2521/Post Gala

Post Gala
Date of Scene:	19 July 2020
Location:	Stark Tower: Penthouse
Synopsis:	Pepper and Tony talk and relax after the Met Gala event.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

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Tony Stark has posed:
"Hey Pep," Tony greets, through the vocal system sent directly to her. "Happy found your wrap from the Gala; I've actually got it now, up in the Penthouse." The missing wrap had been a bit of a topic... or at least, drunken-haze Tony had remembered it being a thing. He had had a good time at the gala!

"Do you want me to send it down to you?" Tony questions.

Pepper Potts has posed:
There's always that 'one thing more', and it's really no secret that she is -almost- infinitely interruptable, at least where Tony is concerned, even if she's not. She's learned patience over the years.

Setting down her tablet, she keys the voice, "Palla. It's actually called a palla." She nods her head, even if he can't see it, he can probably imagine it, and she slides off of her chair. "I was wondering where it went. I'll come pick it up." Now, there's a touch of smile in her tones, "I have some papers for you. And want to give you the timetable for your car's production line."

It's not long before Pepper's at the Penthouse door, and with a quick knock (it is his HOME, after all), opens the door. There is revealed a slightly dressed down for the weekend Pep, but still dressed formally enough to be able to handle overseas video calls if necessary. She's just not wearing the jacket anymore. Nor does she have her hair up in a ponytail.

"Tony?" it's more a location search more than anything else, and in her hand, a file of papers.

Tony Stark has posed:
"/Nope/ on the pile of papers," Tony calls back to her without looking. "It's Saturday, Pepper, and nobody needs that paperwork /tonight/ or even tomorrow morning. Leave it at the door, or face the wrath of my drone army."

From her feet, the cleaner bot threatens, "Beep?"

Tony waves a little without turning. He's in the main entertainment area with his biggest screen on, the lights turned down a little but not off. He is reclining out, at rest, with a mobile tablet in his lap, a drink near his left hand next to his dried fruit snack he'd found from her office not long before, and a movie clearly going.

If she comes over to get a better look, Tony is in just a comfy band tee, some lounge pants (the waist strings tied loosely), and comfy socks.

"The palla's on the coat rack," Tony instructs, twisting his head a little bit to nod to it. "And what's this about the car? That I'll allow."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Brows rise as she comes in, and as the little cleaner bot beeps inquisitively, Pepper looks down at it, "Oh, don't even try." Stepping around it, she navigates first towards the bar to put the first few files down, only to keep the information on the car production factory in hand.

Slowly she turns to cross, taking her time as she looks at the setup, glancing back briefly to where the palla hangs. "Great. I have to return that by tomorrow." With that last bit of Gala taken care of, and ends cleared up, she's free to finish her cross and sits down to perch on the edge of the couch, ready to hand over the file and depart. "They're ironing out the suspension, looking to see how low they can make it and still have maneuverability." She shakes her head and smiles, "Or something."

She pauses, looking at the snack, and her eyes narrow in feigned annoyance, "Did you go through my desk again? Now I'm going to have to find a new hiding place."

Tony Stark has posed:
"No, these are still from yesterday," Tony defends himself, with amusement. "How many do you think I consume at once? I had a whole gala of other things to snack on, and a long hangover this morning to suffer." Tony moves his tablet, orienting it down to use as a table to take the file, reaching out to take it, but instead attempts to snare her wrist and draw her to sit down next to him.

"So production line timetable; give me the cliff's notes," Tony requests, other hand coming across for the file, to flip it open. He's done this before; it's only with projects he's interested in in more than a general way, though. Which isn't rare, not really: Tony is deeply involved in most of the tech production side of things. In the background, the movie gets a bit louder with suspenseful music.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"When you're busy, and distracted-eat, you can go through a lot of nuts." Pepper is the one that helps restock, after all. Those bags of snacks don't restock themselves!

Pepper doesn't look too terribly upset or concerned that he confesses to a hangover; it really was a good party! Even she'd gotten a touch tipsy, but nothing that could be considered untoward. It won't hit the tabloids, anyway.

As Pepper hands over the file, her wrist is taken, and she allows herself to be drawn down, though she's got that momentary questioning look on her face. Still, once she's down, and beside him, she lets go of the file so he can take a look at it even as she gives the salient facts.

"Suspension is almost done. Being weight tested. Things are looking good. Steering, trying to determine if they just want to continue with the normal.. kind," here, she falters as she wraps her head around the ideas, "Or augmented by an intelligent system. Like, I guess Jarvis and the suit." It'd be a reasonably easy extrapolation, right? "And they need to know that in order to know what sort of control system they have to put into place."

It's so easy to just slide back into work and casual; a mix of both is her idea of 'normal'. No need to save the world, no worry now that he's in pain if he moves an arm the wrong way...

It's a Saturday night in the Penthouse.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Okay, okay. I want full schematics of what they're proposing," Tony chatters, flipping his fingers through the edges of the pages, other elbow resting on the armrest, propping the side of his jaw against curled fingers. "But no, I wasn't thinking of putting any intelligence system into this car. I'd like it on full manual," Tony says, flipping the folder shut. "At least, until I get into it and entirely change my mind." He's teasing, but the verdict seems to be that he doesn't want it augmented with a control assistant. He moves his hand to pick up his drink with a soft sound of moving ice in the glass, taking a relaxed drink from it.

"But I want to continue to oversee and review their work as they go. Manual doesn't mean Tony is hands off." With that, he grins and attempts to pat and squeeze her wrist once, as if to add to his point. The movie continues -- some 90's action movie classic, it seems. "What's so important you're working late here today?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Of course," Pepper concurs. Of course he's going to get it. It's his car, it's his project, it's his birthday present. It's the gift that keeps on giving, and she's very happy that he's enjoying it.

Pepper's close, and she can feel his warmth next to her, and its all she can do not to lean just for that contact, just for a second.

Green eyes follow the progress of that file, and when it's closed, she moves it a little out of the way so he doesn't have to be too bothered by it again. "So," and there's that happy smirk, "you want everything so you can decide on your mood at the time." She can't fault him, though. His classic car collection are all 'manuals'; it's the joy of the driving. "They know you change your mind, so they're having a hard time planning." Thus, Pepper.

There's a quick nod of her head before she pulls off her shoes before she tucks her feet up, curling them just to the side, which gives her a natural lean in Tony's direction. That, and the natural cast to the couch when he's sitting on it has her a little closer.

Her hand is squeezed again, and there's a sutle motion to open her hand in case he wants to take it, but it's the wrist again. It's an offer, but as the movie starts with one of its action scenes, one of many no doubt, green eyes are drawn to the large display before she pulls her attention away once more.

"Just a couple of files needed updating. Something I could have done from home with a glass of wine, but..." and she offers a tight lipped smile that does manage to reach her eyes, and a quick shrug lifts her shoulder. "And where else do I spend my Saturday nights?" The thought honestly doesn't bother her; not going out for drinks, not going out with friends (what friends?), certainly no dates.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Couldn't say lately where you are usually for Saturday; last week at this time I was in a hospital bed and mostly unconscious," Tony says, with a soft bemused laugh and a stare into the air as if trying to remember a vivid dream. "Feels great to get the ribs fixed. Keep that friend close, get her on the payroll, please," Tony continues to tease, stretching his back to show off how nimble his body is now without the painful fractures.

Tony does look at Pepper, though, throughout that, with a measuring, thoughtful manner. His dark eyes adjust to a more gentle cast, a very slight tension around them as he uses his perception to try to pick up on what's bothering her. He sensed something he can't put his finger on, with the adjustment of her body weight. Maybe it's nothing, but for a moment he sensed she might have leaned into him, or needed that for some reason.

"Something eating you, Pep?" Tony asks her.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's not insulted that he hasn't kept track of where she spends her Saturday night; she's in the Tower, working usually. When he was doing other things, there were a lot more reports to be written, lots more to look at, to approve.. and now, he's back. He's keeping his promise so far.

She laughs softly, the sound a little breathy as he stretches to show off the fact that he actually has mobility without pain. "Last week, you were in the Medbay, and that's where I spent my Saturday night." It's not to make him feel guilty, and her tone and tenor is such that she'd do it again in a heartbeat, but would rather not!

The softly chuffed laugh shifts to something of a smile as she nods, her head tilting such that it looks that it'll rest on her shoulders with loose hair falling down her arm. Her free hand pulls at her shins to keep her legs in place; all in all, a comfortable look. "She likes you, so she'll probably tell me she'll stick around." They had that long talk!

As Tony looks at her, those green eyes look at his brown before she casts them down a little, looking more at the still well landscaped beard of his. Maybe she did lean? Probably, and there's that moment that maybe she shouldn't have?

The fateful words are uttered, however, and she looks back up and smiles, her expression genuinely warm. "I really appreciated you coming to the Gala. It was.. it was nice." Even though he was surrounded by lovely women most of the night, there were little.. tells that he wasn't far. "People were glad to see you, though," and she chuckles softly, "But they usually are."

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony gives her a longer look, a curiosity there as if he weren't quite sure if what he's picking up is her warm gratitude for him going to the Gala, but he relaxes out of it. He thought there was something else, something that made her tense or pull back a little. Some shift in mood, but perhaps he was mistaken.

"Oh, you're welcome. I was only on the fence about it because I felt terrible. I know I hid it well, but that wasn't great," Tony chuckles. He didn't hide it well. There was a lot of medication needed. "What do you mean 'usually'? Unless we're talking about a supervillain, can't we go with 'always' glad to see me?" Tony nudges her side a little with elbow, hand returning to his drink, tipping it back and forth.

"Got the deal moved along with Albert Franklin and his company, by the way. I didn't /just/ drink," Tony grins, eyes going to the movie as some loud shouting and gunfire plays out.

Pepper Potts has posed:
There was so much hidden and couched in the 'thank you for going'. He didn't have to; it wasn't one of his parties where he was expected to be center stage. Sure, sure, everywhere he goes, there are always eyes on him, but this time, he'd done it for her. He's been doing that a lot, and she's noticed.

'Thank you' doesn't seem to be getting her point across. At all.

She straightens a little, her head a little less canted, but that red hair still falls in that light cascading effect, green eyes bright. She chuckles and brings up a light shrug again, nodding, "Okay, we'll go with 'always'. But I meant it. Even if I did get some stares." And not for her dress. "Now that you're officially single again, and the news has you out and playing the field, you're going to get cornered every party you attend." Much to her chagrin. It's not that she's jealous, because she's not. Not really. Mostly. It's just she dislikes dealing with the smug looks that she feels she has to wipe off their faces.

Each and every time.

It's the contact that she does enjoy, and as the silent offer of a hand wasn't taken, she is content in the nudge, giving it back in return.

"Oh?" Pepper looks attentive, looking him now at that side angle, and being able to look for any added worry lines, all while staring at the handsome profile. "I thought you might have made some sort of business connection. I'll expect to hear from them soon, then."

Tony Stark has posed:
"What stares? Because I was there?" Tony asks, orienting very directly back to her. No more profile, he's turned his head to key both eyes onto her. "Cornered, hardly. I've never met a party I can't handle," Tony scoffs. "Besides, you seemed to be doing just fine. Looked like I put the seat for the Gala in good hands to me." Tony gives a sunny smile. He doesn't take her hand, but he does move his own to her raised knee instead, squeezing there a little bit.

Tony's messages are mixed. It would be awkward, weird maybe, to hold her hand, unless she asked him to, for comfort or something else. A knee is still comfortably playful and friendly, and still gives a bit of the touch he's previously felt... good about, with her.

"I didn't mean for it to be awkward for you. But I think any staring had more to do with your dress than with me." His eyes move over the soft drape of her hair, the fiery color of the strawberry blonde, then flows over her expression to meet her eyes again.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"It was a fun party. It was nice to see Stark Industries represented," Caitlin was there. From the labs? There were a few others, quietly mixing and mingling, neither too outspoken nor too 'wall flowerish'. That soft smile lightens her face again, the freckles lifted upon her cheeks and she shrugs, her tones still happy. "I enjoy it."

Tony is a bundle of contradictions, not that he's never been one before. But, the touch on her knee, his hand giving it a squeeze brings a happy gleam in those green eyes.

She shakes her head, clarifying, "It wasn't awkward, Tony. I'm used to it, remember?" They even have their own system of sending messages in that case. "But the world's most eligible bachelor has an attentive Girl Friday, and other ladies don't like it." The woman just made her scorn more obvious than others. "But that dress," is sighed, "I appreciated being able to borrow it, and now that the palla is there, I can return it." Real gems and real pearls on silk! How could one not feel like an Empress? "I loved the evening," and there's a move to touch his hand that squeezed her knee, though briefly.

The movie tones down from the shooting, thought there comes the obligatory squeal of tires. Leaning back on the couch, she eyes the movie, and back to Tony. "No driving like that."

Tony Stark has posed:
"What, no driving off a building into /another/ building and veering across two office suites?" Tony scoffs, gesturing at the movie as if it were nothing. "I have /giant lasers/ that do that for me. You know that."

Tony finishes his drink, regards it a little, but doesn't move to get another; he just puts it down, moves his tablet off his lap, and scooches down more in his seat next to her, but leaves his hand and wrist draped on her knees so he can continue to poke at her as the movie goes on. And giving her access to brush her fingers on his, still. It's a connection: a subconscious one still, maybe. Something there that hasn't yet come to the forefront of Tony's mind.

"Now this next stunt, I know I can do better. In armor, obviously," Tony points out, with a tap of forefinger on her knee.