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Summary: Natasha and Tony talk shop, and shopping.
Date: March 13, 2009
Log Title Coffee Talk
Rating: PG 13
NYC - The Avenger Mansion (Kitchen)
The kitchen is oversized, preparing for the possibility of cooking for large numbers. All the appliances are silver and black, lending to the sleek design for the kitchen interior.
Natasha has been sitting in the kitchen for a few hours now, ever since the Winter Soldier headed out to get his own version of the truth. A pot of coffee has been nearly drained by now, what's left is cold and starting to stain the bottom of the pot. Natasha ignored her cold cup as she sifts through the files. All those years and she had no idea. Some kind of spy.
With all the chaos that's been going on Tony has been missing the easier days when the original Avengers were here. Things seemed so…less complicated. Still present day does have it's advantages, like spying on the events surrounding Barnes, it's been intriguing to say the least, but also disturbing. This is not the Bucky Barnes, Steve spoke of with such fondness, this man is a killer. With a slight sigh he wanders into the kitchen, looking for a cup of something to drink, since Jarvis was given the night off to be with his sick mother and there crouched over the files is the Widow. He smiles slightly and walks over "A little light reading?"
Natasha doesn't look away from the files until she's addressed, tired eyes lifting to regard Tony, revealing her general frustration with the situation. All of her walls must be down right now for her to be quite so revealed. "Anything but light. But quite informative." She picks up a picture of Steve and Bucky together, frowning down thoughtfully. "If you hadn't pieced this together I don't think I would ever have figured it out."
With a shake of his head Tony places a finger to her lips "Tut-tut, you're the Soviet Superspy the Black Widow, you would've figured it out soon enough. I just think I'm less close to this then you are, so i could see things a bit more clearly." he grins and looks at her cup of cold coffee. "Hmm….guess I wasn't the only one in need of caffeine." He walks over to the machine and starts making a fresh pot. "I'll have to thank Jarvis for showing me how this is done." he grins.
Natasha frowns against his finger. "I hadn't figured it out for neigh on more than 50 years. Something you pieced together in less than an hour I might add." There's no argument that he's looking at it through clear, unbiased eyes. "Sorry about that, I started a new pot recently.." she looks at the clock on the microwave. "Oh, longer ago than I thought." She rises and moves to grab Tony a cup, settling it near the freshly brewing pot. "He's a good man."
With a sigh he walks over and takes a seat at the table "He's a very, very dangerous man. But I'm sure you already know that." he looks over at her "He's been under severe mental conditioning for years, done lord knows what, although some of the files hint at very bad things. He maybe a good man under all that, but right now, he's damn dangerous."
"I meant Jarvis," Natasha says with the faintest of smirks. "James is.. well, I can tell you what he used to be like, but now he has nothing of his own. He's simply programming and missions. There is no good man or bad man, there is only a machine of destruction." Leaning her hips back against the counter, Natasha offers a small smile to Tony, reaching out to rest a hand over his. "He's very dangerous, but nothing that can't be handled. If it comes to that."
With a smile he settles his hand over hers "If it comes down to it, you won't have to do it alone. The Avengers are family, we don't let anyone deal with anything alone. And as for Jarvis….well…he's Jarvis. We'd all breakdown if he wasn't here." he chuckles a bit and winks. With a sigh he leans back a bit "We really need to get the Avengers back to the way they're supposed to be. I feel like right now it's a bunch of part-timers and there's tension flying around. We're supposed to protect people, we can't do that if we're bickering."
"I don't bicker," Natasha states with only mild offense. "I state things the way they are, though I suppose that can cause bickering." She trains her gaze on him, eye honest as he admits, "I do not like Jessica Drew. And I do not trust her." Natasha shrugs. "Luckily for you, I learned long ago how to work with people I don't trust." She laughs and glances to the brewing coffee, wishing Jarvis were there this second to fix her up a nice cup the way only he can. "The Avengers will never be the same they were, I'm afraid. That sort of cohesion doesn't come easily, and it can't be forced."
"Sometimes the direct approach can cause more problems then we'd like, …..you learn that when dealing with the Hulk" he smirks. "I know you and Jessica have your….umm..issues, but we need to work it out for the good of the group." he sighs and looks at the coffee pot and seems to read her mind "I wish Jarvis were here….he makes his coffee that….special way." he smirks. "Still…he never looked half as good making it." he winks.
"Or perhaps she needs to grow a thicker skin?" Natasha takes offense to children who think they can play Natasha's game better than her. Especially when it's clear they /can't/. "I can work with her when it's need. I think I proved that during her extraction," Natasha points out, still frowning. "But you cannot force us to be friends, or even to get along when we're not on the job. No matter how much you might like to see all of us be one big happy family." Glancing from the coffee to Tony, her lips curl into a grin. "I don't know about that, put him in a French maid's costume, he'd look great."
Tony grimaces "You are never…and I mean ever to try and put that image into my mind again…..ever." he shudders. He listens to her go on about Jessica and shrugs "Not everyone got along you know. Clint was forever a pain in Steve's butt, Simon wasn't a big fan of Vision but that was because of his feelings for Wanda. Still…I just want there to be no problems in the field, that's all." he smiles a bit. "Now…about that coffee and our date to Moracco, you know it's that time of year when the rich come to gamble. "
Natasha awws and laughs, stepping forward to press her fingers against his shoulders, lips lingering by his ear. "What's the matter? I forgot his fishnet? And the heels. Though Jarvis would probably need a quick lesson or two to walk in them." She kisses his cheek and he can easily feel the smirk on her lips. "Coffee sounds wonderful, though I may have to push our date back a couple of days. To make sure that Steve remains safe while James adjusts to the truth."
Inwardly he curses the image she keeps trying to put in her head, it's hard to not let it make him cringe, so he just replaces it with Natasha in fishnets and all is well again. As she mentions Steve he nods "I understand, but if there's anyone who can take care of himself it's Steve. Still…he needs to know about this,…all of it. I don't relish telling him." he ponders the idea and frowns. He shakes it away after a moment "Morocco is nice this time of year,…my invitation is an open one." he winks.
"I don't envy you being the one to deliver the news. But if you require my assistance or my imput, you know I will be there with you when you tell him." It wouldn't be a bad idea for Steve to have a support net to lean on. She squeezes his arms and moves towards the pot of coffee that is finally finished. She pours the both of them a tall cup, settling his in front of him. "Mmm, I could for a nice, relaxing vacation in Morocco once all of this is finished. Laying by the pool.."
He smiles and leans back with his cup of coffee "Yes…me too, laying by the pool, watching you lay by the pool." he smirks "A little gambling, fine wine, dancing and us in the starlight. Ahh…now that sounds heavenly. Hmm….think I'll have my pilot on standby so we can leave at a moments notice." he smiles. "And it'll be alright…with Steve i mean, it maybe hard, but we'll be there to help him." He sips his coffee.
Natasha closes her eyes, savoring the thoughts of a well deserved vacation and the taste of a fresh cup of coffee all at once. "And don't forget the shopping. That's a very important part our vacation," she says, smiling around her coffee cup before taking another long sip. It flickers and dies almost as quickly as her thoughts wander to Steve and then full circle back to James. Damnit.
He watches her emotions play across her face, and can read them easily enough. He knows she's tired to let down her guard so much. He settles his free hand over her hand and smiles "It'll be alright, we'll get this all settled and you can have your fill of shopping till your new name become Dulce and Gabana." he winks, his blues twinkling with a a bit of mischief. "But for now, i think my beautiful lady, that you need less coffee, more sleep."
True sleep has evaded Natasha since the day of Jessica's extraction, but the fact that Tony can read it so easily along her features, tells Natasha that she really shouldn't be drinking another cup. "Promises, promises. I expect to have so many bags, you have to use one of your suits to haul them all back to the plane." Her smile isn't quite forced, but again her sleep deprivation has been revealed. "Though for now, sleep would be wonderful."
He nods and removes the cup from her hand, he then leans in and kisses her cheek "Goodnight then and if I need to, I'll get another jet just for your bags." he winks. As she gets up he watches her leave and not just to enjoy the view, but that is one reason, but also to wonder just how deep she is, in the life of the Winter Soldier. After a few more sips he looks at the cup and grimaces "Oh Jarvis…where for art thou? I need some decent coffee."