Who: Tony Stark and Pepper Potts When: Mid October Where: Stark Industries What: Working and sandwich delivery Rating/Warnings: Low/None Status: Complete
Pepper had just finished checking the final figures for the month before she went to hand her report to Tony. She didn’t expect him to read it, of course, but it was something she did every month without fail. And she also had to break the news to him that he needed to attend a board meeting next week, they had politely informed her that they needed to man himself and not his ‘secretary’ since such important things were to be discussed.
Entering her code the door opened and she stepped inside, carrying a fresh coffee and sandwich because he probably needed it.
Tony was in front of his console. There was a 3-D projection of his current project on the table before him, it was an MRI machine that would run on a third as much power as the one currently used in the hospitals around Orange County. He had one arm folded across his stomach, and the other bent resting his elbow on his thumb. One fingertip was in his mouth as he surveyed the 3D schematic.
Standing in the doorway she smiled as she saw him, such concentration on his face as he looked over his latest triumph - which she had no doubt was what it was. Entering the room she made her way over to him, “Sorry to interrupt” she said, “But I need you to sign a couple of things”
“Pepper!” Tony said, breaking into a smile as he saw his favorite assistant. Okay, his only assistant. And aside from Jarvis, pretty much the only person in his life he gave a damn about anymore. Or who honestly gave a damn about him. “Didn’t anyone ever tell you all work and no play makes a… something something. Come take a look at this,” he said, motioning toward the 3D display. “Give me your thoughts.”
Pepper laughed, “Nobody could ever accuse you of being a ‘something something’” she assured him with a smile before placing the things she held down and moving to stand next to him. “Okay so what am I looking at?” she said somewhat jokingly as she looked over the details.
Tony paused for a moment. “Isn’t it obvious?”
She looked at him as if she was confused for a moment before a smirk slipped over her face, “Well MRI machines aren’t my forte but this one looks pretty impressive” she said putting him out of his misery. “You’ve reduced the power consumption?” she questioned, trying to interpret what she was reading. She was much better with financial figures and business proposals but since becoming Tony’s assistant she was beginning to learn more about the projects he worked on. Though she still got lost when he and Bruce got together.
Or Jarvis. Actually, most of Tony’s friends, when they got together, made the room thick with techno-babble and mechanical jargon. Poor Pepper had to wade through it all, try to make sense of it. Or just stand there and look impressed. Tony liked that, too. “Mmmhmm.” He said, nodding, his eyes were on her instead of the schematics in front of her. “...honestly, it wasn’t that difficult. It’s as if the people who designed these things were working in the dark ages, banging rocks with tree bark. Look.” He spoke quickly, moving his hands to make the design show the power consumption grid. “Dropped it by sixty-eight percent.”
It wasn’t hard to look impressed in all honesty. A lot of the projects Tony worked on were very impressive, she just had to be careful not to praise too often and inflate his ego beyond reasonable standards.
She nodded as he showed her the power grid, “That’s brilliant” she told him, “Truly. It’s going to save the hospitals so much money” she looked over and smiled at him.
His ego was already beyond reasonable standards. But he sure liked the stroking to his ego when people recognised his obvious genius. “Thank you.” He said, giving her a bright smile.
“I’m thinking maybe a celebration once I have these last test diagnostics worked out. Drinks, dinner, dancing, me and a hundred of my closest friends and fans… thoughts?”
“I’ll start making the preparations” Pepper replied with a smile and a nod, “Though we do have the company Halloween party on Saturday 26th” she reminded him, “When do you anticipate the final testing will be completed?”
Tony almost winced. He’d forgotten about the Halloween party. He needed to come up with the world’s most amazing costume, and had lost himself in his work again. No Halloween plans. Damn. “I’ll delay completion until after the holiday. Speaking of which, did you pick up my costume for me?”
Pepper nodded, making a note in her electronic organiser, she knew Tony had forgotten. “Of course” she replied, “It’s all ready for you” This party had been in Pepper’s diary for half the year, nothing had been left to chance. Including an emergency costume for Tony should he forget.
It wasn’t that Tony had forgotten, it was just that he didn’t bother with those sorts of plans when he knew that Pepper would take care of it. He nodded, breaking into a little smile. “You know, I think I’d wither and die without you there to remind me a fella has to drink water every once in a while.” He punctuated that sentence by lifting his glass and having a gulp of scotch.
Pepper rolled her eyes at him, "Just a shame you always manage to mishear the term 'water'" she said pointedly before retrieving the coffee and sandwich she had put down when she had entered the room, "I'm guessing you haven't left this room for lunch" she said putting them on a clear bit on his work station and clearing the old coffee cups away.
“I’m having lunch.” He said, lifting his glass with a ‘duh’ expression on his face. Scotch was lunch. And dinner sometimes, too. Almost never breakfast though. Sure, he’d take a swig, hair of the dog and everything… but coffee was breakfast.
"I don't think so" Pepper said, retrieving the glass from him, "You need to eat properly and this is definitely not sufficient"
"You know, I've had people killed for less than taking my glass out of my hand." He said it matter of fact-ly, and without anger. Very tongue in cheek. Then he moved over to the tray she'd brought in, and picked up the sandwich. "Just saying."
“Mmmhmm” Pepper agreed as she sorted through the papers she’d brought with her, “You’d last about a day without me and that’s being generous” she told him with a smile and also in a very matter-of-fact manner. “Now, I hate to break this news to you right now but next week you are required to attend a Stark Industries board meeting”
Tony had a mouth full of sandwich when she came out with that bombshell. He groaned, chewing up the turkey and cheese, wincing at that prospect. “Oh, Pepper. Say it ain’t so.”
"I wish I could" she told him honestly, "But the board are insisting, they want the main guy not his 'secretary'" she informed him, tone sounding unimpressed with their terminology.
He was pretty unimpressed with their terminology, too, and would likely say something to that effect when he was forced to sit through a meeting with the lot of them. Already, he was starting to plan things he could do to really impress the board. “I see. Well, I suppose if they’re insisting. Maybe I’ll just have to be sick that day. There must be something going around. Swine flu?”
"Sadly not this year" she told him, lips curling in a smile, "Best to just get it over with. I'll make sure you're prepped before you go in"
“Damn. All right.” Tony said, then gave her another nod. “Thank you.” He sat down to eat his lunch, trying not to dread going to the board meeting. His mind was swimming with blueprints now.
"You're welcome" she replied with an encouraging smile, it was her job after all, "I have the monthly report for you as well, I'll put it over here shall I?" she motioned to the pile if previous monthly reports that sat to one side, unread as she expected.
Tony glanced over where she was motioning and gave a vague nod. “Yes, yes, that’d be fine. Come sit for a minute, Pep, have a drink.”
“I’m working Tony” she reminded him but did move to sit down, “I should get back up to the office soon though”
“Suit yourself.” Tony said, then reached for his flask. “I’ll have it for you.” He could drink and eat, right? I’m starving, pour me a scotch kind of business. “You really should loosen up a bit, Pep.”
That actually made Pepper laugh breaking her disapproving look as he poured the alcohol, "I'm loose enough outside work hours" she said, before realising how that sounded, "You know what I mean" she added quickly.
Tony was grinning as he slowly worked his way through his sandwich. “I’m not sure that I do. And with an intro like that, you’re gonna have to give me a ‘for example’ now.”
Pepper gave Tony a look before sighing, "I meant that I wear jeans and go out with friends, that sort of thing"
“What, really? You mean you don’t wear those power suits when you’re out spending time with friends?” He asked in his Tony-like playfulness, eyebrows raised. “Wait, you have time to go out with friends? I’m not working you hard enough.”
Pepper laughed at that, "You work me hard enough Mr Stark" she replied with a smile, in truth Pepper worked herself harder than anybody else would. "But I occasionally pretend to have a social life"
Tony laughed. It sounded absurd. But he loved the way it sounded. He shook his head, then continued to eat his Pepper-delivered lunch. He chewed and swallowed. “I don’t bother with pretending. Pretending’s for little kids and geek role players.”
“Really? Then please tell me which category I fall into?” she asked with a smirk.
“Kid. Obviously.” Tony said, as if that was the most ridiculous question in the world. The answer should be obvious, why would she even have to ask such a silly question. He looked over at her, his face completely serious, then put on a smile.
"Oh right of course, totally should have known" she agreed before smiling herself. "I should get back to work, things aren't going to sort themselves out" And the longer she stayed the more likely she was to slip up and let her crush on him show.
Tony gave her a grin that matched her smile. Or maybe it was a bit brighter. He nodded once. “You should get back to work. Earn that outrageous salary that I pay you.” Teasing, of course. He stood up from his chair to get back to work and let her see herself out.
"Try and remember to go home and sleep at some point" she told him pointedly before heading back upstairs.