in which the muse steamrolls his own mun

[rockstark]

No. You know what? You're gonna sit there and listen, and I'm gonna talk. Do I look like I care about the fact that you're never gonna play me anywhere? Clearly that's not true. Here I am. I've heard the excuse for over a year now, okay? That old saw about having to drop everyone else to be able to do me justice and let me talk to every single person ever like you think I would.

Okay so maybe I would. Maybe. Not every single person ev-- do you really think I talk that much? I mean -- what? Non stop? I stopped for a second there, didn't I? And besides, mostly when I do talk, I'm talking to Jarvis, or Dummy, or Pep or Rhodey - you know. Either people I know have my back, or machines that I - hey, how about that - specifically programmed to. So stop thinking I'm gonna get right out there and start social butterflying. I'd find myself a nice cadre and just stick with that for the most part until I needed to start worrying about whatever idiot was getting in the way of the peace. Right? Right.

And don't even start with that "there are gonna be fifty billion of me around this place" thing. I know there's shiny new canon coming out. I'm excited too. I love seeing my face ten, twenty feet tall on a giant screen, it's great. Not gonna lie about that. But if I'm not going anywhere, what do you even care if I get a journal or not? Clearly you do. We went through what, five, ten usernames in the five-mile drive from work to here?

I'm gonna tell you the same thing I tell everyone, kid: stop lying to yourself. You may not think you need me, but you totally love me. You love writing me, you love picking me apart, you love the rush, and I don't care if you think you can keep it up or not, I'm not letting you sit on something that makes you feel good. Something feels good, you do it. If it bites you in the butt, you get up and you go "Okay, noted for next time". Doesn't mean you stop doing it. You just plan for the fallout next time. Believe me. I know. So I'm just gonna chill out here for a while, do my thing, help you with your massive to-do list, and be a damn rockstar. Even if you don't actually take me anywhere, I'll help you out. You need to have a little more confidence in what you do, beyond just saying you have it. Talk it 'til you walk it. I'll give you the words, you just get some killer shoes and we'll be good to go. You'll get what you want eventually, as long as you keep telling someone out there that "no" isn't in your vocabulary.

Thank you for putting the moonroof down and cranking the music, by the way. That was good. More of that and we'll go places.

Comments

[merchantofdeath]

I don't see how anyone could think you talk too much at all.

[rockstark]

You're either a very considerate kinda guy, or you need a grant. C'mon, level with me.

[wasp_stings]

No one thinks you talk a lot at all, Tony.

[And yeah Jan can't keep a straight face for that lie. So don't mind her giggling.]

[rockstark]

You know my name. Okay, cool. Just ... out of curiosity. How drunk was I the last time I saw you?

[bloodedsakura]

You know maybe if you add in more words there people might be able to translate you Mr. Stark.

[Don't mind the girl fiddling with some mechanical part of her bike only half listening.]

[rockstark]

[all these pretty girls who know his name. yeah, see, mun? this was THE BEST IDEA.]

Translate me? Oh, come on. I can translate for them. I know French. A little Chinese. En plupart, le Francais. But really, nobody told me at the door I'd need an interpreter. You really think that's gonna be an issue?

STAARRRKS I am not sorry

[notalady]

You do talk a lot.

BRING ON THE WINTER

[rockstark]

But I always have something to say. That's the important part. You ever hear people who just talk forever and never actually say anything? Yeah. No. That's not me. Never gonna be me.

[hulk]

...Yeah, that's. Right there, proving you don't talk nonstop. Way to go.

[rockstark]

See that? I'm totally good at proving a point. ... I feel like I know you from somewhere. Or heard of you or something. Gimme a minute. It'll come to me.

[has_an_army]

How is it the more you talk, the more I feel a distinct urge to end your very existence?

[rockstark]

I dunno, but I'll give you one for one. How is it that I don't even know who you are, and yet somehow I already feel this inexplicably strong urge to punch you in the mouth?

[kingdom_of_song]

[claps]

That was worth the price of admission, that was. Makes a tear come to my eye, worthy of my own dear old dad, gone these last forty years.

[rockstark]

Oh, wow, hey. Applause. That wasn't even one for the investors, but I'll take it. Thank you. I'm here all night, or at least as long as she'll let me be before she cuts me off. Tip your waitresses.

Speaking of waitresses. Can I get you a drink? You know, since you've got such great taste and all.

[like_a_gerbil]

[Steve isn't even going to try to fight back his grin. He's kind of in awe of that denial of talking too much.] Did you manage to convince your mundane to keep you around?

[rockstark]

Workin' on it. I feel like I should know you from somewhere. Should I? I'm being flailed at. She doesn't usually flail at me like this unless it's somebody I don't remember because I was drunk.

[viraltentacles]

From what I can tell about after your rant? Yes, you do talk too much.

[rockstark]

Opinions go in the little cutesy ceramic jar on the end of the bar, tip your waitress.

[nobodysbishie]

Heh. Yanno, the more you blather like that, the less an urge I have to sock you one.

Just... never lay off drinking, okay?

[rockstark]

All these strangers keep insinuating that I stop drinking. And then the stuff they say after that makes me feel a little hinky. So, uh, I'm gonna have to say for posterity's sake that you don't have to worry about it.

[starkgirlfriday]

... Really?

[rockstark]

Yep. Really. ... What, you don't think that was inspiring and motivating and basically all that other nice stuff I've been hearing from everyone else? Come on.

Wait.

Wait, am I late for something? You only give me that look when I'm late for something.

[moltenman]

[Please excuse the grumpy eighteen year old, Tony.]

I know this has been said by other people but... you must really like the sound of your voice. What is it with superheroes and not being able to shut up?

[rockstark]

[grumpy teens are his spirit animal some days, it's all good]

Uh, technically not a superhero, just a hero, do your homework. I made my powers.

[governorkang]

I never thought I'd find someone that talks more than a kender.

[rockstark]

Depends on what one of those is, I guess, though the mun's sitting here telling me to ask you if you're the Kang that used to hang with her Raistlin, which is just so much Greek that I'm thinking about ordering out for spanakopita.

[well_assembled]

Is it just the sound of your own voice that you love or the fact that so many people hang on it?

When I first wrote that report for Fury it was dead on, but for all that bluster and sincerely annoying bravado, you really came through in the end.

[rockstark]

Sounds like you need to update your report, then. I'd get on that. I mean, clearly, this is a beneficial change to the fabric or the content of my character or the color of my parachute or however you people put that sort of thing. Right?

[doyoufondue]

That got surprisingly inspiring towards the end, Mister Stark.

[rockstark]

Thanks. Love the username, by the way. Very nice, always appreciate props to the old man. Well. Not always, but. Sometimes. In this case, yes.

[6collegecredits]

Considering this is probably the longest post I've seen in the place in a long time, I think you mun might just have a point there.

[rockstark]

So I set a new benchmark, huh? That's cool. I'm all for breaking records, it looks good on paper. Or in my file. Which may or may not be going digital, apparently. Which would be handy.

I have a pretty big file.

[trickstering]

Should we applaud, for this stunning display of speech?

[rockstark]

I'm certainly not gonna say no.

[notmyfirstrodeo]

I didn't realize motivational speaking was part of your resume, Mr. Stark. That never made it into your file.

[rockstark]

[nonplussed] Agent Romanov's working on a revision. Talk to her.

[ms_potts]

[amused]

And here I thought your ego couldn't get any bigger.

[rockstark]

Pepper. Come on. What do you think I started expanding the storage space in the basement for?