Test Drive #4

[felldenmods]

Welcome to the January test drive! We're so excited to have you with us!

A few things of note:

✦ Test drive threads can be considered game-canon if you choose. They're essentially in a shared dreamscape and take place between your character leaving their world and arriving in the audience hall with their faction leader.
✦ Reserves will open at 12:01 AM UTC on February 1st, and continue to be until 11:59 PM UTC on February 7th. This is to reserve a character, not an application slot.
✦ Applications will open at 12:01 AM UTC on the 8th, and remain open until 11:59 PM UTC on the 15th, or until all application slots have been filled. Once Activity Check ends, we will have an application slot number available on the application page. The IC & OOC intro logs will be posted two days later.
✦ We have added a Suitability section to the application. Check it out! We will be requiring this going forward as it not only helps players see if their character is a good fit for the game but it lets the mod team gather some ideas about direction for your character!
✦ Questions? We have a FAQ that's chock full of good information! If they are test drive specific, we have a top level thread below that allows for OOC questions to be posted.
✦ The network is available to use! No matter where your character is, their compass arrived on their person. Please feel free to include a network post in your top-levels! Once opened, the compass will display instructions on use, such as using voice-commands to activate it. Usernames are your characters first name or their most common nickname.
✦ Below will be a header for OOC questions as well as a request for Death or its Attendants if you risk placing a coin in their offering bowl.
✦ As in December, a secondary blessing will be available in February to those that tag others on the TDM!

All set? Perfect! Welcome to Fellden.

AS THE MOON RISES. You’ll find yourself just outside the Temple gates, which will be locked if you try to open them. A little rude, keeping you out after bringing you all this way, and the more you try to look up at the Temple structure the more insistent guards become in pushing you down the pathway to somewhere else. The thing is, you can hear a lot of commotion in the distance, and smoke rising from the center of a district; you may want to check that out. Where there’s smoke, there’s fire! Except the smoke is not at all something to be concerned over. Instead, people are gathered near a large bonfire in the decorated city square, drinking and carousing, singing songs of celebration; Moon saviors have arrived! War winners! The residents of the city laugh and sing and dance in pairs throughout the square, grateful for those who have come to aid them. Their merriment doesn’t dwindle as the sun begins to set on the horizon, twin moons rising in its place. When you (and other new arrivals) are finally noticed by the revelers, do not expect to be left alone! Chrysanthemums will be offered as brooches or corsages, food and drink placed into your hands, while live musicians play loud enough for the dead to hear — for this is a celebration dedicated to them. Several were lost in the battle held the previous weeks, and the Priestess has decreed a time of mourning through revelry. Spirits must be kept up, even in these dark times. You’ll be invited to dance, to drinking games, and offered food and flowers and other items of value. Some may cry when they look into your face, thanking you for becoming their champions during this long and exhaustive war. Hopefully you’re here to enjoy the festivities despite the pall that may hang over the town. Sneaking off is just fine, too, but don’t expect to be let go of quietly; the people of the Moon Temple are so happy to see you! Enjoy the celebration while it lasts long into the night. If you do manage to leave, a helpful citizen of the Temple will inform you of the nearby transport mirrors that will take you anywhere on the map, one of which they will provide to you.

THE SETTING STARS. You'll find upon your arrival that the castle is not accepting visitors as they prepare the interior for a solemn remembrance of those lost. Guards at the door will instead direct you to the center of the city where most of Starfolk have gathered to say their goodbyes and reminisce of memories past. Venturing there, you'll be greeted either by those who are serving food and drink from nearby taverns, or those with drawn faces tired from battle. Or perhaps you're a late arrival and the worst of the exhaustion has left the city, now imbued with laughter and happier memories! Those loyal to the Court of Stars greet the newcomers with guarded gratitude in their eyes and wary hesitance. How many more of these Otherworlders will betray them, they wonder out loud. If you try and take a seat with a party or three, chances are the conversation will halt as soon as you grow near, and the longer you stay the more uncomfortable the gathered people become. Trust is not easily gained in the Court of Stars; broken now as it is, the natives of this world fear the worst for their Emperor. Will you help us, or will you hurt us, they ask, wanting to believe they still have a chance at surviving this exhaustive war. Whether you choose to remain for the remembrance or wander off, one thing is certain: things must turn around for the Stars soon. If you do manage to sneak off, a hopeful citizen of the Court will inform you of the nearby transport mirrors that will take you anywhere on the map, one of which they will provide to you.

MARKETS OF THE COAST. The coastal city of Kyst is abuzz with an extra amount of people who sought refuge here during the attack on the Moon Temple. Some calm had finally started to settle but now the foundation has once more been shaken. Newcomers will be welcomed with smiling faces from merchants as they look to try to sell their wares. Tavern owners and barkeeps will beckon with the promise of warm food and delightful drinks, a place by the fire, and information to help you find your bearings. The air is rife with the scent of the coastline, fishermen bringing in their haul from the day. Perhaps if you pay enough attention, you'll hear or smell something you recognize from your home; as Fellden is the beginning of all worlds, it wouldn't be an impossible likelihood! Those looking for something more exciting will find closer to the northern border of Kyst a rather curious bi-pedal cat bouncing on its back legs. It flags you down with a wave of its paw, asking excitedly if you'd like to flex your claws into a juicy quest. You're just the hunter for the job! Purr-fect in every way! Out in the wild lands there's a great beast in a deep river, and it's bothering all the people who live in the nearby town! They can't get fresh water or fish for their meals; it's furr-ightening! If you agree to help, the cat will explain that the creature is a Nokken that has been luring many a brave fisher to their untimely death. It must be removed either by force or by convincing it to leave! Help them, Hero-wan Kenobi, you're their meownly hope!

BEYOND THE CITIES. In the distance from Kyst, a large forest looms, the Gods Wood imposing even from this distance. Should you travel there, everyone you encounter will urge you to be respectful while within the forest. There, people can be found visiting intricately decorated shrines, and leaving offerings for their passed. If you catch their eye, they will beg of you to pay respects as well, and press a gold coin into your palm. Offer a wish or a happy memory to who you miss and place the coin into Death's offering bowl and there's a chance someone will be there to speak with you. Be mindful of your actions though; those that show disrespect will be forcibly removed from the Gods Wood by the trees. If the forest is too intimidating, Terebellum is open for semester registration, and the grounds are even more regal with a light dusting of snow all around. Students of all branches of magic can be found exploring the campus and practicing their craft. If you're lucky, perhaps you can find a teacher who will explain what is offered here at the University. But ah, there's a catch! Tuition is extremely expensive, so you must impress your faction leaders if you wish to widen your breadth of knowledge within these walls!

Comments

[irondad]

You know those are a great couple of questions. ( The smirk he had for her at the bikini comment mellows into something more sober, thoughtful, as he reaches for the saddle instead and hauls himself up with ease, gear and all. )

Since I went to boarding school in the 80's. ( His discomfort is palpable in how he just steps right around Pepper's second question, offering a hand up as he shuffles forward a bit in the saddle for her. )

See if you can, maybe, step on my foot and kick your leg over, Pep-

[efficacy]

[ Pepper's lips twist as she smothers a sudden smirk that threatens at a spontaneous thought-- he'd rather notoriously ridden very different sort of fillies after boarding school. It's a little mean, which is why she keeps mum. She doesn't fail to notice how he evades her second question, but maybe they're better off talking about that somewhere more private. And right now, she has a horse to scale, apparently. Though her expression is dubious, Pepper takes Tony's hand and gingerly lifts a foot on top of his in the stirrup. Luckily his boots are sturdy. ]

Right. On three? One, two...

[ On three, she boosts herself up, attempting grace and trying hard not to pull Tony down while she's at it. Thankfully she does yoga and getting her other leg over the wide back of the animal is easy enough; the bounce up too felt much simpler than she expected. She remembers belatedly how effortlessly she'd leaped several feet up in the air with Extremis. Well, that explains it. ]

I can't believe that worked, [ she says anyway, fussing a little with her robe so she's decent before setting her hands on Tony's sides to hold on. ]

[irondad]

Three! ( For his part, Tony leans aside slightly with the lift and briefly locks his elbow, making himself a counterweight to help her up. Hey, if it's a good enough maneuver for westerns, it's good enough for him. )

Hey! Elegant landing, Miss Potts.

( Once he's sure she's settled, they're off at a slow pace, navigating the market crowds with ease. As the city streets soon clear of milling shoppers, that slow walk becomes a trot, and he slides a hand back to cover Pepper's at his side, needing the reassurance that she's still with him. )

There's a guy and his sister up in Moon we're gonna see, should set you up with everything. Every Otherworlder seems to arrive in just the clothes on their back, so you get to know the tailors pretty damn quick.

[efficacy]

[ Pepper is rather impressed by Tony's mastery of the animal and the seeming effortlessness by which he guides them through the crowded streets until the marketplace is left in their rearview. The increased speed jostles the horse and by extension, them-- disinclined to risk falling off, Pepper slides one arm more fully around Tony's middle to hold on firmly. ]

I see. Does the Temple provide lodgings and amenities in exchange for labor, then?

[ Yes, tell her more about the economics and the financial structure, this is her jam!! She's taking this whole thing in general pretty well, though. Pepper wonders absently if she's still in some sort of shock over everything that's happened lately. Once they leave Kyst proper, she can't help but marvel at the unspoiled scenery that spreads all around them. No polluting factories, skyscrapers, clouds of smog or multi-lane highways. Just war, she reminds herself. ]

It's beautiful here, though. [ More quietly: ] War or no.

[irondad]

Labor and loyalty, ( he adds, briefly lacing his fingers with hers. ) But you don't have to take the lodgings given; I've got a place in Spei, the crafters' district.

( They're heading for the portal mirror to the Temple now, trotting down a well-traveled path edged in pristine snow. )

Job placement is a pretty open field here. Some have gone into apprenticeships for damn near anything you can think of. ( Well. Anything pre-WWI, but whatever. )

I've been working with R&D since...late September.

[efficacy]

[ Labor and loyalty. That's the trick, isn't it? Consternation niggles at Pepper as she listens in pensive silence. They have to choose a side-- or rather, remain faithful to the side that's been picked for them. Is it the right one, though? How can they be sure? The fact that they'd gotten out of the war business years ago isn't making it much easier to swallow. ]

And, what month is it now?

[ Winter month, obviously, but more detail would be nice. Even if a small part of her dreads to find out more, to hear just how long Tony's been here already. ]

[irondad]

( For a moment there's just the steady sound of hoof beats and the jingling of rein clips against the bridle. Tony bites his lower lip, finding that he can't keep his hand from hers, squeezing tight. He can't stop, it's colder here outside town, and the skies are darkening with the threat of more snow.

Regardless, Tony does pull up on the reins, and he spends a second just tracing Pepper's fingers there against his midsection, turning to look at her as he admits, )

...Pepper, it's almost February. I got here this past August. And... it's 2016, where I'm from.

[efficacy]

[ Pepper can feel the hesitation practically emanating off him, coupled with a longing that has such an intense edge to it she doesn't quite know what to make of it, his touches feeling almost starved for all that they are innocent, sending little frissons of awareness crawling across her skin. She banks her curiosity and growing concern for now, even if badly, a frown creasing her forehead when Tony brings the horse to a halt in the middle of the path. ]

But...

[ February. August. That's coming close to seven months spent here. It feels absolutely ludicrous, when Pepper had only seen him a moment ago back home. How is that even possible? But what dismay she may have been feeling over that detail pales woefully in comparison to the complete and utter shock his follow-up words elicit, like a slap across the face. Her eyes widen and she sucks in a sharp breath. ]

What?

[ She stares at him in aghast, waiting for the punchline, for the joke that must be coming even though it's in incredibly bad taste. How can it suddenly be 2016 when it was just turning 2014 for Pepper? No, there's no way.

But she already knows he wouldn't joke like that. It doesn't stop her from denying it, because if that's true... ]

That's impossible, Tony.

[irondad]

( Alright, so, he can't stand to see that look on her face, because it's lighting all those ice shards in his chest on fire. It's brief, so brief, but Tony's confident mask slips, and he looks absolutely miserable.

Then, just like that, a tight smile slides it into place once more, and the steel is back in his eyes. )

You know, I wish so much that was the case.

( Maybe he shouldn't have said anything, maybe... Put it off. Just for a while. His gaze drags from hers, out to the road ahead, to the sky above them and that distant portal. No, he can't, that's what always lays the groundwork for the worst to come. )

I'll tell you more once we get where we're going. A lot's happened, Pep, and I need you to trust me. Please.

[efficacy]

[ Something shatters behind her gaze that gleams suddenly with dampness at his fatalistic reply, trying to make sense of it all; what Tony is telling her, those different emotions that flicker across his face. She doesn't understand where they all come from and it sets her teeth on edge, her stomach dropping and churning. Tony evades her eyes, and Pepper looks out at the snowy scenery without seeing any of it, a faintest glow of red-orange flickering across her cheekbones like a ghost of fiery northern lights before fading out as quickly as it appeared.

She remains silent for a long moment, but her fingers tighten where they still hold onto him. ]

I trust you, Tony, [ she says simply long at last, so whisper-thin it's nearly inaudible-- but it's the earnest truth, regardless. ]

[irondad]

( Tony doesn't let her hand go until they're through the portal and on the road into the Temple city, pulling Pepper close against the cold wind that greets them on the other side.

By the time they reach the tailors, it's properly gusting, but he's there to help her off once he's dismounted and tied the horse, hands up to catch her if need be.

Once inside, they're set upon by shop assistants, who take Tony's cloak, his furs and gloves, and turn to politely relieve Pepper of her cloak. That attempt, needless to say, goes waved off. Introductions follow, to the owner, Ylva, and her younger brother Ari.

Kind and patient, Ylva won't hear a word of business until an assistant brings Pepper a warm robe, with hot tea for both of her customers, urging them further into the shop and onto the settee closer to the fire. This should be familiar territory, as the walls around them are full of fabric of every name and color, and past the peek of curtain beyond, there's the rim of a tailor's dais, where he knows there's mirrors and a retinue of more assistants waiting to pounce.

Pepper needs...everything, pretty much, a winter wardrobe and all its accoutrements, so much it might seem overwhelming. Ylva is undaunted, however, and all too soon has to take Pepper away for measurements. )

I'll be right here, ( he promises her brightly, hiding his restlessness all too well. )

[efficacy]

[ Preoccupied by the news, Pepper remains silent for the rest of their trek even through the unsettling portal, huddling slightly against Tony's back when the winds pick up. She's fairly positive she can no longer freeze or anything -- shouldn't there be some perks to being turned into a fire monster against your will, after all? -- but the cold gusts are still less than pleasant. She's thankful to finally make it back indoors.

The tailor's shop is both a welcome distraction and a feast for the senses, Pepper's gaze sliding eagerly over the bolts of fabrics in all colors imaginable; from lush velvets to practical cottons and seductive silks. She wouldn't consider herself a fashionista though she pays close attention to her personal sense of style and did some modelling when she was younger-- but this is still a more familiar environment than any other she's yet come across in Fellden. The staff are perfectly welcoming, and observing the interactions over the rim of her tea cup, Pepper gleans Tony spoke the truth earlier; he is clearly well-acquainted with Ylva and the others. The woman in question soon whisks Pepper away so they can begin, but not before she meets Tony's eyes with a hint of a question in them. ]

Alright, [ she nods with a small smile, wishing she could promise they'd be quick, but she can't know if they will. She just knows waiting is not Tony's strongest suit.

But Ylva turns out to be a professional to the bone and about as efficient as Pepper herself, and the CEO delights in making her acquaintance. The measurements are taken in a flash, and between the two of them plus a group of assistants, it takes barely a few minutes to put together a small list of the essentials Pepper needs as soon as possible, Ylva promising to outfit her properly now and have the rest sent to her quarters. Pepper is only too happy to instruct the woman to dispose of the clothes she came in wearing as she receives new ones more compliant with Fellden's style and climate. But when Pepper subtly encroaches the issue of payment, Ylva merely smiles and urges her not to concern herself over that. Though slightly puzzled, Pepper doesn't press the woman further.

It's closer to half hour later when Pepper emerges beyond the curtains and rejoins Tony, clad now in a warm woollen dress a few shades darker than her eyes, fitting her perfectly. ]

Are you going stir-crazy already?

[ She gets no reply before Ylva follows in her wake, stepping up to lay a beautiful dove gray cloak over Pepper's arm, the hood trimmed with what's probably wolf fur, tiny silver moons embroidered along the hem. ]

Oh! [ A little taken aback by this yet another kindness, Pepper runs a hand over the soft material. ] Thank you so much for everything. You've been incredibly accommodating.

[irondad]

( In the wake of Pepper's absence, Tony pulls Ari aside to speak with, seeing the man off with payment and a further, secondary errand.

Turning down a refill of tea, left alone at last, Tony would all but collapses back against the settee, hands over his face. What are you going to do now? Tell her how you fucked up, again, less than a year after you promised to do better because you're a self-destructive ass, then split up and now you're sleeping with Death's emotional side?

And what about Extremis? He presses his thumbs against the ridge of his brow bones, seeking relief from the headache starting behind his eyes. Vexed and worried, Tony sits there for half an hour working through that knotty problem. It, at least, is an issue he can actually tackle with reasonable celerity, he's sure of it, before he hears the heavy susurrus of curtain and Pepper's voice. )

Hey!

( Eyes open, he quickly stands, brushing invisible dust from the front of his quilted jacket, immediately foregoing that habitual gesture as his gaze swings up and onto Pep. )

Sorry, I was...wow. ( Ohh, yep, that's. Absolutely his heart lodging right in the middle of his throat again. Pepper has always had a radiance that's all her own, and she seems to glow even now, just beautiful even in the simple dress.

Luckily, Ari saves him from the immediate threat of falling apart, arriving in the nick of time with that second favor, wrapped in linen: sturdy, fur-lined boots. Ylva just smiles at her, patting her arm and gesturing for her to sit briefly. )

'We are thankful you're here, Lady Potts. Accommodation on our part is a little thing, in light of how much Otherworlders like yourself and Lord Stark have done for us and Her Holiness.'

( And that is that, as she politely takes her leave to tend to another order. Tony shares a glance with Pepper that just says yeah, that's common, as he sits beside her, glad for the momentary reprieve to gather himself. )

You look stunning.

[efficacy]

[ Tony had always had this way of looking at her; like she'd personally hung the stars and the moon to the sky. He's looking at her with that same sense of wonderment now, and Pepper lowers her gaze down to the soft weight of the cloak she's clutching in her arms, quietly bashful over it in spite of herself. The news of two years -- or rather, one year and however many months -- separating them fails to leave her alone, uncertain how to navigate this elusive but present strangeness between them. Ylva's words have her biting her lip, not feeling much less like a fraud over them as she takes a seat, the cloak bundled on her lap. Lady Potts. Finally sliding her gaze back to meet Tony's, it's apparently nothing to fuss over. She hasn't done anything yet for anybody, but Tony... that's another thing entirely. What must he have gone through here, so far? ]

Thanks, [ she says quietly at his compliment, smiling a little wanly. The odd distance between them lifts its head again even though he's right there next to her. It's not exactly awkwardness, but something close to it. You look weary, she wants to respond, her gaze tracking his familiar features, but swallows the words back just before they escape. They're still not exactly alone, after all. The fireplace hums softly behind them, and she gropes for something to say. ]

They'll, um-- deliver the rest. The clothes.

[irondad]

Oh? Good. Most of it should be there by tomorrow.

( Gosh, why don't you start talking about the weather next, he scolds himself, exasperated, and reaches for those new boots.

Tony wouldn't be Tony if he didn't take a knee before her, patting his offered leg with a small, cheeky grin. )

C'mon, foot up, Cinderella. I want to show you the place and we can't have your toes freezing on the way there.

[efficacy]

[ Mhmm, Pepper hums in agreement, just as painfully aware of how mundane a topic this is, how unlike them. She feels acutely how out of her depth she really is just then, juggling too many new threads of information even for her. She's never been more grateful of Tony's innate inability to go too long without some manner of Tonyism, case in point, when he takes a knee in front of her and grins.

Just like that the odd awkwardness is gone (for now), Pepper giving him that selfsame dryly amused look she always does, regardless lifting a newly stocking-clad foot on his leg. She's still pretty convinced that's no longer a danger she has to worry about, but she's not bringing that up now. She does want proper footwear, after all. ]

Does that make you Prince Charming, then?

[irondad]

A burden I'm willing to bear,

( he tells her, with the sly waggle of his brows to really cement his ridiculousness. Taking her foot, permitting himself a worshipful second to stroke his fingers up the back of her heel, he guides it into that first boot, buckling the strap taut at the base of the shaft. The second follows, easy as you please, though if the hand on her foot slides a little farther up her calf, well...

As they're more or less still in public, he'll go no further, offering Pepper a hand up once he bounces to his feet. Let him help her into her cloak too, maybe?

Things will be fine. Maybe not right now, but they will be. )

[efficacy]

Oh, please.

[ The dry retort is accompanied with a roll of her eyes; a Pepperism, if ever there was one. If her mouth goes a little dry at his touch, through the stocking as though it may be, she'll ignore that for now. She lets Tony indulge his gentlemanly side with helping her up and into the beautiful, warm cloak, the pair wrapping up their business with the tailors without further ado. Ylva hands Pepper a small, soft bundle wrapped in protective packaging before they go, and she tucks it under her arm beneath the cloak while Tony dons his own gear.

Back outside, they spend a good few minutes bickering; Tony insisting she wear his gloves on the ride to his place and Pepper arguing he needs them more. Eventually Pepper caves, exasperated, knowing they'll stand there for the rest of the day otherwise. Finally back in the saddle and on their way at a steady pace, Pepper takes in the city in silence for a while, one arm firmly around Tony's waist. It's like something out of a fantasy novel, and she can't help but wonder... ]

Was it hard, getting used to this place? We're not exactly in Kansas anymore, Toto.

[ Or modern af smarthouses, whatever. ]

[irondad]

...a little, ( he admits, as they take this slightly more scenic route. ) I didn't really give myself a whole lot of time to adjust at the beginning, I just. Leapt right in and started swimming.

( At this end of the city, the damage from the invasion is minimal, easily overlooked if you're not searching for it. Citizens here are still on edge, and there aren't as many out as he usually sees, so many still left at the Keep. Others, well... their entire lives are here, and as soon as Star retreated, they were back. )

Everything runs on magic here, from Fellden itself and the faction leaders. ( Tony points to a street lamp with cold-reddened fingers, ) Electricity, hot, running water, all of it. The suit I came in was somehow transitioned to running on magic-

( Hang on, while he balls his fingers into a fist, blowing warm air against them, ) -though I couldn't begin to tell you how. It just is, now.

We're here, ( Tony announces, dismounting at the gate of a small, mostly snowy back garden, behind a larger workshop and the apartment above it. There's nothing too remarkable to see about the place from the outside, maybe a hint of Tudor-styling to fit in with the rest of the neighborhood, and the stable out back is just big enough for the horse and a small tack room. Once Pepper is down, he leads her to the door, where he fumbles just a moment with keys (nothing hands free here, not yet) and lets her in after him, past the minute hum of wards.

Ahead, a flight of stairs does a quick switchback up to the living spaces above, while a few steps down to their left will take them into the workshop proper, lit by the huge skylight over the main workbenches. It looks mostly similar to his setups at home, though a little more low tech in spots: there's very clearly a forge across the room and blacksmithing tools, juxtaposed by what looks like sections of circuit boards complete with LEDs on a workbench nearby, framed by hand-drafted plans that are definitely all Tony's.

As he closes the door behind them, the overhead lights wink on, in long beams reminiscent of fluorescent lights. )

It's colder down here, when the fires aren't going. I'm usually up in Medii during the week; honestly, Pep, it's a small miracle I found you...

[efficacy]

[ Leapt right in and started swimming. Yes, that sounds like Tony, Pepper thinks with fondness tinged with resignation. He always did that, always gave his all for a cause and ended up burning his candle from both ends, ignoring his own well-being. That was exactly the reason their relationship had been close to bursting at the seams before Killian ever made his appearance. Pepper wonders at the scarcity of people as they go in a city as large as this, belatedly recalling murmurs of an attack. She can't help but admire the resilience of those who stayed, or perhaps recently returned from safer places.

Pepper listens closely to what he says, sparing herself a moment of fond amusement over the concept of Tony Stark and magic (he must have been so frustrated with that, in the beginning), and fighting the urge to push the gloves back to Tony. She would if she didn't know it would be a lost cause and only delay them. She can only hope they'll get to Tony's place quickly-- and fortunately, they do. Whatever she'd been expecting, it wasn't a house so big, with more than one floors, and with its own stable; albeit a small one. But maybe that's not so surprising, here. She eyes the snow-covered garden with interest while Tony unlocks the door, and that's another thing that causes a small stab of hilarity in her. Far cry indeed from automated doors, biometric scans and keycode locks.

When the lights turn on, she takes everything in with a sense of awe at his cleverness and industrial spirit that quickly turns into something else. He's forged himself a new life, here. Made himself a valuable part of this new society involving Otherworlders, not that Pepper could ever doubt that. But the realization still causes a hollow, sinking feeling within her, coupled with that knowledge that he's from 2016 that keeps hanging over them.

This is in many ways the Tony she knows, and yet... she doesn't know him. Her throat tightens and the sheer weight of everything that's happened these past 24 hours threatens to overwhelm her completely just then. She draws in a deep, shuddering breath and steels herself, barely, clutching Ylva's parcel under her arm almost convulsively. ]

Just lucky then, I guess, [ she smiles wanly. ] So...

[irondad]

So.

( That's it, then. How... lame. )

I don't want to sound. Um. ( His fingers fly restlessly to his sword belt, to his cloak clasp, shrugging the heavy weight of wool and wolf fur off and onto a nearby sawhorse, before he comes around to Pepper. Whatever nervous energy he'd kept a lid on through their afternoon is primed and ready to burst now, so much so that his hands are shaking as they seek hers, )

Incredibly pitiable and, well, desperately maudlin, but.

( Just shut up, Tony, And he does, as he wets his lips and moves in to kiss her. )

[efficacy]

[ Removing the gloves he'd loaned her and setting them side, Pepper eyes Tony's back with a small frown when he starts up, a bubbling cauldron of restlessness, or perhaps nervousness-- anxiety? Regardless, Pepper's seen it before and it replaces her earlier lack of mental equilibrium with a familiar emotion when it comes to dealing with Tony; concern. Her frown only deepens when he turns back around and takes her hands in his, feeling them tremor against her skin.

Maybe she should have read him better, but she's not expecting him to kiss her.

If anything, she opens her mouth to prompt him when he suddenly leans in, a flicker of surprise crossing Pepper's face before their lips meet. She jumps just a little, freezing for a split-second-- but then instinct overrides her head and her eyes slip shut as she kisses him back, tipping her chin up and pushing into the contact gently. This? This feels the same as it always has, familiar and exhilarating, a little quiver lancing through her abdomen. She untangles one hand from his to lift it to the side of his face, slender fingers resting affectionately against a bristly cheek. ]

[irondad]

( Her lips, her touch fracture something deep within him. Tony looses a shuddering breath against her mouth, while his hands slide back beneath that pretty grey cloak, to take Pepper more firmly by the waist. Maybe he's still afraid he'll open his eyes and she'll just be gone. )

I missed you, ( he confesses in the space between kisses, stripped of all that bravado, the confident facade. It's just them now, he doesn't have to be anyone else for anyone else, just him, just Tony, and all hers. ) So much.

[efficacy]

[ Pepper can taste his longing in every impassioned press of his lips, hear it in his voice and feel it in his tight grip, like he never wants to let her go. This is the most intimacy they've shared in months, truly, the nights he cloistered himself away to tinker obsessively in the workshop instead of spending time with her still fresh in Pepper's memory. Is it any wonder his passion now rouses Pepper's own after a long dormancy? ]

I'm here, Tony, [ she murmurs back in a low whisper, her breath shortening already. ] I'm here.

[ Both dainty hands cradle his face now, delve her fingers into his hair and stroke; any mindless caress as her lips find his again with a tiny moan, more aggressive and insistent this time. Perhaps this isn't the wisest course of action, but Pepper isn't -- for once -- thinking very rationally. It can't be wrong to find this comfort in each other, surely. Everything else could wait for a while. ]

[irondad]

( Everything else will wait, as he backs her up to the edge of one of those wide, wooden worktables with needful insistence. Pepper's hands feel like heaven in his hair and he wants more of it, of her, to wrap around himself, safe and whole again for the first time since forever.

He breaks from her only once, to impatiently sweep the careful stack of rolled schematics away and off the table with his arm, before he returns to press a trail of hungry kisses down her throat, dropping her hands to her hips, to lift her up and onto the tabletop with one smooth motion.

Tugging up the hem of her dress, the chemise beneath it, sliding his warmed fingers over her stocking-clad thighs, Tony breathes a loving, worshipful oath into her décolletage. )