005 | Tony Stark | Video

[manofiron]

[ For a fleeting moment, Tony Stark’s face fills the screen. Those who know him might recognize his piercing eyes and his immaculately kept hair, perfectly trimmed and styled to look like the dashing figure of the celebrity he is back home. Maybe his skin’s a little paler than usual. And maybe some of its imperfections are gone. But it’s difficult to tell, because it only lasts for a moment.

Two luminous, glowing red orbs suddenly fill the screen as Tony pulls the communicator closer. His lips curve into a devilishly mischievous smirk, but hidden as it as by the limitations of the camera, no one can appreciate it. When he speaks, his voice is a low, throaty purr, edged with just a hint wickedness. ]

Cape Kore. I’ve got a question for you.

[ He moves his arm, pulling it back so more of his finely muscled torso and broad shoulders can be seen. In his skin-tight tank top, there’s plenty of pale, flawless skin to behold. Slowly, he stalks from the shadows of his home’s porch into the brilliant light of the morning.

And the sun, rising over the horizon, fans rays of light over his skin, setting it alight, sparking flashes of fire like a diamond. It’s as though the man is no man at all, but a being of light, angelic and perfect. ]

Do I dazzle you?


(A/N: omg this is my first time writing one of these!! plz be gentle. my poor babu is having a bad day. it will get better tho~ ^_^)

Comments

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Steve tries to say no, but all that comes out is a slight whine. Apparently he's not used to speaking tiger. He wills himself to stay in this form if Tony wants to start petting him, because holy goodness would it be awkward if he changed back into a human while Tony's patting his head.

He finds it's easier to keep his form when he thinks of how he's supposed to be. He'd turned into quite a few people from back home, because he thinks of them often. It's easiest with a strong emotional memory.

Right now he remembers being scared, having just lost ten more days of his life to God knows what, feeling like every displacement is a great loss, and falling asleep petting soft fur and listening to the sound of heavy breathing.

He nudges Tony's hand, lightly, with his head. ]

[manofiron]

[ This isn't the strangest thing Tony's ever done, but petting tiger-Steve on the head is pretty high up there. That doesn't mean that he stops, though. No, he gives tiger-Steve's head a good scratching, along the top of his forehead and around his ears.

Once he's done, he retracts his hand and straightens up. ]

Okay. I'm done. You can change back. I mean, you can, right? You're not stuck like that now?

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Tiger-Steve is feeling pretty good. In fact, he thinks he feels a purr coming when-- aww, shucks, fine.

He stops thinking about Stanley, tries to think back to being himself. It's easier to transform, he finds, when he uses himself as a control, because he's the easiest person to change into.

Unfortunately, he has poor control over the emotions tied to his memories, and a lot of those memories involve other people. ]

No, I'm fine.

[ He certainly isn't expecting to sound like Bucky Barnes. ]

[manofiron]

[ Steve might be green and wrinkly around the chin, but his powers are infinitely cooler, and more useful, than Tony's. Again. But what else can he expect from Captain America?

So he's waiting for Steve to come back when the transformation starts. Not... ]

Uh, Steve?

[ He waves a hand at him, brow furrowed in concern. ]

You're not, uh... Maybe you should try again.

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Yeah well, he's also stronger and has a legacy of taking over worlds and being an asshole to other species, but humans kind of do that too, come to think of it.

He is... well, he shouldn't say shocked, but he's a little upset on account of his own body trying to fuck with his head. Story of his life. ]

Yeah, working on it.

[ And then he tries to stay quiet, because he never wants to hear his best friend's voice coming out of his own mouth, even if he gets to hear it again. ]

[manofiron]

[ Tony doesn't know how to shapeshift. Sadly, being a sparklepire doesn't give him the ability to turn into a bat or a wolf or whatever else vampires are supposed to be able to turn into. So it isn't like he can really help out. But he tries. ]

Would it help if I talk about you?

[pursuitofcappiness]

We can try.

[ Because right now he's flickering in and out of being a skrull and being Bucky. ]

[manofiron]

You remember that costume you used to wear? Before you actually got involved in the war, I mean.

[ He feels like he ought to step out in the sun for this, because what's more ridiculous than singing a stupid song than sparkling while doing it, but he refrains at the last second and just launches into it. ]

Who’s strong and brave, here to save the American Way?
Who vows to fight like a man for what’s right night and day?
Who will campaign door-to-door for America,
Carry the flag shore to shore for America,
From Hoboken to Spokane,
The Star Spangled Man with a Plan!

That one? That was my first introduction to you. My dad was watching an old video of one of your performances and there you were, dancing around in that, I don't even know what it was made out of. I don't think Spandex existed back then.

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ Steve just kind of looks at Tony.

And then. Stares, in disbelief, as he gets the whole damn first verse word for word.

Wow.

Wow.

And then he just, he just bursts out laughing, almost doubles over in it, and transforms into himself.

Wearing. The costume. That awful one. So Tony can figure out what the non-spandex is, because, and holy shit, he even transforms with the old triangular shield, cue cards on the back and all. ]

Next time I put on a show, you should audition to be one of the chorus girls. You really got that number down.

[manofiron]

[ On the one hand, Steve's back to normal. On the other hand, he's laughing at him. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be that big of a deal, but Tony can't help feeling a little stupid and embarrassed, which is only exacerbated by the whole sparkly vampire problem. ]

Somehow I don't think I have the legs to be a chorus girl.

[ It's kind of grumpy, but then he sighs and shakes his head. ]

Look, you're even back to being you. No more pointy-eared, green, waffle-chinned thing.

[pursuitofcappiness]

Yeah, just... freedom, happiness and the American way.

[ Steve straightens up, and suddenly he's back to normal, wearing his Avengers costume and everything. ]

Don't sell yourself short, you've definitely got the legs to be a chorus girl.

[ A pause. ]

...Thanks.

[manofiron]

You forgot the apple pie.

[ Because as far as Tony's concerned, that's a quintessential part of being American. ]

And please, you're only saying that about my legs because they're made of diamonds now.

[ Which, in his weird, indirect way, is a you're welcome. ]

[pursuitofcappiness]

The diamonds can go; you're better off without them.

[ He's going to ignore the apple pie thing because there aren't apples and there is no pie dough and Steve would kill for some apple pie right now.

Okay, maybe not killing. Killing is extreme. ]

[manofiron]

Are you sure? I don't know. It's not every day you see a guy who's skin's made of diamonds. Or whatever it really is. I don't read books geared toward adolescent girls.

[pursuitofcappiness]

...Tony, you wear a suit partially made of gold. I think diamonds is a little excessive.

[manofiron]

So the gold's okay but not the diamonds?

[pursuitofcappiness]

The gold's just the right amount of flashy.

[manofiron]

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes lied to me. Here I've been, believing diamonds were a girl's best friend.

[pursuitofcappiness]

You might want to get the opinion of a lady then, Tony.

[manofiron]

I don't really know many ladies. Which is weird for me. But here, strangely true. I wouldn't trust their opinions.

[pursuitofcappiness]

Do you really like it? Being... made of diamonds?

[manofiron]

Better than being me? Not really. Better than some of the other things I could have turned into? [ He shrugs. ] I guess so.

[pursuitofcappiness]

At least your clothes still fit.

[ Steve's grown a few inches, and his clothes were kinda tight before.... ]

So... are all vampires... like you? Is that official?

[manofiron]

But I'm dead. I don't know if that's a good pay off.

[ As for Steve's question, he shakes his head. ]

I doubt it. A couple I talked to already are more traditional. You know, sunlight burns, that kind of thing.

[pursuitofcappiness]

[ He crosses his arms over his chest ]

Are you sure you're a vampire? I'm sure sunlight is supposed to burn.