8389/Not really a costume

Not really a costume
Date of Scene:	23 October 2021
Location:	Stark Tower: Workshop
Synopsis:	Tony shows Pepper an experimental fabric.
Cast of Characters:	Tony Stark, Pepper Potts

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Tony Stark has posed:
Generally when Tony is in the middle of something, it's best to leave him to it without interruptions - though at a certain point getting his attention to at least be sure he's getting some food in him is a good move. Tony's fed himself well enough today, though he has disappeared into the lab for large chunks of time, leaving Pepper to keep herself busy on her own.

But then, a summons comes through -- an invitation of a quirky sort: "Hey Pep, I've thought up an alternate use for something I'm working on ... could use your opinion. Come on down to the lab when you get a chance. No hurry - nothing's on fire."

Pepper Potts has posed:
It really isn't hard to find things to occupy Pepper's time. It is taken by things as 'grandiose' as intercontinental video meetings to the other stakeholders around the world to help put out corporate fires or as local as attending a luncheon for the Met to discuss the next year's budget for both acquisitions and 'on loan' displays. That's not to mention yoga. Or, yes, making sure Tony has, at the very least, a nutritious smoothie at hand, if not re-heatable leftovers in the refrigerator.

For that, she relies on HOMER to remind him that it's there every couple of hours.

Pepper is back from meetings and is in 'her' kitchen, the food processor going full bore for her own version of hummus. The *whiiiiiiirrrrrrr* drowns out the initial sound of connect, and when she stops it, brows rise as she catches the words, 'nothing's on fire'.

"My opinion?" Pepper's grown used to communicating with 'air', as it were, and pulling the basket off its blades, she sets the chickpea melange aside. "I'll be there in a minute. I have something for you to try."

Quickly and expertly, the redhead uses the rubber spatula to dig out the contents, sets it into a bowl, though not without testing it first, of course. A nod of if not pleasure, at the very least acceptance graces her head, and taking it up, she makes her way downstairs.

Pepper is dressed casually; post-shower yoga.. leggings, a form-fitting, longer turtle-neck sweater graces her form, with a casual, costume-jewelry gold-colored necklace.

Tony Stark has posed:
"Well, this might clash with your ensemble there, but safety's important," Tony says brightly, turning his head towards Pepper as she arrives, and extends from three fingers a pair of safety glasses - red toned ones. He has a set on currently, shielding his own vision, though his own are augmented with the HUD in them. Fancy fancy protection. Otherwise, he's in clothes that read of electronics work, something more fine-tune: he's not bashing down walls today and isn't covered in any soot or blast.

So it's probably mostly safe in the lab. Except for whatever she's about to guard her eyes about.

Tony's got some odd, slippery mesh on his table, with a number of cables and test equipment in an array over it. It is clearly the test subject, or creation at hand.

"What'd you bring? Gruel?" Tony asks, with a sunshine tone that mostly overshadows the skepticism.

Pepper Potts has posed:
There's no helping the ghosted smile at seeing him; his presence never fails to do that, even at her angriest at him. Doesn't mean she doesn't huff and lightly eyeroll at both his observation that the glasses may clash, and his almost-pronouncement of her hummus as 'gruel'. While reaching for the safety glasses, she's setting the dish down and the little sides quickly stabbed in them (baby carrots, celery..).

"No, it's my own recipe of roasted garlic and onion hummus. It won't kill you. Promise."

Sliding the glasses on, there's a browrise as she takes a step closer, and stands a step or three to Tony's elbow, giving the experiment a somewhat safe (in her opinion) berth. "High in protein, low carbs," is the final pronouncement.

It's not long, however, before the question is asked, "What is that?"

Tony Stark has posed:
"Bean paste, huh," Tony asks, his term for hummus. He's usually not a big fan, but that doesn't mean he won't try things. Pepper can at least count on him for that: that soul of adventure and willingness. A lot of Tony's core virtue surrounds this quick adaptability. Similarly, a lot of his issues stem from that same darker side to it, when it turns daredevil.

"So, originally I was looking more at stealth protection fibers, particularly waterproof," Tony explains, without using tech terms and also without dumbing anything down. "But water was causing a lot of funky results.... which led more towards something else," Tony continues, mysteriously.

He picks up the spray bottle nearby, and hands it to her, with an open-handed gesture across the mesh on the table.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"I left the hot sauce upstairs." After all, everything tastes better with hot sauce, right? And in some cases, cheese. (Not this, however.)

Pepper is looking at the thing now, green eyes are studying it, looking at the testing gear around and above it. Her jaw shifts slightly to the side, and she looks dubious. Doubtful, even. "Okay," she begins slowly, "'Funky' results?"

Tony has had many adjectives for his test results over the years, where even clear failures where 'potential successes with a little modification'. 'Funky' is not one that she immediately trusts.

Pepper takes the spray bottle with a little bit of apprehension, but once in hand, she looks to the item under study and Tony- back and forth a couple of times.

"You're not going to give me a hint, are you," a statement rather than a question at this point. At the same time, she pulls the spray bottle's 'trigger' to let off a mist of liquid into the air, pointed at the test. Do her eyes close as she does it? Probably.. if only for a second to fend off any possible reactions. Couldn't be too dangerous if Tony is having her do it, and asking her opinion, right?

Tony Stark has posed:
There's a soft laugh as Pepper sprays at the mesh fabric with her eyes shut. Pepper's charming, and that worried half spritz of water onto the test amused Tony greatly. "Like you mean it, like it's me and I'm on fire," Tony encourages her, bemused, folding his arms over his chest.

There was a little flux of something with the light spray of water - like a current of black and silver swirling just a little bit over the surface.

When more water is applied, it seems to visually turn into liquid silver, flowing and shining, with little tendrils of starlike sparks passing up and through it, then back again. Tony's mostly looking at Pepper, now.

"So, as you can see, not a good stealth application. But with a bit more tweaking, to make sure it doesn't ramp into any blinding brightness... I thought you might want to take it to Janet, come up with something pretty stunning."

Pepper Potts has posed:
If Pepper was certain that it was indeed //water// in that spray bottle (It's a lab, one never truly knows- spray bottles are like guns. Never point them at people!), she'd douse him as if he was on fire for certain. She laughs first nervously, and then it holds a little more genuineness in its relief when it doesn't actually explode.

Not that she thought it would, mind.

"Oh.. stop," she says, her tones tinged with that relieved laugh. It's swallowed up quickly by the reaction of the fabric, however, and she stares for a few long heartbeats, breath caught in her throat momentarily.

"Oh.." is said more as an exhale than anything else before she turns to him, brows rising, "That would be.. is it just fabric or does it need special shears? Does it take stitching-- what does it do?"

She shakes her head in actual agreement with Tony, "No, not good stealth, but does it work with anything? Will it short out electronics? I don't have to worry about my phone or tablet with it, right?"

Tony Stark has posed:
Tony snorts and shakes his head, collecting the bottle from her but only to put it down to the side. "No, it's not electronic. But it warms a little bit. Nothing to burn, though. Still a bit in the development phase here. I was going to get back towards the stealth angle with these fibers, but figured I'd see what you thought of this more stylish direction first."

Tony, of course, can recognize something flashy and shiny! "Though a stablized version might be a pretty amazing reflector for the helipad in rainy conditions," Tony comments, as his mind goes off into tangent ideas for the stuff.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper takes a step back, the glasses coming off in a single handed motion when she feels she's far enough from light 'sparks'. "That's what makes you, you.." she begins fondly. "People invent out of a need, and you invent in case there's a need, and having something in place." That's what sets him aside, and one of the many reasons why she loves him, likes him, wasn't ever able to be hired away from him.

"I'll talk to Janet, see what she thinks," after signing an NDA of course! Not that many would be able to duplicate it, mind. "See if she's got any patterns that she's in a bind about what sort of fabric to pair it with."

She tears her eyes away from the item on the table and sets them back on Tony, her smile back and playing on her face. "I'll leave the dip down here. I've picked up some salmon on the way home, and planning on doing some hardwood cooking- so when you get the call to come up, at least don't keep the fish waiting."

She takes a careful step around in order to press herself against the genius inventor to press a kiss. "Dinner will be in 15 minutes."

Tony Stark has posed:
"I'd have to say I'm versatile. Sometimes there's a need, if you're stuck in a cave in the middle of nowhere," Tony says, but his smile is mild. Teasing, but not injured, he's able to joke sometimes. The PTSD isn't front and center now, he's just being logical.

"Also.... this isn't just for something to get Janet out of a bind. This sort of fabric should /inspire/. Be her muse." Tony grins a little. "HOMER, send the test video footage to Pepper's media box," Tony asks the ceiling.

"Yes, sir. Sent." HOMER, always helpful.

"Fifteen? Ahhh, that explains the appetiser of bean mush. Sure, I'll be up," Tony says, after the warm kiss parts.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Mmmhmm.."

That's a good response for a myriad of comments, including all that have come in. The one she chooses to elaborate on, however, is the timing for dinner. "Fifteen minutes. After that, the greens get soggy, and the salmon dries out."

Pepper takes a step back from the kiss before she turns around to make her way back upstairs, taking the steps quickly. The couscous is already out (but not cooked! All in the timing!), the oven is preheated, and the wine is uncorked and sitting in ice. Nothing like a home-made dinner!