revivalproject | THE DEFENDERS MINGLE

"He blames me," Reeve counters. And he knows. Because he was told to his face. But it's just... exhausting.

"You are my friend, Tony, and I have no intention of that changing. However, I do find myself... distressed by the position you have put me in. You are someone who understands me, to a degree. That does not mean that I want you for the long term. We're... too alike. And in the ways we are not, we are not compatible."

That Tony didn't have to build anything for Reeve again to secure the declaration that they were friends was enough to make him lift his head out of his miserable coil, peering over his knee at Reeve with dubious surprise. They both knew that would change, it changed every time Jon imparted whatever this clarity was to Reeve, and eventually Reeve would figure out on his own--yeah. Tony was ready for Reeve to figure out this wasn't sustainable, so it really wasn't fair that it made Tony wince, stomach drawing in tight as he dropped his head again. He wasn't used to people just saying that part out loud, once they hit their threshold they left without the announcement; what a treat to be able to adapt this familiar code to another futurist.

"I know. Sorry," he offered for his general personality deficiency, and Reeve putting up with it to get what he needed in the short term. "Hey," he added, with less energy than he could usually muster, "you know there's a long term. Can't be that pessimistic about all of this. You just need to recharge your batteries; after a nap, a protein bomb, we hit the ground running and figure out what happened to us here, we'll be home in no time."

Don't wince. It's not becoming of a man that should be so much more confident than Reeve could ever manage. After a moment he... he reached out and put a hand against Tony's knee. Don't mind him. Just being comforting.

"It's fine. Strangely enough, I think I've more than come to terms with the idea that I'm not going to date you. But I think I can... I think today has reminded me that I can work with you. And I don't know what the rest will be like, especially not with the mood Jon is in. Perhaps in time you'll make proper peace with him and then we can figure out what we're about beyond working together."

And there probably shouldn't be anything, but Reeve can't guarantee it. There was undeniably an eagerness they shared for certain pass times. Nothing to say they wouldn't fall into it once again.

"You need to sleep too, Tony."

It was not fine, and Tony was trying to build them away from this conversation, especially before Reeve's gentleness inevitably kicked in and he was doing this twisted reassurance for the position that Tony had put him in-- that was really not fine. And especially because Tony couldn't exactly cast him off, either; he folded both hands over Reeve's on his knee, trying vainly to press that warming balm deeper to reach the sick chill in his chest. It was kind of him to have thought far enough ahead to skip over including Tony entirely in this decision not to date, it saved them both the frustration of Tony having to warn him off, but Tony didn't know what it was that made Reeve think he had to share his conclusions. Maybe it came from the same place that made him tell Tony about the compatibility thing instead of just acting on it. "You say more than you show," Tony muttered, an incredibly belated observation for how much he obsessed over how Reeve expressed himself, and for being one of those incompatibilities that Reeve had obviously already figured out long ago. "Smart man," Tony added, as though he had connected those two thoughts at all for Reeve, head tilted in affectionate admiration.

With a deep breath to prepare himself, Tony uncurled again, releasing Reeve's hand to stretch his legs out and drop his head back against the console. "Don't worry about me, I can do this with my eyes closed. See?" He smiled, eyes closed as promised, as though Reeve could actually see Tony was doing anything other than sitting on the floor while he knit their communicator network back together carefully around the fickle framework of the Agrii ship.

"Words are better armor than I can normally afford," Reeve shrugs.

He would move closer, or move away, but the hands on his knee feel like an anchor. Like he shouldn't go elsewhere. Which he can accept. But then... then the man is moving away just a bit. Was it wrong that he hated the distance? Yep. So he just moves to lean against Tony. A little.

"Talented man, Tony. Very talented."

There was no need to be shy about it; Tony gladly raised his arm to welcome Reeve closer as long as he was still offering it, not about to squander his limited time. He draped it heavily around Reeve's neck to pull him against Tony's shoulder, the press of him against Tony's side the first thing to ease the crackling nerves where he touched since they had landed, and making Tony release a breath that it felt like he had been holding in anticipation of that relief. It had been easier to ignore the bone deep need to find a drink while holding James, and Tony didn't want to examine too closely that it might have just been body heat that was soothing. "How's your hand?" he asked quietly. "If we have to amputate and bench you, this game is going to get a lot harder. Lots left to do. There better be a jacuzzi on my ship by the time we leave here. You think I can do that on my own? These alien components are mystifying."

It's nice. So nice. The comfort, the proximity, it's soothing. And Reeve is so very, very tired. So he relaxes, truly relaxes against Tony, and closes his eyes. Just for a moment.

"No amputation needed. I've done a lot worse to myself. Though normally with cure spells to help with it. And there is no way your ship is getting a jacuzzi when it could be on mine."

THE DEFENDERS MINGLE

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