4413/Somewhat Ready

Somewhat Ready
Date of Scene:	08 May 2018
Location:	Unknown
Synopsis:	Pepper and Tony talk about his birthday, and some other important things.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Pepper Potts

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Iron Man has posed:
    The text comes out of the blue. But this happens all the time. Tony's a kaleidoscope of interesting commentary. Sometimes it will be dead for days because he has his head in a project, and other times it will be a rapidfire hammer of communication. This one reads like it might be a start of the latter.

Text series:
    "I was thinking maybe Paris for my birthday."
    "You'd like Paris, right?"
    "What about one of the yachts?"
    "Or maybe something larger."

    Where is Tony, anyway? That's also unclear. He was out in Gotham the previous day, as he was invited to do a speech at a university he is a donor to, and went to be properly pampered about it. Today his schedule is fairly open, the meetings he'd needed to do are done. He's free range: which is a whole other kind of issue, sometimes.

Pepper Potts has posed:
The texts he got back, trying to keep up as rapid fire but Pepper still did have work to finish, are not surprising:

"I can book Paris if you want."
"I'd love Paris. It'd be lovely. Shall I get us tickets?"
"...Do you want a yacht in Paris?"
"Why do we need something larger than a yacht??"
"Your birthday. Whatever you want."

And that last one had come quite shortly before dinner time, when Pepper finally gave up on getting through the end of the day emails to a grumbling stomach and her hay-fever allergies winning the best of her. Up all those stories, to the penthouse, she's only slightly bleary eyed and red nosed coming in the front elevator and kicking off her high heels almost immediately. She was entirely done with work or professionalism for the day. She'd also, practically, started living here. "Tony...?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "BLEEBLE BEE," a small spinning blue and yellow droid greets Pepper at top volume in the doorway, spinning little servos wildly, limbs askew. It is about the size of a volleyball, and has a head panel that distends up and out as if unsure if it can keep balance without craning. Little limbs have repulsors in them. Tony isn't responding at first, but the door that goes to the Bunker is ajar. No doubt Bleeble came out from that way. It approaches her, a little too close, and waggles limbs again, making a myriad of little sounds. It's musical, in a disjointed way.
    JARVIS, though, is on the case. "Mr. Stark is in the shower, Ms. Potts," he supplies mildly to her. Indeed, there is the soft sounds of the shower: it was just drowned out by the little drone-droid.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    "Bleeble?... Are you alright?" Pepper asks gently. While they didn't have children (probably never would... right?), she had become more and more fond of Tony's pet projects. Almost children, almost pets, their personalities had charmed Pepper and she happily leaned over to pet the back of the little Droid's head and ensure than none of it's servos is actually out of place or out of control. Once she's vertina the little robot is all put together, she turns back into the room. "Tony?"

JARVIS knows her too well. Her head tilts to the side as he responds to her and then she realizes what that gentle background noise is. "Thank you, JARVIS." She clips up to the disembodied voice and immediately begins heading that direction. She's unbuttoning her suit jacket as she goes and it's quickly flung ontop of Tony's bed, her slacks to follow. Apparently, she might very well have plans on joining him in that shower, or at least stepping into the room to help unblock spring allergy assaulted nose. Her camisole follows quickly and she pads on barefeet into the shower room. "Tony?"

Iron Man has posed:
    The little robot is all right, it doesn't appear to be in any trouble. It's just now being pesky, and will tag along at her heel a little bit too close. It's asking to be stepped on. Really, it's behaving more like that it misunderstood some order, such as 'follow'. It happens. The array of a rug on the floor in the bathroom proves it actually was in there rolling around for a while. It does shut up when it goes in there. Tony probably told it to be quiet!
    "Present," Tony calls back as she pokes her head into the bathroom. He's in the spacious shower portion of the massive bathroom. "I didn't mean a bigger YACHT, but a bigger party in general. Only so many people fit on a yacht," Tony says, as if there was no break between the last text and the moment she walked in.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    Not really planning on showering, having wet hair this close to bed would be a pain, Pepper steps into the bathroom and just plods over to the large countertop where she clears just enough room for her to jump up and perch there, basking in the steam coming out of that large, spacious stall and its occupant. She chuckles drowsily, leaning her head against the wall, "Well, depends on how big a party you want...do you want to show off this year or actually just have a party with friends and the people you care about?"

Iron Man has posed:
    "Have I ever had a private party for a birthday?" Tony asks, which is rhetorical. Of course he hasn't. Well, not intentionally. "Except for the one year where I was deathly ill," Tony amends, "And considering how many doctors I had, that wasn't even /small/." A pause. "You were with us then, weren't you? That was a million years ago."
    "-Not that we're old. I know you don't age, and I've decided to go ahead and give up on the aging thing after this one," Tony playfully comments, in the general sounds of his shower. He's unconcerned and certainly not self-conscious!
    "But I'll still want the parties, of course." Of course. Tony's in a good mood: he's pleasant, chatty. Or masking well. Without a visual, that can go either way.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    "I mean, not...entirely private. Rhodey could be there, and the Avengers, and even maybe the new kids you're teaching and training. But you just don't need every co-ed this side of Malibu, maybe? It's still a party even if it's just people you PERSONALLY know, Tony. It... it might even be a bit nicer? Calmer? Celebrate with the people you really care about?" Pepper offers gently, not trying to sound judgemental in her voice and she isn't really being, but there is a touch of worry there and a bit of hope that maybe he'd want to do something a bit more intimate. Still, she watches that shadow through the shower, breathing easier herself for the steam and heat around them.

Iron Man has posed:
    "Glad to hear what you'd like in a party. Consider it filed away for yours. To ME, well -- it sounds more like there should just be.... /two/ parties," Tony answers, perhaps entirely missing the point. He's efficient like that. And upbeat.
    Tony's shadow moves to suggest he's rinsing off, and the water shuts off shortly afterwards, opening the door far enough to snare his towel, but also not hiding at all. Tony's shameless, as always, but doesn't hang out in direct view either. More that it doesn't matter to him. He's talking parties.
    "A smaller yacht party, and /then/ the rest of the socialites, business associates, celebrities and reporters in the other one." Tony fixed it, don't worry, with more work.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    A little laugh and almost half groan escapes Pepper's lips as she hears his solution to the problem. When he does eventually come out of the shower, he's going to see a stuffy, slightly sniffly Pepper giving him that familiar smile. THe half exasperated, half in love smile that he inspires in her all too often. She sighs to herself, shaking her head and damp, slightly waving strawberry hair.
    "That...isn't exactly what I meant, Tony. But if that's what you'd enjoy, we can plan a yacht party in Paris and then a bigger gala affair here in New York. The... usual mass invitations updated for up and coming celebrities, newly elected politicians, and your top three stock market competitor's C-Suite teams, just so you can show off?" Pepper asks, having planned entirely too many of these parties before.

Iron Man has posed:
    "It's like you've done this before," Tony says, in mock surprise as he comes out of the shower, towel secure around his waist, pulling a second one off the rack to rub over his wet hair, causing it to spike in the disarray it lends to before he sleeks it with product. Since it's evening, there won't be any of that, though. He smiles at her and steps in for his kiss expectantly, very warm and smelling of his various expensive soaps.
    "And boy, do I have some things to show off," Tony says, with an intensity to his grin that comes with the creative energy of new inventions. That's what he's fired up over: he's in a create mode. His birthday was enough to pull some attention out, but it's a wonder he's not buried in the lab. "Such as you. Do you want to be public about us?" Tony asks her, hand gentle on her knee, before returning to rubbing the towel against his hair and then down his face, hanging it on his nape.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    While Pepper doesn't often get sappy -- she's entirely too practical and professional for that -- she's tired enough today and he's just charming enough looking mussed out of the shower that she's more than a little flushed and smiling like a puppy dog. For just a moment. She leans up to kiss him, warmly and happily not caring that she's getting half damp in the process herself. Her hand comes up brushing across his cheek as she takes in a deep breath. "Mm... You smell good. You should shower more often." She teases him lightly, that sappy smile turning teasing snark for just a heartbeat.
    Then she's letting him step away so he can continue that conversation, her mind half tuning it out as he's about to ramble about machines, whatever he wants to shove in the face of his competitors. She was about to ask about dinner when her brain then backtracks to the last thing he said. Not about machines.
    About them. Not machines. Pepper blinks, sitting up a bit straighter. "...Do... do YOU want to be public? I mean, the girls will definitely stop fawning quite so much... And the boys from GenDent will start making ball and chain jokes..."

Iron Man has posed:
    "It'll only be positive for /my/ image, as having all of the best things," Tony says, offhandedly, but does look at her sideways, his smile calculated but still genuine. There's a more recent aspect to his brown eyes now and then that she's been privy to: a cousin of the blue-dress stare, this look is still appreciative, but less surprised. A confident neighbor that likes to look at her with a comfort of them being 'together', and she's the only one in the room, even in some situations when there are other assistants around.
    "I'm asking which way you want. Private party or not. There isn't a wrong answer." Tony rakes his eyes around the floor, tosses the clothes from before mostly into the hamper. There's a scent of metal and burning from them. Not unusual. "Our friends know as is. They're pretty sharp detectives. Evidently I use a 'tone' when I refer to you." There's no embarrassment, just amusement about it, from Tony.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    Maybe it's just the heat of the room. Maybe Pepper doesn't just have allergies but a cold. Maybe her cheeks are just naturally flushed. But, in truth, Tony's words are making her blush and she can't quite fight it. She's blushing all the way up to her ears and green eyes fall momentarily behind light strawberry lashes. She can't hide her smile, though, and it's not waivered once. It's shy, uncertain, so much like that blue dress smile when she simply couldn't believe she was dancing with her boss dressed like that.
    But, these days, it's more than dancing. And he is so much more than her boss. She clears her throat softly, "I'll...plan whatever party you want, Tony. I'll plan you both and a third if it's what would make you happy, you know that. But... I would very much like to be on your arm at all of them, not just your... secretary."

Iron Man has posed:
    "Don't sell yourself short in that, you're the best of executive assistants; nobody could handle my party demands -- or anything else-- like you do," Tony scoffs at her, catching onto her blush, and returning over to swat her with the side of towel against her leg lightly. And to step in front of her, with his recent arrogant manner of expecting he'll get a kiss if he just gets close enough and looks cute enough. Tony is pure exhasperation, along with his other qualities. Such as charismatic and electric, when he turns 'it' on. And he is now.
    "Two parties for now. If I increase it, you'll be one of the first-- no, /the/ first, to know," Tony promises her with a finger poked into her leg in front of him. "I've had enough weird press wondering why I'm not flirting with everything that moves. I'd appreciate showing them the reason," Tony laughs, but there's an undertone of honesty in it, that shows up in his eyes even if he's laughing the seriousness of that away.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    "Mmhmm... So, this is just about making press conferences more comfortable, really?" Pepper asks, in that way she always has of calling him on his bullshit, just when he was about to duck away from it all. She's not letting him this time. She reaches down to catch that towel he swatted her with and steals it fully from his hands, wrapping it around the back of his neck and pulling him just a bit closer. Two can play at this teasing game. But she hasn't quite leaned close enough for another kiss. She's staring up into his eyes and waiting now. And he's TRAPPED in her towel-ridden clutches. He can't just dance away and avoid the question.

Iron Man has posed:
    Tony's not so easy to train in some ways. He's smart, and great at ducking situations that he doesn't like with skill and ease. However, some things he's caught on to: such as that it's always better to attempt to please her. Results speak for themselves. But old habits! Must talk!
    "Yes, my tendency to just say whatever I want regardless of what they actually ask about wasn't comfortable enough for me," Tony answers, bullshitting still. He loves his press conferences, they are mini parties all about him. But she holds him in close, and Tony relents to her. Sort of. He lifts his hands and smooths some of her damp hair back behind her ears, and the left side past her shoulder. It's his own way of coaxing.
    "Well, you know. This seems to be working all right. I don't want to sabotage it if you're not ready. You seem somewhat ready. But I could be projecting that whole readiness situation." Rambleramble.

Pepper Potts has posed:
    Some of that hold of the towel eases around him as he reaches up to smooth the damp hair behind her ears. She doesn't expect that he's going to dash away from her any longer and, in truth, he had found a few buttons that just put her at ease no matter what. That was the lovely thing about being lovers instead of just boss and assistant -- finding all those little, intimate gestures they never really knew about each other before. She turns her head slightly, just enough she can place a kiss into the base of his palm.
    "This is working... more than alright. I think I've been happier the last few months than I can... ever really remember being, Tony. If we're not ready now I don't know if we'll ever be... And we're not getting younger. And, frankly...I'd like to be able to go out to dinner with you without dodging presumptive paparrazi. Let's make things official and damn anyone who says otherwise."

Iron Man has posed:
    "Sure. Done. I like greeting them and posing more than hiding," Tony says, in his easy way. Once the choice is made, Tony puts full weight into something. Much the same as always - business ventures, and here. He makes his mind up and doesn't usually look back. "But I did tell you I was done with the aging thing after this birthday," Tony appends in a tease, and moves in for a strong kiss, lingering close to her face, nose brushing hers.

    And then in his usual manner, a tangent is made. "Do you want to go out tonight? I.... forgot to eat."

Pepper Potts has posed:
    The kiss is returned happily. Relaxed, content, slightly damp with sweat and steam from the shower, Pepper isn't actually fretting about how she looks for once. She's gotten comfortable enough around him that she can let herself relax as such -- and he's really the only one in the world she can do so with. When she comes back for air after the kiss, she smirks at his comment. "Fine, Mr. Stark... no more aging. I guess this is the last birthday party I need to plan. I'll make it a good one." She winks at him teasingly.
    THen his arm is getting a good swat and her eyes widen just a bit more, "...What?! You haven't eaten? Yes, yes, let's go out. Goodness. Tony! Put on real clothes or, at least, more clothes, and we'll go right now!" SHe half huffs, jumping down from the counter top so she can stalk out to the bedroom and grab some fresh clothes herself. She's back in work mode now.

Iron Man has posed:
    "Oh no, we'll still celebrate my amazing /lack/ of aging!" Tony assures her, but she's moved now to react to his failure to feed himself. Whoops?
    "I meant to call for something. Or to ask you to do it. But nothing has shown up, so I guess I didn't do that after all," Tony comments while she rushes off on her new mission. He follows, more specifically to his closet, to pull on a casual assortment of jeans and tee: comfortable and lending to his frame of mind that had him forgetting to eat in his lab in the first place. "I did input a new module into my AI learning systems," Tony says, finally bringing in the mechanical chat she'd no doubt been waiting with baited breath to tune out. The little robot followed Tony out of the bathroom, still silent, but seems thrilled to be pointed at. "He's adapting on behavior alone, not verbal commands."

Pepper Potts has posed:
    Pepper pulls out a light sundress from the corner of the closet that has just slowly become her's. No, she's not 'living' here. She surely hasn't moved in. She just spends enough nights here that it was logical that she left a few pieces of clothing. Then a few more. Then some pajamas. Then a nice dress. ANd now she just has a little section of the closet filled with just-in-case clothing. She turns back to evaluate herself in the mirror, giving a little nod. "...Behavioral adaptation? So, you programmed in... self teaching and awareness? And it's...working?" Pepper asks, both impressed and perhaps a touch worried. "You'll have to tell me all about it over dinner. But first... Dinner." With that, she slips on shoes and leads him straight out the door. They both needed food.