*HI THERE. UM. I GIVE YOU...A CHAPTER.*
Tony Stark’s a.k.a. Iron Man’s P.O.V.
Calypso stood before the open elevator doors, hair and clothes partly singed, but otherwise completely fine. Steve shadowed her, his hair blackened with ash, and sticking up at absurdly comical angles. Disbelief held me rooted to the couch, and as the minutes passed, Calypso’s expression began to drop, sheepishness giving way to confusion, confusion giving way to worry. “Look, I know what I did was super, mega shitty, but I had to and I’ll explain everything if you guys will let me, and I mean, if you still want me around, if you don’t I can go because I know what I did wasn’t right and I couldn’t risk your safety but I kinda did anyways and I–” she rambled, talking faster with every second of silence that passed.
Steve placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, completely unperturbed and smiling like the world might just be okay again. Calypso didn't even look up at the gesture, rambling so fast that she began to sound like she was mumbling at a high volume. In the next moment a dark object went hurtling past my head and before anyone could react, hit Calypso square in the face, then fell to the floor with a soft ‘thump’. Calypso blinked in shock as we all stared down at the pillow now resting by her feet. Clint was across in room in five bounds, gathering the still shocked Calypso in a hug.
“That’s for making me think you were dead, you jerk,” he said, as she hugged him back fiercely, smiling like an idiot. Clint put Calypso down and gave Steve a brief man-hug, before cracking a few jokes about his hair. Natasha walked over more slowly, glaring so hard I was surprised Calypso didn’t combust.
“If you ever do that again, I will personally kill you, revive you, lecture you, then kill you again,” she threatened, before giving her a quick hug, and a shooting an even steelier glare at Steve that practically screamed “the same applies to you, Stars and Stripes.”
Pepper Pott’s P.O.V.
I watched the reunion with a smile, watching the young woman practically buzz with happiness and relief as she talked to Natasha and Clint, leaning partially against Steve who remained quiet, but had one hand resting on her hip. I glanced down at Tony who still sat on the couch, watching the exchange with a menagerie of emotions flickering across his face, before finally settling onto anger.
“Tony…” I warned as he stood, gaining the small group’s attention.
“You…” he said, pointing at Calypso, who’s smile quickly dropped when she took note of his menacing tone. Tony began to stalk over, causing Calypso to shift uncomfortably and cast her head down in shame. “You frizzy haired, irresponsible, sneaky, singed, ungrateful, twerp,” he ranted, before joining in on the hug fest. “I’ll be siding with Natasha if you ever do that again,” he warned, prompting a small laugh from the master assassin.
“You have A LOT of explaining to do,” Clint said, walking back over to the couches and reclining, the tension leaving his muscles for what felt like the first time in weeks.
“I know and I’m just…I’m sorry. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to say that enough,” she sighed, hastily brushing away the tears in her eyes. “I missed you guys.”
“We missed you, too,” Steve said, reaching down to take her hand. She laughed lightly, bumping him with her shoulder, before her expression abruptly changed.
“But, before I get down to the explaining because that’ll take a while, could I, uh, take a quick shower first? I kinda smell like ash and plain stink,” she said, wringing her hands out in front of her.
“Of course! I’ll show you to a guest room,” I volunteered, smiling brightly. Calypso sighed in relief, squeezing Steve’s hand once, before turning and following me down a small hallway that led to the guest suite.
“You gave everyone a real scare,” I said, after we’d been walking in silence for a few minutes.
“I know, I didn’t mean to, but I had to, if that makes any sense,” she replied, scratching regretfully at the back of her neck.
“Not as of right now,” I said, “but after a little explaining I’m sure it’ll be a bit clearer.” The girl smiled at my lightness of tone, tucking a few strands of her dirtied, hazel hair behind her ear.
“By the way, what’s your name? I don’t think I ever got it,” she said, looking up at me inquisitively.
“Pepper,” I said, sticking my hand out for her to shake. She accepted it gratefully, smiling shyly.
“Thank you, Pepper,” she said.
“Well, here we are!” I announced, stopping in front of one of the many doors lining the hallway. “The bathroom is towards the back of the room, and clean towels should be under the sink. I’ll leave a pair of clothes out for you on the couch in there.”
“Okay, and thanks again,” she said, before opening the door and disappearing inside. I made it halfway back down the hallway before I remembered that I’d forgotten to tell her where the soaps were– Tony and I hadn’t stocked the bathroom and all the soaps were in a box in the closet. I hurried back to the door and raised my hand to knock, but stopped when I heard faint…talking? Was that a conversation? As stealthily as I could I pressed my ear to the door, straining to hear the words being said. After a moment they became clear.
“But honestly, thank you–”
“Alright, enough with this sentimentality, you’re starting to vaguely sound like that bumbling idiot–” Was that a man’s voice?
“Fine, fine, just…remember what I told you, okay?”
“I’d not so easily forget, my memory is fay superior–“
“Yes, superior to everything and everyone, everywhere, to ever have been, I get it,” Calypso laughed lightly. “And…try to not cause any trouble for a while? Please?”
“I won’t make any promises of the sort, and to debase my actions to mere trouble–”
“It was worth a shot, I guess.”
“Goodbye, and thought it pains me to say it, I thank you for your help.”
“Likewise. Goodbye.”
Silence then reigned from the other side as I stood frozen. Who was that?! I swallowed past the lump in my throat, nearly jumping out of my shoes when a shout sounded from the other side of the door. “There’s the soap!” Calypso cheered, before the ruffling of a box could be heard. I sighed, casting one last curious look at the door, before heading back to wait with everyone else.
Clint was right– she had a lot of explaining to do.