(Untitled)

[arethebettermen]

Who: arethebettermen & redheadpepper (CLOSED)
What: Friendly afternoon chat about various things
Where: Pepper's Place of Solace/Stark Industries Office
When: 8/24 day
Warnings: None (will change if needed)

Comments

[redheadpepper]

She saw him coming - well, that was a good thing about having a nice view out the windows. So when she heard the knock, it was simple enough to buzz him in. "Hi, Charles. Nice to see you," she said with a little smile from her place behind the desk. "Like the office?"

[arethebettermen]

Charles wheeled himself in (which he thanks Tony for this wheelchair everyday) at the sound of the buzz and smiled at her. He was dressed in a suit as opposed to the more casual sweater vest and sorts that he normally had. It was visiting Pepper in her office, which he felt he should respect. Even if she wasn't necessarily in charge of Stark Industries anymore.

"It does certainly say 'Virgina Potts' more than 'Tony Stark', doesn't it?" Charles chuckled as he came to a stop at the desk. "There is not nearly enough cars nor music blaring over the speakers to be his office." Then a smile. "It's nice to see you again as well, Ms. Potts."

[redheadpepper]

"I recently made some changes to the place," Pepper replied. "I got rid of the cars. Tony doesn't even notice - he's almost never in here."

Even before she'd been made CEO, she was more familiar with this office than Tony. Somehow, it didn't surprise her that it had shown up here after her - it represented her priorities.

She glanced at Charles' wheelchair, and an amused gleam came into her eyes. "Hasn't Tony put rocket launchers on there, yet? I'm surprised."

[arethebettermen]

"I imagine he prefers to work from his own office." Charles noted. "The one that he has here in Promenade, that is. With the cars."

Ever since Charles saw the workshop in Tony's memories, he had wanted to visit. The technology hadn't been dreamed of in his time. Computers weren't even something he had heard of. To think that all of that had come about in just a few decades? Well, if the atomic age didn't accelerate mutations, it certainly accelerated technology. Charles wanted to meet the infamous JARVIS that Tony often griped about in his thoughts.

"I'm certain they are hiding in here somewhere." He laughed. "Much like the pieces on his suit, the ones in the hands and feet?" Charles gestured to his palms. "I imagine there is at least one of them in this wheelchair somewhere that when activated it'll make me fly off to be some sort of dynamic superhero."

[redheadpepper]

"The workshop," she said with a nod. "That's definitely his place. If it wasn't here, I don't know what he'd do with himself." Pepper ought to know - she was one of the few people who actually had a code to the place. Not even Stane had had one. Tony had to trust someone completely to let them in.

"Anyway, I wouldn't put it past him to make some upgrades like that. On the other hand, he's very possessive about a lot of the tech he creates himself, so he'd probably leave it at just the rocket launchers. No repulsors for you."

[arethebettermen]

"He would build himself one... or dream it up." Charles said with a small shrug. Knowing Tony, he would find a way to give himself a workshop where he could play his loud metal music. Music that Charles wasn't fond of, but he respected his friend's taste in music.

His eyes fell on the object that had been spinning since his arrival. He raised an eyebrow, quickly identifying it as an object that Tony had complained loudly about in his memories. Charles tilted his head, not entirely sure what it was supposed to do other than possibly distract guests, but looked back at Pepper with an unsaid question on what it was.

"I'm not entirely sure I want repulsors or rocket launchers." Charles admitted. "I imagine I would be a horrid flyer. Not to mention that I don't have any way to defend myself unless I control the minds of others. My place seems to be standing back and directing others."

[redheadpepper]

She nodded in agreement, and her eyes followed his gaze to the little swinging object on her desk.

In all honesty, she'd gotten the thing in part because she knew it would drive Tony crazy whenever he had the temerity to visit her at the office. Almost like an insurance policy.

"It's some zen thing, supposed to make the room more calm," she said with a little shrug. Which it was.

"Anyway, not everyone can be on the front lines. They need people in the background to organize things and clean up after them."

[arethebettermen]

"Ah, I see. A very inventive way of doing it." Charles smirked. "By 'making it zen', does that mean keeping Anthony away?"

Charles could just imagine Erik learning of this and him constructing a rather large version of one outside the mansion. Simply to irritate the man who irritated him.

"You're far more than just the clean up crew, Ms. Potts." He said, knowing that wasn't entirely what she meant. "And I suppose we will be the ones that work in the background together."

[redheadpepper]

"That may be part of it," she admitted. "To put it bluntly, there aren't a lot of places I can go where I'm sure to have privacy, and I'm able to actually get work done without Tony barging in."

She was used to the guy, sure, but she needed some time to herself, after all.

"I would never seriously think of myself as a cleaning lady - or, god forbid, a babysitter. As often as that joke seems to pop up, Tony is a grownup, and he does what he wants. I'm more like... a professional enabler, most of the time." Now, perhaps, a personal one, too.

[arethebettermen]

"He does have a habit of making everything his." He agreed.

At that, he laughed. "I wonder if you could make proper money off using that as a job title. 'I am Tony Stark's Personal Enabler. Please leave all inquiries on the desk.'"

[redheadpepper]

"I've been tempted to use something like that in the past, for my voice mail," she admitted. "Not that I'd be able to make much more money than I already was."

[arethebettermen]

"You could always make it a message here in Promenade." Charles said thoughtfully. "Most would tend to agree with you on it, I imagine. Though I do believe there are times Anthony does not even need an enabler."

Charles leaned forward a bit, resting his hands on the table. "Which is part of the reason why I've come to see you, Ms. Potts. Not that I don't enjoy your company, of course. It's always a joy to spend time with you."

[redheadpepper]

Pepper chuckled. "Flatterer. But I should've known you showed up here for a reason. No one ever comes to this office just to chat."

She leaned back a little in her chair, expectant. "So why did you pay this little visit?"

[arethebettermen]

"I will make it a goal to just come to chat with you." Charles vowed playfully, even if he was rather serious about it. Pepper needed more company, and Lord knew he needed to get out of the mansion more.

He folded his hands together. "I felt that it was only proper to inform you of what I'm asking Anthony to do, given you are his assistant and the closest person to him. I promise it shouldn't be anymore dangerous than building another one of his suits."

[redheadpepper]

"I have no doubt you will."

She listened to his words, blinking a little at... well at how deferentially he was treating her. She was grateful for it, anyway.

"I think the suits are dangerous enough as it is, but I appreciate you letting me know. Even if it's a rather empty gesture - Tony may listen to me, sometimes, but he just does what he wants no matter what I say, most of the time."

[arethebettermen]

Charles nodded in understanding. Erik was the same bloody way, as was Noah to a degree. Sometimes they just refused to listen to reason, even when it would serve them best.

"The two members of my team that are here need specialized equipment to help them use their mutations effectively on the field. Anthony is very serious about the Resistance, and we are very serious about helping him with it. He's offered to make Alex a suit that will help him channel his energy, and I am going to ask him if he can design a gliding suit for Sean."