penistower | ▼ let's perform our favorite little scene ▼

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▼ let's perform our favorite little scene ▼

Some time after their shaving date, Tony throws his robe on and makes his way out into the kitchen while Steve gets dressed. He's almost surprised to see Pepper for a moment before he remembers it's the weekend. Since the "incident" he hadn't been the greatest at keeping track of time. He hadn't seen her much either, something he realizes now even as he bee-lines to her side and gently kisses the side of her face. She had called him homeless in the brief moments he'd seen her after returning from D.C. and his impromptu trip to meet the woman who could connect all the pieces, but was ironically unable to -- hindered by an incapacitating mental disease and her own age.

He and Pepper hadn't spoken about it. Before or after. Sometimes he knew he frustrated her with not talking about these things, but it was too difficult and too fresh. Steve and himself had glossed over the parts that included them together, but he didn't dare speak of what she'd said about his father. He wanted to keep it close to his chest for as long as possible, even if he knew that they'd eventually get it out of him.

As he gets his coffee, he thinks about how very lucky he is. Those nights she had driven him to Steve's apartment so he could burn both ends getting the security system good to go before the super soldier woke up. And then after he'd brought Steve back here, how he'd all but disappeared into Steve's room the entire time. He knows Pepper understands how important this is to him, but it was also never his intention to neglect her. At the same time, he's glad he has another outlet for the nightmares now; that he doesn't have to put her at risk.

Tony leans against the counter with the mug in his hands and just watches her a moment, wondering which one of them will break the silence. Maybe she'll notice his beard first, or he'll say something stupid and unrelated. Or they'll both mention the same bit of news. It's always a dance with them, that is, when they're even around each other mornings. They don't exactly keep to the same schedule these days.

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Pepper rolls her eyes at Tony's antics and sighs, long-suffering. Patting Steve's arm with a consoling smile as she passes, she defers to the obvious size discrepancy here and ducks into the backseat.

"We could have probably walked," she says even as she gropes for the seat belt, knowing Tony is probably going to laugh himself silly at the idea. "Or taken my car."

At least her Audi would've been a little less conspicuous. Not to mention more spacious.

"I try to side with the winning team." He can't even enjoy his lame joke once he spots the car Tony selects. Steve couldn't look more relieved if he tried when Pepper gives him the good ahead to grab the front passenger seat. Of course he was working out of the logistics of trying to fit into the back. It wasn't looking good to be perfectly honest. "I thought we were walking." He gets into the car without any more fuss than that. He'll just quietly hope Tony is a better driver than Natasha. He usually drives himself on the bike, runs, or takes the train when he's not getting dragged off on a mission with her or Clint. It's probably for that reason in all honesty.

He gives Pepper an odd look at that in the mirror, but it's meant for Steve's benefit too. "Do people really do that?" It's unclear what he's asking, but he simply shakes his head and starts the car, zipping out of the parking structure as Rammstein comes over the speakers. He's thinking too hard to drive like too much of a maniac ok grandpa Steve mostly because he's considering the logistics and reasoning behind walking to a park made for walking. Those people had a problem - that's too much walking.

"Yes, Tony," Pepper replies promptly, bracing one hand against the seat in front of her. "Normal people."

She winces a little, either due to Tony's driving -- which thankfully isn't quite as maniacal and speed limit breaking as it normally tends to be, today -- or the choice of music, it's hard to tell. Privately, she thinks they'll have a hell of a time finding parking but says nothing, simply glances out of the window at the familiar cityscape whizzing by. She'll just reserve the right to say I told you so, later. Interest in the scenery lost, she digs up her phone from her purse and proceeds to check the stocks (and maybe Twitter) in the meanwhile.

Steve winces at the choice of music. The driving is thankfully not as insane as Natasha's. He really feels as though he won't have to grab the passengers and jump out at some point. He gives Tony a look since wow he's supposed to be the out of touch one here. Frowning, he shakes his head and glances out at the scenery. "We really have to work on that." And yes Pepper can totally get away with being on her phone unlike Tony.

As the next song comes on, Tony actually turns it down, peering past his glasses to scope out a parking spot. Not that he was really used to this parking thing either. God, he really is out of touch, and he's only realizing it when Steve looks at him that way. "I'm doing that rich guy thing again, huh?" he asks sweetly, though under it is an easily read note of abashment.

"Little bit," Pepper puts in from the backseat, eyes on her phone but a smile quirking at the corner of her lips. She's used to this, so she can just be (mostly) amused by it after the initial flare of resignation comes and goes.

Steve shrugs as he scopes out the environment. Being vigilant is pretty much the only way he can make sure the day actually went by without incident or at least until he figures out who might be tailing them. What are the odds Fury will actually leave either Avenger alone twice? "As long as you're not a jerk about it." He sounds a tad distracted.

Tony starts to smile as he pulls onto the street a few blocks away from the park, but Steve's doing that thing again. He shakes his head and slides into the spot. "What is it, Scooby?"

Pepper pauses at the interaction between the men, not lifting her head but flicking her gaze up and ahead as she listens attentively, the figures on the screen of her phone ignored. She remains silent, waiting for Steve's response not without a frisson of... not unease, exactly, but something cautiously wary. Was something wrong?

He glances back at Tony. He has no idea who that is. He barely resists to sigh before moving to pull out his phone. "Nothing." Don't mind him. He is going to google this before it drives him completely insane.

"Are you looking up Scooby Doo? Tell me that's what you're doing." Tony grins and decides caution be damned he's getting out first. And going to pay his parking at one of those weird electronic payment things that seem to be popping up all over the city. It's for the best, really, as he's pretty sure he's never held a quarter in his life.

Pepper smiles to herself, looping her purse strap over one elbow and opening the car door, stepping out onto the street as gracefully as ever.

"Be sure to put in enough time," Pepper advises Tony absently while checking the probability for rain on her phone - 18%. "We will be walking back if you get towed."

Her lips quirk unbidden at the thought, imagining Tony's outrage -- and the phone candids likely to decorate every tabloid on Monday, the car combined with the license plate didn't leave a lot of room for guesses.

Steve huffs because of course he is and follows out a second later. He only does a quick once over before looking up to his phone. They're getting about as much attention as anyone in a sports car would get. Most wouldn't think to read the license. He makes a face at the results before looking back up properly. "Why are you always comparing me to talking animals?" He looks to Pepper. "Does he do this with everyone or am I just that lucky?"

"Why is that funny?" He gives Pepper another look. Even he feels tired from how much glaring he's doing on this outing already, but he really isn't used to this. It feels strange to be... out in the open. He's trying to shake it off. "No one's getting towed."

He wanders back over to them, offering nothing but a bland sort of smile at Steve's indignation. "He's a giant mutant dog, I thought it fit." Plus he's smart as hell, but Tony neglects to say that part.

Pepper looks up from her phone to give Tony a sweet smile, as if to convey a wordless no reason at all, honey. Which is clearly starting to turn into a passive-aggressive term of endearment for her, hmm.

"I hate to say this, but talking animals is probably a step up from the usual," she tells Steve sympathetically. She really feels for him, but in other words; take it and deal with it. It could be way worse, sorry.

"So." Pepper slips her phone in her purse. "Ice cream?" Let's not get derailed, here.

He gets the message. This was just another weird Tony Stark thing that only made sense to him and Pepper. He closes the page and pockets his phone without any more protest. Walking through the park with ice cream does sound like fun even if he's still likely to be hyper vigilant the whole time.

Steve smiles. "I did promise, didn't I?" Not that he actually knows where to get it around here. He doesn't go to ice cream shops much these days. He is going to take a leap of faith here and say Pepper or Google will help them out.

"You did. And if you take it back I'll never forgive you." It's said lightly as Tony re-threads his arm through Pepper's, deciding 'wandering through the park' will eventually end in ice cream. Asking Google or Pepper would go against the man code, even for him. Lucky for him he's physically connected to one of them, so she'll probably tug him in the right direction. If she's feeling magnanimous.

"It's true, he takes ice cream very seriously." Smiling as Tony links their arms, Pepper rests her hand in the crook of his elbow, fingers rubbing affectionately as she starts walking, unobtrusively taking the lead lest they stand around talking all day.

Really, is she the only one with even the least clue as to where they're supposed to be headed? Just what would they do without her?

Steve would ask Google what to do since he's not bound by something as ridiculous as the man code. The solider only hangs back a second before he decides to grab Pepper's other side while they walk. He still thinks like a protector even on his off days. His mouth quirks into a smile on the side of his mouth. "That would be a tragedy. I'd have to find someone else to snore on my shoulder in the middle of the night." He can joke about this in public even if he's pretty sure some nosy old lady gave him a look just now.

That startles a snort from Tony, shaking his head and pretty sure he's hearing murmurs on his side too -- just maybe not for the same reasons. Maybe they should've waited to shave, not that he really minded being recognized as long as it didn't get them swarmed. "Natasha does think you should get a girlfriend, right." He purposefully mentions her to distance himself from it. He doesn't care what Steve does on that front, only if he stays close enough to satisfy Tony's needy compulsion to drag his friends in and never let go.

"I do not snore."

Clearly why Steve is more evolved than the rest of the male species. Pepper catches the less than discrete looks they're getting from some of the passersby that happen to recognize them as well, but she pretends not to notice anything with practiced ease. Instead, she diverts her attention to Steve, curiosity and interest flashing across her face. "Natasha thinks that?"

Pepper's not entirely sure whether that's good or bad, to be entirely honest. At Tony's comment, she gives a ponderous mmm. "Sometimes."

The mention of that gets Steve to duck his head momentarily. He's aware of the eyes on them, but it seems harmless enough so he carries on as if he doesn't notice. "Yeah. She's trying to set me up with every unmarried female SHIELD employee she sees, the waitress at the coffee shop, the lady down the hall from me, and... You get the idea." It's embarrassing. "She spent the last few missions we were on together running names and profiles by me." His lips press close together and one could almost hear him wonder what he ever did to deserve this. Not even Bucky was this pushy when he was alive.

He concedes the snoring point with a one-shoulder shrug, content enough to trail along since he's pretty sure he's never actually just -- been here before, for no reason at all. He's a terrible New Yorker.

"I'm surprised she hasn't put you on match.com yet."

Pepper's frown deepens as she listens, not entirely certain she approves. She's sure the spy means well, but really. Not to mention Pepper suspects there's someone blocking Natasha's goal, and her name is Peggy Carter.

"I'm sorry. That sounds... disruptive," she edits her initial word choice diplomatically. "Though I'm sure she means well."

She sounds polite, but something about the slant of her mouth betrays her questioning Natasha's methods.

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