|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Feb 26, 2018 16:07:39 GMT -8
Hope had also disregarded Tony’s snarky monologuing. A look of surprise crossed her features. Not by the request but by the need of the request.
“You know where he’s hiding?”
Hope’s pulse kicked up a beat. Bruce hadn’t been with the group when they’d been taken in so the likelihood of them all hiding in the same place was slim, but it was better than nothing and worth a look.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Feb 27, 2018 4:27:55 GMT -8
While the conversation between Natasha and Hope went on, Tony poured himself another drink in the background of events. For the time drinking, he listened to their words. But he wouldn't have been Tony Stark, the one and only Iron Man, if he had remained silent for long. And so, eventually, he added his two cents, naturally.
“You know where he’s hiding?”
"We do, yes.", he divested Natasha of an answer to that question. With one hand supporting himself against the table next to him, Tony continued before one of them could have interjected. "A vague knowledge that is though. In fact, I'm not even sure, if he'd be still there. Last time I checked something was interfering the signal of my technical instruments. So, either this knowledge got obsolete or someone doesn't want to be found."
Maybe he shouldn't have said last time? Well, too late anyway. Inwardly he was just wondering about something else. Would it really be wise to search for Banner, above all with no more than a vague location? But then, would it be to talk Natasha out of it? His eyes wandered over to his blonde friend for a moment. Probably not.
|
|
|
Post by Lady Lee-o on Mar 1, 2018 8:12:21 GMT -8
“You know where he’s hiding?” She was about to say something but Tony being Tony cut in.
"We do, yes. A vague knowledge that is though. In fact, I'm not even sure, if he'd be still there. Last time I checked something was interfering the signal of my technical instruments. So, either this knowledge got obsolete or someone doesn't want to be found."
"A vague knowledge is better than none, Tony, I will take it." Natasha sighed as he put even more alcohol in his body. "Tony, I know it's none of my business but you should slow down." On top of everything that had been going on, she didn't think him downing drink after drink was a good idea. She was tempted to smash every single bottle but knew he would just have more delivered within the hour.
Natasha heard what happened to him and Pepper, how they were on some kind of break. She figured things would get better but not if Tony kept drinking and flirting with women.
"You should be fighting to get her back, not wasting away on booze and women. Some friendly advice from an old colleague." She patted his shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 1, 2018 12:02:16 GMT -8
"A vague knowledge is better than none, Tony, I will take it." Just as he had assumed. No way of talking her out of it. But well, why not? He wouldn't want to be the reason for something bad happening, only because he had rated the knowledge of Banner's location was too vague to trace.
"Okay, fine. Count me in.", he lastly agreed. This didn't mean to accompany her, but to support wherever he could.
Tony was just about to down the rest of his drink, as Natasha's sigh made him stop in the middle of the move, giving her a look saying What?. "Tony, I know it's none of my business but you should slow down.""You should be fighting to get her back, not wasting away on booze and women. Some friendly advice from an old colleague." Now his look changed from questioning to frowning. What did everyone think was he doing? Oh, he was fighting for her, wasn't he? Sending her all those messages, photos of him and invitations to each of his parties. But Pepper wasn't here after all.
"Are you gonna spoil my party even more?", Tony suddenly asked with slight annoyance, while he placed the glass, with the rest of vodka remaining in it, back on the bar. "You're right. It is none of your business. So would you ladies be so kind to move this upstairs?" Tony felt like his input wasn't needed any longer, so why should he continue to ditch his guests, to put it like Hope had.
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 5, 2018 21:23:01 GMT -8
Last time he checked?
It suddenly clicked that it wasn't Natalia but Tony who'd known all along. Natalia had come to Stark's because she'd either figured out Stark knew or had the notion he might.
Whatever the story was for having shown up, Hope didn't care, nor did she ponder on it. She was too busy silently seething as the two carried on, the rest of their exchanges drowned out as she'd honed in on the only important thing to her.
Finally able to calm down enough to form words, Hope took angry strides toward him and began talking over his last couple of words. "You knew where one of them was hiding and you didn't tell me?" she asked, her angry, accusatory tone matching the daggered stare she was giving him. "What the hell, Stark?"
Hope still hadn't answered Natalia's request for transportation but Hope's reaction made it clearly obvious that it was happening and soon.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 11, 2018 11:24:12 GMT -8
"You knew where one of them was hiding and you didn't tell me?"
Tony stiffened. Well, oops. With a slow movement, he turned from Natasha right in front of him to Hope, who was just taking angry strides towards him, her eyes firing arrows if had been possbile.
"What the hell, Stark?"
For some moments he was just standing there, silently handling the anger besieging him, before he finally served with an answer. And he wouldn't have been Tony if that was one turning out satisfactory, especially not with the current amount of alcohol in his veins. It also didn't help to make use of his usual talent of turning things into ridicule.
"I'm sorry, but did I miss the meeting where everyone's voted for me as the one being put in charge of briefing the team? If you gimme a second, I might create a PowerPoint presentation... --"
|
|
|
Post by Lady Lee-o on Mar 11, 2018 12:18:04 GMT -8
"You're right. It is none of your business. So would you ladies be so kind to move this upstairs?" Natasha would love to just smack Tony upside the head but she would control her temper for the time being. Seems Hope was angry enough for the both of them.
"What the hell, Stark?"
"I'm sorry, but did I miss the meeting where everyone's voted for me as the one being put in charge of briefing the team? If you gimme a second, I might create a PowerPoint presentation... --" Natasha shook her head and kept her annoyance off her face as she normally did.
"Tony, I'm doing my absolute best not to smack you around. It would be a waste of my energy and you'd probably enjoy it." Natasha would let Hope yell at him some more and focus on what she now knew. The big guy was in Norway, she needed to find him. All she could think about was finding him, wanting to make sure he was okay and that he wasn't causing himself and others harm.
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 11, 2018 14:02:53 GMT -8
"I'm sorry, but did I miss the meeting where everyone's voted for me as the one being put in charge of briefing the team? If you gimme a second, I might create a PowerPoint presentation... --"
Due to their similar upbringing, the two of them had formed a sort of sibling-like bond which included jibes and competitiveness, maybe even a little protectiveness, which neither would own up to. She'd add a straightforwardness that people generally didn't use outside of family but the two of them seemed to use that with anyone they talked to, he through sarcasm and she through bluntness.
"Tony, I'm doing my absolute best not to smack you around. It would be a waste of my energy and you'd probably enjoy it."
'I might beat you to it,' Hope thought. But Natalia was probably right. "It's not a team briefing thing, Snark," she began, using a very appropriate nickname she'd coined for him. "I thought we agreed to share any information we found with each other but I guess you've been too busy feeling sorry for yourself," Hope said as she plucked the glass from his hand placed it with a satisfying 'clink' back onto the table, then stepped between him and the booze, crossing her arms. She looked disappointed, slightly hurt. "Where?" she demanded.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Mar 21, 2018 5:36:54 GMT -8
"Tony, I'm doing my absolute best not to smack you around. It would be a waste of my energy and you'd probably enjoy it."
Tony didn't respond to that with more than a sigh and a look saying How the hell did I get roped into this?, before he turned his eyes back to Hope.
"It's not a team briefing thing, Snark," At that nickname Tony put his head askew. "I thought we agreed to share any information we found with each other but I guess you've been too busy feeling sorry for yourself," As she took the glass out of his hands, his eyes were following it to the table. "Is it a new sports people taking things out of my hands?"
"Where?", she went on with her arms crossed, not reacting to his little objection.
And Tony wouldn't be him if he started a reply without any preliminary words of bite. "Oh, if you'd invited yourself to this private party earlier, you would know already. Have you ever been in Europe? In Norway, to be more precise."
|
|
|
Post by Lady Lee-o on Mar 21, 2018 15:17:30 GMT -8
"It's not a team briefing thing, Snark," Natasha was laughing on the inside but she let a smile escape her lips. She didn't show much emotion unless a mission called for it, "I thought we agreed to share any information we found with each other but I guess you've been too busy feeling sorry for yourself," Tony seemed to be pissing off every woman he came across lately, at least the ones that knew him personally. She watched as Hope took the glass out of his hand with another smile. "Is it a new sports people taking things out of my hands?" "Where?" "Oh, if you'd invited yourself to this private party earlier, you would know already. Have you ever been in Europe? In Norway, to be more precise."
"Norway, do we know where in Norway or will I have to figure that all by myself? If you have any more information I could really use it. Soon as I have everything you know you can go back to your little groupies." Natasha remembered when she posed as a secretary for Stark, the way he leered at her. She felt sorry for Pepper and she deserved so much better, "So, what else do you know?"
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Mar 21, 2018 20:42:43 GMT -8
Finally, Tony was starting to cooperate. Well, in his own special way, but it was progress. They had a general destination. Natalia had this part of it well in hand, so Hope concentrated on readying them for the trip. She pulled out her phone and leaned against the bar, still serving as a human shield between Tony and the booze. Hope half listened as she started preparations.
First, she pulled up her work schedule, grimacing slightly at the important clients, potential clients, and negotiations that would need to be rescheduled. She sent off an e-mail to her assistant, instructing him to shift the meetings to clear her schedule for the next couple of days.
Tony was continuing to cooperate so Hope reached behind her for his glass, intent on handing it over, but the thought of all the additional work she'd be putting in with profuse apologise and making up bullshit excuses, Hope tossed back the shot herself, then placed the empty glass into Stark's hand.
She did free up the bar for him though, moving to a corner of the room to have a brief conversation of her own. As the phone started to ring her contact at the hangar, another realization occurred to her. 'Dammit,' she thought. She'd have to cancel on Pepper after all.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Apr 3, 2018 11:57:02 GMT -8
"Norway, do we know where in Norway or will I have to figure that all by myself? If you have any more information I could really use it. Soon as I have everything you know you can go back to your little groupies."
Tony gave her one of his famous eye-rolls. Was it just the booze or was there actually some sweet animosity in the wind all the while? Why was everyone feeling the need to be concerned about his sex life all of a sudden? And why did nobody see it wasn't him who had canceled the wedding in the first place? Another eye-roll, accompanied by a frown, was following before he decided to react to the request for further information only.
"That information's all inside my head, and that's where I'd like to keep it. So, you wanna make this trip, then you gotta wait for this head to clear up." And as if by command, he received the glass from Hope. Empty. That figured.
With a disapproving look, one that didn't get an adequate attention though, as Hope was already concerned with her own business, Tony placed the glass onto the bar next to him, before turning to Natasha once again, this time a little bit more concerned. "He's alright. Kind of a pro in looking after himself."
|
|
|
Post by Lady Lee-o on Apr 4, 2018 9:10:12 GMT -8
"That information's all inside my head, and that's where I'd like to keep it. So, you wanna make this trip, then you gotta wait for this head to clear up." It would probably be better that way, for him to be clear of mind before giving any important information. Sighing, she was tempted to grab another drink but decided against it as the bar became occupied. She watched him turn to her with a serious face. "He's alright. Kind of a pro in looking after himself."
"Maybe," That might be true but that didn't mean she couldn't worry. He could look fine but Natasha knew better, she watches people, she becomes people, lying is a part of her life. "At least before we knew how to keep an eye on him, S.H.I.E.L.D., they knew how to find him. I just need to see him with my own eyes, make sure he's okay." That was the closest she was going to get to feeling because she didn't do feelings.
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 22, 2018 14:25:25 GMT -8
As Tony and Natalia carried on a conversation, Hope was busy getting their transportation prepared, quietly having her own conversation in the corner of the room via phone. Her back was to them and she wandered slowly, subconsciously admired some of Tony's gadgets as she talked.
"Miss Van Dyne, Happy New Year! What can I do for you?"
With her mind so preoccupied, she'd momentarily forgotten it was New Year's Eve. Hope could hear the sounds of a party in the background and it gave her pause. She felt bad pulling him away from a party but her urgency to get to Norway outweighed it. "Tom, Happy New Year," she began. "I'm sorry to pull you away from the festivities, but I need the jet fueled for an urgent business trip."
She could hear the sounds of his party fading which meant he was already on it. "No problem at all, ma'am."
Hope sighed, both in annoyance and amusement. "Tom, what have I told you a million times?"
"To stop calling you 'ma'am', ma'am," came the reply with obvious amusement. "Will you be needing a pilot, Miss Van Dyne?"
Hope looked heavenward at the 'Miss Van Dyne' nonsense. Tom was only a couple years younger than her and not an employee. There was no need for ridiculous formalities. She knew he loved to push her buttons because she tended to come off as serious and uptight and in a way, she appreciated it because it reminded her to loosen up. "No, I've got it covered. And Hope is fine."
"Yah, she is," came the exaggerated suggestive reply.
An amused snigger escaped before she could stop it and she just knew Tom was grinning in triumph like an idiot on the other end. Hope didn't give him the satisfaction of reacting further. She took a quick glance at the time on her phone before continuing. It was just under three hours til midnight. "Just a refuel and pre-flight check is all I need. You'll be done and back at your party before the countdown."
"I could wait for you at the hangar instead," he continued suggestively.
"Goodbye, Tom," Hope said dryly.
"So no New Year kiss then?" he quickly managed to sneak in before she could hang up on him. Hope shook her head, catching herself smirking. Apparently a dose of Tom had helped ease her anger and tension over this whole ordeal. Hope let out a calming sigh as she pulled up her text window with Pepper.
'Pepper, I'm so sorry, but I'm going to have to cancel lunch tomorrow after all. Emergency work trip. I'll fill you in when I get home.'
|
|
|
Post by Kristi Lynne on Apr 23, 2018 0:24:11 GMT -8
(via text message)
"Okay, raincheck then. Hope it's nothing serious. Your permission to restrain Tony extends into the new year."
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Apr 27, 2018 5:43:30 GMT -8
"Maybe,""At least before we knew how to keep an eye on him, S.H.I.E.L.D., they knew how to find him. I just need to see him with my own eyes, make sure he's okay."
And that was what Tony wanted to do as well, really, just not exactly right now, if that was where this was coming down to. But then again wasn't he all too sure about his own words actually. Banner was hell of a bright guy, totally out of question, but not exactly hell of a fighter, unless he allowed the green guy to take over, which Tony was pretty sure he wouldn't do thoughtlessly in times like these. Also, what the hell was he doing in Norway anyway?
Tony was just going to add something else to his former statement, as some scraps of another conversation happening in the background made him pause all of a sudden. With a slightly confused expression, he turned around to face Hope, who just seemed to have finished her private telephone call and instead busied herself now with typing something.
"I'm sorry, but did you just clear the jet for this little trip to happen like... well, I don't know... at any minute maybe?", Tony asked in his usual eccentric manner. He just couldn't help it but to feel kind of getting jumped from that moment on he had caught Natasha breaking in his private rooms.
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 28, 2018 9:25:08 GMT -8
(via text message) "Okay, raincheck then. Hope it's nothing serious. Your permission to restrain Tony extends into the new year."
"I'm sorry, but did you just clear the jet for this little trip to happen like... well, I don't know... at any minute maybe?"
Hope shot Tony a glare before quickly typing out one more text to Pepper. 'To any extent? I hear neutering improves behavior and temperament...' With a private quirk of amusement on her lips, Hope dropped her phone back into the hidden pocket of her dress.
"Maybe," was all she tossed back to Tony with a cursory glance before turning to Natalia. "You good to go now?"
|
|
|
Post by Lady Lee-o on Apr 28, 2018 11:29:34 GMT -8
"I'm sorry, but did you just clear the jet for this little trip to happen like... well, I don't know... at any minute maybe?"
"Maybe," Another smile broke out on her face, she couldn't help it. "You good to go now?" Natasha nodded her head.
"I'm good," Natasha wanted to get to Bruce as quickly as she could. "Lead the way," She grinned and patted Tony's shoulder.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on Apr 29, 2018 3:39:43 GMT -8
"I don't even wanna know what this gleefully smile does portend.", he threw in, while Hope was busying herself with some more typing. Another Tony comment that got completely ignored.
"Maybe,", she suddenly looked up from her phone, answering his former question about clearing the jet already, before she turned to Natasha instead. "You good to go now?"
For a moment Tony stood like all dressed up and with nowhere to go.
"I'm good,""Lead the way," A pat on his shoulder at least managed to rouse the eccentric, still feeling like totally left out though.
"Wait, we're not even gonna wait for midnight?", Tony suddenly asked with surprise and when nobody was reacting, at least not other than with continuing their steps towards the door, he continued: "Okay, let me at least get the champagne for us." He wouldn't accept any backtalk for that matter. Them leaving the party didn't have to mean to become a five-year-old, not allowed to stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve. Also, Hope and Natasha could ignore him all they liked, but, after all, they needed his knowledge to accompany them on their trip. Being totally aware of that fact, Tony took his time to concern himself with some issues before.
"Friday?"
"Sir?"
"Message Happy and tell him he gotta host the party for me. Oh, and activate call blocker for him. Don't feel like debating."
"I will let him know, sir.", Friday confirmed, audible for everyone in the laboratory. "Have a safe flight, sir.
Even though this was foiling Tony's plans for the night, which anyway might have been reduced to some more drinking and therefore running the risk of doing things he, for sure, would regret later (right now he even didn't remember the groupies waiting for his return upstairs though), Tony suddenly felt a wave of excitement coming over him. It really had been a while he went on a mission; a mission that needed him to team up with some of his other hero fellows at that.
Norway. Tony didn't remember much from the business trip that once had led him there, other than it had been frigging cold.
"Better we take the rear exit.", he suggested, as the two ladies were about to leave his private rooms by the usual route. "The VIP, so to say.", Tony added with a smile.
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on Apr 29, 2018 11:05:40 GMT -8
"Wait, we're not even gonna wait for midnight?", "Okay, let me at least get the champagne for us."
Hope opened her mouth to say something but was flabbergasted into silence. Tony had already gone into planning mode by the time she gathered herself.
"Friday?"
"Sir?"
"Wait..." she began, looking from the busily planning Tony to Natalia.
Still looking surprised at this sudden turn of events, she addressed Natalia while Tony continued his conversation with Friday. "Did you invite him?" she asked with a thumb hitched in Tony's direction.
"Better we take the rear exit.", "The VIP, so to say."
"Whoa," Hope said, holding up both hands. "Slow down there, speed racer. Who said you're going? We need to be stealthy. You're..." she gestured wordlessly at his person from head to toe and back up again, then looked to Natalia. "What the polar opposite of stealthy? I wanna say 'attention whore' but I know that's not it."
|
|
|
Post by Kristi Lynne on Apr 29, 2018 18:09:00 GMT -8
(via text message)
'It would not improve his temperament, Hope. And what would he think with then? Be safe. PP'
|
|
|
Post by Lady Lee-o on Apr 30, 2018 6:00:48 GMT -8
"Wait, we're not even gonna wait for midnight?...Okay, let me at least get the champagne for us." For a time she just stood there, letting everything process.
"Tony..." But he was already busy and making plans with Friday. She did not want him to come, because that would leave her smack dab in the middle of whatever was going on between Hope and him.
"Wait...Did you invite him?"
"No, No I didn't,"
"Better we take the rear exit...The VIP, so to say."
"Whoa, slow down there, speed racer. Who said you're going? We need to be stealthy. You're...what the polar opposite of stealthy? I wanna say 'attention whore' but I know that's not it."
"Reckless, impulsive, bossy?" Natasha gave no smile as she stood there with her arms crossed. "Personally, I don't want to listen to the both of you go back and forth. Norway is a long ways off and I swear to god I will toss you out of the jet." She looked right at Tony.
|
|
|
Post by DarkSideCookie on May 2, 2018 9:37:08 GMT -8
"Whoa,"
Tony actually stopped his actions, though that was only for another one that was to give her a slightly annoyed roll with his eyes. They had been the ones having ants in their pants only moments ago and now they were thwarting him? Yah, a behaving worth an eye-roll.
"Slow down there, speed racer. Who said you're going? We need to be stealthy. You're..." Suddenly his face expression changed from annoyed to disbelieving. "What the polar opposite of stealthy? I wanna say 'attention whore' but I know that's not it."
"Reckless, impulsive, bossy?"
His disbelief grew into something that wasn't seen very often on his face. Speechlessness. Were they actually kidding him?
"Personally, I don't want to listen to the both of you go back and forth. Norway is a long ways off and I swear to god I will toss you out of the jet."
And then, finally, it dawned on him. This was some kind of New Year's Eve prank! Yes, it had to be one, because it felt like one.
Tony replied Natasha's severe look with a smile. Now it was him patting her shoulder. "Okay, I got the message. Not so bad." Unlike the two women was he referring to what he thought was a prank and not to the fact they didn't appreciate his company on this trip. And so it could have happened they just talked past each other.
"So, I just changed my mind. VIP is for the cool kids only.", Tony added with the mix of a smirk (most probably caused by his own comment) and a face a child made when it was declaring that its best friend won't be allowed to ever play again with its favorite toy. And with that, he started to walk past them and to address himself to one of the nearby monitors instead, accessing the data file about the coordinates his satellites had spat out a while ago (Their only hint for Banner's potential whereabouts) and transferred it to his mobile. Something Hope and Natasha might get the idea he would send them later via phone.
"Go ahead. Pay me no mind.", he said without looking up from the monitor. I'll be able to follow up by using the VIP exit., he complacently added in mind.
|
|
|
Post by Hollywood Heidi on May 6, 2018 16:50:54 GMT -8
Tony pouted for a bit but then finally seemed to accept and start cooperating. He got right to work on gathering the info they'd need and, Hope assumed, forwarding it to her while she and Natalia were en route to the hangar.
"Thanks, Tony." Hope exchanged a look with Natalia as they headed for the door. "I almost felt bad for a second there. Almost," she emphasized.
***Hope and Natalia leave for Pym Tech Jet***
|
|