Stark Industries Research Facility, NYC, Saturday Evening

[tyler_gone]

Right, so Tyler had spent the last two weeks of his life (since he got his life back) sabotaging a Project Mayhem plan to blow up a bridge. He'd pulled it off, but barely, and not in the prettiest of ways.

He really, really was not in the mood to deal with asshole security guards just so he could see his ... whatever-Tony-was-these-days.

Sadly, his mood didn't matter. He had to pitch a fit to end all fits at the front desk until somebody called Pepper. She'd sounded pinched on the phone, like she thought she was done with this particular headache and good riddance, but had given the guards permission to escort Mr. Durden into the inner sanctum.

He thanked them as elegantly as a guy with a busted nose could manage, then called into the depths of the lab. he thought there was motion back there. "Tony?" he said, as if it hadn't been three months. "It's me."

[OOC: For that guy.]

Comments

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

He was just lucky that Tony wasn't blaring his music today and was able to actually hear him.

"Tyler?" A beat. "Didn't we just talk."

You know, a month or so ago?

[tyler_gone]

"Like ... six weeks ago?" Tyler approximated, walking over and not touching the tools even though they looked tempting. "Dunno, man. Evil twin got busy,. I lost track."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Evil twin?" What tomfoolery was this?

[tyler_gone]

"Other Tyler. Dark passenger." Tyler gestured uncomfortably at his head. "My alternate personality got out. Didn't do much, but ... threw me off as far as keeping in touch with people."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I should just be glad he didn't show up to poke at my chest, shouldn't I?"

[tyler_gone]

"He ended up doing you a favor that time," Tyler argued. "You're lucky he didn't decide to come here to play with your toys."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I think I'd notice the difference." Anyone would like to think that, yes. "So, you're finished with your thing?"

[tyler_gone]

"As finished as it's going to get," Tyler said, biting a thumbnail. "Yeah. Things are ... better. I think."

He'd done what he could, and then walked away. That was all he could do.

"How's your stuff?"

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I haven't fired anyone yet." That meant well, Tyler. "Are you here... visiting?"

To stay?

[tyler_gone]

"They shaped up when you got back," Tyler said. "I'm here ... I think I'm going to get a job. First."

To stay, Tony.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I think Stark Industries is still hiring," Tony replied casually. So, so causally.

[tyler_gone]

"So's Gold's Gym," Tyler said, equally casually. He wasn't working with Tony. That would just lead to joint Christmas cards with photos of them in matching festive sweaters.

... or possibly to murder. Or both.

"It's a big city," he added. "I'll find something."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Oh god, the horror.

"I'm sure you will," Tony replied smoothly. "Have you eaten?"

[tyler_gone]

"Just coffee," Tyler answered, shaking his head. "Can we order in and not mess up the stuff here?"

... it felt really, really good to be having this conversation. Normal.

Possibly in a way that would lead to those Christmas sweaters.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I have an office," Tony informed him dryly.

Then paused to look around. "Though it's been a while since I've been in it..."

[tyler_gone]

"Yeah?" Tyler asked, with a tiny, curious smile on his face. "What have you been making instead?"

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"A lighter weight version of the suit," Tony admitted after exhaling in a huff. "Which has been giving me more trouble than I expected."

[tyler_gone]

Tyler sat nearby, posture relaxed. "I'm guessing 'use more titanium' is not a helpful comment."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Unfortunately, no." Tony leaned against his workbench, looking at Tyler for a moment before shaking himself out of whatever that had been. "Pizza?"

[tyler_gone]

"Didn't think so," Tyler said, wondering what Tony had been thinking just there. "Pizza would be fine."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Good, because I don't know the number to anywhere else," Tony replied, pushing away and toward Tyler.

[tyler_gone]

"You've just been eating pizza all month?" Tyler asked, and his fingers were in Tony's belt loops. "Or is it more that you aren't eating?"

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

Tony very helpfully smoothed down Tyler's shirt, looking him up and down. "Pepper makes sure I get something healthy occasionally."

[tyler_gone]

"Good old Pepper," Tyler said absently. "She sounded so disappointed when I got her on the phone."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Disappointed? In what exactly?"

...maybe the whole getting Tony to get into fights with super-powered green men thing?

[tyler_gone]

"Like ... the way you feel when you fix the toilet and then it backs up again," Tyler said elegantly. "She got used to me not being around, now I am again."

He leaned closer. "I think she'll get over it."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I should hope so," Tony replied, finally just giving into the thoroughly domestic urge to kiss the man.

[tyler_gone]

It had been building, but Tyler still had that momentary surprise before her relaxed into the kiss and gave it everything.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Found a place to stay yet?" Tony asked once pulling away.

[tyler_gone]

"I have a room," Tyler said, meaning I'll stay here if you ask but I didn't want to assume anything.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Is it nearby?"

Meaning We might try to kill each other if you move in, but if you just so happened to end up here most nights...

[tyler_gone]

"Couple of blocks," Tyler said. "We could catch up most nights. Have dinner."

Make sure we both remember to eat.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"As long as you don't mind the occasional reporter," Tony added. "They've died down, though."

[tyler_gone]

"Are they going to want me to be, like, gay love spokesman?" Tyler asked. "I'm really bad at that. Otherwise I don't care."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"If you see Perez Hilton, run the other way."

Really, that's all you could ask.

[tyler_gone]

"I'd rather kick him in the face," Tyler said, with vast maturity. "But running's probably better for us in the long run. I'll do it."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"You're going to get a reputation if you kick people." Tony, don't smile at that.

[tyler_gone]

"Probably a deserved one," Tyler said, not swallowing his smirk. "Though I'm sure it's easier on you if I don't start making the tabloids all on my own. You can be the famous one."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Not wanting to show up in the Star?" C'mon, Tyler! It's fun!

[tyler_gone]

"Only if it's on the what not to wear page," Tyler said. "I want to hear I look better in my clothes than that Situation asshole."

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"I'll make sure you get only the best clothing," Tony assured him. Because Tyler was clearly going to take him up on that.

[tyler_gone]

"As long as there aren't any bees in the shops," Tyler said.

He had no intention of even walking into the shops.

[not-ironmaiden.livejournal.com]

"Hardly," Tony replied dryly. "This isn't Vegas."