Someone's being decisive today.

[definingfuture]

Sure. Let's go somewhere together.

That wasn't the answer you were expecting? Funny how that works.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not always going to say "how high" every time you tell me to jump, and I'm not going to cower at progress, especially after you spent most of your time saying I'm too soft.

So let's go. Your move.

Comments

[therealgenius]

I thought you were just supposed to jump as high as you could when asked that, not...ask how high.

Because if you jump as high as you can, then it's good faith. Or something.

[definingfuture]

Do you normally just jump as high as you can when someone tells you to? Because I can see that leading to a lot of pain.

[therealgenius]

Only if this is playing. And even then, it's not so much jumping as it is...jiving.

[redheadspy]

Anthony? Something wrong?

[definingfuture]

That's painful, you know. The thought of you "jiving" is something I didn't need.

[therealgenius]

The thought of you like this isn't something I needed, either.

But it's there now. It's there now, unwanted and unneeded and you should feel guilty.

[definingfuture]

Nope. Nothing I can't handle, anyway.

[definingfuture]

Actually, I kind of get a warm, fuzzy feeling at knowing it causes you pain for some reason.

Go figure.

[redheadspy]

You can always bend my ear if you need to.

[therealgenius]

I hope he calls you Howard in bed.

[definingfuture]

Cute. Is that how you usually win people over? Because it really isn't doing much for me.

[definingfuture]

Thanks. It's really nothing... Just my "handler" deciding what to do with me.

[redheadspy]

I know what that's like.

[therealgenius]

Why would I be "winning" you over? You're not a man who can be bought.

You're also not a horse, or a car, or the lottery. You don't win people. You're not a poker chip.

[definingfuture]

People can be bought. And no, I'm not saying it's a good trait.

The point is I don't think you should be so put off by one image. Kind of sensitive, aren't you?

[definingfuture]

I'm sure you do. For the record, this is me playing nice.

[therealgenius]

[Jfc, Tony, why do you make people flatter you? Why?]

Yeah, but you're not people. You're Tony fucking Stark. Have some pride, man, it's depressing being second best when you act like this.

[redheadspy]

Oh I know.

[definingfuture]

[Because he likes flattery, okay? He's a cheap date.]

Am I supposed to take more of a stand on this because it makes you feel better?

[Really?] If we're rating people seriously, I somehow don't think you'd make second place on the scale.

[therealgenius]

[Keep your dick in your pants, fool.]

No—oh my God, why am I have this talk? You're a fucking hero, why are you so mopey? Why? What is your deal? Yeah, okay, sure, your parents died when you were young and there's the whole thing with the—the messed up heart. But oh my God, why? Why the brooding?

[like_a_gerbil]

What do the two of you have planned?

[definingfuture]

[He's not giving you his dick, Hammer. Relax. Tony doesn't like you that much.]

I'm not worried about my heart, and- and did you just bring up my parents? Seriously. You're bringing up my family.

Why aren't you a reporter?

[definingfuture]

So far? They're waffling between different methods of torture. I just get to sit back and wait for them to decide which will hurt more.

[therealgenius]

Because I'm a weapons designer?

Because there aren't any as good as me thanks to you going into clean energy?

Because there's too many reporters in the first place?

All of the above.

[like_a_gerbil]

[Steve winces mentally at that. He knows the kind of places muses get sent and most of them do seem like a form of torture.]

That makes me really glad that I managed to make a deal with my mundane. Thought you'd managed to do the same with yours.