Pepper is staring at her inbox. She clicks an email from read to unread and back again. Then she goes to the next one. She doesn't absorb a single word. Her third date with Loki is fast approaching, and Pepper knows that she and Loki need to have The Talk. She can't keep putting it off.
Even though Extremis has long healed any stiffness or aching joints, she still rolls her head on her neck. A nervous habit.
"Friday, I really need to have a talk with Loki."
Friday's voice is comfortingly calm when she replies. "About his extracurricular activities?"
"What? No," Pepper says. She lifts one hand off her keyboard. "About this."
Her fingertips flare with heat, leaving white hot streaks in her vision from the brightness before she dials Extremis back down again.
"My mistake," Friday says.
"We're on date number three tonight, and I still haven't told him about my powers. Is it too early? It feels too early, but the longer I wait, the more of a thing it'll become."
"My observations suggest bringing a friend along as moral and emotional support can make these conversations easier."
"A friend, Friday?"
"I am happy to provide a list of candidate suggestions for the role."
Pepper's lips twitch into a wry smile. "All of whom will be heavily-armed law enforcement, no doubt. No need, Friday, but I appreciate the offer."
"I must advise that, based on my observations, Loki is not being entirely up-front about his reasons for seeking you out either."
"Well, obviously," Pepper mutters. Because Prince of Mischief he may be, but Loki is not subtle.
Loki, clearly having no idea how things work on earth, seems to be laboring under the misapprehension that Pepper rules her company, Iron Man, and the rest of the Avengers with an iron fist and a judicious application of her checkbooks. And fine, so what if Loki is into Pepper for her power and isn't even bothering to hide it? He's hot and he's into her. Being pursued for her position is almost comforting in how familiar it feels. It's not like Pepper is any better herself. She might be worse.
Pepper is into Loki for his powers. But unlike Pepper, he has no idea.
Pepper stares at her computer screen some more and the email counter at the corner of her inbox slowly ticks up. She isn't sure why it's so hard to find the right words for a hypothetical conversation with Loki when it had been so easy to share her powers with Robbie.
Maybe it's because some part of Pepper has now decided that she wants this. Not forever, and maybe not with Loki (definitely, probably not with Loki), but she's realized that she wants something big and warm and exciting and fireproof. And now that she knows what she wants and that the thing that she wants is possible...well, she can now project-plan her way there.
Pepper has no idea how to start the conversation, but she knows how to start figuring it out. She starts by writing up a bulleted list of goals on the corner of a financial report:
- Explain about her powers
- Provide a demonstration?
- Inquire about his powers (ie, ability to withstand heat. Does he melt? Important.)
- Split check if things go badly
- Does he even carry real money?
- Does he tip?
She looks over the list with a critical eye, pencil tapping against the stack of financial reports. The list doesn't spark any insights. Not even a little.
She needs a new approach.
Pepper takes herself and her notes to the executive media training conference room on the twenty-ninth floor. The room is large enough to have an open floor space in the middle, a parlor-style sitting space to the far right, and a large boardroom style table to the left. Each section has a setup of cameras, lights and audio equipment to simulate an interview environment - and for easy review on the giant screen on the far wall. Pepper hesitates. The couch is the most comfortable, but the table and chairs of the boardroom are closer for practicing a "dinner date" scenario.
"Friday, board table cameras on, private servers," Pepper says as she settles into the chair at the table. "Scan the room, usual security protocol."
The bright studio lights stay off, but the small red recording buttons turn on at each one of the three cameras facing Pepper. Usually, Pepper would be accompanied by a flurry of her media people, there to set up the cameras, review footage and provide live feedback.
Not this time, though.
After less than a minute, Friday speaks again: "Scan completed. Would you like me to invite Mel or Supriya to support? They are both at good stopping points in their work."
"No, that's fine," Pepper says. "You'll be my partner for this roleplay. It'll just be me and you this time."
"Would you like to prepare for the call with CNR on Thursday?" Friday asks, her voice moving from the wall to the small speaker placed in the middle of the table to create the illusion of a tableside conversation. "Or your interview with Barbara next week?"
Pepper feels a warmth creep up her face. "Neither. I want to practice talking to Loki about…about my thing."
"I cannot predict what Mr. Loki will say in these scenarios."
"That's all right, I'm not expecting miracles," Pepper tells Friday, her eyes on the round, shiny eyes of the camera lenses trained on her. She feels something inside her settling at the familiar surroundings. "Just synthesize some things from his usual speech patterns."
To date, Friday has imitated journalists, interviewers, senators, and talk show hosts without a problem. Her programs had plenty of materials from Pepper's dates to make a convincing Loki.
"Very well," Friday says.
"Okay," Pepper clears her throat and smiles at the camera. "Hi, Loki. How are you?"
"Greetings. I am Loki of Midgard and I come bearing glad tidings," Friday says from the speakers on the table, diving into the roleplay with her characteristic Irish lilt and cool delivery. "Kneel before me and partake in the glorious sight of my royal aspect. Fear and love me, for I am here to sweep you off your feet as I burn down this museum full of priceless artifacts."
Pepper stares blankly at the small, blinking red dot of the camera before finally collecting her thoughts. "Ah, Friday?"
"Yes, Miss Potts?"
"Let's tone down the...villainy a little bit."
"The current Loki simulation is a ninety-eight percent match based on speech data from the last three years of encounters."
"Right. Let's just…exclude the monologues from your sample for now."
"Of course, Miss Potts."
" -and that was how I came to be here today. With fire powers." Pepper finishes and takes a breath. "Fri, what was the time on that?"
"Seven minutes and thirty two seconds."
Pepper winces. "Yeah, okay, let's scratch the life-story idea."
"- speaking of ice and fire. So you know how they say opposites attract and- oh, huh, Friday, would they have the same sayings on Asgard?"
"I can put in a call with Thor to inquire if his brother is likely to know the phrase."
"Don't you dare."
Practice isn't going well.
"Right, okay, you're right, no bringing up the Frost Giant thing."
"Adding Frost Giant to the vocabulary blacklist. The list now includes adopted, adoption, Asgard, Avengers, family, frost giant, ice cream, ice kingdom, invasions, parents, and Thor. The lights will flash blue at each instance of use. Would you like to make any more additions before we continue?"
"No, it's fine. Let's proceed," Pepper says, and squares her shoulders. "Ask me what's on my mind."
Friday makes as Loki and says: "Lady Virginia, you appear deep in thought, which concerns me for it suggests you are unraveling my dastardly plots of seduction. Whatever troubles you so?"
"- and so I am wondering if you'd want to hold hands while my hand is on fire. Just to see what happens. Because I like your horns and - … and this is going to be a disaster. Friday? Make sure all footage from today is completely deleted when we're done. Completely wiped. I mean it."
As they review the footage, Friday assures her that the last few tries are a clear improvement. But they don't feel better. They also don't sound better.
Friday tries to help. "The most popular advice on the internet says you should speak from the heart."
"That makes for good fiction, but in the real world, we practice," Pepper says, lifting her head from her folded arms. She breathes out a huff of air and stares dejectedly at the screen where the paused footage of her face is now talking up the entire wall. "People don't rise to the occasion. They fall to the level of their preparation."
And Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries, was not accustomed to failing.