[AU] How much - how little - is within our power

[from_the_outside]

 "No," says Sharon, for what feels like the thousandth time. "That's not acceptable."

The rest of the flight had been uneventful, and once they landed she'd been grimly unsurprised to see that Stark had sent Happy Hogan, his erstwhile chauffeur, to guide them to the apartment they've been assigned. Stark himself had apparently gone somewhere to get out of his armor, somewhat mollified by having gotten them here and under his thumb.

Except Sharon won't stop kicking up a fuss.

Hogan stares at her as she inspects each corner of the apartment. "I can't cut these rooms off from the central security protocols," he says, slowly, like he thinks she's just misheard him.

"Well, you can," she tells him. "Or I can force a cascade in a couple load-bearing subroutines that will shut the whole damn thing down. It's your choice."

Comments

[nerves_of_ice]

At the sight of her smile, the way her gaze brightens, he knows he’s doing the right thing. He kisses her back, and draws her deeper into his arms.

[from_the_outside]

She makes a small contented sound and relaxes into him, now more than half draped over his body, her head tucked into the curve of his neck, her left hand idly smoothing long slow circles over his stomach and side.

"Get some sleep," she tells him, soft. "If you can. You need it, too."

[nerves_of_ice]

“I’ll try,” he says, and kisses her hair. “Go to sleep, baby.”

[from_the_outside]

She smiles – at the kiss, at the sweet endearment, at his promise – and closes her eyes.

And because she is tired, even after sleeping through the movie, it isn't long at all before her muscles grow heavy and slack and her breathing turns deep and even as she drifts off to sleep.