code_blue | apologies mine [for Pepper (totherescue)]

Not even just okay, but happy. All things considered, that's a lot more than she ever would have expected. She herself continued to worry, not specifically about the other night, but in general. Who's to say that whoever sent those people after Bruce won't send an even bigger militia next time? How long had they been tracking him before they made their move? Were they still tracking him? These questions had danced around in her head since that night, and she'd wondered if he had been asking himself the same thing.

But instead, he's happy. She can tell it isn't lip service, either, just based on his demeanor and how relaxed he seems to be. And really, it makes sense. Right now, they're safe. They're not jumping out of cars or being chased by cronies with guns. They're in her office eating sandwiches and drinking bottled water as if they don't have a care in the world. It is relaxing, and more than that, it's nice. With that in mind, perhaps she ought to take a page out of his book and learn to enjoy the moment for what it is.

"I've enjoyed spending time with you, too." It's been a long time since she's danced this dance, but if there's anything Pepper has learned during her time at Stark Industries, it's that opportune moments should be seized the moment they present themselves. 'Leap first, look later' had worked for Tony, maybe she would be just as lucky?

"I...wouldn't be opposed to us spending more time together." No, that sounds too wishy-washy. Say what you mean and mean what you say, Potts. If she could hold her own in a room full of suits, certainly she can do this.

"I mean," she reaches for her water and forces herself to make eye contact. "I would like it if we spent more time together. If that's something you'd want to do."

The reason that Bruce isn't fretting over the unknown attack was that Natasha Romanoff had already contacted him about it. Unofficially, she'd become the one that SHIELD assigned him. At least, Bruce thought it was an unofficial understanding, who really knew? (Nick Fury, that's who.) Natasha hadn't been able to tell him anything specific. Though she did imply that she'd take a personal interest in the incident and if anyone could fish out information, it was their red-haired espionage extraordinaire.

"I-"

Back in the land of personal turmoil. Pepper's gaze has floored him. It's a good thing that Bruce is sitting down because he's not sure he remembers what do to when a woman is direct about what she wants. It reminds him briefly, painfully, of another very self assured set of eyes.

Bruce's forgotten italian sub waits in his hands.

"Yes." The affirmation comes out a little louder than he intended, and Bruce has to laugh at himself. One of his better coping mechanisms. "It's exactly what I want."

She doesn't realize she's holding her breath until after Bruce accepts her offer - at which point, she lets out a huffed laugh of her own. It's silly to feel so relieved by the lack of rejection (it's not like they're teenagers and she's just asked him to prom), but...she feels the way she feels. If nothing else, now she can relax and not give herself over to what was troubling her before.

"Sounds like a plan, then." Plan was a rather shoddy way of putting it, mostly because she doesn't want to get tangled up in pressure. Instead, she's set on going with flow, just as they've been doing, and seeing what happens.

Realistically speaking, though...they do need plans.

"Are you a theater person?" she asks, somewhat on a whim. "I have a season pass for Broadway that's been going to waste. It includes a plus one..."

The look that comes across Bruce's face is a hungry one. Though it's not for the sandwich, nor even is it for Pepper (though that is there too, a shade under the surface). It's for the idea of going out. Seeing something that was a mark of, in Bruce's opinion, a culture spoiled on richness. Bright things, bright people, and the lights of Broadway? Those are things that hadn't mattered to him before, but seem like impossible dreams now. Only here she was, just asking him if that's something he wants to do; like he could just have it, so easily.

The answer was no, he wasn't a theater person. Bruce was a people person. Not by natural inclination, but by being deprived of something, and learning to appreciate it.

"What shows?" Because he is hopelessly clueless, and it didn't even matter if it was the worst possible show anyway. Yet, Bruce doesn't want to seem like the desperate misfit that he truly is. Not around her.

"I mean- that sounds great to me. I just don't know the latest reviews."

"Mamma Mia has excellent reviews, as does Wicked." Of course, as she thinks of all these shows, she also tries to picture Bruce - mild-mannered, science-centric, serious Dr. Banner - sitting in on (to say nothing of actually liking) anything as camp as a Broadway musical. There's probably a reason why he's not up to snuff on the latest reviews...

She flashes a knowing grin. "But you're not a theater person, are you?" And honestly, she's not at all bothered by that. If they're going to spend time together, she'd rather them do things they would both enjoy. The courtesy, however, is very much appreciated.

"It's perfectly okay if Broadway isn't your cup of tea. The great thing about this city is that there's lots to do at any given time."

"No, but-" Words fail him, so he sets his uneaten sandwich back down on her desk. Bruce pulls his glasses off and uses them as an accent to what he's trying to convey. "there's nothing wrong with trying new things. In fact, it's become something of a tradition of mine."

New countries, new foods, new cultures. Bruce lived in a wonderful little boxed life before he had to deal with the other guy. It was impossible to shift backward into the man he once was. He'd grown, and it may not have been his choice to do so, but the new Bruce had learned to be a lot more accepting of some things.

"Mamma Mia actually sound interesting. I've seen parts of the movie version, though it was all in Portuguese at the time."

His range of experimenting doesn't extend to Wicked however.

Bless him. How many non-theater-going men were willing to sit through the campiness of Mamma Mia just for the sake of trying new things? She almost wants to propose a different outing, simply as an 'A for Effort' sort of deal. But alas, she really does need to use that pass, and even if they only do one show, she'll feel like it paid for herself on account of her date for the evening.

And besides, it may not be all that bad. At least he knows what to expect, having seen bits of the movie.

"I take it that's as a result of your time spent in Brazil?" she asks, a lilt of amusement in her voice. "The Portuguese, I mean."

All further proposals would be rejected with a friendly smile, anyway. It wasn't the Hulk that made him a stubborn man. It was just natural inclination. Now that Bruce has set his mind on the idea, he's rather looking forward to it.

"A little bit." Nodding, setting his glasses down in favor of reclaiming the sandwich, she'll have to forgive Bruce for taking a few hungry bites before continuing the conversation. Of course, he swallows first.

"I try to learn a little every place that I end up, if you stick to English, you always end up sticking out like a sore thumb."

Bruce isn't even really sure what the final tally of countries he's visited is. Somewhere between a couple dozen and maybe fifty. A lot of them being just passovers, or complete blackout due to the other guy.

She ought to be the one to apologize. After all, they're supposed to be having dinner, yet here she is playing 101 Questions. She can't help it, though. As much time as she's spent around Bruce, given his presence at the Tower, she doesn't know a whole lot about him outside of Tony's excited ramblings (Tony really does think highly of both Bruce and his green alter-ego). Any opportunity she has to get to know the good doctor on her own, outside of Tony or SHIELD, is a good one.

However, she does need to let him eat.

"In that case..." She shifts a bit to lean back against her chair, crossed legs swaying idly as she picks up her own sandwich. "Voulez-vous me rencontrer mercredi à sept?"

Will you meet me here Wednesday at seven? She doesn't know if he's spent any time in France, but she's cheeky enough to test the waters anyway.

Completely by accident, Bruce ends up being the man of mystery in the Avengers Clubhouse. He would gladly pass the title over, but his habit of not talking about himself to many people always keeps him in the running.

Swallowing first. "Oh, wow, my french is really- not good." Never France, but he did spend some time in Canada and Madagascar. "Oui, je te verrai ensuite." Yes, I'll see you then.

With that, he grins and takes another bite of his sub.

Maybe it is because Tony has force fed a friendship into him, but he finds this whole socializing thing a little easier than he would have a few years ago. Bruce has gone through a lot of changes, other than the obvious one. He is a calmer man, even when his anger never leaves him. Being with Pepper is one of the best things about reentering the world. Science was the other great thing, but that is beside the point.

Pepper isn't sure how appropriate it is to find a Doctor of Nuclear Physics adorable, but Bruce manages to pull it off so flawlessly that she has no other choice. Of course, at some point between now and Mamma Mia she'll need to figure out exactly what this all means. While Wednesday evening could very well could be nothing more than a simple evening show between friends, she knows better than to hang her hat on that notion. Pepper has plenty of friends, and not one of them has ever come to her office after hours to bring her dinner. And even if one had, she can't say she would feel compelled to show appreciation for the gesture by asking them to join her on Broadway.

She wonders if perhaps they're treading on shaky ground, but those thoughts are immediately squashed when he flashes her another grin.

From the frying pan into the fire...

apologies mine [for Pepper (totherescue)]

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