threeolives | IC inbox

[ Howard thinks he's got the right place, spinning around as he tries to locate the beautiful redhead. ]

[ Pepper stands in line at the counter, ordering a caramel macchiato and a croissant. She sees Howard looking for her and raises her hand to get his attention, silently praying to whatever deities are listening that this "date-that-most-definitely-ISN'T-a-date" doesn't go horribly wrong. ]

[ Howard grins as he finally spots her through the cowards, enthusiastically bounces over, and joins her in the queue, charmingly adding a black coffee without the frills to the order, handing over the money for both. ]

These are on me, darlin', it's the gentleman thing to do.

Why thank you, Mister Stark.

[ She navigates to a small table with two chairs as she waits for the barista to finish her drink order and takes a bite of her croissant. Being CEO is busy work, and this is the first food she's eaten all day. ]

Any time, darlin', any time.

[ He watches her tuck into the croissant with a smile, scooping their drinks up before they're on the counter, and follows her over to the table. ] It's been a while, huh?

It has. I trust you made it through the latest crisis alright.

[ She accepts her drink gratefully and takes a sip. Howard might prefer the simpler coffee, but for Pepper it's all about the sweet stuff.

Had a close call out there in the desert, and I got some serious sunburn, but I made it out alive.

[ He might try these various coffees one day, but he's a man of habits, and clinging onto one thing he can here keeps him from falling apart. ]

And it sure don't seem to have done you any harm.

I was lucky. Rhodey-- have you met James Rhodes? He got me to the safe zone before any of the beasties could get me, then Tony fl-- er, got me to the glass city.

[ She really needs to clear with Tony just how much Howard does or doesn't know, plus how much she should or shouldn't tell him. She knows certain things are off the table, but does he know about the Iron Man suit? Would Tony want him to? ]

In any case, I'm glad things are back to normal. I was barely getting my footing around here, then the City shook everything up.

How are you settling in?

Yeah, I've had a couple'a run-ins with Rhodey, ain't sure the guy's not got something against me, though. [ He shrugs, like he doesn't care even if he does, and then grins. ] Tony was the one who flew me over, too, and ain't that piece of technology he's got something, huh? Didn't get chance to ask him much about it, but I'm working on it.

[ Pulling a face. ] Y'telling me. It seems to do that. All these curses and whatnot, but some'a 'em ain't so bad.

[ He looks surprised by the question, no one having asked him this yet here. ] It ain't home, and I don't got everything I had there behind me. But I've got work.

Rhodey can be a hard egg to crack. All that military training, I guess. He'll warm up to you in time. [ She takes a sip of her coffee because no, probably not. ]

Oh, the suit? Yeah, it's something alright. Not exactly designed for passengers, but it's gotten me out of a tight spot or two.

[ No one may have asked you that yet, but that's what Pepper's here for: to behave diplomatically and make people feel at ease (while simultaneously making sure they're on task and staying productive). She raises her cup to his, proposing a toast. ]

To work, the one universal constant.

Guess you're onto something there, a lotta the soldier boys don't take well to me, don't know what it is. [ He suspects with Bucky, and with Rhodey, that neither will ever quite warm to him, but he can try for nothing. ]

He build it himself, huh? Good thing he's got it either way, would hate to think'a you in danger.

[ He grins at that, carefully clinks his cup to hers. ] I can drink to that. You married to the job, too, huh?

Yes, it's good for getting out of dangerous situations. [ Pretty good for getting into them too, but she's just going to let that go unsaid. ]

In more ways than one, sometimes. Do they have you working at City Solutions? Because if so, that makes me your boss.

Wouldn't mind getting a closer look at it. Y'think he'd be willing to let me near the thing?

You're the boss? [ He was under the impression the Tony guy was his boss, but he shrugs, not fussy. ] In that case, you run a tight ship.

I don't know, the suit's kind of his baby. You'd have to ask him, real nicely.

I am. That doesn't offend your Forties sensibilities?

I ran Tony's company back home for a time, [ ~~while he was DYING~~ ] so when I arrived here, he asked me to take the wheel again.

Not sure I can do real nice, but I'll give it a go.

[ He considers this, and then shrugs. ] Nah, always knew you broads'd get your opportunity sooner or later, and the company runs, don't it?

Tony's a smart guy, leave all the hard stuff to someone else. I gotta deal with that myself.

It runs. Though I don't have to do a whole lot to keep it that way, luckily. Back home it was a lot harder. At least here I don't have to deal with Senate hearings and board meetings. [ And broken contracts when Tony decides he doesn't want the weapons manufacturer to build weapons any more. ]

Yeah, y'really don't wanna be sitting through those things, they don't usually have anything of interest to bring to the table, and there's better things to be getting on with. Guess it's working out for you here in that respect, then, huh?

It is. Though with Tony on board you never know what's coming around the next corner.

Still, [ She raises her cup. ] there's coffee. Coffee helps.

Seems like a nice fella and all. He a bit eccentric or something?

[ Laughing, he lifts his own, clinks their cups. ] I'll drink to that.

[ Pepper tries to stifle a giggle. ]

Ahem. Um. What I mean to say is, "eccentric" would be putting it lightly.

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