2014-03-23 - Stark Expo: Surprises

The hotel suite Stark had got for him and Natasha was huge, nice, and probably overpriced.

But that's Tony for you. Wasn't his general response to overpriced was 'I need it. Buy it, store it.'? If he didn't buy two?

Natasha, on the other hand, is far more practical. Though she was, at the moment, laying in the bed of the suite, having changed from her not-quite-as-formal dress into a pair of black pajama bottoms and a red tanktop that only emphasized her growing body, the dress, shoes, and other accoutrements having been left haphazardly on the floor. That was the first sign something might be wrong-- she was normal meticulous about such things, unless Stark was literally ripping her clothes off dragging her to bed.

Secondly, she was laying in the bed, on top of the blankets, some sort of mental array wrapped around her forehead and over her eyes. Though, at the sound of the door, she yanks it off hurriedly, shoving it into the drawer of the nightstand by the bed.

Not exactly the smoothest spy move, but she hadn't been entirely /there/, and she hadn't expected Stark to show up so soon.

Stark does though, with Asia in tow, and a cup of frozen dots that he picked up for Natasha in hoping they make her feel better. "Nat!" He calls out, leading Asia through the hotel room and to the bedroom. He freezes. He knows where the LMD was last before they came out to Malibu, it was at the Avengers Mansion. His expression hardens. The man feels gut punched, and works hard to hide it with Asia being here.

Asia smiles coming in and smiles. "Can ah get outta this dress now, it's pretty buh wow ah don't know how people wear these things all day"

Natasha sits up, looking almost--almost-- guilty. But her eyes meet Tony's, and if the rims of them look a little red? Probably just the interface.

"I checked on the status of the mansion," she says smoothly. It's not entirely a lie. "Everything is fine."

She looks to Asia, and forces a smile onto her lips. "Do you have a change of clothing? If not, I will see what of mine we can use. Yes, dresses can be tiring all day, hmm?"

"Yes, because I totally didn't do that with cameras and a phone call to Jarvis while I was speaking to Fury." But Tony suppresses the worse of the edge to his voice and remembers to smile at Asia. "Sure sweetheart. There are extra clothes for her in my closet," Tony states. Though they it's actually a new uniform-like outfit, but it's comfortable anyway. It's black with gold trim, a jumpsuit style.

Asia nods to her. "Yes mam ah have my bag here Jarvis packed it all kinds of things." she says happily. "I even helped." she grins and then glances to Uncle Tony. "Or there stuff in his closet."

Natasha levels her gaze at Stark, but her words are directed at Asia. "Do you need help, Asia, or can you get yourself dressed?"

There's almost a challenge in her expression. She can hear his tone, the edge there.

Asia grins and skips over to Natasha. "Just with the zipper in the back, ah can't reach it right, well maybe with a claw buh ah don't wanna mess it up."

Tony then moves to put the frozen dots cup with little plastic spoon on the nightstand beside Nat. "I'll let you help Asia then. And...I got this for you, I thought it would help you feel better." He then moves to head out to let the girls (or girl and semi-girl) do their things, while he waits in the sitting room.

Natasha leans forward, unzipping the back of the dress for the plantgirl. "There you go," she says quietly. "If you need me, I'll be out there."

She lifts the ice cream, looking at it, and then sighs, carrying it into the sitting room and pulling the door shut behind her to give Asia some privacy.

Also, probably give her and Stark some privacy, for a moment.

"I was not expecting you here. I thought you would go to the STAR Labs showing."

Asia grins and changes clothes hanging up her dress to wear later and getting into a pair of comphy pj's with pumpkins on them. Sure they halloweeny but she's a plant don't judge her. She'll be a bit so the two can talk about things, plus little hands makes her slow at things.

Tony taps his head, "Watching it right now," he states. "Wireless camera access." He shrugs at that. "You not feeling well is more important than me physically being there." The words are stated pointedly, but he's careful to keep his tone level. Upsetting Asia is something he would never want to do. She's his Niece, or something special anyway.

Natasha recognizes his tone, as hard as he's trying to hide it. And she places the ice cream aside, sitting down beside him. Purposely. Within his 'bubble'. She leans in, and kisses him, hard.

There's a strange mix of hunger and fear and weakness in the kiss, and when she breaks it, she looks at Stark with eyes still red-rimmed. "Everything is fine," she promises. Or lies. Sometimes she can't even tell anymore.

But the kiss only causes Tony to stiffen. He isn't ready to 'play pretend' everything is fine, nor is he ready to talk about it. He moves to stand, actually frowning, "Anyway, I should see if Asia is eating with the Avengers Academy people for dinner, or what she wants for dinner." He goes to knock on the door, "You about done Asia?"

Natasha draws her legs up to her and wraps her arms around her knees as Tony stiffens and pulls away. She doesn't say anything, just looking away from him towards the window.

Asia has managed to make a cape out of a bath towel and grins at him. "Yes!" she hops into the room as if she was flying.

Tony bursts into laughter and half catches Asia, lifting her up into the air though the girl is four feet tall. "Look at you! Super Asia!" He draws her down to hug her, before moving over to the couch to set her by Nat. "By the way, you eating with here tonight, or with the other Avengers Academy students?" He really has no idea what Hawkeye has planned.

Natasha gives Asia a weak smile. "Yes, what were you wanting to do?"

Asia looks at them curiously trying to read them do they need alone lovey dovey time or not she just shrugs. "Ah dunno either is good whats they have there or what we having here?" it comes down to whats good to eat it seems.

"I think the older students are fending for themselves. I'm not sure if Hawkeye planned anything specific," Natasha offers lightly.

Asia grins and shrugs. "Chicken," she says. "And juice."

"Well, that is easy enough." Tony goes over to get the menu, glancing over it, he decides what he wants and what he will order for Asia, but he then holds it out to Nat, "What would you like?" He keeps more personal space than he normally does, but other than that, he acts normal in front of Asia.

Taking the menu, Natasha looks over it absently, but her attention is actually on Stark. And her mind is churning with a dozen things, none of them making her at all happy.

She closes the menu, handing it back to him.

"I'm not hungry," she says quietly. "And I'm still feeling unwell. You two eat."

She rises to her feet and begins padding her way back to the bedroom, where she will go if she's not stopped.

Asia grins and thinks a moment. "Ooh ooh can we watch a movie on the tv, I saw  on the tv. " she goes and starts pressing buttons to the pay per view.

"Umm...ya, try these channels," And Tony redirects Asia. "And alright, we will eat and watch a movie, or some movie, that isn't R rated." He then looks over at Nat as she leaves and sighs, "Sleep well Nat. I hope you feel better soon." And he won't go in later in case she is using her LMD.

Over her shoulder, as she pulls the door shut, Natasha asks quietly, "I'll see you later tonight, Tony?" There's questioning, and worry, and something else that's not normally heard in her voice.

She doesn't wait for his answer. She's not sure she wants to hear him say no. The door shuts.