Captain America: Professional Best Friend

The Party

Saturday afternoon comes and Emma heads over to Maria's place to get ready and then go to dinner before the party at Avengers Tower. Emma knocks on the door with her foot, struggling with the many bags she is balancing in her arms. "I'm coming!" Maria calls from inside.

The door opens to reveal Maria with curlers in her hair. "Hey that's cheating," Emma teases as she makes her way into the apartment.

"Oh I'm sorry my hair doesn't have the beautiful waves yours does naturally, I have to work for mine. I'd say you're the cheater here." They both stare at each other seriously for a second before bursting into laughter, not able to be serious with each other for long.

"Fair enough I guess," Emma replies while putting her things down. She hangs her garment bag on a door while moving her makeup bag to the bathroom, calling back to Maria, "Are you excited for tonight?"

"It should be interesting, to say the least. Stark has a rep with parties as you know."

"Let's hope for a good night with no mishaps," Emma replies as she comes back into the living area. "This'll be my first Stark party, I hope I won't be overdressed...or underdressed, or over-anything. I just want this to be perfect."

"Overdressed huh? Let's see it," Maria tells her, sitting on the arm of her couch.

Emma unzips the bag and reveals a blush pink long-sleeved dress that sparkles in the apartment lighting. It was a bit tighter, but Emma was told it looked great on her at the store. "Too much? The slit may be a bit much, but the stylist at the store insisted I get it."

"Wow," Maria says and then smirks while asking, "are you trying to impress a certain someone?"

"What? No." Emma replies quickly and defensively, her voice going slightly up in pitch. "It was just really cute and I thought as a first-time guest at a famous Stark party I should dress the part."

"Uh-huh," Maria nods and crosses her arms, "and it's not about anyone whose name rhymes with Shmaptain Shmerica?"

Emma instantly gets flustered and dodges the question, asking "So where are we going to dinner later?"

"I'm for real!" Maria tells her while laughing. "I was the Deputy Director of an intelligence organization Emma, I know how to read people. Plus little miss obvious asked me that one time if an agent had feelings for another what the protocol was. You think I didn't know right then and there?"

Emma can't help the embarrassed smile that creeps onto her face as she rolls her eyes and asks, "Is it that obvious?"

"To me, yes," Maria laughs, "but like I said I know how to read people and you're one of my closest friends. I will say it was very professional of you not to do anything about it when you were working together at SHIELD."

Now it was Emma's turn to laugh, "You act like SHIELD was the reason I never said anything. I haven't said anything because I don't want to risk our friendship. Plus with how involved with the team I am, I wouldn't want things to be all weird. I feel like Tony and Natasha would go wild with jokes about us."

Even though Emma would hate the awkwardness of the latter situation, she can't help but have a smile on her face at the thought. She would totally endure some embarrassment if it meant being with Steve.

Maria takes in the smile on her friend's face and says, "See, look at that smile, you need to make a move. Tonight. Or I'll do it for you."

"I think the hell not," Emma tells her while laughing. "If this happens it's on my terms, Hill."

"Okay, fine, fine. But I'm just saying there are going to be lots of ladies at this party and Steve is not an unattractive man." In retaliation for the comment, Emma throws a small pillow in Maria's direction which she dodges easily.