a little magic and disaster [closed]

[mostqualified]

Date & Time: backdated to a few days ago or something ; 7PM sharp
Location: unit 504, pepper's place
Characters: jules [affections], tony [fe_male], pepper [mostqualified]
Summary: pepper makes a friend. time to meet the, er. well, you know.
Warnings: tony and jules sorry it's true


[ They're late. They are so very late, and that's inexcusable on her part because she'd told Tony specifically not to be - that he would or wouldn't be isn't a concern here since she could find him a little easier than back home - and now, she's going to have to deal with it if he'd, in fact, shown up on time. Meeting with Jules a few hours before shouldn't have turned into such carelessness, but it's something she's finding to be entirely new--having a friend. She can relate, and they help each other, so it's quite possible she actually hadn't given the time any thought until there'd been a moment, between food and the drink that had turned into more than one, where she'd felt inclined to tell Jules something that was somewhat of a private matter and that it was, already, several minutes after seven.

So, they're walking (rather fast) together, Pepper gripping the wine Jules had brought around the neck so tightly her knuckles had lost a little color. The anxiety doesn't actually affect her until they're in the right hall, close to the door, and she's keeping an eye on Jules even as she enters the apartment. The fact she'll have to explain through text rather than spoken word is a bit daunting in that the tone might be misinterpreted, and though the inner part of the place seems vacant, that really doesn't say anything at all. He might have been there already.

She turns to Jules then, lips thin and tablet presented in a way that clearly means she's not going to say anything else except: ]

We are never doing that again. [ And yet, somehow, she foresees this becoming another part of her life altogether. ]

Comments

[fe_male]

[ he enjoys the mechanics. ]

Exotic? [ Hmm. okay. sure. ] Yeah, you'd think.

[mostqualified]

[ So far so good, right? Nothing seems to have gone wrong in the time it takes her to bring those glasses back, set them on the table. But she doesn't actually do anything beyond that just yet, glancing at Jules and the way she seems...relaxed (maybe?) before sitting next to Tony.

Look - she's not even going to say anything. Just listen because Pepper's a wonderful listener, and she wants them to, at the very least, tolerate each other. ]

[fe_male]

Although. I'm not sure that's actually how time travel works. You'd need a lot of energy to bend dimensions like that and to do it for a Kit-Kat break wouldn't really make sense. [ Yes, he's taking that as a legitimate topic of conversation. Yes, he's totally just having fun with it, but when you actually do live somewhere that time travel is possible - as she's so cleverly pointed out - it does rather legitimize time travel as everyday conversation. Almost rote, in fact. ] You sound like you want magic. I'm pretty sure Hermione actually is here now, I've seen her network ID. You should ask if you can borrow her time-turner.

[affections]

No, I rather imagine not. Although, the whole energy business, would that have anything to do with the random disappearances and things going wrong when people get deployed on these missions? It seems like a few interesting thing have happened.

( It's amazing, the things you can find out when you frequent shady bars and put the effort into flirting with people who have been here some time. And, usually, she can get a free drink or two out of the bargain as well. )

Although speaking of Kit-Kats... ( Her sugar craving is back, despite her very recently inhaling a shameful number of donuts. Hmm. She will, instead, placate herself with some wine, leading forward to poor it for her host. Hosts? )

I'm afraid I've simply no idea who Hermione is, and I have very little experience with magic, but consider me very much intrigued.

( And with the wine poured, she claims a glass. ) I... don't suppose either of you have an absolutely fantastic toast to propose?

[mostqualified]

[ Pepper immediately raises an eyebrow, curious enough to ask Jules what she might know about that sort of thing, but the thought is terribly short-lived the moment the other woman mentions candy and helps herself to the wine. Instead, she gently nudges Tony and mouths a very enunciated really? at him before following suit with a drink. It's mostly for Tony's benefit, if he wants it, lightly gripping the glass when she sits back so he can take it from her because she's most certainly not handing it to him.

She considers the question once and tries for a smile. ]

To the evening going just as well as it is right now. [ There may or may not be a hint of sarcasm in there somewhere. ]

[fe_male]

[ Aww, she remembered. It's been a year of having to buck up and more or less get over that peeve or have to explain it over and over again. He does indeed take it from her and then sit back himself. ] Yeah, that'll work. To that.

Magic's not as awesome as it sounds. It's usually just math with words as far as I can tell.

[affections]

Ooh, yes. ( And never could Jules be accused of lacking enthusiasm when it comes to drinking. )

God, really? Maths, always maths. We've never gotten along very well. Our relationship is positively turbulent, actually. It sort of takes the excitement out of magic, I have to say.

( It's quite possible that she still managed to consume too much sugar before turning up, despite Pepper's best efforts. )

I mean. Maths is brilliant. For some people. ( Like maybe inventors. ) Sorry.

[mostqualified]

[ Pepper is actually half listening to their conversation since it's the easiest thing to do considering. But there's the M-word, and she's trying to decide if Jules is making a jab at Tony or not with it, though it honestly doesn't matter since her hand is up in an attempt to hide the smile working its way across her face.

Also typing one-handed , leaning a little into Tony's side. She's not drinking with them for a reason. ]

Please, don't get him started on that. I think that topic is very much off limits for this evening.

[fe_male]

[ which m-word there were two that were almost equally buzzword-y as far as he's concerned

Tony totally is drinking, although he doesn't mind Pepper leaning into him and not drinking. She's totally allowed to do what she wants. ]

We'll revisit it later, okay? What's not off-limits tonight? What else can we talk about.

[affections]

Yes, absolutely. I am all ears for suggestions. Favourite topics. Favourite things! Like that song from that film. Tell me a few of your favourite things.

( Though she is amused by that leaning in, Pepper. She sees you with your Tony and your mutual affection.

It's gross, by the way. )