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]

"Aren't you the genius that builds the future?" Tony asked, and maybe there were plenty of things about Tony that Reeve didn't want to be compared to, but Tony thought a few were undeniable. His smile was twisted and teasing as his fingers moved up from Reeve's arm to wander along his jaw, touching his thumb to Reeve's lip along the shape of his beard; not just the superficial similarities. "When I was talking about the multiverse, about the fractures and the parallels--two Captain Americas from two different worlds, and the polarity--I don't know, maybe it's not really the same." It did really feel like it, though, especially with Reeve so close to him, but he also felt like Whitney was the only person on Earth who could understand him this way while she watched him from his pillows and talked about really changing her life for good.

[plate_builder]

Well now wasn’t that an interesting thought. One that makes him cringe. Though he leans into Tony’s touch for comfort.

“May I start by asking you not phrase it in that specific manner. Amusingly enough you have hit on one of Shinra’s mottos. But yes. That is a thing I aspire to. Or perhaps rebuilding the future. But I don’t believe that I am quite so inspired as you. Thus the comparison seems... unfitting. You’re something more. Witty and confident and demanding of attention in ways I could not manage.”

Was that enough? Or should be praise more lavishly?

[in_extremis]

Alright, so maybe if more of Tony's blood was in his brain than his dick, it would be more readily apparent that the parallel he thought existed was between him and that blonde heir to the throne at Shinra, but he rolled his eyes and leaned closer to nuzzle stubbornly into Reeve's shoulder, because if that was true then this polarity theory that Tony was working up meant it was going to be as easy as it ever was for Reeve to just walk away from him. Lucky for Reeve, anyway. Tony at least had the chance to snicker for now, repeating, "Listen, I'm trying to tell you something..." because Reeve just kept doing that generously kind thing and Tony could only leave a kiss along his collar for each of the nice things Reeve could express about him now. At least, Tony thought 'demanding of attention' sounded kind of nice, coming from him. He might have thought Reeve calling him names sounded nice, too. "Are you going to tell me why I'm not supposed to call you nicknames, too?" he asked, as long as Reeve was telling him the unique ways Tony had to put his foot in his mouth.

[plate_builder]

Why he’s not supposed to... Oh. Oh that. Reeve sighs and covers his face with a hand for a moment while he groans over that.

“You noticed that. Fuck.”

For a man that tended to be overly eloquent and proper, that could be considered a very strange word choice for him. It so rarely happened. More than that, the crisp, careful tones of his accent slipped away with the curse, replaced with something not unlike that same voice but with a deep, near-Scottish accent like the mother of his memories.

Congratulations? A brief glimpse into the truer Reeve was won there. By the time he spoke again it was back to that carefully cultured accent.

“You are welcome to use nicknames. But not that one. Specifically not that one. Bad history.”

[in_extremis]

With his nose still to Reeve's throat, Tony could feel that change as much as he heard it, making him lift his head in a delighted shock that it occurred to him to try to smooth out before Reeve thought that delight was over finding a loose screw. Which, it was, kind of, not like that. The accent, Tony thought, had been thoroughly overwritten, not hidden behind a mask. The cursing was hidden, that was less surprising, no less compelling to hear.

He didn't really buy the line, though, making him shift back up onto his hand placidly, unless Reeve happened to have some bad history with 'old man', too--that was possible, Tony had a knack for that kind of thing. "Sorry," he allowed anyway, for putting that on Reeve while he was vulnerable, and for the temptation to use it against him even if Reeve didn't end up putting up with that part. His hand was back on Reeve's arm, one nail scratching idly like he picked at the peeling edge of an imperfect coating, not sure yet how to prompt him into sharing more of his real voice with Tony, searching. "Am I not supposed to ask, either?" he said, tilting his head in his hand in the deliberately innocent way that said he was going to find out if he really wanted to, whether Reeve told him directly or not.

[plate_builder]

“You are quite welcome to ask,” Reeve says, almost shocked to hear himself say it. “I just assumed you might not be interested in my failure of a love life. At least not so close to an orgasm.”

There is a lot more to be said about it, but there is an awkwardness to it.

“But if you really want more proof that I’m a fool, I can share.”

[in_extremis]

At this point, if Reeve really thought he was alone here in conducting his love life gracelessly, those blinders were on tight and maybe Tony could start to believe the compliments came so easily because Reeve was not seeing the faults. Tony opened his mouth to point this out, but it seemed far too obvious, and wrinkled his nose instead with a smiling squint, come on, man, really? This was a support group. 'Failure' and 'a fool' was not the kind of language you were supposed to use about yourself. And not interested? "I wouldn't have been treated to that orgasm without the failure of your love life," he pointed out. At least, he thought he had been laying the groundwork the first time they had spoken on Risa; maybe that wasn't what did it for Reeve, maybe power failure just made him horny. Tracing that direct line for them from Reeve's shoulder down to his elbow, Tony said, "Your bad flirting--your come in my mouth. Lay it on me, Casanova," and stuck his tongue out like that was all he was angling for.

[plate_builder]

“You are a brat at times,” Reeve sighed. But he continued anyway, his hand finally moving to flop at his side.

“Garret was my lover through college. Who encouraged me to pursue the Shinra work despite the fact that it would separate us. Years I was his partner, and we did everything. Partied. Enjoyed each other and others. Garret was worldly in ways a farm boy wasn’t. And I found out two years later when he was hired by Shinra that he was married. I was happy for him, until I met his wife in the building when she was coming to bring him lunch.”

Reeve finally looked to Tony and there was a flicker of pain on his face.

“They had been engaged, for most of the period I had been his lover. I was how he cheated on her. And he called me sweetheart.”

[in_extremis]

Tony accepted 'brat' with more pride in his grin than he had anything else Reeve had called him, and seemed to come to the belated realization with this that Reeve hadn't actually moved away when Tony thought he was encouraging him off. He had to carefully plan his attack, hand inching across Reeve's chest as he spoke, knee drawing up alongside Reeve's leg to drape over it, until he was snuggled happily against Reeve's shoulder with the man at least partially in his octopus grip. The turning gears were practically palpable as Tony processed this story, and came to the conclusion that it was had to be upsetting not to know that was what was going on. An unnecessary lie that could point to many. He had seen a similar betrayal from enough partners when he admitted his double life.

He still replied, "That has nothing to do with you," as though this had any chance of appeasing the scars Reeve obviously still had. "Is it really the...being the other man part?," he continued, not exactly skeptical, because of course Reeve's concern would be his impact on this woman's life that he didn't know, that was the generosity of his spirit. The lying part should have been more painful, for a normal person, and was easier for Tony to understand.

[plate_builder]

“It’s a lot of things, darling,” Reeve sighs. But then it’s gentled by the way the man was curled around him.

It took a bit of effort but he wormed an arm under Tony, pulling him closer. Yeah. This was better than just having Tony run off.

“It was a lot of things. How he lied to me. How he used me. That all I ever was to him was a toy while he made me believe something else.”

It’s a old pain and he doesn’t like to think about it too much.

[in_extremis]

This still seemed complicated for Tony to respond to, uncharacteristically thoughtful while he tried to pick his words carefully. He didn't mean to downplay Reeve's baggage, if he couldn't handle a pretty common petname there was clearly some processing left to do, but, "You were something to him. Could've not been." His fingers walked deliberately across Reeve's chest, like he was counting every hair, less frenetic but just as ceaseless as his usual restless movement. He had a hard time believing anyone could detach themselves enough from the poetry of Reeve to just be using him. "I've been in that position. A lot," he said, the counting pausing long enough to quickly slice his hand through the air, they weren't going into a deep dive there even though that probably meant something, sure, don't worry about it. "Usually more consciously. So I know-- I wouldn't say any of these people were cruel and toying with me, or their partners, but that they're obviously looking for something that...that maybe I can fix. I can be worth that much to them, and, you know, they don't have to be stuck with me at the end of the day. And I've been with more than a few people that, that had no qualms about telling me to my face after all was said and done, that using me was the whole point and I was a stupid son of a bitch, and they got theirs. But, I was still worth that much to them, so..."

Maybe he should just get to any point if he was going to commit to being vague. "I wouldn't do any of it differently," he mumbled, not confident in that conclusion, but definitely confident that if Sunset showed up in Temba tomorrow he wouldn't be keeping his distance. That behaviour had to be explained somehow. And maybe Reeve wouldn't feel so foolish.

[plate_builder]

"I was sex," Reeve counters. There was no way he was something more than that. Believing anything else would just hurt too much. Being used for nothing was somehow easier to take.

He listens thoughtfully, sighing at one point with contentment at the wandering of Tony's fingers. It was like this with Garret, he doesn't say aloud. That it was hot and fast and afterward they would bask in each other's presence but it didn't mean anything.

Not meaning anything to people was something you learned to get used to. But the fact that someone as amazing as Tony had to deal with that was upsetting. The man was wonderful, there should be people falling all over themselves for him. Or maybe there were. Maybe there was someone waiting for Tony at home that Reeve knew nothing about. That was probably be for the best, him not knowing.

"The way you talk, Tony, you make it sound like you were just desperate for some sort of affection in your life."

[in_extremis]

That wasn't really a counter to the argument Tony was trying to make; it didn't matter if all it was was the sex, or the security system codes, or the schematics or the Y-69 rocket, that was all something, but Tony only got as far as muttering, "Yeah..." with another wave of his hand, not sure what part of that wasn't clear. There must have been something in there that Reeve was hearing, though, making Tony huff a shocked, tenuously humorous laugh at first at the evaluation, then withdraw from his carefully won hug to sit up, elbows on his knees to scrub his hands through his hair and try to comb it back into place. For all of the nice things Reeve had to say about Tony, he was certainly doing the heavy lifting around here of pointing out the weakness. "That's just the daddy issues. Congratulations, Galileo," he grumbled. Before anyone got the impression that was what they were talking about and Reeve's shit was off the table, Tony continued, "Carrying that around is toxic, you know. You're too old not to have figured out forgiveness. Garret shouldn't be taking up that much space anymore."

[plate_builder]

Oh Tony, it’s so much more complicated than that. When the man who hurts you works for you and you see their wife often, it stays fresh.

“It’s complicated, Tony. And one should not let a thing like that go so easily. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I’d rather it not be a shame on me.”

[in_extremis]

This might be one thing that they weren't going to agree on, because if Tony wasn't in the habit of letting some vicious treachery go, the Avengers roster would have fit on one used sticky note. He turned his head enough to look back at Reeve a little imploringly, mostly with affectionate frustration, not surprised that he was a stubborn bastard or all that eager to keep trying to talk him out of being one.

"You look delectable like that," he murmured instead, eyes squinting with a smile, then canted his head toward the door as he looked pointedly away. "You have plenty of work left to get that office together," he said. "I'll bring you a computer with the radar system."

[plate_builder]

Delectable. Yes, he can live with that description and even smiles at it.

“I suppose I should get back to it,” Reeve agrees. That had clearly been a dismissal. Or at least a not that Tony was going to take his leave.

“I shall look forward to that so I can do the needed surveying.”