CEO.

@resckue

nice tux, by the way.

A grin touches the edges of his lips, though he tried to fight it. The compliment straightens his spine subtly while a flat palm runs over the front of the jacket. With a little play-self awareness, he exaggerates a little pose and stretches his leg out.

"Yeah? You don't think it makes me look too puffy?" Backs of his fingers press against his jawline. Auburn eyes sparkle as his gaze turns on her in turn. Not as chastely as he was going to pretend. They were still just business partners. This thing he was feeling? Couldn't exist, couldn't happen.

"Dress looks good on you, too. Couldn't have been cheap." Not that it mattered much to him, on his dime they had to look their best as partners. Representatives of the company, and outshining with a unique sparkle that dwarfed everyone else. Well, she fit the buck at least.

pepper tries to hide the blush on her face at his obvious antics. the compliment wasn't a lie, in fact, quite a full truth. he did look nice in that tuxedo and she should know, she picked it. when he compliments her dress, she looks down and then back up again, blush more present on her cheeks.

"thank you. i debated on the color for quite awhile." pepper softly muses while reaching for two glasses of champange as the waiter walked by with them. she extends her arm to offer one to tony. "so. i'm sure this isn't just a have fun sort of party. are we looking for anything in particular?"

oh fuck me i remembered the login

While she considers the file he folds his slice in half, taking hefty bites like a starving man. It was one of those things that Antonio made the bad habit of neglecting while he was working. In either sense of the word by now to be honest. It just got worse now that he was flying around like some iron man. Crazy how she thought of food without even being aware of that, but he wasn't one to look salvation in the mouth and start asking questions.

"Take your time. I can have a round of copies sent along to your new Stark International email once it's set up. There's plenty to go over, but I'd say, after the reclamation of the Stark tech, there's definitely grounds for a legal case." After all, vigilantism didn't do much for the illegal redistribution of the files, or continued patent violation-- Kind of was a lot to keep track of now with all of his new ventures to be honest, it was getting overwhelming. She came on at the right time.

"Yeah, well, I know this is technically you accepting my offer, and everything-- But I have the inkling you might not have a full scope of what the job might entail. I'm not interested in just hiring another brainiac, much as I love all these guys-- I'm looking for something a little more--" Permanent wasn't the right word. Most people who worked for him seemed to be happy with their jobs, more than likely eager to stay--

"Safe to say, I'm smart. A lot of this was my personal projects, easy to fly off of patents sold to airlines or renewable energy contracts. But I'm not super--" What's the word? "--Business savvy. When I came to you, and what I'm offering you now is more of a partnership. A little more of a high ranking position worthy of your credentials. So, I'd say, find yourself a nice place to stay that's not like... a storage closet, or whatever. I can't have my new partner living at work, it's honestly unsanitary, and a little-- Old school."

#ic writing.#1ndustrialist

oh, so it was a job interview. pepper's watching him like the words coming out of his mouth are some foreign language she's never heard of. "you want me to..okay. i need like . . . ten minutes to..." the pizza in her hand had gone forgotten as the ramifications swirl around her.

"partner? partners...okay." she'd heard him right, she knew she had. pepper opens the box of pizza and sets her slice back down, finding her appetite all but chased away now at the potential concept that she would be partners with him.

"yeah, i - i mean, i guess i - tony i really should go back to my apartment before AIM seals it off and i can't get my stuff. there's research - blueprints . . . things that i would be very worried if it fell into their hands." she's nodding now, wheels spinning in her head.

"maybe just a something small, really. i'm hardly even home now - i tend to . . . live in the lab." a habit she was trying to break, a herculean task indeed. "and hey..." pepper offers a half-smile and a wink. "you don't know this about me, but i am a little old school."

clown shoes squeaking

#out.#did you miss me my 5 followers

tomorrow i return

#mobile posting.#out.

"Well, I'm not gonna let them get back at it without me there. So, if we take five minutes, if we take twenty--" Shrug of his shoulders, has to stop himself on implications of his little double entendre. It was a habit he'd have to ring himself in on when it came to new pretty faces coming around. Antonio was a stone cold professional, and the last thing he'd want is for his reputation to come down because of some HR thing.

Listening to her for the moment, going silent while she talks, fixating on her question before she went on, while he played with the rest of what she said. "Well, I've got a whole file worked up already." Fingers swipe at the air, and alongside the large holographic display follow the motion.

A spider-diagram blueprint of the machine as it had been built, spreading off into different webs of who each individual piece of technology had been created by. Whether it was licensed or paid for, or if it was plagiarized from someone else's work. Not a lot of the first two. "Little you, little me, little Hammer even-- That one was surprising-- It's less of a unified machine and more like a collage." It was a bit of a habit of Tarleton.

"So, where you thinkin' on settin' up roost? Think Manhattan might have some openings, but West Side highway is always getting gummed up, and that's not even talking about the road construction." He grimaces at the thought, "Upper East or West might be nice. Good view of the park at night. Plus, you could take Park or 3rd straight in-- I even know a place right on 3rd--" It's a lot of an assumption to make, that she'd let him pay for her to have a place to live, put it in her contract that he'd pay it whether she worked there or not for four years as a non-refundable sign on bonus.

Well, he wasn't going to really let that happen.

#1ndustrialist #ic writing.#mobile posting.#I RETURN!#ilu cj im sorry for the delay <3

pepper sputters and blinks at the sudden tech in front of her. she can’t even try to hide the awe as she steps forward. “of course, hammer. couldn’t trust him as far as i could throw him anyway.” she caught up in looking over the files, hand reaching up to trail her fingers against the holo data in front of them. "and you just ... have all this?"

she doesn't even try to hide the astonishment in her voice. "i'll have to take some time and look this all over. if you give me a little while, i can give my thoughts on it all."

when he brings up living somewhere, pepper stops and bites into her own cheek. sure, he'd offered her a job and she'd accepted, but - was it too much to accept this from him? did she really even care?

"well, i mean, i didn't - i haven't really considered any where yet, i didn't exactly expect to lose my job and my apartment when i woke up this morning. i'm flattered though, really, you don't need to find somewhere, i can look into that too." pepper meets tony's gaze and sighs gently, immediately cutting her eyes away as to not get lost in the inevitable sea of honeyed brown.

"spare room would do just fine for me, i think. we both know i'm going to end up being here more than an apartment across the city... no need to spend the money for the sake of spending it."

holy shit i live

#just did a half marathon yesterday and that's so much off my plate #i'll be around more

percyfraser

RACHEL MCADAMS Saturday Night Live — 49.09 (January 20, 2024)

#v. potts / faceclaim.#sheeeee

small starter call?

#havin' a real bad day could use distractions?

thepunkpanther

Rachel McAdams in THE FAMILY STONE (2006) dir. Thomas Bezucha

#v. potts / faceclaim.#we love 1 hot nerd in this house

There's something psychological to be exposed in the way he perks his head up when he hears her voice over the rabble. A sudden motion like a meerkat peaking over the edge of its den from the machinery. Subconsciously, Antonio's face lights up brightly at the mere sight of her. He had half expected that she wouldn't come back, and he wouldn't have blamed her for not looking back.

Big doe-eyes linger on her for perhaps too long, admiring her presence in the workshop. A new addition, to the office but she looked right at home, and he was happy to have her. Have her here! In the lab! Not like--

"Alright, guys! Take five, we're doing great-- Still a lot to do, but we got time." A pretty soulful job in making sure everyone takes a minute to themselves before he jumps down from his perch, walking casually over to her to snatch the cup of coffee off the top, to take a swig.

It's like mana from heaven right now. The happy groan comes not too much quicker than him stealing a slice of pizza from the box.

"You're like an angel, Pep. So, you wanna talk shop? Contracts and the like, or do you wanna sit a minute, and just-- You know-- Get to actually know one another outside a single conversation."

it's interesting to see him in what pepper could only describe in his natural state. he looked . . . strangely at home covered in grease and tinkering - a far, far cry from the man she'd met at AIM's soiree months earlier. as she watches antonio approach, her eyes also wander at the workers seemingly clearing out the space.

"you're giving them more than five minutes right? employee morale is going to be either your biggest ally or your biggest downfall." she hums, setting the box on the small table tucked away before leaning her hip against it, one arm tucking under the other while she sips her coffee.

"not really much shop to talk . . . i mean, uh - AIM was sort of paying for my apartment..." her voice is suddenly soft and sheepish and she shrugs. "you don't have to pay for anything like that i mean, i'm sure you've got spare rooms in this place, don't you?"

"i'm surprised you didn't pull my file from AIM's servers. seems like something the great antonio stark would do before making a job offer." she tried not to let that go to her head. "actually, i'd really like to look at whatever it is that AIM was after. the thing is the ideas they're running with are mine; if they're after something of yours, i want to know why."

"No!" It comes out far too quickly, a faint laugh, and his hands come up again in his own personal defense. "I honestly didn't think you'd be there, but after I saw you, leaving you behind didn't even come close to an option in my mind." Leaving her behind in a potentially collapsing facility-- They'd only met the once, but he felt some sort of spiritual connection if he believed in that sort of thing. Call it naivety, but someone with a track record like hers couldn't have been party to that mess.

"The ride's no trouble at all, Pep. Honestly the least I can do after the last hour." There was that charming smile all over again, arms crossed as he leans against the railing behind him. "Something sweet and fru-fru, hate the flavor of actual black coffee. I'll have my driver take the company card too-- Pick yourself up something to eat too if you're hungry--"

That was really all she wrote for the moment, his head was kind of all abuzz after hitting back at AIM and Tarleton. When she gets back, she's going to find him in a very normal situation he'd be in on a normal workday. Sport coat tossed aside on whatever chair it laid on, sleeves rolled up, goggles on, head buried in some piece of technology. Helping the cadre of other workers put things back together, he's sharing loud shouted back and forths with everyone in the room.

Already he's covered in machine grease in the short time frame she was away. The suit, being used as a remotely controlled power lifter, currently holding a large metal pipe into place while other workers rivet and weld it back into place.

"wow, i wouldn't believe you any more if you took an hour to say that!" it's playful, a small jest to ease the tension. his coffee order - or lackthereof, causes her to pause and bit her lower lip to hide the silly grin. she'd have to slam some boundaries in place for herself if this would continue. after all, pepper knew this job would come with scrutiny, a public eye and likely paparazzi. if she stayed ahead of it . . .

she politely dismisses herself and heads down to the garage, quietly slipping into the backseat of one of the several black cars waiting to take them where she needed to be. conversation is minimal as pepper gives her address and they drive off. when she enters her apartment, a sense of dread fills her. her life was effectively over as she knew it. this place, while not really ever home to her, would be missed.

it takes her about an hour to shower and change. she packs a small bag and changes into a pencil skirt and blouse, her hair pulled into a bun at the nape of her neck. she gives herself one last look in the mirror before slinging the bag over her shoulder and closing the apartment behind her.

pepper has the driver pick up both coffee and a pizza, sort of a strange peace offering. entering his workshop would always be a sight, her heels click on the tile as she lets herself in, pizza box balanced on one hand with the coffee precariously perched on top. she has to raise her voice slightly over the sounds of progress. "i wasn't sure if you had eaten either - if you're not hungry i can take this back up to the kitchen."

#my 3 followers #c.j. and i been a menace to society for a hot minute now

Do you need me to say it?

favxritethings

Red Eye (2005)

#v. potts / faceclaim.#revan finally chooses a fc more at 10!

The workshop is indeed full of its own sort of splendor, like a professional garage but with more massive and inane scientific devices. Some were currently active, like the photon solar reactor he had constructed to power the place. Massive, glowing, and converting the photons from the suns rays into far more condensed and usable energy than standard solar panels. The single reactor could probably power the whole state if they'd let him. Yet for the most part, other than that, it's half finished or half broken projects from the invasion they'd endured not too long ago from Tarleton's mercs. Teams of various ages and levels of experience are slowly working on cleaning the place further, and getting more things back online.

"I know life is hard for people not practically born on the throne like me. Just saying if you still had your wants, I'd get it--" After all, even as the great son of Howard Stark, did anyone ever think he wanted to work for or with the man? Yeah, most people probably did.

Onto the railing and platform, when she speaks again, the look of realization pops into his mind-- Oh, yeah, you know what? That was totally fair. She had gone through about 30 layers of concrete, maybe a bug or two on the way here--

"Yeah! Yeah of course, sorry-- I'm not like, forcing you to stay here or anything, you can take my car if you want-- Or I could have someone drive you."

"you didn't . . . blow up my office just so i'd take a job working for you, did you?" even if he had, that was his business. a bit dramatic and slightly desperate, but ... sweet? in an odd way. if he really was serious about saving the world, about putting things right ... could she go back to work for AIM? all thoughts she needed to let rattle around in the shower.

pepper couldn't recall if she'd ever spent this much time with him one on one and now even under the lighting how he seemed less . . . uptight? more human. as if there were an actual person underneath all the flash and flair of the playboy.

"i'll take that ride if it isn't too much trouble." her smile shifts into one of an odd softness and acceptance, as if she were realizing that her life would never be the same. "and your coffee order for the trip back."

He regrets getting her involved.

Not that she had found out, but the way she had. That look of concern is worn so plainly on his features, heart always on his sleeve. A motion of his hand, and the suit responds in kind. Sealing itself up, it very robotically walks to a small lift system on the far side of the roof's center. Descending down into the workshop below.

"Follow me, workshop's downstairs, or if you prefer, the offices are below that. Either way, we'll get you sat down and a water if you need." If anyone didn't deserve to be dragged into this colossal mess with AIM and Tarleton, it was her. Someone with a resume so long, and evidence far and above proving she had only ever wanted the best for the world--

"I know you didn't, or at least, I had a feeling. Tarleton has a habit for dragging people down into whatever mess he happens to be working on--" Never so dastardly as what had happened very recently, but there was always a breaking point. Taking a fair amount of strides to the opposite side of the roof as where the staff elevator was. Press of a button, and a short wait, and they're on, slowly descending in the quiet presence of muzak.

"I don't judge you if you wanna go back. You've got a lot of good you can still do with their funding and Tarleton's equipment." As if he hadn't had his and his life threatened by them, but there was an understanding that sometimes, to make a living, there were choices to be made--

in the chaos, pepper still notices the concern on his face. sure, he could have accidentally killed her, but she wasn't really sure if she would be a loss on tony stark's radar. she follows the suit with her eyes until it disappears from view. "how did you do this?" the question is posed quietly as she hurriedly follows him across the roof top.

once they're in the in the elevator, pepper steps herself out of her heels, dropping considerably and exhaling as her feet are now flat on the floor. "i don't want to work for anybody who's killing people." idle hands fiddle with the heels clasped within. or anybody who would try to kill you.

"i mean, a girl's got a reputation to uphold. especially since it's my work he's already stolen." the elevator dings and antonio graciously holds his arm out for her to depart before him. pepper steps into the space and marvels at the decor he'd chosen before turning on her heel to look at him.

"i think um - if you don't mind, can i go home and shower first? i sort of had a building explode with me in it..."