revivalproject | [Open] Sports Are Another Woman's Job

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[Open] Sports Are Another Woman's Job

WHO: Tae Takemi, Tony Stark, Open
WHERE: Pry Says Tent, Sports Day Events
WHAT: Longing For Pry Says, Trying to Sport
WHEN: May 2nd through 5th
WARNINGS: None

I. Look At All The Pretty Things | Closed To Tony Stark

Tae had not really been excited to hear the Agrii's announcement. In some ways it had felt like a jab right at her. She hadn't been so helpful during that fight, and the running off barefoot had not been fun. Still, she hadn't really been a sports club person in high school, and while she did enough exercise to keep healthy, competition wasn't really her thing.

Which was why she had come here. To look at the Prizes and tell herself that it clearly wasn't worth it, especially since the hospital was starting to get going well here.

And instead here she was, eyeing a pair of black leggings with a gray spider web pattern on it. Which was after she'd looked at some practical, work suitable tennis shoes. And some wonderful stiletto heals. Not to mention the leather mini skirt.

"Dammit," she sighs as she looks over it all. "How am I going to get enough for these and the vouchers and the other supplies. If there was ever a time I could use the guinea pig around, this would be it."

II. Balloon Popping Queen | Open

It was a starting place. A miserable one given what Tae had on her shopping list, but a starting point. Because amazingly enough, sports were a lot easier to do when you weren't wearing platform high heels, right? Still, Tae had absolutely found the best solution to getting started.

Which was why the woman entered the balloon pop fenced in area with the straps of her boots loose. As soon as the timer started she stepped out of them, picked one up in each hand, and started at the offending balloons with the sharp heels. Which was pretty effective, given the points they came to. The woman clearly knew what she was doing with how often there were popping noises. That said anyone watching might want to take a step back, because the glitter was sure flying.

"This glitter better be biodegradable, aliens."

III. Trying Your Best | Open

Alright. It had taken her almost a third of the day once things had started to buy the shoes she needed, and she had needed to wash her legs and clothes during a light lunch on her ship, but now she was back and the doctor looked... intent as she moved through the games, her pockets jingling with chits.

"Alright then," she said, facing down the line of games. "I suppose it's time to get started. Now, how do I know which of these are even worth trying?"

She needed the best pay out possible for someone of her level of skill, so she was probably not going to do well here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Was he close enough to see the woman roll her eyes. Because she was rolling them. If she was rolling them any harder then she'd probably hurt herself. Of course the line made her stand straighter as it gathering her pride.

"Then perhaps you have some of the stereotypes for how a Japanese woman behaves. We're meek, submissive, biddable, docile, sweet."

Her tone grows sharper and more disgusted with every word, as if to say those are clearly words that don't suit her. Clearly they don't actually. Just the frustration of the whole thing gets her moving quickly toward the clothes and she moves with hard steps, her shoes clicking sharply on the floor. Yes, she needs more to go with that leather jacket and skirt. Don't mind her as she gets a mesh over shirt and a dark teal dress.

"It's seen to be even more so in service industries. You've got those stupid maid cafes and cleaning services, or all that idol crap, or you've got workers at restaurants and convenience stores that are supposed to just short of prostrate themselves to customers who can be abusive, and there's always that quiet background judgement that most women should be in the married and providing male sons, or taking care of their parents. You don't get out of it just because you've got higher education either. Years of study at one of the top universities, success in medical school, being the lead in developing a-"

She catches herself, realizing that it's getting very personal but in the wrong way, and takes a moment to fuss with folding things and putting them on the table. Give her the credit for being neat. Perhaps that comes from being a doctor. Perhaps it's cultural. Perhaps it's just all Tae.

"What it comes down to is that, as you might be able to tell from the hair, the accessories, the clothes, I don't exactly fit the mold of what is 'charming' in a Japanese woman. I enjoy punk rock culture, and I don't apologize for it. It's getting better now than it was when I was younger, but people still don't expect their doctor to not fit into the little boxes they make. So maybe I don't want to be charming as they perceive it, not when it means I have to check their boxes and squeeze into expectations. And stop dying my hair. Maybe I should just be allowed to be me, and fuck the rest of that trash."

That earns a grimace. She's going to have to figure that out. Maybe she can't get to any concerts here, or buy accessories, or even hit dive bars, but dammit she was going to keep dying her hair blue.

That had clearly been building for a while, and Tony wasn't sure if it was because he was the one who had been signalling that she should be more docile or was just collateral damage in a major pressure disaster. Maybe he didn't help by tipping his head to make a show of narrowing his eyes out at a middle distance while she shot out her list of frustrating traits, like, oh, maybe he had heard of something like that before... By the time she was folding like the clothes were arguing with her, he was still leaning casually against the table, not budging to get out of her way or treat the clothes he had picked out with nearly as much care, and watching Tae with an amused glimmer that he wasn't working hard enough to conceal.

When it seemed like she had finally discharged, Tony gave her another beat to intimidate her fabric before he admitted, "My girlfriend had the same problem." Meaning, maybe he did understand, a little bit--at least enough to be in the advanced class. "Not the punk rock thing, exactly. She was a party gal, liked cute things, had this little stuffed animal purse--She was old money, though, and a lady behaves a certain way, and that's before she gets a top position at her dad's very public company. She earned it, she was deadly efficient, didn't have the patience for anything less, but that didn't stop everyone around her from telling her to slow down. Me, too, when I was on the back of her bike and she was playing chicken with a semi." That clearly hadn't scared him too much, because he smiled wistfully and handed Tae the jacket to beat into submission. "What I did learn very quickly is that I wasn't supposed to defend her. Not from that, anyway. The one time I tried to step in at a party when a guy was giving her that kind of shit, he gave me a broken nose, and she gave him permanent brain damage." His grin widened and he offered, "I think, if you want people around you to at least pretend you're 'allowed', maybe you just need to figure out how to optimize your damage output."

At lest he listens, and doesn't blow her off. That's always something good to hear. So she does the respectful thing and listens to him as well, though she does smile at the 'stuffed animal purse' thing. She knew that too. So many girls gave that up in high school because it wasn't entirely appropriate anymore. And an heiress to a major company? That would definitely not be an image that someone would want out there in public.

"Business men fathers are rather like that with their daughters," Tae confirms as she does, sure enough, fold that leather jacket. Though with this she has more care. No way she wants to introduce creases that are forced into it enough to lead to wear too soon. For all she knows it's not real leather, but pleather, and that crap shedded, bad. "I am sorry for your girlfriend. People would have assumed the position was nepotism, which would not be unfair to assume given how things work back home."

Though the playing chicken with a semi gave her mixed feelings. It would probably be a rush, but as a doctor the idea of anything so dangerous gave her a bad feeling. Even in her ER rotation she'd had to deal with people heavily injured by the things and their foolishness.

"While I cannot condone permanent brain damage, I can understand why she did it. And I don't need to optimize damage output. I just point out that I can make it look natural."

Tony raised a hand to push away that apology, waving as he promised, "She took it in stride. The worst thing you could do to her was not give her attention. Played her own games." He twirled a finger up toward his temple with a challenging smirk.

Hopefully, she wasn't actually telling him she had populated her own morgue. That was a very different kind of armor. "A threat can only get you so far," he countered. "If that's what you're relying on, if you want the guys already on their knees and ready with the 'whatever you want, Ms. Tae,' you need a mythology, you need infamy." His gesturing hand landed with an inviting tap on his chest. He might have known something about building a brand, too. "We could fire up the rumour mill right now, if you want to."

Yes, Tae had known women like that too. They weren't often the sorts that she wanted to deal with though. People that needed that much attention were just so much work and she wanted to give her time to things she deemed important, not to maintaining people's minimum requirement for 'look at me I'm special'.

"You're not wrong," she agreed. "Mostly I just walk away or if they're in my clinic I offer to introduce them to local police who would be happy to escort them out."

But the community she had settled into was mostly quiet so it wasn't too much of a problem. Most days. Then there were the days where the assholes went away because Ren had stepped in. It was its own frustration when the high school boy got taken more seriously than she did.

Though what really got her was the word 'infamy'. She winces at it and oh, would you look at that? She can see this really nice mini dress in black and gold that she's going to go collect. Retail therapy at its finest, even without the money. May she should just live in the Pry Says tent, have people bring her medical equipment here.

"I've tried infamy and rumor mills. They tend to lead to sharp whispers and prank calls."

There's definitely a story there.

Prank calls weren't really a problem in Tony's line of work, per se, but he certainly knew a sharp whisper, and he also knew what the source of every one of them was. The molten core of that story was, "What did you do?" He was still leaning against the table, hands tucked innocently at his sides then to grasp the edge and keep them from wandering while he raised his eyebrows like he couldn't imagine how that could sound like an accusation.

Oh it does. To the point where Tae shoots him a dark look. She knows she did nothing wrong. Ren and the Phantom Thieves even went so far as to prove it and get her former boss to confess.

"I stood between a jealous man and the glory he thought he had a right to."

That was tantalizingly vague, and Tony fixed Tae with a narrow, calculating stare, restless fingers drumming along the underside of the table as he considered just how thoroughly one man could destroy someone if he was properly motivated. He couldn't quite dismiss the nagging awareness that he was always an active participant when in those crosshairs. "And did you get it? The glory?" he asked.

Yes, it was vague. Poor him, having to live with those vague comments. Tae, meanwhile, smirks.

"Like I said, I got the infamy, for a while. But you don't go into medical research for glory. Or you shouldn't. Especially not for rare auto-immune diseases. What matters is that I don't need to start off on the foot of 'controversy' here. Especially when I did nothing wrong last time."

It was too much of a hassle. Though maybe he doesn't need to look too closely into her medical trials with Eddie. Kid sure was willing to be repeatedly drugged to sleep.

It certainly wasn't a story that Tony was easily knitting together on his own. His brow knit with a baffled smile, and he concluded, "So, it's the principle you objected to." It didn't seem like she was proud of it. Before she had to argue him out of that notion, he clapped his hands then spread them flat, laying out the foundation before them, "Not controversy," he agreed. "But how you want to be seen. Treated. Nothing stopping you from building an identity from the ground up."

No, it wasn't just the principle, but he doesn't give her a chance to explain that, and it's not the first time. A deeper annoyance is starting to bubble up, but she's trying because Tony is a medical supplier, more or less. Playing nice with them is, while frustrating, necessary. Though at the same time he isn't an American vendor with their whole 'taking you to lunch' thing.

She could go for the sushi.

"And you think I'm not doing that already? It isn't perfect, but I'm getting on enough. People have been more or less alright with seeing me, even those who are not human. There's some distrust of course, but that seems more invested in being a doctor than in how I present myself."

Of course there have been bits of conflict but it's been mostly manageable. And with people who are difficult. Present company included of course.

"Honestly, things have been going swimmingly for being kidnapped. The hospital came surprisingly well stocked. Wesker's doing his own thing but it's meant there are useful resources. And a man named Jon has been making medication for a while. I could have used blind dates as prepared as those gentlemen have been."

Edited (well that missed a whole half a paragraph thanks to deletion. Fuck. ) 2023-05-14 14:45 (UTC)

With a slow, wry smile that didn't look entirely honest, Tony tipped his head against his shoulder so he was watching her through his lashes like it was a proposition when he said, "It's just me, then." The mythology tactic wasn't going to be nearly as effective on such a localized problem.

Wesker was an unusual variable that Tony hadn't yet figured out, and he tried not to tense too visibly as he considered just how strong and explosive he might be if Tae happened to disappoint him. Nothing in her posture told Tony that she was worried about the possibility, so maybe she didn't have to know. It was a very different kind of tension that had him drumming his fingers as he asked, "And what's you're exchange with him? For the medication."

Yes, he has been a rather... unique experience in a way. Though not the only stubborn one. Not by any measure.

"We haven't stipulated anything. I noted his healthcare is free, but I can't charge anyone anyway. I asked if he had medical texts on other races and he didn't. So I guess I will just have to owe him a favor."

Because what other option was there? It almost seemed like this whole place ran on favors.

Jon was unlikely to ask for a favour, of all things; he had to be needled into admitting what small comforts he wanted in his own office, so someone who kept an eye on him might have to cash in for him. Maybe not as abruptly as, "Just let him know you need him," which Tony did realize might have sounded a little weird, and waved a hand to try to smooth out, "When you need help. Tell him he can help." Maybe he'd be more receptive to it from a pretty face.

"Sounds like you know him," she says, her voice thoughtful as she goes to collect some more clothes. This time it's actually practical scrubs. Every girl deserves a set.

"Is that all? Nothing he likes that I can provide?"

Lightly curious? Yep, that's her. Granted she's never been in his presence, but someone who could rattle off chemical formula for medications and who was replicating them as forethought deserved consideration.

"Little bit," Tony muttered, mostly to himself as Tae turned to choose more prizes. What confidence he had in that statement slowly leaked out as it struggled to come up with an answer for something that Jon would be happily surprised to receive, and Tony'd had a few years now of trying to leave him the right gift.

Before his lingering smirk could entirely fall, he abruptly offered, "Conventional wisdom suggests you should always bring flowers, start the date off with a little luxury, and every time he sees them over the next few days he's going to have to think about you." The problem that he knew she was going to accuse him of, was how much Tony actually relied on anything conventional, so he was ready to continue mildly, "Jewellery lasts much longer, though."

Conventional wisdom is not her style. In fact she smiles to herself as she remembers.

"I bring tickets, to some concert. If they don't want to go they can trade or sell it. And if they do go and have a good time they can keep the ticket for memories. But I guess flowers were never my thing. And jewelry can be so hit or miss."

Tony raised his eyebrows, aiming for scandalized and landing closer to expectant, until it was clear that he had to push, "You know he can't go to that concert without you, that's the next date." She really did have a poor opinion of him if she thought he was that naive. "If a concert is your thing, though--Don't worry about it, you ask him to go, I'll do the rest. Just give me a timeline."

What a strange conversation this was turning into. But she supposed she could accept that. For now she pulled out her comm and started tallying point values.

"You're one of those then? What's the term I heard... shippers?"

'One of those' could have gone a lot of dark directions, and Tony braced like he was ready to be slapped, only to be left staring then trying for a glance over either shoulder like there might be something there to better illuminate what Tae meant. Nothing was giving Tony any obvious context. "Like...exports...?" he tried. He could see how that would make him a 'shipper', and maybe being accused of being some kind of middle man was an improvement on her evaluation of his value to her in the hospital.

Now now, it wasn't middle man. It was middle class. There was a difference. A vital one. And he clearly wasn't a middle anything.

"Like those people who get invested in relationships on TV, real or not. Or who think their favorite celebrities should be together and just tell themselves stories about it."

There was another pause while Tony tried to restructure with this new information, his eyes narrowing as he considered that he might have told himself more than a few humiliating stories about 'celebrity relationships' and just how obvious his proclivities might have been to everyone more polite than to bring it up like this. Abruptly, he realized, "You're--are you famous?" That would explain some things. "Not that--listen, I'd remember a celebrity doctor looking like you. Probably. There's a lot of Earths out there."

"Infamous, in the right circles," she reminds him with a shake of her head and her arms moving to cross defensively over her chest. Though she does also have a little smirk. Nice to know that her looks are memorable.

"It's more that you're setting up this narrative for me and this Jon, who I have only spoken to once. Figure if you're doing that it's some sort of habit of yours."

It wasn't a habit that Tony ever felt like he had to defend; he already had plenty of those to talk about. He had to buy himself some time with a clipped, "Maybe," as he struggled with what he thought he was doing for Jon, and had to push it aside to continue, "Your pleasure is my pleasure. You asked what he would like. So." Flowers and jewellery weren't the answer, a concert very well might have been, and Tony was the one that had spoken to Jon more than once. Maybe it was a little defensive when he suddenly tried, "A good cup of coffee, in something strong and reliable and--honest." That was not a normal way to describe a mug. "Maybe there's something like that around here, hey, might as well, we're already breaking the bank, what's one more thing, let's check." He was finally moving away from the table then as he talked quickly, hands fluttering to spread the words around liberally.

Coffee. Tae makes a noise that is a cross between frustration and longing.

"Him and me both. And a plate of the boss's special curry to go with it."

Now she misses home in a way she hadn't before.

"Wait, are we looking for the coffee or the cup? And how can a cup be dishonest?"

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