"What's the matter, Natasha? Calling me this late, don't tell me you're suddenly in the mood for a sleepover?"
Andrew smirked.
Pepper let out a breath of relief upon hearing it was Natasha on the phone.
That woman wasn't someone Andrew could mess around with easily.
But as soon as she heard his teasing tone, and glanced over to see Scarlett sulking nearby like a wronged lover, Pepper's temper flared. She raised her hand, ready to unleash her infamous claw move on him.
Unexpectedly, Andrew caught her wrist and tugged hard—she tumbled straight into his arms like a bundle of feathers.
"Easy there," she gasped, cushioned against his chest.
"You trying to kill me? Someone else is here, you know?" she muttered, rolling her eyes.
Scarlett, seeing the two openly flirting and bickering, quietly slipped out and shut the door behind her.
"Phew..."
She clutched her chest and exhaled in relief.
Meanwhile, Andrew, now holding Pepper in his lap, propped the phone between shoulder and cheek as he sat on the bed.
Noticing he was handling something serious, Pepper didn't interrupt.
Andrew's eyes, however, drifted down to her delicate shoulders and collarbone. Their brief scuffle had left her top slightly disheveled.
"Shameless."
Pepper didn't pull away. She lay quietly against him, idly tracing circles on his chest with her fingertip.
"I'm calling for real this time," Natasha said, a rare urgency in her voice. "That meteorologist you mentioned actually ran into something supernatural."
"Meteorologist? You mean Jane Foster? She with an old man and a girl in glasses?"
"You nailed it. I'm starting to think you really might be an alien," Natasha muttered, peering through her binoculars at the storm's vortex.
"Come on, just because I saw this coming, I must be an alien? Haven't you ever seen a time-travel movie? Maybe I'm from the future."
His tone was half serious, half mocking.
"Well, whatever you are, I'm officially intrigued."
"Enough with the guessing games. Who fell out of that vortex?"
"What if I told you it was Thor, the Norse god of thunder? Would you believe me?"
"I'm being serious!"
"So am I, Agent Romanoff. The world's not as simple as you think. Sometimes, the edge of science is where mysticism begins."
Pepper, still curled beside him, smiled when she heard him mention Thor. Mythological tales had fascinated her since childhood.
Thor, son of Odin, the mighty Allfather. God of thunder and strength. Protector of Asgard and defender against the giants.
"That doesn't mean it's actually your Thor," Natasha retorted. "I remember reading that whenever Thor rode into a storm, he'd be in a chariot pulled by goats, and the thunder came from their hooves and his hammer strikes."
"And right now, I don't see any goats."
"Okay, okay. Believe it or don't. But just so you know this is Thor at his weakest. You could teach him a lesson if you wanted. Just... don't overdo it," Andrew added with emphasis.
Back when Nick Fury had first brought up assembling the Avengers, Andrew had already tipped them off to keep an eye on a few key people. One of them was Thor's girlfriend, Jane Foster.
Why didn't he go himself?
Please. Andrew was no longer the down-and-out loser from his past life. He wasn't interested in chasing every pretty face anymore.
Sure, young Natalie Portman had her charm. Bit flat, sure, but still pretty.
But her character in Thor? Yeah, that killed any interest.
Besides, he had to leave something for his future comrades. He couldn't have all the good things.
If he was enjoying steak, at least let the others have some soup.
Suddenly, a cheeky thought struck him.
"Hey Natasha, remember my driver, Happy?"
Natasha was watching as Jane's SUV skidded to a halt, followed by a burst of shocked voices. The group inside scrambled out in a panic, clearly startled by something.
Hearing Andrew's question, Natasha recalled the time Happy had accidentally peeked at her while she was changing in the car. Her reply was dry.
"Of course. That pudgy guy. What about him?"
"He's not just any pudgy guy. He's a strategic pudgy guy," Andrew muttered to himself.
"Anyway, he was asking if you had some free time. Wants to take you out for a few drinks."
"Not interested," she said, hanging up mid-sentence.
Andrew blinked, speechless.
He'd always been the one to hang up first. This was a first.
Pepper, watching him deflate, reached out to gently stroke his cheek.
"Aww, what's wrong? I heard you two chatting about Thor, since when is S.H.I.E.L.D. into Norse mythology?"
Andrew leaned in and kissed her forehead.
"It's not mythology. Thor's real. That giant vortex you saw earlier? That was him arriving."
"Pfft..."
Pepper rolled her eyes. He could lie so casually, without even blinking.
"You really should stop tempting fate. With all that thunder and lightning, I half-expected a bolt to come down and zap you."
Andrew just shook his head. These days, the surest way to be doubted was to speak the truth.
"Boss, Miss Pepper, dinner's ready"
Scarlett's voice called from outside the door, just as Andrew's lips had wandered down to a pair of soft, fair thighs, ready to venture further.
Pepper snapped out of her daze, kicked him in the chest, and pushed him back.
Andrew bared his teeth in mock frustration and pounced again, but she rolled away, laughing, and bolted for the door.
Scarlett blinked in confusion as the blonde beauty darted into the bathroom.
Then she tiptoed toward the bedroom to peek inside
Only to yelp as Andrew delivered a swift smack to her soft rear, the impact causing a visible jiggle.
"Ow!"
Scarlett squealed, clutching her backside with both hands.
(End of Chapter)
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