Outage

[in_extremis]

WHO: Tony and fellow 10s exclusively.
WHERE: Heading to the power plant, open to suggestions
WHAT: Tony gets into the civil engineering game, for his own purposes. He has disrupted the grid. Sorry.
WHEN: Now? Whenever you're ready?
WARNINGS: Thread is horny.
SOME NOTES: This is a blackout that I didn't really intend to last very long, but that's up to you. If you want to use it to do some power outage shenanigans, let me and/or Hux know and we'll stay distracted from fixing the problem.


network
[Shortly after all of the power seems to cut abruptly, whether or not anyone noticed or were peacefully asleep in the dark, absolutely everyone receives a direct, private text message at the same time.]
I will fix it. Not a problem.



problem solving
It was inevitable that this would become a problem, but Tony didn't anticipate it happening this fast. There was a whole city out there that, presumably, had been run on this very same grid when fully populated. How was he supposed to know that the entire alien power load was only built to anticipate a single Gamecube and a dinky water display? D.A.T.A. was still smoking in the dark from the surge when Tony wandered dejectedly back into the workshop, no luck fixing the outage locally-- this wasn't a fuse problem. It was everyone's problem.

At least one thing was obviously not part of the same grid; the network hadn't gone down for Tony, and while that was further bad news in the long run, he could take the blessing to try to address the issue before anyone got hysterical about it. He sent out the mass text as he tore the data spheres down from their suspension and meticulously worked in the low light from the simmering forge to feel for the heat and melted warp, and gut the most damaged pieces, leaving them spread blindly on the workbench. That was really going to fuck up his schedule.

He knew where the power plant was, kind of, in theory, and it wasn't a trek he was eager to take without the full light of day on his side, but it wasn't like he was getting anything else done here. It would be faster than it looked, he could run, there was probably a generator up there and the way was going to be brightly lit and not an dark, creepy forest at all. Deep breath. Tony grabbed his jacket and his tool belt and started across town.

Elsewhere, the hum of power had gone silent, lights winked out, and the steady bubbling of the fountain at the centre of the city murmured to a stop, until the surface of the water was still as glass.

Comments

[in_extremis]

I told you, I'm fixing it. Light a candle, take a bath, you'll be back to working your numbers in no time.

You brought this on yourself, using paper. Barbaric.

[plate_builder]

And you expect me to get all the way to the caves and hot spring there in the dark? Without a light? And I have no candles.

And until I have a computer with a reasonable CAD program, my hands are better than nothing.

Please make sure to rest at some point, Tony. I worry about you.

[in_extremis]

[The rest of that is definitely interesting but]

Hot spring?

[plate_builder]

You truly don't know? There are caves near the shore. Among other things, there is a hot spring there. Well suited to baths. It's a network of them. Some almost seem to be private spaces, meant for one. Or two.

[in_extremis]

[A pregnant pause. It was dark, could the power plant wait...?]

I could hold your hand.

[plate_builder]

[Oh Reeve is absolutely chuckling in the dark of his room.]

It's a long walk in the dark, Tony. Aren't you scare that I'm going to fall into a hole and do my old man self a harm?

[in_extremis]

[Trading a long walk in the dark for...a long walk in the dark, did sound less appealing that way.]

How is that different from any other day?

[plate_builder]

[Yes, but at the end of the walk there is a lovely cave filled with glowing mushrooms and blessedly hot water.]

A fair enough point.

[He does, though, send a message that just includes coordinates, based on their map app, indicating where the entrance to the proper cave is.]

For reference and your use as you see fit. As for myself, I doubt I shall sleep any time soon, and I can get no work done in the dark. So I believe I shall take a stroll. [Does he even need to say it's to those self-same hotsprings?]

[in_extremis]

You minx.

Don't rush, I wouldn't want you to get too far without me.

[plate_builder]

Minx is it? Does that mean I get to call you kitten?

[He chuckles and shakes his head. What a strange line. But he is amused.]

I have no intention of rushing in the dark. I'd hate to be left alone with nowhere to go.

do I need to put a warning on this?

[in_extremis]

This was entirely new territory for Tony and he wasn't more than a few steps out of the city before he was filled with a dreading regret, straining to listen for the sound of some approaching slithering or skittering in the dark underbrush. He had definitely braved worse to answer an explicit invitation like the one Reeve had sent, and for less-- a whole network of hot springs after weeks in the forge would have been inviting enough. Tony had ash in his armpits and ears and muscle groups that were entirely new to him ached from dragging scrap across the city and bending over the fire. It was some kind of hate crime that no one had thought to tell him about this yet.

He really hoped that figure he saw lurking around the cave was Reeve, and hung back to approach slowly until he was sure he recognized the line of his shoulder and it wasn't some kind of very small bear or nightmare. It was maybe a little unfair then that Tony snuck up behind him, sliding a hand from his shoulder to pin him back against Tony across his chest and purr in his ear, "I don't think I'm much of a kitten. Do you want to find out?"

depends on whether or not you think Tony will actually seduce or let himself be seduced

[plate_builder]

The walk had been strangely easy on Reeve. With the upgraded Mini-C, created from the doll he'd won at the magic kid's fair, on his shoulder it had all been easy. All he had to do was share his vision. Apparently Mini wasn't affected as much by darkness. So the walk had been easy, and so he'd been able to get there. to wait.

But the movement, the getting pulled against the firm body of another person... Against Tony...

There's a brief chuckle.

"Oh, I think you've got the potential."

[in_extremis]

The purr became a growl for Tony to reply, "You're an asshole," with a laugh pressed against Reeve's neck before he drew away, taking the stuffed animal with him. "Who's this?" he asked, wandering toward the cave with the creature cradled in both arms to offer the question down to it, trying to make out any recognition in its plastic eyes, "Did you feed Mini after midnight?" More importantly, they had to deal with the fact that Reeve now officially had a stuffed animal with him everywhere Tony had found him, and while Tony understood very well now that they couldn't be separated by too much distance, that presented something of a problem. Turning back to Reeve, he asked, "Does he watch?"

[plate_builder]

There's a whole mess of questions for Reeve to work through, and he does follow after Tony. But soon he's moving past Tony to lead the way through the caves, intending to take Tony to the proper area. The caves twist and turn and Reeve clearly knows the path.

"I won a larger toy, so yes, that is still Mini-C. And it seems that our distance, after a touch more testing, is fifty yards before the pain truly sets in."

So he's not worried about keeping Mini out of the way around a bend as a little warder for their sake. And really, the little guy won't even care about the noises.

"And before you chide me, one of the medics monitored me."

[in_extremis]

"At the carnival?" That was the only thing Tony could guess 'won' could have meant, but could only offer Mini-C the briefest look of concern as he kept close to Reeve. It was a comfort to know he clearly knew where he was going, but that didn't make these caves any more welcoming in the dark. By now, there wasn't even a hint of the cherry blossoms that had carpeted the field Billy had worked his magic on. "Aren't you worried he'll...stop? Being." Tony hadn't taken his prize home with him. He had no idea what had happened to it, but assumed it was gone with the rest of the display. As much as Tony wasn't sure he liked the little magic familiar, he gave its furry stomach an apologetic scratch for the thought.

[plate_builder]

"At the carnival," Reeve agrees as he keeps walking. The further they go, the more glowing fungus and mushrooms start to fill the area around them, providing a beautiful glow.

But he pauses to look at Tony, his expression soft. In a way, he's thankful Tony asked the question. It's... considerate.

"I waited several days after the carnival passed to see if he would linger. As he has, I did the transfer, but only after talking to Mini about the decision. And when he is destroyed, that which I gave him returns to me."

[in_extremis]

That seemed very casual after their last conversation about Mini's mortality, but he hadn't had an easy time grasping it then, either. Now that the magic boy had made the magic doll that Reeve filled with magic, Tony had to reject thinking about it on principle. He bent to place Mini gently on the ground now that it was illuminated enough to see the shadowed dips in the terrain, and sharp highlighted edges of rocks, to toddle at his own pace. This place did a surprising amount of glowing, but the caves made it feel much more majestic than the glownies ever looked, and Tony could hear the echoing drip of water as well as feel the moisture in the air now as he took a better look around at the fungus, refraining from reaching out to any of it and reaching for Reeve instead. "I'm pretty bored of you and pain, you should try a different cocktail," he suggested.

[plate_builder]

There's a lot of complication for Mini and Reeve's creations. But the idea of taking and immediately giving Mini life again is... Well, it's different. It's hard to explain. Hard to talk about how it affected him too.

On his feet now Mini races ahead to catch up with Reeve, walking quite comfortably next to Reeve now that he's so much larger. At a foot and a half, when running, he can almost keep up with Reeve's careful strides.

"Scotch tends to be my poison of choice, if you've an abundant supply."

[in_extremis]

"Abundant? Sorry, it didn't occur to me to pack the bar on my way here," Tony laughed and stepped around Mini as he went to flank Reeve from the other side. In another life, Tony would have taken that as an invitation to immediately turn them around as he slipped an arm around Reeve's waist, ready to call Cayde for any supply he could provide, but that hadn't really been what Tony meant this time. He urged Reeve forward toward the sound of the water instead, muttering, "I appreciate the reminder that you have impeccable taste, but, listen, if you keep this up, I'll have no choice but to fall in love. Please, save us both the embarrassment, try to slip in a bad quality once in a while. You like Tolkien, don't you?" Tony didn't wait for an answer, not really expecting Reeve to understand the reference, and pinched Reeve's chin in his free hand to draw him close to Tony's offer against his ear, "You were supposed to tell me what you wanted me to do to you."

[plate_builder]

"I don't know, Tony. You do not strike me as the type to fall in anything more than lust. Or perhaps trouble," Reeve dismisses. Though the Tolkien thing just earns a confused look. Which is really all he should need to say 'I have no idea what you're talking about.

But the getting stopped, that earns a different look entirely. One of amusement.

"I want you to unhand me, just long enough for us to go around this bend and enter the hotsprings, which is just around it. I want you to pick out a lovely little pool, and perhaps help a poor, old man disrobe. And then I might entertain the idea of seeing just how creative you get."

[in_extremis]

The accusation had Tony gasping his indignation, only to raise his chin as though Reeve had bestowed on him a badge of honour for his service. Weren't those more fun in the long run? Tony was a philanthropist. His hands were off of Reeve and snapped behind his back obediently at the first order, though he kept bowed close to press a wet kiss to Reeve's neck before he dragged himself away with a lopsided grin to saunter dutifully in the indicated direction. He only unhooked his wrist from behind his back as he came around to see the hotsprings, slowly coming to a stop at the edge of a pool with his restless fingers working idly at the air before settling over his heart together. Wow. He hadn't realized just how bleak this place had been until then.

[plate_builder]

"The private pools can be even more beautiful," Reeve says as he joins Tony. Mini-C isn't with him, left behind. Reeve immediately shed his coat, folding it and leaving it on a rock. His shoes came off to leave by them. As well as his belt. Then he's moving on as well, unbuttoning his shirt as he goes, skirting around the large pool and toward a side tunnel.

"This way."

And he lets his shirt fall behind him as he goes.

[in_extremis]

It was hard to look away, but the sound of Reeve's belt did it and Tony was quickly back on track, sparing the second it took to rush out of his own shoes to leave with Reeve's but not lingering any longer as his shirt hit the floor. "I thought I was supposed to help," he complained, but he got the message loud and clear, he wasn't moving fast enough, and Tony skipped quickly after Reeve over the wet rocks to catch up. They weren't in a place familiar to him and he was relying on Reeve to lead them through the warren, but he didn't want to lose his creative control over this. As soon as he saw his chance, Tony's hands were back on Reeve, smoothing up the muscles of his lower back that he had taunted Tony with to feel their way back down Reeve's stomach and capture him by the fly as Tony nuzzled into his shoulder.

c/w: naked men enjoying each other

[plate_builder]

"You were supposed to shed your clothes and then be creative. I didn't say anything about you having earned the chance to take my clothes off."

As he says this he's caught by Tony's hands, and his lips. It earns an amused noise. And perhaps a pleased sigh.

"But I suppose I can allow you the indulgence this time. As a pre-emptive thank you for services rendered."

[in_extremis]

If Reeve was trying to put him off balance, Tony had to admit it did get a little under his skin, a spark of hesitation staying his hands until he was allowed. He pressed his weight against Reeve's back as he tickled his lips up Reeve's neck to insist against his ear, "You should be more clear with your instruction." With the buttons quickly open under Tony's fingers, he stepped back to touch his forehead to Reeve's shoulder again as he slid the touch along Reeve's waistband to find his skin and watch down his back as he pushed the clothes out of the way.