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Daycycle 116 [ November 13 - November 26 ]

daycycle 116

[Nov 13 - Nov 26]

[OOC Plotting for this Daycycle can be found here.]
[The Charity Ball Entertainment post is here.]
[This DC has been extended through 11/26.]

Early Morning [0800 - 0900] — All Troubleshooters Report for Duty

No Special Troubleshooters have been selected for a mission this morning.

Morning & Afternoon [0900 - 1600] — Service Firm Positions
All Troubleshooters not assigned a mission should report to their Service Firm for their daily duties, unless specifically assigned a different shift.

Matt Murdock's office will be assigned to defend the most recent Specials accused of treason. He will not be allowed to contact the traitors directly, but he will be given the task of preparing his cases. He has 48 hours to prepare.

Jack Harkness has been selected to plan the entertainment for tonight's Charity Ball, thanks to the popularity of his performances during the Alpha Talent Show a few days ago. When he asks The Computer for help, several specials are assigned to him. Izzy Lightwood will be his event planning assistant and "Stiles" Stilinski will assist in MCing the night's event. Due to their popularity, all Specials will be approached about being auctioned off for dances in order to help raise money by Jack, Izzy and Stiles. They will also be asked if they're willing to take part in specially planned choreographed dances. Dance lessons will be provided for those that require them during the afternoon hours.

Evening [1600 - 2200] — Citizen Improvement
All Alpha citizens are encouraged to better themselves through Alpha’s wide variety of educational, entertainment and cultural opportunities offered each evening. Attending these sanctioned events are not mandatory, but is highly encouraged by The Computer. Citizens choosing not to take advantage of these opportunities, have a growing number of other options available to them in how to spend their hard earned credits and free time.

Tonight’s event will begin at 1800 at the Alpha Museum of Fine Art and will be hosted by The ~~Humanists~~ Alpha Society for the Arts. Tickets to the event are 1000cr and can be bought up until an hour before the event begins. Attendees have been given special permission to wear Old Reckoning clothing for this event only, as long as it is the same color as their clearance level. Specials may notice that many of the Alpha Citizen's outfits have gotten key parts of Old Reckoning clothing wrong, with buttons instead of sequins, for example, or men wearing ties that are much too long and go to their knees. Alpha's Very Special Forces will be present to ensure the safety of those attending.

An entire wing of the museum has been cleared as a makeshift dance floor. In an attached room there are several tables covered in white tablecloths and set with the crystal and china that usually only graces Violet citizen tables. Along the wall is a massive buffet made with real food and including an elaborate ice sculpture. There is a bar in the corner where Alpha's finest spirits are being disbursed freely. For the first hour, the focus is on the food and mingling. The music playing is calming and instrumental. There are some that steal the dancefloor for a slow spin, but the majority of the attendees seem reluctant to move away from the buffet.

And then at approximately 1900, Jack Harkness will take the stage and begin the evening's real entertainment.

Alpha Curfew Restrictions
All Alpha citizens should be in their quarters within the Wagon Wheel by 2200, unless they’ve been given permission from a GREEN or higher clearance level citizen. Sleeping Aid gas is dispelled each night in the Wagon Wheel at 2200 to assist citizens in getting a productive sleeping period.

Confession Booths
There are hundreds of confession booths available around Alpha Complex if a citizen would like to communicate directly with the computer. Please use these confession booths to report mission statuses, report treason or terrorist acts, unregistered mutants, confess your trespasses against Alpha Complex, request propaganda or speak with Your Friend, The Computer, at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Even though Tony spent many years being the life of any party he deemed worthy of attending, as he walks into the charity ball, he almost looks as if he would much rather be anywhere but here.

To be fair, though, charity balls had always been one of those necessary evils that he never quite learned how to enjoy. Sure, some were fun sometimes depending on the woman (or man) that he'd spend his time with after making the necessary appearances, but for the most part... All of this reminds him of a part of his life that he isn't all that sure he even misses. He misses Rhodey, and Pepper, and Happy. He misses his houses, his bots, and his cars. He misses the freedom of being able to do whatever the hell he wants without being watched. But stuff like this - the social obligations and the weight that his name carries? He definitely doesn't miss that. At all.

Which, that part is actually refreshing; to be able to arrive and not have a hoard of paparazzi trying to drown him with the flash from their cameras. Tony always knows how to turn on the charm, he learned from a frighteningly young age how to hide any discomfort so that the public could only see the smiles and the charisma he seemed to ooze, but god he hated all of that most of the time. Scotch helped to numb him out from most of it, but now that he doesn't have scotch to drown in, at least he doesn't have to deal with the press trying to get shots of him.

He would still much rather be working, though. Ever since his conversation with Steve yesterday morning, Tony's mood had settled somewhere between cranky and down altogether, seemingly too focused on his work at Lydia's shop to even give himself breaks (and yes, he has most definitely been avoiding HQ as well), but since he had said he'd attend the ball... Well. Here he is. His hair has been styled back, and for the first time since arriving in this place, he actually doesn't hate his clothes. the suit he's wearing is something he doesn't mind wearing, and the tie at least covers most of the glow of the reactor, so that's a good thing in his book. He knows he'll probably be dancing for a while, if someone bids on him for it, so until that moment he kind of keeps to himself for the most part as he tries to just...focus on literally everything but the thoughts that keep running through his head.

While this Charity Ball is not about Lydia Martin, by any stretch, tonight is her night to shine. Tonight is her night to bask in the attention that comes from being a Special; something that she hadn't realized had a positive side until recently. The Humanists having organized this event and Lydia's place in that group, is probably more than a little at stake. If there ever was a day to capitalize on recruitment, it's tonight. She's got a shortlist of people she intends to approach about it.

Tony Stark is one of those people, although her plan is not to approach him in the swing of the thing, but rather perhaps tomorrow in the afterglow of it. The Alphas seem to like him a lot. They seem to like Cisco, too. Gracie is another Lydia has her eye on.

Weirdly, Derek is another on her list, as well as his roommate, Alcide. More the latter than the former, for varying reasons, but needless to say, while some of the other Specials have been reading the chat logs with amusement or abject horror, Lydia has been using it as a gauge. The teenager has never been particularly politically inclined, but her affiliation with the Humanists does lend itself to a political slant. The Humanists are all about the humans taking control of the Complex and edging the sentient Computer out of it as an end game. More over, there are pleasant undertones of taking care of one another. Recruiting the right Specials will grab the interest of the other Alphas who are already members. Word will spread slowly and quietly. Recruiting her friends like Stiles and Allison are a move to keep growing her bubble of protection and stay within her comfort zone while also trying to find ways to bring more power to her secret society because, if you ask Lydia, of the ones she was approached by before the surge of new Specials, the Humanists were the only one whose message was overwhelmingly positive and she felt she could identify with that. It goes without saying that the Humanists are the only secret society that Lydia thinks could ever really make this place livable, if they're all really stuck here, and she's not above playing the game to help them get there.

So seeing Tony coming into the ball, Lydia smiles and starts to move to him. She might not pitch tonight, but she's absolutely going to try to plant a seed. Subtly and gently, but all the same.

"Well, look at you," she greets, looking impressed. "Somebody cleans up nice when given the chance," she adds playfully, holding her arms out for a hug in greeting. Lydia sees Tony every day the way she used to see Barry when she was still in forensics, but it doesn't change the fact that she's grown fond of the guy. There are some parts of him that remind her a lot of Sheriff Stilinski; there's a feeling of safety there and Lydia likes that. She likes Tony. He's good people. This one might not have recollection of their work together before, but it hasn't deterred him from giving her a chance this time around. That's enough for Lydia.

"I have my moments," he jokes with a quirk of the lips, not even hesitating to lean in to give her a hug. If there's ever a sign that Tony has a soft spot for Lydia, it's this; the fact that this sign of affection isn't something he's half-assing by barely draping an arm around her. It's an actual hug, although he's a little careful so that the reactor won't bug her during the embrace. Pulling back so he can look at her, now it's his turn to look impressed as he sees her dress. "But what are you talking about, kiddo? You look amazing. Putting all of us to shame, I see."

It's playful, but she really does look beautiful in that dress. Once upon a time Tony would probably be hitting on her, considering how young and gorgeous she is, but the affection he feels for her has nothing to do with that. He genuinely likes Lydia and sure, it could be said that he feels ~~overly~~ slightly protective over her. She has easily become one of his favorite people in this place, and despite how his internal mood is, he really does feel happy to see her.

"This place looks pretty good," he comments, glancing around. "Seems like there's a pretty good turnout. I wonder if it's the food or the chance to wear something other than a jumpsuit what lured them in."

It may be said like a joke, but let's just say the clothes was reason enough for Tony to consider attending this shindig. The smell of food is impossible to miss now that he's in this part of the museum, and as he looks around he spots the bar. Huh. Well, he definitely knows what to hit up later.

The vainer part of Lydia is feeling very pandered to with Tony's response and Lydia gives him a coy little smile, turning slightly in place. "Yeah, it's not too shabby, huh?" she asks as she comes to face him again. "I honestly think my favorite part is that it's not that bright, lemon yellow like the jumpsuit. That washes out my skin so bad, ugh," she complains. The gold is much, much better. Plus, it helps her to push the boundaries a little and test the waters of that. Gold is not yellow, but it's close enough for her to feign ignorance if it becomes an issue.

"Or the fact that there are Specials here, since apparently even though we have a hate group, we also have a fan club," Lydia points out. "Or a combination of these." Which, in her mind, is probably the most accurate assumption. The lower clearance level are interested in the food. The whole group is probably interested in real clothes. And now, well. There's apparently a group of Alphas out there who really, really like the Specials and know that some of them will be in attendance. Suddenly, they've gone from most hated to being celebrities of sorts. Lydia can't say she's mad about the change.

She gives Tony a little smile and her eyes shift to make sure no one is watching or close enough to listen. "Now this is the kind of Secret Society demonstration I prefer, personally, I don't know about you. Should I let you get settled in, fed and watered so to speak, before I make you give me a dance?" she asks, abruptly changing subjects after casually dropping mention of the fact that this whole thing is, in fact, a Secret Society run event, regardless what it says on the box.

"No, not too shabby at all," he answers, all too happy to talk about fashion even if it's just a small comment, because it's one of those things that he actually misses from home, too. Fashion Week in New York used to be one of his favorite days of the year (and not just because of the models), and it's really until now that he's realizing how glad he actually is that they got to dress up tonight. It might be just for the night, but it's actually lifting his spirits to be wearing something other than that godawful jumpsuit they have to wear, no matter the color. At Lydia's comment about the color, he chuckles softly under his breath. "You picked the right tone, I don't think bright yellow would have worked on that dress." He makes it clear that he means on the dress, not on Lydia, because he thinks the kiddo has too beautiful of a personality - and in general - for the jumpsuit to wash that out.

Glancing around, as if he's just assessing the party, Tony takes in Lydia's comment about the fan club that they have. Which...he hadn't really been thinking about it much to put it together, honestly, that that's what this is. He had seen the comments on the leaked conversation that had been sent to their PDCs, but Tony's mind has been everywhere but in this train of thought to even consider that the ball is a Secret Society demonstration, and he gives a small but impressed nod as he turns back to Lydia. Now he's curious, about who could be throwing this as a sort of demonstration, but he doesn't ask just yet. "Huh. Yeah...this isn't too bad."

Not bad at all, actually. Considering the last demonstration had gotten him a chest full of shrapnel, this is paradise compared to that. That alone already makes Tony like whatever group has organized this event.

The offer to let him get a drink first is tempting, more than he cares to admit, but he doesn't show it as he offers his hand to her so that he can lead her out to the dance floor. "Oh please, you wouldn't have to make me. I'd be honored."

Besides, if Lydia wants to talk more about what she knows, they could do so while dancing.

Lydia smirks, amused. She knows the bright yellow of the jumpsuit looks terrible on her, but she appreciates the specification all the same. Tony makes her miss her father and resent him all in the same breath, because the way that she and Tony interact reminds her of the way she and her dad used to. ...before he decided that divorcing her mother meant he also had to walk out of Lydia's life completely. "It's a nice tone, I could get used to it," she says with a smirk.

It isn't lost on Lydia that she's piqued Tony's interest with that statement. Good. That'll make the recruitment conversation maybe a little easier. Worst case scenario, she pulls out the pouty bottom lip and the Disney princess eyes on him. She's reasonably certain that they'll work as well on Tony as they did on Steve.

Blowing off the buffet and bar for the moment surprises Lydia just a little, but she's happy to go with it since that's what she came over for, anyway. It isn't often that she gets to actually talk to Cisco and Tony about their progress and while now isn't really the time or place, the temptation is there.

As they make their way to the floor and find themselves a space, Lydia moves her free hand to Tony's back and lets him lead her. She's never actually learned to ballroom dance, but maybe he knows how. He probably knows how.

"Everything going all right with the manufacturing bots?" she asks, slipping into a sort of unofficial code the three of them have worked out. "You think you've got an ETA on when I can start mass production with the unused machines?" Translation: When do I get a cool weapon, are you guys almost done yet? She's a little impatient, she can't help it.

If he wants her to keep talking about the secret society, he's going to have to bring it up because Lydia is currently very intentionally biding her time.

"Maybe the Computer can be convinced to switch the other yellow for this one." Tony's a bigger fan of gold in general, after all. It's not lost on him that, between the red of his suit and the gold of his dress, they are the colors of his armor. It's a silly observation, one that he doesn't mention because he knows it's a little stupid to focus on that, but it doesn't stop his brain from making the connection.

Once they're on the dance floor, Tony begins leading as they sway to the music. Attending charity balls and galas has been a social obligation since he was old enough to remember, and one proof of it is in the easy way that he dances. There's no nervousness or hesitation in his moves; if anything, they're all so well practiced, that the movements are smooth as they seem to glide along the dance floor.

"There's a bot that's almost ready, it just needs some final touches." By 'final touches,' Tony means he needs to charge it with the magnet that's energy source that's now built into his chest. He could tap into an energy source within the complex, but at the same time he doesn't want to do it in case it will alert someone of the stuff he and Cisco are working on. Using the arc reactor will only be a brief thing if it all works well and, even if he already knows it might cause some complications, he's not particularly focused on that. The design he almost has ready are guns that have the same repulsor technology that his gauntlets used to have, and they will do more damage than the play guns they loaded them with after waking up in this place. At least these won't just work when the Computer needs them to. "Just give me a couple of days and it should be good to go."

He won't mention the specifics of it - mainly that the power source to bring it to life will be his chest piece - but he could at least give her the timeline now.

"So," he adds casually after a moment, "this is another demonstration, huh?"

"One can only hope," Lydia laughs, rolling her eyes playfully. They both know that's totally never happening. She appreciates that Tony does, in fact, take the lead on the dance since he seems to already know what he's doing. He seems like a natural which suggests to Lydia that this sort of event isn't exactly new to Tony. Considering he's something like a tech mogul in his own world, that makes sense. It also happens to make having a private discussion in the middle of a huge event like this a lot easier because they're not calling any attention to themselves.

Lydia nods at his answer and her lips press together in thought. "Good, that's good to hear," she replies. Lydia bites back the urge to ask him how Cisco's project is going because she can't think of a way to frame it that won't sound repetitive, in case someone is listening in that she hasn't visibly observed nearby. "Take all the time you need, I'm not in a huge rush. The sooner the better, obviously, but you know. It's only fair for me to check in with the milestones now and again, right?" she asks with a little smirk.

Okay, what? It's kind of cool being the boss when the underling is Tony Stark. She can't help it.

The casual addendum makes Lydia's lips curl upward into a little smirk. She was going to wait but if he's going to ask now, she might as well stop being so damn coy. "It is," she agrees. "Of course they had to use a cover, since secret societies are treasonous, but yeah. This is a demonstration of sorts. They're not all about having their heads so far up their asses that destruction seems like a good idea instead of the completely counterintuitive idiocy it actually is."

She's trying to tread lightly in case she's being overheard, so while she's not saying "we," the way she's looking pointedly at him should imply it loud and clear for him.

While back home Tony only enjoyed dancing on certain occasions, right now he doesn't really mind it as he dances with Lydia. It's probably because she's his dancing partner, since he likes the kiddo, but like her, he also appreciates the fact that this is a good way for them to talk without having to worry about keeping up appearances while they stand off to the side.

With a chuckle under his breath, he nods. "Trust me, Cisco and I are fans of doing things sooner rather than later. We'll get it done." The explosion had managed to ignite something in both of them that is impossible to tame down, after all. For Tony, it had woken up an overly destructive force that he hasn't felt in years and, while he hasn't shared that he's working on an explosive that can level at least a good section of the complex, that's one thing that he's primarily focusing on. He's not planning on going on a rampage and hurt innocent people, that's not the purpose of any of this. But he wants to be ready to actually hurt the Computer in some way, just in case. It's his back up plan for the rest of the back up plans.

Lydia's explanation of who really organized the ball has him nodding very slightly as his eyes trail away, casually glancing around as if taking in his surroundings and finding a new sort of appreciation for this whole thing. Huh. Considering the last demonstration he had witnessed had almost cost him his life, this isn't bad at all.

"I approve of this one, then," he says with a smile, catching that look on her face and, even if he doesn't say anything, the understanding that seems to cross his features is answer enough. "They know how to throw one hell of a party."

With a little smirk, Lydia nods. She knows that Tony is, anyway; that's why she's hired him. All she can do is take his word on Cisco, but she trusts Tony and his judgement in this arena. "I believe you," she replies. "I'm glad progress is being made. Fast or slow is less important than progress itself." And while she's vaguely impatient, that much really is true. She'd rather they take longer and perfect the projects than rush and end up having to take longer tweaking fixes into the end result anyway.

Tony, like Lydia, isn't just book smart. He's not just technologically inclined. He has emotional intelligence and she can see by the look on his face that he's put the pieces together. He knows that she's part of the group that created this night. She might not have had a hand in the planning because as someone who isn't fully initiated, she wasn't really invited to give input, which was fine because she knows her place and she knows that it's delicate. But either way, she's a part of something that's actually good in this place and even if she has to keep it quiet, she's still proud of that.

"I could probably float you an invite," she says loftily, intentionally keeping significance out of her tone because they're still in public, "if you wanted to join me for a meeting sometime. Something to think about." She'll leave it at that unless Tony presses it forward, because the last thing Lydia wants to be is pushy about it. That's a quick way to suck the wind out of the sails of interest for someone and she knows it.

"Thank you." Although Tony is still not used to having a boss, mainly because he has been his own boss ever since he started working, working for Lydia hasn't been bad at all. It helps that he actually likes her rather than just tolerate her, like he generally would anyone that he used to work with back home (outside of Pepper), and...well. They all benefit out of him and Cisco doing well with their weapon production, so really. Everyone wins.

At her offer to float him an invite, his lips curve upwards a little more even if his eyes narrow just slightly. It would be a lie if he claimed that Lydia hasn't piqued his interest, and if there's one thing that Tony is prone to is letting his curiosity get the better of him. It's why, when he stays quiet as they dance, it doesn't last very long.

"A meeting wouldn't hurt, yeah?" It's said with the smallest of shrugs, just under his breath. "Although, is it a 'if I go I'm in' kind of thing?"

Lydia hasn't seen it, but Tony isn't the best at being a part of groups. The idea of ties to something the the may not end up agreeing to is already nagging at him, and he just wants to make sure that he's not committing to something just because he's attending one of their meetings.

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She's been doing her best to stay in the background all evening, making it clear that the only reason she's actually at the party is for her sister's sake. It doesn't help that the longer she's here, the more she's reminded of the Victory Tour. At least she doesn't have to be in the spotlight anymore. No one expects anything of the Girl on Fire or the Mockingjay, of her. Most don't even know who she is. But that doesn't change the fact that there are still too many similarities between the Capitol and Alpha right now. Or how uncomfortable it makes her.

Apparently she's not the only one sticking to the outer edges tonight. She had expected most people to be out there on the dance floor having fun. Or gorging themselves at the buffet table. Acting in groups or in pairs and certainly not preferring to be alone. When she notices Tony off in a corner, she almost smiles. After watching him for a few seconds, she works up the courage to approach.

Like Katniss, Tony is having memories of the spotlight as well the longer that he's here. Very different circumstances, obviously, but Tony has an idea of what it's like to have everyone's eyes on you at all times. He may have acted like he loved it - and sure, sometimes he did - but there were more than a few times when all he wanted was to hide in a corner and at least catch his breath.

Right now he's not catching his breath, because he doesn't necessarily have to, and even if he has noticed more than a few curious or interested glances being thrown his way, it's not enough to make him feel uncomfortable. He may be known here, but his name doesn't carry the same weight that it did back home, so he's enjoying that sense of liberty that he never really had.

While the buffet table had been tempting, Tony's stop had been at the drinks table before he found himself a corner to relax in. Instead of downing the drink like he originally thought of doing, he's nursing it and taking his time with it. When Katniss approaches him, he has barely taken a few sips, but he still looks pretty relaxed. More relaxed than he had been the last time he had seen her but, to be fair, he had been in a hospital bed last time.

"Hey," he greets easily, genuinely glad to see her. "Nice dress. You having fun?"

There are so many reasons for Katniss to be uncomfortable tonight. It's not even the unwanted attention she occasionally gets from some of the other Alphas. That's easy to take care of. A well-placed scowl puts most of them in their place. It's the way she's starting to see past the Computer's lies that really bothers her. How much tonight reminds her of the Capitol's facade to placate the citizens there. She's quickly starting to want to be anywhere but here.

Overall, Katniss hasn't eaten as much as she might otherwise, still afraid of being dosed with HappiTime pills. She definitely hasn't gone near the alcohol. When she sees Tony with his drink, she wrinkles her nose a little but she doesn't comment on it. Instead she shrugs at his question. She doesn't pay any attention to the comment on the dress. "You look better than the last time I saw you."

For Tony, having no knowledge of what she has lived through, he doesn't think much of the ball other than being glad for the distraction. Well, the distraction and the fact that he can wear something other than a jumpsuit since he's so damn tired of that thing.

At her comment, he gives a small nod as a smile crosses his lips. "Thankfully, yeah. I only had to be there for about a day."

After taking another sip of his drink, he adjusts his position to face her a little better. "How are you doing, Katniss?"

Of everything she can be asked, that's her least favorite question. How is she doing? Sometimes people ask that to be polite. They don't really acre. Those people are easy. They make it easy for her to brush off the question and move the attention off of her. But other people actually care. She can't tell which category Tony falls in. He had seemed to care when they had first met. Of course, that could have been a part of the assignment.

Out of habit, she shrugs. It's always the easiest answer. The real one tends to be more complex than anyone actually cares to hear. And lying? Hah. She can't lie to save her life.

"Still here," Katniss comments. Albeit, it's not as bad anymore. Not with Prim here too.

It's moments like these that Natasha doesn't like thinking about the kind of person that she is.

She's spent almost all day getting ready. It took her a while to figure out what to do with her hair, and getting into her dress was a pain considering she was too stubborn to ask anybody for help. She spent a long time to look as good as she does, and for the first time in what feels like weeks, maybe even months...

Natasha feels like herself.

It's a gala. The mask that she needs to wear for her own self preservation isn't just accepted here, it's expected, and she fits right into this sort of crowd. Natasha can be whoever she wants tonight, and that gives her a sense of freedom she probably shouldn't be experiencing. There is no freedom in being herself, her own personality is a prison, filled with halls to navigate in an effort to figure out who she really is. Even Natasha herself hasn't found the center of that maze yet, but here she doesn't have to. Here, she feels like she can pretend to be calm and collected; so much more 'together' than she actually is. The chance to pretend, feels like home to her - she knows that it shouldn't, and yet here she is, in her own element.

She spots Tony standing on his own from across the room and she hesitates approaching him. He's been doing these functions from a young age, just as she has, possibly even longer. The last time they were at one together, it was his, and he was completely wasted. He's sober now, obviously, but she can tell by the look in his eye that something is off, and she doesn't blame him. Tony might be a mess but he knows who he is, at least. He doesn't need these events to give him a sense of purpose or identity.

She approaches him from the side and before speaking, she reaches out, suddenly taking his tie to tighten it a little and straighten it before doing the same to his jacket. "Very handsome." She approves aloud in a soft voice with a smile to match, and she looks up at him as her hands fall away. "Since when is the great Tony Stark standing alone at an event? This must be a nice change, no one jumping down your throat."

Tony is sober now, but he has been eyeing that bar like it's a lifeline that he already knows he will reach for later. When he does, he will look more comfortable in his skin - there won't be that weight on his shoulders that he can't get rid of, his eyes won't look so dark with the thoughts that often run through his head even when he pretends like he's just rolling with the punches.

Right now, though, he's managing enough to not dive for a drink right away. It's tempting, and he'll cave in due time, but the fact that he doesn't have to be right in the middle of the spotlight is good enough for him.

When Natasha comes into his line of vision, his lips quirk into a smile. "Why, thank you. You look beautiful. That's a great dress." It's a sincere compliment, although it's really not a surprise that Natasha looks stunning.

"Since the great Tony Stark doesn't have to play host," he answers to her question with a shrug, "being here isn't so bad." They both know that Tony was always the life of the party, whether it was his party or someone else's, but Natasha also knows him well enough by now that she can probably at least guess that it had either been all the scotch he used to drink, or it was just another mask that he wore for the public. Right now he's still wearing masks and layers, as he always does, but the one that he always wore at parties seems to be gone from his repertoire.

For now, anyway.

"You having fun?"

"Thank you." Natasha smiles a little when Tony compliments her, looking warmed by it, and she continues to fret over him by fixing a stray strand of his hair that's fallen a little too far into his face and putting it back in place. After that she finally leaves him alone, and Natasha studies Tony's face in silence for a moment before she finally responds. "As much fun as you can have in a place like this." He hasn't been drinking, and for Natasha, that's almost as concerning as it is comforting. He's putting it off, which means when he does start, it'll be with intention. For now he's putting on appearances... they both are.

"Dance with me." It's more a command than a request, and whatever option Tony may have had in the matter quickly disappears when she takes his hand and slowly drags him out onto the dance floor. She guides him, placing one of his hands on her waist while she threads her fingers through the other, although she knows she doesn't have to. Out of all their teammates, Tony is probably the only one who has anything close to as much experience on a ballroom floor as she does. Her hand falls into place after moving his, resting on his shoulder, and Natasha easily falls into step. "How long have we known each other and I don't think we've ever danced."

Her hand moves from his shoulder briefly to place itself over his chest, feeling his reactor beneath his shirt and tie before it returns. "How are you holding up? I worry about you." She continues before he can respond. "Don't tell me not to, it's not going to work."

Oddly enough, Tony doesn't really grow restless or uncomfortable as Natasha frets over him. He actually remains pretty calm and still during it; it's not until she stops and studies his face, that Tony has the sudden urge to look away. Or move. Or pull away. Or all of the above. He doesn't, just because he knows that doing so will definitely give him away, but it's a damn near thing.

That's one reason why, when she all but tells him that they are dancing, Tony doesn't even question it. It'll give him a chance to move without making it obvious that he's ready to squirm under her gaze, and so he reaches for her hand just as she reaches for him and, without another word, just follows her to the dance floor. It's seamless, the way that he begins swaying with her along with the music, and it really doesn't surprise him at all that Natasha knows how to dance this well. He can only guess how many times she has attended things like these, in missions or assignments, and he actually smiles a little because she's right. How is this the first time that they are actually dancing? It's a good thing they're fixing that.

As her hand moves from his shoulder and down to his chest, the muscles of his shoulders tense immediately. He can't help it. It's almost a reflex by this point, considering his trust issues when it comes to the reactor, but he tries to play it off as if it's not a big deal. "I'm fine." A beat. "Better than when you saw me last."

It's not a lie, exactly. Sure, he's still having issues with the reactor, and it's still an adjustment considering the pain he's dealing with on an every day basis all over again, but it's just like old times. That's how he's forcing himself to see it. "Really, I'm okay."

Sorry, Natasha. That's his version of it's okay, you don't have to worry about me.

There’s something… off.

Natasha isn’t sure exactly what it is, but Tony is, and always has been, a man who wears his personality on his sleeve. She’s sure that he would argue with her if she ever suggested as much aloud, mostly because the majority of his ‘personality’ is a mask that he wears to keep what he’s truly feeling at bay and away from prying, skilled eyes. That’s what’s throwing her off, the fact that he seems fine. He’s compliant, moving with her out onto the dance floor without a comment or argument, and when they start to move he falls into place easily without resistance. It’s not that she thinks he doesn’t want to dance with her, but the fact of the matter is that nothing is easy with Tony Stark. If something is easy, it means that he’s distracted.

She doesn’t miss the way that he seems to tense when she touches his chest, and Natasha doesn’t blame him; he can’t be taking this well. When he tells her that he’s ‘okay’ she feels like he’s doing exactly what she told him not to do in his own way, but she can’t prove it… so instead she gives him a knowing look with narrowed eyes before spinning out and then smoothly back into him. “I’m not convinced.” It comes with a stubborn tone and a sigh, her step natural and without falter despite the fact that she’s obviously distracted with the look on his face.

”And you’d tell me, of course.” There’s a challenge in the question that’s matched with the way her gaze starts to bore into him. “If there was something wrong and you were upset or needed something, you would tell me. Because you would know that if you didn’t tell me I’d be very upset after everything that’s happened and what we’ve been through. Right?”

Natasha isn't wrong. Which, let's face it, it's not all that surprising, but Tony's definitely distracted. The worst part is that, even if he knows by what, he can't seem to find a way to get rid of it. So, instead of outright dealing with it or even vocalizing any of it, he's just playing along. Fake it 'til you make it, right? It's a stupid thing to think that something like that could work, but well. Tony's smart in a lot of things, but there are some things that still escape him.

Thankfully Natasha doesn't press about it, although it's pretty obvious that she doesn't believe what he's saying. It makes him let out a sigh mentally, although he tries damn hard to not let it show, because this really hadn't been his intent. He hadn't meant to confuse or even worry Natasha. He's fine. He's always fine, right?

He's fine. Really.

"Of course," he assures with a sort of smirk. As if it's impossible that he could be upset, or that he could need anything. Without another word, he moves to dip her before he smiles as he pulls her close again. "I'm just having some fun tonight. I don't miss the galas from home, but this isn't so bad."

Natasha's eyes narrow at him moments before he manages to dip her and she falls with grace as she's led by his arm. She waits until shes back on her feet fully before she replies, and when she does that glare of disbelief is still deep set. "You're so full of shit." Despite the fact that she knows he's lying, and she knows that there's something going on, Natasha can't help but quirk a very slight, somewhat crooked smile that betrays her. He's lying, and he's distracted, but hell. That's Tony.

"This isn't so bad because there's no one in your face trying to blind you by taking your picture," she points out with a passive sigh, moving with him with a sense of precise ease that can only come from two dancers who know exactly what they're doing. "But come on, you don't miss it a little? The way people look at you?" Natasha's eyebrow raises with curiosity. "The fast cars, expensive suits, perfectly mixed drinks."

She sighs a little, as if reminiscing, and Natasha can't help but roll her eyes at herself as she looks away to watch the rest of the room. "I never thought I'd actually miss this world. Guess that says something about where we are now, doesn't it? I feel more like myself tonight than I have in weeks, and back home I never felt like myself when I was wearing a dress like this because every time I did, I was pretending to be someone else. Literally pretending."

It had been foolish to think that Natasha would be distracted by some slick dance move, but sure enough she isn't, and Tony chuckles under his breath when she points out he's full of shit. "Yeah, well. What else is new?"

He says it casually and with that billion dollar smile that Tony is well known for. It still throws him off, that someone that isn't Pepper or Rhodey or Happy know the signs of when he's not okay, but he's learning to roll with it as best as he can. Not that it has helped him admit anything by any means, but at least he's not squirming under Natasha's gaze by this point. His smile almost looks real, but it's mainly because, as much as Natasha can make him squirm, he's just glad he didn't lose her like he feared he did after the fiasco with the Accords.

Her question makes him tilt his head slightly as he actually gives his answer some thought, his eyes briefly scanning the room as if to remind himself of everything he lost by coming here.

"I miss my clothes," he admits. "God, I miss my closet. And the cars, and my robots. My labs. My bar, definitely. The rest, though? Eh, I can do without. I'm actually not minding the not being recognized everywhere I go. I'd say I'm glad for the new privacy, but I don't know how accurate that is."

Mainly because nothing here is private, with cameras and eyes and ears everywhere. He hates that, actually, but in a lot of ways he's also used to that. Tony has been monitored since he was born; the only difference is that here he can be charged for treason, whereas back home he'd just end up in some tabloid for weeks at a time.

Shifting his attention from the room back to her, a soft smile of understanding tugs at his lips. "It's that familiarity," he sympathizes quietly. "I felt it when I walked in, too. Like this is something I'm actually used to. Rather than...you know. The rest of the bullshit around here."

Although Natasha doesn't want to actually encourage Tony when it comes to the way he tries to pretend that everything is always fine, his response still gets a smile out of her. She can never really be upset with him when it comes to the mask that he wears. That's a level of hypocrisy she's simply not comfortable with. Tony isn't transparent, not exactly, and when he wants to hide something he can get away with it, but if it's something that's really distracting him... that's when he sends up the red flags that Natasha notices. She wouldn't be so concerned about him if they weren't in this place. In reality, Natasha wouldn't even be speaking to Tony if they were back home, not after what happened with the Accords. Not after what he had said to her before he sent her running without a show of concern for her well being.

But after seeing him in that lab, everything else seemed so minuscule. Pointless. Irrelevant.

He's cold when he's hurt, and he's boisterous when he's upset. Natasha knows enough about Tony to know that he cares about her. He has to, at least a little, and that's good enough for her. "I miss your cars too," she chimes in with a small grin, looking up at him again with an easy wink before her smile starts to fade away. "Because we have no privacy here? That's not something new, though, I think both you and I know how to function in a place like this." It's not a good thing, but hell. It's a thing.

"And tomorrow we'll go back to our every day lives." She finishes with a sigh, her expression turning tired as a hand moves to remove a stray thread from his collar. "Pretending to be something that we're not and trying to figure out exactly who and what we are in this place." Her stare seems to go distant for a moment. "...Maybe it's not that different from home after all, the more I think about it."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Daycycle 116 [ November 13 - November 26 ]

daycycle 116

[Nov 13 - Nov 26]

Open | Charity Ball

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