Video;

[manofiron]

[ Finding out that Pepper's stocks in Stark Industries have been transferred to him - and because she'd been running it, he can only assume that it's the lion's share - and that that means she's presumably gone is not the way he wants to start the day. But it is what it is and there's nothing he can do about it.

He's wearing the suit, though the helmet's off, and the expression on his face is as professionally detached as the matter-of-fact tone of his voice when he speaks. ]

It's come to my attention that Pepper Potts may no longer be in residence in the city.

[ That covers that and he's not lingering on it. If he does, he'll wonder what that means, if some piece of her has gone back to the world she remembers or if she's dead and her body is being recycled or whatever it is they do with clones when they're gone. It isn't something he needs to worry about right now. Not in front of an audience. So he moves right along to business. ]

I've been informed that per her request, her interests in Stark Industries have been transferred to me. For those of you don't know, I'm Tony Stark, and if you work for SI, it means you're working for me.

[ May whatever aliens people consider gods help them all. ]

If you do, I want to know who you are and what you do for the company. If you don't, and you want to, talk to me.

And be prepared for change. It's coming.

[ What that change is, he doesn't know yet. But once he finds out what the company's been doing, he'll figure out the right path for it to take under his leadership. And this time, it's going to be a damn sight better than the last time he was at the helm. ]

Comments

[constants]

Very well. I will look forward to it.

[ This is a good kind of fun. ]

[alphatar]

You mean with technology and stuff, right?

[It's really hard to hide her ignorance in regards to any scientific knowledge.]

[manofiron]

Yeah, no, my poltergeist contract clearly states four nightly hauntings. I can give you three nights off though.

[ Crisis averted, he warms to the joke, going so far as to make a thoughtful frown. ]

And an alternating Saturday.

[ And because he can't leave well enough alone, he adds; ]

I didn't miss your thinly veiled hint for a peepshow. Is that a thing? Do you need a little preview? A tantalizing hint of titanium casing to raise anticipation?

[angermanaging]

[That gets an exasperated look, but he's also relaxing further. If Tony can make stupid jokes equating seeing the arc reactor to a strip tease, he must be feeling better.

It really hadn't even been that hard. Bruce hadn't had to make more than one statement slightly outside of his comfort zone, but it hadn't been onerous. He'd honestly forgotten that when you're legitimately close with someone, you don't have to bend over backwards to know how to make them happy.

He's still not going along with even a vaguely sexual overtone to the situation, though.]

That wasn't a thinly veiled hint. I don't need to-- It's not-- [He stops, recovers himself by rolling his eyes.] Whenever you want to, Tony, I'll take a look at it.

[He does want to see it, but it's hardly imperative, and he's not about to push him on it.]

[everylittlegirl]

Making sure you're open.

[Because Tony has spent a lot of time not answering her knocks when they're supposed to be working. A business certainly would suffer for that.]

Dealing with people.

[manofiron]

[ No, leaving wouldn’t have helped defend the man’s memory. And if what he says is true, and Tony doesn’t really have much reason to suspect that it isn’t, the absent Tony was there at the time this one was brought on board. Which means that he was aware of it and, presumably, okay with it.

Maybe it hasn’t been a conspiracy. Maybe it’s only been a few who have sought to slot in one face for another and this man has been as much a victim of it as the one everyone’s trying to replace. The sentiment goes a long way. So does that expression of sympathy toward the Tony who isn’t there any longer.

This Tony studies him for a moment, silent and trying to see beyond all of the emotions that are clouding the issue. Quietly, without censure or mockery, he asks; ]

Who did you get to be when you worked with him?

[manofiron]

Me too. See you soon, Deputy.

[manofiron]

[ Is she saying what he thinks she's saying? They are talking about her boyfriend... ]

I mean skills appropriate to anywhere that's not a bordello.

[alphatar]

[The Avatar is officially flustered and sputtering.]

TH- No- I didn't-

TECHNOLOGY.

[She's clinging to the word like a lifeline.]

Skill with technology was wha- HOW WOULD I KNOW ABOUT THOSE SKILLS?

[agentx13]

Right. Sorry I forgot that your world rarely extends beyond what only pertains to you.

And we're not friends. Not really. He just-

Who did you think I meant, then?

[manofiron]

[ Is he flustered? Is that tripping up of his speech because he’s flustered? Or exasperated? It could be exasperation. Tony isn’t overly selective, he’s happy to induce any emotion that doesn’t lead to violence or tears. ]

All right. I’ll draw up some schematics since I don’t have a replacement for you to get your hands on. I mean, I could take it out for a few minutes, but…

[ But he doesn’t really want to chance dying again. ]

It should only take me a few days. Oh, and I’ll need to bring the suit. JARVIS gets a little tetchy whenever he can’t be present when I’m messing around with it. I guess it’s a thing. He likes to keep an eye on it.

[ Because once he hadn’t and Tony’s surrogate father had nearly killed him. ]

[manofiron]

Because everybody does?

[ It's 2012 where he's from, not 1920. Of course, there's a more obvious answer too. ]

And he's your boyfriend. Oh, and there are actually brothels here, so really, there are a multitude of educational avenues a curious young woman can take.

[alphatar]

Well- we're. working on it. Maybe not. I mean-

[She's so ready to go back to fighting over anything that would get them off this subject right now.]

I am NOT that curious. [Her face is almost magnetically drawn to her desk in order to become one with it.]

[definingfuture]

[He had tried not to mention them. The ones that were gone. It was different with people he knew. With people from his world, Tony could just assume they were still there, and if it turned out they weren't, then he'd find out and go from there. Eventually. But he had tried not to mention the people he met in Keeliai, and it was out of fear as much as respect. He was afraid that once he started thinking about Tony and Spider-man and Wanda that he wouldn't be able to face the fact that he would never know what became of them. No answers. Nothing. It's like breaking a vow of silence, and it hurts.

He hears the question, and ironically he thinks that it means a lot less now. What he had been trying to do and who he had tried to be feel like trivia now that he's being asked about it. Had he been daydreaming all that time?]

A person I've always wanted to be. The man I tried to be, although the last time didn't work out so well.

[Once he says it, the words come out surprisingly easily. Even to himself he sounds lighter than he feels. It's a pleasant voice. One he might have forgotten how to use for awhile, and it makes him smile.]

Someone else.

[corage]

Sure thing.

[Hey, its work. He can easily make time for work.]

Where do you want to go? The one we were last time, or someplace else?

[manofiron]

Why not? It's a lot of fun. I mean, I've found some things that are more fun. But not many.

[ He knows that there aren't many people quite so loose and fancy free as he is about sexuality, but encountering embarrassment about the subject still seems so strange to him. ]

It's fine. Seriously. Have fun with it. Expand your horizons.

[langsyne]

[Dryly:] I think I've still got a few extra pens at home. Enough to at least get started.

[Pens, paper...the trashcan next to his desk is overflowing with designs he's brainstormed and then rejected. But hmm, alright. That takes some of the weight off his back. He's always had to make do with a somewhat limited budget, especially in recent years, so he's confident he won't end up spending too much of (this) Tony's hard-earned juulan.]

But I'll draft something up in the next few days, both a list of supplies and a design. Run it past you, or someone else in charge. I'll need a list of authorized personnel eventually but that can probably wait for now.

Does that sound good to you?

[bacondivination]

Huh, I don't go out drinking half as often as I ought to. This is an unpleasant but ultimately irrelevant realization I need to deal with.

[ It comes out a bit odd from a boy Loki's apparent age, but eh. He owned that fact. ]

[unfettered]

Alright, then you've got yourself an office manager. When and where should I report? And there isn't any sort of dress code is there?

[Not that she thinks Tony Stark is going to object to her particular fashion sense but then again who knows. Maybe he likes it all business-y with his actual businesses.]

[manofiron]

Tomorrow morning. I'll be in the lobby. I'll give you the grand tour. Dress code's pretty business casual. Just no pajamas. Or nudity. I don't have a problem with nudity, but it might be distracting for your coworkers.

[manofiron]

We'll have to remedy that. The drinking.

[ Loki looks like a kid, but he's still Loki. Tony doesn't fully understand how reincarnation works and he can't divorce thousand year old crazy Asgardian from this new one completely. ]

[manofiron]

I'll start getting one together for you.

[ More accurately, someone else will get it together and Tony will sign off on it. ]

That sounds great to me. Looks like the company lucked out, having someone like you on board. It's good to have you.

[ Because Tony likes intelligent people, and there aren't nearly enough of them for his tastes. ]

[manofiron]

Let's try somewhere around work. There are one or two places there I haven't tried. Might as well get started.

[manofiron]

[ That’s something he can understand too. Wanting to be someone else. Oh, being Tony Stark has its perks. It has a multitude of perks that make life so much easier than it would be without them. But it’s got a lot of downsides too. And even if he won’t as readily admit it to anyone else, Tony hates himself.

He’s often wanted to be someone else. Someone who can go to the store without being mobbed. Someone who can make a decision and not have the fate of the world riding on it. It hadn’t been possible at home. But here? Here the cloning might be good for something after all. ]

First try never takes. But the second…

[ He shrugs, lets his voice trail off. ]

You can be anyone you want here. That’s the bright side of being what we are.

[manofiron]

Why are you so worried about it? If I'm not stealing your Bruce Bane or whatever his name is, it doesn't matter.