Island of IKEA, Wednesday Evening

[tyler_gone]

Tyler walked into the very, very white IKEA atrium and glanced over at Tony to see how he was coping with the whole situation.

"I'm not sure I really believed I'd get you here," he said, halfway to himself, then: "Want meatballs?"

[For that guy.]

Comments

[tyler_gone]

"Poor you," Tyler teased. "I'm sure every second with them was just hell."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"As long as they didn't talk, it was wonderful."

[tyler_gone]

"Do you miss them? That. That whole" -- he gestured vaguely at the rugs -- "thing."

Tyler should find a blackboard to write on: I will not ask questions I do not want answers to, 100 times.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Like that would help any. "I haven't really bothered to since Afghanistan."

[tyler_gone]

It might help!

"Oh." Which fit with the whole PTSD thing Tony had going on that they didn't talk about. Tyler supposed his very existence in Tony's life was a symptom, too. Even without that, it seemed like common courtesy not to draw attention to Tony's problems when he was so good about not mentioning Tyler's.

So he smiled. "I'm sure the ones who don't think you're Howard Hughes miss you a lot."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"They all miss me," Tony insisted, nodding as their wonderful mental health issues went unaddressed. "Well, mostly my money. Maybe I should donate something to charities so they stop thinking I'm holed up in my lab, crying or whatever the tabloids are saying now."

[tyler_gone]

"Sure," Tyler said easily as he started walking toward the couches. "Who would you give to?"

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Maybe something for schools," Tony said dismissively. "I haven't decided."

[tyler_gone]

"Help the brats, Tony?" Tyler was ever so slightly amused.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Everyone should have the chance to educate themselves," Tony replied with an aristocratic sniff. "Not enough people do."

Said the science snob.

[tyler_gone]

"Maybe you could use your money to solve the problem of stupid Maxim models," Tyler suggested, mostly just to keep talking. "Land on the cover of Maxim, get a free ride to college."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"They'd flunk out." Tony, you're too kind.

[tyler_gone]

"Everyone should educate themselves except Shannon Elizabeth and Eva Mendes," Tyler said. "... Okay. Sure."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"And Jessica Alba."

[tyler_gone]

"You know you're going to crush their hopes and dreams."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Tony shot him a Look. "Are you really that upset by it?"

[tyler_gone]

"Just bored," Tyler admitted. "And talking. Sorry."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Sighing, Tony moved closer to him to look at what might have been a lamp.

Or maybe a blender.

"It was a joke, Tyler. Do I need to take you to Sweden for real now?"

[tyler_gone]

Tyler thought it was a toaster, actually.

"Sometimes that look means you're being serious," he said, a tiny bit sulky. "And no."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Possibly a coffee maker? You could never have too many of those.

"I'm sure my pilots would love to actually have a job again."

[tyler_gone]

If it was a coffee maker, Tyler was buying it.

"... they're still getting paid?" Tyler considered it. "Sure. Let's go to Sweden."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Of course they are. I haven't fired any of my employees."

[tyler_gone]

"Then I say we go," Tyler decided. "Ghanima will kill me slowly and painfully if I don't show up for Fight Club, but I'm y- free until then."