Apocalypse How: IC Inbox

[worthallthis]

There is no message, just a beep. Better hope you have the right number.

Comments

text, unknown number. Dec 11

[ployboy]

Asset. Weapon. Soldier.

Friend ?

[Maybe a bad way to broach this particular topic. But he's pressed for time.

The phone, if it's ever traced,
belonged once to William H. Mendez-- police rounded him up some weeks ago as a part of a drug bust. Shame he'd left his burner number behind in his panic.]

How Far Will You Go To Protect Them ?

text, an hour later

[worthallthis]

[There's a lot of time spent frowning at this before coming up with a response. It's a very basic response.]

i do not have friends

who are you

[Can't be friends with people, but if somebody needs backup, he's usually willing. He just needs to know who.]

[ployboy]

I'm Not Convinced.

There Would Be 2 3, 4 People Potentially Involved.

[--is he counting Yelena? Should he be counting Yelena? God, he has no freaking idea. (An anthem.)]

You Care About Them, Buck.

[worthallthis]

[This time the response is quick. Four separate texts, one word each, in immediate succession:]

my
name
is
winter

[He didn't even realize he felt so strongly about it being a name now and not just something for civilians to call him... but apparently he does.]

[ployboy]

[Hit a nerve there, huh. Not that it matters but: sorry, big guy.]

Does It Come Easy For You To Neutralize Identified Threats, Winter? I Won't Ask About Unidentified Ones For Obvious Reasons.

[worthallthis]

[There's a lot of nerves to hit, really. He's mollified by the correction. Mostly. He's still kind of grouchy about this whole thing. He's not fond of communication that is recorded like this.

But it's a simple enough question.]

yes it is what i am made for

[ployboy]

[Identity issues, much? Heard.]

You Seemed Like One Of The Better Choices For The Act Than One Of The Aforementioned 3, 4 People In The Web.

I'll Trust You.

[worthallthis]

[Very much. He stares in mild consternation at the text for a few minutes before trying again:]

who are you and what do you want exactly

[ployboy]

I Want Everyone To Stay Safe.

text ⌬ @stark;

[fightinginfinity]

How’s it going T-800

It’s me Tony. That guy you almost TKO’d with a bodice ripper, remember?

Just wanted to know how the whole re-humaning thing was going

And to see if that arm of yours needs some 5w-30, on the house. Offer’s on the table

Text me back if you want. No rush. Or just leave me on read it’s no skin off my back either way really

[ Ok Tony that’s good, stop now before you crash and burn. ]

text UN Soldier

[worthallthis]

[It takes Winter a long few minutes to reply. He's remembered, since they last spoke. He knows what he did. Who Tony really is, in the end.

He knows Tony has been... kind, though. And his arm could definitely stand someone looking at it who isn't him with his imperfect understanding of how it works and how to fix it. If he thinks he can keep from punching someone who touches it.

Maybe Tony should be the one to do it, in the end, though. If Tony decided to use maintenance to hurt him, it would be deserved. That knowledge might make him able to hold still during an examination.

So, finally:]

ok

where are you

Totally lost this tag, I apologize for the lateness!

[fightinginfinity]

[ Tony sets his phone down immediately after texting to continue what he's working on, but catches himself looking over at it once or twice despite himself. Distantly he wonders if the guy even knows how to do the text message thing and whether he should kick himself for not confirming that beforehand, but then the resounding ping of Winter's reply rings out and has Tony very nearly taking off his own finger with an X-ACTO blade.

Recovering quickly, Tony grabs his phone to reply. He starts to type out the address of his apartment then hesitates, Lady Anxiety reminding him kindly that he's alone right now and may not be able to take Winter on should the guy go bonkers and try to kill him. Then he remembers how much like GrumpyCat the guy looked when he'd been pouting over romance novels and rolls his eyes at his own worry, smirking and sending out the address after all.

Even if things do go south for whatever reason, Tony has a veritable arsenal at his disposal of makeshift weapons that he has designed to use in lieu of his suit in the event of such an occasion. But somehow, with almost total certainty, Tony doesn't think he'll need them.

Better flirt, though. Just to test the waters. ]

Come and get it tiger

[worthallthis]

[The flirt does go right over his head, sadly, but it doesn't actually matter a whole lot, because Winter doesn't bother replying. He just shows knocks on Tony's door, a few minutes later, because Tony's apartment isn't that from his own.

He doesn't look murderous. He looks, if anything, kind of nervous, eyes down and hands, metal and flesh both, shoved down in his pockets.]

Hi.

[fightinginfinity]

[ That's okay, Bucky. Tony doesn't flirt to get a reaction like...90% of the time. He does it because it's reflex at this point. Like how you almost kick the doctor when he hits your knee with the little hammer thingy.

Er, anyway. You and Tony both, buddy! Though with Tony it's not so much nervousness as his constant, ever-present state of near-unbearable anxiety becoming slightly more elevated than normal. He does his usual thing and completely barrels through it, though, opening the door to let Winter in. ]

Howdy, Gunslinger. Aren't you prompt. Come on in, I'll make coffee. [ With that Tony immediately steps away to the kitchenette, calling out as he flees. ] Try not to bump into anything.

[ As he is left standing near the doorway, it ought to become immediately apparent to Winter that, should he choose to continue avoiding direct eye contact with Tony, there's plenty else in the apartment to occupy his gaze. It's a bit less chaotic now than it had been when he'd first established it, but Tony's makeshift workshop still swallows up a good portion of the apartment and is full of interesting knickknacks to observe. Just observe, though: ]

I don't have to tell you not to touch anything, right? [ Tony is still bustling around making coffee, speaking loudly so he can be heard. ] Can't imagine you wanna risk losing Righty, too.

[worthallthis]

I've been in here before, Tony. I made Jaeger tea few times while he was recovering.

[And he moves easily between things without touching them, looking for wherever he's supposed to be. There need to be Jaeger-sized paths in here, and Jaeger's even bigger than Winter is, so he's not too concerned, and it's easy to keep his hands to himself. They stay in his pockets, in fact, shoulders a little hunched.

He kind of hovers by the edge of the kitchen, where the fewest bits of Tony-mess are strewn, and watches Tony bustle around. He's not sure if he should apologize or not. Did the... other him? Apologize? Would that make things better or worse?

He finally says, haltingly,]

I remembered. Your. Howard.

[He swallows, and says in a very small voice,]

I'm sorry.

[fightinginfinity]

[ As soon as Winter drops 'Howard' the mug Tony is holding parts ways with his hands, hits the floor with a crash and shatters into a million pieces. Another one bites the dust apparently, but Tony barely acknowledges it. Maybe he has yet to shake his habit of giving nary a fuck when something breaks, as he's used to being able to replace it immediately, or maybe he's just too taken aback to care by the hard left turn the conversation just took from introductory pleasantries to the subject of his parents' fucking murder.

It's probably both. Mostly the second one, though.

Unfortunately, the sound of breaking ceramic blocks Tony's ears to whatever else Winter says. Tony knows he hears him say something, though... So he takes a deep breath and a couple steps back from the mess of shards around his bare feet, until his lower back hits the counter and he can reach back to grip its edges and ground himself ]

What was that? What you said just now, didn't catch it. [ He doesn't look at Winter when he speaks, opting instead to stare at the broken mug on the floor. ] Speak up.

[worthallthis]

[Winter doesn't look at Tony, either. He flinches badly at the sound of breaking glass, taking a full step back. Towards the door. But then he stops and steels himself. Tony's been kind to him, even though he knew. Even if Winter doesn't want punishment, Tony would be within his rights to dole it out.

He swallows hard, and says again,]

I'm sorry.

[Then he finds himself adding,]

You've been. Kind to me. You knew, but you were kind anyway. You didn't have to be.

voice, un:rue

[ruevealing]

Winter, my friend. Do you have a moment to speak?

Re: voice, un:rue

[worthallthis]

[This is unusual. People don't contact him much. Also it's usually text when they do so it takes him a moment to get up enough voice to reply.]

I can meet you somewhere. Sure.

[ruevealing]

Only if you have the time. I'd be happy to buy you lunch or a coffee.

[worthallthis]

I always have time. And I love coffee.

[Also he hates actually talking over this thing. In person is much better.]

Pick a place.

[ruevealing]

The coffee shop on third. I will be buying.

[worthallthis]

[Winter won't protest. He is, after all, unemployed and all. Saving money by having your friends buy your coffee is only practical.

He shows up within ten minutes, bundled in a layers of coat, jacket, and hoodie, thankfully sans antlers now. If he's early, he waits outside, leaning on the nearest lamp post.]

[ruevealing]

[Rue arrives only a few moments after him, coming up right to his side and resting a glamoured paw to his back.]

Thank you for meeting me, darling. Let us get inside. It is beginning to get chilly out, isn't it?

[worthallthis]

[He very carefully does not flinch from the touch, and then finds-- it's actually not that hard. He's been a ghost around his own house lately, and everyone has been very careful not to touch him when he doesn't initiate it, but Rue doesn't know that. So they just did. And it's not too bad.]

Course I'd meet you.

[He lets them guide him towards the door, but then shakes himself and steps ahead to open the door for them.]

Everything okay?