1214/Home, sweet home.

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Home, sweet home.
Date of Scene: 29 June 2017
Location: Unknown
Synopsis: Summary needed
Cast of Characters: Pepper Potts, Iron Man




Pepper Potts has posed:
It's late, far too late for actually dinner, but Tony sent a car for her and Pepper can smell the food as she comes in the house. She has the weight of one that looks like she's been travelling for weeks straight, because she has. Probably hasn't slept well in those weeks, because she hasn't (and jet lag). She murmurs to Happy behind her. "Just set the bags down by the door. I'll deal with them later. Thank you, Happy." And she gives him one last look with a tired smile before the man goes.

Pepper then tosses off her shoes from her feet, leaving the heels kicked off by the door as her stockinged feet carry her across the threshold..."Tony?" She calls through the rooms, ignoring the grumble of her stomach as she smells thai from her favourite place down town. She's more curious to see him.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony is actually not in The Bunker. Nor is he at his personal bar. Or even in the kitchen. Outside, on the great big landing-pad sized porch (which serves as a landing pad), is where he can be found, empty drink in hand as he stands near the ledge looking out on the city. He's got a pensive look on his face, and when the lights start coming on to light Pepper's path, he twists around to look, and then watch her progress across the room. He doesn't actually //hear// her voice, but he can see her lips move, at the very least, and the lines of strain from his face ease a little.

It's been a rough couple of weeks.

Soon after the request, Tony actually turns fully and starts walking towards the glass, and when the door slides open before him, he steps in. A slow, tired gesture is given towards the food, and his tones are.. well.. his. Genuine. "I wasn't sure when you were coming in, so I bought it for the last couple of days. That one is fresh,promise. Might even still be warm."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"JARVIS, where is..." Pepper's soft, exhausted voice begins, but the second she starts asking, that door opens and her eyes jerk up. Him. He's there. Looking exhausted, a bit beaten, perhaps even a bit older, but he's there. Pepper doesn't exactly run to him, but she double times her step, one last sudden burst of energy to see him coming. She doesn't really care about the food, suddenly. She just makes her way to his side and before she knows it her arms are wrapping tightly around him, tugging him into the longest, deepest kiss they've shared in ages. Possibly ever. Weeks of missing him in that kiss, nights sleeping poorly because she'd gotten used to the scent of his bed.

Pepper holds the kiss as long as he permits, body half sinking against him, like someone has cut her puppet strings. She smells strongly of, well... Pepper. A long day's travel, her touch of vanilla perfume, the scent her hair gets at the end of the day when the strawberry shampoo has faded. "I'm sorry...I never meant to get caught away so long..." She whispers against his throat.

Iron Man has posed:
Pepper is a long way from where she'd been when he'd gotten off //that// plane years ago. The shy smile and the hardly contained pleasure at seeing him is gone, but the bright eyes, the big smile still remain. And in its place, well, Tony's not about to complain as she heads towards him, the food all but ignored for the moment in that moment. He puts his hands around her as she does him, and he leans in for the kiss; his hands reaching for either side of her face in the first, but then they slide down to her hips. "Hey.." is breathed when they finally do separate, but there is little distance between them. He smells like electronics, like stale scotch and coffee..

"The board missed you. They didn't know who I was," he teases. Tony doesn't let go of her; he's waiting for that time when she wants to stand on her own, and he continues, "It happens. But, I've been following some of your reports. When I can understand them, anyway. Did the Prime Minister really say that?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Just a few more moments leaning against him, deep in his arms, her forehead pressing in the side of his neck, against his pulse, taking in a deep breath of his scent even if there is that awful, stale scotch behind it all. "You've been... drinking... A lot." It's in his sweat. It means he's been drinking a lot. And the tinge of metallic electronics. Pepper finally pulls herself back and up enough she can study his face, lined concern deep in her green eyes. SHe doesn't fully let him go, but that worried look is back in place. It's familiar on her.

"And yes, the prime minister really said that... That's why I figured it was wise to stay a few extra days and put some plans in place... It'll open the doors more for all of us. International cooperation on business *and* peace keeping fronts... But I made no promises. I know you wouldn't want that. So... we're fine. In a good place. It's all fine." She reaches one hand up, tracing down the side of his stubbled cheek. "Are...*you* fine?"

Iron Man has posed:
Drinking? "Not any more than usual. Really." Tony's got //that// tone running now, and he drops his head to rest it on hers as he exhales lightly. "I'm okay. Really. Just been working. Trying to roll out the upgrades," and things aren't going quite to plan.

He straightens again, and reaches to catch her hand, holding it but not preventing its path. It's just one more bit of contact. "I knew we would be. I had faith, and it was tricky, I'm sorry. But you were the best person for the job. You deserved those meetings. You worked hard on it, and ..." Now, Tony takes a step back, gesturing towards the bags, "I have your victory meal. And tomorrow, we'll make the announcements." How's that for sidestepping?

Pepper Potts has posed:
"You're avoiding something." Not effective at all. That's how that was for sidestepping. Pepper knows. Pepper has seen. Pepper knows Tony better than TONY knows Tony most days, and her green eyes search his a little harder even. She allows her hand to stay in his, gently tugging him back to the table, but not letting go either. "I'll stop, sit down, and actually eat something if you actually tell me what's going on. Otherwise, we're going to stand here all night in the open air waiting for you to stop being stubborn because I think I can out stubborn you any day, Tony Stark." Pepper has that fiery red head tone to her voice as she speaks, no matter how tired she is. WOrry for him helps give her extra energy.

Iron Man has posed:
Green eyes peer into his own dark brown ones before he lowers his head and chuckles softly. "Eat. It's.. just other stuff, really. I was waiting for you to get back." Tony is tugged, and before he sits, he tries to disengage so he can grab a couple of plates, utensils and glasses. Tumbler and wine glass. "There are things that are pinging on my radar and I'm trying to figure out what it is. So, I got a couple of guys together and, uh..." Here, he reaches up to scratch at his growth on his cheek as he considers his words, "we were going to take a look at it on the ground. See if it's just as strange as it does from space." SHIELD satellites, and quite probably many, many more.

Pepper Potts has posed:
A slight glare from her, but Pepper doesn't actually start laying out the food and being willing to dig into things until Tony actually starts speaking about what is going on. The strawberry blonde then does relax a bit more, stretching her legs out so her feet can rest in his lap, her toes curling against his hips. SHe keeps that heavy, warm contact there the whole time, never really wanting to let go even as she does finally cut into the pad thai. Her stomach rumbles audibly loud again. Who knows the last time she met, but the scent of the food is enough to tempt her. She begins to dig in, half watching him, half her food. Her head tilts as he admits how strange. "...From... Space? And when did you go into space? I didn't know we had satellites up there? Do NOT tell me you took a suit up... or planned to? They aren't rated for those conditions, TOny. And what the hell is this thing... Supposed to be? What does it look like right now??"

Iron Man has posed:
It's a comfort, having her home. Tony's been remiss in his 'parenting'; he's not been out of his own personal lab but for the time spent over at SHIELD and talking to 'them'. When she does begin eating, wrapping the peanut-sauce laden noodles so she can take those first bites, he relaxes a little more.

"The readings. Ancient section of a little town that is right in the middle of a major war. Citizens don't want to leave, and we're dropping packages.. but of course, the 'bad guys' are all holed up in there too, and there's just no digging them out of their positions with conventional means." Meaning, the chances are good that the UN is doing nothing, or at least 'nothing' in Tony's eyes.

"They're sitting on.. something. What that is, I'm not sure, but I want to find out."

Now the man reaches for his own bit of Pad Thai, using a fork to entwine the noodles. When Pepper does end up questioning him about space, Tony looks up, gives her one of those 'blank and innocent' expressions, and takes a bite of food. "Would I do- oh, this is pretty good. Better when it's warm."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"...You tried to take a suit into space. Or... dammit, that's what you're working on, isn't it? I can smell the ozone and grease on you! ANTHONY STARK! I get home one night and you're trying to send yourself into SPACE?! What would have happened if I stayed another WEEK?! You are NOT going into space, not while I'm living here, that's final. If these reading things are here on the planet, that's what we need to focus on! Not out there!!" Pepper huffs, setting her fork down entirely and looking him over with dead serious, too wide eyes.

She's not exactly angry, but anger is easier than the quiet, worried terror which claws at her stomach every time he does something that very likely could get him killed. For a few flashes, he'll see it in her eyes. That same bloodshot, barely smiling, trying to hold it together look that he got when he did come off the plane then. The terrified young lady who never thought she'd see him again. Who thought she lost him before she knew what she had. That Pepper is still in there, buried deep. But he wakes her up in moments like this.

Iron Man has posed:
"Pepper.. Pep- P-Pepper.. see now, you're getting all excited.. c'mon.." Tony tries to get a word in edgewise when she starts going off, and with each attempt, he's thwarted. "Pepper.."

Finally, when she ceases in that huff, Tony knows what he's seeing. It's the same, but.. not. Not anymore. "Pepper.. it's okay. I've got this. JARVIS and I have been working on this, and between his eyes and mine?" He holds a hand up, trying to forestall any other arguments, "I've got a couple kids working with me in SHIELD." So it's sort of SHIELD sanctioned? "They're good..." Tony lets his voice trail off before he gives a light, theatric shrug, "not bad, anyway, and I'm using their pressure labs so I don't have to build my own." Until, of course, he gets the big idea to try and make the Quin-design into something of a space shuttle. Then all bets are off. "It's gonna be okay. It's either this, or I break into the satellite and upload my own programs for study.." Here, he clears his throat, "Which I will neither confirm nor deny." Breaking into highly classified CIA satellites and uploading his own software? Oops?

Pepper Potts has posed:
"...I rather you break into satellites. I can't believe I'm saying that, but... Illegal? I can fix. Dead? Depressurized? Frozen skull floating in space? I CAN'T FIx THAT!" Pepper huffs, giving him as close to permission to break into the CIA as she ever will, but she is. Because she's clearly terrified for him, her eyes glimmering with the worry just made worse by being over tired and having been away from home far too long. THis is as close to looking a mess as Pepper gets, but she looks a mess right now and his plans aren't making it any easier. She's also forgotten her food, but having eaten half the plate, chances are she's not going to have much more. She always did eat like a bird.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony's already broken into the satellites and has uploaded his algorythms; been there, done that. "I have to have boots on the ground, Pep.. where ever it leads me. This.. this sort of thing? It's like.. it's like the space race of the US versus the Soviets. Each didn't want the other to get there first. It's like that. I need to get to it first, to figure out what is going on first. Like.. like the dragon. But if it means having help from that same group I don't want anywhere near? You bet I'm going to give them a false direction, just to give me a shot."

"Pep.. Pepper.." Tony's back, trying to get her attention, and as he does, he's moving off his seat in order to kneel next to her. "Stop.. you're getting yourself worked up," and he looks concerned, his attention completely on her, any attempt at a cavalier attitude is gone. "I'm not going to die. Not even a little bit, I swear." His hands reach up to her, and he tries to get hold of one of hers. "Look.. I could have written this long.. I'll see you when I get home letter and left it with JARVIS, but I didn't. I wanted to talk to you first. To see you. I had kind of wanted you to eat a little more and get some sleep, but it doesn't always work the way I want."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Home. Centering. When Pepper is up in the clouds, he's one of the few that can get her to stop, to come back down to earth, to home. So the worked up rambling that just seems to be worse in all her worrying, it suddenly ceases and she just watches him through slightly glimmering eyes, breathing a little too fast but not fighting him any longer about it. She squeezes his hand quietly, after a few heartbeats, letting that focus her as well. She finally nods.

"...Alright. Fine... we... We'll discuss it more in the morning. I'll look over the specs. I... I'll look at it. I promise. But... bed, tonight? Can we just... go to bed for a few hours? Be together?" The faint smile on her lips is mostly exhaustion and missing him, but there is a glimmer of something else behind her eyes. Other things she has missed.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony remains there, looking up at her as Pepper catches her breath, controlling that rising panic with his help. She's got business down in spades; that's easy. It's all by the numbers, and they both know it. When it comes to 'them', however, the waters are a whole lot harder to navigate. He's self-assured where matters of the heart are absent; those trysts over the years truly meant nothing. Now, there are loads of doubts, but there's one thing that he has absolutely no doubt about.

"More in the morning," Tony agrees. "Bed tonight." He gains his feet slowly, reaching out to pull her up at the same time, gently and affectionately. "A few hours." Taking her hand now, he's ready to guide her to bed. (And there's not even a //hint// that anyone else has been in that room!)