Burden

[in_extremis]

WHO: Tony and OTA??, though a few people are getting mentioned (Kaz, Jon, Cayde, Ronan?, Bucky?, this is already falling apart)
WHERE: Around Temba where all of those people can be found
WHAT: Tony's delivering gifts again
WHEN: A little while after the Eyepocalypse
WARNINGS: There could be talking about the event-related trauma in here, but none of that to begin with.
NOTES: You can interpret this as catching Tony at any of these places to interact with him, or just find the package and text him later, or not respond at all and just know you have this thing in your life now. I'm not your boss, surprise me. You may also intercept a package that isn't for you, unless the rightful owner tags in here first and claims it. Fight.


It wasn't like he was getting much sleep, so Tony had plenty of time to work. He had some apologies to make, first and foremost, and only some of the construction was like rocket science. It was the deliveries that turned out to be challenging. Most of the Iron Man's helmet was finished, too, before he was making his reluctant way through the city, D.A.T.A. bumbling along behind him to cover more ground quickly and let Tony retreat again before he lost his nerve. It wasn't like the blood wasn't already on the ground.

None of the packages were very big, easy for the robot to carry and wrapped neatly in scraps of what felt like toasted paper, which crumbled under too much handling. Small, brass tags fixed them together, bearing the name of their recipient to be found at their doorsteps.

...at the Bloodsport
A soft, squishy package labelled with KAZ. Inside, laid carefully on top of each other and smudged slightly in the ash of the paper, is a pair of black gloves whose texture is closer to vellum than leather. Maybe its this thinness that lets the wearer sense so easily through them, and interact with touchscreen devices. Its not at the sake of durability, though. A knife will leave a mark, but that's not how you're getting through these gloves.

...at the library
A small, cylindrical package labelled JON. To different people, this might look like a high calibre bullet, or a gold tube of lipstick. It's a sleek electric lighter, though. No patterns on the case.

...at the clock tower
This package clatters slightly when it is moved, which might be worrying because it only has the explosive hazard symbol on the label. If it is handled gently, you'll find a pair of generously heavy dice inside. They're slightly oversized, and feel like they might be solid iron all the way through. Every time they are rolled, they always turn up on an ornately stamped pair of feathers in place of snake eyes.

...at the theatre
Another squishy package, though this label just says 'FOR NEXT TIME'. It's another pair of black gloves, though these ones don't cover the tips of the fingers or the thumb at all, and there seems to be a distinct weight to the knuckles. They cover most of the way up the forearm, like they might be part of some kind of...superhero costume...

...at the hotel
About the size of a chocolate bar, and labelled JAMES. That black vellum-looking material has been formed into a small, stiff domino mask. Its eyes are darkened with some kind of glass. Try it on, and it will prompt you to pair with your communication device, and suggests vaguely on this HUD 'TRY ME'.

Comments

Clock Tower

[deal_me_in]

If he happened to get the sense that he was being watched, he wouldn't be wrong. Whether one could tell the difference between the casual observation and that unsettling feeling that you might be someone's food was probably only to be deciphered by the man in question.

There's no one at the door, but then ever since Ikora's sudden absence, Cayde's hardly passed through the lower floors he'd allowed her to claim while she'd been there, save to scrounge around for any useful supplies that Kyle might have needed, recently. The gaping holes in the walls of the upper stories revealed no one either, but for how empty the area was, it wasn't too hard to imagine the faint flutter of fabric, or the light crunch of crumbling masonry underfoot.

It was only once Tony had started to try slinking off after leaving his package that the Exo spoke up, casually leaning against the edge of the wall and not at all like he'd just come around the corner.

"What, not even a hello?"

[in_extremis]

The mounting feeling that there was something there, in this place that felt particularly derelict with the rust flaking off of the clock and the strange way the light passed through the holes battered into the building, had already set Tony's teeth on edge and made his shoulders tight. Not that he needed any more reason to quickly retreat, so he spent more time convincing himself to actually approach than he did lingering where he had dropped the package, backing away quickly and wiping the ash from his hands down the front of his sweater, then just about falling over as he turned on his heel only to be startled by Cayde's voice. It didn't carry nearly the threat of the snarling beast that had pursued him, but Tony still had to convince himself not to run and slowly turn back instead, both hands clutched against his chest and eyebrows raised inquisitively. When he seemed to get his answer, eyes darting and assessing Cayde's posture, he complained, "I have a heart condition, you know. You can't sneak up on me like that. I thought you were out doing your thing or-- at the bar, and I can't--so--this is the fastest way to the forge."

[deal_me_in]

Seeing Tony's reaction brought him instant regret, internally scolding himself for not being more careful. He pointedly kept his hands away from where his weapons rested, bringing them up in placation as he watched his friend's anxious eyes. His laugh didn't sound too forced, or at least he hoped it didn't.

"Sorry, sorry," he said, pushing away from the wall but not taking more than a couple of steps. "I wasn't- didn't mean to sneak up on you, I was just wondering who was sniffing around here. Don't get too many visitors. I thought maybe..." His gaze drifted towards the doorway before he shook his head, shrugging it all off like an old coat.

"Was picking some stuff up to take to the bar in case anyone felt like coming by- anyway..!" He turned to step over to where that package had been left, sweeping it up with a deft hand. "What's this? It's not the Dawning already, is it?"

[in_extremis]

There was a lot that was getting aborted and going unsaid for a pair that anyone else would have trouble getting to shut up, and Tony tried to follow Cayde's eye to the door where it lingered with the belated realization that there were a lot worse ways that Cayde could be hurt. Tony dragged his protective hold away from his heart, only to collect his sunglasses from a pocket and push them up his nose with a decisive sniff and new, rigid confidence in his posture.

"Actually, I think it's pretty late and closer to dinner. I can check your optics for you if the light's not processing right," he offered like he hadn't heard the definite article. He didn't look particularly satisfied with his own teasing, pursing his lips and letting his focus drift down the road as he tried to phrase what he meant to say, a hand already back on his chest before he realized it. "Sorry," was the eventual product of all of his hard work, making him grimace in disappointment then blurt, "She could come back."

[deal_me_in]

It took him a moment to work out the joke in that before he scowled, shaking his head. "Look, if you really want dinner then I can offer you some instant spicy ramen," he said, taking his time in getting back to the actual point he was trying to avoid. Tony's apology made it worse somehow, but the Exo huffed a laugh.

"Probably better this way. City needs her. If it comes down to it then she can put in a good word for me with Zavala, let him know I'm absolutely not goofing off and doing hard work out here." He fished around for a moment but came up empty for Ikora-like things to use with his best impression of her, abandoning the thought in favor of exploring the mysterious package. He squinted at the symbol. "This in't gonna blow up in my face, is it?" he asked, meaning to tease before a wince suggested he remembered not too long ago when such traps weren't for funsies. He slipped off the tag, pocketing it as he tried his best to keep the wrapping intact as he found its openings.

Apparently he wandered to the diner

[beholding_archivist]

He feels watched again, but in a way that feels... Less wrong.

It should be weird to consider this feeling normal. It should be weird to feel relieved by having his connection to the Eye restored. It should be weird to be back to being the right sort of monster again.

But it doesn't. It feels right.

Which isn't necessarily something Jon can say about this gift he holds in his hand. Another material apology, he assumes. Or is it an apology? Maybe the message is something else and Jon is misinterpreting the gesture. He has told Tony many times that he doesn't need to give him anything. And yet he also has to accept that this is one of the ways Tony expresses himself.

Sighing, Jon puts the lighter in his pocket and prepares the diner's coffee maker before turning it on. As he waits for his coffee, he pulls out his phone to type a simple message directed at Tony. 'I would have preferred an embrace.'

[in_extremis]

The text couldn't have been a good sign to begin with, Tony did realize that now, but he didn't have the kind of impulse control to not immediately check it without considering what it meant. If he did, he might not have opened it, wondered for one second why it wasn't Jon's typical voice message, and maybe been more prepared.

Instead, he was digging his nails into the new scar on his shoulder, arm barred across his heart, and spent what felt like agonizing minutes to reply only moderately slower than his typical instant text back, I can take it back. Don't leave it somewhere.

[beholding_archivist]

Not what I meant.

This response comes with the typical delay of Jon not being overly fast with his texts. It's followed by silence while Jon tries to put to words what he means to say. True, Tony has taken Jon's other lighter from him, but a new lighter isn't exactly what Jon needs at the moment.

It takes another set of moments before Jon finally types out his follow-up question.

You aren't trying to avoid me, are you?

I want to apologize, but I don't want to do it over the phone.

Because that would be about as impersonal as leaving an item intended as a gift on someone's doorstep.

[in_extremis]

Of course Tony was avoiding him, but making him say that felt very unfair. It wasn't like this was where Tony wanted to be. In the time it took Jon to carefully type his response, Tony had to redirect his energy to rapidly pacing up and down the road, and finding a stone big enough that hurling it through a vacant window to a hollow clatter in a darkened building would feel satisfying. Evidently, that one was too small. He had effectively settled on avoiding further and not answering the question when the next message appeared, which he couldn't ignore nearly as easily.

You have nothing to apologize for.

I saw your video, you know you didn't do it.

Now it was really unfair, making Tony's isolation feel particularly cruel. He squeezed another rock until he could feel its sharp edges biting into his palm, and juggled it rapidly to map every jagged plane.

I don't want to hurt you again.

[beholding_archivist]

And you think that avoiding me doesn't hurt even more?

By the time he types this, Jon has abandoned his post by the coffee maker and simply sat down, phone in hand, eyes fixed on the screen.

You know that neither of us acted entirely their own. Avoidance is not going to

And that's the entire text before Jon gives up typing, pushes himself up from his seat again and heads out of the door while sending a quick voice message after the half-finished text. "Fuck this. I'm coming to you."

All he has to do is know where Tony tries to hide away.

[demjiin]

If Tony thought he was going to just slink away he was mistaken. Kaz did try the gloves on and found they were thin enough to provide protection while keeping contact well enough that he was able to do the same sleight of hand tricks that he could with his calf-skin leather gloves. He was still keeping the leather gloves for when it got cold, but he put them away for now. Kaz had a very short list of who might actually make anything for him (for surely these gloves were made not found) so Kaz went to the Forge and seeing that no one was there, waited for Tony to return to it after he finished his deliveries.

[in_extremis]

It kept happening, and yet Tony was not getting used to people showing up in his space. He was going to have to make one of these D.A.T.A. units into more active security if he wanted to secure the forge like he was used to, where he could lock everyone out and they knew just as well to avoid it like a live wire.

The last few feet to the door were the most tense in Tony's anxiety to get safely inside, rushing him forward and ready to release all of this pressure in his chest with a deep sigh, only to hiccup in surprise and feel like his spine might snap at the ratcheting tightness at the sight of Kaz. "Gee-zuzzzz," he hissed, clutching his heart and sticking close to the door while he recovered and kept Kaz at the corner of his eye. "Sweetheart, you have to start giving me a call."

[demjiin]

To be fair, Kaz just being in someone's space uninvited was usually not a good thing. Same with him being at the front door. Or just seeing Kaz in general. Right at this moment, Kaz was completely unrepentant to entering, if not breaking this time, and just leaned on his cane.

"I assume you used some kind of handshape to form these."

Kaz displayed one gloved hand.

"Would you also be able to form something else hand-shaped?"

No thank you and no small talk. Kaz was also betting on Tony's guilt over the past month and intended to make the most of any potential guilt. Kaz himself did not feel guilty per see but he recognized that he did owe Kyle a debt.

[in_extremis]

This was not a promising start, leading Tony to actually risk looking directly at Kaz for a moment with his lip raised in confusion, not sure if he was supposed to be defending his craftsmanship or Kaz wanted a lesson or...

Something else hand-shaped?

Tony start to slowly slink his way around the room, giving Kaz plenty of space to try to make his way around to the workbench where he felt more secure, and left Kaz's question on the fire to greet instead, "Sure, welcome, make yourself at home. It's a pleasure. Glad you like the gloves, those are one of a kind, Stark original. If you were from my area code, you'd know how valuable that is."

When he was a little closer to his tools, he finally acknowledged, "If you want another pair, you just have to send me the specs, you don't have to do...whatever this is."

[demjiin]

Kaz shook his head.

"It's not about gloves and it's not for me at all."

While it was nice to see Tony keeping well away from Kaz's personal space, Kaz had been the one to tell the Iron Bull on his arrival that guilt was unproductive in Temba and it should never be a part of his decision-making. Kaz believed one should never make decisions out of guilt or fear. Only out of spite.

"I need to know if it's possible for you to make a working prosthetic left hand.

Bloodsport

[tempredmental]

[Keith caught sight of the person leaving as he came out of the ship. Leaving the package alone, he realized who it was, and remembered Tommy's suggestion. The little bot following him along was a good clue that the idea he and Tommy had to entertain Kosmo would likely work.]

Hey... you're Tony, right?

[Keith's tone isn't accusatory or anything, just curious.]

[in_extremis]

[Tony is kind of in a place where his name is going to sound accusatory no matter what, so his shoulders raise in tight, defensive response at the voice, and he turns slowly, pushing a pair of sunglasses up his nose as he does.]

You're the pilot.

[He relaxes enough to try to look more intimidating than he feels, hands in his pockets and chin raised to invite the question that the kid was clearly hanging onto.]

[tempredmental]

[Kid? LOL. Kind of. He was old enough to drink.

But Keith didn't exactly have an aggressive posture. His own stance was relaxed as he nodded in response to the question.]

Yeah. I am. I'm Keith. [He nodded to the blue wolf with the fancy patterns in its fur that was standing near by.] That's Kosmo. I actually had a request. Um... Tommy suggested I ask you about it.

We were messing around with a frisbee on the beach a while back to see how far Kosmo could teleport, but I don't have the throw for it. He said you might be able to build something that I could use to shoot it straight up or further out, just to give him something to go after that's a bit more of a challenge.

[in_extremis]

Keith... [Like he's trying to remember it, all while watching the wolf warily, clearly not too keen on getting close. Or maybe that was the mention of Tommy, who is just as likely to set Tony up for some trouble.

He's not expecting the advanced dog toy angle, and very briefly his grin seems genuine with surprise before he has it perfectly schooled to nod seriously.]

Easy. Not a problem. What's in it for me?

[What does that smirk mean? It's a mystery.]

[tempredmental]

[When Kosmo noticed he was being watched, he wagged his tail a little, but didn't make much of a change in his posture beyond that. He was reacting to Keith's vibe.]

Uh... [Keith frowned a bit.] I don't know. I mean, what do you think it would take to make it?

The Hotel

[thestaremaster]

Bucky eyed the small package for a while before retrieving it. He'd been watching Stark from afar as he delivered it, and even with his name plainly on the thing he felt uncertain. It took a while before he opened it up, and he eyed the mask curiously once he'd unveiled it.

It reminded him a bit of Sam's eye gear, and he held it to his face, blinking in surprise as the HUD sparked to life.

It was some time later that Bucky approached the forge. He rapped his knuckles against the door before he could change his mind.

[in_extremis]

A knock was new. Anyone else who showed up had a habit of letting themselves in, so as strange as it was to have a visitor, it was stranger yet that this visitor was polite. As much as Tony wanted to ignore it, he was drawn across the room in his curiosity, pliers still in one and and a coil of gold wire wrapped around the other's fingers, forgotten as he toed the door gently open.

"Oh," he said when he was confronted with a familiar, angular face, gaze skirting quickly down the metal arm with a small wince that tugged at his cheek as he confirmed which owner of this face had shown up. Which was a terrible greeting, so he tried to amend, "Hi," not much better, then, "Lose something?"

[thestaremaster]

"You know- his hair's longer," Bucky noted, following Tony's gaze, lip giving a small quirk, unbothered by the need to check. And of course a Stark would gage based off a shiny piece of tech rather than by their more human differences.

"I was uh...in the neighborhood. Thought you might be able to get this back in shape?" he asked, lifting his left arm pointedly. It was still functional, nothing Shuri built was going to be easily damaged, but a few plates had been shifted from place with their fighting, and where metal meet flesh wasn't holding up too great. "I know you've probably been dying to get your hands on it since I got here," he teased with a knowing smirk.

[in_extremis]

That wasn't much of an argument, making Tony pout after processing what Bucky was trying to tell him and mutter, "You can cut hair." It wasn't like he was keeping up with the grooming habits of everyone in town. That would be weird and creepy. All of the pictures he had of them were for other reasons entirely.

Any hint of that pouting was gone the moment Bucky just came out and offered a fantasy opportunity. At first, Tony's eyes brightened with enthusiasm, only for him to shrink back just as malleably with an anxious glance over his shoulder and looking like he might just close the door in Bucky's face. As far as Tony would describe it, he had gotten his hands on that arm well beyond what either of them deserved, and with an uncharacteristic hesitance he found his voice, "I've been known to overindulge. If you're sure you want to be an enabler." He tilted his head with the question, are you sure?, searching Bucky's face for some awareness that Tony shouldn't be trusted.

[thestaremaster]

You could, but Soldat seemed pretty attached, a state Bucky could remember well enough. Their little play at being twins in teasing had gone all right, so many Stark was smart to have a more precise method.

"M'pretty good enabler," he offered with a shrug and a half smile, "And it's not exactly like I can shop around for my choice of mechanics here," he teased.