o1 👨‍💻 Nothing like a big bad bridge (open)

[servomotor]

Characters: Tony Stark, CR, & YOU
Summary: A smol average height technologist superhero man goes about his business in the wake of war and random comedic holiday shenanigans. Some closed starters in the comments.
Date(s): Catch-all for January 2018!
Warnings/Notes: Mental illness, manpain, etc. Maybe some sexual content in here eventually!



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Whether in this world or the last, Tony Stark manages to be both a highly private person and incredibly easy to find. Most of the time, he can be found in his workshop, where he invents and repairs a range of machinery for people. Lately, he's been working on copying Xistentia's emotional energy conversion technology and turn it into something that the average citizen (or above average, depending on your self-concept) can use. Behold: sewing machines and weaving looms that feed off bursts of emotional inspiration, coffee machines fueled by your addict's desperation, and cars that go a little faster because you really really want them to!

The rest of the time, he might be found out and about, often in the iconic red suit. He's often preoccupied with brokering deals to acquire more scrap from the beach or trade with other people from contemporary worlds. You might catch him in dry debate, negotiating; you might even find yourself waved over and asked for your honest opinion about the value of a piece of chassis or energy source, in the middle of an otherwise incomprehensible technobabble conversation. Just remember: there is definitely a right answer.

However, in his off-hours, you might instead find him at your local liquor establishment or listening to some live multiversal music downtown, wearing an Immensely Doubtful expression on his bearded face. On the other hand, it's Tony Stark. Maybe that's just what his rich white boy face looks like.

Comments

[iisupergirlii]

Kara's halfway across the workshop, clumsily dodging benches and half-repaired robot arms. You know, typical stuff. But then he says what he says, and she stops cold. Immediately, and rather guiltily, she spins to look behind her, and there's AstraD, no longer invisible. Oh, for Rao's sake.

"You were supposed to be-" She cuts her hissed chastisement off, turning slowly with an uneven, guilty grin. She clears her throat, pushing her glasses up.

"Um, I am... here for coffee," she says, gesturing towards the coffee pot. "It's a machine that fuels off emotions. That's... hoo boy wow! That's pretty cool."

Is she distracting him? Is it working?

Probably not.

But... cousin. Cousin! She can work with cousin. It's a new one, and kind of sort of implies that she's not exactly human, but just because she's not human, doesn't mean she's Supergirl.

"So, I... see you've heard of my cousin. Yes. Supergirl?"

[servomotor]

Actually, Tony is somewhat distracted. It's just that he's-- basically constantly distracted and still has mental resources left over to spare to run analyses and get into all kinds of trouble. That's why he prefers holographic interfaces. It's such bullshit to have to turn. He immensely prefers having a dozen animated layers of transparency with diagrams and subdiagrams popping up and spinning around his face like all the time.

"Your cousin," he repeats. Then he sits back down in his seat with enough force for the wheels to go ratta! and he slides backward a few inches. "Yes, your cousin Supergirl.

"Must be a limited genetic pool over where you come from, because that guy," he points at her tiny daemon and its excruciatingly adorable face, "looks a lot like her little guy. And something about your facial symmetry really just-- hangs together like hers. Funny story." He smiles a little, studying her with mild interest. How terribly humble. Sure, the Avengers have their share of individuals with multiple identities, but it's hard to picture Natasha slapping glasses on and fumbling awkwardly over explaining the next buxom redhead in her extended family.

[iisupergirlii]

Kara licks over her lips. What does she say? What does she say? She clears her throat. "Well, um... they have been working on cloning on my planet."

What? They have! Didn't someone clone a sheep or something? She vaguely remembers reading about that in high school. She can already feel this lie rapidly falling apart, but until it does, she's going to try and salvage it. Somehow.

[servomotor]

The corner of Tony's mouth starts to twitch. Twitchtwitch.

He can appreciate a commitment to a lie as much as the next rich white guy. It's fine. And he is certainly aware that cloning technology is ramping up back home. Not exactly his area of interest, but he does some light reading on scientific journals sometimes. Sexy nerd still is nerd.

"Cool," he says. "How do you like Xistentia so far? Freaked out by the red death robots? The promise of an apocalypse?"

[iisupergirlii]

Oh, thank Rao. He's moving on from it. Kara puts some sugar in her coffee, the whole reason she came here and is now having to lie to him, and shrugs her shoulders.

"It's fine! I mean, it's nice when we're not threatened by, you know, the end of all the worlds everywhere. Um, I live with Thea, if you know her? So I've been setting up our place there when there's time."

[servomotor]

"I know that person," Tony says, after a few seconds of a mental review. Yes. "Teenager or early twenties-- indeterminable in that network television kind of way. Yay tall," he holds up his hand at a level that doesn't make sense considering he's sitting down again, "wiry. Showed up covered in blood.

"How's the roommate situation working out? I've been thinking of getting one myself, but my prospect is also a warrior woman. Not sure how much in the war of grisly trophies I want to invite into the home, if you know what I'm saying."

[iisupergirlii]

"It's pretty nice! I just wish I had more answers to give her about home," Kara says with a shrug. "A warrior woman?" Kara pushes her glasses up her nose, clearly interesting. "Who's that?"