18236/Unwinding at Cafe Lalo

Unwinding at Cafe Lalo
Date of Scene:	08 June 2024
Location:	Cafe Lalo
Synopsis:	Post charity fundraiser, a group of old friends get together at a cafe for a moment of companionship, good coffee, and lava cake
Cast of Characters:	Carol Danvers, Natasha Romanoff, Pepper Potts, James Rhodes

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Carol Danvers has posed:
The evening air is brisk, but the atmosphere of Cafe Lalo is warm and inviting. Located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, the charming cafe, with its unique European design and floor-to-ceiling French windows, is filled with the scent of freshly brewed coffee and an array of tantalizing desserts.

Tonight's fundraiser had been held at the elegant Metropolitan Pavilion, an upscale venue not far away that was perfect for the "Heroes' Haven" charity event that was focused on helping families recover from the aftermath of superhero battles. When Pepper invited her to speak, Carol could hardly say no.

While Pepper hosted the event with her usual grace and poise, Carol had spent the evening mingling with donors and sharing stories. The event was casual chic, allowing for a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere, and Carol had worn a navy blue pants suit with a red blouse -- colors that harkened back to her regular uniform, but were more appropriate for a social evening.

But that was then.

Now, as she steps into Cafe Lalo, Carol blows out a breath. The fundraiser had been a success, but the weight of the stories shared and the sheer volume of interactions had left her craving a quieter setting.

Soft, live music that softly plays in the background. The musicians, a small jazz trio, add a soothing layer to the already pleasant environment, and even in the first few seconds, the cafe's genial ambiance already feels like a balm to her busy mind.

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha's here over on observation duties. Often these kind of functions will be used for a level of laundering - sometimes groups will get a bit sloppy and let the exchanges be directly observed. They can be charitable after all. So, her silent stalking operation done, Natasha Romanova has come out of the shadows to join her fellow Avenger sometime late in the evening.

A few bruises going along her face, but otherwise she was relatively casual about it. The bruises would fade in a few hours after all. "I take it that you enjoyed yourself?" She would speak over to Carol over while sweeping the area. Natasha didn't have an off switch. So she would move to, if permitted, take a seat if Carol would gesture for her to do so.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Rousing success. The audience was receptive in the proper places, giving Carol the warm welcome and greeting that she knew she'd receive and absolutely deserve. Each in their turn had been touched by the stories, by the outpouring of not only money but resources. Clean water, food items, clothing and dignity has always been the underscore of the charity. Housing, and helping those find some sort of recovery from incidents they had no control over.

Long evening, though pepper is used to the scene. Smile, wave, laugh at all the right places for those with deep pockets, and share her own brief stories, but always those already in the public eye. Every time, however, those listening come away thinking they know Tony Stark a little bit better than others. That there is 'inside information'.

Never.

Pepper is now settled in the Cafe, finally taking that breather that they all deserve. She nods at the waitress as she brigs the tea, and smiles across the table. It's the redhead that gestures at a seat, a soft amused tone underscoring her words, "Please Natasha. Sit down and join us. At least for tea. The tiramisu is amazing here, and light. They have a version of it in lemon."

She turns her attention to Carol, the smile settling in, warm and genuine, "Thank you for coming out tonight. Sometimes I think they get a little bored of hearing me talk. Every time I'm there, they're always wondering if Tony is going to show up as a surprise."

James Rhodes has posed:
For the most part there are any number of advantages that come with leaving service in the military for life in the private sector. And while it has been something of an adjustment for the one time Colonel, James Rhodes, he probably wouldn't change that particular fact.

Most of the time.

In their own way Tony and Pepper are almost like part of his family. The work that he does as Head of Security at Stark Industries certainly carries with it a meaning and purpose that isn't all that different from service in the military.

And lets face it -- the pay is a hell of a lot better.

But there are a few down sides too. And one of those would be regular events. The cause is definitely a good one, at least that is something that Rhodey reminds himself of. Frequnetly. Every five minutes or so as he makes small talk with all sorts of people. Some interesting. A lot... not so much.

Still, the fund raiser was an undeniable success -- that is something that they can definitely hang their hats on, and no Rhodey cuts his way through the crowd at the club, peering past those who populate the popular cafe, looking for a few familiar faces in particular.

Carol Danvers has posed:
"It was a nice change of pace," Carol answers Natasha with a measured smile. In these moments, moments where the public was 'around' but she wasn't facing them directly, her demeanor had been reserved ever since the news about Steve Rogers. While she might not have shut herself away in grief, the loss made every light felt a little less bright, every sound a little less pure.

She was handling it in her own way. And in many ways, that meant facing the public as much as possible -- putting on the plastic smile and making sure that everyone knew the Avengers and others were still there, still protecting the planet. No one needed to get the idea that they were weakened by the loss, even if it was true.

Pepper had already made the offer for Nat to join them, so Carol's attention turns just past her to Rhodey's approaching form. She raises a hand to catch his attention and waves him over, then places a boot on a chair to slide it out for him when he gets a little closer.

Until he does, though, she looks back over to Pepper and Nat.

Almost comically, she sits up a little straighter and places a hand on the table, looking around her and then back to Pepper. "Wait, is he coming _here_?"

The smile is tired, though, and the humor is brief but present -- one in a long line of attempts to break the tension she felt like a constant pressure these days.

"I was happy to. Really. I should probably agree to more..." Even if she didn't really want to, deep down. She wasn't built to be a politician, and the only advocacy she was really _good_ at involved advocating for people to surrender before they messed around and found out.

"How are you both doing?" After Steve. She doesn't say it.

She does look back to Rhodey's approach, though, with a cocky little smile.

"Rhodey. Glad you could join us."

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova would turn to Pepper and give a half smile, going to join the group and taking a chair with the rest of them. "For a good cause." She would muse over while reviewing data in her mind for where the funds were going. Where they were coming from. WHo was on who's arm. Who was talking and about what topic. Events like these were a place where the spy gathered information. Even from mere observation. Always small things that might be useful down the line to follow up on.

"I'll take your recommendation then." As James goes to join them, he's given a full smile. "Good to have you with us. I trust that Stark's helped keep you on alert?" She would speak to Rhodey. Natasha was not relaxed tonight. Her posturing wasn't tense, but she was still sweeping the area passively.

Stephen's death and Bucky going to ground had put her back to old habits. Habits where paranoia was kept delicately hidden over with small social graces.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Rhodey's presence and appearance at the cafe after the event goes a long way in making sure Pepper feels safe and secure, now that she's more in the public eye than ever. Even better, it's a bond of friendship, but yes, the pay ain't bad! Before, she was a question mark on Tony's arm, and now she's a woman to be reckoned with. A force of her own that runs one of the most powerful corporations in the world. That's gotta smart for some...

Pepper's smile brightens, her freckles showing plainly on her cheeks. "I ordered your coffee," she begins, "and the lava cake." Just in case.

"You really did do a good job, and I'm not just saying it," Pepper reassures Carol. "You were definitely a draw, and-" She pauses theatrically at the question, and deadpans with no little humor, "No, no he isn't. I'm pretty sure, anyway."

There, though, the question of the day. The elephant in the room that wants to sit and have tea with them all. "I," and she finds her way through the myriad of emotions, "I wish there was something that could be done. It doesn't really feel real, and all I can do is try and support Tony," and, well, Rhodey.

Natasha's joining them all has Pepper feeling a little bit better; obviously standing guard makes her feel like the Russian is less a .. friend? Teammate?

James Rhodes has posed:
Fortunately it isn't exactly difficult to pick out the people he's looking for out of the crowd, even with it being somewhat on the busier side. But then they are a pretty distinctive group.

Still, it helps considerably when someone is keeping an eye out and he spokes Carol's efforts to catch him, his course through the cafe altering every so slightly as he heads over towards their chosen table instead, edging past a departing couple and a few chairs that are a little too tightly packed. Any offense that might be given when he inadvertantly knocks a chair is quickly forgiven when he murmurs an apology.

Or possibly before. He doesn't look like someone you want to make a fuss with,

Sidling up to the table at last, Rhodey flashes a nod to each of them, a brief smile lighting on his features as he sinks into the chair so helpfully kicked out for him, pulling it a little closer. "Evening ladies. It looked like the fundraiser went well," he offers up quietly.

He won't say it was a productive evening -- at least for him -- but hopefully it will do a lot of good in the long run.

Did Tony ask him to be here? To make sure that someone was watching out for Pepper? Maybe, though if so, considering her other ocmpanions that was a little unnecessary. But then he probably would have been here regardless. So he flashes his, well, his boss -- and friend -- another brief smile. "Get out of my head," he says at the mention of the lava cake. "Or on second thought..."

Then again, maybe a little bit of a pall hangs over everything these days, with Cap's death, with the resulting anger and sadness. The somewhat extreme lengths that one of their own is apparently going to, to hunt down anyone and everyone who might be even a little responsible.

It's not pretty.

A part of Rhodey understands of course. How would he react if it had been Tony?

But there is a... professionalism to him. And a realization that whatever Bucky might be feeling, what he is doing doesn't exactly honor the legacy of his friend.

His features grow solemn and he dips his head slightly, leaning back in his seat, lips pursed in consideration. "It's a hard thing," he says quietly.

Is there just a trace of guilt, of regret in his voice?

When Steve Rogers was dying, Tony, him and others were across town, delaing with the aftermath on the raid of the terrorist base where they acquired the intel that ultimately sent America's most iconic soldier to his final rest. Intellectually of course Rhodey knows that there was nothing he could have done.

But the head and heart are not always in alignment.

Carol Danvers has posed:
Carol Danvers may be many things, but being a dedicated bodyguard is not her full time job. And while she might literally move heaven and Earth to keep her friends safe, it's still comforting, even to her, to have Rhodey and Natasha present -- Rhodey, especially, if he's on specific guard duty. That means someone will be there for Pepper, even if she needs to take off.

"Thank you."

Hand to heart, a little bow of her head to Pepper, Carol's smile lingers. It was so easy skip over these little moments of camaraderie when everything was hectic -- to change in the bathroom of the venue and then fly off to the next thing instead of taking the time to meet with friends, have a cup of coffee, ground yourself a little.

"It doesn't." Feel real, echoing Pepper's sentiment. "Will you let me know if there's something he needs? Even if it's a tussle in the proving grounds with one of his new models? Sometimes it helps to blow off some steam."

She might not have raw amount of the testosterone pumping through her veins, but even she sometimes just needed to blow some shit up when she was working through things.

There's a little pause, a roll of her shoulder, and a small, knowing smile. "Tell him it's for me, if you think he needs it."

There's another pause, then, as Carol's attention turns to Rhodey. And for a few seconds she's quiet. Considering. Sizing him up like she's looking through him.

"What about you, Rhodey?"

It's not a joke. The smile is gone. It's just a serious offer, laid on the table. One veteran to another.

"You want to go a couple of rounds at the test range?"

Natasha Romanoff has posed:
Natasha Romanova has had many a discussion as to what Bucky has been up to. A discussion that had ended with her ultimately agreeing to not share anything more with him. But also her not trying to stop him or share what she had given with him. If they wanted to talk him down.. It was on thier end. Natasha had her own way of dealing with things, and her own perspectives that had become warped over time. There was no such thing as emotional resolution, only further means of burying it. Of using it over to hone one's focus, hammering down with the rage to make a core over it.

"We all have much to be doing." IS what she finally says as she sits with the others thoughtfully. And then she goes to sweep the area once more, looking for threats.. And then even before the drinks come, something has gotten her attention. "Do forgive me, I have to get going." The woman is standing up, going to depart with a quick nod to the others as she would walk out the back door.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Of //course// it's lava cake! It's the little things that Pepper prides herself on, and one of those is tracking those self-same little things that just make life just that much better. It's the personal touch, really. Money can buy a great deal, but real frienship? A recollection of what made a friend laugh only a day ago? A week ago?

"You're welcome," is returned with that warm tone that hangs underneath. "We'll just go jogging tomorrow morning, too." Because she, too, will be having dessert!

Carol's ideas, that brings Pepper's attention around, and she narrows her eyes consideringly before, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Carol." There comes a hint of relaxation around her shoulders as she leans forward to take her tea in hand. "I'll let you know what I tell him if he comes knocking on your door." Or, well, flying outside a window. Or taunting her over the Avengers' com.. which is probably the most likely of scenarios. At the question posed to her friend, Pepper is more than supportive there. Of course, the two men could probably fly over the Atlantic and have at it.. but that would be leaving Carol out, and undoubtedly she'd want a little bit of that too! "And you too, Carol."

Natasha's manner and mien screams that there is no relaxing; not tonight. And perhaps not for some time to come. "I'm sorry, Natasha."

James Rhodes has posed:
Caffeine does not really effect him to any great extent. Both to the good and the bad. Which means that Rhodey doesn't have to hesitate to reach for one of those cups of coffee despite the hour. While not terribly late yet, the former Colonel James Rhodes does tend to stick to a lot of his habits from his prior life. Which includes an early to bed, early to rise mindset unless there is some sort of emergency that dictates otherwise.

Which, admittedly, there usually are. In that respect turning in the stripes for a suit and tie -- or, you know, a multi-million dollar suit of flying armor -- has done nothing to change any of that. Which is probably a good thing.

In many ways Rhodey is made for being in the thick of things. To keeping a cool head and dealing with the situation, no matter how high pressured or critical the stakes.

He would probably be terribly bored, living a 'normal' life.

As Natasha absents herself, the former pilot dips his head her way. "Good to see you Nat," is all he says quietly. It is a reminder that some people out there still have a rougher schedule then even him.

Then his attention is back at the table at the pair that remains. He is not exactly shy about claiming that molten little cake full of melted fudge -- everyone is entitled to a few indulgances -- and that spoon slices through that hot, outer layer with ease, though he does at least give pause before lifting it to his mouth.

"You got it Pep," he agrees with another of those brief grins -- a blink and you'll miss it sort of expression that he seems so good at. "One of these mornings I imagine you'll even be able to beat me," he says lowly, just a little friendly teasing between people who know one another well.

Of course Carol's suggestion -- offer really -- has him nodding as well. Sparring with Tony is great and all. Helping the man develop the next geneeration of these armor sets. But there is a certain appeal in mixing it up, in putting himself up against a fellow graduate of the military life. A fellow pilot. The outlook is different, the tactics are different.

And he is also well aware how much Pepper would like to get more practice with her newest accessory as well.

"Sounds like an excellent idea. You can't get enough practice," he asserts with another of those brief smiles. "Name the time and place, and I'm sure I can fit it into the schedule," he says, flashing a look Pepper's way. "I'm sure both of us can" he adds, brow arching as he glances her way.

Then the man settles back in, to finish that lava cake and coffee. To take a brief break to do something at least a little mundane. And just enjoy the company of the people he's with.