Owner	Pose
Pepper Potts	All of the lights had gone out in the lobby of Stark Tower, and Pepper Potts was on damage control as soon as it happened. About an hour after everyone had been ushered hurriedly out of the Stark Cybersecurity Gala, Pepper had gone upstairs to her office on the 50th floor of Stark Tower. It was there she'd been sitting for only about ten minutes when JARVIS's voice from overhead broke her concentration.... << "Ms. Potts, Mr. Stark has has QuinJet waiting for you on the roof." >> Pepper looks up from the holographic projections of various systems around Stark Tower floating above her desk and blinks. "I'm sorry, what?" << "Mr. Stark has a..." >> "I heard you, JARVIS. Our bank accounts are frozen, the third floor is still without power, and it's only a matter of time before video of what happened leaks to the press. Why would I need a QuinJet?" << "I am not prepared to answer that question, Ms. Potts." >> "Can you get prepared?" << "I'm afraid not." >> Pepper sighs and lowers her head into her hands. << "Mr. Stark was quite insistent." >> "When is Mr. Stark not? Fine. Do you have this under control?" << "Yes ma'am. I estimate having full facilities restored in three hours." >> "Thank you, JARVIS." Pepper rises from her seat, grabbing her clutch off of the corner of the desk. "Where's the jet taking me?" << "Miami." >> Where Tony had whatever emergency SHIELD needed him for. "Well, this should be interesting."
Tony Stark	QuinJets are fast, and well connected, even without Jarvis on the flight with Pepper she'd have access to all of the things she might want in order to keep up with how things are going back in New York. While not nearly so luxurious as one of the Stark GulfStream competitors that are used for _normal_ business, well - this one is faster - and the NYC to Miami trip is counted in tens of minutes and not many of those. The jet slows down, coming in towards land from over the Atlantic ocean, dropping down to what seems like nearly wave height as it enters a 'stealth' mode that makes it more than a little hard to see, hear, or otherwise detect as it comes to a hovering rest along a secluded section of beach with a single very well maintained dock stretching out thirty or fourty yards into the surf. Spinning about the rear hatch opens and the ramp drops to land atop the dock itself, leaving Pepper a view of a couple of feet of wooden dock before a very well maintained concrete-painted-to look like stone walkway makes it's way upwards towards what very much appears to be the veranda of an elegant restaurant with what's all too likely to be an incredible view. << Mr. Stark asks that you go inside, the maitre'd will seat you and of course bring you whatever you'd like to drink, he'll be along in just a few minutes. >> Jarvis says once the ramp has lowered and the QuinJet has gone into it's stationary parking hover.
Pepper Potts	It was far from the first time Pepper had been on a Quinjet, but most of those times had been less than pleasant. She rarely needed to take part in the kind of ruthless efficiency and firepower that they offered personally unless the world was coming to an end -- and even that was usually either to get her to a helicarrier or, at a minimum, outside of whatever the blast radius what expected to be. She really hoped that wasn't the case, this time, but she and Tony had known each other long enough to have two very clear understandings... A) Tony didn't always tell her everything. B) Despite that, if Tony told her to get on a Quinjet, she went without argument. It wasn't always the end of the world, but why risk it? Whatever anyone might say about Tony, and no matter how many times the two of them may find themselves screaming at each other, Pepper trusted him more than any other person in the world. ...which really worked to his benefit, here, because by the time JARVIS spoke up, she was really struggling not to demand answers about what was going on. "The maitre'd?! JARVIS, I thought there was an emergency. I've been sitting on pins and needles. Are you telling me he pulled me away from a crisis and..." Deep breath in. Deep breath out. It wasn't JARVIS's fault. "Thank you. Please tell Mr. Stark that I'll be waiting for him... and anxious to hear what's going on." There was just a little of that tension left in her voice as she descended the jet, the slit of her silver evening gown blown open to just above her knee as she scends down to the dock with her clutch purse in hand. And she follows those instructions exactly, introducing herself, being shown to a table. and ordering a virgin Cosmopolitan -- which was really just cranberry juice with a splash of lime in a fancy glass -- while she waited. Another side-effect of Pepper's relationship with Tony. While she might not have been 'on the wagon' herself, she'd been supportive enough not to drink in his presence since he got sober. The first thing she'd noticed, of course, was that the restaurant was open, but it was entirely empty. It wasn't /so/ late into the evening that that would have been impossible for there still to be customers, but it was also entirely empty aside from the staff. It was as if the entire restaurant had been closed for a private event. So it was just Pepper. Alone. Sipping her drink and waiting as she gazed out at the moonlit waters of the Atlantic.
Tony Stark	It is a touch more than a few minutes, but not enough time for her to finish her drink, or even try and drink it _really_ slowly - certainly far less a time than she's had to wait for him before - when a shadow darkens the walkway that she came in through and a new - but familiar Iron Man suit lands outside with very little extra 'light' and sound to go with it. Seems that the MK VIII has had some upgrades on it's noise and light pollution. Striding in through the veranda doors, Tony's slowly revealed as the suit he's wearing peels away from him like it did not but a few hours ago, showing that he's still in the tuxedo from earlier today and appears to be none the worse for wear for having been gone those few hours. The maitre'd is a bit startled by Tony's rather .. out of the ordinary arrival, but recovers quickly enough and moves to greet the celebrity. There's a brief handshake, a quiet exchange of words, and then Tony's making his way over to where Pepper's taken up her seat at the only table in the place - a place that might usually serve thirty plus tables at a time. Music starts from somewhere, something quiet and classical, something _live_, though the band is unseen, as Tony arrives tableside and holds his hand out to Pepper - "I do believe you owe me a dance. I gave a speech. I didn't light the press on fire. And the power outage and theft _wasn't_ my fault."
Pepper Potts	For Pepper, taking a few minutes was good. The quiet helped, just watching the moonlight on the waves and, just for a short time, allowing herself to pretend that the world wasn't on fire. JARVIS was handling Stark Tower. Tony was on his way. She was still reeling from planning the gala, Clark's inexcusable accusations that she'd even implied that Tony treated her poorly just because she'd shown a moment of weakness in his presence, and having to unexpectedly evacuate their guests during the launch of their cybersecurity foundation due to a... cybersecurity incident. Because irony. So, by the time Tony's landing in that suit and her eyes have tracked over to that glow, she isn't angry. She isn't even agitated, really. Mostly, she seems perplexed. It wasn't often that she found herself unexpectedly sitting alone in the middle of one of the nicest restaurants in Miami. She straightens a little when he leaves the maitre'd, but she doesn't stand. She waits, watching him, green eyes only faltering when the live music starts to play from... somewhere. And then her eyes are back on him again, a quizzical tilt of her head that he'd have seen coming from a mile away. He could have predicted every little micro expression, from the bemused quirk of one corner of her lips, to the suspicious narrowing of her eyes, the little wrinkles that appeared on her brow, the way one one cheek tightens just a little more than the other when she cants her head. They knew each other better than most married couples. They'd certainly been through more than most married couples together. "The building /is/ on fire, but because for once you're not the one that set it, you deserve a dance?" But she was smiling and stretching out her hand to place in his even as she asked the question, her voice carrying a playful lilt. Incredulous laughter lingers just below the surface, ever in awe of his ability to take the world and its various dangers completely in stride. She's standing, then, a consummate dance partner ready to take his lead, though her eyes soften as she watches him. "It /was/ a wonderful speech." Of course, no matter the length or the nature of her relationship with Tony, she'd have to be completely blind not to be a little swept up in the ambiance of it all. A private restaurant. A gorgeous view. Live music. A handsome dance partner. It was the kind of thing that could sweep a girl off her feet, if years of experience hadn't taught her to keep her guard up around Tony Stark.
Tony Stark	"I didn't say anything about the _building_, just the press. " Tony replies with that _grin_ of his as he moves them out onto the floor a bit away from the table, they've the place to themselves - so anywhere but the table is really the dance floor. One hand slides down her side to her hip, a _touch_ more intimate than is 'proper' for the current state of their relationship - a bit of a dance along the edge of propriety. His other takes up her hand and they begin to move - and Tony shows that he's not some lazy computer geek, or that it's the armor that does all the work in so far as his agility and physical control go. "Told you not to make plans - and I didn't forget. " He says after a moment, guiding them slowly towards the glass walled view out onto the ocean, while behind them their table's getting set and made up for a first course, the menu clearly sourcing largely from the ocean and with a Latino-American fusion style. His blue eyes meet hers and hold them a bit before he says anything else, allowing a bit of a frown that's one that he uses when he's decided he's done/doing something he didn't mean to. A brief headshake, "No, I promised myself I wasn't gonna have this conversation ahead of time...now or then." What? Well.. geniuses, what can you do. "Pepper.. " He pauses. Apparently Tony, Tony _Stark_, is speechless for at least a moment... and not basking in the glow of the compliments on the speech, or going on a rant about whatever's going on at the Tower. "You look incredible." And that's not his 'platonic compliment' tone of voice, or the one he uses when he's trying to get away with something.
Pepper Potts	Memories. Memories of a long time ago, on another dance floor, in another backless dress. That one had been blue, but this one was silver. She'd forgotten deodorant that day, and there'd been a lot more people around. This time, it was just Tony, and the way his hand brushes down against her hip makes Pepper's heart jump up into her throat. She swallows, those muscles tensing along her neck just above the radiant sparkle of the diamond and sapphire necklace she still wore. It was so reminiscent of his arc reactor, and it complemented the silver of her dress perfectly. Her fingers curled around his, her hand found his shoulder, lightly clinging as she tucked herself in against him and moved with him, following his lead. /I didn't forget./ Just for a moment, she allows her eyes to slip closed, realizing she'd swallowed the disappointment and written it off as soon as he left. It wasn't his fault any more than the fact that she had to cancel her date two nights before was hers. Sure, maybe she should never have made the commitment in the first place, but sometimes you want to and life just... gets in the way. Of course, as dates go, whatever she'd had planned that evening, it was guaranteed that it wasn't a private restaurant with a renown chef and live music overlooking the ocean. That was a Tony Stark exclusive. When he shifted to look at her, she leaned her head back, green eyes searching inquisitively. They're inches apart, but there's a certain tension in her frame.. a frisson passing over her entire body that seemed to grow harder for her to ignore with every passing second. She wanted to ask what conversation, but then he said her name and her heart seemed to stop beating. A thousand emotions pass over her eyes in those few seconds -- worry, apprehension... "Tony?" her voice is so soft, so filled with concern. And when he speaks next, Pepper doesn't seem to know what to do. She moves with him, stares at him for a few seconds as heat creeps up her neck and into her cheeks, and then she casts her gaze down at his shoulder as a shy smile pulls back across her lips. "Thank you." It's barely a whisper, but at that distance, it was as unmistakable as the effect it had on her. Her heart was pounding. She was trying to steady her breathing, but she just seemed to get more and more awkward. It was hard for her to accept this kind of attention from Tony -- her boss, her best friend. They'd shared a moment not unlike this one before... a moment so full of potential that led to him leaving her alone on a rooftop. She hadn't held a grudge -- not really. But it had been a defining moment for them, both in terms of tension and the mutual decision not to take another, dangerous step.
Tony Stark	It's quiet then, for a bit, at least between them. The music continues, the dance continues.. and grows closer as subtle shifts and encouragements in the way that Tony holds her hand and hip guide her closer to him, to turn 'proper' spacing into something that's gone that step to 'close' dancing. Not the dance spacing one uses with a best friend of the opposite sex, but instead the closeness that hints at desire for intimacy beyond even that. Slowly they make a circuit of the room, orbiting the table that's been set - oysters, caviar, fresh fruit of a variety of types and kinds - save for there's not a single strawberry. Tony brings them to a stop, finally, back near the table where they come to rest just beside her chair. The hand at her hip shifts,sliding around .. _almost_ tenatively in this uncharted territory .. to touch bare skin at the small of her back and press her against him with a careful sort of pressure. Letting go of her hand with his other, he instead lifts that hand to touch lightly under her chin, to bring her eyes to his. "It's funny - a cliche well overdone now - that they say you don't know what you're missing till it's gone. Or absence makes the heart grow fonder, or .. or .. or. " He allows a wry sort of smile, "I have _so_ much to do - there's so much coming. So much we're not ready for. " A pause, a slow breath, "And I can't do any of it without you, Pepper."
Pepper Potts	Tony might be sober again, this time with as much of Pepper's support as she could offer, but even aside from the way it felt to be held and the scent of his cologne that filled her nose, the evening was... intoxicating. Pepper had long ago gotten used to the wealth, the fancy cars, the private planes, the military contracts that allowed for even /fancier/ cars and private planes, the expensive venues. She'd been in charge of booking a fair number of those venues, herself, so she knew what they cost. She knew what an evening like this cost in terms of raw numbers. She could glance at the table and see the expenses like they were floating in the air above them. The thing that she couldn't calculate.. had never been able to calculate.. was Tony. There was a giant question mark above his head when she looked at him. And yet, he'd done all of this. He'd sent a plane to pick her up and fly her to where he was, reserved a restaurant, told them he wanted live music for them to dance to, and must importantly of all... he'd shown up. As the dancing floats quietly around the room, with every measure of the music, Pepper allows herself to sink a little more into that connection, gradually relaxing as she enjoyed both the melody and her dance partner. And much like she had when she'd first arrived, she tried to let herself forget about everything else. She'd been so desperate for a night to just be herself -- Pepper Potts instead of Tony's assistant. She'd been so disappointed to cancel her date -- one evening where she could be a whole human being with thoughts and feelings that didn't revolve around schedules and numbers. Now she had it. She'd all but rested her head against his shoulder by the time they drew to a stop together, and Pepper's breath caught when she felt his fingers brush against her back. She lifted her chin almost obediently at his touch, though her eyes were filled with questions and even more concerns. It was all so intimate, and yet, it was just... them. Looking up, she didn't see Iron Man or Tony Stark the billionaire playboy. She didn't even see Tony Stark the genius, though that was /always/ there under the surface. She just saw Tony, a man that she loved, whether or not that was a practical emotion. "Tony," she whispers again with a little shake of her head. She sets her hand on his chest, covering the hard lines of the Arc reactor. "I'm not going anywhere. There's no... amount of money. There's no..." She furrows her brows. "There's nothing anyone else could do. You'll have to fire me to get rid of me. I hope you know that by now." In the weight of that moment, there's a little smile -- an attempt to lighten his mood, to reassure him.
Tony Stark	Once she's got her eyes on him the fingers under her chin move, tracing along the outer line of her jaw, brushing over her cheek and then her ear, to muss her hair on their way to lightly cupping the back of her head in that sure fingered hold of his. "Hmm, well, Jarvis already has instructions to not let me do anything stupid like that." Joke? Maybe.. the tone was somewhat mirthful, but .. Jarvis has all _sorts_ of instructions. This man that quite literally helps save, and shape, the world on a near daily basis pauses again as he looks into her eyes - seeking something there perhaps - searching for .. well whatever it was it seems that the search is over at the very least. Leaning down, slowly, leaving her time to object - or time to alter the trajectory of his approach, Tony kisses her , the touch of their lips starting lightly and then building in pressure the longer that the moment continues and it proves to be ... _not_ awkward, or any of the other potential things it might turn out to be. At the same time his other hand, the one on her lower back, spreads out..flattens against the arch of her spine, calloused fingers strong against soft skin, even as the tips of some of those fingers dip beneath the edges of that dress just due to shape and placement.
Pepper Potts	Bathed in the gentle ambiance of the venue, time seems to stand still for Pepper. Her surroundings -- the restaurant, the quartet, even the gourmet spread -- are momentarily forgotten. It's just the two of them, caught in this cocoon of growing intimacy. The warmth of his hand against her skin sends a shiver down her spine, and as he traces her jawline, her heartbeat races. Despite it all, she can't seem to help the little laugh that escapes as she looks up into his eyes. "If I'd known that, I'd've taken more sick days..." Despite the humor lingering there, her words seem distant -- distracted by his closeness and the deepening fog of longing. "Tony," she says, her voice soft with vulnerability. This isn't the assertive, organized Pepper Potts who deals with board meetings and Tony's flamboyant tendencies. This is the Pepper who, underneath all the strength, cherishes moments of tenderness. Pepper's eyes slip closed just as their lips meet, and it's like an electric charge. The kiss, though started tender, deepens, both of them drawn into the gravity of the moment. Her hand lifts from his shoulder, touching his cheek, fingers gently curling as if trying to draw him in closer. The world fades away. The financial calculations, the responsibilities, the dilemmas -- all of it disappears. In this stolen moment, she's not an assistant or a manager or even a friend. She's simply a woman, and he's a man. There's no armor, no arc reactor -- just two souls finally acknowledging a connection that's always been there. The strings crescendo behind them, and when their lips finally part, there's wonder in Pepper's eyes. Breathless and dazed, as the music continues to play measure after measure, she's left to stare up at him as if nothing else in the world mattered -- not her job or Iron Man or what people would think. The panic of all of the ways their life just changed would come later. In that exact moment, the only thing that mattered was Tony.
Tony Stark	This is a side of Tony that's really quite new, a maturation of a man that's been largely self-destructive in so far as his relationships with .. well just about anyone or thing prior. It turns out, though, that even he can eventually realize where it is that he needs to make changes.. to grow. Sure, there's almost certainly going to be many many rough edges, recalls back to past behaviours, but .. if he can put aside alcohol as successfully as he has so far - maybe he can actually manage a relationship with someone he truly cares about - and _admit_ that he does. The kiss goes on until .. well, that natural point where they both lean back a bit and they're left to be looking quite deeply into each others eyes. His hands remain where they were, her hair and the back of her neck, her lower back against the skin there exposed by her dress - and he holds her in close against him for a long eternity wrapped in a few heartbeats. "Let's stop ... dancing around this. I.. well .. yeah. This is me, I'm gonna make a mess of things at some point.. but _this_ .. _us_ .. Pepper, this is _real_."
Pepper Potts	A million reactions flash across Pepper's eyes in an instant as she watches every muscle of his face, every shift of his gaze as they look between her own eyes. If every one of those reactions represents a branch into possible futures, there's one in which she warns him not to play with her heart, one in which she tells him she's too worried about what people will think, one in which she resigns to be with him... In this reality, Pepper drinks in those words. Her lips move ever so slightly, but she doesn't seem to know what to say. And then she shifts her weight back up to her toes, leaning up to capture his mouth again for another long, lingering kiss that says everything she couldn't find the words for... It's okay. I'm here. I've always been here. I love you. Once she's settling back down again to look up at him, a warm, playful, almost giddy smile tugs at her lips. "I know," she finally manages, her voice soft. "At least..." Her eyes shift briefly down to the table and back up to him again. "I know now." But there's a little shake of her head, an ever-so-slight furrowing of her brow without ever lowering her hands from him. "What changed?"
Tony Stark	There's a pleased, faintly surprised ( in a good way ), and all too .. happy sort of cast to Tony's features after Pepper initiates that second kiss, one to which he quite enthusiastically responds to, deepening the kiss beyond the first and perhaps pushing for a 'breathless' sort of breakpoint. Then as they pull apart again and he looks at her, sees her smile, then the question he happens to glance at the table that's already been set with a first course for them, chairs only at a 90 degree setting from each other to keep them close - as opposed to across from each other - and he quirks one of those smiles of his. "I really .. _really_ like having you right where you are, Pepper, but unless you want to _skip_ dinner entirely .. lets sit, eat, and we can talk a bit about that too." He reaches for the nearest chair, slipping his hand from her hair to do so, to pull it out to where he can get her seated when she's ready to move. "The short answer - I've had a lot of time to think, lately, and it's not all about suits, or even my next birthday party. " He quirks a slightly self deprecating smile, "And then there was that dress and you having a date - which you _didn't_ need to cancel , though I'm glad you did - it made me really think about what .. well .. what we've been ignoring. " A pause. "What _I've_ been hiding from, or pushing away."
Pepper Potts	And breathless is exactly what he gets. Just before their lips part, there's even a soft sound -- quiet and plaintive -- from the woman who wasn't really accustomed to having her breath stolen quite so easily. Pepper's heart was already pounding, and the intensity of it all was enough to make her dizzy, that vaguely drunken with happiness glassiness to her eyes only barely subdued by her need for answers. Despite everything, she was still Pepper Potts. She wanted to believe. She wanted to trust and to give Tony the benefit of every doubt possible. He'd come so far. He'd changed and grown so much. But she still needed answers. Facts. Explanations. The offer to skip dinner is made and her smile tugs into something a bit more /knowing/, sly eyes narrowing. "After you went to all this effort? I wouldn't dare," she answers, playfully declining his offer of whatever /skipping/ the meal meant. Not that she wasn't quite obviously at least a little flattered that the offer had been made. She was still a little breathless, after all. Reluctantly, she slips away, careful with her balance (she was still a little light headed), and she takes her seat with his help, offering a quiet, "Thank you," once she's situated. One eyebrow quirks at his self deprecating humor -- a doubting skepticism about how much she believed was not entirely self-centered -- but even that seems playful. "I wondered," she admits gently. It was hard to miss the timing. But she takes a moment, lips slightly parted, to give herself time to think about her response. "Tony, I wasn't trying to..." More pausing, her brow furrowing. "We've both been ignoring it.. for good reasons. I love you, Tony. You know that. I would do anything for you." It's said so matter-of-factly, like it was simply a known rather than some revelation or grand declaration. "But if we'd been together when you pulled some of the things you've done, I would have murdered you in your sleep." That, too, is said so blandly, just a wicked twinkle in her eye to hint at amusement. "It hasn't always been easy. There have been some..." She takes a breath and blows it out in a little huff to hold back whatever emotions were boiling inside her. "...lonely times. When you weren't there. When I didn't know what to do. And times when you've needed me... all of me.. to the exclusion of anything that resembles a personal life." One more pause. "You've always been worth it, Tony. I wouldn't go back and change a thing, and that includes trying to ignore how I feel about you. We wouldn't have made it this far, if I hadn't."
Tony Stark	Taking the seat next to her after getting her settled in, Tony takes a moment to pour them both a liquid that _looks_ like wine but is merely a bubbly ultra nice apple cider that's ice cold as he listens to her work through the explanation of her side of things .. and then he's quiet for a few moments. "What you have, Pepper, in emotional intelligence as compared to me is ... well.. like comparing my bank account to that of some new born child in east Asia. " He says after a moment, shaking his head slightly as he turns his eyes on her. "I can't .. I won't promise - because I'd end up breaking it some how - and say I'm all of a sudden gonna be this perfect romantic partner. " A pause, a sip from the cider, " I _will_ promise to try - to be a bit more _present_ with you, as best I can." "And no, Pepper - I didn't think you were trying to _do_ anything other than find a way to take some time for yourself." "So - now, well, maybe we can share a personal life _together_ as opposed to trying to have to steal.. or flaunt.. it from or in front of each other."
Pepper Potts	Pepper waits until he's finished, giving him the space to speak without interruption even as she reaches to take her own glass. She sips as well as she listens, eyes focused on him so intently she might be literally imprinting the conversation indelibly in her memory. "I couldn't leave until I was sure you were okay." And once he's finished, those words come out. Not rushed, not.. defensive, though with feeling that's unmistakable. She had his reassurance about it, but she needed to be clear -- as much for her own conscience as for his. If that was the catalyst, she wanted no questions from either of them about her motivations. But there's more to that statement than that -- an admission that, regardless of what turn their relationship took in Miami, he was and would be her priority. "I don't expect perfection, from either of us. I don't expect you to change for me -- let me be clear... I don't /want/ you to change for me. It won't stick and you'll end up hating me for it. But Tony, the ways you've grown since I've first met you..." Her smile softens. "I wish I could have known your father. And I wish he could see you, now... the man you've become." A pause, then, as her eyes just flicker just briefly down, embarrassed to offer praise to a man whose ego required astronomical units to measure, but continuing anyway, "/I'm/ proud of you, the ways you've matured, the things you've done." For a moment, her eyes lift to him again through her lashes, and then she's straightening, tipping her flute towards him in offering of a toast. "To... what? Old feelings and new beginnings?" She smiles. Not the press conference smile or the 'professional Pepper Potts' smile. That honest smile that she only shows to him.