2013-02-03 Bottle of Red, Bottle of White

Nearly 6:00pm on Saturday. For whatever reason, Pepper is in the office finishing up some paperwork. She told Tony to meet her here at 4:30pm sharp so that they could meet Steve for dinner. She'd also planned the dinner, and made the reservation, and let Steve know when and where they'd be to pick him up. Just one last budget approval to fill out...
Tony Stark rolls in, 6:05 on the dot. He's dressed casually for dinner. Slacks, Button down shirt, sleeves rolled up with sunglasses. "Okay, I'm here, you're here, where are we going?"
And where is Steve Rogers? He's where he has been all day - the lobby of the Warldorf Hotel. Technically, part of the day he was here as Captain America fighting Daddy Longlegs and Tatterdemalion alongside Wasp and Spider-Man. But for the last hour and a half, Steve has been standing in the lobby looking at his watch, and then at the entrance. He's replaced both his uniform and khakis with dress slacks, a nicer shirt, and even a tie. His coat hangs over a nearby chair. He politely declines offers from an entire bridal party to join them in the bar. Pick him up at five, they said. When will Steve learn?
Pepper Potts looks up from finishing the last bit of paperwork as Tony arrives, and it's the work of only a minute or so for her to set everything neatly aside and lock down her computer. "We're going to dinner; I've already made the reservations. Is the car still downstairs?" She steps around her desk and toward Tony. "I haven't heard back yet from you about that young lady you spoke with the other day. I have the internship paperwork ready and waiting." She leads the way back to the elevators and the waiting car. "Oh, and did you remember to call Steve and let him know when we'd be picking him up?"
Tony Stark nods, "Yeah, the car's still downstairs. Intern? Intern. Oh, Intern! Freaky Goth Raver Southeast Asian Engineer. Yeah, that should be fun..." he smiles wanly, then blinks. "Oh! Steve! I knew I forgot about something." he reaches into his pocket and gets out his phone, punching Steve into the speed-dial. *ring ring ring*...
The phone rings in Steve's coat. For a minute he wishes whoever owned it would answer it. Then he remembers it's his. While he's no longer the Rip Van Winkle who once told Tony "I think it runs on some sort of electricity", he still doesn't take it for granted that people carry wireless telephones in their pockets like everyone else.
Fishing out the phone, Steve pushes the answer icon, forgetting to look at the caller ID. "Hello, this is Steven Rogers." Yeah, who else would be answering?
Pepper Potts herds Tony down to the car while he calls Steve, and they're actually on their way pretty promptly. But even so, she's mentally berating herself for leaving it up to Tony to talk with Steve. The poor guy is probably either not at all ready or has been sitting there waiting for heaven only knows how long. She quietly asks the driver to get them to the Waldorf Astoria as promptly as possible, just in case.
Tony Stark grins as he heads downstairs with Pepper, "Hey, Steve! It's Tony. We're on the way to get you, should be there in about 7 minutes or so. Need a few to spruce up?" he sounds relaxed and easy, like there's not a care in the world.
Steve snorts into the phone as he shrugs on his coat. "No, I'm pretty 'spruced', buddy." Not 'bro', not 'dude'. Buddy. And Steve means it literally not in the sarcastic sense. "I'll see you when you get here. Maybe you'll need to come in and 'spruce up' because I bet Pepper is roughing you up something fierce." Ha, how's that for guy banter?
Pepper Potts is very much not 'roughing' Tony up. She's actually busier checking emails on her tablet than paying attention to the phone conversation, or at least Tony's side of it. She quickly types a reply to something, then closes the email program, leaving her tablet's desktop wallpaper showing.
( Pepper's wallpaper: http://www.meowingdog.net/albums/album93/peppermint_patty.gif)
Tony Stark looks over at Pepper, then speaks back into the phone, "Yeah," he says, still giving his PA a sidelong glance, "Well, you know what a man-eater she can be. I'll be surprised if I make it to the Waldorf in one piece." he glances ahead real quickly, "Which should be in the next two minutes. See ya in the lobby!" he says, cutting the call abruptly as he usually does. He then looks to Pepper and says, "Have you been telling Steve that you abuse me?" - There’s a sardonic tone in his voice.
"Okay. By--" Steve puts the phone away shaking his head as Tony hangs up on him. He chuckles to himself as he imagines what sort of trouble he may have made for Mister Stark. He grabs the strap of the leather valise he carries his art portfolio in and puts it over his head and on to his right shoulder so it crosses his chest and hangs on his left side toward his back. It's almost square, nearly four feet on a side. Guess what's in it besides art? Steve puts his hands in pockets and steps out near the doorman and the valet, so he can get in whatever luxury vehicle his arrive in as it pulls up.
Pepper Potts blinks up at Tony. "What? No. Why would you ask that? What did you tell him?" Clearly she is not paying attention to the conversation that just ended. She looks out the window as they pull into the pick-up/drop off area at the front of the Waldorf. "What did he say?" She's clearly concerned by this, as much as she is confused.
Tony Stark shrugs, "He said I might need to spruce up myself, because you were probably roughing me up something fierce. I mean, I'm not mad, I'm just impressed. I'd like to know when this roughing up took place, because I missed it and very much wouldn't want to." he pops the door open in the roomy back seat area of the old style Rolls Royce that Happy is driving.
Steve gets in the car. He makes an exaggerated show of putting the valise on the floor propped up against the back of the seat in front of him, waving his elbow in front of Tony's face. "Evening, Harold," he addresses the driver. "Virginia," he says to Pepper. He closes the door, and fixes his tie. He turns to say something to Pepper, and then pretends to only just notice Tony sitting between them. "Oh, Tony! Why, I didn't see you there, old man. He looks around the inside of the car. "How could I lose you like that in the 'small' car?" It's clear from the smile on his face he is just fooling around.
Pepper Potts just stares at Tony deadpan. She could easily make something up, considering that there's probably a fair stretch of early November that Tony can't remember. But she's not one to play lowball, so she leaves it at just a stare. When Steve climbs into the car, the stare breaks off and she smiles at the blond man. "Steve." She just /can't/ bring herself to call him Mr. Rogers. It's just... not right. Her attention is drawn to the art portfolio case and she's openly intrigued. "Is your artwork in there?"
Tony Stark smirks and sits back, "Oh I know, it's because I'm blending in with the interior." he joins in with the fun making and inclines his head, "You of course remember the woman that lives for roughing me up." he chuckles. The car pulls back into the street, to whisk them away to dinner.
"Of course," Steve answers Tony. He nods to Pepper. "There's some actual art in there yes. Including the leftovers from the posters I designed for Janet van Dyne. Who," he asides to Tony," you will know as soon as you turn on some news, has superpowers. We have to have her over at the next 'business' meeting." Turning back to Pepper he says, "But also the kind of 'art'" he makes finger quotes "I need to show troublemakers.” Steve taps the valise with his foot sharply in the center. It makes a metallic ring.
Pepper Potts ahs and nods to Steve, understanding what he means especially upon hearing the metallic sound the case makes. "I'd consider a valise like that for Tony, but it would just be way too understated. Unless..." She wakes up her tablet, the wallpaper being visible again briefly before she opens a browser window and starts searching with the ease of much practice. The car moves smoothly through traffic toward the restaurant Pepper picked out -- an Italian place known for having been in business and owned by the same family since the late 1800s.
Tony Stark shakes his head a little, "Steve, Steve, you gotta let me help you update that. We can't have the Star Spangled Man with the Plan running around with his uniform in a valise." he claps his friend on the shoulder, "C'mon, let's go eat." he motions to both as he gets out of the car.
Steve gets out, holding out his hand for Pepper. "I like the valise," he says, "We can't all have unfolding computer assisted briefcases. Besides, people expect art to be in an art valise."
Pepper Potts quickly stows her tablet and exits the car with Steve's help, then follows the men inside, nodding to the maitre'd as they're led to their table in an out of the way alcove where most other people dining here won't see them. As they're being seated, she leans toward Tony and reminds him with a near-silent whisper, "You're here to apologize. Don't forget." To Steve, she says, "Oh, I wouldn't expect you to change your portfolio. I was looking for something for Tony that would be more his ... style."
Tony Stark shrugs, "I'm not saying that, but at least let me design you something you can at least wear under your clothes? I can redesign the shield to expand or collapse as the case may be." he nods to Pepper, "That's exactly what I'm doing," he comments equally as quietly to Pepper.
Pepper Potts frowns slightly. "Tony, no."
"I knew what you meant, Pepper," Steve says, squeezing her hand. "I'll think about it, " he tells Tony even though they both know Steve is set in his ways when it comes to his uniform. He does however leave the valise in the car, confident that should he need it, Happy will bring it. As he sits, Steve looks around the restaurant. "This is nice - authentic looking; reminds me of a place in Florence." The place Steve is thinking of might not be there, as it was 1944. But then again, it might.
Pepper Potts smiles at Steve and looks at the waiter, getting him to let them have a few extra moments undisturbed. Then she gives Tony a significant look, and if that's not enough for him to get the hint, one of his shins is very much within kicking distance.
Tony Stark settles in, and places an order, as is his wont, for a very expensive and vintage bottle of Italian Sparkling Wine. There are appetizers also being brought out. Tony sits back, and sighs a bit.
"Look, Steve," he begins, and Tony returns the significant look with one of his own. If one didn't know better, one might assume Tony and Pepper have been married for 20 years already. He looks back to his friend, "A few weeks ago, I was not in a good place. I'm not sure what entirely caused it, or why, but I know there were quite a few people that reached out to try and help me. You were one of them, and I essentially spit on that. I just want you to know that I value your friendship, Steve. You're one of the few people I actually call a friend, and more to the point, man, you're probably one of three people on this planet I consider a best friend." it's about that time the sparkling wine arrives.
Steve listens as Tony says his piece, smiling ruefully at the Significant Looks going on between the other two. He knows better than better - these two belong together, even if they don't fully know it yet. Popping an appetizer while Tony apologizes, he waves the whole thing off. Well almost the whole thing.
"Apology accepted. You are also one of my best friends, and friends know when the other is just blowing off steam, and are willing to be the punching bag - up to a point." The last four words are said not exactly sternly, but to make a point. "Even while you were spitting on me, I could tell you were listening to what I said; that you weren't completely around the bend. If you had been, we would have gotten you real help."
"I am not concerned with what you said. I am concerned with -" Steve points at the bottle, with his butter knife as he picks up a bread slice in the other hand. "- that. But I'm willing to believe that you know it isn't the problem most people think it is. For now. Instead, I would rather concentrate on whatever that whole business was you were watching on every wall in the room at the time. You let the rest of 'the gang' help you with that, and I'll know you really heard me."
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