Heating Up On Stage and Off

"Woooo! Hello, Krakoa!"

The crowd cheered and The Mary Janes grinned. They were eating this up! "You are beautiful!" MJ said into the microphone smiling. "Did you like that?"

There's even more cheering. MJ looked around at her band mates and saw their smiling faces. She even saw Walt standing off to the side offstage and giving them a thumbs-up with one hand and extending his index and pinkie finger with the other. Telling them to rock on. He looked a little tousled like he'd been vigorously fighting. *Or fucking!* she thought remembering how he'd looked that night with Gwen-

She shook her head. She was just in the he mood. Being on stage always did that. She looked at her girlfriend and Glory grinned. *Oh, yeah! She's feeling it too! We're gonna be ripping each others clothes off later as usual! I wonder if it's the same for Betty and Gwen? Is Gwen like that after Spider-womaning? And Walt? Do she and Walt- Focus! Show first! Sexy thoughts later!*

"Good! We are The Mary Janes if you can't see our t-shirts and tonight, at the Hellfire gala, we salute yooou!"

"First big thank you for the explosions! You guys rock!" Even more cheering. "Let me blast through our introductions real quick and we'll get right back to it! On drums the amazing Gwen Stacy!"

Gwen beat out a quick drum solo. She grinned as people cheered.

"We love you, Gwen!" Stan cheered.

"Ok," Deadpool said. "Take it easy, old-timer. It wasn't exactly easy to sneak you in here after everything that went down and if you have a heart attack I-"

"Shut it, Red," Stan said grinning. "Don't ruin this for me and I'll give you the chair!"

"Deal!" Deadpool said then cheered. "We love Gwen! Woooo!"

"The best of bassists, Betty Brant!" MJ continued and Betty busted out awesome riffs.

"On the keys the killer, Glory Grant!" Glory whipped out a musical number tickling the keys.

"And I'm Em Jay Watson! Ye~ah! And that's us and now it's time to "Face It, Tiger"!" And so saying they launched right into their song as MJ sang into the mic.

"There's no use crying over pinpricks

Don't fight the name if the name fits

You're doing good, think that you could do better

Wanna crack your skull, get to the heart of the matter!"

The girls joined in on the chorus belting out.

"You've gotta face it tiger, face it tiger

It's all you got

You've gotta face it tiger, face it tiger

It's your last shot

You've gotta face it tiger, face it tiger

You hit the jackpot!

Yeah,

yeah,

yeah!

"Woo!" Pyrrha shouted. "This is awesome!"

"Right?" Nora said. "They're really pretty good!"

Mission nodded excitedly bobbing her head. "I like them better than The Twisted Rancor Trio!"

Merida laughed as she danced with her. "Aye! Ah'm growin' tae lik this "modern" music an' livin', hey!"

Jubilee laughed with her friends and new X-Men teammates. "That's great!"

Jen grinned, nodding. "There's so much more to show you, Merida... and we'll be happy to teach it all to you!"

Neo was grinning. She was double impressed and pleased. The band really was good... but Manami through Friday had managed to do something incredible. It looked like they were hacking into hundreds of video feeds in real-time to collect as much footage as possible! She was pretty sure what she was watching highly illegal... and she grinned as that just made it all the better! Like Walt had told her before. One was only in trouble if they got caught.

Even Mystique shrugged. "They've got a certain something. Now where is... aha!" She smiled as she found this worlds Mystique and grinned as she prepared to photo bomb herself.

"They really are good," Walt said smiling offstage.

Pepper smiled. "They are." She placed her hand on his arm and pulled him down to kiss his cheek then lay her head against his arm. "So are you."

Walt smiled. "How so?"

She nodded. "Because you took the time and cared enough to try to make their dreams come true."

He shook his head. "They'll accomplish that on their own. I just gave them a hand up. Not a hand out."

She smiled more. "Yes. That's what is wonderful. You don't have to do things the way you do, Walt. The fact you choose to is what makes you wonderful." She tightened her grip on his arm. "You haven't changed. Not really. Not the things that matter most. You don't think of yourself as "the good guy" and just try doing the best you can and then try to be better. You don't see that, that's what makes you a "good guy". Tony was and we both know he was a cluster fuck of flaws. You don't give yourself enough credit. I know. You obviously created your company to help characters as much as you can. That's your secret agenda. And they all love you for it. I can tell. Your ladies do too. You go out of your way to treat them well and give them opportunities. You resist temptation when many wouldn't. If your positions were reversed Tony likely wouldn't have. You're special and wonderful in your own way."

He smiled and gently placed his hand over hers. "Thanks, Pep. You too." He kissed the top of her head. "You're a good person and an even better friend." She smelled good and he inhaled his nose buried in her hair. "Roses still?"

She smiled and nodded. "Yes," she said softly barely heard over the music. "Still... Walt? You will return?"

He nodded. "I will, Pep. My investigation here is nearing it's end but not my interest... or my interests. You know that better than anyone, Miss CEO."

She bit her lip and slipped her arm around his waist. "Good. Promise me, Walter?"

He nodded again and then put his arm around her too. He knew what she was asking. "I promise, Virginia. I'll always come back. For you and for them. I won't die."

He felt her nod. "Good... I promise not to let go, then."

Walt chuckled. "Well that could get awkward going to the bathroom or work. People will start rumors-"

"Rumors, I can handle," she said smiling. "You have quite the group of ladies... and a fair portion of them are redheads..."

Walt swallowed. "Uh, yes, Red. They are. Wasn't planned that way or anything but-"

She smiled. "But it kinda worked out that way." She looked at Mary Jane. "You got another one, didn't you? She's pretty."

Walt chuckled nervously as MJ smiling just happened to look their way. She and the others looked great as they were flush with excitement and the joy if doing what they loved. Their youthful bodies practically shone as they sweated and performed rocking it out giving their all on the stage and in the spotlights. "Yes and they all are pretty but she has a girlfriend and I have no intentions-"

"I know," she said. "I know how you are... and I know women. They'll pursue you if you let them. Just like I know your situation." She looked up at him smiling. "The others told me. Quite a surprise, "harem master"."

Walt rolled his eyes. "It's not like that."

She nodded. "I know. Like I said... I know you. I know the kind of man you are. Just like I know you'll keep your promise. So... collar me."

Walt froze as his mind whirled. "Pepper... you're not... I don't think you... You're probably confused about-"

She chuckled. "You're still so easy to fluster sometimes and I'm not "confused". I have further questions maybe but if I'm being honest I already know most all the answers. I just want to hear them sometime. You're still you, Walt. Unchanged. A decent man despite your flaws. A real man. Honor and integrity mean something to you." She smirked. "And you said it yourself. You need people who can run things on this end for you. I'd be able to come and go between this world and yours. We'd just be... making our contract binding."

He sighed then laughed. "You ladies! You've all really got my number! Hahahah!"

She giggled. "You got that right, Mister! Seriously though... won't you consider it? I'm already "your property". You'd just be claiming it."

Walt shook his head. "And you're honestly okay with that, Pep? You? Miss Modern Independent Woman?"

She shook her head. "Absolutely not! It's a crazy idea!" She smiled. "But I know you, Walter. I'm okay with you. And now that I know more it only reaffirms the kind of person you are." She arched her eyebrow. "You were the opposite of Tony that way. Let me guess. They're your property but you let them call almost all the shots don't you? Because you feel responsible for their situation. Because you think it's the only way to keep your relationships healthy. Because they're that important to you."

Walt smiled. "You got me. And because I want them to be happy and "free" as much as possible... and because I love them. They aren't things to me. They're friends, family and lovers. Individuals and people, no matter what my worlds conventions say."

She nodded. "Yeah. I knew it. I know you... I'm okay with you "owning" me. Because you give everything that's you in exchange." She winked. "Honestly that's the deal of the century! You're going to have a lot of interested parties coming aroud. I'm glad you were smart enough to let the girls have the final say on that otherwise it'd get bad fast."

Walt blinked. "Wait... what?"

Pepper laughed looking at his dawning realization. "Ahahaha! You hadn't realized any of that yet?" She shook her head. "Case in point. You need ladies watching out for you, you big dummy." She looked at where Emma Frost and Elyia were talking. "I guarantee those two have figured it out and I'm willing to bet they're not the only ones. For all your understanding of people you only half understand women... which is more than most men but it's also more than enough to get you into trouble."

Walt chuckled. "Yup. I'm in trouble. As usual. Suppose I've been fortunate enough to attract the best kind of trouble in that regard so far, huh?" He smiled. "That includes you. Thanks, Pep." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a collar. "You're sure about this?"

She swallowed and took a breath and then met his eyes smiling. "Yes. I trust you, Walt. Because you are you."

He brushed her hair back tenderly. "Alright, Pepper." He gently placed the collar around her neck and kissed her forehead as Friday ran through the usual status updates. "Thank you. Thank you for your trust and your friendship."

He went to step back but she grabbed his lapels. "That's because I have my own agenda too," she whispered and pulled him into a long slow kiss. "I love you."

Walt swallowed and nodded. "I know."

She blinked in surprise. "You do?" She tightened her grip. "Then... why? Why did you never make a move?"

Walt sighed. "The timing was always bad. You were marrying Happy. Then you guys were getting divorced... then you and Tony were kind of a thing. I was going to leave this world when my mission was over. I... didn't want to further complicate things for you." He stroked her face. "But, if I'm being honest?"

"Please," she said. "Tell me the most important thing."

He nodded. "I really wanted to... Complicate things."

She smiled as he wiped away a tear from her eye. "And now that things are simpler? How- Mmhmmmm..."

He kissed her this time drawing her to him. His hands pulling her tight to his body as her hands reached up to grab his head running her fingers through his hair. They kissed passionately and when their lips finally parted he whispered. "I always had a bit of a crush actually. May I... take you out on a date sometime?"

"A date?" She asked questioning while searching his eyes.

Walt nodded. "Yes, please. I... I need to do things right with you, Virginia. For you... for both of us actually. Not just because we're friends with past history but... because we're both getting over a loss. The very last thing I want is to hurt you. Hurt either of us. We don't have to go slow... but I want to go carefully. It's important to me."

She smiled beautifully as she touched his cheek and nodded. "Okay. I suppose we better... and better sooner than later."

He grinned, nodding. "I will! Soon."

She winked. "You're a real slave driver, "Boss"!"

They both laughed.

[Walter Stark Penny Polendina F.R.I.D.A.Y Neopolitan Pyrrha Nikos Nora Valkyrie Yang Xiao Long Blake Belladonna Kali Belladonna Sienna Khan Willow Schnee Glynda Goodwitch Zwei Ahnassi Lifts-Her-Tail Senko Sayoko Shinozaki Roberta Cisneros Haruna Sasha Blouse Ilulu Rachel "Raven" Roth Manami "La Brava" Aiba Tsuyu "Froppy" Asui Haruhime Sanjouno Anastasia "The Baroness" Cisarovna/DeCobray Demona Mystique Pirotess Lydia Aela the Huntress Serana Mission Vao Curie Ada PAM KL-E-O Merida Gwen "Gwenom" Stacy Jubilation "Jubilee" Lee Jennifer "She-Hulk" Walters Linda T Duck Shocket Raccoon Lady Loki Elizabeth "Betty" Brant Gloria "Glory" Grant Mary Jane "MJ" Watson Emma Frost and Virginia "Pepper" Potts

Will Return In

Leaving the Gala, Questions & Changes of After Party Plans

Coming Soon]