[MCU: Drabble] "Tabloid News" [Pepper/Natasha, G]
Title: Tabloid News
Author: Ami Ven
Prompt: writerverse phase 22, challenge 03 exact word count
Word Count: 454
Rating: G
Fandom: MCU (Avengers)
Pairing(s): Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov
Summary: “You haven’t started reading tabloids, are you?”
Tabloid News
“You haven’t started reading tabloids, are you?” asked Pepper, kicking off her shoes as she came into the bedroom. “Because I thought you were into those cozy mystery series now.”
Natasha, already dressed for bed and sitting up against the headboard, scowled. “Have you seen this?”
The paper she held up was indeed a tabloid, one of the more moderate publications. Headlines along one side advertised stories about celebrity fat-shaming and divorce rumors. But the largest image was the two of them - Natasha in her Black Widow uniform and Pepper in one of her best skirt suits - standing in each other’s arms, foreheads resting together. The headline above it said Red Hot! Black Widow Caught in Tender Embrace with SI CEO!
“No, I haven’t,” Pepper replied, shaking her head. “But that’s a good picture. I should have my assistant get me a copy.”
“Seriously?” said Natasha. “You’re not worried about this?”
“I’ve been in the tabloids since I became Tony’s assistant,” she explained, then stepped closer to the bed so that Natasha could unzip her dress for her. “It’s the downside of freedom of the press, and there really isn’t anything to be done about it.”
“Why not?”
Pepper tugged the pins from her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders, then set them in the box on her dresser. She glanced at the tabloid again as she slipped out of her dress.
“Like it or not, Tasha,” she said, “we are both public figures. People will want to know about our lives, so the tabloids will keep supplying the demand. We are dating, and that picture was taken when we were out in public, so we can’t argue slander or libel. It’s just opportunistic, I’m afraid.”
“Don’t you work for a company with an army of lawyers?”
“It’s impossible to fight them all, even with Stark Industries’ legal department - it’ll be a whole lot of PR that won’t actually get them to stop. But if we allow a few of the more harmless ones like this go, it’ll be easier to fight the ones that actually do cross any boundaries.”
“I just…” Natasha began, then let out a long breath. “I’ve operated in the shadows for so long that it’s hard to adjust.” She managed a smile. “The Red Room never prepared me for this.”
Pepper smiled back. “No, I imagine the tabloids weren’t really on the radar for superspy assassins. And they still wouldn’t be a problem if you were dating someone less high-profile.”
“Maybe, but I happen to think you’re worth it.”
“Oh, am I?” Having changed into her pajamas, Pepper climbed into bed beside her.
“More than worth it,” Natasha agreed.
Pepper kissed her, the tabloid forgotten on the floor.
THE END
Current Mood:
lazy
Author: Ami Ven
Prompt: writerverse phase 22, challenge 03 exact word count
Word Count: 454
Rating: G
Fandom: MCU (Avengers)
Pairing(s): Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov
Summary: “You haven’t started reading tabloids, are you?”
Tabloid News
“You haven’t started reading tabloids, are you?” asked Pepper, kicking off her shoes as she came into the bedroom. “Because I thought you were into those cozy mystery series now.”
Natasha, already dressed for bed and sitting up against the headboard, scowled. “Have you seen this?”
The paper she held up was indeed a tabloid, one of the more moderate publications. Headlines along one side advertised stories about celebrity fat-shaming and divorce rumors. But the largest image was the two of them - Natasha in her Black Widow uniform and Pepper in one of her best skirt suits - standing in each other’s arms, foreheads resting together. The headline above it said Red Hot! Black Widow Caught in Tender Embrace with SI CEO!
“No, I haven’t,” Pepper replied, shaking her head. “But that’s a good picture. I should have my assistant get me a copy.”
“Seriously?” said Natasha. “You’re not worried about this?”
“I’ve been in the tabloids since I became Tony’s assistant,” she explained, then stepped closer to the bed so that Natasha could unzip her dress for her. “It’s the downside of freedom of the press, and there really isn’t anything to be done about it.”
“Why not?”
Pepper tugged the pins from her hair, letting it fall over her shoulders, then set them in the box on her dresser. She glanced at the tabloid again as she slipped out of her dress.
“Like it or not, Tasha,” she said, “we are both public figures. People will want to know about our lives, so the tabloids will keep supplying the demand. We are dating, and that picture was taken when we were out in public, so we can’t argue slander or libel. It’s just opportunistic, I’m afraid.”
“Don’t you work for a company with an army of lawyers?”
“It’s impossible to fight them all, even with Stark Industries’ legal department - it’ll be a whole lot of PR that won’t actually get them to stop. But if we allow a few of the more harmless ones like this go, it’ll be easier to fight the ones that actually do cross any boundaries.”
“I just…” Natasha began, then let out a long breath. “I’ve operated in the shadows for so long that it’s hard to adjust.” She managed a smile. “The Red Room never prepared me for this.”
Pepper smiled back. “No, I imagine the tabloids weren’t really on the radar for superspy assassins. And they still wouldn’t be a problem if you were dating someone less high-profile.”
“Maybe, but I happen to think you’re worth it.”
“Oh, am I?” Having changed into her pajamas, Pepper climbed into bed beside her.
“More than worth it,” Natasha agreed.
Pepper kissed her, the tabloid forgotten on the floor.
THE END
Current Mood:
lazy