Lamborghini | Tony Stark

FOUR - CHAMPAGNE

"A Coulson that's actually on time, I'll be damned."

Sasha felt her cheeks turn pink as she held a brave smile, walking through the glass doors with an expensive black clutch bag in her hand, her heels drawing unwanted attention to her as if Tony's announcement hadn't done that enough already.

She'd spent the entirety of Saturday debating whether to text Tony and tell him she couldn't make his party that evening, but when his message came through telling her to be there at seven o'clock and not a minute later, she knew there was no getting out of it - especially after spilling her boring weekend plans the previous night.

Dressed in black leather trousers and a tan blazer, Sasha pulled her dark hair over one shoulder with the twirl of her fingers, letting the curls fall across the left side of her chest. A silver necklace with a Cancer and Capricorn sign engraved on the back hung from her neck, the same design Phil had kept on a keychain. Three rings were scattered across her fingers and a pair of thin, diamond earrings added some sparkle to match the shadow on her eyes.

"Oh my God, Sasha! It's so great to see you!"

Maria Hill was the first to jump up from the couch by the window, abandoning what looked like a large gin and tonic on the table as she rushed over to Sasha, immediately pulling her into a tight embrace.

Like everyone else, Sasha and Maria had known one another through Phil. They'd often spent time together chatting when Phil was running late or the handful of times they'd had dinner with Nick Fury.

Sasha wouldn't have called Maria a close friend, but she was the most familiar face in the room that evening and for that, she was grateful, happy to have a hand to hold in a room full of what were barely less than strangers.

"Tony told me you were coming but I thought you'd be tied up with work, I'm so glad you could make it."

A group of friendly faces were looking over with welcoming smiles, though Sasha was quickly pulled by the hand over to the bar, being able to give nothing but a reciprocated smile back at them.

"You know me, I'd work all the time if I could. Tony convinced me to actually have some fun." Sasha said, shrugging her shoulders with a gentle laugh.

Maria smiled and grabbed a bottle of champagne from behind the bar, pouring a fresh glass for Sasha.

"I'm glad he did, you deserve a break. Come on, let me introduce you."

Perched on the arm of a grey leather sofa, Sasha waved and smiled politely at the rest of the guests as Maria went round introducing each of them to her. She had a vague memory of meeting Natasha Romanoff at Phil's funeral, but apart from that, it was a list of new names and faces to learn.

More guests arrived at the party as the evening went on, though Sasha had remained in the company of the handful of other people sat around a glass coffee table that had slowly become littered with empty champagne flutes and pizza boxes.

"What is it you do for work, Sasha? You didn't want to work for S.H.I.E.L.D?"

Sasha looked across the table as Steve Rogers who was sat with a raised brow and a small smile, his head tilted inquisitively as he kept a hand wrapped around a beer bottle.

"S.H.I.E.L.D would definitely not be for me," Sasha replied with a laugh, shaking her head, "I'm a lawyer here in New York."

"A lawyer, huh? I bet your heels and handbag collection is something close to a girl's dream." Natasha smiled from behind a glass of red wine, sat beside Bruce with one leg crossed over the other.

"Forget the Steve Maddens," Tony scoffed, "You should see her car."

"Why? What car do you drive?" Clint asked.