Title: One for the Girls
Author: clarahow // agentroxylancelots // charleybradburies (will be posted after challenge)
Fandom: Avengers / Iron Man / Thor / Agents of SHIELD / MCU / Marvel
Characters: James Rhodes, Maria Hill, Pepper Potts, Natasha Romanoff, Jane Foster, Darcy Lewis, Melinda May, Skye, Jemma Simmons, & JARVIS
Pairing: All the platonic love 5ever. Was gonna be mostly Maria/Natasha/Pepper but it didn't really turn out that way.
Length: 625w
Rating: T
Summary: Girls' night in for the ladies of Stark Industries & SHIELD.
Content Notes: Possibly OOC? This is the first time I've written like half these characters so I'm a little unsure as to my accuracy.
Author Notes: Written for challenge #56: Entertaining, and for Pepper Week Day Four: favorite platonic relationship(s). I know she hasn't technically met like, most, of them, but I like to imagine all the ladies know and love each other and hang out when they need a break from the dudebro superhero world for a little while.
Title is from the iconic Martina McBride song (This One's for the Girls).

“I asked if you would order pizza, Rhodes,” Maria says, as he starts to set the pie down onto the coffee table, her tone an amalgam of surprise, awe, and hunger.

"No, Commander, you asked me if I would get pizza."

Maria rolls her eyes, and Pepper laughs before helping Rhodey move the table closer to the couch.

"Okay, we narrowed it down to 'Clueless', 'Ten Things', and 'She's the Man'," declares Natasha, strutting into the living room with Jane and Darcy close behind.

"Are you seriously using DVDs?" Rhodey asks with a laugh, and Pepper gives him an almost maternal smack to the wrist.

"Excuse you! This is my personal collection."

"You run one of the foremost technology companies in the world, you are dating the guy who owns that company, who created a responsive metal bodysuit that helps him be a superhero, practically from scratch, your entire house is run by AI, and you still have a DVD collection?"

The rhetorical enquiry comes with an amused smile, and as she takes the three DVDs from the chuckling Natasha, she returns his look.

"In case you weren't aware, I make the rules around here. Rules even the almighty Mr Stark follows."

"Trust me, that isn't for legal reasons," Rhodey reminds playfully, eliciting an eyeroll before wrapping her into a nice warm hug.

"Oh, we're entirely conscious of Mr Stark's motivations," groans Melinda, even though she's in the middle of popping one of a handful of Skittles into her mouth.

"It seems to be a trend around here," adds Skye, setting a mishmash of silverware next to the pizza; and as Pepper and Rhodey pull away from each other, Pepper can see Jemma scowling gently at her.

"Well, long as they step enough out of the way for us to do our jobs, I think we can deal with the boys," says Natasha, giving Skye a sympathetic but suggestive look.

"Eh, I'm good as long as they're cute," grunts Darcy, setting down the teddy bear she's cuddling to grab some Skittles from the bowl on the coffee table; unlike May, she flings her head back and thrusts her hand against her lips and stuffs the entire handful into her mouth. Rhodey's brow raises, but he both respects them too much and has a strong enough sense of self-preservation - surprising, of course, considering his being Tony's best friend - not to comment. Jane reaches over the couch and grabs the DVDs from Pepper, going and standing over by the TV box for the flatscreen.

"Thank you for dinner," Pepper says sweetly after gauging whether anyone wanted to continue the exchange, and Rhodey starts waving his farewells to Pepper's company.

"Anytime. Ladies, happy Friday. You know how to find me if you need me."

"We can handle ourselves," winks Jane, pretending to fan herself with one of the DVDs.

"That...is debatable," he jests, and the entire group makes a point of scoffing at the remark. He gives a playful salute and acknowledges its reciprocation as he heads out the door.

"Miss Potts?" comes JARVIS's voice after a moment.

"Yes?"

"Would you like that popcorn to be prepared now, or would you rather I wait until you've chosen your film?"

"I'll tell you when we're done with the pizza, okay, JARVIS?"

"Of course, Miss Potts."

Pepper turns back to face the other women, huddled on the other side of the couch in the living room, most lounging in their pyjamas, tee shirts and fuzzy socks. Darcy and Jemma have already started cutting the - impressively - large pizza into slices, and it looks like Maria's already downed her first glass of wine.

Well, she'd had a hard week.

"So, are we gonna choose our movie by vote or what?"