11885/Pepper, You're a Firework

Pepper, You're a Firework
Date of Scene:	05 July 2022
Location:	Stark Tower: Penthouse
Synopsis:	As usual, Pepper finds the positive spin for Tony.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

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Tony Stark has posed:
The display itself went off without a hitch - with Tony directly supervising, that was never a question. The reception, though, had mixed results. Tony had been moving among the crowd using the intense disguise training he had procured from Steve Rogers - he had a Mets cap on and a grey hoodie. He had listened to the reaction to his pronouncement, expectations ranging from a candidacy for president to some that had some sense of what he was doing.

For the most part, he got the message - Stark Industries was doing a great thing, but Tony Stark was just feeding his ego. He tried to take the criticisms in stride, and he knew that to an extent some people just always liked to take shots at the person on top. But part of him was hoping that there would be more reactions like Diana Prince, who must also have some kind of super vision to penetrate the good ol' reliable Steve.

And so it is that by the time Tony finally makes it back to the penthouse, he has effectively done in person the cardinal sin of the 2000's - he read the comment section.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Two cars in, two cars out, and Pepper has current 'custody' of Happy as chauffeur and bodyguard. He's happily filling the moments between the harbor and Stark Tower with the play by play at the pyrotechnics board, enthusing about every last bit of what was done. Pepper rides in the back seat, the dark windows rolled completely up, and she's quiet, other than the soft, 'Mmmhmms' that offer up that 'I'm listening' vibe as they move through traffic.

If there's one thing that Happy is good at is navigating NYC traffic, and he does get them home in a reasonable time.

Pepper is back at the Penthouse, her blouse traded for a tank-top, and the business couture skirt traded for a pair of light blue, faded blue-jean shorts. Red hair that had been up is now down and free, and the pumps have been discarded. She sits out on the balcony on one of the comfortable lounge chairs, facing the Empire State Building that is resplendent in its reds, whites and blues for the holiday. She must have some sixth sense as to Tony's proximity as she turns her head briefly to check on his arrival- or perhaps she just has a 'spy' in the form of an AI. (More the latter than the former, but secrets!)

Tony Stark has posed:
It is rare that Tony comes in via the elevator like a normal person. Today was a day that he pretended, whole heartedly, to be a normal person, complete with walking, stairs, elevators, etc. He realized long before he got home that he really did not want to be a normal person.

As the elevator swishes open Tony steps through, walking slowly on feet that are unused to quite so many steps in a day. He blows out a sigh as he heads over towards the balcony. He reaches up to pull of the Mets cap and tosses it onto a seat as he continues along towards Pepper. "Well, good news, they all love the idea of Stark Industries leading the way to save the planet." He laughs softly. "Bad news, they hate the arrogant SOB who is leading Stark Industries into leading the way to save the planet." He shakes his head as he inally draws closer to her. "Tell me you heard something different out there on the street."

Pepper Potts has posed:
It's good for Tony to act like a normal person once in awhile. It brings the genius tech giant down to earth, if only for a little while. To be fair, however, how long has it been since Pepper's struggled with anything vaguely resembling a 'day to day', 'paycheck to paycheck' existence? Her own life problems have shifted into something that //most// could never truly understand.

Pepper leans forward on her lounge chair, twisting to watch Tony's progress with discerning green eyes. The approach is given a warm, affectionate smile and once he's through the threshold from Penthouse to balcony, her lips purse into a fine line, a ghost of a smile remaining, though she does have a tinge of sympathy in her voice. "Too bad they're one and the same." Green eyes track his progress, and as he draws even closer, she continues, "The stocks are going up; the Nikkei average is rising, and everyone is trying to figure out how to make money off of the announcement." The Nikkei, of course, is open while markets in the US are still closed.

So, it's sounding successful!

"I did field some questions regarding a candidacy, and I told them flat out that it was not an option." Pepper seems quite firm in the words, underscoring them with, "So don't even think about it."

Tony Stark has posed:
"Yeah, well, tell that to..." Tony waves his hand vaguely in the direction of not Liberty Island, and then finally gets close enough to lean down and give Pepper a soft kiss in greeting. "I didn't do it for the stock price, although I'll certainly take it." He walks around her and flops into a seat, kicking up his denim jeans wearing legs after he kicks off his sneakers.

"Candidacy?" His ears perk up. Pepper knows that look. "I could totally take Luthor." He pauses. "They were talking about President, right, not like Governor or Mayor or something boring like that?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper tilts her head up and back to receive the kiss, and give a quick one of her own in response. Reaching out to hold him there briefly, she doubles down and shakes her head ever so slightly, "No." If she knows his looks, which she most certainly does, he couldn't miss her own with the utterance of the single word.

She does let him go, her hand dropping again, and she crosses her legs at the ankles as she sits, and he, too, gets comfortable under the lights of the City. It's a warm evening, but the breeze across the balcony is enough to make it more than tolerable. It's a sight to behold, NYC after dark from the vantage of a balcony 90+ stories in the air.

"That's the good part about it. Good for the project and good for the shareholders. Keeps everyone happy, and I'll be expecting a few requests for bids from the government in the coming week." Heck, Congress could reconvene to do just that! "If Rhodey stops by, you know we have the Department of Defense's attention." Again.

Or is that 'still'?

Probably 'still'.

"Everyone was a little disappointed it was just me in the press area. I could tell."

Tony Stark has posed:
Those lingering thoughts are still there. "I mean, I'd have to farm out my day job to someone capable, but think of all the good I could do. The Iron President." His hand maps it out like it is on a movie theater marquee. Then Tony flashes a grin at Pepper, laughing. "Come on, that is way too much responsibility for me. I'd have to show up at work once in a while."

He settles back into the seat as he puts up his feet, wriggling his toes as if that will somehow bring feeling back to them. "That's probably true. Honestly, when they see the car, they'll all want a piece of it. Once I prove the concept, making it economical is just..." he chuckles. "The big challenge, but I can get there."

He frowns for a moment. "What is up with Rhodey, anyway? He keeps ducking my calls." A shake of his head, and then then Tony lets his head roll to the side of look at you. "That's how you know no one with any taste was there. I'd be disappointed if I went there and you /weren't/ there."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Does she even have to say it again? Pepper's expression has that 'no' written all over it, even if she wears that underlying affectionate smile. Green eyes are bright, and high cheekbones show off the natural glow with her freckles.

A laugh finally exits, and Pepper nods, leaning back into her seat, fully agreeing with him. "Many, many meetings. And your PR staff would be ready to impeach you before a week was out." The citizens of the country, however? They'd probably love his showmanship and his one-up-manship. Raising a hand, she shakes it in a decided negative gesture, just in case. "And I wouldn't blame them."

Pepper takes a moment to close her eyes, resting even as the sounds of a tread exits the Penthouse and motors towards Tony. In its three-fingered grasp, Dum-E has a tumbler glass with what is probably scotch within, and 'he' is handing it over. Reopening her eyes, she frowns briefly at the little robot, adding, "I'm pretty sure he didn't ask for it." The arm that holds the glass drops slightly, and if one were to ascribe human reactions from a machine, it could very well be a little embarrassed and apologetic at the same time.

"And I'm sure he's just busy," Pepper offers, "I get the occasional message from him. He does have a full time career, you know."

With the arrival of the scotch, Pepper does seem to come to a brief decision, and she leans forward in prelude to rising. Glass of wine would do well.

"You are not your adoring public, Mr Stark." Before she goes anywhere, however, she leans to brush a kiss against his cheek. "No one wants to talk to the 'other woman'. Thankfully the reporters locked onto your green initiative."

Tony Stark has posed:
"It'd be a great resume builder. I could always get into that dream school I wanted if I needed another degree." That twinkle in his eye shows it for all talk, as usual. Tony smiles back at her. "What if I you ran? You could do a good job, and don't they always say..." He starts and then thinks better of it, smiling instead. "I wouldn't want to share you with the rest of the country."

The scotch arrives along with Dum-E and Tony takes it, peering at it for a moment, and then ultimately sets it to the side. "Thanks buddy," he says, acknowleding the effort at least.

"He is too damn responsible. I need to find someone more irresponsible than me to hang out with, apparently." That should be a challenge. "I'm sure he'll come snooping around, figuring it is some sort of tech upgrade that lets me say this, like I've already solved for it or something." Of course, Pepper probably knows that the entire go green plan has already been mapped out, planned, and will be completed by 2027. On serious subjects, Tony doesn't mess around.

His fingers stray to the side to run down along Pepper's back from her neck to the base of her spine as she leans forward. "I'd take you over that entire adoring public, any day of the week." He smiles up at her and leans into the kiss to his cheek. "And we'll see. I'm sure they'll be trying to poke holes in it. But at least it'll give them something to write about that is somewhat forward thinking for the next few news cycles."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No."

The word falls easily from her lips, trippingly off the tongue, and once he follows it to its conclusion, she smiles her approval, and agreement, adding, "Not going to happen." The sharing bit, that is. Or rather, all of it. "I already have my hands full, though I'm pretty sure that if I can keep you even basically on a path, the rest of the country should be easy." She's teasing, of course.

As she heads back into the penthouse, it doesn't escape Pepper's notice that he's set the scotch to the side rather than taking that immediate swallow of the burning liquid. The smile remains, though there's just that added //something// behind green eyes, and rather than a glass of wine, there's a fruit drink with floating bits of frozen grapes and pineapples in stemware that emerges with the lithe redhead. She has two in hand, and hands the one over as she pads back.

"The trick is now to keep that in the cycle. I think the car should do that." She utters a soft laugh, "And the car might actually bring Rhodey out. I mean, it's not an airplane, but he does like fast things."

Tony Stark has posed:
"So true," replies Tony to her tease. He acknowledges the challenge of keeping him on the straight and narrow. It took a bit of doing, a lot of hard work, but now it is mostly just guard rails. Like, 'seriously don't run for President' when he starts ticking off the budget for a campaign in his head.

Tony gazes out into the air ahead of the balcony. He looks up as Pepper returns with the glass of juice, and he nods to her, reaching over to take it. "Didn't feel like the right mood," he says. She knows he is talking about the Scotch. A sure sign that maybe some of that criticism /did/ get to him. He has learned the hard way not to couple booze with even the slightest downturn of mood.

But that is it, then his mind is off as fast as his race car. "He's not touching it. That's all me." That might be news to Pepper - Tony had not shared that he intended to drive in the race himself. That will most likely be a conversation unto himself. He cracks a grin at her last. "I mean, I like fast things too, but sometimes..." He leans his head back again, rolling it to the side to look at her. "Sometimes you just need to appreciate that the best things require patience. And time."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper is probably the only person that Tony would take anything from, except in extreme cases that might include Happy. That, in itself, is a measure of comfort, a level of need and trust. Everyone else? Put it on a table, he'll take it later. Maybe.

The drink is handed over with a fond smile, one of sympathetic affection. She sits down, or rather, perches at the side of his seat, her own drink in hand as she considers. When she begins, it's slow and deliberate, her voice quiet and intimate, even if they are alone, 90+ stories in the air.

"Here is the danger, Mr Stark. It's a by-product of your being a household name. Everyone thinks they know you." It's something she's noticed and endured over the years. "At times you're their crazy uncle, other times, I'm sure you're the example of a wing-man, and most of all, most just really envy what you've got while forgetting it's your work that got you there." She pauses, and takes a light sip of her drink, allowing the moment of silence before finishing, "It's really not personal."

Tony Stark has posed:
His free hand falls easily to land on Pepper's thigh as Tony takes the drink and nods to her in thanks. "That makes sense. People want to think I'm their friend because they play Iron Man on the playground." He looks up at Pepper. "Do you think fights break out over who gets to be me and who has to be Steve?" There's a grin now at the tease.

"I did put in a lot of work. And, you know, took some shrapnel to the chest. Death is a great motivator." He leans back into the seat, sipping some more juice, as his fingers give Pepper's thigh a squeeze. Maybe just to remind him that she's there.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper does allow for a larger smile as she shakes her head, and leans forward to brush some stray strands of hair from his forehead. The perfect coif even when going for the messy look. "Both you and Steve have a hard fight against Dr Banner for playground. Or rather, the Hulk." It's a gently returned tease, and she did add Steve into that mix! "I think you score points for the kids who sit on the sidelines and dream of better ways to do things."

When Tony does refer to that arc reactor, and the hows and whys he's where he is, she frowns for a moment; it's flickering but there. It was her biggest scare, or one of her biggest. She'd thought that she'd lost him, physically lost him to the point where she was actually crying to see him deplane, walking rather than using the wheelchair that was tucked behind in the cargo bay. Of course, she'd never admitted the reasons.. not then.

"Let's not use that as motivation anymore, okay?" The words are soft, and they hold a slightly different edge. "I still don't know whether to be happy or-or-or proud or scared whenever you're in that suit." Lord knows she's all three at any given time, during any given hard mission.

Tony Stark has posed:
"I mean, let's be honest, if I was a five year old, what's better than running around going HULK SMASH all the time?" Tony grins. "I can't blame anyone for picking Banner over me." He sighs softly, leaning into Pepper's fingers.

"Yeah, well. Death is behind me, right?" He turns to look up at her, reaching up to take her hand from his forehead and bring it to his lips. "You be proud. Happy is happy. The bad guys are scared. Got it?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
The fruit drink is set aside, and Pepper's full attention is on the reclining man in his seat. She can't help that slightly distressed smile as her fingers are brought to his lips for a light kiss. An exhaled sigh is given, a brief chuff of air as she releases some of her tensions. "Just.. please stop taking all those chances. I'm not even sure I like the idea of you driving in those races. I know we have people to do that. And if we don't, I'm sure it's not too late to hire one or three." And certainly within their means.

Another breath is taken; Pepper can feel herself ramping up, and it's not what she wants. Not now, not here.

"I'm always proud. That doesn't mean I'm not afraid you'll do something.." Dumb? Unpredictable? Both aren't mutually exclusive, after all.

Tony Stark has posed:
"What's the worst thing that could happen?" Tony tilts his head, looking up at Pepper. "I flew around and fought the Loch Ness Monster and hordes of Asgardian zombies a few days ago. A car is going to do something?"

His tone is chiding, but there is a bit of an edge to it. He takes a sip of his juice. He can get ramped up about this too. "Something what, Pepper?" He tilts his head, watching her. Waiting for her to say it.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"You flew around and fought the Loch Ness..." she repeats softly before exhaling. And hordes of Asgardian zombies?

Pepper rises from her spot, and she shakes her head, focusing and trying to organize her thoughts. "I'm afraid you'll do something and that.." she points to that ever present pale blue light in the center of his chest, "won't be enough to save you." Of course, knowing Tony, he'd think of something else. Assuming he could, that is. It's the one thing that she truly holds on to. She believes in him, fully. It's the 'others' out there that she doesn't trust. After all, Tony Stark has his enemies as much as Iron Man does, right?

"Just.. be careful, okay?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"Well, technically, Simon fought the Loch Ness monster, and I handled crowd control on the zombies, but..." Tony watches her and reaches up to snake an arm around her and pull her back towards him. "Stop worrying about me. You're not my mom."

He snickers a bit at that. "Not that she /ever/ worried about me, but you know what I mean." He shakes his head and finishes off the glass of juice, setting it to the side. "I'm always careful, Pepper. You know that."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper gives that //look// as Tony clarifies, and by 'clarifying', it doesn't make it any better. If anything? Lips press into a fine line, and she is lassoed back to his side with his arm. "No, no I'm not." It's a statement that holds a great deal more than the simple words. "And I think I'm allowed to worry about you. I've earned the right." She smiles tightly, the lines around her eyes deepening, "It's what happens when people around you love you. You know that, right?"

There's the sigh again, and it sounds just this side of exasperated. "I think we have different definitions of that word, Tony."

Tony Stark has posed:
For a minute, it looks like Tony is going to argue. Come up with some sort of witty quip, or retort. He never lets anyone have the last word. Except Pepper. He doesn't mind if she wins. He nods. Yes, he knows that. "Yes, PePPer," he says, rolling his eyes dramatically and using the exact cadence an eight year old would use for "Yes, MoooOOOoom." Ok, so maybe they are sharing the last word?

"I think my definitions of most things are different than everybody else, Pepper. Isn't that why you love me?" He gives her that special Tony smile that one she gets. And he knows that she will be powerless to resist.

Pepper Potts has posed:
She can see the wheels moving behind those dark eyes of his, and she cants her head ever so slightly in that awareness that this may go one of two ways. Aaand, there it is. Pepper shakes her head and sits back down on the side of the seat, that ghosted smile presenting itself once more. Even with those words, she knows she's lost, but won.

"I'm not sure I'd say that's why I love you, Tony," at least agreeing with that last bit. Pepper can't help but fall for that //look// he gives, even if she knows he's turning it on. "And you.."

Starting again, Pepper takes a breath before continuing, "You did good tonight. It was a good night. Something people will be talking about for the next few years." Leaning over, she presses a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Don't let anyone make you think otherwise."

Tony Stark has posed:
It takes a minute. But Tony slowly nods. "Yeah. Yeah I did, Pep." He leans into the kiss on his cheek, and smiles softly. "Someone had to do it, right." He looks up at her and smiles, patting her leg. "Let's go to bed. I have to start building that car tomorrow."