The Writing Bug

[aggravated]

Ah, ah, calm down, Ms. Mun. I know you're itching badly to write something (this 'fanfic' thing seems a bit more like something Tony would think up), but unfortunately, until you find someone who wants to, we'll just have to wait. This... 'roleplaying' is similar enough for now, right?

Besides, you make me nervous when you want to write, as undoubtedly this means somehow I am going to suffer the brunt of it.

Comments

[debts]

"Hurt the ones you love" seems to be a recurring M.O.

[aggravated]

Unfortunately that does seem to be the way of things.

[debts]

[ Natasha Romanoff: queen of bypassing that once upon a time, you were legitimately terrifying elephant in the room. ]

Typists never make it easy.

[aggravated]

[He appreciates that on a level he can't express.]

You know the pain, I take it?

[debts]

[ That's what you do for teammates, right? ]

I think it's almost a requirement around here. That, and being endeared by Tony Stark.

[aggravated]

[He's still learning about that teammates thing. Timebomb, remember?]

...There's nothing wrong with being endeared by Tony.

[debts]

[ And here she thought you might stick around, Doc. ]

That's because he likes you.

[aggravated]

[ Hey, he is sticking around. He's still in Tony Stark's labs.]

The only person he really doesn't like is Captain Rogers.

[debts]

[ Ah, the bonding powers of we will do Science to it. ]

Maybe. Then that's because he trusts you.

[aggravated]

[Science boyfriends, unite! As Tony likes to put it.]

...I still don't quite understand that part, but he does.

[debts]

[ The smell of smouldering irons, chemicals and sweaty, manly affections! ]

You must have one of those faces.

[aggravated]

[It's a heady perfume. ...Wait, affections?? Don't mention that part to Bruce or he'll get blushy.]

[Bruce just has to laugh at the face comment.]

Oh, I'm sure. That's just what it is.

[debts]

[ See, Natasha can make funnies! It's just a very particular sense of humor that thinks Tony Stark's is stupid not on point? ]

You can take my word for it, Doc.

[aggravated]

[No, Tony can definitely be stupid at times, for all he's a genius.]

I guess I'll have to. [Little, unsure smile.]

[debts]

[ A quiet smile right back.

Look at how far they've come. Isn't this a much better conversation than the first one? ]

[aggravated]

[Oh, just a bit better. And by a bit, meaning 'a whole ton'.]

You should come by the Tower. Did you hear what Tony's planning to do? He'll be mad I spoiled the surprise, but I think everyone needs to have a say.

[debts]

[ Dryly: ] Is it a giant waterbed?

[ Ha ha ha so enthused... ]

[aggravated]

More like... a home. For all of us. Apartments, one on each floor of that phallic Tower of his.

[debts]

That's— generous.

[aggravated]

More like, I think he's had a taste of us and now he wants to horde us.

[debts]

Would he remember to poke holes in the top of our box?

[aggravated]

From what I've seen of the apartments being built, yes. Clint has almost the top floor with a balcony even he should approve of. I had to convince Tony not to literally have a nest built instead of a bed.

[debts]

And that worked?

[aggravated]

He listens to me. Sometimes.

Or listens to the fact Clint would make his life a living hell.

[debts]

Clint and I are lasertag champions.

[aggravated]

[That's an interesting way to put it for a pair of assassins.]

Don't tell him that. He'll first make a laser tag get up somewhere in the building, then we'll never get him out of it.

[debts]

[ 'Cold blooded killers' doesn't quite have the same, artsy ring to it. ]

It sounds like you could talk him out of it.

[aggravated]

That? Probably not. Because I think it sounds like fun.

[debts]

[ Fun, huh. ]

It would make movie nights easier.

[thefirstbionicsoldier]

Sucks to be you. [It doesn't sound like it, but it is meant to be more sympathetic than teasing. Promise.]

[aggravated]

....

[Brow up. Bruce isn't always the best on the difference between the two. Not enough social face time with people.]

And you are...?

[thefirstbionicsoldier]

Captain Nathan Spencer. ...Or just a guy offering his sympathies. Not everyone is as lucky as I am, I'm realizing.

[aggravated]

Nice to meet you. Name's David Bixby. [Sorry Nathan, he's a man who's living on the run, the alias is instinct.]

I'm guessing you don't have to deal with the writing issue? Or the suffering part?

[thefirstbionicsoldier]

A pleasure, David.

Me and the mundane get along just fine. Don't know if it's because something else has got her attention or if she's just pretty easy to reason with, but I'm not complaining. [Not yet. :I]

[aggravated]

As long as you have what you need, I would say don't complain. My own mun just happens to be in a rut because of a lack of a partner to write with.

[thefirstbionicsoldier]

There's a whole world out there! Your mun'll find somebody.

[likeamonster]

You, suffer? Now you're just talking nonsense.

[Gotta love dry humor. Pause. Okay, he's curious...]

How's life treating you? Now that you're not constantly being Little Red Riding Hoody, that is.

[manofiron]

Live a little, Bruce. Maybe it'll be less suffering and more, I don't know, fun.

[aggravated]

Hello, Tony.

And I have been having plenty of fun down in the labs. Science-fun.

It's my mun, if she ever does find herself someone to write with, who will denote my suffering or not.

[manofiron]

There's more to life than science, but I'll grant you, it doesn't get much better than that.

So what kind of suffering are we talking about here?

[aggravated]

I suppose it depends on what they come up with, but until there is even a 'we' for my mun, I'm safe.

[manofiron]

Well then, buck up. Who knows, you might enjoy it, whatever it ends up being.

[aggravated]

Maybe. You're just able to say that with such confidence because you aren't on the end of the stick with the point.

[manofiron]

Not true. I've felt the pointy stick a time or two myself. But it doesn't last. Thankfully.

Besides, it's not all bad. You'd be surprised what can come out of it, if you let yourself get poked a little bit.

[aggravated]

...You mean like when you tried to make the Other Guy have an appearance on the Helicarrier? Poking was great, then. [Dry, dry, dry.]

[therealgenius]

Suffering builds character, though.

[neveracoward]

Being nervous isn't all that bad, is it, Doctor Banner?