3541/New Year, New Start

New Year, New Start
Date of Scene:	02 January 2018
Location:	Stark Tower, New York City
Synopsis:	Tony and Pepper discuss... dating. It is horribly awkward.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Pepper Potts

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Iron Man has posed:
To say there has been a lot of activity is a massive understatement. The parties went on (and on) for four days. Each party had a slightly different demonstration of the new safety repulsor technology. And then, abruptly, that was IT for the parties, and intense negotiations began related to the technology unveiled there: meetings galore.

Tony has been both a hindrance and a dream related to the meetings.
    A hindrance, because he keeps scheduling and moving them around fit to make any assistant want to strangle him. Most of them are being moved UP and some appear to overlap!
    A dream, because he's ...actually SCHEDULING them and GOING to them with confusingly good efficiency.
In the meetings (at least the ones witnessed), Tony is using his extreme charisma and clout to pretty much just shotgun others into going along with his deals. Both sides are happy about the results, generally: it isn't negative, just aggressive. The style has been to get into a meeting, skip pleasantries, and make agreements fast: and then move on to the next one: hence the weird scheudle overlaps.

Which means, in essence, Tony is /doing his job/ as a CEO for once, and has shown he can be a powerhouse (...which is good and bad, because it means he's been performing well under his potential there before, for ages). If only he focused his full energy on it like this all the time: it might be like working for a more traditionally functional boss.

And so, despite the meeting tilt-o-whirl directly after the party spree, it has been, no doubt, a positive week.

...Maybe. There's all kinds of red flags in it: something is up, and probably very wrong, with Tony. Behavior of this type (being a type that is out of character) has indicated incoming meltdowns before. It started with the SHIELD niceties, the fewer women brought home, and has gotten more obvious now with business stuff. But it's not BAD behavior. Just... different. But problematic, since it suggests he's been replaced by a pod person, or that his train is going off the rails.

Due to the New Year, most employees have the day off, those that want it. But, well, not so much Ms. Potts: there's a bunch of things to handle! Ringing in the New Year for Tony was not at one of his own parties: he went elsewhere (Vegas apparently), and tumbled back in to the tower obnoxiously late after having slept on the flight. And so it is more like around 1pm that JARVIS alerts Ms. Potts that she has a meeting with Tony in his office in 20 minutes. He must have just scheduled it - or moved it up, after noticing she was in for work.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper, of course, worked like a horse through the holidays. Cleaning up after the parties, then running around to all the meetings. Actually securing the contracts that Tony negotiates and ensuring everything is signed before people back out of them. A dozen other small things that happen behind the scenes with every deal and she ENSURES they are done, but it's a lot of work. And rare that the work comes this quickly in a row.

So, she's in on New Years day, catching up on a bit of back log of old business that got neglected while she was handling new contracts, when that meeting pops up. She blinksi n a touch of confusion, echoing to the computer: "Thank you, JARVIS." She doesn't even bother asking when Tony put the meeting on her schedule. She wanted to talk with him anyway.

So, twenty minutes later, she's shown up outside of his office. She has two coffees in hand, his just the way he likes it and from the special roasters. SHe never forgets these things, even overwhelmed with other work. A touch of exhaustion is showing around the edges, but she carries on. "Tony?" SHe asks, as she ducks her head inside his office, "You... put an appointment on my schedule?"

Iron Man has posed:
"Yep, come on down; you're the next contestant to get to sit on 'uncomfortable visitor chair'," Tony agrees from across the office as she arrives. He's seated in his chair at his desk, partially spun around such that he was looking out the window, but rotates as she comes in, and scoots in to rest an arm on the desk, reclined halfway. He looks hungover but is handling it to some extent, although many of the windows are drawn with shades. He's dressed in suit jacket and pants, but has a graphical tee under it, one of the old STARK emblems.

"I've got two things to go over. ...And don't get tense on me right away. Both of them are entirely 'me' things," Tony clarifies, patting his palms down once or twice on the surface of his desk, as if the whole desk were partially in the way, but he couldn't quite put his fingers on why.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Silence lingers for a few moments as Pepper looks over his face, trying to see just how bad the hang over is and how crazy he's driving himself. She steps the last few feet across the room and settles into the uncomfortable visitor's chair as offered, though not until after sliding his coffee across the desk to him. "Got your favourite. Just like you like it..." She offers with a half smile, though she doesn't entirely hide the worry.

Then she's settling back down in the chair, nursing her own coffee between her fingertips. "Alright, I'm listening... but then I have one thing for you. But you first. What are your two things?" Pepper asks, her voice all professional business.

Iron Man has posed:
The whole situation is very boss-assistant heavy, with that desk, the office, visitor chair, the whole thing. The office is designed to put visitors in their place, of course, to some extent. And Tony doesn't like it.

"This thing is like a barracade," Tony observes of the desk itself, and gets up come come around it, sitting on the corner, in a far more relaxed manner, without the gulf of desk between them. Far better - to him, anyway. Or he's stalling. A mix, likely.

"There we go." He picks up the coffee brought from the desk with a brief flash of appreciation, warms his other hand against it. "The first thing is about, ah, the second night of the party, when Thor and I did some 'light' drinking," Tony identifies. Of course he would place it in his memory that way. He looks up from the coffee to check for reaction.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"...Tony, you could barely walk. There was no light drinking about it." Pepper states flatly, but she is sitting just a bit straighter up in her chair now, shoulders square and jaw a touch set. She doesn't move away as he comes around the desk, but she also doesn't move closer. "...Should I get my tablet out and take notes, or is this a... personal discussion, Tony?" He might be trying to make this more person to person instead of boss and assistant, but she's in the middle of her hours and firmly in the head space of his employee. So, that's how she responds. She doesn't yet, however, actually get that tablet out. She remains with her delicate hands around her coffee cup and pale eyes leveled up at his handsome face.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony sort of brushes her question aside with a hand, as if fanning it away as unnecessary. His tone and body language suggest he's doing a person-to-person session, though. "Light for /Thor/," Tony admits. "Anyhow, I couldn't remember what we talked about other than that you said something that I was supposed to remember later," Tony says, starting to lean into his way of ...talking rapidly to sort of fill the air with words: "Since that was important to remember." Only a brief pause. "But when I checked on it with JARVIS, there was a problem there, too -- being the part where I over, ah--" hmm. "I, you know." The struggle is real. "I seemed to have put you in a category of flirting," Tony manages to get through it. "And that's not..." Tony seems to work through how to best get his point through.

"It's not a position that's fair." Another pause, but the train just keeps going: "You're one of the best things to happen to me --this company," Tony slips and adjusts, looking away. "Top three, at the least," he adjusts again. "So I wanted to say I'm aware I was an asshole to tease you, or treat you that way. You're not Rebeca or Traci or whoever." She's important, /better/. His expression is dismayed, tired, but gaze moves back to her finally, with a genuine quality, but uncomfortable. He has a hard time with fixing his social misteps.

Pepper Potts has posed:
While Pepper wasn't exactly mad, she has been more distant over these days. That last thing she said had been enough -- she a touch tipsy and beyond exhausted when she dared to say it -- and nothing had come of it. So, Pepper threw herself head over heels into business, drowning in it, working herself to the breaking point. After all, it was most comfortable for her that way. Now, however, the hesitance in his voice, his dancing around those words, it's all enough to gain a slightly longer look from her. She does not yet speak, simply listens, the line of her lips softening just a bit more. Hovering on the edge of uncertainty as her green eyes study his handsome gaze.

"Tony..." She finally begins, breathing out slowly, tasting his name without having real words to follow it for a few heartbeats. "I... appreciate your words. And you are correct. It wasn't fair. And I set you to rights that night, and you didn't... Really... push, so that is that. It's behind us. Forget it happened." She states flatly, half closing off her heart, shutting down just a bit more. Clearly, he doesn't remember the other part.

Iron Man has posed:
The emotional gulf rips open between them, as Tony evidently fails to respond or 'fix' things in the way she needs, as his understanding remains skewed. He sets his coffee aside behind him on the desk, adjusting his position in leaning to drop one hand to either side of him on the desk. He doesn't LIKE lingering in this uncomfortable, awkward place: it's awful.

"So there was more, but you want to forget it happened, sure. Then you'd said something you regretted, too? It happens. I mean, other than thanking me for saving you. I still get credit for making sure you were alive, when you were passed-out drunk." That other part: he's taking it that she didn't mean to suggest a date, now, and, by the sound of it, is letting her out of it instead of teasing her on it.

"I hope I'm not a boss that always is told what he wants to hear," Tony laughs. ...which turns all of that inside out, suggesting she said something he wanted to hear.

"Anyway, second thing..." Tony says, trying to pivot, tone forced upbeat.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"...And JARVIS helped you remember.. what initially happened... and not the end of it? Or is it better to just ignore it?" Pepper finally asks, almost out of no where, not entirely able to conceal the hurt from her voice even as she's desperately trying to keep this professional. After a night like that, purely professional is a little beyond possible. So, she dares ask that, not quite able to keep his eyes as she does so, heart half in her throat.

Iron Man has posed:
That attempt to escape awkward land was started... and thwarted, as Pepper hangs onto the previous topic. His forced upbeat attempt to move on away from the discomfort fails, and he coughs against his hand. He watches her look at him, and clearly seems to try to figure out how to respond to her. The pause as he calculates reveals, at the least, that he isn't /confused/.

"I have a full transcript, which we can put behind us, like you asked?" Tony ends up with, gesturing some to her as if trying to give her more say here. His dark eyes soften in dismay as he sees the edges of her hurt. Oh geez.

And he reacts to it. "Shit, Pep. I didn't mean to wound you that night. I don't know why I crossed a line." He doesn't suggest it's the drink, or her dress, or anything: he takes the blame personally. And a sort of haunted strength of force comes into his gaze, a set to jaw. The streak in Tony that is Iron Man. "I don't want to lose you."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Green eyes stare hard up at him as he comments about having a full transcript. So he did know. Pepper's expression cannot hide the hurt, not in the least now, and some strange mix of hope around her heart which beats bird-like in her throat. She tries not to speak for a few moments, forcing her voice back in her throat, swallowing the words she knows could ruin both of them. But she can't find others. So she just watches him, heart in her mouth, the glassiness of her eyes probably not entirely exhaustion.

"...But you don't want to date me either." It just spills out the moment she does part her lips. "No...I'm not Rebecca, or Traci, or one of your... flings. And you shouldn't have flirted like that. No... not unless you meant it. Not unless there was going to be something..." And finally, her good sense catches up with her brain and she shakes her head quietly, forcing her eyes away and back down. "...Sorry. I... I shouldn't have... Sorry, Mr. Stark..." She's trying to pull herself back into being entirely proper and professional again.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony's brows launch very high as he takes in her own spilling of words. Normally that's him, rambling. "Hey, uh, ahhh," Tony fumbles, letting go of the desk, taking one step towards her to close the distance, one hand lifting towards her head but then he can't quite figure out what to do once he's there, and fidgets the fingers a little bit, drops the hand.

"It, I uh." Tony clicks his tongue against his teeth a few times, breathing through his nose. "I'm sort of un-datable," Tony reminds her. "A path into a dark and tangled forest of doom, really, at best."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Undateable. Pepper is silent for several heartbeats, glassy eyes turning back up to him, coffee forgotten. Hopes forgotten. She just watches him for too long, uncertain what to say, hope quickly leaving her. Finally, she just nods. He's seen that look before, the careful shutting down. Closing off. Turning utterly nothing but professional but painfully loyal. No matter how much it hurt, she'd be loyal.

"...Of course. Mr. Stark. If... if you really think. I was... foolish to... I mean, I shouldn't have... " She exhales a brief puff of air, trembling just a moment then pulling it all together. "You had something else to say. Sorry I interrupted." She does not meet his eyes now. She does, hwoever, put down her coffee and pull her small phone tablet out of her back pocket. Note taking time.

Iron Man has posed:
Ack. "Well, no, that's a 'me' thing, not so much a you thing. I'm sure with a whole dating thing, that you're.... well --some things I probably can't actually say without sounding like I'm flirting, so I'll stop where I'm ahead," Tony says, looking down at their feet, and folding his arms in front of him, before unfolding one to scratch a little bit at one of his temples, and squint at her.

"Please stop with the Mr. Stark thing," Tony suddenly says quietly to her, his voice naked and exposed, and aware. He attempts to reach out and put a palm on her device, pushing it down some, to get her to look at him again.

"And besides, it wouldn't shock me if you had a machete in there that was good at hacking apart jungles." He cracked open the door, carefully.

Pepper Potts has posed:
As his hand goes onto her tablet, that pauses her ability to take all notes. Pepper can do nothing but look up at him. For a moment, he might realize why she was hiding her eyes. They are definitely glassy, unspent tears hovering just behind her gaze. It hurt, to realize that he might not ever want to date her. THat there is no chance, which is what her mind heard. But now he's looking back at her, reaching out to touch her, and giving her just enough words to give some hope. She swallows her heart back down her throat.

"...I... am generally prepared for such things, yes. And... consider the challenge to be worth while, but... that would involve you actually wanting to step up to such a challenge also. And maybe I was a fool to think that. You...flirted. You were drunk. You did to me what you have done with dozens of other women before. I... I shouldn't have read anything into it. Maybe. Even if I did..." She confesses softly, some scratchiness behind her throat. "Maybe...I thought I... was different. Maybe I was wrong..."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony doesn't like standing over her anymore, and drops to squat in front of her chair instead, and gently draws the phone out of her hands to set it aside on the chair arm next to her. And for a little while, as she talks, he's just... there, looking at her, and as she makes her last confession, snares both of her slim, petite hands under his against her knee. He's just looking at her, attention entirely on her: his eyes move over her face, to her hair, mouth, eyes.

"I think you're the best of us, there. And I'm still pretty sure I'm the asshole. You deserve the best, really."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper doesn't fight the removal of her phone at all, nor the touch of his hand. She just watches him as he kneels in front of her, some odd glimmer of hope rising up in her hurt eyes. Her fingertips are trembling, ever so finely, beneath his fingertips. She is actually scared -- Pepper Potts, who is never intimidated by anything -- is scared. She draws in a deeper breath against her frantic heartbeat, trying to calm and steady herself even as she doesn't dare look away from his handsome features.

"You...can be an asshole. But... sometimes... you're the best man in the world, as well. A lot of times. You don't see it... not often. But I do. Why else do you think I've been here almost ten years, Tony? You're so much better than you ever realize..." She whispers, and she dares to slip one of her hands free so it can come up and trace over his cheek, her thumb against the edge of his goatee.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony gets somewhat embarrassed and also arrogant with her compliments: his usual combination: which starts with a sort of sly laugh and smile, and evolves into the more cocky shrug about that yes, he can be awesome. He adjusts his weight on his leg, shifting weight due to the strain of the squat position, and sort of takes stock of how... awkward this is. And feels a massive pressure to ...stall, or get a moment. And also to stop squatting.

"Hey, um, let's go to the couch. I feel like I'm proposing on one knee here," Tony says, without censor. "C'mon, c'mon," he coaxes in his 'playfully persuasive Tony' way, no saying no allowed, trying to draw her along by the hand to the other side of the office by the televisions, briefly tapping a few buttons on the control on the side of the couch, and all the televisions (with the various news, sports, etc) dim out. It isn't dark in particular. "Sorry. Where were you? Oh. Compliments." He smiles at her, though, and squeezes her hand. His tone is more playful but body language is... kind. Receptive.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The comment about the proposal makes Pepper blink and actually laugh a bit awkwardly -- straight up nervously, "Yes! Oh...god. Yes. I can't unsee it now. Let's move. Yes." She almost sounds relieved for the excuse to break out of the too-serious conversation she had been having. But he's still touching her, keeping her hands, and that's a touch that is a bit more than being boss and assistant. It's one she's hesitant to draw back from but doesn't entirely know how to handle. So, she allows herself to be led to the couch, the room growing a bit more dim and intimate.

"So. Couch. And... I... am... I'm just being honest. I think you are better man than you know. But...if... If you think you're not. Or if you don't want to be, then forget I said anything. We'll go back to work, we'll forget it happened. When you get bored in a week, I'll call Traci for you again. It's... fine. I know how this works." And then he's lost her eyes again, Pepper talking herself quickly out of the courage she did have.

Iron Man has posed:
Okay, the couch is already better. Tony relaxes back some, quickly moving to adjust his coat, then pivots to face her, which draws one of his knees up onto the couch more between them, other arm to the back of the couch. He pulls her hand forward to rest against the raised knee. Tony looks down at her hands and checks her face quickly for a cue on if she wants to pull away or if she's fine.

"I wasn't intending to say I had no good traits, I'm not that humble," Tony supplies. "But I wouldn't bet on me being the best at being /right/ all the time. Your track record is pretty spotless. So I mean. If you .... really have an idea... I may be willing to get on board, provide funding." He releases her hands by opening his, but it isn't a withdrawal. More that he doesn't want to push. "...Unless it's weird. Might be weird," Tony squints a little at her.

Pepper Potts has posed:
That deepens her smirk, eyes levelling at him, "Are we talking about a date or a business proposal, Tony? Because if this is business and funding, we're going back to your desk. If this is a date? The out with it... just come out with it. I...I don't want to dance around this. Pretend we're not discussing what we're discussing. Yes, it's terrifying. Yes...it... It could be weird. You're my boss and we probably shouldn't and this is the worst idea I've had in a while but I just felt like I should be honest and dammit, Tony, it's been ten years and I'm not going anywhere so I just... came out with it." Pepper gets riled up and rambling not to often, but when she does, she just goes. So it all comes spilling out again, hand slightly shaking under his, courage, determination and terror all locked in her green eyes.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony is pleased to get her to fire back at him: it shows. His smile deepens and arrives in his eyes as well. He's proud of her fire. Besides, it's so much better than the nervous worry. "Whatever it is should be fun. If it's not fun, just serious and weird, that's not going to fly."

"Fine. Have it your way." Tony says, with a deep, overly dramatic breath. And looks at her sternly -- except that there's a flex in his jaw and a slight pass of amusement through his eyes as he keeps it 'stern'. It ends up reading overly charming. And then a long pause.

"So. Am I supposed to pass you a note before gym class about going to prom, or?" Tony questions in deadpan, purely intending to make her frustrated. Because it's only under that veil of explosive frustration and misdirection that he'll pull his hand up and in towards her neck and ear, a caress to her cheek and into the front side of her hair. His gaze holds an intensity, currently on her cheekbone and ear, accompanied with him sliding expertly into her personal space, closer... but with some caution: there's some tension here, because this ...does matter.

Pepper Potts has posed:
That pleased look in his eyes is actually enough to make her relax just a little bit more. A half smile escapes Pepper's lips and her breath comes just a little easier as something in her realizes that she's pleased him. Even now, she thrives on that smile of his. On them working together as a strange team. But then he's asking about notes before gym class and Pepper cannot help but slightly roll her eyes. "Tony..you've asked hundreds of women on dates before. It's not that hard." She whispers gently.

But then he's touching her. Hand to her ear, her neck, the caress over her cheek, and that sends her completely speechless. A little breathless too. She sinks a bit closer into the touch, her head tilting to the side, seeking out more of his warm fingertips and palm. That touch, so surprisingly gentle, was more than she'd ever even imagined.

Iron Man has posed:
There's a trap here, and he's aware: yes, he's good at this, and yes, hundreds of women. But she knows that as well, and if he comes off as 'just the same as usual business' he's in trouble. So the general plays won't be available.

Also, it's /Pepper/. There's a weirdness to it all, in a fashion. To aim this at Pepper, to actually allow that interest to come forward into something physical. It's exciting and eerie. And good.

"Yeah, well. You're not them," Tony says, very simply, with a bit of a breathless discomfort, that reveals that he's not just messing with her head.

Tony slips in closer to her, curling the arm from the back of the couch around her more. "Hi," he says, quietly, close now, looking at her face, eyes. No smile, but instead, the earnest bambi look: wearing his emotion without bullshit. That he's interested, but a little alarmed. His thumb at her cheekbone sweeps down to follow the curve of her jaw and chin.

Pepper Potts has posed:
While Pepper hadn't knowingly set that as a trap, he did find the right answer after all. Something tightly tugs at her heart as she hears that statement, her chest oddly heavy and expression hopeful. Her eyes flutter shut for a heartbeat or two, just savoring the touch of his fingertips and the scent of his cologne. She breathes out quietly against his wrist, nose almost just brushing the base of his palm. "...You... right. I'm not them. And... if... if we do this, you will have to work for it. We have to work to get it right. It'll be... hard. Sometimes. But... worth it. I think. I hope. Do you think you're up for that work? We... we can forget this ever happened." Pepper is probably lying to both of them in saying that, but she has to try.

Iron Man has posed:
"You're ... already my best person. ...Well. My only person; I don't exactly have anyone else. So that's not really different," Tony says, as if thinking through it at exactly that moment, and just saying things as they come to the surface to be said. Probably would be better to filter, but he's distracted. By her.

And now she's backpedaling. And he's getting confused. Is he pressing her? He sits back a few inches, trying to sort through it. "Am I doing the same ... bad flirting I did that night?" Tony asks, with a crushing dismay that starts to shift into frustration. But only defensively: because he as actually trying.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Then he is backpeddling because she did, and it's all just such a careful tower of cards that could fall at any point in time. Pepper's eyes go wide, staring at him hard again as she shakes her head, "No! No...you... you're doing... Great. This... it feels great, Tony. Hell, I've dreamed of this and it didn't feel that good and I don't want to stop but I'm scared too so... shit. I... I can run this entire company, Tony, but I don't know how to do this." She admits softly, one of her hands coming up to gently cup over his against her cheek. She doesn't want him to pull away, that much is clear.

Iron Man has posed:
"I'd be shocked if you didn't see me in your dreams. I mean, you see me all the time, every day. You're in mine. I think in the last one you had REALLY wanted to go to Tahiti to do yoga, and you had a pet squid named Clarence." Tony pauses, and clears his throat. Yeah, sometimes the rambling gets in the way. Unfortunately the 'run the entire company' is a land mine she didn't know she stepped in until she did:

"I'm running it today. Meetings and all." A pause. "...because a little break is happening. I'd... rather leave things in good shape."

Pepper Potts has posed:
A small laugh escapes her lips at the Tahiti comment, a half innocent smile dancing across her lips, "I have heart Tahiti is lovely, and I wouldn't *mind* a vacation out of this cold..." Pepper teases back lightly, falling into the relaxation trap because, a moment later, this discussion isn't relaxing at all. Pepper blinks, sitting up just a bit straighter as she listens to his words but also the meanings under his words. No argument from her, or even disregard. If nothing, there is a brush of worry through her green eyes.

"Yes, you've been...running everything, the last few days. It's been remarkable, really. I... just don't want you to burn out. And what do you mean a little break? Just... tell me what's going on. I can handle it, Tony. You take the time you need, but... what's going on?"

Iron Man has posed:
"And I did good: new deals are solid, on the product branch. Positive stuff. It'll be fine, though, you'll barely miss me. I can't say you won't notice I'm even gone, because, well." He gets a bit more fierce with the last statement despite the soft laugh that comes with a gesture to himself, aware he's a lot to deal with, and leans in, enough to almost bonk his forehead to hers in an affectionate move: but doesn't QUITE get there, he aborts. But does leave his fingers gently on her face. But the second topic is now front and center, so he's on it: "Yeah, this is that.. other... thing." Vague.

"It's a medical thing I've been delaying. Should be fine though. I'm confident." A flash of easygoing confident smile. "Got in some legendary parties just in case," he winks. Priorities.

All of the insanity with the parties may suddenly click into place. And playing nice with SHIELD. And fewer women around, despite said parties. And setting up the company with a large new income source, doing a good impression of his father. And being undatable. The list goes on.

All of it.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Somehow, she knew. Her first instinct had been that maybe he was going to rehab, but that didn't seem exactly right. And now he's dancing around something about a medical thing and Pepper's eyes just widen more, her heart climbing into her throat again for dramatically different reasons. She sits up straighter on the couch, turning her body to entirely face him, shoulders squared off, green eyes half panicked and all worried. She had just let herself open a her heart an inch and now it's tearing apart a mile.

"Tony. What. Is. Going. On. Tell me, please. Trust me. You trust me, right? I'm going to sit here worried sick this whole damn time and have to keep things together while you're away and not certain... just... Just tell me what's wrong. Please? How can I help? I... please, Tony..." She's a bit too worried to even ramble. Now her hand comes up to his face again, tracing down his cheek like she might break him to touch him too hard.

Iron Man has posed:
"Whoa, whoa. Okay. Breathing," Tony suggests quickly, firmly, dropping hand from her face to instead bring both hands up to both of her upper arms, giving her a gentle squeeze there, and look at her directly, straight on. He's calm: a bit overwhelmed by the strength of her reaction.

"Well, sure: basically, the gist of the problem is that I need to replace the arc reactor. And, while I have a good upgrade, it's going to cause atrophy with the current casing: so I need to replace the current casing first. That's mostly just risky since I'll probably be unconscious and my heart /might/ stop, and, well, it's hard to do things while unconscious, even for me. It's quite not like it's a meeting I can phone in. But I've got a feeler out to Dr. Richards, shouldn't be any big deal." He's cool and smooth about it, but she'll see he's well aware it could kill him, too.

Pepper Potts has posed:
"I... I want to be there, Tony. If Dr. Richards is doing it, great, if someone else... Well, I'll research it. I'll find you the best doctor in the world. This will be fine. We... we can make sure this is fine. But god! Why didn't you tell me?!" Pepper then swats at his shoulder gently, swinging from abject worry to a touch of anger that he's just spring it up like that. It all comes from the same place of deep, too deep to really admit, care, but it's certainly an emotional swing.

"It will be fine, yes... I'm sure. But, we can make some contigencies. What about a back up reactor, just in case? And there should be a second surgeon on call for the whole operation..." Pepper's business mind is now kicking in, a defense against the too deep well of emotions she's trying not to feel.

Iron Man has posed:
"Hey... hey, I'm telling you. On the schedule and everything," Tony defends, with a soft laugh as she swats him, fine with her rebuttal, clearly. "No real reason to worry you or anybody until I found a solution, right? And it's best to get the casing changed out, the current one already has the issue, it's just not as pronounced," Tony says, drawing one hand off her to tap with a few fingers through his shirt on the cover to the reactor. It isn't glowing through his current layered shirts, but his tapping makes a hollow sound. "I don't want to get a huge team involved, already unhappy with one guy digging around in my chest."

Pepper Potts has posed:
"Tony, they have two surgeons for routine gall bladder surgery. This is heart surgery. At... at least have one back up. It doesn't have to be a whole theater, but, please... For *my* sake. I'm going to be sitting there, trying not to have my own heart attack the entire time. So... Please?" Pepper asks, giving him the biggest, most innocent doe eyes she can manage. She's gotten good at those eyes after all these years, when it really matters at least. So, she pulls out every bit of ammo she can to convince him of that. Her hand still hasn't left his cheek either, though.

Iron Man has posed:
As if Tony could do much against her doe eyes in this situation? Maybe if he was distracted or unaware, but staring right into them at close proximity? Tony moves to try to reduce her pain.

"Yeah, I mean, more than just one guy. But I'll be there too, for pretty much all of it." Because that's a great idea, having the patient help. Yet so very very Tony.

"Also, you don't get to have a heart attack," Tony reminds her, deadpan, "Although I do consider it high flattery you want to follow in my footsteps."

Pepper Potts has posed:
Following those doe-eyes comes that familiar, stubborn set of her jaw. "Then you get another DOCTOR there, and NOT you. Someone who isn't a patient on the table. You agree to that, and I'll agree to not have a heart attack. Otherwise, no deal." Pepper's fingertips slip back, resting around the back of his neck instead of on his cheek, which actually draws her slightly closer. But she's not letting go, not now, even if it means her leg is drawn up on the couch, the outside of her calf running along his knees, touching him in several points -- none of which are appropriate for boss and assistant. Her skirt's also ridden up quite a bit, basically sitting at the top of her thighs and exposing the leggings she has on beneath.

Iron Man has posed:
"Does it have to be a doctor? I mean, I wouldn't discount some highly skilled nursing staff, some of them are phenomenally experienced," Tony answers, automatically having to counter her deal and bargain, of course. "And possibly more attractive. Only the very best get near my heart, you know," Tony continues more quietly, and draws in close to her, his dark eyes full of her as he ends up just inches from her face, nose nearly touching hers. There's a sort of hesitant question there that hangs between them, the same tension from the night in the blue dress, but the spark is a bit different this time.

Because it's not a surprise.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Not a surprise, and not something Pepper wants to resist. She hovers there, just on the edge of his lips, sharing breath for a heartbeat or two as her pale eyes search his darker gaze, looking for any hesitance or doubt. But all she sees is that question and, a moment later, she answers it. No words, just her lips on his in a kiss that isn't full of lust and hunger, but something more gentle than that. Passion, yes. Love? Probably. Loyalty. Trust. Affection. A thousand things she never let herself say but has felt for too many years. She kisses him long enough it should steal both their breaths. And then, just as she's pulling away, she finally whispers.

"Another surgeon. No arguments." Her lips curl up into a smile as she whispers that against his mouth.

Iron Man has posed:
"What was that? I wasn't listening," Tony asks with a very brief shake of head, immediately following that with a second approach to kiss her back, more strongly. There isn't a hesitancy there, just a real response and warmth, hands leaving her upper arms to come in gently on both sides of her face, framing her cheeks in palms, though there's no force to it if she did pull away.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper's mouth opens to respond but, well, there are better things to do than speak right now. So, she leans up into his lips, this kiss somehow deeper, more insistent. She rather liked it, in truth. Her second arm comes up, wrapping around his back and pulling their bodies closer on the couch. She sinks easily into him, fitting ever so neatly against his body, like she was meant to be there, somehow. Or perhaps she just knows the cut of his frame after all these years.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony gathers her in and adjusts cleanly as she draws him close, running one hand down from her cheek over shoulder around behind her lower waist, supporting the draw of her hip to him.

The kiss is broken by him this time, because he has to try to ruin good things with talking. But.... this is important, too. To not just steamroll over her. Even if it's amazing and he's... feeling something very very pleasant in the soar in his chest of ...hope. And so he draws his head back some: "Not ... too strange, right?"

Pepper Potts has posed:
Half in his lap now, and Pepper couldn't be happier about it. She settles there, as the slightly draw away to catch breath. Her lips draw back but she doesn't pull her body free. If anything, she just lets her hand from his neck drop to gently trace across his chest, where his heart and that reactor lay. It's a worried touch, but a caring one too. Her eyes are almost shy now, even as she sits in his lap.

"...No, not... too strange at all. It actually felt quite... nice. Right... for once." She admits softly, studying her hand across his chest. "...but I'm not forgetting about the other surgeon."

Iron Man has posed:
"You pose a really persuasive argument about it, I'm starting to see it your way, I could be convinced," Tony answers. "...And I'm thinking maybe strange, but good, too," he adds, more thoughtfully, and with some minor heat in the 'good' word's emphasis. He's mostly just looking up at her now: there's some playful tone here, and she'll feel there's tension through his torso that his verbal chattiness doesn't quite mask. Tony's hand slides from her lower back to the side of thigh, but only to hold her there more securely.

Pepper Potts has posed:
This time, Pepper settles in a bit closer to his hand, not shying away from that touch on her thigh. She lets her own hand stretch out, fingertips splaying across that worn our arc reactor with a heaviness that isn't just about seduction. Green eyes flicker from his chest up to his eyes, "Yes... strange, but good. And... I want that date. I do. I'll even ask you. But that requires you survive this whole mess and having someone else on hand... Just in case, will make it far more likely. Promise me you'll get a back up, or let me find one? Please?" Even this close, this intimate, she's insisting on taking care of him.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony doesn't do anything aggressive with the hand, he doesn't put moves on her. He looks down at her hand on the surface of the reactor. He clearly ... prefers to dodge the topic, it shows in his mild flippant sort of response, but he doesn't fully dodge her this time. "Yeah, figure it's better to be sure there's something LEFT to go on a date," he jokes, but the weight of it is still there. It's not really funny. "If you want to research more and find more options, I'll look at them," Tony gives.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Holding her this close, Tony can feel the inches of tension leak out of her as he says that he'll let her research more. She lets go of a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. She nods almost immediately, "By the end of the day I'll have three options to back up Dr. Richards. You pick which one. Just... have one of them there too. That's all I ask." She leans up again, then, kissing him, but this time it's the most gentle kisses meant just for the side of his mouth. Something achingly tender and honest about it. "Then you'll rest up, be back on your feet soon, and we'll go on that date." She whispers against the edge of his lips.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony clears his throat really thickly and looks sideways /away/ from her, a clear message of him reining in some emotions here. And some movement of dark masculine lashed eyes to keep any emotional display more in check. He isn't truly okay with looking at his own mortality and the weight of what could come. Which is why he has turned into a pod person version of himself for a few weeks: dealing with that weight alone. "Well, you are the professional at taking really good care of me. I'd better let you do it for once, huh."

Pepper Potts has posed:
As she watches him turn away, practically feels him curling in on himself, Pepper can't hardly take it any more. She wraps her arms tightly around him, tugging his body closer and wrapping him up against her as tight as she practically can. She tucks her chin across his hair, letting him curl up into her chest, if he'll permit her holding on like that. She just holds him and breathes for a few moments, her fingertips tracing over his back. "...It'll be alright, Tony. You're going to get through this. I'll be right outside the door... and you'll have experts. You'll be fine." She whispers into his mop of slightly unruly, dark hair.

Iron Man has posed:
There's resistance. Because this enveloping comfort is weird to him. He doesn't, ever, have someone do the action that Pepper is currently doing: not even as a child, really. So he doesn't have a page in his handbook to cover an appropriate response. And he also isn't willing (or able?) to expose quite that much underbelly. So he adapts what she attempted to do: he won't put his head to her chest, no, but he will come in and rest his chin on her shoulder, because a close embrace, chest to chest?: he'll accept that. He does turn his head a little bit into her neck: she'll feel his facial hair there, his shirt collar close to her own nose. "I've every intention of being just fine. Better, even. Faster, stronger. Bigger flashlight if it gets dark."

Pepper Potts has posed:
She'll take his head on her shoulder, it's close enough. Pepper's cheek turns so it rests against his temple, instead of the top of his head. She keeps him enveloped in her arms and just holds on for dear life for these few moments he'll allow. A faint smile crosses her lips. "I know. And I can't wait to see it. But, meanwhile, I'm here. We'll do the research, get this all set up, and I'll take care of the company while you recover. We make a good team, just like... we always have. I'm not letting you go anywhere now." She whispers against his temple, arms tightening for a heartbeat or two.

Iron Man has posed:
"I'm sure my plan for zero days of recovery is entirely realistic," Tony says in a muffled voice against her neck. She'll feel, more than see, the smile that hooks one side of his mouth as his short beard moves on her skin. The smile she's used to seeing, not necessarily feeling in such proximity. But he starts to ease out of the whip-cord tension he'd been in, slowly starting to accept her offer of physical support. "I didn't want you to deal with this. Worrying about something is like... suffering twice."

Pepper Potts has posed:
The smile lets her relax a little bit more as well, but she's not quite letting him go yet. She lets him ease into her, breathe through that tension, accept the fact that she might actually, deeply care for him. This close, she smells like the fresh, clean soap she uses, a faint trace of vanilla and roses. Some sort of oil in her hair, maybe? It's so delicate and feminine but utterly Pepper. She turns her head enough she can bury her nose against his cheek, breathing in deep of his own scent, something familiar and oddly relaxing about it. "I know you didn't. But I care about you... I... if something happened and I didn't know? It'd destroy me, Tony. When... this all first happened, when you were missing for months... I was half dead inside. I walked around. I kept things going here. I... kept waiting. But it was like I couldn't breathe. I was just going through the motions because I didn't know what else to *do* without you..."

Iron Man has posed:
"How long've you been holding onto all of this? No wonder you're tense," Tony asks her, moving his head now to turn it and look sideways more at her face, seeking to catch some expression instead of just going off of her bleeding tone. "But... no, I don't believe you'd be destroyed. You're tougher than that. We both are. I'm a tough stain you can't just bleach out," Tony assures her roguishly. Getting him to stay serious is a feat in and of itself, but then some comes in on its own: "I wasn't going to let them win then, and certainly not now."

Pepper Potts has posed:
She does let them part enough that he can meet her eyes. Pepper's are slightly glassy, but no actual tears have come from this conversation. Pepper leans up one moment to kiss his forehead and then settles back, smile earnest. Slightly blushing, even, probably left over from the kisses. "I know you're not. Which is why I'm not worried. I just like to be... Prepared. So let me do that research, we'll set it all up... and then this will all be past us soon. Alright?"

Iron Man has posed:
"Yeah. Planning. Putting it on the schedule," Tony says, in mock businesslike tone, with a 'stern' little nod, amused. "That was for your benefit, you know. I know you like to know what's coming. But that's not really the way I drive," Tony warns her. He looks at her lips again, full strong awareness in the gaze of that they were, indeed, kissing before. His dark eyes dart to hers, feeling that memory with her, no doubt, with the flush to her cheeks. "Sometimes, gotta look at the way you assumed would never play out." A pause.

Tony seems to kind of think over something, and glances down and aside. It's a look she'll know well. His brain just fired up on some direction or idea.

Pepper Potts has posed:
Pepper was just about to lean in for one more kiss when she sees that look in his eyes. She blinks, a single brow arching. So, instead of the kiss, she leans back and looks him over with a bit of a smirk, "...Alright, what's in that head of yours now? I was just about to kiss you then get back to work, but you are clearly onto something. Spill it, Tony. Before I DO get called away to a meeting and we get nothing else done here." Yes, his brilliant mind just kiss-blocked him. But she was thinking about it.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony flips his attention back to her with a start. He didn't intentionally drift. It just happens with his mind. He isn't aware he lost the kiss, though. "JARVIS, what meetings does Ms. Potts have coming up?" Tony inquires, with an expression of tease. JARVIS starts to list them.

"That all sounds cancelable," Tony informs her with a shrug and one of his more obnoxious little smiles. But it lacks much wattage: he's pushing at her buttons of course. Since she called him on his drift? Maybe.

"...I had a thought about some of the rejected materials from the containment of the first reactor. I think one of those might be a good alloy," Tony says, obviously unable to resist his brain-path. "JARVIS, pull up full schematics in the bunker on the A2 to C5 concepts. --Maybe A1, too."

Pepper Potts has posed:
A little huff of a sigh comes and Pepper leans up, kissing him on the forehead instead, before she begins to extract herself from his arms. "If you are going to go plot and plan in your lab, then you are NOT cancelling my meetings. I'll go back to work. You'll work on this brilliant solution. Everything will be fine in the morning and back to normal by next week, alright?" She doesn't quite leave his side yet, though, even if his mind is off on a tangent again and she's lost his focus. It would always be that way, that was the Tony she knew and loved.

Instead, her hand comes up to comb through his hair just a moment, "I'll have three surgeon's names on your desk by the end of the day. Pick one. They'll be there for the... Meeting. It'll be done and fine soon. Now... go get to work."

Iron Man has posed:
Yeah, she lost the full focus. But she did HAVE it... for quite a while, really. He doesn't fight her extraction, because he's starting to pull apart the labyrinth of ideas suddenly going nuts in his creative mind. However, he doesn't just stand up and leave the room like he's done to, say, Traci. Yes, not full focus, but he's still present. He looks at her as she combs through his hair, seeming to come back for the moment.

"Hey." He catches her hand as it comes down from his hair. And looks at her, a long pause. "Bug me with dinner tonight, okay?" he suggests. "Maybe Chinese."

Pepper Potts has posed:
As he catches her hand, her smile just blooms. It's a smile almost no one ever gets from her -- no one but him. It lights up all the way to her eyes. "I can do that. Chinese. Lyn's, from up town. It's your favourite. Pain to get but... worth it. Go work. You have until 7 when I will barge in your lab with Chinese whether you like it or not." Pepper grins a bit more, squeezing his hand which holds her small palm. And then, with that squeeze, she's letting go. She understands when his mind gets into that focus. She won't hold him back.

But she spends the rest of the day smiling and thinking of chinese. She will be good to her word that night and even gets his favourite order.

Iron Man has posed:
"Done," Tony agrees in the same way he seals deals in meetings. Same tone, really. He stands up as she does, taking in that beautiful smile, and... answering it... before moving to the job at hand, and starting to announce additional orders and chatter at JARVIS, heading off to his workspace.

No doubt she'll have to pry him away from his work later ("It can't possibly be 7..."), but that's normal. Back towards normal, except for a little bit of.... comfortable fire in the tension between them, instead of the uncertain cliff.

Strange, but... pretty good.