2103/Happy Birthday, Pepper

Happy Birthday, Pepper
Date of Scene:	14 June 2020
Location:	Stark Tower: Pepper's Office
Synopsis:	Pepper is given a birthday gift.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

---

Tony Stark has posed:
There's an interesting addition to Pepper's office; a large box has been placed (on top of everything) on her desk. It's long, like a clothing box: which promises that it, at least, isn't a mixed tape. The wrapping paper was definitely chosen by one of the interns: in fact, Pepper will probably recognize it from all the items she's been required to wrap over the years... it's part of the stock.

Even so, it /is/ there, and it does have a cheery blue bow on it, and a card. 'Pepper' is also in the intern's handwriting, so this really could be hit or miss...

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's always ready to start the day, for the most part. Today was a little slower of a start, looking at herself in the mirror, looking to see if there was any real discernable difference between yesterday and today.

Nope. None found, anyway.

So, dressed to work in the office, even if it's something of a 'dress down' day, as it is the weekend finds Pepper in a pair of jeans, flat sneakers and a nice shirt, layered with a jacket. (All Janet's collection of course!)

Once she opens her office and begins to cross the threshold, green eyes fall on the box on the desk, across the room. Slowing her pace and closing the door behind her with an off-hand, she stands there for a long moment before a ghost of a smile creeps to her face. She's on the move again, setting her things down on the chairs that sit on the 'visitor' side of the desk, and looks at the wrapped box, running a hand over it. "Okay.." is said aloud, "Homer? Who broke into my office last night?" She takes an amused tone, her brows raised. "I know this wrapping job." She has assistants as well!

Tony Stark has posed:
The AI is ready with answers. "Your assistant Gregory Martin was borrowed by Mr. Stark to wrap this gift for you and to deliver it, Ms. Potts," the AI says serenely.

"I am able to assure you with complete confidence that it is not dangerous in any manner." At least, not in a physical, direct sense. How Pepper may take Tony's idea of a gift could be a hit or a miss.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper is watching the box, and at the comment regarding whether or not it was 'dangerous' actually gets a laugh out of the woman. "I didn't think it would be. But thank you for the thought."

Following the edge of the desk so she's standing behind it, her back to the large glass window overlooking the city, Pepper pulls the box slightly towards her before she considers, "Homer? Where is Mr. Stark now?" Her attention is on the box, and the only way to keep herself from tearing into it immediately is to sit down in her desk chair.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Mr. Stark is working in his private lab," Homer reports immediately, as is often the ease with which the AI pulls such information. The AI is extremely aware of many things, and there's no barrier to telling her that particular nugget.

"Would you like to convey any message? He does not appear to be working with something that would explode if interrupted." Although Tony sometimes is not responsive if he's in the middle of a brainstorm...

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No, not yet, thank you." Pepper sounds a little disappointed in her reply, but it's fine! Really!

Rising again, green eyes light on the card, written in her assistant's hand, though obviously at the behest of Tony. Her assistants don't call her 'Pepper'.

Peeling it up from the front of the box, Pepper runs and experienced hand to unstick any glue that might have closed it, or tape, and pulls the card from its envelope. Taking a deep breath, she looks at it before opening it to read, looking for the familiar hand.

Tony Stark has posed:
The note is Tony's penmenship. It's probably easy enough to think of how it must have gone: Tony throwing the note at the poor intern that had barely spoken to the CEO, requiring him to put it in an envelope, to wrap the gift...

It's a wonder the tape is on straight. It is. The kid may have made a few attempts to get it perfect.

"I know you already may have given yourself something from me," begins the cheeky note, "But after you've opened those, open this one. - Tony."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper holds the card up, standing straight, and can't help but laugh, the sound echoing briefly in the quiet office. It was completely easy to see what had probably transpired. Pepper looks at the envelope again; shakey hand. Poor kid barely manages to stammer out a 'Miss Potts', much less write 'Pepper', a name that is so 'familiar'?

"Okay, okay," is murmured. "I'll spend that bonus on something else, then." Bonus? What?

Setting the card aside, Pepper turns her attention to the long box, and begins the unwrapping. She tears here, pulls at the tape and paper there, revealing the box. Once done, she sets the wrapping paper aside in a bundle, and takes a deep breath, again murmuring, "Nothing dangerous, right?"

As if?

Tugging at the edges, the box lid is revealed, and there?

Tony Stark has posed:
It's obviously clothing; there's white tissue inside that doesn't mask that the color of the item is some kind of silvery blue. The tissue lifted away will reveal a few things.

First, Tony not only /saw/ what she'd worn to his birthday Yacht, but....

Second, Tony /remembered/ it.

This dress is similar to that one, though the color is quite different, and the fabric itself is lighter, more ethereal. It is a shifting-color fabric between silver and a powdery, snow-filled sky blue-gray. It's layered in near-transparent silks, with a low back, and a petite upper bodice that ties at the neck. The lower pieces are long and fluttery. It's appropriate for some sort of expensive outing or party.

It comes with no other apparent explanations.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Tissue paper that covers... and Pepper takes a softly audible breath in.. and promptly forgets to breathe after. It takes a heartbeat, two, three before she remembers, and reaching for the dress, exhales as it's lifted from its box.

"Oh.. Tony.." is breathed.

It's more than even those things.. he'd remembered her birthday, remembered the dress, and.. when Pepper places it against her, he'd actually looked to find out what size she wore!

Her face is pinked, flush with that almost giddiness that's washed over. She looks it over at arm's length, sets it against her again long enough to take a quick spin to see how it might fall when worn before she lays it gently across the box.

She can't find it in herself to sit down again, so she works the intercom while leaning over her desk, "Tony?" Beat. "Tony?"

Tony Stark has posed:
Technically, Tony had help -- he had a reminder about her birthday, and he was able to find out her size from the AI, and so forth.

But he did /act/ on those sets of information. And he did choose the item. It isn't like he got her a STARK brand toaster or gift basket of select fruits.

"One moment, please, Ms Potts," Homer requests. "Mister Stark has ear protection on. I will flash visuals for his attention for you."

It takes about two minutes. "Hey Pep; Happy Birthday," Tony's voice comes through the intercom, relaxed.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper finally sits down and moves the box and dress over a little, her hand out and touching the soft, silky fabric as it drapes over the edge of the desk. She waits, a little impatiently perhaps, before the call connects, and the smile can undoubtedly be heard in her tones,

"Hey, you," Pepper begins warmly. "I got your present." There's a pause before, she finds words again, and they just don't seem enough to encompass all her thoughts, but, "Thank you."

She cants her head, that smile still playing on her face, "How about some breakfast? I could make something, or could order out... I'm assuming you haven't eaten." Beat. "Or slept."

Tony Stark has posed:
"Which? The --- ah, great," Tony replies. He had had his brain in his project, so it did take a moment to orient exactly to the topic at hand. He's fast, though, and picked it up. "Wasn't wrapped in duct tape and toilet paper, I hope? I realize my instructions may have been a little much for that poor kid," Tony laughs, sounding less distracted as he devotes more attention to their conversation.

"Oh, I had an accidental nap in here, which means a shower is in order before..." Tony pauses, there's a breathy intake to suggest a yawn... "Before breakfast. But I could eat. Your birthday, your choice."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper laughs again at the image; the box wrapped in duct tape and toilet paper? "No, no.. not at all. I did recognize the paper, though. I've used it before for corporate gifts. The more personal ones, I just buy a bag." There's that pause before, "Thank you for not shoving it into a gift bag." She can't seem to get that smile off of her face, or out of her tones.

"I think," she begins again, "I'll make something. If you're in need of a shower, I won't subject your adoring public to that." She pauses, leaning back in her seat, the fabric passing through her fingers again before, "Pancakes? I can't compete with Thor's waffles. Blueberries, whipped cream?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"Nobody's asking you to compete with Thor's waffles," Tony assures evenly; she may even be able to see his hand waving the idea away in her mind's eye, even if he's talking through the intercom. Years of familiarity with certain tones, phrases...

"I'm at a stopping point, so I'll turn this train towards that shower. I expect an overwhelming amount of blueberries, mind you," Tony warns.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Pancakes." Pepper starts to move again, rising from her seat. The sound of the tissue paper can probably be heard over the intercom as she lifts the dress once again in order to hang it up. It shouldn't go back in!

"Lots of blueberries," Pepper agrees. "Promise."

Once she's got the dress hanging up, Pepper closes the connection before she has the lights turn off again, and closes the door behind her on her path up to the Penthouse.

After that present? Tony deserves a warm pancake breakfast, at the very least! With all the blueberries.