℗ oo2. a headache the size of stark towers

[quits]

[Needless to say, Pepper did not have a very good first day in Paradisa. She spent most of her day in the elevator convinced she'd wake up at some point, then found out her friend was killed, and then spent the rest of the night drinking. Once again proving to herself that she cannot keep up with Tony Stark when it comes to alcohol.

Now she is miserable.]

So -- this much is clear. I'm not dreaming. I'm from before the time that Tony's here from and a bunch of stuff happened. [Her fingers press to her temple... ow.]

Wishes, the journal, the castle -- all magic, which is real. There are places that you end up sometimes, because the castle brings everyone there. People die, but then come back because the castle... fixes it. I've lost something and it's not just the memory of being here before -- which is also the same case for Tony, even though neither of us remember.

[She has a glass of ice water, which you can hear clink when she raises it to press to her temple.]

Is there anything else I should know? [Other than the whole Loki thing, which she is not even going to say his name, because she wants him to hurt for what he did.]

Oh, and for those I didn't weird out the other day in the elevator while I was still thinking this is all a dream - I'm Pepper Potts.

I also could really use some aspirin. [But she can handle that one.]

Comments

[builds]

[ HE DOESN'T SAY ANYTHING FOR A BIT.

But after a while- ]

Hey, aren't you coming up?

[quits]

Do you actually need something that you can't get yourself? [She doesn't even know why she's asking this.]

[builds]

[ His response is quick, smooth, and well-practiced. ] Good company.

[quits]

[There is a face being made here where she knows that it's a rehearsed reply, but it's also a nice rehearsed reply...]

[builds]

[ Tony can't see her face, though. ]

So what do you say?

[quits]

Give me a few hours. [She needs to get rid of her headache and actually shower and get dressed...and all sorts of things. Food. She needs to eat too.]

[builds]

All right. Few hours given.

How many is "a few," by the way? Two? Three? It's not very exact.

[quits]

It's not very exact for a very specific reason. [You saw how much she drank....]

[builds]

All right. Two and a half hours then. I'll be waiting.

[quits]

[She will take three hours and he'll deal with it.]

action → forever

[quits]

[Okay, she took three and a half hours, but she brought food?]

Okay... you did a lot with the wishing. [She's glancing around the place. This is oddly... familiar.]

1/2

[builds]

I couldn't wish for all of it. There seems to be a limit. Things that are unique, one-of-a-kind, can't wish for that. A lot of the stuff that would usually go in my pad, in other words. Constructed some of it last night, but it's a work in progress.

[builds]

[ He rattled all of that off as in absent thought, but now he seems genuinely interested. ]

Did you bring food?

[quits]

[She maneuvers through the scattered things that are apparently part of the "work in progress" part and smirks at him.]

I did bring food. You're not concerned that the wishes are going to cost you something?

[builds]

You know, I'm pretty sure there's a phrase about that. About not looking a gift horse blah blah.

What kind of food? [ ...He's just going to brush some junk off of the table in there. Making room and such. ]

[quits]

[She will not say that she told you so, at least not today. BUT SOME DAY...]

Yes, I'm sure this was exactly what came to mind when they came up with that expression. [Food is getting set down. She went to a lovely Italian place in the city. Look at her, already making this place her bitch.]

[builds]

Oh, wow, that looks pretty good. You didn't wish for it, did you? Because that would just be ironic.

[quits]

No, I didn't wish for it. [She'll take a seat and watch him sort through it all.]

There's actually a pretty decent sized city out there. I went to an Italian place and ordered.

[builds]

They have Italian? [ He actually sounds slightly surprised. ] Not bad for an alternate slash pocket dimension. Wonder if they have any good pizza joints?

[ Not that he's going to prefer pizza to the nice Italian food. Just idle thought. Really. ]

[quits]

I'm sure there's one in the city somewhere. [Tony, you should hand her some food. :| Because that'll be awesome.]

There are two bars in the castle, but the one seems deserted.

[builds]

Jarvis? Did you get that? Two bars. Find 'em, mark 'em.

[ He's going to absently portion out some food and hand it over to her. ]

Yes, sir. [ Despite his apparent difficulties getting the room set up, Jarvis seems to have found a home in the circuitry around there. ]

[quits]

[Oh, look at this! It's a MIRACLE!! Tony is actually doing something for Pepper and she wants to take the food that's being offered to her.

But.

What is... why aren't her...?

This isn't funny.]

My arms are -- [No, she can move them, but if she goes to - yep. Okay. Not cool.]

Something is definitely not right. [Also, the absently handing has turned into not so absently unbalanced and yeah... probably got some on her shirt.]

[builds]

[ And even after spilling a bit, Tony's just going to... look at the plate like it's the plate's fault.

And still hold it there. ]

Okay, that? Was totally not my fault.

Are you going to take this, or do I get to eat it?

[quits]

Trust me, I'd prefer to take it instead of wear it, but I can't seem to actually take it.

[Frown.] Oh, Tony, just -- it's spilling. [She can't even take it away to stop it from spilling.]

Just set it down.

[builds]

[ So, with a sigh, he sets it down. So no more spills. Man, this is what he gets for being such a nice guy, isn't it? ]

Okay, so what's up with your arms now?