Secret AIM Facility - Long Island, NY - Saturday Morning

[imafuturist]

After the complete clusterfuck that was yesterday, Tony was going for a tried and true method of coping called 'go beat up bad guys for touching his stuff.' It was super fun.

And he did promise to let this version of Steve hit the armor for stress tests, but hitting AIM seemed like a way better plan. So, hitting AIM it was.

"If you see anyone in ridiculous yellow outfits, they're the bad guys," Tony said, looking through the list of Stark technology on the premises that was helpfully listed by JARVIS after a quick scan of the place. He was going to blow up so much stuff today.

It almost made up for the fact that he was in Long Island.

[for the captain who would be confused if Tony said 'Assemble!']

Comments

[imafuturist]

Tony snorted at that, leaning against the counter and looking out the window. "That is exactly what it's like. I used to enjoy it."

Which was probably one if the reasons why he had a reputation.

"Some people will disappointed by the reality. I wasn't when I met him. Or you."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve's ears went pink again. "Thanks," he said, ducking his head down.

[imafuturist]

"What I mean is that sometimes that whole larger than life thing can be used to your advantage," Tony said, grinning as he kindly refrained from commenting on the pink ears. "You can wear it like, well, armor."

[heroic_jawline]

Steve nodded. "I used to do that when I was doing those newsreels. I just have to get back into the mindset, if that makes sense."

[imafuturist]

Tony nodded in agreement. "And the offer to sue SHIELD still stands. I'm already in am inter-dimensional lawsuit because of one of my employees, so why not see how much legal precedent we can set?"

[heroic_jawline]

"Why are you in an interdimensional lawsuit?" Steve asked.

[imafuturist]

"Jessica was trying to find out if her home is still there and Portalocity threatened legal action." So Tony told them to fuck off and threw his legal team at them. No one messes with his employees, teammates, or friends.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve scowled in outrage on Jessica's behalf. "Good for you," he said vehemently.

[imafuturist]

"She's from another of the world's with us in them. But they call the Avengers, the Ultimates." Tony made a face at how ridiculous it sounded.

[heroic_jawline]

Steve made a face too. "That's...not as catchy."

[imafuturist]

"It's horrible. Like a bad cartoon." With a terrible theme song.

[heroic_jawline]

"Avengers is catchy," Steve said loyally. "I mean, pretty sure my you came up with it on the spur of the moment just to make Loki twitch, but it's fine."

[imafuturist]

"Yeah? Jan came up with it for us. Weird how many things are the same between timelines." Like how much a tool Loki was.

[heroic_jawline]

Suuuuuch a tool.

"It's kind of nice," Steve said. "It'd be even harder to be here if the people I recognized weren't people I'd like."

[imafuturist]

A tool with daddy issues and bad hair.

"Yeah?"

[heroic_jawline]

And a helmet that made Thor's look dignified and restrained.

"You've made this acclimation a lot easier," Steve said, blue eyes big and earnest. "So thank you."

Bucky had made things complicated, but Bucky always made things complicated.

[imafuturist]

Bucky was the original fridged girlfriend sidekick. Complicated was possibly his middle name.

Tony beamed a little because lacked chill when given compliments by friends. "Well, I couldn't let you go live in a sad hotel. That'd be inhumane."

[heroic_jawline]

"Have you seen the school? I'm pretty sure the hotel isn't sad," Steve said, smiling up at the girl dropping their pizzas off. "Thanks."

[imafuturist]

And the girl promptly turned red again. Way to go, Steve.

Tony pushed forward enough cash to have bought about five more pizzas because that was how he rolled.

"You get to carry them, winghead," he said, heading to one of the tables with chairs that in no way looked like they should support a full grown adult who still had shame.

[heroic_jawline]

"But what are you going to eat?" Steve teased as he picked up the pizzas and followed Tony back, then stood and judged the chairs. "If I end up on my butt here, I'm gonna be a little upset."

[imafuturist]

"I'm sorry, is the super soldier who miraculously survived being frozen worried about a tiny fall?" Tony asked. "I mean, you are ninety something. A broken hip is no laughing matter."

[heroic_jawline]

"Just for that, I'm eating an entire pizza by myself."

That'll show him, Steve.

He sat carefully in the chair, which creaked but held.

[imafuturist]

For now.

Tony took his own seat warily because he was but a frail human. "Oh, trust me. I've seen how much both you and my Steve can pack away. It's obscene."

Doubled the food bill, Steve. Doubled.

[heroic_jawline]

"Super stamina," Steve said, blushing slightly. "It wasn't my idea."

[imafuturist]

"Now I see why you hang out with me. I can afford to keep you fed," Tony replied, grabbing a slice to eat.