Diplomacy, Thy Name Is...
Pepper pinched the bridge of her nose, not even daring to look up. If she looked up, she'd see Tony Stark. If she saw Tony Stark, she was likely to figure a way to take him apart, piece by piece by piece, and then draw and quarter the pieces, burn the remainder, and dance in the ashes.
Rhodey was under no such compulsion because he actually asked, "So, you really said, 'Wrap that up in diplomacy and give it to him, will you'?"
For the note of awe in Rhodey's voice, Pepper mentally added his name to the List Of People Irritating Virginia Potts. Fanboying Tony Stark just encouraged him to do something worse the next time.
"Well, yeah." Tony, of course, sounded perfectly fine with saying something like that.
"To Captain America."
"Uh huh."
"And he didn't punch you in the face."
Pepper had to peek up at that one. She did want to hear Tony's answer. And see his face while he answered. The idiot.
Tony Stark stood in front of them, feet slightly spread, fingertips touching and at waist level, an expression of thoughtfulness on his face. "At the time, Captain America thought the idea of pitching a bomb toward that asshole a pretty good idea." Tony nodded once. "So, no. Now, if I'd said 'democracy', I think there might've been a completely different reaction."
Rhodey sighed through his nose. "One of these days, Tony, your mouth will get you killed."
Tony grinned. "Not today. What say the three of us get a pizza? It's been a long day of briefings and I'm starved. JARVIS, order a couple of pies for delivery! And beer. We need beer." He padded off in his bare feet, talking to the A.I. Pepper forced herself not to look at his cute toes.
"He really is gonna get himself killed," Rhodey said to her.
"By the things that come out of his mouth? Probably." Pepper sighed. At least Stark Industries didn't have a contract with that country. Tony's mouthiness proved to be so much trouble when he spouted off to the wrong people.
Then again, he did know how to use his mouth in really interesting ways, too. And she hadn't seen him in a while...
"Better order three pizzas, Tony!" she shouted. Give his jaw a workout now, the rest of his mouth later. Maybe he'd be able to take her mind off of dancing on his ashes.