tushanshu | 05 § video;

[Tony starts out sitting in front of the console. He's a little slow to start up what he wants to say-there's an awkward pause beforehand like he's just sizing them up through the video itself.]

So, I've been busy lately. And I've gotten a little distracted by other things, but-

[Something catches in his throat and cuts him off. Tony clears his throat and tries to look casual and calm. He's distracted and maybe in need of some sleep, with his attention wandering from the feed, but he's not going to drop the flippant tone. Especially not now.]

But apparently there have been some strange disappearances lately, and those people might actually still be around.

[He seems to want to say more, but his heart isn't in it. Maybe he should be offering to try to help those semi-disappeared people. Probably. Unfortunately he can't make himself do that.]

That's not what I want to talk about. I need... [Don't finish that, Stark.]

I need someone who knows how to take care of flowers. Horticulture isn't my thing and I have some and I have to make sure they, they don't die, so if you have any advice, I could use it. That or animal counselors. I'm sure those exist out there somewhere.

[ooc: cw for mentions of child deaths and violent arguing.]

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...Mr Stark? Are you alright?

[Clark knows his name from his interactions with the other version of Tony, but the way things had gone between him and that other Tony had made him wary of this Stark so he hadn't actually tried to make contact.

Still the man kind of honestly looked like crap right now, and Clark could do many things but ignoring those going through a bad time wasn't one of them.]

I- I can't help much with the animals unless it's a dog [Is it bad he misses Krypto? The dog gave him nothing but trouble back at home but his presence was... calming, in a way.] but I'm the son of a farmer. Plants and horticulture in general are kind of my thing.

Me? I'm fine.

[He says that as confidently as he can, but at the moment that isn't much. He just wants to seclude himself. If he does that, though, Asbel's flowers will die. And then he'll just feel worse.]

It's definitely not a dog. They're more like horses. Or donkeys. Carnivorous donkeys from the Cretaceous Period. I'm not really a pet person, but someone just gave me a herd.

[He scratches the back of his head awkwardly.] And flowers. I don't suppose you have any off-world plant expertise?

[A little smile that pretty much means 'you'd be surprised' in universal language, but that isn't something Clark can say out loud when he's only being Clark Kent.]

I can try, you never know. But most plants are damn hard to kill, so you should probably start by watering them and giving them sun. -Uh, not direct sun at first maybe, some plants can be delicate when it comes to that.

[Tony sighs as if this is an exceptionally exasperating project that he didn't sign up for.]

I don't think I've ever successfully managed to raise a plant on my own. Pretty sure they all got forgotten and died. This was a bad idea.

[But he can't say no either.]

Okay. Water and sun. I guess I could do that. It doesn't have to be magic water, right?

[Just how serious he is with that question is vague. He might be. Probably not?]

[Clark feels bad for the man, and he's almost considering offering to take care of the plant himself... but somehow he gets the feeling this is one of those situations. Mr Stark has to take care of the pant himself... as ridiculous as that sounds when he puts it that way.]

No, drinkable water will do. I'm sure a man like you could devise some kind of alarm as a reminder to water it?

[The manly trials of plant care. Tony is at least putting in effort, although he doesn't look happy about it. Seriously, he doesn't consider flower care remotely in his scope of expertise.]

Well, yeah, I could do that. An automatic watering system might work...

[He's totally going to forget these flowers.]

It's actually better if you're the one doing the watering. And you could also talk to them while you do that? It helps them grow- at least it did with normal plants back at home, so I'm guessing it will help in here as well.

Talk to them?

[Tony is giving Clark a look that says he's strongly questioning the dignity of his suggestion.]

I mean, admittedly I'm not the expert, but... talking to them?

I know! [He lifts both his hands] I know, but it does help a lot- the mythbusters did and episode on it and everything.

Well, if it was on Mythbusters...

[Tony has to laugh at that. He can't help it. It's the sudden moment of comic relief that gets a chuckle out of him.]

I guess I can give it a try.

[That's Clark for you: superpowered alien, hardened journalist, expert in comic relief.]

Glad to know. May I ask how a man like you ended in charge of some plants?

I'm not too sure myself.

[Tony's at least a little more at ease now. Outwardly, anyway. He's comfortable enough to talk, which is the important part.]

I mean, I knew the owner, but I didn't think I gave any impression that I was a flower guy. Apparently I was wrong.

[Clark doesn't really see Tony as a nature kind of guy in general judging by the little interactions they have had but he knows better than to say it out loud.]

Maybe they thought you needed a little company.

[Clark would be correct. Tony just isn't the outdoorsman type. Sure, he likes the occasional adventure doing hero things that lead to roughing it, but at heart he's more of an inside man.]

What do plants have to do with company? They don't do anything.

[Just saying. He's sentimental because of the previous owner, sure, but the flowers themselves are just flowers.]

They don't have to do anything to keep you company, it's still a living being. It helps people keep their minds out of things as they take care of them.

That really works for you? [That sounds like an easy life.]

I don't know if that's enough to keep my mind out of things.

[Excuse u Tony what's that supposed to mean]

I might be a journalist but I am the son of generations of farmers. I guess I'm hard-wired into finding working with plant-life relaxing.

[Just talk to the flowers and make them grow, huh? Clark, you Disney princess, you.]

...Something you picked up from your parents?

[Okay, so he's a little jealous.]

[He literally beat a villain by singing it doesn't get any more princess than that]

Indeed. I'd have ended a farmer if I hadn't discovered journalism.

[Yeah, that would not help dispel the image Tony is getting of him.]

I like it. I mean, not personally for me. I'm more into looking at plants than trying to grow them, but it's nice that you have that experience. Sounds... homey.

[A little smile- but it's a knowing one, because that's something only someone without 'homey' experiences would say. And not for the first time, a Tony reminds him of Bruce.]

Yes, I'm definitely grateful for those moments as well. Uh, anyway, tell me if I can be of any more help?

[He didn't have the warmest family life, but Tony does appreciate the idea. He catches that knowing look and returns it with one of curiosity. What did he just miss?]

Sure. I will. Uh, thanks... [He's kind of awkward about it, but at least he's trying to be nice.]

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