10th Command; Video - dated to the night after the breach ended

[aggravating]

[Nope. Screw you Bargians, he's not saying anything to you publicly.

... Oh okay, fine. Have a quick bullshit grin, the one he normally pulls at press conferences he'd rather die than be at.]

Well that was fun. We should petition to keep the brooms around.

[Private to Charles]

Alright, Chuck. Let's talk strategy, here. What's the plan for getting me out of inmate status? [He has a few things in mind as far as deals go, at this point. And he can't get those so long as he's stuck in the doghouse of the Barge.]

[Private to Steve]

What happens during Floods stays in the Flood. [Nope nope nope nope nope]

[Private to Arkady]

Any way I can have a few bottle of scotch to keep in my room, gorgeous? [He has a litany of BS excuses to give her, if she decides that's... a little much.

But Pepper's going to realize something's up sooner or later, and he wants a nice back-up supply of booze before that happens.]


[ooc: Hi I'm Em and I don't know the meaning of a hiatus. (at least not for tonight/tomorrow, beyond that I will be a little scarce)]

Comments

[Spam]

[wedonot]

[Charles... honestly doesn't know what to say to that. He knows it's not something Tony's said to just anyone - or anyone period, in all likelihood - and there's a part of him that almost feels a little uncomfortable about it, because he knows what that's like, to have a disinterested parent who cared more about their interests and desires, and drank too much. Hell, he'd never even talked about their mother's alcoholism with Raven, let alone anyone else. When she was younger, he'd tried to shelter her from it, and when she'd been old enough to understand, they just didn't discuss it.

So there's a part of him that feels like he should, again, offer something about himself in exchange for the information, assure him that he wasn't alone and he understood what it was like to be in that situation, even if they weren't entirely the same. But it's not something he likes thinking about, let alone discussing, and it's not the same as telling Erik or one of their recruits that there were people out there like them, so he swallows the truth and keeps the conversation focused on Tony instead.

Sometimes, he can be a bit of a coward.]

I know this is a strange question, and I'm not asking as an armchair psychologist, but- [And he hesitates for a beat, trying to decide the best way to phrase this.] What do you think he'd think of all this? Not about you being on the Barge, but about Iron Man, and where you've taken the company? Is there anything you wish you could tell him about it?

[There's a lot of earnestness in the questions, and his expression, in a way a therapist or an interviewer probably wouldn't be. He actually cares about the response, and wants to know what Tony would do, if for whatever reason Howard Stark arrived on the Barge tomorrow, because there are a few key things Charles would like to discuss with him, and he assumes there would be for Tony, too.]

[Spam]

[aggravating]

[Charles' reaction doesn't really matter, in the end. Honestly, Tony's too lost in thought to really notice any pause, any debating in his expression. It's strange, this relationship they have. Something almost like a friendship, but with a hint of a therapist in there to. A relationship built out of necessity, predetermined roles that made Tony want to claw inside his head and rip his brains out rather than play the damaged civilian card.

And yet here he is, sitting in front of Charles, saying things he'd never thought he would to anyone. Things even Pepper hadn't heard him admit. Things the world guessed at, assumed, but never actually nagged enough to get Tony annoyed, tired, saying screw it and giving them what they wanted. It's just... strange, finding himself exhausted to that point of just not caring what Charles knows anymore.

It still helps that the file laid out the biggest secrets in his life.]

Not as an armchair psychologist? [Okay, he can't help but quirk an eyebrow at that.] All you're missing is a mustache, a few sexual harassment dolls, and a clipboard.

[But Charles' expression has him drawing up short. Sure, a part of him has always been prepared to answer this question... but here and now? He's taken by surprise, just furrowing his brow at Charles, not even thinking to look away as confusion floods through him, a touch of annoyance a second later.] He'd hate it. [A jerky shrug of his shoulder]

He made our name in weapons, carved out a place at the top because of it. The fact that I stopped? He'd hate it, wouldn't let me hear the end of it, either. Iron Man... [That one he's less certain about, actually. And it shows in the few seconds of hesitation, there] He'd like War Machine better. Sold to the military, outfitted with guns and bombs, all the bells and whistles.

[His lips twist just slightly, though, at that last question.] There's a few things I'd want to say to him. None of them are about the company or Iron Man.

[And he is so not going into that, Charles. No matter what kind of pushing you do.]