempt to grab Pepper, Yelena and Pep make it back to the penthouse. Vodka and feelings are shared.
Cast of Characters:	Black Widow (Belova), Pepper Potts

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Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova gets the two of them back to Stark Tower and up to the Penthouse. She might have gone for more evasive maneuvers, but anyone after them would know where they were headed anyway. She mostly just played elusive to m ake sure to dodge any attempt they might make to block her and Pepper's access to the building.

But instead they make it back and up the elevator. Yelena secures the room, clearing the penthouse to make sure it's not compromised and then finally slumps onto the couch, a stranger's blood still smeared on her skin. "Fuck."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's dead quiet most of the way home, looking over her shoulder the whole way, certain they are going to be followed, but no one manages to follow them. Once they are in the elevator going up to the Penthouse, Pepper slumps her shoulders back against the wall and lets out half the breath she was holding. She's very finely trembling, trying not to go into full shaking or tears, but all the adrenaline crash is hitting now. "...That was violent. That was... Really violent. He had a *knife*... You broke that man's face. That was *really violent!*" Pepper repeats again, a quiet crackle behind her voice.

Then they are inside. Pepper doesn't even really remember walking in, but she must have because she's taken off her heels and her suit jacket that has been slightly splattered with blood. "...we can't tell Tony. He'll freak." She mutters as she hears his music pounding out of the workshop below.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova pushes up from her seat and goes to get Pepper some ice and pour some drinks for both of them. She may be emotionally compromised, but these kind of situations, at least, she knows how to handle. "Take seat. Take ice. Drink booze," she says, sliding the drink in front of Pepper.

"We have to tell Tony. Tony is boss. Anyways, he will find out anyway. Probably implant drone camera in my left nostril and inject tracker in my buttcheek while I sleep," she sighs.

"That wasn't so bad. They were not that good. I expected better. Maybe was opportunity. I should not have taken you out. I am sorry."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No. No, god, Yelena, no. I needed to go out. I can't keep being stuck up here like some caged bird. Maybe next time we go somewhere more... Private. Security, or at least a proper front desk. But we need to go *out*. Being cooped up in this penthouse is just as stifling as being terrified every time I walk out onto the street." Pepper mutters, rambling nervously as she often does when she's on edge or near panic. It's a coping mechanism.

The booze she's handled will be a good one as well, even if it's stronger than she normally drinks and she's going to probably be sent straight onto bed when it hits her, but she knocks back a good gulp of the vodka before blinking and giving a little bit of a cough. "Oh god, that's... *Strong*." She rasps out. She hasn't said anything about Tony for the moment, her lips pressed into a line.

"...he won't put a tracker in your buttcheek. Or nostril. The video would have all these nose hairs all over it."

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova points a finger, "Hey! I do not have nose hairs! I am very groomed!" she says sharply.

She takes a belt herself, shrugging off her leather jacket and leaving her just in that Guns 'n' Roses t-shirt and jeans, padding around in her bare feet.

"It felt pretty good to kick a little ass, though. Best therapy there is, breaking someone's face," she says. "Let me go through wallet here. Hmmmmmmmmmmm. ID is probably fake, but if we can find faker maker, then we find client. Lots of people use same counterfeiters like bad habit," she mutters.

Pepper Potts has posed:
While the vodka was intense on the first drink, Pepper still leans over and grabs the bottle, pouring herself another belt of the stuff because it's probably the only way she's sleeping tonight. She takes in a shaking breath, staring down at the hell fire of a drink in the cup before her, "I don't know how you and Tony drink so much of this... Stuff." Hard liquor, that is. Not just vodka. She knocks back another deep gulp of it, her eyes watering at the burn, but at least her hand isn't shaking any more.

"I'm glad it felt good. I was... scared. So scared. It all happened so... fast. And then it was over and I'm fine. And that's what matters. You... I trust you to track it down. This is good, right? Our first hint? The first move, they made, and now we can figure this out and it'll be all over!"

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova handwobbles, "I do not think good is word I would use. You had knife at throat. That is bad, no matter what. I fucked up. I am not proud of it," she says. "I was too in my own feelings. I am not supposed to feel things, I am supposed to kill things. I forgot that for a minute," she sighs.

"I am sorry you were scared. I won't let it happen again," she says. "Next time, I will see them coming. And we will track them down like dogs and feed them their own testicles for making you afraid!"

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No. No. That's a lie. Your feeligs were perfectly FINE, Yelena. Feelings are good and you should have them and I am NOT letting you off the hook that easy. This wasn't the feelings. This was about those creeps that distracted *both* of us. Whether they were in on it, or the guy just decided it was good timing, that would have never happened if it wasn't for those creeps. I know. I'm smart and I saw what happened." She states firmly, though her voice is on the edge of tipsy, she is certain of what occured and she's sticking to her story.

"I... I don't think we need any testicle feeding. But I would like this to be over. So, yes...next time, we get them. See? Plan made..." And Pepper is wavering. She's that tired, all the adrenaline crashed, and 2.5 drinks in. She's going to be lucky to be sitting up straight soon.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova lets Pepper get a little bit more booze into her system and then just casually scoops the redhead up in her arms, carrying her back to the bedroom. Despite Yelena's petite size, she's extremely strong, not having a single issue with Pepper's slender frame.

"Ah, I was afraid I almost lost you tonight, Paprika. I would have been very sad. I do not like to be sad. So you must live," she says.

She brushes a lock fo Pepper's hair behind her ears and kisses her fingers, laying the smooch on Pepper's brow like a blessing before she goes back to the living room. She digs her cigarettes out of her jacket and goes to balcony, opening the window, "Fuck it, he can sue me," she says, lighting one up and blowing smoke out into the cold night. "Today sucks."

Pepper Potts has posed:
A little yelp of surprise escapes Pepper's throat as Yelena just scoops her up like that. She's a little too tipsy to fight it, but she also has to give a quiet protest, "Goodness, I am tired but I can walk!" However, by that point, Yelena's already got her back into the guest bedroom and on the bed. Pepper's feeling the vodka deep in her limbs and the fact that her heart has finally calmed. In truth? She feels exhausted.

Then there is a remarkable bit of tenderness from the assassin across from her. Pepper falls dead quiet, staring up at Yelena, green eyes a little too wide. SHe reaches her hand up to squeeze the woman's hand for just a heartbeat. "You aren't going to lose me. We're friends and neither of us are going anywhere. I promise that." She squeezes her palm again, and then gently lets go. Sleep and the bed are claiming her.