2498/Not a couple

Not a couple
Date of Scene:	17 July 2020
Location:	Stark Tower: Pepper's Office
Synopsis:	Amanda meets the (in)famous Tony Stark and gets to put her hands on him
Cast of Characters:	Pepper Potts, Amanda Sefton, Tony Stark

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Pepper Potts has posed:
There's always 'just one more thing'. Always. Whether it's paperwork that needs to be moved, or a phonecall from the office, or a USB that needs to be pulled in order to transfer files, there is always that 'one more thing'.

Of //course// that is the case again this afternoon. Late lunch, early dinner is promised to a friend, a dear friend, and at the moment, a roommate of Pepper's, and with the added perk of having 'the car', complete with driver to get the ladies there. True to form, of course, an alarm, a reminder message comes up on her phone, and one would almost think that a swear came from the PA.

Nope.. not this time.

Still, she looks an apology to Amanda, and leans forward to the driver, "Swing by the Tower, please?" before she leans back again, and apologizes for real. "I'm sorry. I forgot. I just have to send a document before five, so we'll only be a few minutes. You can come up to the office with me."

The lobby looks like it's seen better days, for want of a better description. It looks like that 'terrorist cell' did a number on it. The floors are clean, though. Spotless. Pepper's heels *click*click* across the marble floor towards a personal elevator, and when it *dings* open, she holds it for Amanda to enter first before she's follows.

"12th Floor, please."

Immediately, the elevator begins to hum, making it to the desired floor in a quick, comfortable ride, and as the door *dings* again, it opens, showing off the steel and concrete decor of the exterior of Pepper's office.

"HOMER, pull up my files on Exeter, please?" Pepper doesn't even have to look up at the ceiling anymore; she's so used to having an AI around. "And tell Mr. Stark that Coulter is going to be waiting for the updated plans so he can submit the permits. Zoning is waiting for them so they can be expedited."

"Yes, Ms. Potts."

Turning around to Amanda, there's no little pride in the location, and she touches her door, revealing the office within. "My home away from home." She can't help but laugh soon after as she gestures towards the furniture, "The couches are comfortable."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda more amused than fussed at Pepper's detour. She's learned since coming to NYC never to count on her friend's full attention -- sad, perhaps, but true. Pepper is married to her work and while she really does try to make time for her friends... Stark Industries is a lifestyle, not just a fulltime job.

She follows the PA up to her swank 12th floor office and shoots Pepper a grin as the redhead shows off her digs. "Is one of them a pullout?" Because it's not like Pepper's bedroom sees much more than a passing breeze as she hurries in and out for a change of clothes.

Nevertheless, Amanda walks about a third of the way in and takes her time surveying the space. "It's nice, Gin," she says, using the name she's more familiar with. "Really nice."

Yes, she's suitably impressed.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The office certainly is spacious, and the view outside her window is more of the Stark Industries campuses. And beyond, the water. Not the best view in the city, but CEOs would kill for an office this size in a business tower, much less the vaunted secretaries when floorspace is at a premium. Pepper laughs in response to the question and puts a finger to her lips and nods. "Many a night, actually," she begins ruefully. "Special meetings, emergency conferences. We're one of the first called during an emergency." She presses her lips together in that .. smile. Fun-fun! "We're considered 'stakeholders'."

She crosses the room to open the glass door that leads directly to her office, holding it open behind her in case Amanda wants to follow. "I swear I won't be long. Not if Homer's got the correct file."

Once she's nearer her desk, Pepper looks back at her friend and looks pleased, and proud. "Thanks. I kinda like it." Beat. "Most days."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda moves after Pepper, somewhat reluctant to stay on her own in any room at Stark Tower when she's only a first time visitor. "Most days," she echoes, laying a hand on the door so Pepper can move on to her desk and attend to her task. She then steps more fully into the room, towards the windows, looking out over the city arrayed below.

"How often do you take time to appreciate the view?" she asks, a bit of a dance in her eyes, "Or are you too busy to remember to look?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper grins and nods, green eyes gleaming in the humor of her words, "Most days. Other days?" She shrugs as she comes behind her desk, pulling out her chair so she can get to her computer. Amanda's right; she's never got her full attention on anything when part of it has to do with work.

"Hmmm?" Pepper looks up briefly, and looks a touch embarrassed. "The view?" She points to the glass in front of her, "On a good day, that glass is reflective, and I get to see a blue sky." She's kidding... mostly. "I actually don't activate the blinds, so I actually get to see all the weather." Pepper reaches to the side of her desk to grab a USB and studies it briefly before setting it into one of the slots on her computer. "Do I turn around and look?" She shakes her head. "No. I guess I'm just too used to the view? Spoiled, I think."

There's the moment when Pepper is sucked into watching the screen before, "Homer? Is this all of Exeter? I thought there was more."

"No, Miss Potts. This was all that could be located on the system."

There's a moment when Pepper looks up at Amanda and exhales, her expression turning considering. "Okay.. no. I promised." She focuses on the here and now, and her gaze comes back from the middle distance. "After we eat, I'll make sure we drop you off home first. I have to figure out where these files went, because I know I had more to it."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Yep. Spoiled. Amanda chuckles softly. She's not particularly... and yet she is somewhat... surprised at Pepper's reaction. She's becoming accustomed to it, but it's a lifestyle that's very different from their ramen noodles and cheap wine of days gone by. "Definitely spoiled," she tells her friend. "Remember Chompsky's back wall? The tattered brick?" The most interesting thing about it was how the owner had chosen to immortalize some scars in the brick from the bombings in WW2.

That lasted right up until a monster stomped it flat a couple of years after Pepper returned to the States.

She nods as Pepper makes her choice. "Not a problem," she says. "Really? I need to get back to the Festival, anyway. Those bloody goblins just about ruined everything. I got damned lucky there were people there who could help me contain it before it got out of hand." Even luckier that civilian casualties were so few... and her magic was sufficient to mitigate the worst of it.

Tony Stark has posed:
The door opens /while/ it is knocked on; the sound comes at the same time that the arrival is already making his way inside. Tony Stark can be a force when he enters a room: he tends teo draw attention right to him, with his presence. And he expects it, this quality of having all eyes on him - and more, is energized by it. He doesn't enter with any surprise of finding Amanda there: he clearly knew.

Tony just came in anyway, regardless of it.

"Hi," Tony says brightly, comfortably, with a smile of natural, showy charisma. "Don't mind me; carry on," he instructs, with a flippant gesture of right hand. Tony's other hand is in a sleek black arm sling, and he has other marks of injury: scratches and healing bruises on his left temple and a little bit on his neck.

Tony is dressed immaculately, as if he were going to an award ceremony, though his silver-white tie is loose around his collar - easily explained by being one-handed, but his hair is styled well, goatee perfectly trimmed: an update from the in-pain disaster of scruff Pepper's gotten used to in the medical room of the Avengers base.

Tony proceeds to come around Pepper's desk, and dig in one of the drawers, after nudging Pepper's leg out of the way with a poke.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"If you need help with anything, like the pre-" Pepper begins before the door opens, and the one and only Tony Stark enters, stage right. She pauses half-way through her thought, her mouth still open before she closes it again, and looks at Amanda. Her expression is brighter; she has that look of amusement, the 'what now?' of the infinitely patient, and as he sweeps up, she exhales softly and puts her hand up as she watches his progress.

From the look of it, there's no time right at the moment to introduce the two; instead, Pepper looks back at her boss and opens a drawer in her desk, "It's in there," is instructed.

Even as she's offering up.. something, Pepper is giving Tony a slightly more than cursory look, and her brows crease. "Wait.. wait. You're going in that." It's a statement with a question. "Your tie, your collar. What? Did you have one of the robots help you with that?" It's a fuss without being a fuss.

She glances back at Amanda and exhales; this apparently appears to be 'the usual'.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda steps back reflexively when Tony invades the space. True, it's a big office. And, technically, Tony owns it. But, when the man steps in, Amanda can feel the energy in the room fairly explode. And, as a performer, she finds it very much akin to the curtain going up on opening night. Automatically, she responds, her spine lengthening and poise immediately rising to reflect the years of stage training she's had. She can't help it. It's now innate.

But, it's the look on Pepper's face, followed by the casual interaction between the pair that truly captures her attention. She's known men to treat her as familiarly as Tony treats his PA. Of course, she was sleeping with them at the time...

Her brows crease. Her lips press tightly together, mouth pulling wryly to one side as she bites hard on the inside of her cheek... and watches. She doesn't even respond to Pepper's offer. Perhaps she'll have the opportunity at dinner.

If they actually make it out to dinner.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Going forward, I'm thinking of instituting a rule that we keep the most delicious snacks in /my/ desk," Tony teases Pepper automatically, and shoots a look towards Amanda with raised eyebrows and an intelligent, playful sparkle, seeking her support as if they'd not JUST met. This is Tony's 'magical' way of somehow getting others relaxed and going along with him: his laid-back teasing quality. He's not gotten so far on his brains alone: this is the other half of Tony. The companionable quality that gets boards and CEOs to just agree with him - and feel good about doing so.

"I have more important items on my agenda related to world-saving, a tie-tying robot has not been a priority. Besides, I have you to fix it," Tony answers, turning to face Pepper, while holding the treasure he has since found: it looks like some sort of special dried apricots. Tony came in to get a favored snack. He is already opening it, with reasonable skill one-handed.

The turning and facing of Pepper comes with an expectant quality to it; they do this all the time, this little dance. Tony gets checked over by Pepper: that's just a thing, often while he's doing something else, such as opening apricots. It's comfortable and normal.

Tony pauses, and extends the apricots towards Amanda, with a silent question in dark eyes. She's welcome to grab one. "I'll be out of your hair in a minute." It's not an apology: Tony's shameless. It's coming from a more elusive emotion - that he does have some little bit of awareness of stealing Pepper's attention from Amanda for a bit.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No," Pepper responds naturally. "If we did, we'd be buying them in bulk. I'll put some down in the lab so you will at least have something to eat, but that's as far as I'll go." She can't help but have that affectionate, patient smile, her head is quirked slightly as she watches him.

It's the presenting of himself that really does seem so genuine, so practiced. It's a dance they've obviously done over and over in the last 8 years. "Mmmhmm.. Right. You have me." A statement. "This is one of my best friends from college, Tony," almost sounds like a warning! "Remember? I told you about her. Amanda."

Practiced fingers work the collar, pulling it out and straightening it. She's in close proximity, and green eyes are looking at brown ones as she moves to fixing the tie. It's as she finishes with the tie that she steps away out of his personal space for the finishing of the introduction, "Amanda, this is my boss. Tony Stark." There's a pause and her hands drop to the desk with a touch of a shrug, "As if you didn't know that."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda chuckles softly at Tony's snack suggestion, the sound low in her throat. She holds up a hand, however, politely refusing the apricot. "No, but thank you," she says, allowing her own eyes to sparkle warmly and her smile to grow. She's just being friendly. Honest.

"Don't rush on my account." Because, you know, Pepper didn't tell her there would be a show with dinner, tonight.

She lets her brows rise and fall above those dancing eyes in acknowledgement of Pepper's introduction. "Mmm," she says dryly. "I picked up on that, yes." Now she turns to Tony a little more directly, warm and polite. "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Stark."

Tony Stark has posed:
"'Tony', please, Amanda." Not Mr. Stark. It's with a friendly smile.

"While we're on obvious statements, this is Pepper Potts," Tony introduces Pepper to Amanda with a playful cheekiness, giving Pepper a sleek little side-eye and growing half-smirk of rogue quality. "I heard she might go by other names, but she's Pepper around here." Tony sometimes pays attention out of the blue, and the tip off about Amanda being a college friend brought that forward. Those small things that do show he cares. Even if he can't remember if Strawberry is a favorite or an allergy -- he does remember strawberries are a THING.

Tony puts the apricot container into his left hand despite the sling, to hold it there a little awkwardly while he has a few.

"Great, I pass muster?" Tony asks of Pepper after she's done fixing his neck and tie, asking through the chewing of the yummy fruit. "Alright, I've got pictures to take, photographers to entertain. See you tonight," Tony bids towards Pepper distractedly.

"See if you can get her to take a break from work today, would you?" Tony adds to Amanda with a 'yes I dared' flare of eyes at Pepper, before, with a wave, Tony swans his way on out.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"No, we're rushing. He's due to his shoot in-"

Pepper looks at her watch even as Tony begins the re-introductions. "Pepper, right..." and she bounces her head in a nod with good humor. "And you look great. Now, this is your 'most eliglble', right? I don't recall getting the phone call for 'sexiest man' yet." Uh huh. "You look fine. And tonight-" is the Gala.

When Tony heads out, Pepper is actually watching as he exits, and doesn't turn to face her friend again until after the door closes. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry you had to see that," she begins to apologize. "That's just.. that's just Tony." Beat. "Now.. you know? I think I have enough with Exeter."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda inclines her head graciously to Tony as he addresses her. "Indeed. We've met. *Pepper* and I. I wish I'd heard that name sooner..." Mainly because they'd have ribbed the mickey outta her down at the pub.

She watches him blow out the room quickly thereafter -- as quickly as he blew in. Once he's gone, and clearly out of earshot, she dissolves into a fit of snickering giggles that takes her several moments to rein in... all while Pepper muses over the remains of Exeter.

Wiping the outer corners of her eyes with fingertips, she waves Pepper's concern away. "Oh, nonono. That's fine. He's fine. You're both fine..." And she sputters again, snickering. "Bollocks. I haven't seen a more adorable couple in *years*... Remember Becca and Aaron?"

She clears her throat. Reins it in again. Mrfls another moment. And finally wipes her hand down her face in that classic happy-clown/sad-clown movement to restore some pretence of sobriety to her features.

It lasts a few moments, until a wry little twist tugs at her lips and she just lets her shoulders relax into a far more typical presentation. "You know," she says to Pepper, "I could probably heal him. If you want. If you think it's important. It wouldn't take much."

It probably wouldn't even do more than require an extra watering of any plants in the vacinity so they don't wilt from the life energy drain.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper can't help but laugh as her friend dissolves in a fit of giggles, losing all concentration on the computer files. The two are like they're back in school, school chums once again, and she recovers well enough, though she's got some blush to her cheeks. "He gave me that nickname. Unfortunately, like most things, it stuck. -You-, other than my parents, were the last hold out. I don't know if I should feel betrayed or not."

She pulls the USB from the computer and closes her desk drawer. There's that moment when she stares before she opens her mouth to say something, closes it again, opens it.. and nothing comes out for a long moment before, "Me and Tony?" Her head is shaking and she's got that .. look, but there's not a whole lot she can say. Not when she brings up.. them. "Oh god, they were.. treacle. That was my first taste of treacle. Them." Pepper laughs at the memory. "Even when we'd all go out together, they managed to make the //four// of us feel like a third wheel. You, me, Tom and Jeremy." She remembers, and then.. "No."

Oooooon to another topic for the moment, and Pepper's clearing her throat in order to actually succeed at finding her voice again. It also gives her a moment to consider it, consider the possible reactions, and nods soon after as she comes back from around her desk. Perching on the corner, green eyes narrow, "I.. I think he might be okay with it, actually. The sling, though. It gets him more attention from his female fans. His popularity skyrockets."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda chuckles. "In other words, 'no chance in hell, Sefton'," she says. No, mustn't deprive the man of his adulation. That would never do.

Nevertheless, she has watched her friend deflect and bury her head in the sand once more. Very well. That's her choice. And, realistically, it's probably just as well, given Stark's reputation with women. It wouldn't do to have Ginny... that is *Pepper* tarred with the same brush. By no means. Gin's always been classier than that.

Though, considering some of the fellows each of them has been known to flirt with over the years...

Right. Moving on.

"Where was it we were going for dinner?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Not necessarily," Pepper puts a hand up. "I can't predict him, believe it or not. He doesn't always tell me everything." Quelle suprise? "I can ask, if you're willing." Pepper's head cants slightly as she looks at her friend. "Only if you're willing."

Pepper pushes off the desk corner and takes a couple of steps towards the center of the desk before she leans again. This time, she raises her face towards the upper back wall, "Homer? Ask Mr Stark if he'd like Ms Sefton to look at his arm, please? We're still in my office."

There's a moment of silence before the acknowledgment comes, "Yes, Ms Potts."

Once the response comes, Pepper lowers her regard and smiles tightly, "I miss Jarvis. The other AI that Tony had created. I'm still trying to get used to Homer. He's not bad. He tries, I'm sure."

She's trying not to be an ostrich, burying her head in the sand. There's just so many considerations. Boss. And Pepper is still trying to be sure she's unraveling the correct threads.

"Oh.. dinner is going to be in the Village. A little place on Bleeker. I've got reservations, but they understand if I'm late."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda rolls her hand in a 'sure, go ahead', gesture at Pepper's prompting. She wouldn't have offered, were she not willing. She cants her head, however, at the odd lament. "You make him sound quite human." 'He tries?' That said, it's not like she hasn't seen stranger.

"Bleeker," Amanda echoes. "Alright, then." She likes the Village, really. It's an eclectic place, and she likes that. Even if it does often prove that the Fates still have her on speed dial.

Damned godlings and their exisitential crises.

"Good thing they're understanding," she notes. A beat. "How often are you late?" Just out of curiosity.

Tony Stark has posed:
There's a little time before HOMER relays the information and gets the reply back.

"Ms. Potts, Mr. Stark has suggested that both you and Ms. Sefton visit the second floor on your way out; the photoshoot location is in the activity space. Mr. Stark is busy at this time. The scheduled photographer time block ends in approximately an hour, but he has indicated that they are still setting up: he is available should you come by."

That is probably a translation from Tony's 'Oh? Have them stop by on the way out.' HOMER is just more informational!

Tony Stark, available for his own healing. But that's normal: Tony's difficult to schedule time with.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper nods her affirmation, "Bleeker. And late?" There's a softly chuffed laugh as she considers, "For meetings? Never. Dinner? Almost always." That last bit is offered a tad bit ruefully, but as she gets the response, she nods her acknowledgment before, "Okay, meeting him downstairs. I got everything I'm going to get anyway."

Pepper takes the first steps away from her desk, ready to leave. There are standing orders for the lights to dim once she's gone. In fact, in the evening, on her floor, Homer tracks her progress, lighting and then dimming the lights as she passes.

"Maybe we'll make dinner." A glance at her watch leaves her frowning a touch, her brow furrowing. "I have a thing at the Met later tonight." A 'thing'... tickets go for $30,000 a piece, and Pepper calls it a 'thing'? "Or I may have to pass. And I swear, we'll work out the spin for your festival. I know people." See? She was actually paying attention!

The door to the office is opened, and Pepper keeps it open briefly for Amanda to walk through. "In fact, I know the perfect person for you."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda chuckles. Yeah, that sounds like the Pepper she's come to known. (Not Ginny. Pepper.) "I trust you," she says. If there's any doubt in her mind, she's not voicing it. As Pepper starts to retreat from the room, she follows, nodding to the change in topic.

"That would help," she concedes. "I mean, it was a crapshoot of a job to start -- the last event coordinator pulled out three weeks before the festival was due to start. But if I pull this off..." Well, it'll be a feather in her cap.

Just not a bloody red cap, thankyouverymuch.

Her head cants as they head back out to... well... wherever Tony is. "What person?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"Understood, Ms. Potts. I will let Mr. Stark know that you are on the way shortly." The AI is polite and calm as always, even as they talked about him not being as good as JARVIS.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"To help you spin the Festival, and give you some good PR for it," Pepper explains, "It'll take a certain guiding hand. Stefan is good."

Pepper reaches the elevator, the one that had brought them to the 12th floor. Holding the door open for her friend, she lets go the moment Amanda is inside. "I'll have him visit the site tonight, then have him call you in the morning?

"Thank you, Homer."

Once the door closes, and the elevator car descends, Pepper is lost to her own thoughts for a moment before, "I'm going to want to know your opinion of Tony when I get home tonight." //If// she actually makes it home at a reasonable hour. "Okay?" It's sounding a touch important to her, even if she is couching it in light conversation. "I know you'll be honest."

*ding*

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Oh, Amanda understood what Pepper was aiming for. She just wants to know: "Who's Stefan, then?" Still, she'll trust her friend. "I mean, I'm fine with it, but... he one of your PR wizards, then?" Best guess.

Her brows reced into her hairline when she's asked for her opinion of Tony... even if it is deferred until later. That gives rise to another burble of laughter she swallows quickly enough. But it lingers in her eyes. "Oh, absolutely," she promises. "Absolutely."

She waits for Pepper to step out, before following, off to meet the technology wizard.

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony's warm laugh bubbles out of the activity-oriented zone on floor 2, followed by laughs of the crew he's working with.

'Ballroom' isn't appropriate, although it has been a ballroom of sorts depending on the party. The room is between uses at the moment; the last time it was used was for a company-wide meeting, but the big sectional walls have since been moved, preparing for the next event for Stark Industries. The near end has a full photography studio set up in it, with large lights and background panels. Since it's Stark Industries, there are holograms involved, and the photographers are testing with them.

Tony spots Pepper and Amanda right away, and points to the side, beyond one of the walls, and heads over to meet them there, out of sight of the photographers that are playing with the tech. "Hi again; what's this about looking at my injury? Do you heal?" Tony asks, curiously, eyes moving from Pepper to Amanda with apparent interest... and analysis.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"He is, and he's one of the best," Pepper enthuses, her smile encouraging. She wants to help, and if this is the way she can? Then that's what she'll do! "And stop that." She can't help but laugh when her friend does.

The door to the elevator opens to the 2nd floor and just beyond, the set-ups for the photo shoot. Pepper steps off, and immediately can hear Tony's laughter, which rekindles the smile she'd had in the elevator, only it holds a certain type of warmth. So, locating him isn't a problem, and apparently neither is getting him pulled aside. As he approaches, she can't help but watch him, her smile remaining light, her tones low and conspiratorial so as not to allow for eavesdropping of anyone but Amanda, "She said she'd take a look at your injury. I think it's a good idea."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Pepper's giggles threaten to revive Amanda's. She grins broadly, her eyes dancing merrily. But pulls it together so as not to disturb the folks working in the room with Tony.

They follow him into the discrete corner and she nods in answer to his question. "I do. Several different ways, though in this instance, I've only got one immediately available." In other words, she left her healing potions at home. But she doesn't need them to do the job set before her here.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Do you need me to strip? Someone just masterfully tied my tie...." Someone. "I should mention, I've got some 'interesting' health related features--" Features, not problems... "That could throw me into cardiac arrest if messed with. You probably don't want to be the one that murdered an Avenger, and I don't really want to BE that Avenger," Tony says, evenly, smooth as silk.

Tony's arc reactor isn't public knowledge: it's barely full knowledge within the ranks of the Avengers, or anyone that's not on top security clearance at the tower. Sure, some supermodels have seen it, but even so, it's not general knowledge.

"But if you have an ability to take some of the edge off of my fractured arm and ribs, that might mean I'm useful for longer at the Gala. For Pepper's sake." Tony flashes a smile to Amanda, and then a flippant wink at Pepper.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The ladies together are a formidable pair, and there's a pleasant comfort found in having one's best girlfriend around. It just feels.. nice. It brings her one step closer to the human race again. The laughter, the giggling, well... undoubtedly that'll be a thing for some time to come, particularly when Tony is either around, or mentioned.

And Pepper isn't even a schoolgirl anymore.

Tony's question regarding stripping gains an eyeroll from that particular 'someone', and smirks soon after, though now she's happy to stand to the side. She's standing near Tony, however. It's that last bit, the throw back to her to make sure she has a good time at the Gala, she opens her mouth and stares at the man. "You're going? Tony.. you didn't tell me.." and she can hear her voice get higher. It's not as if she got herself a date, mind, but he'd not answered, and.. here she was, thinking that she'd be going alone, and.. and..

Once she settles down again, which only takes a moment, there's that light in her eyes and the almost shy smile coupled with the quick nod, "Right. You're going. Thank you."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"For Pepper's sake," Amanda nods solemnly, absolutely agreeing with him. Because she has no doubt he's a handful at the best of times. And her friend's doing her a favour.

Of course, she's going to laugh her ass off about this later. Especially when Pepper's voice drifts higher in pitch.

And there's no doubt Pepper jolly well knows it.

"This shouldn't hurt a bit," she promises the billionaire. "May I?" she reaches out her hands towards him. "I don't need you to remove your clothes. But I do need to lay on hands, nonetheless."

No minds in gutters, people! Seriously.

She then places her hands gently on his arm and ribs. Her eyes close for a few moments and she slips quickly into a mystical meditative state. When she opens her eyes they glow faintly with golden light that also encircles her hands, spreading from her fingertips over Tony's tuxedoed form.

Within moments, any pain the man may feel is lifted, bones are knitted, muscles are eased, and flesh smooths over such that not even a trace of a scar remains.

When she's satisfied the man is fit enough to dance the night away, she lets the magic fade. The glow disappears from her eyes and her hands.

She takes a step back, straightening to disguise the brief wave of fatigue that washes over her. "That should do it," she says to the power couple. (Because she knows what's really going on here. Even if they don't.) She gives Tony a warm smile. "Enjoy your evening." She looks pointedly at Pepper. "Both of you!"

After dinner, of course.