Stark Industries, Friday, December 4, 2015

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Turns out that a shop devoted to electronics? Has a lot of lights.

Which was why Four, dressed in his usual black, was pretty much the only dark spot in the entire shop today as Christmas lights blinked in nothing like a rhythm around the shop.

Welcome to Starks, where the holiday spirit has puked everywhere. Ugh.

Comments

[good_for_six]

Isabela had mostly ignored this shop when passing by because electronic gadgets weren't really a draw when you came from a place that didn't do electricity like this one did, but it was so sparkly today that she couldn't resist the urge to poke her head in to see what all that was about. Also it was cold.

"Well, hello." Now that she could see what was in the store she had little desire to leave. And again, cold.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four moved his hand from his eyes--it was bright in here--and gave a tiny, tiny smile in reply. "Hello."

[good_for_six]

Isabela's answering smile wasn't so tiny, and resembled that of a cat who'd realised the canary's cage door was open. "I don't think I've seen you around before."

And that was a tragedy.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"I've been here," Four said with a slightly wider smile. "Maybe you just weren't in the right place."

[good_for_six]

"Obviously," Isabela said, coming over to lean against the counter. "Student or do you just live here?"

Not that either option was a problem, but there were logistics to consider.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Student," Four said. "Senior, though, if that matters."

WOW WAS THAT THE WRONG ICON

[good_for_six]

Senior was the old kids, right? "Only in that there'll be less of your no doubt charming company around."

[IT WAS MAKING IT AWKWARD FOR ISABELA TO ISABELA]

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four smirked. "Oh, definitely. How can I help you?"

Oh, Four, you're just setting yourself up.

[good_for_six]

Like Isabela minded when they made it easier.

"Oh, I can think of a few ways you could help, sweet thing," she said. "For a start I need something to warm my bed in this weather." Or his bed, she wasn't picky.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to go out a limb and assume you don't mean in a 'so I'm here to buy an electric blanket' way," Four said, smirking slightly.

[good_for_six]

Isabela leant forwards on her elbows, because that usually helped things along. "I had something a little more fun in mind."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four glanced down toward the fun leaning towards him and smiled. "I'm off in an hour?"

[good_for_six]

Isabela grinned back. "I'll be waiting," she said. "My place or yours?"

Because she had a roomie and it was kind of cruel to sexile her in this weather.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Mine," Four said, nodding.

Because he didn't care about his roommate.

He gave her the room number.

[good_for_six]

"I'll just go get a start on warming that bed," Isabela said, pushing off the counter and winking.

No need to worry about if he'd locked the door, she'd find her own way in.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"See you soon," Four said, with a little wave.

[imafuturist]

"What the hell happened to my shop?" This is probably what happens when you disappear, Tony. Things get out of hand.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four didn't salute, but there was a definite feeling of coming to attention. "Um. I didn't do it."

[imafuturist]

Which was adorable and all. It really was. Tony worked with the military enough to still find it adorable when he was treated like an authority figure.

"Is this like the cookies?" He'd liked those.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Yeah," Four said, nodding. "And the weird soda-obsessed bears."

That had just been bizarre.

[imafuturist]

"...I missed that one."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Yesterday," Four said. "I mean, I'm not going to say no to a bear because it's a bear, but soda? It's not very good."

[imafuturist]

"And that's why we have a coffee maker," Tony replied brightly. Because he lived on coffee. Sometimes. Most of the time.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Coffee I like," Four said. "But fizzy sugar? Not my thing."

[imafuturist]

"Fizzy sugar," Tony repeated, laughing. "That's a good one."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four--unaccustomed to adult praise--flushed slightly at the compliment. "Soda's rare at home, but I don't think I'll miss it."

[imafuturist]

"Rare, huh?" Which could mean anything, all things considered. "Wait until you try pop rocks. That's fizzy sugar."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four made a little face. "No real rocks involved?" he checked.

[imafuturist]

"No real rocks," he assured the kid. "Just some pressurized carbon dioxide gas with the sugar."

Chemistry.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"That they dared kids to eat?" Four said. "Or did the inventors make a massive mistake and had to get rid of all of the weird extra sugar stuff?"

[imafuturist]

"Probably a little of both. Trust me, you haven't seen a party until you've seen sleep deprived scientists party."

Sometimes it involved juggling robot parts, sometimes it involved building a still in the lab.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four arched up an eyebrow. "So...New Year's or something?"

[imafuturist]

"If you want to throw a party then, sure." Look, parties were things that just happened. And you spent way too much money on.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"I'm not really a party thrower," Four said. "And I only know one scientist."

Four wasn't exactly a people person.

[imafuturist]

"Is it Jessica?" Tony, stop teasing.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

Four snickered. "Yes," he deadpanned.

[imafuturist]

"I knew it. She's muscling on my prime scientist-ing." Which was now a word. Screw the rules, he had money!

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Guess she's off the invitation list, then," Four said.

[imafuturist]

"No, no. I'll have to keep an eye on her. On the list." Tony paused to think about it. "Though with my luck I'm pretty sure a party thrown by me would end with someone in a ridiculous costume attacking."

So help him, if they got Stilt-Man...

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"Well, it is Fandom," said poor, innocent Four.

[imafuturist]

He was so naive. It was adorable.

"Which just opens it up to alternate universe versions of them."

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"I'm going to regret this, but how many weirdos in costumes do you know?" Four asked.

[imafuturist]

"I'm going to hedge my bets with a ballpark number of at least 75."

That counted friends and villains.

[dauntless-four.livejournal.com]

"...yeah, I regret asking," Four decided.