14258/Girls' Lunch

Girls' Lunch
Date of Scene:	03 April 2022
Location:	Katz's Deli, Lower East Side
Synopsis:	Pepper and Carol share a lovely lunch chit chat over sandwiches at Katz. For once, life can be normal for them.
Cast of Characters:	Captain Marvel (Danvers), Pepper Potts

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Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol had been back and forth from Star City to the NYC and Gotham area frequently over the past several weeks. Meetings and briefings. The life of a director. She understood, now, why Fury was usually so warm and surley. Stopping by the Avenger's mansion after her last round of meetings, she had encountered Pepper and a brief greeting and catch up turned into a decision to go get some lunch together since no one else was around. Their loss!

Of course, going to Katz's Deli would be a certainty of good food but it also assured a very busy dining area. It wasn't a bad idea, really. With so many customers no one was really paying attention to others outside their own groups so the odds of anyone recognizing them would probably be lower. It also helped that Carol was in civvies herself. A black Johnny Cash tee shirt, her well worn leather flight jacket, jeans and a Yankees baseball hat.

After ordering, she dropped into the chair at a just cleared table and sighed. Looking to Pepper she smiled, "It's been a while since I've had real and proper Corned Beef on Rye!"

Pepper Potts has posed:
The suggestion of Katz made Pepper hesitate for a few moments, being a native New Yorker, she knew just how busy it would be. But them being anonymous might not be a poor choice, especially since she and Tony had been more public lately. She'd noticed more paparazzi following her than ever before. She didn't like it. So, she happily accepted slipping into the insanity of the crowd for a somehow more private lunch.

"Well, this is the place for it. But you know I can get them to deliver to the mansion if you don't feel like fighting through the crowd. It's always wild here." Pepper offers, warm and helpful as ever. She's looking better rested than she had in a while, and neat as a pin in her bespoke spring cream suit.

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers laughed, "Oh it's okay. It's... nice to get out and feel like things are. Well, sort of normal. And it just isn't as good delivered, you know?" her right shoulder rose in a shrug. "It won't be too bad. I'll just blast anyone who tries to bug you. Only a little bit. Promise."

Leaning back in her chair she looked back to Pepper, "So. It's been a while. How've you been? Anything interesting lately?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
There is a wariness to Pepper's gaze as she looks around the room near them, as if she's expecting a photographer to jump out of the line for lunch or the bathroom hallway. But, for the moment, they are unaccosted. Pepper settles in with her own Rachel, preferring turkey to corn beef, and takes as delicate a bite of it as possible before responding to Carol.

"It...it is better fresh made here. A lot better." She admits with a little laugh. Then her expression turns a little more serious at anything interesting. The way her eyes shift is nervous, almost guilty. "It...it's me. Nothing ever really... I mean, I'm just the assistant, you know? Never anything big... You're the one going off to space every week?! What's been going on with YOU?"

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers sensed the unease Pepper had for being in public. She could understand it, absolutely, and she wasn't interested in making one of the strongest women she knew feel uncomfortable. She had also taken a bite of her sandwich and paused to savor it. "Mmm.."

After a sip of her soda, she smiled, "Pepper? You -are- you. And we would be lost if you weren't. Just because you feel you only "assist" does not mean you are less important or valuable - or appreciated. I know Tony tends to be less on sharing his feelings or even offering thank yous many times. But there is no question he is well aware of all you do to keep Stark Industries on its feet while he's off playing global heroic rock star.." She offered a reassuring smile. "And you help the rest of us too. If only by keeping Tony a bit more grounded. But we all know you do far more than that. So. Thank you."

A glance around, "You know what? Would you be more comfortable if we wrapped these up and found a nice place to sit in the sun without all the bodies around?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Oh, it's fine. No, no, we're fine here. We waited for the table and everything! We might as well use it. Besides, with a crowd like this, hardly anyone has realized who they are." In the past, it was far more likely that Carol would be pointed out and Pepper relegated to being Stark's assistant. But things had changed, somewhat. Really, since that dinner date a few weeks ago.

Another bite of her sandwich, Pepper's green eyes lingering heavily on Carol as she considers the answer. She knows the woman was asking about more than regular business. Once she's swallowed this bite back, she admits flatly, "Tony asked me to move in. Properly move in. I... we're... I'm not just his... Assistant. Not any more." Pepper's blushing all the way up to her temples as she admits that, but at least she's now sad it aloud.

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers offers an 'Are you sure?' look to Pepper. But when she confirms she's okay with staying, another bite is taken from her sandwich and she nods. A sip of her drink and she offered a genuine smile. "Wow. That's a really big step - and great news? Right? I'm really happy for you!"

Leaning back again, she offered a playful wink, "It took him long enough! I think I'm going to lose money on the over/under bet for when it actually happened though.."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"...Bet? There was a *bet*!?" Pepper asks with a surprised stare. She's half convinced that Carol has to be joking, even if some others have hinted at it before. "Why... why didn't any of you TELL us? I mean, I thought Tony was just... desperate not to lose his best assistant ever. I never thought he really... like... I didn't think this was possible. I still don't. Part of me is waiting to wake up." Pepper confesses, this having been likely the first time she's had a girlfriend to actually squeal to it about and, while Pepper is a woman of business, sometimes she just needs girl talk.

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers leaned forward, reaching out a hand to reassure Pepper. "Pepper. Really. You -are- amazing. You deserve this. And no one ever said anything because it had to happen naturally or it wasn't going to be right. You can't... shoe horn two people together and make it work. It's like a sack full of cats."

Another genuine smile, "I'm mostly teasing about the bet. But there have been comments over time. Speculation. You know? But really. This is a big event. And if you're happy? Then we're all happy for you. Both of you."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"It feels... right." Pepper confesses softly, her expression softening. It is a genuine relief to get to tell someone and not have them call her a gold digger, or to old for Tony, or all those things some of the worse tabloids have already started muttering. They hadn't even attended their first public gala together yet, and the rumor magazines are gossiping.

"I moved into the guest room for a while. There was a... threat, well still is but it seems to have calmed, to Tony's life. He was scared they were going to use me against him... So, I moved into the guest bedroom a while ago. Then it was time to move out an things just... it felt right. Tony's a mess, I know, and I *do* think he'd fall apart without me." She gives a little bit of a worried laugh as she says that, "But I... I care for him. He means the world to me. I can't imagine my life without him, and it's not just work. So..." She shrugs, hiding her deeper blush beneath another bite of her sandwich. "Here we are."

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers listens and nods along. "Well then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. If the two of you are happy and can make it work - with as crazy a life as you both have? All the power to you both. And if anyone continues to say otherwise or gives you any trouble? You let me know." She says this with a smile but also with a serious gaze.

"We'll see that they understand the error of their ways. On the house. It's what family does."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Now. I've entirely dominated this conversation far too much. You heard my news. We're... making it work. We are going to make it work. So, you're turn. What have I missed? Surely you've got SOMETHING juicy from space. Or any new projects I could help with? You really do know you can call me any time. I'm not here *just* for Tony."

Pepper's blush is only now starting to fade, but she's still not used to the attention being on her. Something she'll probably have to adjust to the more she's seen in public at Tony's side. But she does genuinely seem curious about Carol, if a bit worried. She knows the woman's been off planet for a while. She does try to keep track of everyone's schedules.

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers glances up as she works on a bite of her own sandrwich and half laughs, holding a finger up. Once the bite is devoured and she has another sip of her drink she nods, "Mmm. Yes. It has been rather busy. A lot of meetings. Interestingly, and it's not confidentual news, Wayne Enterprises has sought to provide a portion of Alpha Flight's yearly budget. That was an unexpected but welcome development. Things weren't tight, but knowing the funding isn't just exclusively from the Canadian government isn't bad either."

She takes another drink, "As for the space front? Ehn. The Shi'ar are back on the war path again. It hasn't, yet, been wide spread but it's enough that a lot of wary eyes are watching the situation you could say. So far that's about all I know. But it has potential to be more than a border skirmish."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"More than a border skirmish? Does that mean we might... that they might make it to Earth? How worried should we be? I... I trust you to brief the Avengers when it really matters, but Tony and aliens..." Pepper frowns a bit more, a deeper cross of worry on her features than before. There is something about Aliens that is particularly bad with her boss (and now boyfriend). "Well... just warn us in time. You know we'll help," Pepper affirms quietly. That's better than continuing to worry about it. She already has lists of things she worries about every day.

"As for Wayne... Huh. We're looking to get him to fund some STEM schools as well, on that side of the river. It looks like he's really trying to make his money, and PR... stretch beyond Gotham. Probably a good thing. He's... a nice man. Stoic. I wish I could get any proper read on him."

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers spreads her hands a bit, "It's not clear yet. They're a long way off from our little corner of the galaxy fortunately. There should be abundant warning if things were to shift Earth-ward. But absolutely. I'll keep everyone updated. I'm not involved in any of the active situations. Just a very interested party. For now. Don't get too concerned yet, okay?" she offers a smile.

"Mr. Wayne is that. And more. Clearly quite inteligent. But he does like to seem the playboy. Not unlike someone else we both know. But yes, very reserved. His philanthrophic ventures all seem to be above reproach. It's nice to know that more influential and weathly figures are doing things to help their cities and beyond."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Look...I've know playboys and I've managed playboys." Well, one play boy in specific, but Pepper doesn't need to point that out exactly. "Bruce Wayne might want to seem like one? But his heart isn't behind it. Maybe he does it just because that's what he think a billionaire should be doing. I wish he'd just... be himself a little more. It'd play better on camera and... I don't know. Help things make a bit more sense." Pepper has worked with superheroes enough to know when something is off, she just can't put her finger on what it is here. She gives a little shrug, taking a final bite of her sandwich. She's destroyed the thing, clearly having been more hungry than she first thought.

The sandwiches really were better fresh in the restaurant.

Captain Marvel (Danvers) has posed:
Carol Danvers dips her head, "I can't disagree. But? It's his life, I guess. Everyone has to figure out how they want to live their lives for themselves." She also finishes off her sandwich and leans back, "Mmm. If I wouldn't feel excessive, I could almost go for another one. So good."

She glances around, "Still crowded. Small wonder, that. I probably shouldn't keep you from things too long though? No telling what trouble Tony is stirring up without your calming hand on the wheel" she teases.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Oh, I'd burst with another one. Though, I should grab something for Tony. If I put food beside him at every meal, he'll eat it at least half the time, so I know he's eaten *something* on any given day." Pepper frowns a bit more. Apparently, despite her moving in, the man has been obsessively caught up in something again. That would explain his lack of press conferences. He's too busy hiding out in his bunker.

She stands up then, gathering her purse and considering how much to fight through the crowd for food here. "But yes, I should get back. When he's in these moods and it's all whatever project he's working on, I'm pretty much in full command of Stark Industries. Have to make certain the company is still running so he has something to come home to when he pulls his head out of the ground."