video | un: iron.man

[buildsomething]

[The video flicks on to Tony's tired face, though he actually looks pretty good, considering that he's still mildly sick. He grins at the camera, though, the pleased look of someone who's managed something.]

Hey, so. For anyone still caught with this plague thing, I've got a...well, not a fix. A work around, maybe. A focused EMP seems to deactivate the nanities long enough for some of the symptoms to fade, at least for a little while. It doesn't get rid of the things entirely, but it should give you a nice break from feeling like shit.

I'd like to thank my lovely assistants for working with me on this.

[The camera pans across the workroom to focus on the couch, and the two bodies sprawled on it. The eagle-eyed might recognize one (or both) of them as Bucky Barnes, but the way they're both just kind of slumped in a heap makes it kind of hard to tell. It's not that large a couch.

One of them twitches slightly, and there's a snort as Tony turns the camera back on himself.]

That's it for now. I'm still working on a more permanent solution, but magic is really not my thing. Someone else wants to have a crack at that part, be my guest.

[A sudden crash comes from what seems like the vicinity of that couch, and Tony gives the screen a sardonic look before the feed cuts.]

Comments

[buildsomething]

Oh my god, I'm telling everyone that you are both actual children.

[The terrifying Winter Solider(s), ladies and gentlemen. Tony does finally spin in his chair to give them both a look, and yes, the couch does at least seem to be in one piece. For now.]

May I remind you that you're the ones who didn't want to go upstairs.

[Somewhere over his shoulder, Dum-E starts creeping closer the subtlest way he can manage. Is he lured by so many nice shiny arms, or just the brewing chaos? Who knows.]

[advanced]

[Perhaps it's petty (it's definitely petty), but Bucky moves his feet so they press even more firmly against his other self's leg. It serves him right for taking up the whole mattress.]

I thought you were supposed to be rich, you can't afford an extra sofa down here?

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Bucky huffs and pulls on the blanket in retaliation. He is not taking up the whole mattress, he's the shorter one here, excuse u. (No he's taking up a pretty good portion of the mattress. He spreads out in his sleep.)]

Why would he have an extra sofa down here? We're the assholes crashing in his space. [He's just trying to be contrary. He rolls over and waves to Dum-E instead, trying to cocoon himself in the blanket.]

[buildsomething]

[Dum-E takes that as an invitation to scoot closer, because that's exactly what this situation needs. Tony, for his part, is staying as far away as he can get.

They might have been easier to deal with when they were both really sick. It's a terrible thought to have, but seriously.]

Okay A, it's not like my bank account got to come here with me and B, you are not crashing, you are assisting Science. Be respectful.

[advanced]

[In contrast to his other self, Bucky scowls at Dum-E when he gets closer. He doesn't like the little arm bot, it's too reminiscent of the metal clamps that held him into the reprogramming machine.]

It'd be easier to respect science if I didn't have to breathe in his sweat stink.

[He's not sure what's got into him. Usually he's fairly stoic and not given to outbursts of pettiness, perhaps this close proximity to his other self is digging who he used to be up to the surface.]

[anotheroldsoldier]

[Maybe this is why no one's ever seen them in the same place before, in the Quarantine. When thrown together by circumstance, they become petty man-children.]

You don't exactly smell like a daisy either, Barnes. [He grumps, leaning over the side of the bed to awkwardly fist-bump Dum-E. He's just petty enough to encourage the 'bot.

He huffs out a laugh, though.] C'mon, Tony. We're crashing. I'm just lucid enough to see through your excuses to keep us horizontal. [Who knows how long that'll last, though?]

[buildsomething]

[Dum-E seems both delighted by the attention and completely oblivious to the darker looks, using the completed fistbump to catch Bucky's metal wrist in his claw. And then just holds it, because that's apparently entertaining enough. But at least he's not knocking anything over for the time being.

And Tony is happy enough to ignore him, considering that the two trainwrecks on the sofa are probably more of a worry right now anyway.]

Pardon me, I don't need excuses. I'm not sure either of you could stand right now if you wanted to.

[Which probably means they're both going to try, because stubborn assholes. Why does Tony know so many of them?]

Relaxing for like five seconds will not actually kill either of you. And we're making progress.

[advanced]

[Bucky is definitely going to try and get up; only partially because of what Tony said, and partly because he wants to put some distance between him and Dum-E. Creepy little robot thing.

He manages to make it upright, though he drags half the covers with him when he does and sways as if very drunk.]

You got a shower in here?