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Summary: Tony works on various projects from his apartment until he is paid an unexpected visit by Johnny Storm. Over lunch Johnny meets Alessia, and asks Tony about joining the Avengers.
Date: August 24, 2010
Log Title: Impromptu Lunch Business
Rating: PG-13
Stark Towers- NYC- Personal Residence
The business week had just begun as it was Tuesday in the early afternoon and people were working diligently in the Towers. Up on the 93rd floor Tony Stark sat in the living room working on various projects from the comfort of his leather couch in his standard t-shirt and jeans. The apartment is relatively quiet at the moment as Alessia is working elsewhere in the building, Kaji is at Taskmasters dojo and his puppy is asleep at the other end of the couch.
Far below in the lobby, a certain youngish man of uncertain celebrity status enters the building. Just about everyone knows his face and who he is, it's just that over the years his popularity, like his love life.. has been a roller coaster. Johnny smiles warmly at a few ladies as they go about thier work and he stops by the intercom panel next to the elevator. He punches the button marked 'Penthouse' with a thumb and waits for the illustrious Mr. Stark to pick up.
The peaceful environment is broken by a page from the security system that someone is requesting a word from the elevator. The television screen in front of where Tony is sitting switches to the security camera view of the elevator revealing the occupant inside. "Well this is a surprise," he says with a smile. "I'll bring you up directly as there's no sense in you having to suffer stops along the way." One executive order in place and the elevator will climb to the 93rd floor opening its doors to reveal the apartment of the busiest man on Earth.
Johnny nods and turns to give the camera a little wave. "I appreciate that.. I could probly take the Johnny Express up, but that would be rude, and I like these clothes." He tells you, or rather.. tells the camera. As the doors open, Johnny steps inside and leans against the far wall, his gaze traveling lazily along all the decorations and such inside the elevator, remembering when he proposed similar things in the Baxter Building. finally, the doors open, admitting him into Tony's home and he smiles as he leaves the elevator. "Stark.. long time no see. Not since.. what.. our last FF avengers team up right?" He rattles off, approaching at a walk to shake the other man's hand.
Tony hops up from his position on the couch to walk over to meet Johnny with a friendly handshake. "Hmm, don't think it would go over well if you crashed into my roof garden but tt has been awhile since I've seen you. Saw Reed awhile back but come on in." Tony waves his hand towards the living room and walks towards the kitchen, "You want a drink? Or, are you dropping by on business?"
Johnny frowns at Tony for just an instant. "I meant entry by window.. Though I don't think your drapes would survive.." He teases, nodding in the direction of one of the windows along the far wall. "Uh.. here on business actually." He tells Tony, following him into the kitchen. "For myself though.. I'm not here for the Four." He adds, just a little cryptically.
Alessia had been out of the office, for a change, when the illustrious gurst had arrived. She's been on her phone with her pharmacist, and hence unaware of her security team trying to halfheartedly get her attention. Black skirt, purple button down, and rather high heels are her attire as she's getting out of the elevator on the 93rd floor. Phone shut, as she steps into the apartment, a stutter step at the presence of someone /other/ than Tony or any of the other usual suspects. « Tony? » She tries, not knowing if he has his blocks up or not, one hand slipping behind her to her lower back as she moves into the apartment to see just what is what.
Turned around and back peddling towards the fridge, Stark quirks an eyebrow at Johnny, "Personal business? What's going on?" Even as Tony digs out two bottles of water, one of which he tosses over to Johnny, he looks generally thoughtful. With the fridge closed he takes up leaning against a far counter a moment before he hears Al's voice in his mind. «Hey!» Knowing that Al's arrived he pushes away from the counter and walks past Johnny talking as he goes. "Looks like you get to meet someone after all, Johnny. I didn't think she was in the building but no matter. Johnny this is Alessia, head of security and my girlfriend." He comes to stand by Al and turns back to see if Johnny is coming over.
Johnny catches the bottle of water as it's tossed to him, and he follows Tony as he moves to Alessia. His baby blues turn to regard Alessia, and out of habit, his gaze starts to drop into that once over he uses to check girls out. But he realizes where he is and stops roughly at her chest, then back up. Oops. An innocent looking smiling creases his lips and he breaks into a grin. "Don't think I've ever had the pleasure. Johnny Storm. Of Fantastic Four Incorporated." He adds, extending his free hand to shake hers.
Alessia relaxes slightly, Tony's state of mind telling here there is nothing to worry about, hands both at her sides more normally as she heads for Tony, only blushing slightly at Tony actually introducing her to someone as his girlfriend. If she notices Johnny's eye wandering, she doesn't give it away in her expression. "Alessia Fiore. It's a pleasure to meet you." Shaking his hand firmly, before she's letting it go to pull her hair out of it's uptwist held with sticks to let it loose around her shoulders. A glance up at Tony, a questioning glance.
Tony casually slides an arm around Al to hug her close to him. If Tony had been paying attention he might have caught Johnny's appraisal and been considerably amused by it. As it was he hadn't so he simply states, "Johnny popped up a few moments ago. Speaking of, do you need to talk to me in private or are you good with hanging out in my living room?"
Johnny shakes Alessia's hand, then she is promptly ignored. For the moment that is. "Well like I said it's personal business. But it's not between Johnny and Tony, it's between Torch and Iron Man, and the Avengers. If you're cool talking in front of your girl, then so am I." He tells Tony with a small smile.
That look at Tony gets a little sharper. She's still dressed and in 'work mode', and this introduction has already been a bit unusual. Tony almost /never/ introduces the redhead as his girlfriend to someone new. « Tony…what gives? » Blue eyes slide to Johnny, her expression neutral again. "Ah can make myself scarce. Perhaps y'all would like somethin' to eat?"
"If you're comfortable with talking about whatever it is in front of her then I am fine as well. I just offered a change of local just in case it was something that you didn't want known as my apartment gets a lot of traffic." Tony talks to Johnny even as he is having another conversation at the same time. «What? He came through the front door and didn't blow anything up so everything is fine.» Tony is always interested in food and greatly accepts the offer if she wants to make something however there was no need to go out of the way to make something on his account. "Please, have a seat in the living room," he addresses Johnny and slides away from Al to head over to the couch to make sure Athena isn't going to pounce Torch. "Sia, if you're fixing something for yourself I'll have whatever your having otherwise don't worry about it on my account."
Johnny shakes his head to Alessia as she offers food. For once he's not hungry. "Thanks but no, gotta keep my girlish figure.." He says patting his abs. And you just know he has a six pack under there.. with everything he burns, calories has to be at the top of the list. He wanders off into the living room and takes a seat on the couch, plopping a little bit, as he's not used to the plushness of the cushions. "Basically. Reed and Sue are trying to focus on the kids, and Ben is.. well Ben is Ben. I'm bored, because with all the new hero's in the world.. The Avengers, The X-ers and everyone.. the FF is falling behind, not needed any more. That doesn't sit well with me. So I'm here to put in my application for Avengers membership." He says, openly and point blank.
Al smiles at Johnny, moving to head to the kitchen. « Not what Ah meant, and you know it, Anthony Stark. What's with the possessive act, all of a sudden? » There's a hint of heat, and Tony knows the redhead's temper well enough to know he's got her burning on a low flame. "Spinach an' cheese tortellini sound good? Picked some up fresh this mornin'…" A nod to Johnny, a flash of a brighter grin this time. "Well, you change your mind, sugar, ya just say so."
Tony sees that his couch has been taken over and that Athena could care less that Johnny has plopped down near her. "That sounds fine," Tony replies to Al about what she is intending to put together in the kitchen. He adds, «Posessive? Me? Nah..» Oh, he knew that wouldn't fly but he wasn't going to admit to it easily. "I hadn't expected that," Tony said honestly as he took up sitting in one of the chairs beside the couch to face Johnny. "Are you sure you want to get tangled up with the Avengers? I know it would certainly keep you from being bored, but in all truth, it is far more time consuming than you think."
Johnny grins, and offers a single nod. "The Four.. are.. well.. I'm the four right now. Reed and Sue are busy like I said, and Ben is doin his thing. I tried to talk to him yesterday and he threw a couch at me. Like a big one.. multi sectional. So I'm on my own for now. And I'm pretty sure the Avengers could use a guy like me. I'm sure you know what I can do, considering I've been doing it since I was just a kid.. Besides, you seem to have enough time to balance your company, the Avengers, and your girl." He adds, lowing his voice and nodding toward the kitchen, and Alessia. "I'm lacking a girl right now, and I don't get involved with the running of FF inc really… not anymore. So. Sign me up."
Alessia clenches her jaw, moving to boil water on the stove, and set up a smaller pan for making a sauce. While that is getting warmed up, she heads off to the bedroom to change.
Stark listens as Johnny talks about what the status of the Four is at present. He is leaning back in the chair with forearms resting along the arms of the chair. A lone eyebrow nearly reaches his hairline when Johnny mentions Tony's ability to manage his lifestyle. No, he can't resist face palming and does so before speaking to Johnny. "I was refraining from bringing up your own overzealous lifestyle but now that you mentioned it…" Tony briefly pauses to shake his head from side to side.
"You forgot I'm Secretary of Defense by the way. I feel I ought to put that out there," Tony smirks before realizing he's probably going to get killed later as Al has left the room. "If you think you can keep up, and your other pursuits are not too much to handle, then I can speak with the others and get you over to the Mansion to meet with them."
Johnny shrugs. "If the Avengers want my time, they can have it. Otherwise I'd be teaching fire safety to nine year olds.. important, but hardly world shattering work. Keeping Earths skies a no space-god fly zone.. however, is very important." He tells Tony. "I didn't forget about it, I chose to omit it.. So uh.. yeah when do I get my top secret Avengers decoder ring an mail order membership?" He jokes, leaning back against the couch.
Alessia brushes out her hair, leaving red falling in loose waves over her rather /short/ gray dress she's changed into. Makeup has been touched up, siren red lipstick put on, those same very high black heels. She strolls back into the kitchen, a glance over at the two 'superheroes' talking in the living room, before she's working on tortellini and a nice butter-garlic sauce with freshly diced tomatoes.
"You've got the idea of the Avengers down, and I'm sure the others will be glad to have you around. Also, I didn't mean anything by bringing /it/ up, but you mentioned mine," Tony begins as he sits up in the chair instead of appearing like the chair is eating him. "And from personal experience it isn't as easy as I make it look. If you're fine with that," Tony stops mid sentence as Al walks past. Almost comically Tony's head turns, as he watches her walk into the kitchen, "I'll get you a Cracker Jack ring, later."
Johnny follows Alessia as well, his jaw dropping. He realizes it a moment later and closes it, grinning like a fool. "Uh.. Alessia.. If you're making dinner, does desert come with it?" He calls out. Shameless, but then.. this is Johnny. "I.. I.. Uh.. what?" He asks, shaking his head as Alessia passes out of view and he has to clear his head of certain images. He refocuses on Tony, and that clears it up right then and there, as the image of Tony in that same dress fills his minds eye. Johnny wrinkles his nose in disgust and shakes his head. "Sorry, no I'm used to the hard fights.. trust me on this. Powers or no powers, I've put in my time amongst the baddest this world and all the others have to offer."
Alessia starts humming a song that both men in the living room are of an age to know, Springsteen's "Redheaded Woman". There's a lazy turn of her head to look over her shoulder at Johnny. "Depends on what ya want for dessert there, sunshine." That drawl is a little thicker, and if Johnny thinks he's shameless…well the tone she just used showed him up. Pasta is emptied into boiling water, as she sets to humming again.
"Storm," Tony softly growls under his breath as a warning for Johnny to knock it off. The man is amused, even if he's not showing it, because he knows Johnny very well and the two of them have quite a bit in common. However Al's comment derails him a bit, «Will you not encourage him!» His thought being considerably loud as it is more what he is thinking than trying to tell her. "You don't have to sell yourself to me, Johnny. I have to ask questions when there is interest in joining the circus fun." Tony folds a leg over his knee and holds onto his ankle with one hand, "You're able to come and go as you see fit, and I can toss you the handbook when you're over at the mansion."
Johnny blinks at that. "Sorry, force of habit." He tells Tony, then blinks again. "Wait what? Handbook? I thought it was all pretty straight forward. Beat up bad guys, leave the press to you guys. I might like the attention but you guys are major league. You're bigger than Reed and the rest of us ever were. He contacts the government about threat. You ARE the government. At least part of it." He says, his mind solely on business now.
Alessia keeps humming, sprinkling salt into the boiling water as she stirs tortellini. She's moving to get out a small stack of plates, silverware and napkins, a look over the counter at the two men, brows awching. « Why on earth shouldn't Ah? Nothin' wrong with me havin' a man flirt with me, is there? » Tony should probably be very careful in how he answers that. "Come an' get it, boys. Food's up. An' if you're good…there might be dessert."
"That's a bit off," Tony says as Johnny mentions that the Avengers are a part of the government. "I am a part of the government, but the Avengers are an entity of their own that operates within certain boundaries. We do blur those boundaries quite a bit but we actively seek to do things in accordance with each countries government. By handbook I mean informing you of some things that you need to be aware of as it pertains to the personal security of those involved with the Avengers. Not all of them mug for the camera's like we do, and some of them are quite easily angered."
The comment sounding in Tony's head distracts him long enough to stop babbling on about the Avengers unique set of circumstances. He definitely had an opinion but for now he's keeping it to himself. Unfolding his leg he rises up from the chair and waves Johnny over toward the bar where several stools are placed. Clearly, this is where everyone eats in Starks apartment. "Dessert? If Johnny is lucky he could nick a piece of cheesecake but anything else I'm not likely to share."
Johnny only smirks, rising from the couch and following Tony into the kitchen. "I'm good thanks.." He says simply, sitting down on a stool next to Stark. He ponders a comment about other deserts with dirty sounding names, but decides against it. Likely not a smart move to piss off a prospective team mate. And or boss. "So.. when do we get down to business? I mean I know you're busy, but I'm not. Not really." He says, pulling a plate towards himself.
Alessia dishes out pasta and sauce, before getting herself a soda. "Now Tony, that's not very good hosting, especially if you're going to inflict the Avenger women on the poor man." A toss of her head, before Al is leaning against the counter. "Don't worry, Johnny, Ah'm sure Tony won't notice if Ah slip ya some strawberry shortcake."
How ironic is it that Tony has been biting his tongue for the better part of an hour and others around him are engaging in word play. His drink is set down on the bar next to his plate before he picked up his fork to stab at a poor helpless piece of pasta. "How do you mean?" He asks Johnny. "I can put in a call to Jarvis at any time to see if anyone is over at the mansion. If you actually mean saving the world, I'm on a lunch break at the moment, and there currently isn't anything popping up that is Earth shattering."
Johnny raises an eyebrow at Tony. "You mean that's it? Just.. I talk to you and I'm in?" He asks, before tossing a wink at Alessia. He doesn't bite at the shortcake comment though several wicked retorts and puns come to mind. “I can deal with that.." He tells them both, spearing several pieces of pasta, and eating them. He's not going for style right now, he's just hungry.
Alessia smirks, before she's eating her own pasta. Her portion is way smaller, no surprise. She's tiny in comparision to either of them. She's quiet while eating, so they can discuss 'work'.
Tony shakes his head as he looks across his shoulder at Johnny. "Who do you think runs the show? Technically Cap should be but per usual he's run awol which means everyone's stuck with me for the time being." Another piece of pasta is speared on the end of his fork then used to move sauce about the plate idly. "If you're feeling underwhelmed by the whole thing I'm sure the team would LOVE to run you through a few tests. They can be quite creative with how they handle potential members." The lunch painting finally stops as Tony manages to continuing eating. «This if amazing by the way.» The thought is directed Al's way as he smiles around another forkful of food.
Johnny stops to think about this for a moment and grins. "If you have a facility that can hold a small sun, then yeah I'd love to put on a little show for you." He tells them both, though looking at Tony. He shuts up then, and in just a minute or two, speared and eaten most of the pasta. He glances at the cheap digital wrist watch he wears and swears under his breath. He gags slightly as he stuffs the last of the pasta in his mouth and stands up. "Uhm.. I'm sorry, didn't notice the time. I really need to go. Call the baxter building to get ahold of me. Alessia, it was GREAT to meet you.." He says smiling at her, then turns his gaze back on Tony. "I'll see you at the Avengers mansion then.. Sorry I'd use your elevator, but I'm in a hurry. Sorry about the smell." He warns as he backs way, turning and jogging across the floor to the open window and he leaps out it! A moment later you hear a shouted 'Flame on!' and a rush of flames. A slight stench of burning fabric wafts up to the window if either of them are close enough, and you can see Johnny blazing a trail through the open air, a trail of flames following him going somewhere downtown.
Alessia finishes hers, blue eyes glancing at Tony, brows lifting. « Ah didn't actually make the pasta, you know. Bought it fresh at the market this morning. Only made the sauce. » "Nice to meet you too, Johnny. See you soon, Ah'm sure."
The abrupt exit has Tony laughing as he sets his fork down upon the edge of his plate, "I've got to add that to the list of interesting things that have happened in the apartment." With his plate cleared he picks up the other plates, and their silverware to deposit them in the dishwasher. "Can I thank you for putting it together then?" Tony walks over to kiss AL. As he pulls away, "Good thing he wasn't interested in desert, I suppose I'll just have to keep it all to myself."
"That, sure." She accepts that kiss, before she's giving a hard look. "Now tell me what the hell was up with introducin' me as your girlfriend, an' growlin' at Johnny like that."
"Why shouldn't I?" Tony sees nothing wrong with how he had introduced her to Torch. "I've told others but in this case it wasn't going to matter. Honestly, did you have to egg him on? Don't tell me you don't know who he is, no wait…do tell me so I can mention this to him later." Tony rests a palm flat on the kitchen counter and leans over effectively blocking the entrance of the kitchen. "Maybe I don't like how he was looking at you, or the turn of conversation. I know the look, and regardless of how insanely gorgeous you are, I'm not going to let him get away with it."
"If you did it usually? Nothin' would be wrong with it. Suddenly callin' me your girlfriend first thing and then getting all cuddly with me like some male markin' his territory with his scent wasn't cool, Tony. An' Ah've kinda heard of him. Know he's a hero type, but ya know Ah don't pay much mind to all the tabloid crap. Ah didn't about you, did Ah? An' let him look. Ya know who Ah'm with, for christ's sake. Ah'm not insanely gorgeous, an' he ain't my type."
"Whoa," Tony says standing up and holding his hands out in front of himself. He's tried to say something then stopped himself several times. "I clearly need to rethink introductions, and greetings…again." Momentarily there is the surfacing of the wounded puppy dog eyes that he gets when he's sure he's screwed up something but not entirely sure what he did. "And I didn't cuddle you because I was being a caveman. I'm not jealous, I'm possessive, and I don't have to like what was going on. It amused me, and I'm sure he and I are going to drive people insane, and I may hit him if he does leer at you but I'm not actually erm pissed."
Alessia rolls her eyes. "Possessive. Ah'm not your /possession/, Tony Stark. Ya can buy most anything, an' gawd knows there are people ya can buy, but that's not me. Either Ah'm your girlfriend to everyone, or Ah'm not. Ya shouldn't be mixin' it up, just because YOU are insecure. Ah'm with you because Ah want to be. Let him look, because it's you Ah'm with. Get over it." the redhead plows past him, intent on the elevators. "Ah'll be back soon."
