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.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Hey, it's me. I haven't been caught yet. [Not that he's done more than some small time fist fighting with kedan.]

There'd be a lot more folks who don't know when to shut their mouths, that's where you'd be.

Yeah, well, I'm just offering a little word of caution in case you want to try pulling some stunts without me. Which would be rude, by the way. I don't like to be left out.

[Somehow talking to Bucky really does make him feel as bit better about all this. Like he's not quite so alone.]

Thank God we've got you on our side. Let's just let them go this time. You can hit them next time.

Got it, next time I wanna pull some stunts I'll call you first. [Everyone deserves to know that they have someone around who has their back. That's often the only feeling of safety you get in the middle of a war, and Bucky knows how important it is to someone's sanity.]

Your call this time. Next time they don't get another freebie.

See, now you have the right idea. If you want to get in trouble, you need someone to back you up.

[And he appreciates the support to. It helps. It keeps him from going over the edge and just giving up sometimes. He needs the reminder that he's not completely alone.]

We'll talk about it next time. [And he'll do his best to keep "next time" from happening.]

You just don't wanna be left out.

[A wry little smile.] Hopefully there won't be a next time. Nobody likes a broken nose.

You caught me. I hate being left out of the fun.

[Tony finds himself smiling back. He raises a hand and, after a little hesitation, brushes Bucky's shoulder.]

Yeah. I hear it's bad for your health.

[The touch, hesitant as it is, gets a wry little smile out of Bucky.]

More like bad for your love life, his face wouldn't be very pretty when I got done with it.

Remind me never to get on your bad side, okay?

[Now there's irony. But somehow it does make Tony feel better just to say that. He relaxes, letting go of a deep breath he'd somehow been holding back.]

I thought it wasn't going to get any worse.

Hey, it always gets worse. But then sometimes it gets better, y'know?

Yeah. Sometimes it does.

05 § video;

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