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Reeve owed Tony.
While he did not often admit it, Reeve was not someone who very much appreciated feeling in debt to another. Not that he really felt that he could admit to Tony that he felt indebted, or why he would be. But still, he felt like he had to say something, do something, to show his thank you.
So Reeve had taken a deep breath, loaded Mini up into his bag, and headed on out to Tony's place. If he was maybe carrying a box with some of the droid parts he'd acquired so he had an 'excuse' to be there, no one needed to know.
When he arrived he popped his head in and tapped his foot against the door in a semblance of knocking.
"Tony?"
While he did not often admit it, Reeve was not someone who very much appreciated feeling in debt to another. Not that he really felt that he could admit to Tony that he felt indebted, or why he would be. But still, he felt like he had to say something, do something, to show his thank you.
So Reeve had taken a deep breath, loaded Mini up into his bag, and headed on out to Tony's place. If he was maybe carrying a box with some of the droid parts he'd acquired so he had an 'excuse' to be there, no one needed to know.
When he arrived he popped his head in and tapped his foot against the door in a semblance of knocking.
"Tony?"
Normally when Reeve ended up hooking up with someone, he was so lucky as to not run into them later. And here there wasn't that much of an option. Especially since Reeve had agreed to help out with BB-8 after the little guy had gotten hurt.
That said, he hadn't expected that BB-8 still needed attention or care, because the guy had been on Coruscant and had chances to get BB looked over there. But he still wanted to check. Still needed to check. If only because he had to figure out how awkward thigns were going to be now.
So Reeve had set out to seek out Poe. Which he realized wasn't the easiest thing to do in this city, so...
Reeve sighed and got out his communicator and sent a message. Guess that help him avoid some awkwardness.
Poe, I was wondering if it might come by to check on BB-8. I was getting parts on Coruscant and got a backup antennae for him just in case he was having issues.
That said, he hadn't expected that BB-8 still needed attention or care, because the guy had been on Coruscant and had chances to get BB looked over there. But he still wanted to check. Still needed to check. If only because he had to figure out how awkward thigns were going to be now.
So Reeve had set out to seek out Poe. Which he realized wasn't the easiest thing to do in this city, so...
Reeve sighed and got out his communicator and sent a message. Guess that help him avoid some awkwardness.
Poe, I was wondering if it might come by to check on BB-8. I was getting parts on Coruscant and got a backup antennae for him just in case he was having issues.
Poe smiled as he read the message, glancing over to his droid and giving him an absent scratch as he considered his reply. They hadn't really spoken since they'd returned. Somehow, despite his reputation and history, this side of things was still new.
You worried about him? We're around, feel free to stop by whenever.
The lack of clarification suggested they were in the hangar when they were most often found, working on or inside of the ship.
You worried about him? We're around, feel free to stop by whenever.
The lack of clarification suggested they were in the hangar when they were most often found, working on or inside of the ship.
Well, that was that, was it not? Reeve considered for a moment, and didn’t bother to reply. Just gathered up the antenna and a small tin of candies flavored vaguely like candy he had acquired in their time off planet. Those and Mini gathered up, he immediately headed off for the hangar.
He had mostly figured it out from lack of clarification and their previous conversation after all.
At the hangar he paused, looking around, hoping to find Poe outside. If he was on the ship then Reeve would have to message him again.
He had mostly figured it out from lack of clarification and their previous conversation after all.
At the hangar he paused, looking around, hoping to find Poe outside. If he was on the ship then Reeve would have to message him again.
The pair of them were outside, trying to piece together the various engine and ship parts they've managed to bring back with them into something that might actually function. BB-8 and Poe were having some kind of back and forth about it when Reeve approached.
Poe had a smear of dark grease on his cheek, rising and dusting off his hands on his pants and waving Reeve over.
"Hey, we're over here."
Poe had a smear of dark grease on his cheek, rising and dusting off his hands on his pants and waving Reeve over.
"Hey, we're over here."
Was it strange that Reeve found that smear so... well, attractive. He smiled and set Mini down so the doll could race to see BB-8. Reeve made his own way more slowly than that.
"Good day, to both of you. How is BB-8 doing?"
"Good day, to both of you. How is BB-8 doing?"
BB-8 chirped, clearly trying to tell Mini all about Poe's very wrong ideas about how to piece this thing together, and Poe spared him a brief look and a chuckle.
"He's doing good. Being a brat, but that's nothing new."
The droid trilled childishly in response.
"He's doing good. Being a brat, but that's nothing new."
The droid trilled childishly in response.
Too bad Mini didn't understand it very well. But he was happy to see BB-8 and nodded along like he could understand. You were always supportive of a friend, and he at least got the tone.
"I wonder if he's looking forward to being able to hear Mini's responses. It should be interesting, to hear hat conversation. Has your recovery been going well, BB-8?"
But his eyes, when he asked it, were on Poe. Was he doing well?
"I wonder if he's looking forward to being able to hear Mini's responses. It should be interesting, to hear hat conversation. Has your recovery been going well, BB-8?"
But his eyes, when he asked it, were on Poe. Was he doing well?
The way BB chattered he either was completely convinced Mini understood, or else didn't care, warbling and very glad to see those supportive nods.
"Oh is he close to being able to speak?" That would be interesting. Poe kind of thought of him as Reeve's silent companion.
Poe's smile grew a little softer, catching that gaze, leaning against the side of the ship and glancing down to BB-8 who nodded.
"He's been wondering where you've been."
"Oh is he close to being able to speak?" That would be interesting. Poe kind of thought of him as Reeve's silent companion.
Poe's smile grew a little softer, catching that gaze, leaning against the side of the ship and glancing down to BB-8 who nodded.
"He's been wondering where you've been."
"I'm working on the new structure for him to inhabit," Reeve answered. "A droid metal structure under his cloth. He'll be able to speak, like his brother back home. You excited Mini?"
The doll turned and offered an eager wave as his response, before turning back to BB. Reeve, meanwhile, is watching Poe.
"Well, I've been working with those pieces. And a man, Cobb, wants to see about restoring some houses for habitation. So I've been busy. Not getting nearly enough sleep, though."
The doll turned and offered an eager wave as his response, before turning back to BB. Reeve, meanwhile, is watching Poe.
"Well, I've been working with those pieces. And a man, Cobb, wants to see about restoring some houses for habitation. So I've been busy. Not getting nearly enough sleep, though."
"Should be exciting. Never seen a small droid speak basic before." He wondered absently what BB might sound like if he could speak basic instead of binary.
"Cobb, right. We spoke. He's from back home- Outer Rim, like me." He grinned then, head tilting, "You need something to properly tire you out?"
"Cobb, right. We spoke. He's from back home- Outer Rim, like me." He grinned then, head tilting, "You need something to properly tire you out?"
"He's not quite a droid," Reeve corrected. "He's magic, like your Force but different."
Outer Rim means nothing, to Reeve, except that he's learning more about Poe. Something he files away for later. Just in case.
"More like my brain, if given nothing to distract itself, will throw into the projects I work on. So I don't sleep nearly enough for want of distractions that aren't my own thoughts."
Outer Rim means nothing, to Reeve, except that he's learning more about Poe. Something he files away for later. Just in case.
"More like my brain, if given nothing to distract itself, will throw into the projects I work on. So I don't sleep nearly enough for want of distractions that aren't my own thoughts."
The Force can't do anything like this, at least as far as Poe's ever seen, but he nodded. It was still easier to think of him as something droid-like, more in the realm of things Poe could understand.
"If you're looking for a distraction...?" Poe started, offering a pointed look. He was more than happy to offer one.
"If you're looking for a distraction...?" Poe started, offering a pointed look. He was more than happy to offer one.
Yes, Reeve understood that the force did not give life. Could not grant a soul. His magic was rare, even in his own world. But there was the offer and so he was moving past the droid and doll.
With the offer there he smiles, and most of his posture shifted. Not someone nervous and visiting. No, it was more open, just in the way he smiled, in how he moved his weight to one leg and thus a more casual stance.
"Are you suggesting you're distracting, Poe?"
With the offer there he smiles, and most of his posture shifted. Not someone nervous and visiting. No, it was more open, just in the way he smiled, in how he moved his weight to one leg and thus a more casual stance.
"Are you suggesting you're distracting, Poe?"
"I know I'm distracting," he countered with a confident smirk, eyes flicking over Reeve and the way he relaxed.
"I'm very well known for it."
"I'm very well known for it."
"I seem to remember. But I fear I can't give you the same as last night all the time. It takes a... special sort of focus. And something to tie you to."
Which he didn't have here. The bed he had taken to his space didn't have rungs or spokes or anything suitable.
Which he didn't have here. The bed he had taken to his space didn't have rungs or spokes or anything suitable.
"Well the second's easy enough to take care of," Poe joked, but he nodded his understanding. It wasn't as though his every experience had been like that. "Can't have desert all the time," he agreed.
Was it? Reeve raised an eyebrow at that. But he considers the statement with a smile.
"So you'd still be interested, even with a more... limited menu?"
"So you'd still be interested, even with a more... limited menu?"
Plenty of ways to be innovative. Poe's lips curled.
"That's what I said, isn't it?"
"That's what I said, isn't it?"
"I suppose it is," Reeve agreed. "Well, I suppose I might note that my door is open to anyone who comes to visit. And I attempt my best to... extend hospitality as is warranted. Tea, food, pictures... entertainment."
Oh this is so silly, why is he getting caught up in this?
Right, because it felt so good.
Oh this is so silly, why is he getting caught up in this?
Right, because it felt so good.
Poe smiled easily. He wasn't entirely sure whether they were entering into a casual arrangement or something more serious, but the details didn't matter too much right now, did they? He enjoyed Reeve's company.
"Pictures?" he repeated with a curious lilt to his voice.
"Pictures?" he repeated with a curious lilt to his voice.
Casual, only because Reeve didn't expect the man might want more than that. Right now all he cared about was continuing to enjoy.
"I draw," Reeve answered. "Most commonly as an architect or for engineering. But I can draw rather well."
"I draw," Reeve answered. "Most commonly as an architect or for engineering. But I can draw rather well."
The forge might have been the rare place that Tony wasn't in the Iron Man anymore, but at that moment he was still partially armored, polished metal up to his elbow and one shoulder and helmet catching the light of the fire as his head jerked up from his work at the knock. Who came all the way down here and knocked? Reeve, obviously; there wasn't anyone else who insisted on these polite barriers, but Tony hadn't exactly expected to see him, either.
He finished wrenching the still faintly glowing metal he pulled into place before dropping it off to the side of his surface into a bucket that released a not nearly satisfying enough sigh of steam into the air between them while Tony tried to anticipate what he was supposed to have done by now. Plenty of options had formulated by the time he was lifting off his helmet, but none feeling obvious enough to produce more than a vague and inquisitive, "Hey. Sorry?," as he made his way toward the door. "Oh," he added, like he had totally figured it out, as he processed the box, then quickly went to gather it from Reeve to hold against his hip, leaving him gesturing with the helmet. "Mini's going well then," he frowned at the assorted contents that did not look at all like a body.
He finished wrenching the still faintly glowing metal he pulled into place before dropping it off to the side of his surface into a bucket that released a not nearly satisfying enough sigh of steam into the air between them while Tony tried to anticipate what he was supposed to have done by now. Plenty of options had formulated by the time he was lifting off his helmet, but none feeling obvious enough to produce more than a vague and inquisitive, "Hey. Sorry?," as he made his way toward the door. "Oh," he added, like he had totally figured it out, as he processed the box, then quickly went to gather it from Reeve to hold against his hip, leaving him gesturing with the helmet. "Mini's going well then," he frowned at the assorted contents that did not look at all like a body.
"Quite well," Reeve agreed, and the doll made sure to wave from Reeve's bag in agreement. "I was actually coming for some advice. You are clearly my superior when it comes to robotics and all that entails, but I have found much of what I acquired from our recent planet visit to be... Constrained by the way the people there think of the purpose of droids. Most especially in the joints."
While he hasn't seen Tony in full armor, he's heard tell of it, and from that alone he knows the man thinks far more in the sorts of ways Reeve will need to give Mini proper mobility. And it sure seemed like a great starting point for other topics to eventually be approached.
"Back home I'm considered something of a computer and robotics whiz, but we know that is a bit of a lie, given I worked mainly in magic. The parts were readily available from those departments which specialized. And when I had issues with joints, I always turned to them."
He reached for the box and pulled out what is clearly to be an arm, and he fiddled with the more clamp-like three-pronged system meant to serve for grasping.
"Fingers. I need fingers and dexterity, as he will not have droid attachments to serve for him. And joints in the proper size and dexterity are something I do not fully understand. I thought I could bounce some ideas off of you, or just take a bit of instruction time before I return to my work. If that is alright."
In the end, he's an executive and a politician, and he knew better than to go straight for the question he wanted to ask. Why had he done it? Had he known? Sure, Poe said Tony had set things up after Poe mentioned him, but he wanted to know why.
While he hasn't seen Tony in full armor, he's heard tell of it, and from that alone he knows the man thinks far more in the sorts of ways Reeve will need to give Mini proper mobility. And it sure seemed like a great starting point for other topics to eventually be approached.
"Back home I'm considered something of a computer and robotics whiz, but we know that is a bit of a lie, given I worked mainly in magic. The parts were readily available from those departments which specialized. And when I had issues with joints, I always turned to them."
He reached for the box and pulled out what is clearly to be an arm, and he fiddled with the more clamp-like three-pronged system meant to serve for grasping.
"Fingers. I need fingers and dexterity, as he will not have droid attachments to serve for him. And joints in the proper size and dexterity are something I do not fully understand. I thought I could bounce some ideas off of you, or just take a bit of instruction time before I return to my work. If that is alright."
In the end, he's an executive and a politician, and he knew better than to go straight for the question he wanted to ask. Why had he done it? Had he known? Sure, Poe said Tony had set things up after Poe mentioned him, but he wanted to know why.
Making some little hands for Mini to wave more expressively with sounded straightforward to Tony, both mechanically and to explain what Reeve would come knocking for, and Tony more easily waved back at the doll with a lopsided smile as Reeve played around with his toys. Tony was about ready to interrupt this drawn out story with the promise to hook Reeve up with some joints, it did sound like he needed some, and hadn't anticipated Reeve formulating this as some kind of exchange. It left Tony going, "Uh," before he realized that it was kind of a question, and eventually had to answer, "Of course. It's alright." He waved back toward the workbench with the helmet to propose the meeting place before leading the way there, where he could deposit the box and the helmet next to it and the fire would be at their backs.
"Make yourself at home, I'll know if you take anything," he offered blandly, then pulled himself up onto the bench as well. The arm was more complicated to disengage without fully disassembling, several latches releasing before Tony could pull his hand free and give it a flex in the cool air and fresh rush of blood, his bare arm marked up to the shoulder of his tanktop where the armor and pressed snugly. He could hand the metal arm off to Reeve then, also not exactly the kind of structure he was looking for, Tony already knew, but another point of comparison for him to express himself.
"Make yourself at home, I'll know if you take anything," he offered blandly, then pulled himself up onto the bench as well. The arm was more complicated to disengage without fully disassembling, several latches releasing before Tony could pull his hand free and give it a flex in the cool air and fresh rush of blood, his bare arm marked up to the shoulder of his tanktop where the armor and pressed snugly. He could hand the metal arm off to Reeve then, also not exactly the kind of structure he was looking for, Tony already knew, but another point of comparison for him to express himself.
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