i remember falling [open]

[fearlesswonder]

Late at night, the prodigal son returns to the streets of Minneapolis, hands tucked into his pockets and head down as he wanders, occasionally kicking at stray cans and other small, safely kickable objects

Comments

[needsmorepepper]

It's not unusual for Pepper to be out, on her own, late at night--it's not advisable, but it's not unusual. Tony calls or she forgets something during the day...whatever the reason tonight, Pepper's out wandering with purpose, direction, because that's how she does these things.

She's also on a cellphone, but that may just be for practical reasons rather than actually taking part in a conversation. It takes her a second to realize that she recognizes that possibly-moping boy walking in the other dir--

"Dick!"

Okay, there are better names to raise your voice with on the street at ridiculous o'clock. The boy needs a nickname badly.

[fearlesswonder]

"Well, that's me, I live to be of service to beautiful young women such as yourself, no matter how mean they are about my excellent and well-crafted jokes." Dick swings their hands and decides now is the time to be walking. It's a little weird to be holding Pepper's hand, he won't lie, but it's not exactly unpleasant, either.

[needsmorepepper]

Being as Pepper is usually the girl who recommends what tea for what kind of headache and which shoes will go with that tie and oh god, are you eating that, no, no, this is so much better for you, what would you do without her-

Well, there's a reason she feels the need to remind people she's not the babysitter.

Right now: she's entertaining herself being careful not to step on any cracks as they walk. "You're a thoughtful boy, Dick. Are you going anywhere specific?"

[fearlesswonder]

"No, I'm just purposefully wasting your time so you'll be forced to spend more of it with me." He's open about it, at least.

(She has warm hands. This is the kind of obvious observation that doesn't need making, ever, but there he goes, making it.)

"Unless you need to be somewhere, in which case, that's where I'm going to."

[needsmorepepper]

She laughs, swings their hands, and shakes her head. "I finished up. I'm free now, so I guess you have good timing."

Probably she'd have just gone home, but she doesn't really mind making time for Dick.

[fearlesswonder]

"Then I should take you out somewhere." He squeezes her hand and thinks Deep Thoughts. "Is anything open right now? I could drag you up the hill to my place and make you toast- or anything. Cappucino?"

[needsmorepepper]

Pepper purses her lips, and then decides, "I would really, really like a cappuccino, I think."

[fearlesswonder]

"Great!" Throw in a few extra exclamation marks, if you're so inclined. "It's, uh, sort of a walk- I could call a taxi? Or I could carry you. Either or." He could be very serious about it, or that could be the slight underlying beacon of LOVE ME he's throwing off at the moment.

[needsmorepepper]

"How about a taxi - you might get tired carrying me around." Pepper is pocket-sized, but she's still, you know, a human being and they are awkward things to carry for any stretch of time. Although odds on that's not the only reason.

(Really, Dick is lucky, there are certainly people at St Jude's who would've taken him up on it just to see if he was serious.)

[fearlesswonder]

"On it." Dick produces a cell phone and locates the street they're on, then places the call- he lets go of her hand now, finally.

(Dick would carry those people.)

"We'll be waiting a couple minutes," he says, closing his phone. "Are you sure you want to come?"

[needsmorepepper]

"Sure. We can catch up properly, not on the side of the street. I haven't seen you in forever." Pepper wraps her arms around herself when he lets go of her hand - mostly for warmth, little things like her don't have a whole lot of body heat to spare - and smiles.

(She's making a mental note to tell her parents she was at Tony's, though, because they're used to that.)

[fearlesswonder]

"Great." He smiles back. "I promise I won't keep you up too late, though. Are you cold?" He does have a giant coat to spare, you see.

[needsmorepepper]

"Kinda! A little." She squints at the sky, almost laughing. "Tony's going to have to stop needing me in the middle of the night when it gets really wintery."

[fearlesswonder]

Dick shucks his coat and drapes it around her shoulders without a word. He's wearing a sweater underneath; he'll be fine without it.

"Somehow I doubt that'll happen, though. You should figure out some other way of getting over there. Can you drive yet?"

[needsmorepepper]

"Oh, thank you - I can, yeah, but I don't have a car yet." Pepper worries at her pinky finger a little, pressing the side of it against pursed lips, like maybe now she's thinking she needs one.