2508/Devoted

Devoted
Date of Scene:	18 July 2020
Location:	Pepper's (and Amanda's) apartment
Synopsis:	Pep gets home in the wee hours of the morning post Gala, and the girls get to chat.
Cast of Characters:	Amanda Sefton, Pepper Potts

---

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Late night. Early morning? Wee hours, certainly. Amanda Sefton should probably be asleep, but is too wound up to sleep. After the festival shutdown for the night, she did a sweep of Central Park, earlier, guised as Daytripper, cloaked in illusions. The portal the boy opened two nights ago is certainly gone. Most of the damage has been repaired -- magic is good for that. Most of the Festival is back in operation, and Amanda has great hopes for the remainder of it.

She stands on the small balcony of the appartment, leaning on the rail, a half-glass of wine in her hand. The door to the balcony is open. A breeze blows the curtains near it, fluttering into the apartment. She watches the lights of the city twinkle like stars and closes her eyes to soak in the atmosphere. The city is doing *much* better, now, that it had been. And thus, her own energies are beginning to settle.

Pepper Potts has posed:
While there are many limosines that travel the roads of the Upper West Side, this one has somewhat familiar sleek lines to it, and when it pulls up to the door, it's not difficult to figure out who it may be. The driver's side door opens, and the slightly overweight 'chauffeur' for the night double-steps it to the back side door to open it, allowing for his passenger to step out. Pepper does emerge from the stretched car, her red hair let down with the signs of braids in the wavy bits of hair. She's still in her costume as she bids the driver good night and thanks before she begins to make her way to the door, and finally inside and up the steps with a slow tread.

The next sound heard, perhaps, are the keys in the locks, one after the other as the bolts are turned, and soon enough, she's inside, home, and, as is her usual, pulls off her shoes to leave them on the landing.

It isn't long before she wanders further into the apartment to first feel the crossbreeze, and then note that the door to the balcony is, indeed, open, and what has become the perch is occupied.

No wine for her before she crosses the threshold, her tired but still happy sounding tones offering a, "Good.. morning. It's gotta be morning, right?"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"Mm," Amanda smiles, turning a quarter turn so she's leaning on one forearm, one hip against the balcony railing. She wears a pair of loose cotton shorts and an old t-shirt, both of which are soft enough to sleep in. Her legs and feet are bare, but the night air is warm. "Sunrise in a couple of hours, I shouldn't
She gives her friend's appearance the once over, head canting to one side. "How was the party?" There is a distinct speculative note to her tone of voice.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The tunic she's wearing isn't anywhere near as comfortable or comfortable looking as Amanda's choice for pjs, and there's a pang of envy there. Soon enough, though, she'll settle in for the morning. It's Saturday, so work is more 'catch up' than anything else. No meetings anywhere around the world.

Pepper approaches the railing herself and takes a deep breath before looking out on the city from their vantage point. It is a nice view. "I enjoyed it. Saw people, talked art, talked budgets for the museum, helped judge the costume contest..." and she pauses before, "And I think Tony actually enjoyed it too. He did more talking to associates than anything else." There's a soft breath of air that sounds like an affectionate chuckle, "I wouldn't be surprised if I have a message today about some mutual project or something."

Pepper looks at her friend, and there's that genuine frienship, the warmth all rolled into the words, "I want to thank you for taking care of him earlier."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda reaches out to pat Pepper's forearm. "What are friends for?" she says. Of course, her eyes have begun that annoying sparkle again, and she can't help the broad smile on her lips -- although she does make some effort to keep it from becoming a giant, teasing grin. There's a fondness there, for her friend.

"He's certainly... devoted." Perhaps not the most common descriptor applied to Tony Stark. Others have used words like interesting, charismatic, attractive... or even overbearing, overwhelming, and way-too-full-of-himself, depending on their opnion.

Of course, like most women, Amanda likes him. Unlike most women, she considers him completely off the market. And, even were he not, not someone she'd be interested in for any longer than he'd be interested in her. He's *way* too high-maintenance for her.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"He's... something else," Pepper agrees softly and readily, but she scrunches up her face a little in light amusement as she cants her head, finally letting an airy chuckle out. "I'm not entirely certain that 'devoted' works."

It's a matter of thinking about it before she shakes her head, "Stubborn? Fixated, sure." All said with a quiet affection. "I suppose if you want a positive spin on his most.. endearing qualities," and while she nods her head, it does seem a little grudging. "He does surprise me sometimes, though." She can't help herself, and the question comes quietly, "Do you like him? I mean, you got to see //him// instead of that public image." But, he is exhausting!

Pepper turns to look directly out, allowing her forearms to rest on the railing. "But, it's a completely different life than I expected when I came back to the city." There's an admission. "Tony, power meetings.. then, Iron Man. Avengers. Gods making waffles in the kitchen." It sounds so absurd the way she tells it, and she tilts her head to look sideways at her friend once more. "I really had no clue. How the heck did you put up with me?" Even though she //knew//, there wasn't a frame of reference until, well... comparitively recently.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"I do," Amanda says, taking a sip of her wine. "I do like him. I think he hides it well, but he's stalwart. And, yes. He's devoted. Stubborn as hell, I'm sure." And she has firsthand experience of Hell. "Fixated on his projects, maybe; on his goals. Devoted to you, however."

She smiles, turning back to the city, keeping an eye on her friend's reaction out of the corner of her eye. "Just as well, given how 'devoted' to him, you are." And, just like that, the word 'devoted' changes from some chivalric, romantic ideal to a synonym for 'smitten', 'besotted', or 'crazy'. What it doesn't substitute for, however, is 'blinded, lovestruck fool'. Amanda actually does think Pepper's eyes are wide open to the billionaire's faults. *That's* why the redhead is resisting.

And blame her, the blonde does not.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper chuckles as her head comes back around to face front, and fingers entwine as her arms rest on the balcony's rail. "He used to be the playboy that everyone thought he was," with all that //that// entailed. "He's changed." There's a chuffed, soft laugh, "Since announcing he was Iron Man. It's like, his priorities changed." There's a pause before she adds quickly, "And that's good. It is. I will //not// be the one to say that it's a bad thing. Maybe those supermodels that used to call, or show up at his parties hoping for a shot might think so, but.." and here, there's that soft smile, the one that declares what words won't, "And I'm not sure if he knows exactly how much, or if he realizes that those little things mean a lot to me." The martini at the party. The new dress for her birthday. The fact he //remembered// her birthday! Amanda knows about the lovely blue dress that hangs on the silk hanger.

Pepper laughs, and her voice drops in amusement, "You saw him. He can't fix his own collar." Of //course// he could, but.. it's why she's around!

Amanda Sefton has posed:
He doesn't *want* to fix his own collar. Not when he can stare into her eyes while *she* does it. Amanda saw that very, very clearly. Hence: Devoted.

She purses her lips however, studying the skyline. "There... really *is* a change that most of us who take up cape or cowl undergo when we do so, you know," she tells her friend, blue eyes fixating on a spot in the distance... perhaps out near Brooklyn."The best of us, anyway." In other words, the ones that become unselfish heroes. And Iron Man has proven himself unselfish in his actions... even if his marketing and licensing departments are entirely selfish.

Too, Amanda's actually been listening to Pepper's stories. And perhaps reading between the lines.

"I remember hearing about Tony's revelation that he was Iron Man," she notes. "I was still working the airlines, then. Celebrity gossip is hard to avoid." And there was more than one of her colleagues who had heard rumours of the 'perks' Stark's private aircrew could 'score'.

She shakes her head of that thought and glances to Pepper again. "I couldn't presume to know what was going through his head, then," she concedes, "but thinking about it now..." She gives a mild shrug, as if it doesn't matter -- though it does. She knows it does. "I imagine he saw a lot of... shit -- pardon my French -- before he outted himself." She's not given to swearing aloud. Unless she's alone. And usually it's in Romani or German, not English. The word was chosen because it, in her mind, represents the best description of the types of things Tony probably encountered. Still encounters. She's seen enough of it herself to know. "And he's been trying to fix it, ever since. You can't take on that level of responsibility and not have it change you."

Little boy had to grow up, as far as she can see.

Pepper Potts has posed:
There's so much that Tony does share with her that Pepper keeps close, not allowing anyone in on simply because it's too personal, too precious. But as Amanda begins to explain, Pepper finds herself nodding her agreement as she shares that middle-distance focus with her friend. It crops up from time to time in off-the-cuff, seemingly unimportant comments or in mad dashes out of a basement because of flashbacks to a cave in Afghanistan. Each time, she's there bringing him back to the present with tricks she's learned in the last couple of years. It does get to the point where she's loath to leave him, or at least the building in case he needed her, and even since Amanda's come to town, there have been more than a few nights where the red-head simply called to let her know that she wasn't going to be home.

"I worry about him," Pepper concedes softly. "I think it's because he's let me in. He's not.." She straightens slightly and shakes her head lightly in the pronouncement, "Mr Anthony Stark, CEO of Stark Industries." Casting the glance beside her, she smiles, and there is all the warmth and affection that's called up for the subject in question, "It's Tony. Just like he'd introduced himself to you. I mean, he does that all the time to put people at ease," Pepper begins again, "but, he likes you." There's a laugh before she shakes her head, "And he doesn't like everyone."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda laughs lightly. Though she appreciates what Pepper says, she does find it amusing. "Well, that's good, then," she says. She'd hate to think her best friend's boyfriend would want to give her the brush off. It would make things excedingly awkward here. She sobers just enough to remove to frivolity from her tone, "I like him, too. You make a good couple."

Why, yes. It *is* a forgone conclusion in her mind. Why do you ask?

She *does* know a clairvoyant or two, if that would help...

And, yes, the frivolity does return quickly enough. She's almost done a late night glass of wine, after all. "Just do me a favour, Potts." Her eyes sparkle again. "If I'm still here, give me enough notice before you move in with him that I can find myself a new place to flop." Or, should by some miracle she can afford it, take over the lease.

Pepper Potts has posed:
'A good couple'.

Some see Tony with his Personal Assistant in the background with her almost omnipresent tablet, watching, taking notes, and waiting for references to bring up later to have on her employer's desk. Others see his Personal Assistant as a work proxy; the inquiries, the meetings, the conversations are set in the knowledge that she is allowed to speak for Tony on certain 'select' topics. It's only those who actually //watch// the pair that catch the interaction; they're a team.

A power couple?

Pepper sighs at the thought, the term 'couple'. It's hard to gainsay her, and at this time of the morning, and all her own little revelations along the way? "Everyone is going to think I'm sleeping with my boss," is said flatly. Still, the more she considers all what people might say, it doesn't change the fact that Tony is the CEO of Stark Industries. She's not. She's still working side by side, for him.

"I'm glad you like him, and really glad he likes you," she bubbles up a soft chuckle soon after, "I'd hate to even think I'd have to choose between you." Because honestly? It'd be hard...

When the question of the apartment comes up, there's the laugh again as she gently pushes herself from the railing of what is arguably the best part about the apartment, other than location, and all the other amenities.. "I am not moving in with him." She holds up a finger, and dips her head, canting it to the side a touch, green eyes glittering their amusement, but her words are honest, "//If// I do, I'll still pay the rent on this place and it's yours. I'll transfer the lease and pay for it," she's got that 'don't interrupt' expression as she continues, "Until you tell me not to because you are raking in the big bucks because you can afford it on your own. Let me do this, okay?"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
"You won't..." have to choose between them, Amanda assures her friend. She can imagine it might be hard for Pepper to make that choice, but she'd never ask it of her. She also knows Tony would win out in that contest. And she doesn't begrudge her friend that. Amanda would, if push came to shove, choose Kurt over Pepper... for all that theirs is a different relationship. It's a hard calculus, perhaps, but the reality, nonetheless.And she's pragmatic enough to be at peace with it.

Amanda chuckles, however, as Pepper promises to pay the rent. "Oh, *I* get it!" she grins, teasing. "I'm your alibi! So no one knows the *real* reason you're at work all hours of the day and night! I see. Okay. That's fine. Then, you can *definitely* keep paying the rent."

She laughs merrily, then, to prove she's just yanking Pepper's chain, and downs the last of her wine.

Then, there's that companionable hand on the redhead's shoudler again. "Pepper, I *know* you're not sleeping with your boss. It never even entered my mind." Because it's oh-so-obvious she isn't. At least to someone who knows her. That'll change, one day, but not until some other seismic shifts happen first.

"But trust me. There are already people who will think you are. And it has nothing to do with your professionalism or some perceived lack thereof. It has to do with their jealousy and pettiness and gutterminded foolishness." A woman getting ahead in business on her own merits? Say it ain't so! "You keep being the best there is at what you do and, ultimately, whether you're sleeping with him or not simply won't matter. No one -- and I do mean *no one* -- will mess you lightly. You're the only one who'll be able to destroy your reputation... and it won't ever be by sleeping with the boss."

In fact, Amanda can't imagine it happening at all. Ever. Not by Pepper's own, willing hand, at least.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"I won't," Pepper agrees; she's her own woman, and would refuse to be put in that situation, come to think of it. Thank you for reminding her, dear 'Manda. There will be no subsuming of personality, hiding one within the confines of another, only to live a shadowed life.

That's not her.

A laugh is pulled from her, and it's a merry one, albeit a little tired. "You're my alibi. Just like I'm yours." Wingladies! Still the bit of pep talk brings the burble of laughter down to a fond, familiar expression, and she reaches to give her friend a hug.. pardon the cabachons and pearls on her dress...

"Thank you, 'Mands. Really. And I've missed you. You being here reminded me how much I have missed you, and our tricks," she gets that touch of a mischievous air, "So don't forget that you have a partner in crime."

It is time for bed, though, even as the birds slowly begin to chirp. The sun hasn't yet started its rise over the ocean, but it will be doing that soon enough. "I.. need to sleep. Tony will probably be sleeping in, so I think I'll have an hour or two extra before he either heads into his lab, or comes looking for me." For breakfast, for a rundown on the day, to show off his car.. for best friend stuff that he simply can't share with anyone else.

Because he doesn't necessarily have anyone else. And, other than Amanda coming back into her life? Neither does she.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda's brows rise and fall quickly in a conspiratorial fashion. She returns the hug willingly, warmth in her demeanour. "You bring the tech," she tells her friend, "I'll bring the magic. We'll take over the world."

Though, perhaps not literally.

But, she agrees. Stifling the barest hint of a yawn as she reaches to pick up the glass she'd set briefly on the balcony rail. (It didn't fall! Yay!) "Yes," she agrees. "Sleep would be a good thing. I still have a Festival to run come morning."

And, oh, what a painful morning it may be, on so short sleep. Oh well. Amanda wears big girl pants. She'll survive.

"Go take off your pearls and find something less lumpy. You'll sleep better that way, trust me."

She then steps to the door, waiting until Pepper has passed through to stumble towards her own bedroom, before she draws the door closed, walks her glass to the kitchen, and finds her way into the guestroom herself. Morpheus is calling them both.

If only metaphorically.