video

[pursuitofcappiness]

With everyone settled back in, I think it's time we go on a hunting trip together.

Anyone who's interested, let me know. I'm thinking we can move out in the next couple of days or so.

[ He'll also be gathering seeds to plant... but he doesn't want anyone to think they might have to stay here through the spring. ]

[ OoC: Will be affected by hallucinations, drop me a line on PM if you want to set something up and we haven't already discussed it! ]

Comments

[manofiron]

Hunting? Uh, yeah. Sure. Let me just—I'm in.

[pursuitofcappiness]

...

[ For a second, he can't recognize Tony's voice as belonging to Tony. That's ridiculous. When he looks at Tony's image on the feed and when he plays that clip back in his head, it sounds just like him. ]

Of course. Should I get your candlestick ready?

[manofiron]

Candle—What? No. No, I don't need that. I'll—

[ His eyes track to the side, like he's looking at someone else. ]

JARVIS, prep the—Yeah, that's the—No. No, never mind. I'll get it. Steve.

[ Attention snapping back to the camera, he looks at it for a second. ]

When are we going?

[pursuitofcappiness]

Depends how many people sign up to go, but we should be ready in the next few days.

[ That's weird. The more Tony talks, the less like Tony he sounds. But Steve's watch has been futzing about for a couple days now, so that might be it. ]

We'll need a lot of food, or we'll have to make multiple trips. I've got something written out in the sketchbook. You can look at it whenever you come home.

[shesamarshmallow]

I'll just clutch my hankie to my chest and wait for you boys to come home.

But you have fun walking in the nature and stuff.

[pursuitofcappiness]

Sure you wouldn't rather come with us?

[manofiron]

Yeah, sure. Okay. I'm just down at the lab. I'll...

[ The image blurs into a confusion of color as he starts moving, letting his arm fall down to his side. ]

I'm on my way back now.

[pursuitofcappiness]

Yeah.

[ He shakes his head. ]

Yeah, I'll see you soon.

[ He likes talking in person way better, anyway. ]

[manofiron]

[ It doesn't take him very long to get back. Tony might think he's been down at the lab, talking to JARVIS, but he's just been in the library talking to books. About eight minutes after turning off the communicator, he comes strolling into the house.

And for the moment, he actually looks lucid and with it. ]

Steve? You here?

[pursuitofcappiness]

Tony?

[ He walks out of the room with his sketchbook in hand to meet him and what he sees is-- ]

--Stark?

[ He freezes, and something in his mind misremembers being called Cap, Captain, Rogers maybe... ]

[manofiron]

[ That greeting makes him blink, and for a second he glances around, half expecting to see some other Tony that might necessitate Steve using his last name. There's no one else there, of course, and he nods, brow furrowing slightly. That it reminds him of the way they used to be - on a snide last name basis only - is something he tries to ignore. ]

Uh, yeah. That's me.

[ He gestures to the otherwise empty room. ]

You expecting someone else?

[pursuitofcappiness]

Yeah, actually, I was.

[ Something tells him that this doesn't make sense, that if Howard were here, he wouldn't know where to find Steve and this wouldn't be an easy conversation. Something hazy tells him that this is okay, that Howard probably just asked somebody, got some information from Romanoff, maybe. He's resourceful.

...Weirder things have happened. It's okay, Steve. It's alright. Indulge, it tells him.

The plans dropped on the coffee table, Steve walks over and throws his arms around Tony's shoulders, pulling him into an embrace. ]

[manofiron]

[ It all comes out of left field. Steve expecting someone else when he knew it was Tony coming back to the house. Getting hugged after how many times it seemed – as far as Tony could tell – that Steve couldn’t stand touching him. He’s baffled, confused, and for a moment can do little but stand there.

Tentatively, he pats Steve on the back, wondering if there’s something wrong. ]

Hey. You all right? What’s going on?

[pursuitofcappiness]

I'll be... fine. I... when'd you get here?

Nevermind, just... sit down. Try the comfortable chair. It's the really ugly one. Do you want tea? We're all out of coffee.

[ When he blinks, his vision blurs a bit. He feels almost like the night Peggy came, and he's not sure anymore, if maybe parts of this are just all in his head. It seems everytime someone from his past shows up, something strange happens. ]

--Did someone tell you about how time is here?

[manofiron]

How—What? What about time? What?

[ Something’s definitely wrong here. He leans forward to peer uncertainly at Steve, but sees no visible sign of injury or head trauma. Which means what? Is something happening with time?

Blinking, he glances toward the ceiling. ]

JARVIS, run a…

[ He blinks again, remembers that he isn’t at home, that there isn’t any JARVIS, and rubs at his forehead. ]

Okay, no, you know what, maybe it’s not you. Maybe it’s me.

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ He misses the part about JARVIS, because in his sight, Howard's lips didn't move. He just... looked at the ceiling. ]

No, look-- time, it's weird here. And... there's someone I think you'll want to meet, and he's supposed to be here... but I think he's from your future, and you don't know this, but you do something really terrible to him in a few years. I don't know what you do-- what you did, but he hasn't forgiven you.

I know he's going to be resistant, but I think, if you two could work together... I think that'd really be good, for both of you. Just... will you trust me?

[manofiron]

I'm—What?

[ Already on unsteady footing, Steve's words rattle him further. They bring to mind everything that Sharon's told him. About another world and another Tony Stark who somehow managed to make horrible things happen to the people he cared about.

He takes a step backward, not toward the comfy chair, but away, toward the wall. Like if he backs up, he can outrun whatever terrible thing he's done now. ]

What did I do? I don't—Who's here?

[pursuitofcappiness]

I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sure we can all work this out... Please, sit down.

[ He can't afford to lose anyone. He can't afford to lose anyone, not Howard and not Tony and none of the people he has already lost. ]

No one's here. Not yet.

[shesamarshmallow]

Bum leg. If only I could!

Seriously, though, I really did screw myself over via gravity. Bruce can confirm.

If he has to, I mean.

[Because Bruce still isn't her favorite subject. But he is her doctor.]

[pursuitofcappiness]

Maybe next trip. He's a good doctor; he'll have you back into shape in no time.

I'm Steve, by the way. Steve Rogers. I don't think we've met.

[manofiron]

I'm not scared. I'm, I don't know. Look.

[ He waves a hand, though what he's gesturing toward, even he doesn't know. ]

Just. What's going on? I thought we were going hunting. Aren't we doing that anymore?

[ He spares a glance at the chair, but he doesn't sit down. Sitting down is bad. If he sits down... He doesn't remember what happens if he sits down, but he knows that he shouldn't do it. ]

video:

[charring]

Hunting?

[Video]

[thelittlestbub]

I'd like to join in. If you don't mind someone else.

Do we have weapons? Can't shoot a bow and arrow, but I can at least sometimes hit a target with a rifle.

[Thanks Logan!]

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Something's gone funny with his memory... He could've sworn he was talking to Tony earlier. ]

Yeah. Yeah, here.

[ He picks up the sketchbook, flips it to a page of meticulous notes ]

Have you been to the forest?

Re: video:

[pursuitofcappiness]

Yes, hunting. You interested?