Fellden Mods (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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fellmemes2020-01-27 12:03 pm
felldenmods) wrote in fellmemes2020-01-27 12:03 pm
Entry tags:
Test Drive #4
Welcome to the January test drive! We're so excited to have you with us!
A few things of note:
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.All set? Perfect! Welcome to Fellden.
✦ 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!
 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. |
 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. |
 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! |
 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! |
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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.
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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.
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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.
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( 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.
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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?
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( 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. )
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[ 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. ]
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( 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...
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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...
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( 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. )
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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. ]
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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.
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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. ]
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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. )
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She chants his name under her breath, gasping it against his skin, nails digging into his back through layers of cloth, clutching at the curling strands of hair at the nape of his neck. It's not the most romantic, most involved affair, but it's perfect in its own right.
Afterward, as they drift slowly down from their mutual high, Pepper strokes her fingers more gently through his hair and draws him in a slow kiss, full of care and every bit of loving affection she carries in her heart for him. ]
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He pushes away the memory of Acubens, the way his gut lurches at the thought of it, and nuzzles her jawline with his nose instead, placing kisses at that sensitive spot beneath her ear.
Just as luck would have it, that's right when the tray of crystal shards a table over opts to explode.
In rapid succession, with all the light and sharp crackle of sound reminiscent of a string of firecrackers. Shimmering sparks fire in every direction, in every color of the rainbow, and as quick as Tony is to pull Pepper off the table and beneath it, the sudden bombardment is over. )
Shit, what the-
( Alright, afterglow's over, and nothing seems to be burning, so, maybe his check of Pepper is a little much, considering she's the fireproof one here. Let him also just, tuck everything away, pls. )
Are you okay? Did you get hit?
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She half expects to light up herself, to feel the fire and heat of Extremis flaring alive at the rush of adrenaline flooding her veins, but other than a fleeting flicker of red-orange across the backs of her hands (that she can see), she detects none of it. Strange. A slightly hysterical hiccup of laughter burbles at the back of her throat at the utter ridiculousness of Tony's less than decent state in the wake of their hurry to take cover. ]
No, I'm fine, [ she assures him on a heavy breath that's almost a huff of amusement, shaking her head. ] Tony, what... what was that?
[ The sudden light show, not the impromptu banging. She was very present and involved in that. ]
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Oh nothing, just weeks of hard work and freezing my ass off in enemy territory down the tubes.
( The workshop looks like a kaleidoscopic glitter bomb went off, with fine flecks of crystal dusting every available surface. Tony pauses amid surveying the tinted damage, and hastens over to the wooden crate perched on a table dead center, muffling a swear as he digs through a layer of packed straw.
Light spills sudden across his face and up his arms, shifting hues of sunny gold as he unearths what looks to be a raw topaz the size of his fist, glowing like a miniature star. )
Well I'll be damned.
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Oh. Really?
[ She questions as they get up and away from beneath the table, sounding a little chagrined. That sounds... frustrating, if free from Tony's usual hyperbole. Brushing off her skirts, Pepper takes in the down right glitterized state of the workshop with wide-eyed wonder while Tony rushes off. After she's primly straightened her stockings, she joins Tony by the crate, giving an enthralled little oh! as she does at the sight. ]
It's beautiful. [ Beat. She tries to resist, hating to sound like a broken record. But damn it, she's curious and he's withholding details! ] But seriously, what is it?
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Well, ( Tony hedges, less for theatrics this time, and offers the crystal to Pepper. The crystal is less heavy than it looks and gently warm, not from his hands alone, and emanating the softest hum. ) It's selenite. Mostly. Composition's a bit hard to pin down, considering what it does.
( And so Pepper doesn't have to ask him to clarify further, )
And what it does is, it acts like a rechargeable, magic battery. They get charged from exposure to energy output, other sources of magic, um, strong emotions...
( Trailing off now, he presses his lips into a line, not out of any consternation, but because he's this side shy of laughing. )
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Energy output.
[ She gives him her best get real stare for a beat. ]
Are you saying it charged because we... [ A vague gesture with her free hand. You know!! ] ...near it? Don't you laugh.
[ Her cheeks pink further. Despite the order, she does see the humor in this, pressing her own lips tightly together against a reluctant smile. But it's still a little mortifying. ]
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Then he breaks, with a huff and a shrug, Welcome to Fellden, Pepper. )
What, look, 100% was not expecting this at all. Charging them so far has been very, just. Ohm-y and meditative, or placing them in range of some other magic source.
( Tony suddenly looks very, very shrewdly at her, something lewd in the curve of his mouth as he leans toward her, as if for a kiss, )
You know, I've got another box that needs charging, if you wanna...
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Is it going to last longer than four minutes, this time?
[ Ooh, snap. Not like she had complaints, they were great 4 minutes! But a burn is a burn. She shakes her head before he can respond one way or another, though. They're getting sidetracked. ]
Thanks, but I'll have to pass. [ She glances around a bit indicatively. As fascinating as the shop is... ] I expect you have actual living spaces here, and you haven't been bunking in the workshop...?
[ Please say you haven't. ]
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Just so he doesn't do something ridiculous, like fold right into her again, Tony starts packing the gem away as she continues, though he spares a moment to check the rest of the crystal cargo, also charged, and vibrantly glowing. )
I mean- ( with the roll of one shoulder, ) -after a while you just get used to the cot, and the mice are all mostly dead...
( But he can't keep the charade going, and so moves to take her by the hand, pulling her with him over a small, enigmatic smile. )
Come here.
( He draws her with him as they crunch over the mess of shattered crystal, taking her across the workshop to a flight of stairs, up those and past two heavy, oak doors, on through the entryway of the penthouse Tony has called home for a little over a month. )
Et voilà, Miss Potts. Not as big as back home, but it's. Home. For now.
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[ she admonishes lightly at his tease, lacking her usual heat; further evidenced by the slightest hitch to the corner of her mouth. But then he's pulling her along and she's happy to follow, up the stairs, through the pair of heavy, wooden doors and beyond to a beautiful penthouse that takes Pepper aback visibly with both its size and... well, elegance, really. ]
It's... still pretty big, [ she manages to stammer, her gaze climbing up the lightly colored walls and darker beams of wood, to the skylights letting in all that natural light.
Seriously, it's a lot of space for one person. But then, so was the California mansion. This may not be that ultra modern style Tony's houses back home favor, rather leaning more toward rustic chic, but it has a nice, homey feel to it. Some kind of French cottage style with a hint of fantasy land luxury. Back home, a place like this would be an ideal weekend getaway sort of dwelling. ]
It's lovely, though.