I Happen To Like Psychopaths

[starkingenuity]

"Jarvis, lights."

But Tony is not asleep.  He's still attached by knives in each hand like a technological Christ on the top of the building.  He hears the crash, the thunder.  He sees the skies opening up to douse the flames.  And there, framed by a halo of light--

"Why are you always the first person I see?" he asks, frowning up at the Thunderer.  "Seriously, where's Widow?"

Comments

[justveryintelligent]

Jarvis had set this place to work in hangover mode, dim lights, no sounds and a nice cool atmosphere to put Tony at ease. He was sure none of it would help but fortunately, they had plenty of drugs pumping into Tony so he shouldn't feel too much pain. Or one could only hope, he was totally sure how it would play out.

Jarvis simply sat beside Tony in a spare chair, watching him and waiting for his eyes to open. He didn't get much closer, he tried to avoid that these days. No more bed sharing or close contact, it made his emotions go funny.

And he hated that, it's why after his little incident with the avengers, he had taken to rarely removing the device that allowed him back into the system, it was easier as an AI.

But now, it seemed Tony needed him more as a friend. "Are you awake, sir? I made sure you got to come back home after treatment, I know how much you hate hospitals."

[starkingenuity]

"Am I awake?" he asks because, oh God, he really might be awake. A test on his fingers confirms it and he grits it his teeth but-- But it's only Jarvis here. Just Jarvis. He doesn't have to hide anything from him. Tony scoots up slightly before his shoulder protests and frowns knowingly.

He doesn't want to know how long it's been. He doesn't want to know his prognosis. He just wants to know how everyone is.

"Jarvis." And water. He wants water. "How bad is it out there?"

[justveryintelligent]

As if reading Tonys mind, Jarvis soon produced a bottle of water and popped the cap off for him. Hey, it was hang over protocol to have cold water supplied at all times. Moving closer, he got to his feet to make sure he was there to assist in any way. "You're awake, sir, would you care for a drink at all?"

How bad was it? It was a disaster zone, so many people had lost their lives and all he knew was the prime suspect was a faceless man called Moriarty. Trouble is Moriarty was proved to be a myth in England so a lot of people were having trouble believe it was even him.

They assumed terrorists, which was a fair conclusion.

"Not the best but not too bad, everyone is all right in the team, they're currently going about clean up. Mr Rogers had been back and forth to make sure you're fine."

[starkingenuity]

"Captain Rogers," he reminds Jarvis quietly and asks for a straw. He can't hold the bottle with bandages so thickly tied around his palms and his left hand-- He can't look at it. It's understandably distressing. He smiles right on through it. "Thor go back home?"

He'll ask after all of them in sequence. He likes to know everything that happens. Intelligence, right after weaponry, was his main focus when he was younger.

Now it just suits him to keep tabs on everyone.

The water is painful at first but that just proves how badly he needs it. IVs are fine but he plans on making a full recovery. Might as well start now.

[justveryintelligent]

"How could I ever forget," There was a dry sort of mockery to his tone but it was gone as swiftly as it had came. The man was a great heroic captain everyone loved, he got that. Moving on very swiftly. "No, I believe Thor remained to help with the clean up. Or rather should I address him as Lord Odinson, God of thunder?"

He could always use more extra information, he was running low around here. The internet only provided so much and he wasn't allowed to experience things outside so yeah, trivia was useful.

The straw was soon slotted in and he held it closer, just to help him get to it.

"I can assure you that all of your team is present and out there dealing with clean up, no one is injured and despite a slight issue with Mr Barton getting some blast damage from a delayed bomb, overall I believe everyone is doing fine."

[starkingenuity]

"If you start with that shit, Jarvis, he's not only going to want everyone to call him that but Rogers is going to be on me again for being a bad influence." Actually, it's the other way around, really. Jarvis does things to Stark when he's around him that the team doesn't really care for. It's bad enough having one super genius running around like a child but two?

Two is a little too much. Especially with the jealousy streak that Steve insisted was there but Tony really couldn't see. Why would Jarvis be jealous?

He's an android with a fleshy body is all!

The water is delicious and painful but he finishes it all and then lays back down again.

"How about my hands?"

[justveryintelligent]

"Captain Rogers is a worrier, sir. He didn't even trust me to watch you," which was stupid and Jarvis reminded him of that with a quick powerpoint on his past watching over Tony... which Steve didn't get either actually. Then he had to brief summarise powerpoint before picking up Tony and making sure he was fully treated.

The moment he saw Tonys hands, he knew this would get ugly and he knew a little white lie was in order to spare his feelings.

"Not awful, they could be worse. I might advise resting up and waiting for them to heal, after the recovery phase, I'm sure you'll be fine," if he was damn lucky. His hands were in a sorry state and whoever had done this, didn't do it clean. It was messy, the breaks were all a bit off and the doctor didn't give him a high chance of having his fingers regain function.

But he knew it would kill Tony to hear that right now so it was best left unsaid.

"I can handle most the hand related work if you need me too. I'm running low on things to do," he'd already mastered four languages, took up painting and fencing, learned as much as he could on the history of America, England and France... he was bored. A super intelligent AI stuck in a human body that never got outside any more could seriously use more hobbies.

[starkingenuity]

He needs to teach Jarvis to lie better. If the AI is offering his own hands...  Shit. Well, he'll worry about that when the time comes. Later. When he can actually sit up for himself without feeling like he's going to puke. 

There are quiet moments and each time that happens, Tony starts to babble, telling Jarvis to take notes. He's strong. But he's not that strong.  The crack in the cement is pretty telling. Whatever happened to him, and he's not telling, he thinks the wounds speak for themselves, has left him unhinged. 

Why else would he ask Jarvis to call Rogers in?

[justveryintelligent]

And as ever, Jarvis played Sancho Panza to Starks Don Quixote and went along with his Masters delirious ramblings. He didn't know what to do, Tony was usually the more composed and together one, he was the one that needed that extra hand to help him with humany things. As much as he had a slight irritation with Rogers since he got him into trouble, he wasn't sure what to do.

He was out of his depths and Tony was clearly suffering some affects from whatever torture he had.

"If I call Captain Rogers, will you try and get some rest?"

[starkingenuity]

"Yeah," he promises, though he won't. He just wants someone that doesn't have explosive arrowheads to taunt for a little while. And Thor won't get any of his jokes. Tony just feels that, in front of the Cap at least, he can be weak. Just so long as he doesn't disappoint the blond, he can have a decent conversation while being injured and Steve won't judge him for the winces.

And he won't lie about his hands either.

"Hey, thanks for watching out for me," he says once Jarvis prepares to leave his bedroom. Tony actually can do with a little peace and quiet actually. He just wants to put on the television.

Even if Big Bang Theory is going to be forever ruined for him.

Such is life.

[justveryintelligent]

"Of course, sir," Jarvis offered as he left the room and headed back to the workshop. Once he was wired into the system again, he sent off a voicemail to Rogers telling him that he was needed and Tony was clearly after him. He also ordered a lot of straws and water bottles, all of which would hopefully be delivered while Rogers is here.

Hey, Captain America was super strong, he could carry that stuff up. Jarvis could barely carry half the machines Tony asked him too.

And, until he was summoned, he remained downstairs in the system. If he was wanted, Tony would call for him.

[starkingenuity]

But Tony didn't call and Steve Rogers never came back downstairs. He sits there, sits there still, while Tony sleeps away his pain killers and the trauma of knowing that he will likely never get better on his own. When Jarvis finally comes to check on them, he'll find Steve in his chair, gazing broodingly at Tony. And Tony passed out with the fingers of his right hand lightly curled around Steve's sleeve.

Steve is quiet as he looks up at the AI. Neither trusts the other.

"I'm going to stay tonight and keep a watch."

[justveryintelligent]

"I know, I already made a spare room up, I'm sure it'll see little use," Jarvis pointed out. Jarvis always new what was happening in this house, everything from what Tony was doing to what his visitors would need. It was his job to serve them and make sure they were okay. And he could do that easily, it was his job and he had years of being professional.

His personal feelings to Rogers meant nothing.

But burying emotions like Jarvis was doing would never end well, especially when he was trapped in here. He now understood the premise of films like Blade Runner (yes, he'd been watching android based films to better understand things) and he wanted his freedom. Leaving the room, he left the two of them to it so he could go tidy the place up once more.

[starkingenuity]

Rogers doesn't use the spare room. He stays up late with Tony when he comes out of his drugged up haze and laughs with him. He feeds him pizza when it's obvious he's just making a mess doing it himself and they watch cartoons from when Tony was little.

Steve's sitting right beside Tony in Jarvis' old spot when the AI comes in to visit or check up on him or maybe just to see why Steve's room is empty.

He probably isn't all that interested in watching Tony drool all over Steve's thigh, but that's the image he'll be greeted with.

[justveryintelligent]

He doesn't want to come in but he does eventually, just to inform Rogers that the news was near rampant with what had happened to Stark and if he valued the mans sanity, he'd probably consider keeping him away from the news. It was being brutally frank on Tonys prospects of ever making anything and how the stocks had gone down, which wasn't looking good for business. But Pepper was handling it.

With her handling the company and Rogers handling Stark, he was made obsolete. His duties were overridden and he was at the point of uselessness.

So he scribbled down a phone number, stole Starks phone and left. Of course that did mean all the power in this place shut down as he left but he didn't want to spend the rest of his life obsolete. If Tony wanted him, he could call him.

Until then, he was probably going to check out that strip club again.

[starkingenuity]

"Jarvis?" No lights? Did Jarvis fall asleep and forget to hook up the auxiliery systems again? It's not like that would be the first time it's happened. His throat is raw and dry and Tony is annoyed. He doesn't mean to be, but let's face it: he's hurt.

There's no answer. He's grumpy. He needs another shot of something in his hands.

When there's no answer, he calls again, lifting his head from Steve's lap. "Jarvis?! Shit."

[justveryintelligent]

Jarvis didn't come back, he had however left a note on the door explaining he was out, he was fine, Rogers was there to take care of Tony and so on. He also left his number but he wasn't really thinking, he had it on silent and didn't bother to check. Welcome to the teenage years, Stark. He'd had a human-AI for a while now, he'd gone from adoring son, to possessive monster and now he was happy to try and have a life.

But Rogers took care of Stark, Pepper took care of the company and he could easily build something to do his job. He wasn't needed.

Which is why he didn't get back till one in the morning. Very drunk, missing his jacket and covered in shiny glitter. Oh yes, he definitely liked that place.