tushanshu | 06 § video (backdated to Feb 10)

Well someone here has completely dropped the ball. I know there are at least a few people around who are rich and Earth-savvy enough to get everyone presents for the month. Maybe celebrate the break from so much cold or the coming of good fortune or something like that. We could use a celebration right about now.

At the very least, I'll try to do my part. [Tony gives the network a winning smile and holds up a small, strange-looking flower playfully. It almost makes the next part sound more like a joke than any real offer.] I've got a few too many of these, so if anyone would like to take them off my hands, I'll be happy to give you a discount.

And if you're available, Miss Frost, I'd love to spend some quality time with you. If your schedule will allow it, of course.

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm personally missing my chocolate.

[He even winks at the feed before disconnecting.]

[Private messages to Arthur Curry, Shockwave, and Kyle Rayner]

[...Or just to switch directions.]

Afternoon. I've got a proposal for you. Give me five minutes when you've got them.

[End Messages]

[Private message to Annabeth]

So. I've been saving up my pennies--so to speak. I wonder if I could buy some of your thoughts?

[End Message]

[Private message to Bucky Barnes (616)]

I. [Cap. Forgive him.] I need you to do me a favor.

[end transmission]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Sure, but you'd have to fight James for it.

[He's actually five, shhh.]

I have to fight for five minutes of your time? It's not to the death, right?

First blood? [And Tony is three.]

[he snickers.]

Believe it or not, I didn't think that far ahead. I s'pose you could always get me a larger bouquet.

[A beat.]

So, what's up?

Don't tempt me. I might do it just to see how many flowers you would take.

So, I had a thought. Couple of thoughts, and I figured you might like a heads up on them. But not- not here.

It's a big city. Bring it on.

[Very lightly, because guess who is never expecting flowers from Tony to show up.]

[More seriously:] Meet you for lunch then?

[He'a assuming they're going to the warehouse again, or else Tony will have another safehouse in mind.]

You really want a bouquet that badly? All you have to do is ask.

Lunch sounds great. Better make it dinner, though. I'll bring dessert.

[The safehouse is convenient. That's part of the reason Tony calls Kyle out. He's prepared, reliable, and smart. It sets him apart from the rest.]

May I have a bouquet pretty please, Mr. Stark?

[He grins.]

I'll see you there, then.

Well, since you asked so nicely. I'll bring one along. Remember, you asked for it.

[And that is the last thing he says before disconnecting.

Tony is true to his word. Whether Kyle actually expects it or not, he shows up with a bouquet of flowers some time later outside of the warehouse Kyle showed him before.]

Never figured you for a flower guy.

[Okay so part of him honestly wasn't expecting a bouquet, but he accepts it graciously. Jim's gonna love this.]

I'm not supposed to be sentimental.

[He's a soldier. It's not an uncommon flaw, but discouraged. He rings up a stand for it on the table. The warehouse hasn't changed from the last time they used it, save for some dirt on the floor Kyle hasn't gotten around to cleaning.]

So, what else have you got for me?

[The fact that Kyle challenged him to do it and was not likely to expect the flowers pretty much guaranteed that Tony would bring him some. He doesn't expect Kyle to do anything with them, of course. It's just a friendly joke. But he has to do it.

And it softens the tone of the more serious reason he called him out there for.]

An offer. And a request, depending on how you want to look at it. We've been trying to come up with ways to protect everyone and watch our backs when things go wrong, but most of the time we're doing it on our own. Maybe with a few people we recognize from home, but there are a plot of people outside of our circles that we should be working with.

So I'm starting here. With you. This will have to stay between us--I don't want to cause any public scares--but I think a few of us should get together. Regularly. And I think we should be talking about what we plan to do when things go bad.

We could always walk around in encounter suits.

[The quip is his line of defence; he bites his lip and studies the bouquet.]

You know I'm in if it's about everyone's safety, but aren't we better off coordinating it a little - y'know - more publicly? A lot of stuff happens around here and there haven't been any riots.

That's the problem. Not that we want riots, but we need more action.

[Tony appreciates both the humor and the levelheaded response that he gets from Kyle. That's why he picked him out, because Kyle is smart and knows how to balance the two.]

We don't know who might be helping the other team, and it'll take too long to work around everyone and keep them on track. I'm not saying we can't work publicly, but this I'd like to keep just between us. Make sure if things go South we have at least a few reliable friends to watch our backs.

People are trying to get everyone to cooperate. I just think that some things are better kept private.

We don't know who might be the other team.

[Which, in his opinion, is absolutely wonderful.]

All right. I'll back you up. You want me to start poking around?

Exactly. That's why we need each other.

[Kyle's smart. Tony likes working with Kyle. And he might be selling this a little hard, but it's only because he wants them to succeed.]

Yes. Yes, I'd like you to poke around. We need to do all the poking we can manage at this point. I just don't want to accidentally tip off the competition, you know?

You're pushing a little too hard, Tony.

[He grins, lightly, to offset the content of that remark.]

Can you make a list of who you think it might target? These things have patterns, and y'know [he gestures] I'm used to punching them, not this espionage stuff.

06 § video (backdated to Feb 10)

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