lawful_lizzie (lawful_lizzie) wrote in valarlogs, @ 2013-10-14 22:51:00 |
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Entry tags: | !complete, elizabeth weir, pepper potts |
Who: Elizabeth Weir and Pepper Potts
When: Mid October
Where: Stark Tower, a car then a Chinese restaurant
What: Old friends catching up
Rating/Warning: G / none
Status: Complete
Elizabeth walked through Stark Tower and made her way up to Pepper’s office, smiling and nodding to people as she went. Once she reached Pepper’s office, she knocked and peeked around the door. “Pepper? I’ve come to whisk you away for lunch, you ready?”
Pepper looked up from her desk, she really had to get better at realising people were entering her office. “Elizabeth, is it that time already?” she asked checking the clock, “I’m sorry” she apologised.
“Fraid so,” Elizabeth smiled, stepping into the office. “Now you get to spend half an hour to an hour relaxing and chatting with me,” she joked. “And feed yourself of course, you look as skinny as a rake!”
“That doesn’t sound so bad” she grinned, “Oh, please I’ve been eating” when I remember, she added in her head. “Did you have a place in mind? I can have a car take us” she said retrieving her bag and standing.
“Do you need me to remind you when you forget?” Elizabeth teased with an arched eyebrow after hearing her follow-up thought. “Yeah, there’s this great little Chinese a few blocks from here if that’s ok?”
Pepper frowned slightly, she was sure she hadn't said anything but dismissed it as a good guess on Elizabeth's part. "Sounds wonderful" she hadn't had Chinese in a while as it was a naughty treat so she was looking forward to it. She tapped a few things into her blackberry, "Car sorted. It'll be in the parking garage"
'You really do get all the toys in Stark Tower," Elizabeth remarked, standing to one side to let Pepper lead the way.
Laughing Pepper nodded, "Of course. It's actually kind of worrying when I stop and think how much I rely on it all now" she answered as she led the way down to the car.
“Well, I can’t blame you,” Elizabeth remarked as she followed the woman, taking in the sights and sounds of the inside of Stark Tower. “I can only imagine how much easier it would be to run my department with so many toys,” she joked. “How about Mr Geppetto? Do you see much of him around the place?”
"Oh it'd be impossible without them" Pepper agreed, before smiling, "Mr Stark is busy working on new projects most of the time but he does visit the departments as much as he can" Her tone was all business but her thoughts were softer when she was talking about him.
“You like him!” Elizabeth gasped quietly, catching Pepper by the arm to walk beside her and chatter quietly. The contact only re-affirmed her thoughts. “You have a crush on your boss!” she said excitedly but quietly beside her so no-one nearby could hear them as the approached what she assumed was the garage.
Pepper's eyes widened but that was the only outward sign of panic she gave at her friends words. "Elizabeth, I don't know what has gotten into you. Mr Stark is my boss, it would be highly inappropriate for me to harbour such feelings" Inwardly she was cursing herself for some sign she must have given without realising.
“Don’t worry Pepper, I can read your mind,” Elizabeth told her, casting a quick, amused look over their shoulders. “Your poker face is still very impressive,” she laughed. “Come on, let’s get to lunch and you can tell me about him,” she encouraged.
"Very amusing Elizabeth" Pepper replied before opening a car door and motioning for her to enter. Telling the driver where to go she then got in herself. "I would appreciate it if you didn't make such accusations within the building" she requested.
“You don’t believe me?” Elizabeth asked as she settled in the back of the car.
"Believe what?" Pepper asked before looking at her friend, "That you can read minds you mean? Of course I don't"
"Pepper..." Elizabeth sighed, reaching over to take Pepper's hand in hers. She sat back after a few seconds and took a moment to collect herself again before speaking. "I know that you look after him, go down to his workshop last thing at night to check on him, tidy up and make sure he's warm and comfortable if he's asleep, that you make sure he eats because he forgets sometimes," she told her quietly. "And I know that you care about him more than an employee for her boss," she looked up at Pepper with an open smile.
Pepper looked at her in disbelief for a moment, her mouth hanging open in shock or surprise - right now she wasn’t sure which. “But...how...nobody knows...”
“I told you, I’m telepathic,” Elizabeth smiled gently. “There were these meteorites that landed around the city last month and I picked one up and apparently became telepathic. It’s seems like any powers other people gained faded away after a short while, but I ended up stuck with mine,” she gave a little shrug. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” she reassured her.
“Elizabeth” she breathed, “You really can’t say a word, it would jeopardize everything. And I mean it’s ridiculous. The man is a total playboy, women never last long” she sighed, “I know that” But she also knew Tony like none of them did - he was funny, sweet, kind and had a wonderful heart.
“You know I won’t tell anyone,” Elizabeth reassured her. “I know how difficult it could make your position, it’s just a shame you can’t do anything about it. How long have you known you felt like that about him?”
“A few months after I started working with him” Pepper told her, sitting back in the car thankful for the soundproof screen, “I was hired partly because of my ability to put him in his place when he flirted with me in the interview but then working closely with him...I got to know him and he’s a wonderful man. Infuriating at times but amazing”
“It sounds like you temper his fire,” Elizabeth mused quietly, happy to see Pepper starting to relax. She would never betray a friend’s confidence, especially over something so sensitive. “Do you think he feels something too?”
“Oh goodness no, I can’t imagine so” Pepper said shaking her head and looking down, “He has his pick of women, he doesn’t need to look at me”
Elizabeth reached over and slapped her hand. “Pepper! Don’t you ever talk about yourself like that,” she scolded. “You’re smart, gorgeous and more capable of running that business than he is,” she told her. “Stark would be lucky and out of his league to have you as a partner.”
“I appreciate the sentiment and you’re a lovely friend to say so but we’re talking about Tony Stark, if anybody is out of their league it would be me” she said, not self deprecating but simply honest. In her opinion anyway.
“Why? Because he’s handsome with a more than healthy bank account?” Elizabeth asked skeptically. “That’s why all those other girls hang off his arms you realise. And why they don’t stick around for long. When it comes down to it, you’re all he’ll need,” Elizabeth told her with a gentle smile.
“It’s ridiculous to even discuss, it isn’t anything that will or can ever happen” Pepper said, hands folding in her lap and her posture straightening. “Can we please forget this and discuss other things?” she requested.
“Ok, that’s fine,” Elizabeth relented, knowing she’d hit a nerve but not to push it. “So how did you get this job?”
“A friend from university, Edwin, recommended me actually. He’s a good friend and he knew I’d be able to handle anything that was thrown my way”
“You mean you had other friends apart from me? How very dare you,” Elizabeth joked. “I vaguely remember the name, but nothing specific, but it sounds like he had a good measure of you,” she remarked with a smile.
“I know, terrible of me really” Pepper agreed with a smile, relaxing slightly as they left the more uncomfortable topic of Tony alone. “He knows me very well and he was right. I do love my job”
“Good, is it where you imagined you’d be when we were in college?” Elizabeth asked.
Pepper laughed, “Not at all” she said, “It’s much better. I mean I have a lot of freedom with the company and a lot of say in the direction we go”
“You look happy, busy, but happy,” Elizabeth smiled at her. The car pulled up to the curb and the driver, Elizabeth assumed, let them out in front of the Chinese restaurant. Elizabeth thanked him as she stepped out of the car, waiting for Pepper to join her. “Ready?”
“I am” she nodded before stepping out of the car and thanking the driver. “I’ll call you when we’re ready to return” she told him before smiling at Elizabeth, “Ready. Let’s go eat” she said as they entered the restaurant.
Elizabeth led the way, giving their reservation details to the waiter who led them straight to a table by the window. “So what else have you been upto since we parted ways back in college?”
“Honestly, not a lot. Once I got the job at Stark Industries that kind of took over everything” she said, “What about yourself?”
“Oh, let’s see, studied some more, started working for the UN as a negotiator,” Elizabeth leant forward on the table as she spoke. “Got shot, left the UN - mostly, met up with my best friend Sam, moved here and started teaching at the Irvine University,” she smiled across the table at her, opening the menu that the waiter brought over to them. “Do you want a bottle of wine to share?”
After a moment’s hesitation Pepper nodded, “Why not” she smiled, “Sounds like you have been busy. I’m sorry to hear about the UN, are you okay now?” she asked, looking up from her own menu.
“That’s the spirit,” Elizabeth grinned, ordering a bottle of good red wine from the waiter who left them alone. “I’m fine now, I still consult with them on a part-time basis, but I couldn’t face being put back in the line of fire all the time,” she admitted with a shrug. “I often wonder what would have happened if I’d stayed, but I enjoy teaching and I enjoy having a social life where I’m not constantly watching what I say in case the Russian’s or the Chinese take offense,” she joked.
“I don’t blame you at all” Pepper said, “I’m not sure I’d have gone back even part time after an experience like that. Your students are lucky to have you, I hope they know that” She smiled, “Oh I know what you mean, businessmen can be similar, I have to chose my words carefully” especially as a lot of them still viewed her as just Tony’s secretary. God she hated that word.
“I can imagine,” Elizabeth laughed. “The world’s of business and politics are more similar than either would like to admit,” she said, sitting back as the waiter returned to pour their wine. Afterwards, she gave the waiter her order, letting Pepper do the same. “So how long have you been working at Stark Industries?” she asked, taking a sip of her wine.
“It’s true, both can be tricky worlds to navigate around” Pepper nodded, giving the order to their waiter and nodding her thanks for the wine. “Oh it feels like forever” she joked, “Not long after Tony took over the company actually. So my own background is far less varied than yours but it’s been a perfect fit for me”
“Varied doesn’t fit everyone,” Elizabeth shrugged. “There are many times I wished I could have stayed in one place for a time, but the life I chose necessitated moving a lot. I’ve enjoyed being here though, I even started to think about...settling down,” she admitted shyly.
“Oh really? Anything in particular causing these thoughts?” Pepper asked somewhat pointedly.
Elizabeth grinned as a hot blush coloured her cheeks. She looked down at the napkin she had begun to fiddle with unconsciously as she spoke. “There…might be someone with whom I am currently enamoured,” she replied coyly, unable to keep the grin from her face.
“Elizabeth Weir” Pepper admonished with a bright smile, “Tell me everything, where, when, who and more importantly how hot?” she finished with a wink.
"His name's Dr Leonard McCoy," Elizabeth grinned as she took her phone out of her bag to look a photo of the two of them together. "He's a surgeon at the hospital, and we met when I was admitted with this awful virus that nearly killed me last January. He brought me a stack of books to keep from going insane while I was in there," she laughed, handing over her phone and the picture. "When I got out he sent me a beautiful copy of Bram Stoker's Dracula and we've been dating pretty much ever since," she smiled across at her friend. "He's got a daughter, she's about 8 and thats my next big hurdle it feels like. I'm meeting her this weekend." Just saying it made her nervous!
Pepper whistled in appreciation while smiling at Lizzie, “You guys look great together” she said before handing the phone back to her friend, “And what a lovely way to begin dating. The love of literature I mean not the near death experience” she hastened to add. “A daughter, wow. No wonder you’re having these settling down feelings”
"Thanks," Elizabeth smiled as she took back the phone, smiling at the photo. "Well it's a big step for him to let me into her life, it's not something I can take lightly," she told her. "And it's a step for us too, I feel like he wants to be with me for a lot longer," she shrugged.
“Absolutely. I’d say it’s a sign of commitment” Pepper nodded, “I can’t imagine he’d risk his daughters feelings if he wasn’t sure you were a keeper”
"I hope so," Eizabeth replied thoughtfully. "How about you? Any prospective partners on the horizon or married to your job?" she teased.
Pepper looked at Elizabeth somewhat warily, after the whole ‘crush on Tony’ thing she wanted to steer clear of that kind of conversation. “Nothing to tell with me. I’m too busy anyway, any guy would get annoyed with the hours I put in”
Elizabeth laughed at that. “I used to be like that, so busy I forgot to have a life - to eat,” Elizabeth looked at her pointedly.
Pepper rolled her eyes, “I’m here eating now aren’t I?” she said, “I don’t forget all the time. Just occasionally”
“You and I are scarily alike, you know that right?” Elizabeth grinned over her glass of wine before taking a sip of it.
“I’m taking that as a compliment” Pepper told her with a grin.
“It is,” Elizabeth tilted her head. “To a point. Just...from someone who’s been there and done that, well, still doing that occasionally,” she joked. “Take care of yourself, ok?”
“I will” Pepper nodded, “Really. I have people, like you, looking out for me too so I think I’ll be okay”
“Ok, but if you ever need to get away from it all, chat over a coffee, a spa day, anything like that, let me know,” Elizabeth told her as their food arrived at the table.
“I will” Pepper said, smiling at the waiter in thanks, “A spa day actually sounds good. We should do that soon”
“Definitely,” Elizabeth agreed, picking up her chopsticks. “The past month has been more than stressful,” she said, digging into the food on their table.