And you could have it all - My empire of dirt.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Rhodey is distracting the government types long enough for Tony to hack into the airspace and make sure none of this is being recorded. He loops the moments before the Milano pierces the atmosphere and plays them back, knowing by the time he's out of the system and they figure it out they won't be able to prove it was anything but a technical malfunction. He does all of this from his phone as he stands near the landing pad with Steve flanking his side. He's trying to do things right this time -- no more lone gunslinger act, as Pepper had phrased it.

He looks over his sunglasses at the spaceship as it decompresses, wondering who he's just invited over for dinner. Hopefully they're friendly... When the platform descends it really is just like Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He can't help but geek out a little. He'd technically met space aliens before, and Asgardians, etc. but somehow this is way cooler. "Welcome to Earth and please watch your step, we don't have liability insurance yet."

Comments

[favoredone]

It is unnecessary. She does spare a fond smile at the sight of that flush. It never stops getting to her how easy it is to please him. His happiness in turn leads to her own. "He is more useful to us as a protector of Terra than a baker." Gamora concedes as her arm gently bumps his. She may not know why he's a big deal, but she can respect it. "Nebula will come to terms with leaving behind these pies with time." It helps to think of it that way. After meeting these people the odds of most of them surviving this are significantly higher. She's allowing for more optimism.

[aromantically]

"She won't have to. I already got the recipe from him." Peter pulls a slip of paper out of his pocket with his free hand and brandishes it for her to see. He thinks on his toes sometimes!!!

[favoredone]

She lights up immediately. Did Gamora mention she loves this pie? Because she really, really loves this pie. "Nice work. Now she really won't have to take him." I mean no one can blame her for thinking Nebula would kidnap someone over pie even after being asked not to. It's pretty good pie.

[aromantically]

He laughs, a warm sound. He always eats up her praise, even when it isn't wholly serious. Still -- it's hard not to be nervous for the times ahead. He's grateful for moments like this now more than ever. "That doesn't mean she won't," he points with his fork in indication. "Keep an eye on that."

[favoredone]

Gamora nods somehow taking this seriously while also joking around. "I'll make certain of it. Pie isn't worth losing a valuable ally like Tony." She points out while also snagging an especially big portion. Let her enjoy it while she can, okay?

[aromantically]

"Like Tony, huh?" He can't help but tease her, because he's definitely not jealous at all nope!! That guy seems pretty smooth though... And she saw them talking a lot earlier. "It's really good pie though."

[favoredone]

Gamora lifts her brows in clear amusement. She can guess what's going on here. It's pretty funny considering his reputation before they got together. "He invited us to his wedding." Which should be the beginning and end of that conversation.

[aromantically]

That slutty guy... doesn't even feel like him anymore, honestly. He doesn't even connect why it might be weird that he's jealous. But wait, wedding? His expression shifts from slightly mopey to totally pumped in an instant. "He's getting married?! Oh. My. God." Peter's fork clatters to the plate loudly so he can gesticulate wildly. "You're going to go to a real live Earth wedding. I'm going to go to a real live Earth wedding. Aren't you excited?"

[favoredone]

Gamora isn't surprised by his sudden mood swing even if she's confused as to what caused it. She knows what a wedding is obviously. The details of it though frankly elude her. Her parents never got the opportunity to take her to one before their deaths. Thanos was more the type to kill off the wedding party before the wedding could actually happen.

"No." She stares at him in open confusion. Surely the ceremony can't be that special, can it? "Why should I be?"

[aromantically]

"Because it's like, the most romantic party ever. And the movies always make it look really fun." He tacks on, because Kevin Bacon would approve gosh!! A secret sort of smile creeps over his face then. "Plus there's lots of dancing."

[favoredone]

She is sucked in by his enthusiasm, offering a small smile until he reaches the dancing part. Ah. So that's what he really wants. "You want to dance in public." It's not even a question. It's telling that she doesn't immediately follow it up with a no.

[aromantically]

He blinks, trying desperately to keep the smile off his face. It's impossible not to think of Drax's warning here, dancers can't be with non-dancers... or whatever stupid thing he was getting at. But Peter has this theory about Gamora, that isn't really a theory so much as it is an observable fact; that deep down she is a dancer, she's just afraid to give into the music. "You don't have to, I could always dance with Natasha. She seems nice."

[favoredone]

Her gaze sharpens. She shouldn't be jealous. It's fairly obvious where his interest lies these days. It still digs into her skin anyways. "That won't be necessary." She'll do it!!! Just let her work up to it.

[aromantically]

Peter bites into his lip against an impeding grin, unable to stop the automatic reaction. "Only if you want to," he reiterates again, but he knows she would never agree to anything she didn't want to do. "Good news is these guys have awesome taste in music."

[favoredone]

"I want to." Gamora insists unnecessarily. They both know she'd never agree if she didn't want to do it. She smiles at the rest, pleased they're all getting along so well. She doesn't know much about Terrans. She had feared that maybe his people would reject him. Thankfully they all seem welcoming so far. They have something in common with Peter which is wonderful to see. She can never go back to her people, but at least she knows now that Peter can.

"So they do. We'll have plenty to dance to."

[aromantically]

It's one thing to agree to dance with him, especially in front of everyone, but to also admit she wants to. It's everything he's ever wanted all rolled into one perfect moment. He's getting used to having those lately, his grin just about threatening to split his face in two. "And we can always... practice. If you want to learn some sweet Earth moves to impress everyone with."

[favoredone]

She wants to chide him for pushing his luck. That grin on his face melts her heart. Gamora can't bring herself to save face by playing tough when he's looking at her like that.

The look she gives Peter is uncharacteristically soft. "I don't want to impress everyone." She reminds him. "... But, I am willing to learn Earth moves while we're here."

[aromantically]

He loves those soft looks, as far and few in between as they are. He knows they're just for him, and that's enough to make them his favorite thing. "Too late, I think. But then you are super impressive, so." He shrugs a shoulder. "I need to introduce you to someone called Michael Jackson. He has every move ever."

[favoredone]

She gives him a look. Stop with all this sweet, romantic lines!!! It doesn't last long. Gamora is interested in learning some more from Terra before she departs. It's hard not to have a healthy curiosity when it's all Peter talks about seemingly.

"I am willing to learn from him." Gamora agrees slowly. "But, I do not agree to use his moves while dancing." She uses her own!!!

[aromantically]

"No, of course you don't." God, she's adorable. Unable to resist, he leans in to kiss the tip of her nose.

[amongfriends]

She doesn't blush. Gamora isn't capable of it. She does get a little flustered at the gesture. It's the tiny, intimate gestures that always get her. She shifts her head to the side after the kiss and murmurs, "Don't do that."

[aromantically]

He smiles, and just asks: "Why not?"