Chapter Text
They were all looking everywhere but at her like school children who didn’t do their homework. Pepper was standing in the middle of the common room, holding a bunch of folders and flyers, looking at them expectantly.
“Come on, guys, I’m not asking that much from you!”
“Why can’t I just send some checks?” Tony pouted.
“Because,” Pepper took a deep breath before she started explaining it all for the third time, “people don’t just want your money. They want to actually see you do something good. For a change,” she added quietly as she rolled her eyes.
“Hey, we do good things! We’ve saved the whole world!” Steve protested.
“Yes, but they only see the costs. Anyway, as I was saying, it would be good if you could visit a few places. You can all pick whatever place you want, you can go to a soup kitchen, hospital, a retirement house, even a dog shelter for all I care!”
“Just have the spider kid do it, I’m sure it’ll count to his uni application or something,” Tony wasn’t going to give up so easily.
“He is more than happy to do it, as long as it’s outside school hours, obviously. And so is Scott, by the way. Come on guys, Christmas is coming, your gift to me can be making my job easier, at least for once!” Pepper was ready to start begging. She knew it wasn’t going to be easy to get them to do some charity work before Christmas but she also expected, or maybe hoped, for a bit less resistance.
“So what do we have to actually do?” Steve straightened up from where he was basically sinking into the couch.
“I knew you wouldn’t let me down, Cap!” Pepper let out a sigh of relief. “All you have to do is spend some time with the people, bring them some gifts, take some pictures with them, just bring them a bit of cheer and joy, that’s all I’m asking.”
“Can we wear our suits?” Tony asked, still pretending to not be interested.
“Well… I don’t see why not, I think that’s even better. Just please, please, don’t bring any weapons. That means anything that shoots, guns, knives, batons and bites,” she looked at Natasha, raising an eyebrow, “including arrows.” She finished by looking at Clint.
Clint crossed his arms, offended that he can’t take his toys.
“You can take some toy arrows, just nothing that has a sharp end or explodes.”
Clint murmured something under his breath that no one could understand.
“So… could I… go to an orphanage or something?” Wanda asked carefully, looking only at Pepper and ignoring everyone else whose attention was now completely on her.
“That’s the spirit! Yes, of course you can!” The woman’s face lit up with relief.
“I’ll go with her,” Natasha finally spoke. She just quickly glanced at the Pepper before turning her eyes to Wanda and squeezing her hand very briefly. This is going to be hell.
“Alright, thank you, Nat,” she scribbled the redhead’s name on her list right next to Wanda’s.
Natasha’s gesture didn’t go unnoticed by the whole team but neither of them dared to say anything. She did not like it when they pointed out her weak spot for the witch and they have all learned that the hard way.
“I would like to go speak to some vets, if that’s an option of course.”
“Of course it is, Steve, I’m sure they’ll be happy to see Captain America in the flesh.”
“Why do we have to be reminded of wars,” Bucky moaned from next to Steve.
“Well, you don’t have to come with me but I think it would be nice. For them and for us as well.”
“Of course I have to go with you, we only come as a pair.” Bucky rolled his eyes.
“That’s sorted then,” Pepper laughed. “Who wants to go to a soup kitchen then?”
“I’ll go, I don’t really care where I go,” Tony sat up and reached for his drink.
Everyone raised their eyebrows and waited for Pepper to decide.
“How about you go to a hospital instead? It might be better not to flash all your money in front of the less fortunate… And Clint can join you, hopefully you can keep him in line,” she finished with a look at the man in question.
“And as for the soup kitchen, how about you Bruce with Thor?”
“Sounds good,” the scientist nodded.
“What’s a soup kitchen?” Thor looked from Bruce to Pepper.
“I’ll explain it later,” the man responded.
“Alright. I’m excited to work with my friend from work again,” Thor chuckled and ignored the other man rolling his eyes at him.
“What about the space girl?” Tony asked.
“ Carol is joining Maria and Monica in their town, you don’t have to worry about her. Now, if you have a request for a specific place you want to go to, email it to me. If not, I’ll just find you some. You can get back to whatever it is you were doing before…” She closed her folders and left the room.
Everyone started scattering around the room, trying to remember what it was they were doing before.
Natasha walked over to the kitchen part of the room and got herself a glass of water before she sat down on the bar stool.
“Hey, you didn’t have to join me, I know it’s hard for you,” Wanda appeared next to her.
The redhead felt pain in her chest at the thought of abandoned kids so she took a sip of her water to gain a few seconds before turning to the younger woman.
“It might be good for us too, you never know,” she shrugged, “besides, I’m sure it won’t be as bad if I’m there with you,” she winked at the other woman before she got up from her seat and left stuttering Wanda right there.