2545/Barely Asleep

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Barely Asleep
Date of Scene: 21 July 2020
Location: Stark Tower: Penthouse
Synopsis: Pepper and Tony are slightly awkward.
Cast of Characters: Tony Stark, Pepper Potts




Tony Stark has posed:
"Hmmmh," says a low male voice close to Pepper's ear. Tony stretches just a little, repositioning one leg out, before settling back into relaxed slumber.

Tony and Pepper had been watching a movie, while Tony worked on a project on his mobile tablet in his lap. It has since been put aside, on the far side from pepper, slid to the couch. At some point they had both relaxed more into the drinks had and the movie. It's a little blurry. But she had leaned into his shoulder, and with some amusement at the time he put an arm around her shoulders, expecting her to wake with a start. But since she didn't, he left it there, only quirked an amused and charmed smile, and let her rest at his shoulder while he watched more of the movie. At some point, though, he also drifted, head rested back.

So now it is, later, with the movie past the credits and dimmed by the helpful AI, that the two get some rest, in mutual warmth and the comfort of Tony's penthouse couch.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Sleep. The movie did the opposite of what it was intended to do. Action/Adventure movies are supposed to start an adrenaline flow; car chases, gun battles, helicopter chases with all the proper explosions, but apparently they lulled Pepper to sleep. That, and a busier than usual schedule. And.. she could keep going on with the 'ands', but it simply doesn't change the fact that hours later she's starting to stir, if ony because repositioning is necessary, subconsciously. Jolting awake in,

Three.

Two.

One.

Green eyes open as that subconscious need to change her position flows into that consciousness of //why// she needs to change her position. There's that 'I'm not home' feeling, with the 'where am I?' secondary bit.. only to feel the warmth and the steady breathing of Tony, her cheek resting near his shoulder (more near his upper chest), with his.. arm around her?!

Oh god. Move.. she has to move, and while Pepper tries to gauge the time, Homer's made it a little difficult, thanks to the dimming. Okay... and a deep breath is taken. Did she drool on him? Snore? Bad enough she fell asleep!

After a couple agonizing heartbeats that felt like an eternity, she starts to draw herself up slowly. There's no way she can extract herself without waking him. They're... entangled.

Tony Stark has posed:
The movement makes Tony stir more, his shoulderblades rotating back, and his hand twitches then moves. It isn't the first time Tony's found someone close to him upon waking, so there's no real reaction of being startled. He doesn't immediately worry about it.

Tony adjusts his arm around her into a more comfortable spot for him as he wakes up a little more, orienting. He rubs his other hand up over his beard and nose, with a deep intake of breath, and looks down at her.

//Oh it is Pepper//.

The recollection comes back in quickly - right, movie, and she was sleepy. That's right. ....and he doesn't really worry about it. "Good nap?" Tony teases her instead, drawing his hand back to attempt to rub her back once with a chuckle. "Seemed like you needed it."

Pepper Potts has posed:
<<My hand is on his thigh.>>

Pepper is still in the middle of taking stock of her surroundings, and the more she realizes, the more she's falling into that mild awkward.. not quite panic. While he may be used to waking up with women lying next to him (only if he actually //liked// them did he sleep in), it's been some time since she's woken up after sleeping with someone (literally or figuratively!) and... it's Tony. As in...

"Tony.." Oh.. hey.. hi. All that encompassed in a single word.

She can't stifle the tired yawn, and she lifts the hand that had been on his thigh (!) to cover her mouth before she makes the grand attempt to straighten. But, there's the gentle, oh my god, natural bit of a momentary backrub.

"I did not mean to do that," begins that familiar rush of words, cascading out, "Homer, what time is it?" There's not breath that is taken between thoughts, "I should give 'Manda a call to let her know that I'm okay." Not okay, but okay!

There's that moment before she just.. nods and pulls her hand up to cover another yawn. "Apparently I was more tired than I thought. I'm sorry."

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony, for his part, looks mostly just... amused and curious by her flurry of activity related to waking up in such embarrassment. Obviously it wouldn't be from HIM being there, so it must be that she's embarrassed she fell asleep - much like someone might be in class, or at work.

"It's okay, you're not going to get fired for sleeping on the job," Tony teases her, but lifts his hand away, as he gets the sense that patting her made her more tense. "I mean, if it becomes a habit, then we'll contact HR about how we're working you to the bone and not letting you get any rest," Tony continues.

But his brows lower just a little, gaze taking on a more keen edge to it. After all, he was asleep too, but her flurry of words is helping to wake him.

"It is eleven-fifteen, Ms. Potts," Homer provides.

Tony looks surprised. "Oh, early yet. There's no fire, right?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
There's that pause when green eyes meet brown when the teasing regarding HR comes in to play, and her expression turns towards the 'really?'; one Tony should be fully familiar with. "I'm fine, really." //Not fine, but oh god..//

Homer's time strike gains a nod from the red-head, and as she's able to disengage a little more, she's able to think a little more clearly. "Early?" She's running all the possible outcomes if she stayed, and all she can come up with is the fact she's going to end up falling asleep on the couch again. The only variable is whether or not she'll embarrass herself by falling asleep on Tony again.

Outwardly, Pepper takes a breath in, and exhales softly, before, "I should go home. I might-" She's considering staying just a little longer, though, and there is every reason to go home, including to go to sleep and //not// drool on his furniture. "I mean, if I fell asleep during.. whatever movie that was," she didn't even recall the title, if she knew it at all.

Aaand, she's probably not making any sense. "Coffee," Pepper finally announces. "I could use some coffee."

She makes to rise from her spot, bare-feet placed on the floor, and she looks aside to Tony, her own gaze lingering once more on his face, and finally, she smiles a little self-consciously, "No fires."

Tony Stark has posed:
"Whoa whoa whoa. I think you need a sedative, not more coffee," Tony says, lifting his hand in a gesture of 'slow down', palm towards her. He laughs softly, though, and pulls his arm from around her entirely, rubbing both hands up his face, with a soft little grunt. He swallows and flashes a quick sideways smile at her, before starting to rise.

"I think /I/ am going to fall headfirst into bed, though. Shorter distance for me." He looks up, "Homer, get Ms. Potts a ride, so she doesn't fall asleep at the wheel," he requests. And then looks at her, kindly. "I need her."

With a wink added, Tony pauses, assessing her, a little more thoughtfully, with a slight puzzlement there. He's looking after his assistant, but he feels like something is off, he's missing something. And Tony is good at taking apart puzzles.

"Are we okay, Pep?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's rising to her feet even as Tony suggests that she slow down a little. If she does that, she'll think about the fact she napped on Tony.. and then how natural it felt, how good it felt to feel his warmth, strength, and that it just lulled her to sleep.

And..

She watches him scrub at his face as he starts to gain his feet, stealing that moment as she steps to the side in a half-step to allow movement. "I think that's a good idea," Pepper concurs. "It'll be one of the first nights you actually might get more than a couple of hours." As she talks and equilibrium is regained, she's feeling better. The further off 'it' is, the easier it is to //try// and separate herself.

It's hard, and she doesn't want to.

It's not often that Tony keeps an eye on her, at least as far as she's made aware of it. It's.. nice. At the 'I need her' statement, made for the benefit of the AI (though Homer shouldn't need a reason!), Pepper's able to bring up a genuine, warm smile that meets green eyes, complete with the slight scrunch to her nose that shows off the freckles to her cheeks. Brows do rise at the question, and Pepper nods quickly,

"We are, yeah. Of course." She hasn't left his side! Not for too long, and certainly not while he was in medbay. "I.. uh.. just surprised myself is all. The whole.." here, she inserts a slightly embarrassed laugh, but it's a whole lot less emotional and more borne of conversation, "falling asleep on the boss' shoulder.." and she liked it. A lot, "Just make sure you keep it off the performance review, please?"

Tony Stark has posed:
Is it just embarrassment, that's what she's feeling? Must be that. What else could it be? Tony tilts his head, and lifts a hand to do a mime of turning a key near his lips and throwing it away.

"You don't have to feel embarrassed, Pep," Tony suggests. "I don't expect you to be a machine." She's allowed to fall asleep. He leans in to playfully add in a confidential tone, "Had you snored, well, might have been another story, keeping me awake...." Tony grins, though, lifting a hand to try to tug a bit on her ponytail, fix it on her shoulder.

But something hits him as a little awkward, a little strange, a little ... uncertain. The blush across her freckles, the genuine smile.

She's lovely. And it felt good to hold her like that.

But... well. He'll need to think about that. Sleep on it, even. "Anyway. See you tomorrow?" Tony suggests, awkwardly diverting himself, towards his bedroom.

Pepper Potts has posed:
There's that smile again that showcases a naturally clear, healthy glow, and she nods, "I know." But, all her work, her time has been spent for that man right there, and for Stark Industries. And, should meetings go right in DC and with governors, and with other CEOs, SI could stand to bring in millions if not a couple of cool billions more, thanks to clean energy.

"I'm glad I didn't snore," comes, a touch bemused. "I'd be looking for another job if I drooled." She knows she doesn't do that, so she's safe! Right?

Still, not the sexiest of topics, and while he reaches for a strand to tug, she lifts her hand up to forestall, reaching for his hand to protect the ends from that imaginary ink well. He's.. so damned handsome; dark eyes, dark hair, his beard sculpted in careful, clean lines. And that's not to mention everything else that is rolled into that single package that is Tony Stark, as opposed to Mr Stark, CEO.

Letting her hand fall again, Pepper nods as she has to pull herself away, and eventually grab her shoes. "Trains are still running. Don't bother Happy." There's the pause before, "See you tomorrow."

There is the momentary linger so she can be sure he's going to turn in for no other reason but to watch him. There's that smile again, and it's fond, warm.. holding that bit of.. affection that seems to be pushing to make itself known. Turning around finally, she's through the door and out the elevator. Home before midnight!