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

[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.