Backdated to Kazoo 16 - Late, late evening | Audio | Aimed at Close CR

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter doesn't sound nearly as cheerful as he normally does this time, instead he sounds subdued and just exhausted. ]

S-so uh...

[ He sucks in a breath and rubs his eyes a moment. ] I guess I'm gonna be in Medical for tonight.

Before anyone starts freaking out-I'm fine. I'm okay. I'm healing-And I'll probably be mostly healed up by tomorrow or in two days at most.

And uh, Buttercup? I know I said I'd help you with that thing you asked about, but I think I may have to push that back a little.

Also, um can someone bring me My DS? I left it in the dressing car and I don't know if I'm allowed to leave just yet.

Comments

[famtastic]

What happened? Do you need help? Who did this to you? What's going on? I'll be there in a mo.

[and she's on her way]

[hashtagparkerluck]

Wha-? No, I'm fine. Really. A little sore-but I'm okay. [ well, maybe a lot sore depending on what he's doing. Nothing he can't handle though. ]

And I just said it's not my place to say what happened-I was just letting people know where I was.

[famtastic]

[she arrives at medical without even checking]

Right. Tell me what happened. I'm all ears. [she pulls up a stool only letting it shriek a little against the metal floor and regards him seriously] And considering it happened to you, you definitely have a place to say something.

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter gives her a weird look because he JUST SAID not to freak out. He's fine. He might look a little battered and there might be a few bandages but he's fine. ]

[ Or he was until that screech. He winces horribly and covers his ears for a second. ]

No, I really don't. There was a thing that happened and I intervened because I wasn't gonna just let it happen-but I got my ass handed to me and ended up here.

[famtastic]

There was a thing that happened where some party or something tried to get at another party or something and your radioactive superhuman arse was handed to you. [her eyebrows climb]

It's not just a tussle in the park.

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ he was paraphrasing and just offers a small shrug, picking at the blanket over his lap. ]

No, but it's in the job description so it's not really anything to worry about and until other people involved are up to talking about it, I'm not giving out details.

I was out of web fluid and that kinda severely limited my strategy.

[famtastic]

[she rests her chin on her fist.]

I can't help but be worried. Not about you, you've got a handle on yourself--

But altercations have a good way of getting out of hand.

Still I'm not going to ask for details but can you at least tell me if there's anything I should look out for? Anything I should be concerned about?

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter had started to open his mouth in protest to that but then she says she's not worried about him and closes it again. ]

No, I-I think we have it pretty well handled. I kinda think we should tell more people some of the stuff, but it's not my call so. [ He shrugs and then winces because apparently that jostled something. ]

If I think it's gonna be a problem again, I'll definitely tell someone.

[vanity_fair]

( It's an odd feeling, but it's immediate, the rise of concern as he recognizes Peter's voice. )

What the heck happened?

[hashtagparkerluck]

Oh, uh... hey Mr Stark.

[ Is that guilt in his own voice? And didn't he just say not to freak out? Well, he supposes technically he said 'before anyone freaks out' but he meant that as 'don't freak out'. ]

Nothing major-Just got thrown into a wall pretty hard and uh-well, you know what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. That's not to say I'm unstoppable but, you know-momentum.

[vanity_fair]

( Oh no, that's mild alarm writ large on his face, as he trades a glance with Pepper. )

And why were you-- you know what, hold tight, we'll be down there in a minute.

[efficacy]

[ Pepper looks equally concerned when she meets Tony's eyes, nodding her head in agreement but not offering any verbal confirmation on just who "we" means. (Peter can probably figure it out, anyway.) She only knows Peter as that sweet kid who was kind enough to help her out on the platform; the fact that Tony knows him too is news she learned a few seconds ago. But yes, they're both going, there's no question about it. ]

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Did he say "we'll"? It doesn't take long for him to figure out who else is likely to be joining Tony and he immediately feels guilty. And Pepper was concerned about his black eye this morning. Well, at least that had completely healed already. ]

What? No! You don't have to do that-I'm fine. Totally fine-it's been handled.

video

[crimson_rain]

Hey roommate? Are you all right? What the heck happened?

Ah, nevermind. I'll bring your DS and your electronics. I'll go search for it. You're in the med bay, right?

video

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Peter wasn't expecting a video chat, but let's it go through anyway. For the rough treatment he just went through earlier, he honestly doesn't look too bad off-A little extra bruised but for the most part he seems okay. ]

Oh! Thanks! I owe you one!

[ Because if he has to stay in medbay then he's at least going to keep himself distracted and entertained. ]

[vanity_fair]

What's that? You're breaking up-- bethereinfifteenokaybye.

( To Pepper, he extends a hand once he stands from his seat at the table. )

Should we, I don't know, bring him a plate of something?

[crimson_rain]

I'm not familiar with technology, but it's that video game you're always playing? I'll go search the dressing room.

Do you need anything else? I can bring your laptop if you last remember where you left it and if I can find it.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Yeah-Yeah, that's the one. Um-I think I left my laptop on my bed but you don't have to do that.

[famtastic]

Is there going to be collateral damage if things break out again? Is there anything I can do to prepare?

[she knows it's tough to talk about and that he doesn't want to but]

There's got to be something you can tell me.

[efficacy]

[ Pepper gives Tony a bit of a look when he bowls over Peter's audible protests, but it's not like those would have stopped either one of them. Taking Tony's hand, she lets him help her up from her seat. ]

Oh, that's a good idea, actually. I don't know how the medical on the train is, but hospital food usually stinks. He might not have had time to eat anything before... all that.

[ It's very practical! And caring, so it's an a+ plan as far as Pepper's concerned. As she takes the lead on putting something together, she mentions curiously, ]

I didn't know you knew Peter? I met him briefly out on the platform before he rushed off. He seemed like a sweet kid.

[vanity_fair]

( Tony resists the urge to preen; of course it's a good idea, he thought of it. While he makes a terrible patient himself he knows, at least, that bringing a meal to someone in recovery rarely goes unappreciated. Pepper's once-regular offerings of post-hangover sandwiches and coffee were always a hit with him, anyway.

Noticeably, though she'll lead on this, he makes himself available to help her as they talk. )

He's from our world, actually, which... I didn't know until this morning, when he brought me the Mark 50.

[efficacy]

Really? [ She frowns, puzzled as she thinks about that for a second. ] He gave no indication of-- whoa, wait.

[ Tony's words register in full just then, and she's distracted from her task of putting together a plate to bring to Peter. ]

He brought you what? Your... suit?

[ He didn't just say Mark FIFTY, did he? ]

[crimson_rain]

It's no problem.

[He found the laptop and the accompanying charger for both easily enough, and some of his video games. He went to search the dressing room, and there he finds the DS there.

He eventually brought it to his room in the medbay and laid it close to him]

Here, to help keep you busy.

[vanity_fair]

( Tony is noticeably more focused on plucking an avocado from the overflowing bowl on the table, he's not being avoidant, you are. )

Yeah, you know, he's only ten years in our future. Mark 6 just came out of the fabricator back home and didn't even get a real- a real test flight and...

( He blows a breath out, rolls his shoulders back and looks up at Pepper, something wryly self-deprecating tugging at the corner of his mouth. He didn't confide in her when he was in crisis, just pushed her away even as he wanted so desperately to draw her in as close as he could, and tell her how he felt. That's what he'd like to do now, actually, but he just rolls the avocado under his hands with an idle motion, to keep them busy before he does something really stupid. )

I just thought.

( Wait, no. )

Maybe...

( A month and a handful of days ago, I didn't think I was going to make it to my 40th birthday. Swallowing that one, he shrugs, and reaches for a knife to end the avocado's misery. )

Ten years is a long time.

[efficacy]

[ The prickle of mild annoyance (born out of fear, truthfully, still so afraid of this Iron Man business) that had started to creep up along Pepper's spine shrivels up and dies away the moment Tony begins to falter and meets her gaze, concern replacing it-- a different sort of fear blooming in the pit of her stomach, suddenly. She watches him closely in silence with a frown of worry, watches him fidget with the avocado and has a sinking feeling there's something he's not telling her. Something serious. ​]

Maybe...? [ she prompts quietly, but then something in Tony's gaze shutters and he turns away to deal with the avocado. Pepper isn't entirely certain what that was, but it stays with her. ]

Yeah. It is.

[ It's only some months shy of ten years since she started working for him, she realizes suddenly, randomly. And ten years into the future, and Tony is still donning those suits? That's what she's supposed to take away from this? Her head spins-- she needs to properly process it all, but this isn't the time for it. She refocuses on the simple task instead, silently putting together a sandwich to add to the plate. ]