8485/It's a story of a girl...

It's a story of a girl...
Date of Scene:	24 July 2019
Location:	The Parker Residence, Lower Manhattan
Synopsis:	Tony comes to make sure Peter is still alive.
Cast of Characters:	Spider-Man, Iron Man

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Spider-Man has posed:
Peter Parker residence is nothing much at all to look at from the outside and from memory wasn't a lot to look at inside either. Pete hasn't been back to the mansion in a few days, but he's not been completely out of touch, just... distant. Sitting in his apartment now infront of a stack of school books from his summer courses, something random playing on the television, and something equally random cooking on the stove, he could just be a regular young adult in New York.

Trying to make the world make sense in a world that doesn't make any sense for Peter Parker.

Silk... Cindy Moon... she's not here right now.

That's the thing makes the least amount of sense. What's surpemely impressive, however, is how CLEAN the apartment is and how it looks like he's not the only person living here anymore.

There's stories involved. Pete's brain reels trying to piece together the parks of THAT puzzle himself.

Iron Man has posed:
The usual signal of Stark has made an arrival: one of the ridiculous cars has parked up the street. The annoying level of limited parking meant it isn't directly under a window, so there's less warning than there could have been. Parking and hopping out, Tony slams the door and jogs neatly to the sidewalk, smiling automatically in response to passerby that pause to stare. "Mr. Stark," one of them says quietly, aiming their phone at the famous Avenger. "Hey," Tony says in response, friendly as always, but not pausing in his path up the sidewalk to the apartment building. He heads inside, pausing to pull his mobile device out and remind himself which apartment it is. He doesn't keep that kind of information in his brain.

Tony navigates to the appropriate door, and knocks with two knuckles in a sharp rap, then steps back from the door, fiddling with his mobile while he waits, swiping through a series of messages and alerts.

Even through a peephole, Tony is instantly recognizable, particularly in a suit with a tie from an earlier engagement, and his characteristic expensive, stylish bronze-tinted sunglasses.

Spider-Man has posed:
Pete glances up at the rap, having not really heard the business down in the street that always accompanies Tony's public appearances. His apartment faces the alley rather then the street and the single window opens upon a trash heap rather than a beautiful view. It's home, right?

Peter slides out of his chair with a mechanical pencil slipping back behind his ear as he approaches the door, "Coming, one sec." Usually, this is where he would go about putting trash away to protect his dignity, but there's nothing to put away, so he pulls the door open in a sweep.

And stares at Tony with a blink. "Mister Stark." And stares there staring for a little longer.. at least as long as it takes his manners to come back to him. "Come on." Motioning as he steps out of the way, "I wasn't expecting.." Of course you weren't Peter. When does Tony Stark ask if you're busy?

"Want something to drink?" For once ABLE to play host. "I've got some juice or.. there's lo mein cooking.." Might not even smell bad.

Iron Man has posed:
"Hi," Tony Stark says with his usual relaxed charisma. "So, you are alive," Tony observes with a smile, passing into the apartment generally around the same time that he's being invited, and aims a brief pat towards Peter's near shoulder as he passes it. Just a loose gesture.

"MMm, I'll pass on the juice, I think I'll just pine after the lack of alcohol in it," Tony chuckles, but is headed into the kitchen to take a look at what's cooking, while reaching up to pull his sunglasses off with his free hand.

"Ah, are you a cook? Something I didn't know about you." Tony doesn't go all the way to the kitchen, he stops midway and turns to appraisingly look at Peter, gaze intelligent and considering.

Spider-Man has posed:
Peter's hand stays on the doorknob, even once he's stepped aside to let Tony make his way and himself at home in what little space there is to offer. After an uncomfortable length of time where the airconditioning cools the hallway, the door is finally pushed closed with the tips of his finger so that he can rub them in the hair at the nape of his neck. "Me? Cook.. nah.. that's Cindy." Motioning with a chop wave in the direction of the kitchen on his way over to the fridge to grab himself a juice.

Vit-water anyways. It's juiceish.

"Yeah, I'm good.. just been busy you know? School, Spider-Man... lots of spider-mens.. there's like five of us now, apparently." He pulls a long drink, eyes turned to watch Tony, and then shifts around towards the stack of books. He looks tired. Not physically... maybe physically TOO.. but mentally. Really, the right word is exhausted.

"I didn't mean to worry anyone. Just got a lot on my plate. As if it compares to whatever Tony's doing the last THIRTY MINUTES.

Iron Man has posed:
Tony doesn't explore, but he does appear to give up on the kitchen and instead head to the couch, to sit there: it's a relaxed sprawl, Tony's usual position. He's at home in most locations and situations; it's a special power. "Cindy, hmmmm? That explains a lot," chuckles Tony, with a 'knowing' quality in his tone that leaves little to imagination. No judgement, either; certainly not from the playboy inventor.

"I wouldn't say 'worry' is the word, but communication to the team is basically required." Tony shrugs; he isn't berating Peter, more stating something that may have been missed.

"Lot on your plate? I know the feeling. Vision's body is just about recalibrated now. On the last cycle of tests." Tony pauses. "You did help out." He folds his sunglasses one-handed and slips them inside the pocket of his coat interior. "But if you're done with helping there, that's fine."

Spider-Man has posed:
Pete doesn't seem at all to mind either the company or how Tony moves around the apartment, but then he doesn't seem to be aware of much outside of his own head. "It's not like that." Said to the Cindy hmmm.. then pauses and pushes his palms into the air, "Or maybe it is. I don't know anymore.. It's complicated. I found her in a shipping container. Actually it was a bunker built beneath one out on the pier." Pointing in vague pierlike direction.

"We grew up together... kind of. Friends in school anyways. On the same field trip that..." He motions at himself and drops down into the seat before his books. He leans against the back of the chair until his spine pops a few times and slumps his shoulders, "Really complicated. She got bit too... we.." He just flicks his wrist and waves a hand.

"It's boring and I've said it enough. Yeah..." Change of subject, "Sorry about that. Had a.. I went to get away for a little while." Pointing around at his apartment, "I needed to clear my head and it's IMPOSSIBLE when I'm around her. I can't think straight at all.. so I went to the mansion. Ran into Steve and his ol'buddy ol'pal Bucky... That-" Pointing emphatically, "-dude is a prick."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony weathers all of the various chatter without seeming too annoyed by it. He gets a more dubious expression as the explanations of various topics stream together in a roll of verbal consciousness vomit. He lifts one hand in a 'hold up' or 'slow down' motion, palm up, towards Peter.

"Found a new hero, friend of yours. Dealing with a lot. Noted," Tony says, gathering the whole of the commentary into an elevator pitch for himself, it sounds like. "Part of the objective of the team is to bring this stuff in, though, so you're not in the weeds alone. Unless you prefer it." No judgement, again.

"Bucky's a prick, yes." Zero argument, just a half-smile in the goatee for Tony. "You're not required to like him," he chuckles quietly, a joke, but also an assurance. That it's fine.

Spider-Man has posed:
"That's the simple version, yeah." Peter rolls his head so his neck pops a few times, but doesn't straighten from his chair slouch, "It's different, Mister Stark. I can feel her." Jutting his chin out towards the closed window, "Right now, I know exactly where she is.. I don't know how I never felt her before. It's like a thousand pins in my brain when we're in the same city." Motioning at the sides of his face, waving them as if he's shaking a magic 8-ball.

"It's.." His hands flick outward and he settles back, "A lot different if we're in the same room. A lot.. different." Quieter, adjusting his shoulders, processing the rest of what he's told. Specifically about Bucky. That part, at least, brings a grin. Even if it's a small one, which it is. "Good to know. Zero plans on liking him.. thought I was going to hit him with a pool table. Might have been because Cindy was there, though... it gets weird." He doesn't even try to get into it.

"I'm not out in the weeds. I know.. there's like four new spider people running around and I've got to help one of them learn everything.. he's barely older than I was when I started. I want to bring them all in, I just.. some of it I have to do. But I'm not done helping." He assures his mentor, glancing up at Tony on the couch, "Just caught between a lot of webs and I don't know the way out yet."

Iron Man has posed:
Tony nods once, still reclined. His foot waggles a little as if he had some excess energy. He pats his hands once on the couch, much as the same timing as his nod, and then pushes up to his feet.

"All right," Tony says, just as simple as that. There's no appearance of judgement or upset. Acceptance and nothing further.

"The Avengers will still be around." A smile crooks his mouth again, dark eyes thoughtful as Peter fretfully explains the slew of problems. "I'm not here to push you in either direction, that's not what I do." He approaches Peter, stopping in front of him.

"If you need tech to shut out spider brain-twinning, we can do something about it. But if you say you're good, and just need time, I'm with you on it. Just remember that while you /are/ an Avenger, you get to talk to me. It's a pretty substancial perk." Tony grins, effortless in his confidence.

"Try not to drown, kid," Tony says, more kindly, letting some of the snark drop out of his voice. It's a rare window into a heart that Tony's only rumored to possess.

Spider-Man has posed:
The problem isn't that he doesn't need the help, god knows he needs the help. It isn't he doesn't want the help, he absolutely wants the help.

The problem is that he doesn't want to burdon other people with his problems.. and as far as Peter is concerned, this IS his problem.

So while every fiber of his body screams for him to take the offer and let the Avengers, specifically Tony, bail him out of this with some twenty fifth hour hail mary pass, the guilty part of his brain has him standing up to extend his hand instead. "I'm good, Mister Stark. I'm still here.. I'm not going anywhere. I'm still an Avenger, I'm not leaving.. but this.." Motioning to his apartment, meaning a great deal more than his apartment, "This isn't what the Avengers do."

He smiles tired and looks it. "I'll be around more at the mansion. Just needed a little time to cool my jets. Bucky is Steve's pal and I things got a little heated between us... I wasn't running. Spiders don't run." At least not this one.

"Thanks for coming by... sorry you had to. Maybe I can come by when you're not making house calls and we can take another look at Visions newest reboot cycle figures?"