riverview | 001 // @strange.magic: video

Consider this a little public service announcement, and my good deed for the day.

[At first it’s just Stephen Strange, looking even more like a magic hobo than he usually does, before he moves the feed to focus on a mini-fridge sitting in the corner of the communal kitchens and wouldn’t be anything to comment on if not for the heavy chains wrapped around it keeping the door shut, or the padlock that really looked like overkill.]

If you see this fridge here, missing its padlock or even worse open and I’m not already there dealing with it? I recommend either finding me, or a flamethrower immediately.

[The mini-fridge, which had been sitting quietly until this point started to shake, the sound of something inside smacking against the door making the chains around it rattle. Stephen came into view just long enough to smack the top of the fridge with the handle of a broom which seemed to startle whatever was inside into silence again.]

It should be in the floor 5 kitchen so if it’s not, even if it’s still locked, you’re going to want to come get me and I’ll deal with it.

And if you value your continued good health don’t eat anything that comes out of this thing.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[But he's really good at the sulking thing.]

Coffee and tea aren't the same thing.

[For the moment the tea is left to sit, the man just huffing a faint annoyed sound.]

I've got a razor. Just more likely to wind up with a slit throat than a neat beard at this point. [Do you see the way his hands are shaking Tony? The fact that he can manage anything is really more a testament to how fucking stubborn he is at this point.]

[ Yeah. No. Not allowed. It is undignified or something just... stop.]

Uh huh, right. I know that, but coffee is still far superior in pretty much all respects, so I was really being nice to you by offering it.

[ Tony sniffs a little and watches Stephen. The man really does look like hell, and Tony knows that it takes a damned lot to get him to the point where he doesn't seem to care about how he looks. He is a lot like Tony in that sense. Maybe that was why they either got along far too well or were at each other's throats most of the time.

There is a beat of silence, Tony taking in the shaking hands, worse than Tony has ever seen them, before looking back at Stephen. He rubs at his own facial hair absently before, tentatively:]

Uh, I can do it if you want?

[ Of course, Tony doesn't really look at Stephen when he offers, finds himself moving to make the tea (make tea right next to Stephen, wow, great avoidance skills there, genius) rather than watch the effect the words had. I mean, it was kind of... a thing? He doesn't know. Whatever.

Tony knows that being able to keep up that facade for the outside world matters, and matters a lot, to him. He figures that it means the same for Stephen, and Tony respects the man enough to offer.

Water. Cup. Leaves. That's-- well Stephen's not telling him that he is ruining it so he must be making it okay.]

[Whatever he'd been expecting, that offer hadn't been it. Tony definitely threw him through a loop, enough so that he didn't even protest when the man took over dealing with the tea.

A long moment of silence before he finally replied.]

...I'd appreciate that.

[Tony wasn't wrong in his assessment. Stephen hated being out of control of a situation, hated when he looked like such a disaster, but he'd been going so hard for so long that the idea of stopping long enough to handle it had just not been something he could even ponder.

He knew he'd feel better looking more like himself than a fucking mess, that much was certain.]

[ Good, it means that Tony isn't losing his touch. That would suck. He would have to find other ways to get under people's skin and he really doesn't have time for that.

The smile he gives Strange as he pushes some leaf juice at him is amused and just a little understanding.]

Just don't get mad when you realize that I do a far better job than you, alright?

Can't do worse than 'box under the bridge chic' if we're being honest.

[Accepting the tea as he replied and yep, gonna pretend he's fine and that there's nothing happening back home that's weighing on him and causing his downward tailspin into disaster because clearly he's fine.

Just fine.]

Ouch, that hurts me, Stephen!

[ He feigns hurt, hand pressing to his collarbone before he drops it and leans back, sharp eyes still on the sorcerer.

Part of Tony wants to let Stephen stay as is, let him deal with whatever disasters are on his plate as quietly as he would like, because that is how he would like to deal with things.

But there is a good chunk of him that saw Stephen as a friend, and wanted to help in some way. Anyway. Even if that meant prying and being obnoxious and drinking fucking tea in an alternate reality kitchen.

Somehow, Tony isn't all that surprised.]

So, should I wait until I have a razor pressed to your face before I start asking the impossible questions or wait a few days?

[ He might even honour your choice.]

You're a big boy Tony, you can take a little teasing.

[He's not sure exactly how to handle this whole 'someone is worried about him' thing. Wong was a different story, had it down to a science where he simply steamrolled the sorcerer until he'd done things like eating, sleeping, and generally felt more human. Here Stephen didn't have that backup, so he had to...

Speak up? Ask for help?

Fuck that noise, self-destructive downward spiral it is!]

As if you'd get me to stay put to answer the questions any other way.

[And he knows that if he doesn't talk about it now, he's never saying a goddamn word because he's a stubborn bastard.]

Perhaps, but that still doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt.

[ It is clear though since he is laughing that he isn't all that hurt. If anything he is taking comfort in the fact that Stephen has the ability to snark still; Tony knows that things are bad when the sorcerer loses his wit.

Tony wasn't about to let him spiral down without accompaniment at least.]

You have a point there, so perhaps we should try to restyle your hobo chic after tea? Not that I am really giving you a choice in the matter now, that atrocity has to go.

[ There was a pause, Tony watching Strange intently. When he speaks, there is a tremor of something honestly worried in his voice.]

You're not going to drop dead, because of whatever, are you?

I trust you'll weather the pain.

[Even if he was still joking, it was a thin sort of thing. A cover more than anything, in a way that normally wasn't nearly so obvious on even his worst days.

Clearly he'd been Through Some Shit.]

I leave myself in your capable hands then, to relieve me of my hobo-fashion statement.

[The inquiry, the concern he could hear in Tony's voice just startled a short laugh. No real humor in it, more bitter than anything.]

No Tony, I won't be dropping dead. If only it was that simple.

[ Tony snorts at that, amusement and something a bit bitter edging the noise. But he stays focused on Stephen, observant as ever and probably far too smart for Stephen to be comfortable with. Not that Tony was speaking out loud about what he was thinking, just filing things away for assessment later.]

My capable hands, huh? I never thought I would hear you say that, Strange. but I am not complaining.

[ There is a small smile, Tony trying to lighten the mood because there is more darkness creeping around this conversation that he or Strange, can deal with right now he is sure.

But when Strange reassures him, Tony can't quite help the huff of relief that falls from his lips. ]

Good, I mean not good that apparently death is simple, but I can unpack that one later, but you are one of the more tolerable people around here.

001 // @strange.magic: video

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