14239/Creating a life

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Creating a life
Date of Scene: 29 March 2022
Location: Penthouse - Stark Tower
Synopsis: Tony gets a roommate. >.> Really! Pepper and Tony start their couple-hood (again for this MU, but ). Finally.
Cast of Characters: Iron Man, Pepper Potts




Iron Man has posed:
There are nights when Tony spends time neck deep in work in the lab, there are those nights when he's out on the town (much fewer and farther between these days!), and there are those nights when he's out and about, flying around the city under the flimsy excuse of testing the new suit. It's not so much 'testing' as just getting out and flying.

It's a clear night, and the City is in a cold snap, and Tony is out and about, getting some air and some distance, all alone but for, well, JARVIS. Each minute out, the pair are talking back and forth, communicating regarding impedences, strengths, energy output.. all the things that Tony might actually need to know.

Every piece of information is stored in that head of his.

All things must come to an end, however, and Tony swings around to land upon the expanse of balcony. With each step, his intelligent, mechanical works pulls off bit by bit until there is no armor to be found- leaving behind the man in a black suit, the shirt is form-fitting, the pants a little looser, but not by much, and sneakers.

The wide window opens, allowing entrance, and the moment he's in, Tony's making the bee-line towards the bar.

"JARVIS, I want the full trip readout uploaded."

Pepper Potts has posed:
It's late. Later than either of them should be having dinner but when was Tony ever on time for food? And while Pepper could probably have moved out and back to her apartment, she'd gotten used to being here. Unless she knows he's settled with dinner, she doesn't feel comfortable being home. That means she managed dinner tonight. The penthouse smells like delicious Italian food. Nothing fancy -- red sauce, pasta, dripping garlic bread -- but it's from one of the best places in the city and must have just arrived. It's like Pepper was timing his flight through JARVIS. Was she reverse spying on him? Very possibly.

"When you're done recording the trip... don't suppose I can tempt you to come sit down for some food?" It's not a formal dinner. Instead of the big table, Pepper is curled up in the corner of the couch, the Italian spread out over the coffee table. She's already in her comfortable night clothing, a pair of designer heather gray lounging pants that rest low on her hips and a cropped cashmere sweater in a deep charcoal color. It's got a cut open neck so it's half falling off her shoulder. She looks comfortably tossled and wonderfully at home, like she's meant to live here, not elsewhere. "I even decanted some wine."

Iron Man has posed:
It's the trip that had a beginning, that is, and while it does have an end destination, that is, the bar, Tony hesitates without pulling down his glass decanter. The offer of food, the way she's dressed down has him pausing, sending him in a completely different direction than food. Or alcohol.

She's..

It's the hesitation that has him clearing his throat and nodding, instead foregoing the scotch for the offered wine. "I think you could," he begins slowly before, "You know, that's a really good look. Comfortable, yet.." and he stops himself quickly, veering into uncharted waters makes things a little difficult. It's funny that 'dressing down' is a whole lot sexier in his eyes than super models with sequined dresses showing off almost //everything//. Or is it just the redhead?

Instead?

Tony makes the cross towards the couch, his gaze not really lifting from his house guest that he really, really enjoys having. It feels right. Natural. "Compliments to the chef. Yours?"

Settling onto the couch, he's leaning forward slightly, adding, "Can we make this a thing? You know.. you in.. that. Dinner.. here. The wine... definitely the wine."

Pepper Potts has posed:
It probably doesn't help that Pepper didn't try. She just got to the point that she decided to wear what was the most comfortable thing she found in her bags here. She didn't need to show off for him, this place had become her home as well. The comfort in her body, not just the clothing, is more compelling than simply dressing in a suggestive manner. She gives him a bit of a softer smile as he turns away from the bar, but she might have caught how his eyes looked her over, because her cheeks are growing just a bit pink beneath her freckles.

Freckles. She's even taken her make up off. She's that comfortable. It leaves all her freckles clear in their sprinkled glory across her face. "Mm, I'm the one who put in the order. But, I could try my hand at garlic bread next time, if you like..." She smiles a bit wider. She's pleased to have set enough of a scene that she has managed to turn his head.

"And... if you come up for dinner at a sane hour, we could... do this more. I mean, as long as I'm... here. I should go home sooner or later. I suppose. I just... I didn't know how long you'd be. I wanted to be comfortable tonight. I'm practically living here, I might as well be... comfortable. Completely myself. Not... not my work-self. You don't mind?" She's blushing just a bit more.

Iron Man has posed:
Comfortable.

The years together has led to a certain level of comfort, but this? This is different. This is //home//, a feeling of warmth, of stability, of, well.. for lack of a better word, comfort. The way he looks at her, there's a softening of features, and a smoothing of that keen expression. It's far, far from the suave, debonaire, put-up, always 'on' show, but rather a plain, unguarded moment, moments, of his time away from public view.

Here is safety.

"'Practically living here', yes. How about I send a team of movers and we make this a thing?" Brows rise, and there's a hint of playful suggestion that lingers below the surface. "Think your parents will let you?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
The look that flutters across Pepper's face is a thousand emotions in one. The first is relief -- a soaring bit of hope, happiness, the acceptance of just how right it feels -- but then all the doubts come sweeping in. They hadn't even made anything between them official. Pepper didn't even really know what they were doing, just that it felt right and she felt more comfortable here than alone at home. More comfortable than she had in years. Her soaring hopes dash under that trace of doubt and she turns her entire body towards him, settling her own wine glass to the side.

"...W-what? I mean... I... I haven't lived with my parents in a decade, Tony. I... I have a nice apartment, in Chelsea. I..." Her pale eyes flicker away from his, trying not to let him see too much raw emotion on her features. Maybe he's seen too much already. Her pulse is bounding in her throat now, nerves kicking into high gear as the fear of simple happiness rears it's ugly head. "You're my... *boss*. What would people say? We... we're not just... roommates. I don't know how to be... roommates. If... if I moved in, it... It wouldn't be roommates." She says that staring at the food on the table instead of his eyes. Because, if she looks at his eyes, she'll chicken out.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony leans, ducking his head as he tries to get a good look at Pepper's face. The shift as she faces him makes it easier, though those green eyes work to not meet his. His voice lowers, even though they're the only people in the room, and as far as he's concerned at the moment, the world.

"I'll keep paying rent on the apartment so you don't lose it. So when you get really mad and frustrated at me, you'll have your own place to go to have a wild party to forget about it for awhile." He reaches a hand out, and if she doesn't pull away, he wants to lift her chin a little, trying to see those eyes after what was probably a really, really difficult confession.
5r"Hey. If it helps, I could fire you?" He's teasing, and in those dark eyes, there is a little gleam there, with a quick smile- there and gone. "Then I'd have to hire someone else, and you'd have to train her, and it'd be a mess. So, we'll forget that."

His hand drops once more, though he tries to keep her attention, her gaze. "You're willing?" It's an honest question... he's got lots of baggage that she knows about and more than she doesn't.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"I... I mean... I can pay my own rent, Tony. I can. I have been for well over a decade and you certainly pay me plenty well enough for everything you put me through." Pepper half teases as she says that last bit, her eyes flickering to the side so she can catch his gaze. She needs him to know that while he does put her through a LOT, and she's often screamed she can't take it, she wants to be here. She knows what she signed up for. Her smile warms just a bit as she catches his gaze across her shoulder. She's still not quite turned back to face him. Looking mostly downwards gives her a safety zone.

"Don't fire me. I don't want to have to clean up the headaches. But..." She lets out a slow breath, eyes dropping again as she forces her shoulders to fall and try to give up some of that tension she's holding so tightly. "I... I'm willing. I like it here. I like how we... work. It feels like home, only over half my stuff is missing. I just..." Her eyes press shut, not able to focus on anything but the courage to say the next set of words, "I just don't know what it *means*. Usually people are... *together*, before they move in together."

Iron Man has posed:
"I'll note that later for when raises come around," he quips; anything to make the emotions less, to help him find his way through it. Foreign landscape here, and in his mind, there are a million different landmines that can be stepped on. "And year end bonuses."

A soft exhalation of air passes, and he raises a hand to gesture, his body shifting to the edge of the couch as he does. "Look, I'm really not good at this. You of all people should know this."

Tony tilts forward to try and catch those green eyes again, and there is that unguarded, quick smile; the gesture honest. "I think we've been together for a little while," he offers up, his head nodding to underscore, "Years." He's not stupid, however; he knows exactly what she means, and is trying to address it the best way he knows how.

"Your being here," a toned down sweeping gesture is given, encompassing the whole of the Penthouse, "has been amazing. Is amazing. Frankly, I'm a little worried that you'll see it as my locking you away in a Tower." With a capital T. "With your apartment, at least you can get out, see the world. I could," and has, "spend weeks, months here without stepping foot out. You know that. How many press conferences have you had to give to deny that anything was wrong?" Poking fun at himself is easy; self-deprecating humor showcases that he's being as honest as he can with himself.

Finally, Tony rises, not having touched any of the food, or the wine. The urge is definitely there to head //back// to the bar and get stronger stuff, but he doesn't. Not yet, anyway. Instead, he gives a little room between the two of them in an effort to clear his own head; to clarify, in his own mind, what exactly is happening right now. It takes him a few heartbeats of silence before he forms his words, "Take it slow? Maybe move in, see if you like where I put the toothpaste in the morning? JARVIS can be pretty insistent about his morning alarms. He opens the curtains long before I'm out of bed." He shakes his head, and chuffs another breath, the sound almost a laugh, but not quite.

"The only thing all this has taught me is that I can't stand the thought of losing you. And not just because you know my social security number. I can handle people hating me, disliking me.. that comes with the territory. Even the Mad Russian doesn't like me, and I'm good with that. As long as you're okay. 'Together'?" Tony shrugs lightly, but it's not dismissive at all.

"If you can put up with me?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
As he gets up from the couch, there is a little moment of panic across Pepper's features. Did she say too much? Did she scare him away? Her green eyes track him across the room, worry raw on her freckled features, but she doesn't interrupt. He's trying, for once. He's *speaking* to her and it's not just jokes and off hand comments. She cracks a bit more of a smile as he mentions JARVIS opening the curtains. "...that would imply I'm sleeping in your bed to have the curtains opened, Tony." She teases him softly. But then he's continuing. Maybe it's not a tease. "I'm... always up before you anyway." She states a bit more seriously.

Then that last question comes. She's not looking away from him any longer, but staring across the room, the spread of food, the wine, all the space between them when suddenly she wants nothing more than to kiss him. She blinks against a sudden sting of tears behind her eyes. Not bad tears. Ones of love, ones of relief. "Tony..." She breathes out softly, "I've been putting up with you for years. At least this way I... The bed is warm, and when I want to kiss you I'm not sitting here wondering if I'm some stupid, childish girl with a crush on her *boss*."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony does smile; she's caught the implication, and he runs a hand behind his neck to loosen suddenly tight muscles. "Does it?" He can't help it, he really can't. Still, he marches on forward, as it were.

He hasn't taken his eyes off of her; the tousled red hair as it spills down her shoulders and back, the comfortable set of clothes to lounge in. It's home, it really is. He can feel it, and if his parents were a more loving couple, and loving parents, his mother might actually approve. Not that he looks for their approval, that is.

Slowly, he crosses the room back to where she is, and he puts out a hand to aid in having her stand up. "You know there's nothing more stereotypical than the boss dating their secretary, right?" He's teasing, the tones taking the sting out of his words. "Everyone who actually knows me, knows us, will probably not say a word."

Pepper Potts has posed:
As Pepper reaches for his hand, he'll realize that her fingertips are slightly trembling. Not shaking hard enough to be visible, but it certainly can be felt. She takes in an uncertain breath and wraps her small palm around his, letting herself be pulled up into standing. A nervous, pale smile pulls across her lips. She keeps his eyes now, though. She's done shyly looking away from him.

"I... suspect everyone who actually knows us will say it's about time. Steve has... hinted at some things. Even Yelena could tell. It's... God, Tony, it might sound like a stereotype, but there is not a god damned stereotypical thing about us or we would have been in bed together half a decade ago. But... we're here. Now. And if you want me here... I'll stay." She takes another breath, heart in her throat, "I'm staying."

Iron Man has posed:
She's up and close, her fingers warm in his, even with the hint of emotional tremble. He doesn't drop her hand as she rises, instead keeping a hold of it even as he steps in that half-step, both his hands reaching to enwrap her waist. He'll let go if she pulls her hand away. For all his 'experience' with women, this is in a whole new league. Pepper isn't a one-night stand, she's not a bad choice made during a drunken binge or as a way to fill the span of boredom. The depth of this is difficult.

If there was that distance before, it is gone. Tony can smell the fresh shower mixing with the wine, the food that is rapidly cooling on the coffee table beyond, and while this may not be a page out of 'How to impress', it's a little too perfect. Even he can see that.

"I'll call the movers in the mornin," is murmured in the couple of inches that separate them.

Leaning in, if she doesn't pull away, Tony will lay a light, gentle, searching kiss.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper isn't pulling away. Not a single inch. She's not stupid, even if they have been dancing around and trying to ignore this for months, they're here now. Finally. Pepper smiles a bit wider to him as he mentions the movers, then she's falling into his arms. She returns the kiss deeply. Passionately. There's not an inch of shying way once he finally presses his lips to her's. She melts into him.

She's home.