9596/It's Just a Flesh Wound!

It's Just a Flesh Wound!
Date of Scene:	15 October 2019
Location:	Medical, Avengers Mansion
Synopsis:	Tony and Steve visit the site of Superman's grave. It is a reflective visit.
Cast of Characters:	Iron Man, Captain America
Tinyplot:	Age of Darkness

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Iron Man has posed:
Tony Stark wasn't as able to move around the previous day. He was pretty battered, and he has a fracture in one thigh. Instead of going to the funeral for Superman, though, he was busy: making himself ambulatory. To the dismay and frustration of the medical staff, Tony is doing a test walk between medical and the laboratories, in a fitted mechancial leg setup on his right leg.

The whole thing is very slimmed down Iron Man in styling: it's a rig of bright gold with red panels along the outside leg, to keep all weight off of the leg. No wheelchair for Stark.

"Rest will heal it the fastest," reminds one of the doctors, handing Tony medication in the form of a cup of pills. "Yep," Tony agrees, tossing back the pills with the regrettably non-alcoholic apple juice he was given.

Otherwise, Tony is dressed simply in one of his personal track suits: black and gray, with some red stripes. He has bruises on his face, particularly around one eye socket and eyebrow, but looks awake and willful: more so than the passed-out state he's been in.

Captain America has posed:
It's times like these where Steve is very quietly grateful for the serum's effects on his body. To see a fellow teammate and leader still needing to heal and having to exercise patience when the world is suffering a gaping hole of defense...

This has led the Captain down to the medbay in time to see the incredible creation brought together even with the necessity for medication for comfort. His expression lights up.

"They're not wrong, you know." His voice floats down the hall as he approaches, wearing one and a half dimples. In jeans and boots and a rather baggy sweatshirt, he's still got his left arm in a blue fabric and strap sling; there was a bone spur to have been removed due to improper healing of his collarbone and while it was a quick orthoscopic surgery, it still meant another day wearing the stupid thing.

"I can't speak much, however," Steve adds with a soft laugh. "That looks great." He nods towards the leg brace.

Iron Man has posed:
"It's a compromise," Tony grins, putting the cup from the pills down on the counter with a little 'click' of plastic. He crosses towards his medical cot, picking up a few items there: a mobile device, his sunglasses (which get perched in his hair), car keys.

"No Iron Man to pitch in for a bit longer, but I'm not sitting in here," Tony chuckles. His eyes land on Steve's arm. "How's the wing?" He asks, strolling towards Steve and the exit to medical. The movement of the leg seems entirely natural and comfortable, no weird limp in it: because Stark.

Captain America has posed:
"Wing's got a few bent feathers, but I'll be up and ready to fly again any day now." There's a wry little smirk to accompany the response in theme with the bird-related comment: Steve flies about as well as a sand-filled target dummy when thrown. "Bone spur," he explains more honestly as he falls into place beside Tony. There's a subtle amount of attention paid to the mechanics of the leg brace and the motions of the genius-inventor's walking, both out of idle curiosity and care. "It was digging in like a knife in the ribs." Almost literally.

"How's the leg?" Steve nods to a passing nurse who gives them both a knowing, overly-patient look and nod as she goes by, files tucked beneath her arm.

Iron Man has posed:
"The leg? Great," Tony says, evenly, with a smile. "More concerned with this," Tony teases, gesturing to his face, and winks once. "I might be /too/ dashing now." Tony's covering his discomfort, very clearly: there's a stretched sense to his smile, as the charisma is a little forced.

"Here for business or pleasure?" Tony asks, pausing in the doorway to give Steve a questioning, brief look. Is he needing to use medical, or is he there to visit?

Captain America has posed:
Steve can't help the knowing curl of a half-smile. That's a familiar vein of response to discomfort -- how many times did Barnes level something similar at him both before and during the war?

"Pepper'll be head over heels," he says, again playing along with the vein of conversation. However, there's no denying the reason for his own visit. The Captain glances over his shoulder back towards and shrugs.

"Funny how as I get older, my memory starts to slip. I thought there was some medication to take, but I guess there's not." Of course there's some medication to take; the doctors just managed to corral Tony in the recovery room. Steve's managed to insinuate himself as escort and how delightful that Tony's heading //away// from the medbay!

Opportunies. They get taken.

"It's a bit of both. Wanted to check on you. You're on your feet, so that's good. Parker seems as stable as he can be." Clouds darken Steve's face. There's still a kernel of guilt over not being present to run interference for the young Spiderman. "You heard about Superman. I was in the surgery room for the celebration of life. Thought I'd go pay my respects at the gravesite." When the Captain glances over at Tony again, there's a weariness in the super-soldier's eyes that brings forth his true age. "Gotta keep fighting for the peace."

Iron Man has posed:
"Yeah. I've sent over some communication from us to the Justice League, supporting Metropolis," Tony replies. "JARVIS phrased it, don't worry." A smirk follows, as Tony continues away from the medical area, flicking his keys in his fingers some, unaware that he's being used to escape from medbay by Steve. Injured, Tony becomes even more self-centered than he usually is.

"Yeah, I'd like to go there, too. Let's grab burgers, and hit the site. We'll probably attract press, so I want to eat /first/," Tony determines in a focused way. There will be cheeseburgers, Steve.

Captain America has posed:
"We'd attract less press if that were more covert." It's an observation as to the leg brace meant purely in the most literal sense, lacking judgement or malice. "Still, there'll be SHIELD agents on site. Might see 'em, might not. Director Fury wasn't about to stint on security. If there's any paparazzi, they'll be kept at bay with a hundred foot pole and a badge."

Apparently, Steve's going to attend dressed as he is. It's civilian and more of a disguise than he otherwise might show. As Natasha so wisely said, when undercover, walk -- don't run.

"Won't say no to a cheeseburger or two either. Forgot to eat breakfast this morning," the Captain adds. Cue stomach growling.

Iron Man has posed:
"You're... suggesting I want to dodge the press?" Tony asks, as if Steve were suggesting he might be a wallflower. Pretty crazy there. "Get this man some medication," Tony says with a sly smirk, but he does come along out of the medical facility, to the hallway.

There is a critical problem with Steve's attempt at a disguise. He's standing next to Tony Stark.

Tony doesn't end up driving, he decides against it, using one of the company cars instead, driven by Happy. The cheeseburger stop is comfortable, the boys are fed fully, before they move on to the grave. Tony leaves his soda in the car.

Captain America has posed:
Steve snorts at the genius-inventor's observation. It's true. While the Captain might field the press with patience, he's not going to hunt them out unless there's a gambit to be played on the public field.

"My memory really must be going," he murmurs jokingly with a flick of brows as they travel towards the mansion's garage.

The cheesburgers are delicious, full of calories, and two easily disappear into the super-soldier's mouth. He too leaves his soda in the car and is certain to have cleaned fingers and mouth before exiting. The risk of ketchup smears is real, people. If there are SHIELD agents around, they're in plain-clothes or out of immediate sight. Steve idly glances up at the few trees casting mediocre shade with their leaves half-shed; he wouldn't put it past Fury to have set up a blind or two somehow invisible to the naked eye.

"Heard it was proper for him." Steve doesn't speak loudly as they approach the gravesite. There are flowers, baskets, cards, posters -- many things offering thanks and condolences, sympathies and wishes. "Lots of press. World knows he's gone."

Iron Man has posed:
"I watched part of it, yesterday," Tony replies. "It was not without drama. As would any of us be, if we died locked in a battle with a teammate," he says. His eyes move over Steve for a long moment, as if weighing the result of their battle, but he lifts a hand instead to clasp Steve's broad shoulder, instead. That's not them, right?

Tony unloads their tribute from Happy's arms, and hands Steve half of it. It's two arrangements of white and pale flowers: lilies and long stems. Tony approaches to set his down, expression serious, reflective.

Captain America has posed:
Steve too returns the contemplative look. One can see tension appear about his eyes and then pass. Thank god the blows hadn't ended in tragedy like this. He nods his head silently at Tony and returns the brotherly touch to the shoulder with marked care as to his own strength. Any paparazzi can take rumors of in-fighting home and burn them in the fireplace.

One-armed, the Captain places his offering down upon the rows of bouquets. It appears to blend in and become one of many: appropriate. They are all human, in the end, and all call this world home.

The broad-shouldered man stands there, his eyes gone distant even as he looks upon the gravestone. "...never get used to it. Losing a soldier."

Iron Man has posed:
"He wasn't any more a soldier than I am," Tony replies ruefully, settling his hands at his pockets, and then looking up at the statue of Superman looking over the area. "But I don't think that matters. Anybody can do this, if they want to. Choices, Cap. He chose to stay here," Tony says, with a thoughtful little shrug.

His gaze moves sideways, then, to Steve. "We'll have new recruits coming in, I think," he says with a brief half-smile. "People choosing to follow him, be inspired. By us, now."

Tony smiles a bit more. "No pressure." His gaze goes back to the statue, though. "We know the dangers. So did he. Still worth doing."

Captain America has posed:
Chin tucked as if the faint smile on his lips was inappropriate, Steve merely lifts his brows in response to Tony's claim. It's a well-visited point of mild contention: the rules of chain of command verses seizure of opportunity. Apparently, neither of them will relent. It is to the benefit of the Avengers in the end.

His gaze rises to linger on the statue. "World's worth living in. Anyone can stand up for what's right." He nods agreement before glancing over to Tony. "Looking forward to seeing who decides to step up to the plate."

Iron Man has posed:
"Really? Because it's us," Tony answers, evenly, without a pause, as Steve looks at him. Tony lifts his eyebrows slightly. There isn't a joke there.

There's a cluster of eager press nearby, though they are only taking telescopic photos from afar. Still, getting a shot of the Avenger leaders at the grave of Superman, that's perfect material for them. Tony looks over their way: Tony can sense them with his Attention Seeker Super Senses. It's a skill.

"I'll give them a statement," Tony says aside to Steve. Tony wanted to move away from the memorial: it was starting to make him really reflect. And he knows his friend well enough to give him some solo time at the gravesite. Tony gives Steve another long look, then gestures at Happy, heading towards the press group in even strides made possible by the invention on his leg. Battered, maybe, but not out.