Timeline: Late morning of Saturday April 8th, 2023
Rogue: Rogue smirked as the car pulled to a stop and she hopped out without even a backward glance at Tony, shutting the door, and surveying the street. She slipped the bracelet in her jacket and took to the air to take stock of anyone lurking on rooftops nearby. Satisfied, she landed and opened the door for him again. The Shaw's house. This should be fuuun. She wanted to play Pass the President for this part.
Carol: Carol was drinking coffee and hanging out with the guinea pigs... but she wasn't going to pick one up because it would probably pee on her. They were funny to watch though and super chatty... and nosey. She booped the nose of one that came to say hi... it tried to eat her finger, "Hey! I'm not a carrot!"
Tony: "Are you sure it's safe? I mean, we could have been a little more obvious about it, with the motorcade and flying protector." Tony gestured at her as he climbed out of the car and looked up at the church. House. Thing. Sebastian lived in a church. It was still funny.
Rogue: "Ah mean, if y' wanna leave, Ah'm fine with it..." She moved to shove Tony back inside the car, "Let's go back t' tha hotel, then."
Carol: Seeming to realise its mistake, the guinea pig in question gave her an affectionate nibble-lick combination before wandering off to look for better snacking prospects. Carol watched this with a frown. "I see how it is... I'm not interesting unless I have treats, huh?"
Tony: "Hey now. No manhandling of the president." He feinted to fend her off.
Shaw: The security system beeped on Sebastian's phone and he looked up from his morning reading. "Well, we have company."
Rogue: Rogue gave him an innocent look, "Y' liked it fine b'fore." She turned to the building and kept her sigh internal for Tony's sake. He was her boss and this was his best friend. She could at least pretend to be civil. She followed him up the stairs and reached around him to ring the bell.
Carol: The doorbell set off the guinea pigs and Carol laughed. Like tiny little security alarms!
Shaw: Sebastian was already up and stopped by the room where Carol was poking the pigs. "We have presidential company."
Tony: "I like it now, too." Tony turned his head to whisper it as she leaned close.
Rogue: Rogue fought hard to contain her blush and failed miserably. "Tony..."
Carol: Carol's eyebrows went up, "Really? He's really slacking off this week..." she gave Sebastian a small grin, "Shall I make coffee or pour scotch? I think if it's for the President it doesn't matter if it's before noon."
Tony: "Yes? That's me." He grinned, enjoying her red cheeks.
Shaw: "Oh, go straight for the scotch." Sebastian chuckled and sidestepped Sharky on his way to the door.
Rogue: "Y're incorrigible." She licked her lips and slid her eyes to him, grinning slightly. "Never stop."
Carol: Carol gave a lazy salute to this instruction and headed for the living room to get that scotch poured.
Tony: "Only if I'm dead, and your job is to prevent that, so added incentive."
Shaw: Sebastian made it to the front door shortly after Sharky, who was yapping and bouncing. He disabled the security and opened the door. "Well, well, if it isn't President Stark," he said with a smirk.
Rogue: Rogue bit down on her growing grin as the door opened. "Shaw. Is there anyone or anything inside y'r home that could be a danger t' th' President?" Work first. Hate later.
Tony: "Only maybe his wife."
Rogue: "An' all he has t' worry 'bout is y'r work wife. So Ah think if he's safe from me, y're safe from her."
Shaw: Sebastian raised a brow at Rogue. "Come now, I'm wounded that you would think I would mean any harm to my friend." He bared teeth at her.
Rogue: Rogue gave Sebastian a flat look. "Ah'm doin' mah job, Shaw. Answer th' question, please."
Shaw: "Of course not." Sebastian's expression faded into a smirk and he stepped aside. "Now, do come in."
Carol: "Only harm will be to his liver!" Carol called down the stairs, "Also hi!"
Rogue: "Carol!" Rogue flew over and tackled her into a hug. "Save me fr'm th' bastard whose house Ah just walked into," she whispered in her ear.
Shaw: "I can hear you," he said, studying the door frame as Tony walked in.
Carol: Carol's eyebrows rose at the request and she offered Rogue a glass.
Rogue: Rogue pulled away and rolled her eyes and shook her head at the glass, "On duty. Thanks, though, gal."
Carol: Carol gave a shrug. Her loss. "There's coffee and guinea pigs...?" she suggested as a substitute.
Rogue: "Coffee. Didn't get near 'nough sleep last night. Did get t' sleep in a bit, though, which was nice." She moved to the doorway of the room Carol had come from, keeping Tony in her peripheral as she checked it for threats. All clear, just like she knew it would be.
Tony: Tony eyed the stairs as he came inside. There were so many stairs in this house. He wondered if he could get away with demanding to be carried... Nah. Sebastian would never go for it. "Did I hear promise of something to wake my liver up?"
Shaw: "Carol is pouring the scotch, upstairs." Sebastian left the secret service on the sidewalk and closed the door, reengaging the security. "After you, Stark."
Rogue: Rogue came back down, smiling at Tony, "Up here, boss. All clear from wifely threats."
Tony: He supposed scotch was enough motivation to climb the stairs and there was no one there to throw coasters at him... and, for bonus points, more boobs to look at. "I know the way to the scotch!"
Rogue: "Ah'd expect nothin' less."
Carol: Carol was back up the stairs, having set three glasses down on the coffee table, she was in the kitchen waiting for coffee to appear for Rogue. At least she took it black. Carol didn't want to know what would happen if she opened the fridge and set the guinea pigs off again. Probably a riot.
Shaw: Sebastian followed his friend up the stairs with a chuckle. "So what brings you by, with your charming bodyguard?"
Rogue: "Ah c'n hear you," she echoed Sebastian from earlier and stuck her tongue out at his back.
Tony: "I can't just decide to drop by for a visit? Maybe I just missed you... and your scotch."
Shaw: "I'm certain you did miss my scotch, yes." Sharky zoomed between his feet and circled Tony's.
Tony: Assassin! No, wait... just the dogthing. He tried to find a safe place to put his feet.
Rogue: Rogue stayed by the door as the men went in, letting them have their space to talk but not letting Tony leave her line of sight.
Shaw: Sebastian took up a place against the wall, leaning and unbuttoning his cuffs. Clearly he wasn't going into the office now. "I hear that you have been visiting Charles Xavier."
Tony: He raised an eyebrow, picking up one of the glasses of scotch and taking a sniff.
Carol: Coffee! Carol claimed the mug and carried it over to Rogue, "Here is your less fun drink."
Rogue: Coffee! Rogue accepted the less fun drink with a really big smile. "Thanks!"
Rogue: Rogue's eyebrows went up at Sebastian's statement and she looked at Tony, then at Carol. She wasn't sure if Tony had wanted that to be kept secret or not for the moment. At least about what had happened there.
Shaw: Oh, so Tony wanted to play one of his little games, did he? Sebastian rolled up his cuffs and pushed off the wall to get a coffee himself.
Carol: Carol hoped she wasn't in trouble for talking about that. She sat down on the sofa and picked up one of the glasses of scotch. You better not drop me in it, Shaw! She directed the thought at Sebastian as Tony took a seat and sipped the scotch appreciatively.
Rogue: Well shit. This was going swimmingly. Rogue took a big gulp of her coffee. "So. How 'bout them Giants?"
Carol: Carol let her head drop back against the sofa and pretended to be asleep.
Shaw: Sebastian glanced around at Carol's mental screech. And how would I do that? He got his coffee and returned to the little group. "How about them indeed? The Steelers ended the season ahead of the Giants, so I would call that a win in my column." He gave Rogue a toothy grin.
Carol: Carol lifted her head enough to give Sebastian a look. "Do we have to talk about sports?"
Rogue: Rogue rolled her eyes, "It was just somethin' t' say, Shaw. It's baseball season now anyhow." She arched an eyebrow at Carol, "Well no one else was sayin' anythin'. Thought Ah'd try t' get th' ball rollin'. These two bein' such best friends an' not even sayin' a damn word t' each other?" She looked from her boss to Sebastian and back, "DId Ah miss y'all's big break up?"
Shaw: "Evidently we do," he said, giving Carol a slow blink as he sat beside Tony. "Pirates, then?"
Shaw: He looked at Tony, then the women. Sebastian shrugged. "Someone wants to be coy."
Tony: "This is good scotch." Tony commented helpfully.
Rogue: Rogue gave Tony a flat look and drank the rest of her coffee in one go. This was going to be a long day. "Look, it's no secret that Ah don't wanna be here. An' Ah think th' only reason Tony wants t' be here is th' scotch, which he c'n afford his own damn self, so... C'n we go, boss?"
Shaw: Sebastian smirked into his cup. Well, now this was getting more entertaining. "Your lovely guard has become quite comfortable in sharing her opinions, hasn't she?"
Tony: "He ruined my big reveal!" Tony complained.
Carol: "Let him have his sulking time til his ego recovers..." Carol advised with a smirk as she took a sip of scotch.
Rogue: "Oh shut it, shark." Rogue raised her eyebrows at Tony, "So give him th' bigger one? He's y'r best friend, Tony. He didn't do it on purpose, Ah'm sure. Do y' need snack time now?"
Tony: Tony raised his glass, "What do you think this is?"
Rogue: "Then it's nap time. Alright then. Let's go, then, before you get more cranky. No afternoon tantrums on mah watch."
Shaw: Sebastian just grinned at the nickname, and the dressing down the president was currently receiving.
Tony: He blinked at Rogue, "Which one of us is the President? I think I get to decide when it's my nap time."
Rogue: "Well if y'd stop poutin' an' start actin' like tha President, y' wouldn't need me t' be y'r nanny."
Shaw: "And you accused Tony and I of the lovers' spat..." He sipped his coffee.
Carol: Carol about choked on her scotch at that comment and looked between Tony and Rogue.
Rogue: "Well, we're with each other nearly all day, every day. 'Course we fight like an' old married couple sometimes."
Shaw: "I'm sure he finds it very stimulating." Sebastian looked over at Carol and raised a brow. Quite alright, my dear?
Carol: I'm fine, you just broke my brain with a mental image I can't unsee. She needed more scotch. Are you gonna drink that? Her eyes flicked to his untouched glass.
Shaw: Sebastian stood and picked up the glass of scotch, handing it off to Carol before he started a slow circle of the room.
Carol: Oh excellent. She gave Sebastian a grin and set her empty glass on the table, taking a sip from the new glass.
Tony: He cleared his thoat, sitting up and setting his glass down, "So... You've heard of the X-men, right?"
Rogue: There we go. Attaboy, Tony. Rogue walked a bit into the room to set her empty mug down, then moved back to her post by the door.
Shaw: Just to irritate her, Sebastian leaned against the wall beside the door, within an arm's length of her. "The X-Men, you say? I can't say as it rings a bell."
Tony: Tony scoffed, knowing that was crap. "Well you're gonna hear about them soon. I met with Xavier and agreed to give them my Presidential seal of approval."
Rogue: Rogue cut her eyes to Sebastian, but didn't move. She could punch him easier from this distance if he pissed her off anyway. He was the one who should be worried about her, not the other way around. She gave Tony a fond smile, still grateful he had done that.
Shaw: "And why did you decide to do that, Stark?" Sebastian crossed his arms, watching Tony fiddle with his sofa cushions.
Tony: "Because I think it's a great idea!" Also his glass was empty. Sad face.
Carol: Carol's second glass was also empty. She got to her feet, taking Tony's glass from his hand without a word.
Shaw: "A great idea for whom? Mutants? For your legacy?"
Rogue: Rogue smirked at Sebastian, almost an open challenge.
Tony: He hoped Carol was getting more scotch and not just confiscating his glass. "Why can't it be both?"
Shaw: "Tony," he started, watching Carol go for yet more scotch. "You have done the mutant community a tremendous service, and the integration of mutants into SHIELD seems to have paid off as well. I just hope you have considered all possibilities of this venture."
Tony: "What's to consider? They're gonna do it anyway. May as well give them some decent funding." Ah more scotch! He beamed at Carol and took a drink from his refreshed glass.
Rogue: Rogue crossed her arms and tilted her head with at frown for Sebastian, "Got a problem with it, Shaw?"
Carol: Carol decided to stay on her feet in case she needed to intervene, giving Rogue a warning look.
Shaw: "No, not on principle, but you have to admit that your school was a magnet for trouble." Sebastian gave Rogue a cool smile.
Tony: "That's why this time... no kids." Tony put in, "Do you think I'm an idiot?"
Rogue: "That's why it wouldn't be a school anymore."
Rogue: She grinned at Tony. He got it.
Shaw: "Many of the graduates with more useful abilities are already employed by SHIELD, you realize."
Rogue: "SHIELD is military. X-Men aren't."
Tony: "SHIELD can loan them out if they want to go back to the X-men and find all new fun mutants to play with." Tony rolled his eyes. "The biggest problem is finding a base of operations. But I solved that already."
Shaw: "And what would you do, Miss Rogue?" Sebastian finally looked at her again. “Stay in your position with Tony, or go back to your X-Men?"
Shaw: He gave Tony a questioning look. "Oh?"
Tony: "Oh no, by all means, continue your conversation with my bodyguard." Tony was sulking again. Their bickering was ruining his big moment.
Rogue: "We ain't discussed that yet." She looked at Tony, "Why don't ya tell tha other part o' tha news, sugah?"
Tony: Tony took a drink from his glass, well into his sulk. They could wait til he was ready.
Rogue: "If you don't, Ah will."
Tony: It was very tempting to go with the childish response that crossed his mind. But then he wouldn't get to deliver the news with his usual flair. He rolled his eyes. "We're reopening the Danvers building and giving it a new paint job. And I know just the person to oversee the project..." his gaze tracked to Carol.
Carol: Oh she did not like where this was going. "No paperwork! That is my one condition. I never want to see paperwork."
Rogue: "Carol," Rogue gave her a small smile, "Y'd be in charge o' tha buildin' repair. Just like b'fore when y' helped us turn it inta a school. No paperwork."
Carol: "Yeah that's what it was supposed to be last time. You know how much paperwork I ended up getting. I want it in writing. No paperwork."
Rogue: "Gal. Pawn it off on somebody else."
Carol: "I tried that last time and they stalled on their own damn paperwork for months." She wasn't buying it.
Tony: Tony found one of Miriam's drawings under the coffee table and flipped it over, writing on the back of it, signing it and offering it to Carol. "There. In writing."
Shaw: Sebastian watched this show in mild shock. "Well, you have given this a bit more thought than I'd expected."
Tony: "Of course I have! I'm a genius, you know." Tony gave him a winning smile and toasted himself with his scotch.