1345/Forgotten Something

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Forgotten Something
Date of Scene: 24 April 2020
Location: Stark Tower: Penthouse
Synopsis: Pepper and Tony discuss the lay of the land.
Cast of Characters: Tony Stark, Pepper Potts




Tony Stark has posed:
Morning meetings, afternoon meetings, lunch, and the early evening meetings. Tony had weathered them all, even if they were mostly about refining his image a little bit for the campaign. But now he's got a little time to himself, the new Mrs. Stark is taking care of something elsewhere in the building, and he'd managed to squirrel away a little time in the workshop when ...

He remembered.

He's doing his best to mask the fact that he's a little bit out of breath when he makes his way into Pepper's office, having actually run down a few flights of stairs rather than taking the elevator. He tucks his phone into the breast pocket of his blazer, casually strolling into the anteroom and then into the office propper as though he fully intended to be ten minutes late.

"Is it just me or does your office seem bigger?" he asks aloud, looking around, "Are we expanding?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Meetings. The bigger the company, the more meetings there are. Stockholders, board meetings, phone cons with the SEC to be sure that all trading is still on the up and up. While Tony may work strange hours, Miss Pepper Potts keeps almost those self-same hours, plugging away for the same result: the success of Stark Industries.

It's post-meetings, and it's time to finish typing up the notes, the emails, the minutes for the shareholders to be submitted within legal timing requirements. Red hair falls past her shoulders now, framing her face with her bangs, her face palely lit by computer screen. Sure enough, the room looks a little emptier; personal art replaced with trendy prints, her little balancing 'toy' no where to be seen on the expanse of the desk
Hers breath is pulled in before she looks up from her desk a few heartbeats after Tony's entrance. Green eyes watch his progress before she *clicks* on the enter key in order to send the current document. "No, we're not." Canting her head, brows rise in askance, "Forget something? Lose something?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"I forgot to come and see you and I am losing sleep over it," Tony plays with her words, wandering into the office, "I thought I'd come and see if you wanted a nightcap. Maybe find out if anything interesting happened with the boring patrol?" His own particular nickname for the major shareholders in Stark Industries and their uniformly uninteresting demeanors.

Once he's at the desk he sinks into one of the cozy chairs opposite it, leaning back with both arms dangling carelessly over the side. He regards the desk for a moment with a stern, watchful expression and then sits up suddenly. He leans forward, pointing at a vacant spot at one corner of the desk. The place the little toy used to sit.

"Where's the thing?"
.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Losing sleep over not seeing her? Green eyes narrow, but she can feel her heart starting to thump in her chest. "I'm where you put me, Tony," her voice is low and measured. "In the office, doing work.. like always." But maybe not forever?

"Depends on what you consider 'interesting'? Like.. oh, I don't know.." Pepper sits a little straighter in her seat and leans back, putting a little physical distance between them. "They asked how you were. How Mrs Stark is, and when they'd get to meet her." She smiles tightly, a touch of hurt in those eyes, "I told them I'd pass the message on and I was sure you both were fine. They're happier now. They think you'll settle down now."

Her fidget toy is missing, and honestly she's a little surprised that he remembered what it was that was there. "As for a nightcap, I still have to go home. I'm not going to wake Happy up. The trains are still running."

Tony had come to her office, had given her a 'reason' for his hurried arrival, but.. she shakes her head. "Don't lose sleep, Tony." No sense both of them losing sleep...

Tony Stark has posed:
"We're not doing the, uh ... " Tony's voice trails off a little, looking for something on the desk to occupy himself with but finding nothing beyond the staples of office work, " ... we're not doing the meet and greet thing. Yet. Nat needs time to adjust."

The lies came much more easily with others. It was so easy to fall into the role of a married man and play around with it. Nat and he used to talk about it of an evening. Why does it feel so uncomfortable now? He shifts in his seat, folding his hands over his stomach.

"Don't take a train," he says quietly, shaking his head, "There might be thousand superheroes out there prowling the streets. I can drive you?"

He suggests it, though Pepper will know just how incensed his security detail were over his little getaway the night before. It's unlikely to happen a second time in a row.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Right.. I understand adjustment. Glad you made your meetings, though. Optics looked good. News had good things to say."

Pepper is ready to lean over to grab the fiddled staples out of his hand, but stops. That'd mean contact, and she just.... can't. Won't. Professional.

At least he stops with messing with her office supplies. Finally she does lean over to take the small package and sets it into her desk. "I really don't have a choice. I can always call Steve if I needed an escort. Or Thor." A lighter done than felt shrug lifts her shoulders before she exhales again.

"You need to be here.. I'll be fine. I still have a few more things to do before I leave anyway." Maybe she'll call a cab?

A moment of silence falls, and Pepper can swear that she can hear her heart in her ears, and her expression breaks that facade to show more.. her. "Just tell me you're happy, Tony. And don't lie to me. I can always tell."

Tony Stark has posed:
"Jesus, you don't want an escort from Thor," Tony says with a sharp shake of his head, "You'll end up in a chainmail bikini fighting dragons or something. Which is absolutely the image we need for the company but it'd distract from the me of it all and that won't do."

It's an attempt at a bit of lightheartedness, but this particular heart is made of lead and he's starting to sense that. His mouth purses into a thin line, no longer having something to toy with he just folds his hands in front of himself and drums his fingers tunelessly on his stomach.

The question hits him a little off guard, and for a moment he opens his mouth and no words come out. Then, thankfully, his brain catches up with him.

"I am. I - yeah, I am. It's ... surreal. Like it isn't what it seems. But I'm happy."

Pepper Potts has posed:
The image brings a ghost of a smile. //Maybe someone will notice her then?// "I'm sure he'd be a perfect gentleman." Pepper pauses before adding, "In his own way." Lady Pepper?

Mouth open.. and Pepper watches the body language, the fumbling, the way his brain always seems to catch up and have an answer. Really, though, what was she expecting? All, 'I'm sorry, I was drunk.. and it never should have happened'?

The answer has Pepper bringing her arms to fold in front of her; distance and now something else physically between them. "Were you atleast thinking a little to get a pre-nuptial agreement?" Protecting Tony's investment.. but the answer does hit her in the chest, even if it was expected. She nods quickly, her head bouncing in the gesture, her hair moving in the breeze caused by the action. "Right.." She tries again and raises a hand to cover a cough before she takes a deep breath and exhales shakily. "Good," beat, "Congratulations, then." Small clusters of words so he won't hear the catch in her voice, "I.. uh.. hope things work out."

"Really."

Tony Stark has posed:
The mention of the pre-nup earns a creased brow from Tony, carefully regarding Pepper as though trying to work her out. Is that what it had been about? Maybe. He'd never been exceptionally good at reading people. All the charisma in the world, but the human animal still sometimes felt like it spoke a very different language.

"That - it shouldn't be a problem," he answers noncommittally, "Most of SI isn't owned directly by me. Something Lenny in legal thought up just in case. Did you know he sent me an e-mail when he got the news saying 'I always knew this day would come.' Anyway, we're protected. You're protected."

"There wasn't anyone at the wedding. We just thought it'd definitely blow out with the campaign and everything and so we just went simple with it. Small."

He's thinking on his feet. Lying about it. Already he feels the icy twist of guilt in his gut, shifting uncomfortably in the seat.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No pre-nup." Pepper stares at him and exhales, "Everything you make.. it doesn't matter if it's part of the company. She liquidate your assets in order to get what's hers.." Oh, Tony..

"Oh, Tony," is exhaled softly, forelornly. "I.. I thought that we had an understanding. That you'd tell me before you did something stu- before you did something that would catch the world's attention. And even then, you'd surprise me, but it was something we could get through." She leans back again and shakes her head, "I can't do anything.." Green eyes lift to the soulless walls, and chuffs a soft breath. "At least I'll give you warning. I fully expect to be let go. Mrs Stark probably has some say in the company now, and if she's smart, she'd let me know that my services are no longer required." Holding up a hand to forestall complaint, Pepper continues, "I have files for the next one to come in. All the sheets, budgets, future progressions, copyrights, patents.. all that is here." She points to the computer. "Just don't forget to let him into his office."

Tony Stark has posed:
"She doesn't," Tony says quickly, sitting forward in his chair and clasping the edge of the desk, "That is - okay, she does, but not with that. This ship needs both of us, Pep, or else it sinks. That's just what it is. You're not going anywhere."

It's then that a sort of creeping realisation dawns, and he begins to look around the office with a new light. His brow creases again and he rises to his feet, walking over to one of the empty spaces on the wall and glaring at it. There was art that used to hang there. He wasn't imagining it.

"I knew your office didn't always look like a damn Apple Store. Have you been packing? Shit. Unpack. Unpack immediately. In fact, I'm going to demand you go out and buy more useless crap to really clutter this place up."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Come on, Tony.." Pepper watches as he rises, watching his movements as he takes in her office. "Do you really think she wants me here? You're going to be caught in the middle, and I don't want that for you. You deserve better." Beat. "I deserve better." Better than Tony? No... a better situation than the one she's in right now.

She, too, rises now, only to keep something of a physical distance between them, her arms still draped across her chest. "You surround yourself with the best so you can do what you want to do," need to do, "but..." Was she going to say she //wasn't// the best?

Pepper can't help herself, though.. and she blurts out a laugh, at the same time she wipes at her eyes. "I don't have time to shop."Or anyone to shop with. "Besides, some of the stuff looks good in my apartment."

Tony Stark has posed:
"She doesn't want you gone, trust me," Tony says those words before he's really considered the truth of them. The marriage itself may be false, but the relationship underneath is not. He never really considered how Nat would feel about Pepper. It had never even crossed his mind. But now it gives him pause ... and another uncomfortable conversation to have.

"I thought we were past those," he murmurs quietly to himself, staring fixedly at the wall.

Then he's facing Pepper again, hands stuffed in his pockets.

"Then keep the stuff you took home at home and buy some new crap. I know you know how to shop online, Potts. Do you want me to start decorating?"

He says it as a joke but then a look of slow realisation seems to dawn on his face, and then he's actually considering that ...

Pepper Potts has posed:
"We'll see," Pepper wipes at her eyes again, some of her mascara smudging. She glances at her hand, seeing the black line and curses softly, running a finger under an eye to try and blindly fix what may not be able to be fixed. "She'll learn about the company, and the shareholders will be happy. It'll be back to a family affair."

Pepper works at her other eye, pulling a finger below the bottom part and looking at the resultant black on her skin. She exhales her frustration at the failure of her makeup, at the failure.. and takes a deep, steadying breath.

"Tony, no. I know what your workshops look like, remember? Classic cars and bits of armor lying around in.. in.. in various states of destruction." For which she'd worried about him, each and every time he disappeared. "Besides, I'm not giving notice. I'm telling you that I'll probably be let go." She shrugs again, a single should lifting in a bad attempt at not caring, "I don't spend most of my time in here anyway." Liar.

Tony Stark has posed:
"What? I miss the Flathead. There's nowhere to put it out here. We could put it right over there."

Tony's already plotting it out in his head, clearly. He moves around the room, holding his hands out like some visionary director blocking a shot. Eventually he comes down off that particular cloud, moving back around to sit on the edge of Pepper's desk.

"You're not getting let go," he says, tone quiet and soothing - not his usual at all, though Pepper would recognize it all the same, "You're being a pessimist. I promise you ... not as much has changed as you think it has."

He needs to talk to Nat. Or Fury. Or anyone who can let Pepper in on this secret. His tilt at the highest office in the country isn't worth this.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's still standing, arms curled around her, the mascara barely rescued. It's late anyway. No photographers are going to be lying in wait for her. She's old news!

"Don't you dare, or I'll turn it into a table," is given, and Tony may recognize it as a 'mock threat', a tone given so many times over the years. "I mean it."

She watches him pace out the room, and when she hears that familiar sound, she rolls her lips into a pressed line. It hurts.. and she lowers her head, but ghosting a smile and losing a tear over a memory of its use. Seems like forever ago. "I am.." she admits. "I'm being unreasonable, but I think I'm allowed this one."

She lifts her head, green eyes gleaming, "My world has changed, Tony. I don't think you appreciate that. I thought it was hard when you decided to do the Iron Man thing." Her words are tumbling out, and she's trying to stop it.. but can't. Not yet.

"Then, the Avengers. I can't count how many times I stayed up nights here, worrying about you." Looking out that window.

"Everything has changed, and now I have to figure out what I am going to do."

Tony Stark has posed:
"Just promise me you won't make any decisions without telling me first?"

As he speaks, the words start strong and then trail off a bit. He knows what he's saying before he's finished saying it, but like a slow motion car wreck all he can do is kind of watch it happen and hope that it turns out not as bad as he thought.

"Which I know is bullshit coming from me," he adds quickly, shaking his head, "But just ... there's more going on here, okay? At least get a look at the complete version of your new world before you decide?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
One, two, three... yup, Tony officially has three heads. "Did you really just.." say that?

Pepper straightens and drops her arms as if ready to pick up the first object to throw at him. "More going on here?"

That gets her attention and she stalks around so she's standing behind her chair, fingers clutching the back. "What is going on, Tony." Her voice is low, and there is that unspoken, 'What did you do?' in there, which is certainly mixed with concern. A tone only Pepper can pull off.. and one Tony should be familiar with.

"Is there something you're not telling me? If so, how can I see my new world?" Her voice rises and a hand lifts to gesture in the air, accenting each word, "Running for President. I can understand that. In.. in.. in your own way, you actually care about your fellow man. Sure. I don't mind keeping an eye on Stark Industries. But then you go and get married? To someone I've never met? How long have you known her? And then, you run off and do that without telling anyone and bring her back, thinking everything is amazing, awesome.. and she's going to be the next first lady? That's my world, Tony. My world has come crashing down, and I'm standing here looking at the pieces."

Pepper shakes her head, and turns to look out her view of Manhattan. "If that's not a complete version, I don't know what is, unless there are more secrets. And if there are, I'm not sure I can take it."

Tony Stark has posed:
"You met her," Tony says a little defensively, before adding a more hushed and less firm " ... once."

The revelation is hard on him and it shows. He'd reacted poorly when it was made clear Pepper couldn't be let in on the secret here, but he'd thought she'd understand. Thought she didn't care enough to do more than roll her eyes and breathe an exasperated sigh at another impulsive move from him.

He hadn't considered how destructive it would be. Or, if he had, he hadn't considered just how much it would make him hurt to know he was responsible for it.

"I can't say anything yet," he tells her, resisting the urge to close the distance between them, "There's something I need to ... be sure of, first. But there's more. Something that'll make it ... more bearable, if not better, okay?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
She met her? Pepper considers that for a second or three as she slowly shakes her head. "No, Tony, I think I would remember." She even remembers Phil Coulson's friends' names. "And if she meant anything, I know I would remember." For good or ill.

"Then don't tell me to calm down. I'm having a really hard time trusting what you say right now." Pepper isn't looking at him right now, not turning around to look at his face. "I'll figure out a way how to make this a little more bearable for me, thank you. I'm not sure if I want to know 'more'. Surprises with you aren't always fun."

Turning around, Pepper gestures towards the door. "Good night, Tony. I need to go home, too. Tomorrow is our first announcement for the STEM summer camp and I have to be ready for the media advertisements."

Tony Stark has posed:
That didn't go smoothly. For all the patting himself of the back he'd been doing after smoothing over the whole Genosha thing, this had kind of blindsided him. Unlike the Genosha thing, however, he knew he deserved this. It wasn't a case of being misunderstood or a joke falling flat. It was something wrong that was now eating him up.

Tony Stark doesn't often deal with guilt. He doesn't like it.

He climbs up off the desk when she says goodnight, getting back to his feet. He takes a tentative step towards her, lifting a hand halfway up. Then he thinks better of it, turning around and instead walking towards the door. He pauses as he opens it, glancing back over his shoulder towards her.

"Night, Pep."

Then he's gone. Out through the reception area, into his private elevator. Gone.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's jaw is set, and even with her red hair framing her face, she's //done//. She's managing to hold it together, but barely, allowing a sudden rush of anger to keep her from folding completely. She's silent as he climbs down, and raises her brows as he looks go consider approaching. Again, there is no word of warning, but it's more than plain.

As Tony files out, Pepper isn't too far behind him, closing the door behind her. It's when she turns around to look at the office that she allows the tears to start their path down.

"Good night, Tony," is murmured.