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, hey. There's an unexpected response. He considers it for a moment before responding.]

Maybe. It seems like part of this thing is actual magic, but I don't see how you can hurt.

[seeingscarlet]

[Well, she's fixed worse...and if electricity stops it, it may have more in common with her abilities than at first glance. Not that she's going to just broadcast that kind of weakness over the network, of course.]

If someone is willing, I will try. Maybe I can see something you can't.

[buildsomething]

Don't know about these guys, but seems like you've got no shortage of possibilites.

And if nothing else, you can try it on me.

[Is that Tony's awkward way of offering an olive branch? Maybe.]

[seeingscarlet]

Are you sick?

[Should she...make them all soup or something? That's a kind of olive branch, isn't it?]

[buildsomething]

Little bit. Doesn't seem to have hit me as hard as most, god knows why.

[seeingscarlet]

If you're sure, I can try.

[She can't say it, but anything wrong would be infinitely more obvious in a mind she's already seen.]

[buildsomething]

Can't hurt.

[Well it could, probably, but when the alternate option is coma, Tony's willing to chance it. And Wanda usually knows what she's doing.]

Swing by whenever, the peanut gallery probably won't be a problem.

[seeingscarlet]

Do any of you need anything?

[don't take your germs to the store, plz]

[buildsomething]

Nah, we're good. I mean, I might possibly need a new couch after all this, but I don't think you want to pick that up for me.

[seeingscarlet]

I think your couch will survive

[They're not wild animals, gosh.

allegedly]

[buildsomething]

You'd think that, until you see two trained soldiers acting like ten year olds.

[seeingscarlet]

Then don't give them sugar

Where are you? I can come over later this afternoon

[buildsomething]

But that was going to be my next experiment.

I'll send you the address.

>> action!

[seeingscarlet]

[True to her word, Wanda shows up a few hours later. She hesitates for a moment before finally knocking - he clearly remembers her but that doesn't mean this will be any less awkward.

There are people all over the city who need help. She has to remember that.]

It's still standing. Should I be surprised?

[deflect deflect deflect this is fine everything is fine]

[buildsomething]

I might be.

[It's a little dry as Tony makes his way towards the front of the workroom. Things are indeed quiet at the moment, though that might be because he's down to one body on the sofa, clearly sacked out cold. Considering Dum-E is still holding on to his metal wrist.

Though he does pause to arch an eyebrow in her direction. He's expected at least a little tension between them, but still.]

You okay?

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda cracks something that's close enough to a smile to mostly count. She's just not going to question it. It's not worth it, and she probably doesn't want to know why a robot is holding a Bucky semi-captive.]

I am not sick, I think. Yet.

[Which is not the same thing as being okay, but Wanda's still not sure how much he wants to know or where the line is. Starting fresh is going to take some figuring out.]

[buildsomething]

Well that's good. Want me to check?

[He waves a hand vaguely around them, somehow trying to indicate the various scanners he has available. If nothing else, searching for signs of nanotech isn't all that hard. He knows what to look for.]

[seeingscarlet]

[Wanda's as ill at ease in labs as ever and tries not to tense. She mostly manages.]

It would probably be best.

preference for infected or not?

[buildsomething]

[Tony nods once and directs a quick, J? at nothing in particular. A moment later, a glowing window flickers to life at Tony's side, and he can't help but toss a quick smile in Wanda's direction.]

Not so bad, right?

she's fine! someone has to be

[seeingscarlet]

[She blinks. Wait, what?]

Was that all?

[She'd expected something a little more involved.]

[buildsomething]

Not that hard to scan for nanotech.

[His smile widens a little as he turns to glance through the image. It's almost visible as a human form, her's presumably.]

Looks like you're all clear, lucky you.

[seeingscarlet]

For now.

[Hopefully this little house call won't change that.]

Do you know how it spreads?

[buildsomething]

[He lets out a breath and closes the window with a flick of his hand.]

I thought it was contact, but it seems to be spreading too fast for that. I can scan you again before you leave, just in case.

[seeingscarlet]

I will try to be careful.

[She survived an Infinity Stone; she is not letting herself get taken out by nanotech if she can help it.

One scan deserves another, and Wanda's eyes become unsettlingly neither focused nor unfocused, like she's very intently staring through him at nothing.]

You feel a little strange... [A beat. There's the source of the confusion - they're not working as a unit. They're working independently, a thousand pinpricks of otherness in Tony's aura.] There's so many.

[buildsomething]

[It should maybe be a little uncomfortable having Wanda go anywhere near his head again, but honestly Tony has too many things to worry about to get too wrapped up in it. And if she wanted to do damage, there were easier ways.

He tips his head to give her a curious look, instead.]

The nanites?