14202/Reallocation of resources

Reallocation of resources
Date of Scene:	16 March 2022
Location:	Penthouse - Stark Tower
Synopsis:	Perfectly good Indian food is wasted.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Pepper Potts, Black Widow (Belova)

---

Iron Man has posed:
It's the ending of an absolutely perfect day in New York City. The sun was shining, the weather was warm, and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. Anyone who could, made it out of doors today. It was the sort of day that could put a smile on anyone's face if they were able to stand outside on the sidewalk, even, to be part of welcoming Spring.

Who missed the picture perfect day?

Tony Stark.

Ensconced in his workshop downstairs, the plans within plans within plans are being gone over, reviewed, built, reviewed again, and tweaked some more. He's got even more balls in the air now than ever before, and it's imperative that none of them get dropped. None of them.

It's only when JARVIS makes his evening announcement that Tony pays attention.

<<Sir, there is dinner waiting for you upstairs.>>

"Snooze, buddy," Tony listens but he doesn't always do. "I just need one more minute.." And it's a part of yet another suit; he's got the Quin on the back burner, and instead, is turning his attention back to the design phase of a Mk... who knows. 'One more minute' usually leads to two, five, ten, 30.. and it's a good 45 minutes before Tony steps away from his plans that sit in that holographic space, and looks satisfied enough to leave it for now.

"Okay, JARVIS. I'm good."

<<Shall I save that on the private server, sir? With the others?>>

"Yeah, thanks." In the next heartbeat, it's gone, and the system lights are powering down. Cue for Tony to first run a hand through his hair (he did shower this morning!), and then head upstairs. He's 'casual', in t-shirt with the soft blue light coming through the cotton fabric, jeans and sneakers.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The only time Pepper really ever cooks are Sunday Brunches at the Avenger's mansion. She *can* cook, but it's stressful and the last thing she's wanted to do after long work days. That means she's ordered in. Again. Tonight it's Indian, a whole spread of curries, spices, paneer, and kebabs. She told JARVIS to notify Tony about dinner when she first placed the order, not when it arrived, so that means the food is still hot by the time the man makes it upstairs. Not JUST arrived, but not cold yet either.

Pepper's looking over to Yelena, a slight smirk on her lips, "You can start eating, you know. While it's warm. The wine is still decanting, but maybe you just want vodka with this? Who knows when he'll be up-" And then her question is answered. He's up. She turns, a light glimmering through her eyes as she sees him. If there is any doubt about how she feels, just seeing how her face transforms when he walks in a room probably erases it.

"Dinner's still warm. I do hope you're hungry after all that."

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova is wearing a black sweater of the roomy type, with a heavy neck that folds a lot, along with white tights and socked feet. She is curled up on the couch reading an actual book, some sort of steamy romance novel judging from the muscled man on the cover cradling a swooning woman in a vintage gown in one arm.

"This is just smut," she says, shaking her head, even as she continues to read. "Filthy, filthy, filthy."

She sighs, then finally looks up, "I will eat, I will eat. A lot of Russian food is cold, we are used to it. Most of our meals are just beets and cabbage. Is good for digestion, bad for aroma," she says.

"Tony Stark," she says with a soft incline of her head as he arrives.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony the bachelor is used to take-out. It's a step up from stale pizza with boxes strewn on the coffee table; at least now there's something of a 'real' meal. There is zero expectation that anyone will cook for him, unless it's requested, and that is rare if non-existant. The door from his workshop opens, revealing the man, the legend.. the hungry genius inventor. Of course, the first direction he takes is towards the bar in order to pour himself a drink to go with dinner; the decanter is taken down, the tumbler filled with a generous three-fingers, restoppered and replaced on the shelf. Minus the ice.

"Pep," he greets softly, his expression is a touch distracted, which is nothing unusual. Particularly after long hours in the lab. "Yelena." That greeting sounds a little more formal, even in the single word.

"I think I've got the plans for the new Quin worked out. Just need to finalize them with the drafting team and get them sent over to California. I'll be flying out there again, probably by the end of next week." He doesn't sound the least bit apologetic when he continues, "Whoever's on the schedule, make my apologies. Not going to make it." Tony takes a swallow of the drink as he makes the cross towards the cluster of couch/chairs, settling down on one. "You know the drill," and the free hand comes up to roll in the air in gesture, "'Busy man, things have come up that need his personal attention.. watch the news for announcements,' that sort of thing."

Pepper Potts has posed:
There is something about the way that Tony says Yelena's name that stops Pepper. They'd been all living together for weeks. Even Pepper had dropped the formality, these days, but that felt formal. Her head tilts just a little bit, studying the man as he pours out that fairly heavy dose of whiskey. She makes no comment on it, even three fingers deep and ice. Her lips press quietly and her shoulders set. It's going to be one of those nights.

"That's fine. I can cancel everything, but I do think you should reschedule dFusion, at least. I'll get them on the calendar for later next week." She affirms, pausing from her own food as she reaches for her phone to look through the calendar and start rescheduling or cancelling things. She doesn't have to do it now, but she might as well do it while it's on her mind. As she's scrolling through calendars, she smirks at Yelena.

"Yes, 'lena. It's... smutty. It's a romance novel. They are all smut. It's a little dialogue and a bunch of rippling chest sex. What were you expecting?" She asks with a little laugh. She really has relaxed in the woman's company.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova narrows her eyes momentarily at Tony's stiff tone, but maybe he's just grouchy this evening. She isn't going to let it bother her. She makes her way over and takes a seat herself, settling in carefully and crossing her legs as she gets a plate.

"I mean, I expected smut, I guess, I just didn't know the smut would be so smutty!" she says with a playful grin. She has grown quite affectionate for Pepper, maybe the first real friend she's ever had. Certainly the only one who wasn't a killer like her.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony's got the kebabs, some curry and a 'hunk' of warm naan, though not without slathering one side in butter until it drips and settles it onto his plate after putting the drink down. He's silent as he tucks the kebab into the bread, pulling the skewer and setting it to the side.

"They're trying to get me to look over their formulas," Tony returns. "Meet, greet, but they're stuck. Dead in the water, and they're hoping I come out with a pull rope." He takes the bite, chews it, but sets the rest of it down, pushing it away. Not as hungry as he thought, maybe? "I could rescue them, but then we'd have to start the paperwork for either a takeover, or they sign their work over to us." Tony doesn't work for free, and ultimately, he knows his worth.

After all, Stark Industries wasn't the billion dollar company when Howard left it to him.

Instead of eating, then, the glass is retaken, and he rises, restless.

"I'm not hungry, I guess."

Brows rise at the choice of books; of everything that could be gotten, a bodice-ripper? "I hope you're not looking for a story-line in there. Just as a hint."

There's a pause again, and Tony begins a pace; he has a direction, though. One of his work tables that he's brought from the workshop.. years(?) ago. He's conflicted; it's in his eyes, on his face, in his pacing, but he's also made his decisions. "Neither of you are going to like what I have to say," he begins, "but, Yelena? I'm putting someone else on the team to keep an eye on Pepper. From a distance. I can't trust that she's not going to get hurt." Who it is, he's not telling. "I know what happened the other night." His jaw shifts, and he's shaking his head before he takes another swallow, effectively emptying the glass before he continues, "I can't have that happen again. It was dumb luck that you're still alive, Pepper, and the next person might not hesitate." He's seen it, personally.

Pepper Potts has posed:
As Tony sets the plate aside, Pepper's frown only deepens. She's about to protest, but then he starts talking about what happened the other night. That shuts Pepper down almost immediately, pale eyes dropping to her own mostly untouched plate. It seems no one really wants to eat tonight, and she really did pick a delicious spread. The poor Indian food. It deserves better.

Her jaw tightens after a moment and she takes a breath in through her nose, looking between them both. "Look, what happened was as much my fault as anyone's. I wanted to go out. I wanted us to drink. She WAS protecting me, from two creeps that were just as bad as the other one. I won't complain about another guard. If... if people are going to take more shots at his, if what happened to me wasn't just a distraction, and I feel like it probably was, then it's worth taking more care. But Yelena's done an excellent job and I trust her. WIth my life, I trust her."

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova puts her eyes down. Nobody feels worse about what happened than Yelena. She blames herself for what happened and in her own way has been punishing herself for it. Now this?

"No," she says.

"You can bring in someone else. Help is good. But I will not stop protecting Pepper. Even if you fire me. Even if you don't pay me. Even if you throw me out of building and I have to stalk her myself," she says.

"I make mistake, yes. I know. I fuck up," she says, looking at Tony. "I know I am not allowed to feel. I let myself forget what I am. It won't happen again."

Iron Man has posed:
"Pepper, I don't think you understand. They're not playing games." Without the drink in his hand, Tony's gesturing, underscoring his words. "I don't have you under lock and key, under some house arrest, and I get it, I do. But this?"

Tony looks to Yelena, his expression serious, "You're fired. You made a mistake in a game where mistakes can mean someone dies. You get it, I know you do. You're the one who came here in the first place to tell me about the imminent danger." He doesn't go so far as to toss her out of the Tower, however. "I can't have mistakes. Not with her."

Tony begins the pacing, losing himself in his thoughts before he tags on something that has been nagging at the base of his skull. "Were you going to tell me about this?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pep's jaw sets a bit as Tony says no, especially when Yelena argues back, that she would be here even if she wasn't being paid. That tightens her throat a heartbeat or two -- other than Tony, she's not used to people caring that much. She lets out a slow breath and picks up her glass of wine instead of her plate, standing up quietly from the table.

"...Fine. You can fire her, but I have my own funds. I'll hire her. The more hands on deck, the better. And she DID come to tell you about this. We wouldn't have NEAR the warning we did if she wasn't here in the first place. This... hell, Tony, I don't know if it was a mistake. It's hard to be three places at once and she was already warding off two people. It happened. But even if it was a mistake, they HAPPEN. That is part of being human. We aren't the Red Room who punish mistakes with death and exile." But Pepper's already said her piece. She will just hire the woman.

The other question makes her shoulders slump. She stares down into her glass a few heartbeats, considering. "I... wanted to. I meant to, but you're always so... caught up. Lost in the workshop, then I'm just fighting to get you to go to meetings. When we had a few minutes to just sit and be... Be us... I was going to. But finding those minutes are... Hard." She admits honestly. But she also didn't shake him out of his focus to tell him. She let more things come before her. She always does.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova looks at Pepper in shock. She had been about to storm out, possibly throw a knife into the wall. Maybe beat up a security guard or two to get out some aggression. But Pepper standing up for her makes her stare. Nobody's cared about her at all. Pretty much ever.

"I know it scares you to think of her being hurt," Yelena says. "It scares me, too. It scared me then. But I am better than anyone else you could hire. And yes, they came for her, but they did not take her. I will not let them. If I have to slit the throat of every mercenary in New York."

Iron Man has posed:
"I'm not willing to .." Tony shakes his head and looks between the women before his gaze lands back on Pepper, "Mistakes happen and people die, Pep. This isn't just some clerical error, the sort that makes you spend an hour fixing. This mistake, I can't fix." Nothing is worse than feeling helpless, and it's not something Tony likes. Not at all. "This is a whole new level."

He looks at Yelena, the studying gaze lingering as if looking for anything in there that he can either believe or not. This is not only a Widow, but a Black Widow, someone who is inarguably one of the best in infiltration, in killing.

It's the answer from Pepper, though, that is hard to take. "JARVIS told me." The tattletale. "I don't know half of what happened out there." Just what was discussed in the Penthouse. "And what I do know," he shakes his head, She didn't actually want to tell him; not the night that it happened.

"You're going to have a SHIELD bodyguard, nothing any different than when you go out with one of our in-house. It won't be Happy." Who won't be pleased about being taken off the detail. "And one you won't see."

Now that all of that is //out there//, Tony's free to make his way back to the bar and pour himself another drink. He's got his own plans in motion; smoke them out. "Set up a press conference for me, tomorrow morning. 8 am, right out front of the building. Tell them I have an announcement to make."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper stares at him quietly, especially as he mentions JARVIS. She should have known. Goodness knows that JARVIS has tattled on Tony to her more than once, mainly about not eating. But somehow this felt different. She sighs, walking over to the couches with nothing in her hand but her glass of wine. She collapses down there, more boneless than normal. It's like her strings have been cut.

"I... didn't want to worry you, Tony. I didn't want you to freak out. I know you've got a huge project on the table and everything going on with SI. I'm not... that important. I didn't want to be any more of a distraction than I was. And then I thought about it, and... was going to tell you, when there was time..." But there is often so little time. Still, Pepper's eyes are on the floor. As honest as she's being, she knows she messed up too.

"We were approached at the bar. Two creepers. Hitting on us. They started... shit. Yelena went to handle it, and a third grabbed me. It was over in thirty seconds. I don't know if they were all working together or if he just took an attack of opportunity. But I got out fine. Not even a scratch. And it's done. You can put another guard on me, but I'm keeping Yelena. I trust her. And I know, for this... mistake, she's never going to make one again."

Then he's commenting about a press conference. Her eyes jerk up, going wide. She realizes what he's talking about, "You... you want them to come out. You want to be bait, don't you?"

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova lets Pepper tell the story as it goes out. To Tony, she does respond, "There is no SHIELD agent who is better than me. Except perhaps Natasha or that one lady they call the Cavity," she says. "Nick Fury once, but he is old butt now."

She moves over from where she sat and stands behind Pepper, arms crossed.

Iron Man has posed:
The glass decanter is almost empty; such is his attentions on that particular poison. The litany of all the reasons why not rings so very hollow to him, and he cradles the glass in one hand, the other providing a little support. "There is //nothing// I'm doing that is as important as your safety, Pep. Nothing.

"And you." Tony turns to Yelena, "You keep giving yourself those pep talks, Yelena. Prove it to me, and prove it to yourself." He shakes his head, a shrug lifting a shoulder, "I know all about SHIELD." After all, it was one of his father's pet projects. Tony builds armor, Howard built an agency. "And," Tony points at Yelena, the gesture lighter than the conversation at hand, "I'm //not// going to tell her you called her that. And, for the record, it's 'Cavalry'. And she hates it." There's that ghost of a smile that appears and he takes yet another swallow of scotch; he's got to be feeling it now, right? "You're not far off on Fury, however."

Be that as it may! Tony swings back around at Pepper, and he repeats his request with nothing added; no explanation, nothing. "Press conference, 8 am. In front of the Tower for an announcment."

Pepper Potts has posed:
As he says there is nothing as important as her safety, Pepper's green eyes flicker up, looking quietly skeptical, but also somehow hopeful. She wants to think she's that important, she just doesn't really believe it. Her lips part to say something but it never really comes. She just gives him a mute little nod instead.

"8 am press conference. Yes, sir. I can and will do that. I... I should start putting everything in order for it now." She stands, wine and food now both abandoned. She'll probably disappear into the guest bedroom where her laptop is so she can settle down to work. After all, there were a lot of news outlets to tell about the conference.

Black Widow (Belova) has posed:
Yelena Belova reaches down and takes her cup of wine, draining it in a long sip. "The best way for me to prove it is to drop bodies. And the only reason I didn't was to spare Pepper the sight of me gutting that pig in front of her," she says.

"Pepper thinks you're a good man, Tony Stark. I hope so. In my experience, usually when someone is wanted dead as m uch as you are...is because they deserve it," she says. "I am going back to my smut now. Sorry job didn't work out. But I think I like new boss better."

Iron Man has posed:
"Depends on who wants me dead, Yelena. Doesn't it." Tony empties his glass and sets it on the smaller desk that he keeps coming back to. The cleaning 'bots will take care of it, and the food on the coffee table. By morning, it'll all be gone.

He watches Pepper for a long moment before he takes the opportunity to turn and head into his large bedroom suite. As the door closes behind him, he's taking off his shirt, the little blue light of his chest seen before the door closes completely. Time to get at least a couple of hours before everyone and their mother comes after him.

But if they're after him, they're not after //her//.