penistower | I'm prepared for this ✫ I never shoot to miss

"Hey," Pepper says on an exhale, a small smile curving at her lips, "That's what I'm here for." It's a light quip, but there's an edge of exhaustion in her voice that's also evident on her face -- it wasn't an easy feat by any means to fight off several Doom-bots and the good Doctor himself by themselves, but they'd managed through teamwork and staggering amounts of sheer stubbornness, probably.

Not that they didn't get knocked around despite their success; the arm of Tony's suit is dinged and the chestplate of hers bears ugly scorch marks, but they're both still standing. Tired and bruised but standing, with Doom on his way to some secret SHIELD lock-up and his bots lying in pieces across the wrecked house. SHIELD agents and Fury had swarmed the place conveniently after the party was over to bundle up the defeated villain only to split again, with a parting "Nice job" from Fury. She's not sure if she just imagined the flicker of amusement in his good eye before the man had vanished.

A piece of pane from one of the shattered windows nearby drops to the floor with a loud crack of broken glass, drawing a wince from Pepper. This place is a mess. "I'm sorry about your house, though."

Edited 2016-08-26 19:48 (UTC)

His smile warms up at that, though it's probably not as serious as he finds he'd prefer. All of these thoughts he has around her lately are so dangerous, and yet he can't help it. He finds himself drawn more steadily into her orbit every day and it's getting harder and harder to mind or try to dissuade himself from his feelings. He never had been good at that anyway though, always one to wear his heart on his sleeve.

"Yeah," he agrees, but with a hint of bemusement this time. "Me, too." But he's kind of stuck with nowhere else to go. That's the problem with being richer than God, more often than not. He has everything -- and yet nothing, just like Yinsen had said. He tilts his head, sneaking looks sideways as he continues to dismantle his own suit, watching less than subtly as she does the same. "Are you okay?" He's studying her for injury, but in the past weeks he's also gotten to know her body, and as more of it is revealed he can't help reacting even to himself, the stirring of interest in his belly not triggering anything physical yet, but is undeniable all the same.

She disposes of the helmet and pushes back ruffled hair with one gauntleted hand, giving him a sympathetic smile before slowly beginning to tend to removing her own suit. She really does want to be out of it already, feeling that post-battle weariness creeping in and settling into her bones. It doesn't help matters any that Doom chose to attack in the middle of the night, because of course he would.

"I'm okay. A bit achy and probably bruised all over tomorrow, but other than that..." She huffs another sigh, a bit of wryness creeping into her tone as she continues to systematically unlatch the manual releases of the suit and removing the pieces, her sleepwear underneath wrinkled. His scrutiny doesn't exactly go undetected, but she mistakes it as simple, comradely concern. "God, but I really hate Doom-bots."

He nods, ducking his head as he starts to feel guilty for the thoughts he's having. The last of his suit comes off as well and he drops the helmet to the ground carelessly. Nothing really matters when the whole house is down around their ears, literally. "I'd like that on my epitaph, how about you?" Tony, for his side, is all too wired not like that's anything new. But she must be tired, he can see it on her face. He tugs at his t-shirt self-consciously and clears his throat.

"Should we get a hotel?" A bit of color rises to his cheeks, but he ignores the heat he can feel, more than used to things he says coming out weird. When he used to ask women that, it was in a whole different context. Now he's just looking for some comfort, and oddly enough the one person he wants it from is already with him.

Pepper still has the boots on, reluctant to remove them with all the glass and debris littering the floors that she's eyeing a little woefully. The house really got smashed properly and she feels badly about it even though it wasn't even her fault. It's just unfair.

Lifting her eyes from the wreckage around them, Pepper looks faintly startled at the suggestion for a second-- but soon realizes that's probably their only choice. They could go to her place too, but it's further away than any of the handful of decent hotels in the near vicinity and she is tired. And something about inviting him over feels... too intimate, especially in the light of their recent closeness. It's not like it's escaped her notice how comfortable they've gotten with one another during this silly ruse, how they'd woken every morning tangled up in each other. The thought causes light color to rise to her cheeks, warmth blooming in her belly.

Clearing her throat lightly, she refocuses and glances around again, her lips tightening as she nods. "I don't think we have a choice. This place is a little too well ventilated right now." It's a lame joke, and she feels a bit bad about that too once the words leave her mouth, sketching a vaguely apologetic little smile.

Tony hadn't really thought ahead about the glass, unsurprisingly, but he's going to take his chances navigating back to the bedroom to get his go bag and some shoes. His throat suddenly feels dry too when he watches her reaction, but he's more than ready to get out of here for a while.

"You don't say," he returns dryly, but there's absolutely no bite to it. Mostly it's just reserved. He gives her one last glance over before weaving his way back through the glass and debris to get what he needs for the night.

Pepper follows after a moment, the joints of the boots whirring quietly with every step; she keeps an eye on Tony's progress, unable to help her minute concern for his feet. Luckily they make it into the master bedroom without trouble. Pepper feels another stab of some undefined gloom at the sight of the ruined bedroom; only some hours ago, they'd gone through their nightly routines, traded light banter as they settled in, slipping under the covers and fallen asleep, both of them knowing they'd unconsciously seek one another out in the wee hours of the night. It feels like some kind of violation to witness the room in such state, and Pepper thinks this must be more or less how people who've gotten their houses robbed must feel like. Which is ridiculous because this isn't even her house.

Swallowing the unexpected lump in her throat, she finds her bag in the mess and checks it for the things she immediately needs. That in order, she searches the wreckage for her shoes. Coming across a pair of Tony's sneakers, she picks them up and checks them for any glass and stuff. "Here," she announces once she's satisfied they're safe to wear, gently tossing them over. "I'll feel better once you put these on."

Seriously, her heart and nerves can't take him traipsing in this hazardous mess barefooted.

"Huh?" he says as the shoes come his way, nodding before she can clarify since, kind of self-explanatory. He gets into them before doing anything else, hopping on one foot in between like always. It's sweet that she was worried so he remedied the situation maybe quicker than he usually would, but he doesn't think anything of that, going to the nightstand to retrieve his phone and glasses. Tossing the things into his packed bag, he grabs a hoodie and an MIT hat from the door of the closet, shaking glass out of them before slipping them on over his PJs. All of it seems rehearsed, an eerie calm settling over him as he gets what he needs and makes his way to Pepper's side.

"Ready to go?" he asks softly, putting one hand on her elbow after slinging the bag over one shoulder.

Satisfied, Pepper turns her attention to herself, leaning her hip against the bed as she works the releases of the boots to get rid of them, slipping her own bare feet into the flats she'd managed to dig out of the debris. They look a little silly with her plaid pajama pants and simple t-shirt, but right now she couldn't care less about her wardrobe -- for once. Thankfully her phone is in one piece and where she'd left it on her own nightstand. She gathers it mechanically and slips it into her bag, looking around the room vaguely helplessly; there hadn't been time to process any of this in the heat of the battle, but not that the dust is settling, she feels a little shaken by the destruction.

"Um." She breathes uncertainly at the question, jumping minutely at the touch to her elbow as if caught off guard. "I need my jacket, first. I just... can't seem to remember where I left it."

It's hard to see her like this, but he reluctantly lets go of her arm when she jumps. He needs to learn boundaries or something (not in this lifetime.) Of course she's shaken up, this isn't the third time a house has fallen down on her head. It is for him, and it sucks, but it's old hat. He's good to go.

"I think I saw it downstairs," he recalls gently, nodding for her to go ahead of him. If she can just keep it together until they get to the car, he can take care of the rest. He wants to take care of this; and take care of her. It's something he hasn't really ever felt, but it's almost like an imperative he can't deny, like something he needs to do, for both of them.

"Oh. You did?" Her voice is soft and quiet, but it's not really a question she expects an answer for, nodding her head slightly in acceptance. "Okay." Hoisting the strap of her duffel over her shoulder, she manages a wan smile lacking any actual cheer before moving toward the doorway, leading the way out of the room. She tells herself it's stupid to be upset over things, it's just ephemera; the important thing is they're both alright and the culprit apprehended. But it's something about the symbolism of it all. She can't even make sense of it completely in her own head.

Relieved when he sees the item in question slung over the back of a chair, he's quick to pick it up and deposit it into her arms. Everything else is just stuff, right? He swallows the lump in his throat and makes for the elevator, pressing the garage button -- he doesn't even feel like talking to JARVIS right now. Especially not when it feels like he's abandoning him, as irrational as that is. He doesn't even think about which car he's going to take, grateful the fight hadn't extended down here, his hot rod still in tact and staring at him as he grabs a random set of keys.

Waiting a beat to make sure Pepper is in step with him, he hits the key fab and follows it to a nondescript black Audi a few rows in that responds. His body language is clear: time to get the fuck out of here. "Can you call the hotel from the car?" Tony knows her well enough to know she needs something to occupy her mind with, so hopefully a simple task like this might help. Gathering up all their things, he throws it ceremoniously in the back before climbing behind the wheel.

She murmurs a quiet thanks when the jacket is thrust into her arms, following Tony into the elevator in silence. She drops her bag on the floor of the car once they're descending so she can slip the jacket on, fighting off a shiver as chills attack her. There seems to be a low-key urgency to Tony's movements that keeps Pepper from saying anything, simply following after him to the Audi.

"Yeah-- sure," she responds a beat belatedly, fishing out her phone before Tony takes her bag from her and seating herself into the passenger seat, buckling up before tackling the task he'd given her -- correctly determining doing something productive helps take her mind off what just happened. She's already speaking with the receptionist by the time Tony gets the Audi out of the garage, but the conversation isn't going as well as she'd hoped.

"No, I understand. Anything you can find would be great," she tells the person on the other end, tone calm but the syllables clipped. She's silent for a few long moments, listening and staring out of the window, before finally giving a long sigh drenched in tiredness and frustration both. "We'll take it. Thank you."

She knows she's being short with the receptionist but she hasn't in her to argue or negotiate right now. Supplying the necessary information to complete the booking, Pepper wraps up the call and huffs another sigh. "Well, apparently every decent hotel in the downtown area is full due to some aviation conference or another, but they managed to find us a room at the Hyatt."

Tony can't help but eavesdrop a little, amused by the whole exchange though he tries to keep the smirk off his face. He's satisfied that this was a decent distraction as he pulls out of his wrecked house and onto the street. "You didn't even have to name-drop." He always has to namedrop. His charm has never translated well over the phone (or you know, even in person for some people.) "The Hyatt sounds like the Chateau Frontenac right about now." For real, he's pumped to stay in a room with no holes in it.

Pepper lips curve into a tiny smile at that. "They probably counted on me not being able to afford the room they still had to offer." The receptionist's tone had been a bit snooty when she'd checked for availability and found a vacant deluxe room and cited the fee, which Pepper had accepted without further ado. She pauses for a beat before going on, "We should send the bill to Fury."

Edited 2016-08-27 22:19 (UTC)

"Don't be too hard on her, it's her last day working there." A terrible joke, but it breaks through to the smile he'd been trying to conceal up until now. And Pepper's suggestion gets an out-and-out laugh from him. "That's got to be the best idea I've heard all day, week, month, year..." Lifetime. Etc.

Pepper snorts a little at the joke, terrible as it is. Whatever, that snooty hotel girl deserves it. Her lips curve further when he laughs. "Complete with room service fees, I think," she muses deviously, and not feeling the least bit bad about it.

"I am hungry," he admits, glancing over briefly. He never takes his eyes off the road for long or his hands off the wheel. It's perhaps more responsible than most might expect from him. "And thirsty. For wine. Really expensive wine."

"Ohh, that sounds good," Pepper agrees with a smirk, though immediately a hazy memory from the previous time they drank together invades her mind, pinking her cheeks. Hopefully the darkness around and the fact that Tony's attention is focused on the road helps hide it -- he's indeed a far more careful a driver than she'd ever expected. Still, Pepper glances out the window to give herself a moment, clearing her throat lightly. "I think we've more than deserved it." And Fury's deserved to foot the bill.

Edited 2016-08-27 23:08 (UTC)

Blissfully unaware of her predicament, he rounds up on the Hyatt already, the traffic nearly nothing at so early an hour. He pulls into their parking garage and muses amiably, "We've earned it." Which is a serious understatement, actually. The least SHIELD could do was buy them a meal and a drink.

"And copious amounts of ice cream," she says playfully as she unbuckles her seat belt and opens the door to get out, the cool air sneaking under her jacket and causing her to pull the garment closer around her. They're a sight, all disheveled and in questionable clothing, but it's another matter Pepper is too tired to worry about now.

"Well, yeah. That goes without saying." He follows her out into the chill air, grabbing both their bags and gesturing once more for her to lead the way to reception. Now that they're here it's like a weight has been lifted off his chest, he feels like he can breathe again not being amid all that chaos. The elevator is more or less uneventful and Tony slots in close to her without really thinking about it, his shoulder against hers while the car climbs up to the lobby. When it gives its little bing-bong announcing their arrival he leans in to her ear, voice full of conspiracy. "Let's see how long it takes for her to recognize us."

She doesn't mind his close proximity, if anything, the press of his shoulder against hers is comforting; natural in a way that's maybe a little too easy to take for granted already. The way he leans in to murmur in her ear causes tingles to shoot up her spine though she gives no outward signs of being affected any way, dipping her chin a little and trying to stifle the smile that wants to spread across her face by pressing her lips tightly together. The corner of her mouth hitches up slightly despite her best efforts, glancing sideways at Tony.

"That's mean," she chastises wryly, but the gleam in her eyes says she's totally onboard with this plan. Stepping out of the elevator, Pepper beelines for the reception and pastes on her polite face as she informs the woman behind the desk they'd like to check in. As she'd expected, the woman gives their appearance a slightly queer look she can't quite manage to hide before overcoming her surprise. Pepper can see the realization dawning slowly when she gives the receptionist her name, the woman's eyes darting back and forth between her and Tony, the last of the haughtiness disappearing from her expression; suddenly, she becomes very amiable and accommodating. Pepper stifles a smirk, nudging Tony lightly with her elbow, the desk blocking the gesture from the receptionist.

His cheeks color a little at the accusation, though maybe it's more about the look in her eye if he's honest. It's immediately clear when the woman's attitude turns over and he has to bite into his lip to keep from outbursting when Pepper's elbow digs lightly into his side. It really is funny how they went from barely tolerating one another to being thick as thieves in almost no time at all. When she slides their keycards across the desk he can't snap his up quick enough, readjusting the strap on his bag and making sure he has a good grip on Pepper's before ambling on his merry way and offering the receptionist a bright smile in farewell. If he were feeling up to it, he might mess with her more but as it is he's eager to get to their room.

He hits the button to the elevator with his free hand and ushers Pepper on before him as always, gaze darting around briefly before following her inside the car. Once in the safety of the more private space he allows himself to laugh openly, shaking his head at the overtired manic bark of sound he just made.

Pepper is no less eager to be on their way, though she does make sure to inquire sweetly about room service before they go-- satisfied when the receptionist hurries to assure her that of course room service would be available to them, certainly. Pepper briefly wonders if they'll drag the chef out of bed just for them, given the late (early?) hour.

Once in the elevator, she can't help but laugh with Tony, her helpless peals of laughter near giggles even though nothing was really that amusing -- they really are tired. She nudges him again gently, grinning slightly. "Well, that was fun." The elevator pings softly and the doors slide open. "Come on. I want food and bed. Maybe food in bed."

The room is a decent size though it isn't a suite, nice enough with its grey stone floors and art on the walls, the bathroom equipped with a white marble tub and a shower stall. A king-sized bed dominates the opposite side of the room next to the floor to ceiling window; they'd already been sharing a bed so Pepper didn't think too much of it, especially considering it was all they had available.

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