A Street in Town, Friday Afternoon

[screwyoumarvel]

So the entire town was going to hell in a handbasket, which meant it was business as usual for Steve. Suit up, grab the shield, head out and make sure no one got eaten by a teal deer. Or an alot. The alots honestly had him a lot more worried.

The mutated townspeople and students, though, had him most worried of all. That could not be good.

((For that one guy.))

Comments

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

After not being able to focus on a single thing in the lab, Tony stumbled out to make his way back to the dorms. Because that was clearly a safe plan.

Look, no one claimed Tony Stark had common sense.

He hissed without realizing he was doing it, head jerking around at any small sound nearby.

[screwyoumarvel]

Oh, great. "Tony," Steve said to the horribly mutated alternate teenage version of his former best friend. "Maybe you should go to the clinic," he tried gently.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I don't like doctors," Tony muttered, possibly looking at him. It was a little hard to tell when eyes were a solid black.

[screwyoumarvel]

Oh, that was creepy. "Well, that's too bad, son," Steve said. "I really think they need to have a look at you." And possibly lock him up.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

And his awesome tail? Because who didn't want to grow one of those?

"I feel fine." And mildly homicidal. But only mildly so! "Nice night for a walk..." he said, waving vaguely out at the street with one clawed hand.

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve would pass on the tail. "I don't think so, son. It's not safe out here." Especially with all the mutated freaks oh wait.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

That was Lovecraft-ist!

Tony managed to give him a look that was possibly much more human and much more Tony than anything leading up to it.

[screwyoumarvel]

He would own his prejudice toward eldritch abominations, thank you very much.

Steve was actually relieved by that look. Tony was still in there! Maybe he could reason with him. "Tony," Steve pointed out, "You have a tail."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"And claws," Tony added. "I need to figure out how to type with my brain."

Yes, Tony. That's a good plan.

[screwyoumarvel]

"Did you have a tail and claws last week?"

Typing with your brain was a terrible plan, Tony.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

By terrible you mean awesome, right?

"...no," Tony replied, as though that was a sudden break through in a project.

[screwyoumarvel]

"Don't you think you should maybe be a little concerned about that?"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I was," Tony assured him. "But now it's not so bad. I can focus again."

Like on how he'd probably enjoy stabbing something with those neat claws.

[screwyoumarvel]

"Focus on what?" Steve asked warily.

Maybe not your best idea, Steve.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Snarling wasn't normal, right Steve?

Really, he should just be glad that this Tony was still small so lunging at him was slightly less threatening than it would be at any other age. Plus, no state of mind to include the suit!

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve was so very glad he wasn't sane enough to remember the suit. But he was bringing his shield up between them anyway. "Tony, you need to calm down!"

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Tony clawed at the shield uselessly, teeth bared still. When they didn't work, he attempted to curl his hands around the edges to pull it away from Steve.

Because clearly that would happen.

[screwyoumarvel]

Oh, that was. That was just kind of sad.

Maybe if he let Tony yank on it for a while he would tire himself out?

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Damn it, super soldier serum! He'd one up you some day! Possibly with Extremis and then destroying the very fabric of all the super hero community holds dear!

Instead of tiring out, Tony decided to take a swipe at Steve's face, still clinging to the shield with his other hand.

[screwyoumarvel]

Just say no to Extremis, Tony!

Steve dodged the swipe and yanked his shield out of Tony's hands. "Now, now, you're not being very nice," he chided.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Tony would endeavor to be kinder on a day where he didn't want to claw someone's eyes out for the funsies of it. Oh, the apologies that would come from this...

He took Steve's admonishment to be a go ahead to attempt tackling him instead. While still growling.

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve was still a lot bigger than Tony, and he still had a shield, so that probably didn't go as well as Tony had envisioned. (And they called Tony the genius.) In fact, he sort of...made to smack Tony away with the shield.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

He wasn't in his best state of mind, damn it!

It was enough to cause him to fall back onto his butt--tail--damn it, Fandom. "Why am I down here?"

[screwyoumarvel]

The intellect was always the first thing to go. So sad. "Because I knocked you over," Steve reminded him, keeping a ready stance.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Steve, you're enjoying this far too much.

"I think I should go home now," Tony decided warily.

[screwyoumarvel]

Shhhh. He's supposed to be 100% noble and pure.

But maybe enjoying this just a little, yes.

However, home. Dorm full of students. Bad. "I don't think you should go back to the dorm," Steve said.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

Lovecraft corrupted yoooooou!

Tony stared at him blankly. Because, damn it, the clinic was still out.

[screwyoumarvel]

"I think you should go to the clinic," Steve reminded him.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"They'll just poke at my chest," Tony whined, possibly ruining the petulant teenage vibe with all those sharp teeth.

[screwyoumarvel]

Oh, that was disturbing. "I think that will be the least of their concerns. Tony, you need some help." Hi there, deja vu...

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"I already ran diagnostics with the suit," he said, rubbing his forehead. "It's a genetic level change. It's not going back."

[screwyoumarvel]

Because the suit was the be-all and end-all of testing. Also, Tony was so new at this to assume that 'genetic-level' meant 'permanent.' "We don't know that," Steve said. "I would really like you to not be crazy again, if it's all the same to you."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

UM, THE SUIT TOTALLY WAS.

"I'm not crazy!" He was just going crazy!

[screwyoumarvel]

Steve was going to break this to him as gently as possible. "You kind of are."

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"...nuh uh."

[screwyoumarvel]

Crazy people never thought they were crazy. "We're just going to go to the clinic now," Steve said, reaching toward Tony.

[hoorayimrich.livejournal.com]

"Do I have to?" Teenage monsters. Word.

[screwyoumarvel]

Some things never changed. "Yes. You really do."