delivery

[in_extremis]

WHO: Tony Stark, Cloud Strife, technically open if you want to hang
WHERE: The forge? I don't know the structure of this post eludes me, it might be just network, I might just be setting up a bunch of interactions for Cloud to have with everyone else like a benevolent god
WHAT: Tony's been making things and has packages for Reeve, Tommy, Sansa and Jon, and he's not doing all of that walking himself.
WARNINGS: It is genuinely not my fault that all of Tony's posts are horny and you should just expect it now.

a text to Cloud

hey

where are you?

you want a job, right?

Come to the forge.

Outside of the forge, sitting in front of the closed door very pointedly, were five lumpy bundles, the wrapping of these clearly not Tony's strong suit. One of them seemed to be just in a big leaf. They were all labled with thin tags of impressed aluminum tied or just placed on top for Cloud to figure out where they were supposed to go with just a name-- the rest, like who any of these people were and where to find them, was Cloud's job to figure out, apparently.

At least one of them should have been pretty easy.

C L O U D
It was...a chocobo? Or how Tony remembered a chocobo looking from the glance at it in Reeve's memory. Small, grey and surprisingly heavy, it wound up to go bouncing away on weirdly articulated legs. Did Tony think he was paying Cloud?

R E E V E
It's a head.
This might be what Tony thought a cat skull looked like. It wasn't much like the design he had left for Mini-C's skeletal structure in Reeve's sketchbook, he obviously had some time, and the obsessive insomnia turned to 11 after the sleep glut and nowhere to pour his creative energy, to take a more detailed turn, and he would have used the energy to make more of the structure but they were still tight on materials. What he did make was a few servos, dangling from the skull shape like a disembodied nerve system, and a prototype pair of hands tucked safely into the dome, too delicate to be very useful to Mini, but responding to their programming housed in the skull. The systems were done, was the point.

T O M M Y
Was this what he meant by hydroponics? It wasn't like Tony had managed to miss that bit of drama on the network. It wasn't assembled, a bunch of disparate pieces that didn't come with instructions, but a note that only read 'you need a tube'.

S A N S A
This bundle had a pair of brass combs in it, stamped, much like the labels on the packages, with roses. If Sansa hadn't figured out how to keep her hair from being a mess, maybe this would be a reminder.

J O N
A very tiny little knot of a rag, about as big as the label that sat under it, and felt light enough to be empty.
It seemed to only contain a gold chain.

Comments

[in_extremis]

I'm telling you otherwise. I can't promise it's going to be nice and extra dangerous for your tastes, but you could spice it up all you want, cut through the forest, jump off a building, knock yourself out.

If you can't figure that out, you might not be the man I'm looking for.

action <--

[backoff]

The blond wasn't going to be sending another text message right away. He pulled up the map on the tablet and made a mental note of where the forge would be pinned as way point. Cloud would get there with no problem at all. It might have taken him a bit but he walked towards the front of the Forge. The closed door didn't surprise him but seeing wrapped packages did. He didn't think he would be making deliveries again. A small smile spreads his lips as he couldn't help those memories pulling forward. He knows how much it means for people to get much needed packages. There were times where he knew it could be a gift. People needed to have some kind of conversation at times.

He crouches down to gather the bundles and carefully stashes them within his hidden pockets. Cloud pauses on the last one that had his name on it. Tony didn't have to give him anything for this. He didn't expect payment since what was really currency here in Agra 10? What did people exchange for services?

When had he received a gift last? Was it from Tifa and the orphans during his birthday one year? Cloud felt heat rising up his neck, ears and cheeks. He ducks his head as he stands straight up again to unwrap his bundle. Why should he wait to unwrap it?

Cloud tilts his head while looking at what he thinks is possibly a chocobo. Really? He rubs the back of his neck as he looks at it wondering what it might do.

[in_extremis]

The door abruptly opened, and Tony stood in the dark mouth of the forge looking startled. The last message from Cloud had been a lifetime ago, long enough for Tony to have made a new mold for some poker chips, realize he was hungry, then decide instead to clean some of the disaster he had created making his brass alloy. Either Cloud wasn't coming, or was long gone, in Tony's estimation, so he didn't expect the company. Beyond him, the workshop was still absolutely a mess, and Tony himself didn't look much better, carrying a bucket of black water at his side that had already dripped down his leg. "What are you still doing here?" he asked, and it sounded accusatory like he really thought Cloud was just hanging around outside instead of heading off to his assignment. "Are you...do you need to be refueled? Oil change? Tire rotation? What is it?"

[backoff]

Cloud took a step back as the door opened. Tony had still been at the forge and truthfully he liked taking his time when he didn't need to be at places too quickly. What was the point when the days seemed long enough? Plus he could take the risk at exhausting himself. There was a lot to do with the city as well as doing tasks that he didn't really have to do. But at least then he wouldn't be lonely. "I just got here." He says it in a flat tone as he glances down at the grey Chocobo. "I can do most of that with my bike. Is this supposed to be a Chocobo or a chicken?"

Yeah, he knows about chickens, thank Cayde for that. "You didn't have to pay me or do something like this."

[in_extremis]

That one could have been a translation error or bad listening skills, to be fair, but Tony still squinted at Cloud with some disbelief and some admiration for refusing to absorb Tony's joking whatsoever. It was as though they were different species which, to be fair, they were, but Reeve usually seemed to get what Tony was implying without issues, Cloud was just...magnificent. "Do you have blonde jokes where you're from? You'd love them. It's a chocobo, doesn't it look like one?"

It was possible it did not, Tony's familiarity with the creatures was quite literally passing, but he still sounded irritated as though it was Cloud's fault for not understanding Tony's artistic interpretation of his native giant bird. "Listen, I've only seen the one, maybe it was an outlier, I swear it looked like that. If you don't want it, you can just...I can melt it, it's fine." Tony would figure out the kind of things Cloud actually wanted and could use eventually to pay him properly, but they hadn't really spent that kind of quality time together yet, so Tony had to make his guesses.

[backoff]

Cloud may have a hard time picking up on how other people tend to joke. He'll pick up on it the more he's around them. Deep down he's a nerd but the shield needs to be taken out first. He narrows his eyes at Tony while pointing up towards his hair. "My hair always gets joked about with looking like a chocobo." He glances at Tony's design of the chocobo. If it has the long neck with a beak, long legs, looks generally like a bird there shouldn't be any issue in saying that it does.

He shakes his head while winding the chocobo up and making sure it stays on his open palm as it bounces. "No, you don't need to melt it. I'm letting you know for next time." Cloud looks at Tony if there would be one after this. He pauses for what might seem a while before he softly says. "Thank you. I know this world doesn't have currency but we could make other arrangements." Because there's more useful things than gifts. If Tony can make objects such as these, he would be able to make swords, maybe. Cloud rolls his lips together but keeps quiet and to himself.

[in_extremis]

It did generally look like a bird, but the neck definitely wasn't quite right, making it distinctly more chicken-like and unbalanced with its gangly legs. Tony hadn't been under the impression that it was a gorgeous creature either way, but the lingering impression he did have was obviously unfavourable, as much as he had tried to render it with the love he could muster for an alien emu. "I thought that was deliberate," he admitted about Cloud's hair with a baffled pout, because it clearly took a concerted effort to make it look that way, and if it wasn't in tribute to a bird's ass, Tony couldn't imagine the inspiration. That was easier to respond to than Cloud actually accepting the gift and his thanks, though, to which Tony could only offer the dismissive lift of one shoulder, sure, whatever, not melting it, maybe there would be more jobs like this in the future, he wasn't making any commitments. He had left it out here so they didn't have to talk about it. "If this is your way of asking me for something, I'll let you know upfront that my hourly's steep. You better be prepared to do marathons around this place. You're looking at luxury goods."

[backoff]

Cloud could get away with calling it a fat chocobo. He didn't really know what else to do with it and there was no point in getting rid of it quite like that. He waited for the metal bird to stop bouncing around. Strange as it is he knew a kid would enjoy it more. He shakes his head as he goes to pocket the gift as he thinks about Denzel and Marlene but then he turns his attention to Tony. "No, not really. I went short when I joined the Shinra army."

It kind of stays how it is. Cloud doesn't have to do that much maintenance on his hair. A few easy cuts and he should be fine. He probably didn't really have to worry about any of that truthfully with the alien blood running in your veins.

"Maybe. But we don't really know each other. Are you trying to tire me out?" Cloud shrugs before crossing his arms against his chest. "Are we bartering now? Is this what this is? Because of your hourly being steep. I've seen what Shinra can make as far as luxury goods." It's the only comparison he's got.

[in_extremis]

Tony had come to brace one hand on the doorframe, the other arm heavy with the full bucket he still carried, and he lolled his head almost to his shoulder with a catlike smile as he promised, "Sweetheart, if I was trying to tire you out, you'd know it." It would be convenient to know what they were bartering for, because Tony had the distinct impression now that Cloud was hoping for something but their communication issues apparently weren't as one directional as Tony was thinking. What did Shinra have to do with anything? And how had both he and Reeve neglected to note Cloud's attachment to the company at the centre of all of their ills while weaving the complex web of their story? Tony had been under the impression Cloud was playing for the other team.

Abruptly, he lifted the bucket between them and released for Cloud to catch if he didn't want it dropping to spatter all over him. They were getting to know each other, and Cloud was ready to make an investment, Tony could gather that much. "Empty that out back. Over that patch of mushrooms at the edge of the woods, if you can. They're disgusting," he instructed. Maybe enough menial tasks would get Cloud to just admit what he was after.

[backoff]

Cloud’s eyebrows rose as Tony confessed to him knowing what Tony’s way of tiring out looks like. His eyes study Tony's face and mannerism before he slowly says. “You’re going to have to show me sometime.” Will he regret these words? Cloud doesn't really know what he could be getting himself into. What are they bartering? Nothing right now if Tony were to even ask. Cloud wanted to know what this steep hourly rate was. They weren't close and asking for anything would amount to trust of some kind. He wouldn't out right ask though. The whole talking and conversing thing is not his forte. Cloud can try to stay on topic but as far as his hair goes it got short due to joining the army. But he didn't hint to Tony that it had changed at that point. Everyone has a start to their story. Cloud isn't with Shinra now but he had been part of them.

The blond’s attention moved quickly to the bucket. His senses turned to it. Cloud’s mouth parts as the bucket fell from Tony. Cloud reached out fast to grab the bucket with both hands with ease. He doesn't seem that bothered by Tony’s release but he holds the bucket under his arm. “What is this stuff?” Cloud couldn't help but ask as he glanced at the stuff in the bucket to then back at Tony. He does start to head in the direction of the instructions but he would want to hear what Tony had to say about it before he fully walks off to the task.

[in_extremis]

Cloud really took his time processing Tony's teasing, making Tony press his knuckles to his lip when he finally got his slow answer to keep from outright laughing at Cloud that time, watching him with curious delight over his hand instead until he could bring the shield away, reasonably schooled to nod airily. "It would be my pleasure." Tony was really getting the appeal now, Cloud was a barrel of fun. He did wave Cloud on impatiently, though, already turning to head back inside and beyond thinking about the problem he had dumped onto Cloud; there was plenty more to do. "It's just water, don't worry about it," he insisted, as though black water wasn't worrying.

[backoff]

Cloud squinted at Tony wondering at what he might have set himself up for. It didn't really matter since teasing was normally hard to pick up on. But don't think for a moment he hasn't taken his eyes off from people acting weird. The bucket was a good distraction from him thinking too much more into it. Cloud will dip his finger tips in the water and bring it up to look at it. Black? Why is that? He turns to the side and does a shake off towards Tony’s direction to flick the water at him from his fingertips. “Uh-huh. Looks a little tainted…”

He then continues on his way to do the task of dumping the water onto the mushrooms. The mushrooms didn't look like they did anything wrong. At least he wasn't killing flowers he would have to make an argument with that. Cloud wouldn’t take long with his task and would end up going into the forge to look for Tony to give him back the bucket. Where would he find Tony?

[in_extremis]

Tony was crouched in front of the fire by then, sweeping ash out into the grate at his feet, carelessly enough that it was billowing and making the mouth of the fire glow in the cloud. He only made it worse as he stepped back, clapping more of the ash off of his hands to point next to the striking surface for Cloud, "Put it there. Wait, there's a--bring the broom," then gesture back toward the door.

There was already a cracked, plastic container full of dust and filings tucked under the workbench that Tony dragged out and tipped over for Cloud, apparently, to get to sweeping into. Tony was heading back to the table, where he lifted himself up to sit on the edge, wiping down his sooty hands with a rag.

[backoff]

Cloud watches Tony silently for a moment before really looking around the forge. He’s not used to seeing something quite like this or how one works really. If anything Cloud was truthfully a fighter first before learning anything on how to maintain electronics or even his own weapons. Gaia was still being rebuilt every so slowly and he needed to keep maintenance on his own stuff. Cloud learned some ins and outs but making anything would be lost to him. He wouldn't mind listening to someone talk shop on their creation. Cid always loved talking about his airship to Cloud. He makes a one shoulder gesture before going off to get the broom. Tony’s already ordering him around as if he knows where things were. But at least the man pointed in the direction where he could find one.

He comes back with the broom. Tony’s lucky that he didn't yeet the broom over back to him from the distance of the door. Since Cloud could have easily done that. But he does however hold it out for a moment thinking the other might just take it but instead Tony leaves the sweeping to Cloud. So he’ll mosey this job on purpose. Cloud moves the clear container with his boot and positions himself with his back at Tony. He starts to sweep but it’s in long slow brushes down towards the container. The long slow brushes make him sway his hips very in the same motion. “What’s the black water? Is it ash? Or is it something more?”

[in_extremis]

It was entertaining enough that Cloud just did it without argument, like he accepted dumping the bucket, that Tony was already leaning back on his hands with a wry smile to watch him work. There had to be an upper limit to what he accepted before he started pushing back, or maybe he just thought this was how things worked around here and was in for a shock when he made similar demands of anyone else. He hadn't been that easy to rile up in the bunker, either, despite already being visibly on edge; trying to figure out what his threshold was might have been well outside of Tony's patience, and he'd be picking fights with Catra just for the satisfaction.

"Maybe. Maybe some wax. Maybe some finishes that are definitely poisonous and I shouldn't have been inhaling them. You didn't drink it, did you?" he replied lightly. There were genuinely all kinds of things that could have been in that bucket; Tony was pretty good at identifying composites and wasn't used to being wrong, but he was scavenging his materials on an alien planet, there was bound to be an interesting chemical mixture in the runoff. "It's just from cooling my work," he explained more clearly finally, pointing to the fire and the tongs resting beside it. "Fire it, hammer it, dunk it."

[backoff]

Tony had said that he would be doing marathons around the place. Cloud may just as well do these tasks anyway. It's not like he had anything better to do. Maybe he could have an idea or plan on what he could do with this container full of soot. He walks behind the container, places his boot on the back of it. He takes the broom and sweeps the rest of the soot into it before looking back over at Tony. What's the next step? It might be different from what Tony might tell him.

"I dumped them onto the mushrooms. Mission complete. Figures it's for cooling down metals." Cloud was mostly curious over what the black substance had been. It reminded him a little too much of something else. He tilts his head. "What kind of works have you done in the past?"

[in_extremis]

That expectant look managed to catch Tony off guard, making him raise his eyebrows back at Cloud for wondering what Tony had for him next without even being prompted now. That had to be a military thing, a good soldier didn't need a lot of reason to go submissive, because Tony didn't think he had been that manipulative this time. He thought he was still testing boundaries. He went, "Uh-m," not even prepared for what else he could tell Cloud to clean up around here, but could start by gesturing under the workbench he sat on for Cloud to replace the container there.

Showing off might buy him some time. Tony gladly leaned across the bench to switch on a humming lamp, a bright white that made the warm glow of the fire that had been the sole light in the room look impossibly dim. It was pointed down toward the table, but Tony swiveled it up to better illuminate the towering structure that was his workspace, layers of scaffolding connecting the bench to the trembling catwalk above, draped with his half-finished projects. Most of it seemed to be pieces of armor-- gauntlets, boots, pauldrons and masks, strung across the scaffolding like a massacre. "You name it, I can make it," he said.

[backoff]

Cloud could have easily turned the container into a soot canon. The broom would be knocked into the back of the container hard enough to make it puff out whatever was collected. He's sure it would have gotten him into a lot of trouble. But it may have been worth it depending on the next line of tasks. Because the broom would have been handed to Tony then and he would have walked away. Maybe they both were testing each other in some way to see what might happen. Cloud raises an eyebrow as Tony doesn't dish out another task to do.

He watches him as he finishes up with placing the container back under the workbench. Cloud waits as the scaffolding comes into view. The items on it too him with interest as if he may have seen similar things before. "Armor? Do you make weapons too?" You name it, I can make it. Cloud can't help but smile a little since it's how he ran his own business. He looks closely at the pauldrons.

[in_extremis]

The sword, of course. Reeve had mentioned. Tony settled back on his hands again, looking up at his own work contemplatively, mouth twisted to the side like he had to think about this question. "Not anymore," was the short answer, and with that Tony turned to Cloud with an impeccable smile, like he had just given the press everything they wanted. The real answer was definitely much more complicated than that, and the mold for Cayde's bullets was still on the bench right by Tony's hand, but those were highly exclusive services and Cloud didn't have the clearance yet. "Why, are you really jonesing for that baseball bat? There's not even enough of us here for a full team, slugger," Tony said, and barely stopped the teasing tilt of his head, eyes glittering instead and sure now that Cloud would assure him he didn't have to worry about getting a team together.

[backoff]

Not anymore. Cloud gives a nod knowing that Tony probably couldn't see him do it. But that would give him reason to not ask what he was seeking. It wouldn't be fair. He wouldn't want someone to ask him for stuff he does not do anymore. Bullets were different, Tony still wasn't making the weapon to fire them off. Cloud backed away from the work after really looking at the email of each one. He turns his attention back to the other man. “I can use a baseball bat the same way as a sword. But would the Agrii classify it as a weapon or a sports equipment?” He squints his eyes at Tony since he didn't think of trying to find a loophole within the system. It was cheating against the no weapons rule in some form.

“I can fight but my skills are at their best with a sword. I can use guns if needed.” It’s what he used as an Infantry man but even back then he had shown skills in handling a sword better than most. Cloud grips the broom while giving a small smirk. “I won't ask you to make something that you don't do anymore.” He takes several steps back and does a full swing of the broom out towards his right side. Cloud spins it back up and over his head before placing it behind him. “I could use this broom and knock out a few people with it.” If he really wanted to but he’s not about hurting others. There’s been far too many deaths.

“I know that fighting isn't always the way to protect people. But if a threat comes I don't feel as if I'll be useful.” Which sword did Reeve talk about? Since the one he’s used to using comes in parts that slide together to create the giant familiar buster sword. Cloud knew what to look for back on Gaia.

[in_extremis]

"Listen, trying to figure out how the Agrii brain works is the big question around here, you're getting ahead of yourself. Leave that kind of problem to the think tank," Tony insisted before Cloud hurt himself trying to work out how the Agrii classified a wooden bat. It was challenging enough figuring out how they classified slavery.

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to take the smirk as confidence that Cloud didn't really need a sword if he had a broom to swing around, or confidence that he could convince Tony his form was worth reconsidering the weapons embargo for him, but Tony gave him a prim, sarcastic clap for the performance either way. That was his freebie, it didn't seem like Cloud could get through a conversation without boasting about his physical prowess in some way, so Tony would indulge the one. He stopped being so sarcastic as Cloud admitted his usefulness, making Tony frown and lean back again instead. "Come on, you're up for anything," he pointed out. "Not sure how good you are at being the mailman yet, that one's still in the air, but you haven't let me down yet." Granted, dumping a bucket and sweeping up a bit wasn't an impossible bar to clear, but Cloud was still hitting every shot.

[backoff]

"Figuring out the motives to alien lifeforms can be tricky. But they have to have a motive of some kind." Cloud's going to be stubborn on that topic of wanting to find out what exactly they were after. Was it really wanting the heroes to rebuild so they could all go home? It seemed too good to be true only if those here wanted to put forth the effort to remotely want to rebuild.

Fighting didn't have to be the only way to protect people. Cloud could easily use anything to fight but he would be better off with a sword if a major threat did appear. He walks off to place the broom back in it's spot before coming back towards Tony. "The names on the tags are ones I recognize for the most part. It shouldn't be too hard to deliver your packages." Cloud shrugs while looking at him. "There might be a day where I won't be able to help right away."

He places a hand over his left arm, he knew for the moment he was fine. But any other given moment he might not be. "And it won't be because I'm out of a weapon."

[in_extremis]

That move with the arm was getting familiar, if Tony had figured out how to expect anything from Cloud. It halted Tony from his dismissive encouragement to hit the dirt, then, if the job was so easy, making him freeze then drop his hands back to the bench, leaning forward with them curled around the edge of the table, eyes narrowed to watch Cloud with ruthless scrutiny.

"Are you dying?" He didn't say it with any tenderness, but if it was the case, then it wasn't news to Cloud, either, but a problem to be fixed. The last time Cloud had made that move, he had stumbled into Reeve's room to sit pallidly while everyone seemed to panic and have something to whisper about.

[backoff]

Cloud remembered what Reeve had told him about telling Tony. He hadn't expected tenderness to begin with when it came to Tony. They had been hiding something and it could have been much worse. He looks at the other. "Yes." The answer is quiet and quick, nothing else follows after it.

There's silence as Cloud seems to be searching for something to say. His eyes shift from side to side as he slowly glances downward towards the floor. Cloud's not good at expressing himself or letting people in for that matter.

He presses his lips together and lifts his eyes back up to look at Tony. "I don't know where to start or begin with that."

[in_extremis]

Cloud was in total control of that silence, and Tony let it eat at him, watching with that cold calculation for more of an answer. When it didn't really come, Tony finally prompted, "Do you think there's anything you can do about it?" This place was about solving problems, not spilling them all over the floor to get sticky and obtrusive.