thirteenth bite | video, partially filtered.

[redhourglass]

Tony Stark has returned home.

( her voice is curt, and she doesn't bother hiding behind text. it's become almost second nature to her, these announcements - every few months, one of her friends teammates disappears and she is right back at square one, left cleaning up the mess. if she's being completely honest with herself, it's easier to feign annoyance than examine her feelings about the disappearances; they come up too often for her to allow herself to be emotionally compromised by them.

still, it's clear she's far from happy at the moment. )

For those who knew him.. The best I can offer is an opportunity to pick up any research or information he might have been holding for you.

( her voice is somewhat stiff. sure, she'll hand over whatever you want - but not before going through it all first. how very like tony, to disappear without even saying goodbye. )

I'll be at the bar if anyone wants to arrange to pick anything up.

( filtered to bruce banner, steve rogers & maria hill )

There are three rooms in the house open. Feel free to move your stuff in, as long as you don't object, Banner. Rent is due first of the month. ( that's as close to an invitation as steve & maria will get from her right now. )

Comments

action.

[brainsqueeze]

( Maria doesn't bother replying to the video. There wouldn't be much to say anyway, other than letting Natasha know that she's coming to the bar. It isn't immediate - she was in class training when the video went up, and decided to get home to shower and change first, and throw the clothes that she has in a bag. Just in case. Maria hadn't been sold on the idea of living in an 'Avenger house' when there'd been more of them there, but numbers were thinning out now. It would be quieter, and it was the best way to keep an eye on everyone.

By the time that Maria arrives there's a few more people in the bar. It's later in the day and certainly busier than the first time she'd ever gone there. She's there for Natasha more than thinking that Stark would have had anything for her. Keeping a friend company and having a drink for Stark. She's at the bar rather than a quiet booth - easier for drinks, and easier for any talking when that other person is still working )

What's the closet you have to scotch?

( She's at least assuming that's a Stark-like drink. Not that she's ever drank with him before )

action.

[redhourglass]

( she's not surprised to see maria here, though she does raise her eyebrows at her. she might not be happy about stark being gone, but she wasn't a wreck either. it meant that there was one less person for her to worry about during those times when the city went to hell; keeping track of everyone could be difficult.

she could only hope that whatever vendetta stark had been carrying with him during his time here was finished neatly at home. )

It's green. You might not want to drink it. ( she warns, before pouring her a shot of it - true to word, lime green - and then hesitating and pouring herself one. )

You don't have to check on me.

[brainsqueeze]

I thought I was drinking.

( Maybe she was checking too, but now that she'd seen her she'd checked. If Natasha wasn't fine wheedling her wouldn't get Maria anywhere. It was better to sit, and to wait for her, and she didn't have anything else to do there and then.

The warning was clear about the drink, though. It didn't look as bad as she's thought for green, though. Lime green was certainly better than pretty much any other shade for a drink. There was a slightly hesitant look at it, her eyes drifting up to Natasha to see her expression - and seeing her pour her own drink - before Maria picked up the glass. She raised it to Natasha before knocking it back. She hoped that if her friend ever wanted to kill her it wouldn't be with strange alien alcohol.

It definitely tasted better than the first drink Natasha had ever poured her here, though. Asgardian's made better replica scotch than- she still didn't actually know what she'd drank that first day )

To Stark.

( Yeah, she should have said that before actually drinking it but she was getting the drink out of the way )

[video]

[damselled]

Oh, dear. Is this sort of thing normal?

[What hope do they have, if fellow soldiers can simply disappear at a moment's notice?]

video.

[redhourglass]

Yes.

( bluntly. sorry, nothing personal; she's been here too long and seen this happen too many times to be concerned about trying to assuage someone else's worries. )

I'm sure there is a reason why it happens, but the fact that it happens at all is more important at the moment.

[video]

[damselled]

[She's been around Lon'qu and Panne long enough to know the difference between blunt and rude; whoever this Tony Stark is must have been important to this woman in some way.]

I'm terribly sorry. Will you be alright? [Usually, heading to a bar after something like this implies lack of being alright, but she has to ask.]

voice: private

[zen_en_vert]

You have executive authority over who moves in. I trust your judgement.

[Voice flat.]

Don't get rid of anything of his without me.

voice: private.

[redhourglass]

I wouldn't do that.

( there is a pause. )

I'm sorry, Banner. People come and go, but you don't have to like it.

voice: private.

[zen_en_vert]

I know. I'd just gotten complacent.

[Walking away from loved ones is something he hasn't had to do since he came here.]

Video

[alternia_strength]

I do not expect there were extensive notes. We were not past conceptual stages with anything. A pity... he had an excellent think-pan on his shoulders.

video.

[redhourglass]

You're welcome to whatever is left, in any case. At least he isn't here to hear your compliment - he's already arrogant. No need to make it worse.

.. That was a compliment, right?

Re: video.

[alternia_strength]

Eh? Ah, he's known for his ego? I'm not exactly surprised. His intellect was impressive. And yes, apologies but my people's terms for our anatomy don't always translate cleanly.

video; private

[neversurrender]

How are you holding up?

[The news of Tony's departure is disappointing. One less piece of home in this world. One less trustworthy ally to have his back going into this war. One less friend. He doesn't give much thought to the invitation. The first day he arrived Bruce had extended one similar but Steve hadn't been sure it was the right now. He doubts it's the right time now either, despite the comfort of living with people he considers his friends.]

video; private.

[redhourglass]

Good enough. It's not the first time he, or anyone else I know, has disappeared from this place.

( one less person to worry about, as far as natasha is concerned. it's one less burden; one less person to protect. it still stung, a bit; but she knew better than to let it affect her. )

Are you going to come check up on me, too, or are you and Hill taking shifts?

video; private.

[neversurrender]

I guess that depends. Do you need checking up on? [He had actually been considering dropping by the bar, but now that he knows Maria has covered the ambush tactic, he'll just wait and see if Natasha actually wants him to come.]

[Voice]

[hadbadays]

Can people only stop by for pick ups, or does anything go?

[ They don't really chat much, but drinking he can always do. ]

voice.

[redhourglass]

I wouldn't say no to company.

( but only because she is fairly certain you're not checking on her, pitying her, or coming to gloat. )

[Voice]

[true_renaissance_man]

I am sorry to hear he is gone. I did not know Messer Stark long but he was an interesting man, full of so many wonderful ideas. I regret I was not able to get to get to know him better before he returned home.

I suppose I should stop by his workshop long enough to pick up any research or prototypes he might have been working on for our armor project. He had already helped out so much but Aladdin and I can continue on with it.

voice.

[redhourglass]

( now she's officially a little impressed. leonard da vinci himself complimenting stark? that was a new one. it was one thing to hear stark call himself a genius and another to have it confirmed by an actual historically acknowledge genius.

damn. she had so been hoping that stark was just overrated. )

I don't know how much work he'd been doing on that project, ( especially considering it was the first time she was hearing of it ) but you're welcome to pick up anything related to it. I have most of his paperwork with me, if that's what you're interested in.

text; private

[hisstrength]

[She isn't all sure if this is too forward but it still sort of warrants the question.]

Are you okay?

[Even if it seems like kind of a stupid question, honestly.]

text; private. 1/2

[redhourglass]

( hey, no question is a stupid question. )

yes. been better, but that's life, isn't it?

2/2

[redhourglass]

( ok, maybe that wasn't the nicest way to answer that question. )

thanks for the concern. really.

[Video]

[madcuriosity]

Oh... he went home? [Alice only knew him briefly. However... well, he had been very nice to her.]

Is he going to be happier at home?

video. 1/2

[redhourglass]

( maybe she didn't think that children deserved to be lied to. maybe she was tired of lying. whatever the reason, she replies honestly and succinctly. )

I don't know.

video.

[redhourglass]

( but, because alice still is a child and that sounds far too bleak: )

Probably. He'll at least give it his best shot.