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aa_natasha http://aa.mudmagic.com/w/index.php/2012-08-30_How_Do_You_Solve_a_Problem_Like_Amora
=NYC= Great Room - Ground Floor - Avengers Mansion
The Great Room at Avengers Mansion earns its place namely by its size: the facilities are updated and rather expansive, and consolidate several different purposes in one area. It's one of the few rooms on the ground floor that has been completely stripped of ornate walling and flooring. The walls are a comfortable sage green and the floor has been covered with plush carpet and expensive tile, as appropriate. The sizable kitchen takes up the far end, stock full of buffed metal and shiny appliances, while an entertainment room fills the near end. An oversized island that also serves as a breakfast bar separates the two spaces.
The living space is set off by a pair of arm chairs and a small table set against the back of a large sectional couch. Several arm chairs flank the couch and coffee table to complete the 'U' that faces a television that is almost /too/ big, and just about every entertainment and video game console known to man.
Steve has opted for the Great Room rather than the more officially intimidating Command Center, so the whole thing kind of has an air of a family meeting rather than a team strategic session. But Steve is there, in Captain America spirit if not in uniform, standing at a sort of parade rest with his hands clasped loosely at the small of his back. He watches people enter, offering small flickers of smiles on occasion. Good job for showing up, guys. Gold star.
Natasha is there early, though she doesn't seem particularly inclined to make any 'hi how are you' type small talk. She avoids the couch and comfortable chairs in favor of perching atop one of the stools at the breakfast bar, a seat which gives her an excellent view from the back of the room.
Family meeting means bar; bar means Stark drinks. Good choice, Steve. He finishes off glass one to pour himself glass two. Scotch pours neatly over ice that hasn't even had time to melt in the low glass tumbler, and wow, I really wanted to spell that tumblr.
Vision arrives brisk and after giving Steve a small smile and nod, takes a comfortable chair without comment. Elbows rested symmetrically on chair arms.
If his partner seems more business, Hawkeye appears rather casual. In worn jeans and a plain shirt, he is out of uniform as well, and wearing his glasses indoors, at night. A word is murmured to Natasha as he gathers his own glass of scotch, since Tony Stark has it all nicely set out. He takes it over to one of the comfortable couches, his arms hooking on the back as the tilt of his head settles on Steve.
Bruce is hanging out at the bar, too, but only because he is showing Stark the chemical analysis he took of the mead he stole on his Stark tablet. There are probably graphs. This is probably how he took a break from studying Asgardian tech: studying Asgardian hooch.
Vision did not arrive alone. Hitching a ride because her feet hurt (probably from the heel dangling awkwardly from one of Vision's pockets), Janet remains perched on his shoulder (at a diminutive size, because ow) even after he settles. She hooks an elbow into the ledge of his ear canal and leans.
"Thank you all for coming," Steve says, his voice firm and even and all reasonable Commanding Officer. "The fact of the matter is that we have a problem. Part of that problem is Amora, but she's not the only problem. The problem is that apparently we forgot everything we learned during the Chitauri invasion in regards to working /together/. We're not just a number of individuals living in the same area; we're supposed to be a team." Dab your eyes, children.
"--all I'm saying is thank God for your virtue, because if it was up to my thirst, we wouldn't have had enough to analyze," Stark says to Bruce as he looks over his glass at the twist of molecules on the screen. He turns his attention to Steve with a roll of his eyes for punctuation and then leans up against the bar. He says nothing. He drinks.
Natasha answers Clint with an upward flick of her brows and a sardonic look before she settles back, hooking her elbows against the island behind her. When Steve starts in on his speech, she very kindly does not say 'I told you so.' She in fact remains silent.
Thor enters late. He storms down the hallway, footsteps thundering, before he reaches the great room. Once inside he smiles at his friends, perhaps by way of apology, and stops moving. Except that his arms cross. He wears his armor, and Mjolnir is attached to his hip.
Vision's expression is all staid imperturbability for having a wasp in his ear. But he is good at staying awful still. When he raises his hand to massage his chin post-Steve-speech, it's carefully gradual, using the arm opposite the one Janet's shoulder-perched on.
"Not all of us were in that little tutoring session," Janet notes offhandedly, though Vision is the only one capable of hearing that particular comment.
Bruce is nice enough to actually lower his tablet and look up and over at Steve while he's talking. His expression is not as blatant as Tony's, but there is something dry, maybe ironic, about the faint crimp of his mouth. He looks sidelong along the room as though to read the reactions of the others. "Virtue. Funny way of putting it," he mutters aside to Tony, and then clears his throat to wonder aloud, "What'd we learn?"
Steve's gaze flicks to Thor but briefly before returning to the group at large. "We know that Amora is a problem," he says. "She's targeted members of this team to manipulate. Thor's first response when he found out she was here was to claim total and singular responsibility for dealing with her. That was our first mistake." Aww, look at that, he is taking group responsibility for mistakes. "Tony's response to this was to make a bargain with her in order to study her abilities without any communication with the rest of the team. This was our /second/ mistake." His jaw hardens somewhat. "Thor's response to this was to /attack/ and nearly kill Tony. /That/--" He draws in a slow breath. "That is not how we deal with things. That is not how we're /going/ to deal with things. Attacking each other out of anger is /never/ an option, /particularly/ with that kind of strength against regular human constitution."
Vision provides low-voiced for Janet, although she can hear just fine. "I believe the intended lesson was to make plans as a team and not murder each other."
Humor is smothered in the corners of Clint's mouth as he lifts the liquor to his lips, his gaze--well, his gaze is obscured by sunglasses, where ever it may flick to. "That shouldn't be how we deal with /each other/," he says. "Other things, totally acceptable?"
Smothering the twitch of a frown that threatens his brow, Stark blands his features as Steve speaks. He hides tension in the lift of his glass to take another sip. He presses his glass to his jaw and tips his head at Clint. "I don't recommend it if the barista gets your order wrong."
The irony fades from Bruce's expression as Steve goes on. By the time he is finished, Bruce has blanched pale and his knuckles have whitened in his grasp of the tablet, which he carefully sets down on the surface of the bar. He looks from Steve, to Thor, to Stark, where his gaze steadies beneath the slight lift of his eyebrows. His breath puffs, quietly, past the flare of his nostrils. Despite his hard-won sense of humor about his own ... situation, he sure seems to be lacking in the funny just this second.
Janet glances down at her host, lips quirking in humor while her wings flutter briefly with a high pitched sound, then resettle and go nearly transparent. "Like this group could settle on a plan more than one time out of ten?"
Natasha's eyes flick toward Clint, and the corners of her lips turn slightly upward with the tip of her head before her expression smooths unreadable again at Stark's response. She remains silent, gaze flicking from Tony to Thor before settling on Steve once more.
"My intent was not to murder Stark," Thor thunders, tone serious, "nor do him great harm. I intended to destroy his research regarding Asgardian weaponry. Regardless, I have come to see this as a great personal error. More reckless than Stark sleeping with Amora," Thor explains with a heavy sigh. "I must apologize, my friends. I was thoughtless. And ask for your forgiveness."
"Yes, we're just talking about dealing with each other. As a team," Steve says, a bit dry to Clint's joking. He doesn't respond to Janet, although his gaze does flicker over in her direction briefly. "The point wasn't your intent," he tells Thor. "You have the capacity to kill people with barely a thought." But he seems content enough with the Asgardian's regret. "Tony," he says, addressing him specifically and sounding a bit resigned to be giving him any sort of positive attention in the midst of the lecture. "Do you want to share what you discovered about Amora's abilities?"
While Bruce takes deep breaths, Stark asides, "There are some interesting differences in Mjolnir's signature while it is active and while it is in a resting state. Remind me to show you next time we are down there." An expression of lightly disbelieving skepticism settles over his features when Thor speaks, and his expression draws to a reserved sort of irony. "Give a guy a hammer...." His low murmur edges around the glass and then he pushes forward to stride across the room when Steve addresses him. "Jarvis, over here." He clears some discarded bit of Avenger trash from one of the room's holographic projectors. "Pull up the experimental footage from Amora's tower visit." Not the sexy footage.
"It's my research, too," Bruce remarks with a peculiar thinness in his voice, "although I-- haven't slept with anybody, for the record." He manages an exasperated smile over tension that appears to be ratcheting, as he blinks a particularly wtf look at his scibro -- but this intelligence about Tony's sexual discretion still doesn't stop him from completing the thought to this extent: "So if you want to attack somebody over it..." He leaves that 'pick on someone your own size' to trail off invitingly. Steve, you need a spray bottle or something.
"No one is attacking anyone over this," Steve reminds the group. Lecturingly.
Natasha's unfazeable expression shifts suddenly fazed at Thor's speech - the part of it where he says 'Stark sleeping with Amora.' Her jaw doesn't quite drop, but her gaze does go very hard very quickly, and her eyes flash to Stark. For a moment, anyone who might happen to glance her way can nearly /see/ the tension vibrating from her form. Several seconds tick by before she says very quietly, "You knew about this too, Banner?"
"/No/," Bruce could not be more vehement about without losing a few shirt buttons. He scrubs his hand over his face.
"I think we are capable of plans," Vision says, speaking again to Janet while his eyes fix on the projector. "In this case, we have two opposed methods. Expunging a threat outright versus using it to acquire more data on a larger threat. And Amora is very personable," he appends, of course.
"Rogers, that is enough," Thor rumbles. "You are my ally, you are a friend, and I have heard you," Thor replies. To Banner he answers, "You are correct. I misspoke. There needn't be further battling over Amora, though, Banner."
Back to the gathering, Stark ignores them as he mutters to Jarvis: this footage, that angle, a certain overly, and false color to draw up details that normal vision wouldn't show. Put that graph up right here, would you? Good. Perfect. One he has the display he wants, he steps to the side. His gaze passes over the collected Avengers before stopping at Steve. "The most important thing to keep in mind regarding Amora's magic is that she enacts her ... mind-control with the aid of an artifact commonly worn as a bracelet, although it has looked different the two times I saw it." She's clothed in the footage. Does that help?
Clint pushes his glasses from his eyes, his study of the footage sharp and interested. He doesn't even spare a moment to appreciate the woman's looks, instead dead serious. Mind-controlling Asgardians are bad news bears.
"Apparently," Janet replies dryly, pushing away from Vision's ear. Her wings beat the air, lifting her off his shoulder and carrying her across the room, dodging people along the way. Don't mind her. She drops to the bar top near Bruce, pausing to glance up at him before and picking her way carefully around the littered bottles and glasses while growing in size to about that of an oversized barbie. Where's the vodka?
Steve's gaze lingers on Thor, then his lips twitch and he nods his assent. He looks back to Stark's display, going quiet as he gives the engineer room to make his full report.
"The opposing methods aren't the problem here," Natasha says, her voice still quiet. She pauses, then tips one hand slightly. "Or, not the only problem. Not the /biggest/ problem."
Vision watches the display, with a half-sotto, "Ah, the bracelet. I remember the bracelet now." A little louder, if a bit aside, he asks Natasha, "What is the biggest?"
Bruce tips his head in a slight acknowledgment toward Thor and then glances down in a moment's brief distraction as Janet treks amidst the liquor. Uh. He says, a bit vague in his distraction, "There's a lot we don't understand about it, obviously, like why it works. But its energy signature is not fundamentally dissimilar to other Asgardian tech we've had the opportunity to -- study."
Natasha fixes her gaze on Tony for a moment, despite the fact that she is answering Vision. "When Stark asked me to look over his security measures for the mansion, I missed the biggest gaping security risk we have." Her voice cuts off into silence behind Bruce, and she leans forward on her stool,
folding her arms. Oops pressed enter.
Thor watches the footage for a moment. He adds, "What else have you recorded her doing, Stark?" Thor asks. His arms cross over his chest while he listens to the other Avengers. He answers, Bruce, "Her talents are uncommon among my people. We do not subvert through trickery," he explains. Unless you are Loki. He adds, "However, Stark is correct regarding her artifact. It is a rare, powerful weapon that she has likely forged herself. As her skills are esoteric, so must be the weapon she uses."
At Bruce's point, Stark draws out a couple of charts to highlight a particular overlap in wavelengths similar to -- from the videos next to the graphs -- Mjolnir, Valkyrie's sword, and Sif's sword. "That makes identifying it a strong possibility. I'm prototyping a couple of things to detect Asgardian tech. Even if it looks like something else the next time, I'd know it's there." He does not answer Thor's question nor does he address Natasha. One thing at a time, right? He is obviously dealing with fully answering Steve, first.
"It seems that two out of three Asgardians prefer mind control, so I am going to have to take you with a grain of salt," Clint says to Thor, his brows curving upwards at the god. But, hey, at least his eyes aren't blue right now.
Vision glances at Natasha, then follows the direction of her glance. "Ah." He leans forward, his elbows shifting from chair-arms to his knees. He rests the bottom of his chin against the clasp of his hands, studying the charts and graphs and the man presenting them. "But the data is good," is low again.
"You said before you might be able to develop something to protect us from it," Steve pipes up again to remind Tony. He glances to Natasha and says, "It's not going to be a problem again," before giving Stark a very pointed look. IS IT, TONY.
Stark ignores the pointed look to roll a shoulder at Steve. "One thing at a time. I'm working on the protection angle, but right now I'm not sure it doesn't involve major surgery."
Shifting his weight back onto his heels, Bruce folds his arms loosely across his chest. "Assuming that Thor and Valkyrie aren't just the only dentists in the world that hate Trident," he says, "it's still seems prevalent enough to make precaution smart." He glances at Steve. "The first step towards protection is detection," he agrees. "I mean, theoretically, I think it should be possible. It's empirically clear that the ... mind control ... tech isn't infallible." A beat. He mutters, "Can't believe I just said 'mind control tech' out loud."
Silly Cap. Of course it is. Janet slants a look around the room upon finding the bottle of vodka and debates the wisdom of trying to actually mange making a drink in her current size. The cons of giving herself a hernia outweigh the advantage of being tiny and she hops off behind the bar and grows in an obviously practiced motion, then turns and reaches for the bottle. That motion is checked momentarily as she shoots Bruce a baffled "Trident?" to go with his own muttering.
Do you see Natasha's face? This is what appears in the dictionary under 'doubtful' and 'unconvinced.' She lapses into silence again, though she doesn't turn her attention to Stark and his flashy science. She watches the faces around her, instead, shifting from person to person as her fingers tap against her arm. The only one she does not look at is Clint, though her lips thin at his comment. She clears her throat quietly to inform Bruce, "Get used to it. It's not going anywhere." Her gaze does flick briefly to Clint now, then away again before she adds lowly, "It doesn't have to be infallible. It just has to work once, on the right person."
"Do not question my honor," Thor replies casually to Clint. He glances upward as Steve replies to Natasha, but does not make a comment. "The truth regarding Amora's abilities, and my brother's, is this - it leads to villainy. For /centuries/ Asgard has been without criminals. Why there are two now, and why they have made Midgard their home, is an ill twist of fate. And one that I still intend to straighten." He focuses on Stark's display again.
"Right?" Stark says to Bruce with deep sympathy for his mutter. He flicks away the other videos to clear the screen and leave only Amora, dangerous in green. "She's going to keep coming after us. We're a target now, although more by association than in our own right. She seems profoundly self-interested." He would know, right? His gaze flicks toward Thor; irony curves his lip and skepticism his brow.
"One that /we/ will deal with," Steve corrects Thor firmly. "We need to agree upon a consistent strategy for dealing with her. One that does not involve -- /fraternization/." He attempts another pointed look at Stark. Who knows why he keeps trying that.
"Has Amora used her abilities for more than," Vision appears to be searching for the word, and settles on a tame, "information gathering?"
"You know-- the-- four out of five dentists -- never mind." Bruce waves his hand. "The point is, it can be beaten, has been beaten. So there's a way to beat it again. It's just a question of finding the practical way to make that happen without--" He gestures at Stark. "What he said." Then he folds his arms in another loose cross over his stomach.
Thor frowns at Stark, and then glances at Steve with a short nod. "Indeed," he answers. Vision gets his attention next. "She has," he answers easily before uncrossing his arms.
"She has. She's trouble," says Stark, without hesitation as he labels her. "She primarily seems to want information on Thor, though, as he's made a point of going after her. I'm pretty sure we should worry a little more about getting dragged into wars and alien feuds due to Thor's enthusiasm and spend a little less time worrying about what's in my bed, Cap," he adds to Steve.
"I'm pretty sure we probably shouldn't get dragged into bed in alien feuds," Bruce says, although he is much more wry and exasperated in his reproof than disapproving because let's face it, he just can't measure up to Steve Rogers. He rubs his eyebrow with the pad of his thumb. "What does she want with Thor?" He glances over at the Asgardian with a faint crease to his brow. "I used to think I was okay at avoiding being stalked but, you know, apparently not. Still."
"Who has time to keep up with that?" Janet muses aloud while mixing up something in glass. Apparently she's forgotten she's no longer too small to be heard.
"All she wanted was information on Thor, in my encounter. Information on him. Messages to him. Well," the Vision owns slowly. "Not entirely that. But the rest seemed peripheral. Entertainment. Or, more pertinently, attempting to build loyalty through - personability."
"When you're consorting with known enemies -- under the same roof as the rest of this team, no less -- it's a security risk that involves all of us," Steve tells Tony with a little more vehemence.
Clint will laugh at your joke, Janet, aloud and without bothering to muffle it as he glances towards the tiny woman. "I think we have a whole division devoted towards it at SHIELD," he offers blandly. What, was this meeting supposed to be serious?
"Let Stark vent his anger," Thor chides Steve grumpily. "And do not blame Stark for sleeping with Amora. She is an attractive woman. And he is not accustomed to restraint. 'tis I who is at fault, here," Thor explains. "When I claimed control over the investigation of Amora, I restricted all information about her. Had I told Stark what I know, which indeed even now I have not fully revealed, perhaps he would have shown restraint. As it is, he did only what he is oft inclined to do."
Stark turns to face Steve and ticks off points on his fingers. "Wrong on two points, Cap. I keep my consorting on my own territory, and at the time, Amora was still pretty much an unknown. All Thor had told us is that she was the Enchantress." He pushes forward on his toes and says, "What about the /security risks/ of turning everyone you associate with into targets because you get cranky about where one of your people vacations?"
Thank you Clint, though his laugh startles Janet into awareness. Oops. She shoot shim a sheepish grin and puts the finishing touches on her drink, now pink. Somehow.
--he goes back on his heels when Thor agrees with him, and looks kind of baffled in general, like the wind has all been taken out of his sails. Stark finishes his Scotch instead to cover confusion.
"He said a /little/ more than that she was the Enchantress," Steve says in an exasperated tone. "Whether or not Thor should have been more open about her, you're still throwing out any trust you have with a teammate by sleeping with her." He looks between Thor and Stark with rising aggravation. "This isn't a /competition/. This isn't about 'this person did worse than I did, so don't talk to me about my actions.' We /all/ have to do better." He squares his gaze on the Asgardian. "Tony's an adult responsible for his own behavior, whatever his -- habits are. Why don't you share what you know about Amora, then?"
"You know," Bruce says, "the intelligence was good. I mean, I guess I should say the /data/ was good." He points to Stark's graph with both eyebrows up. "I'm pretty sure I would not have voted against getting the data. But like Steve's saying, it's where both of you guys just kind of decided to do it your way without letting any of the rest of us know. I think the blame game is pretty tiresome, I mean, I bet I have sucked worse than anyone in this room at making decisions. So I can win that competition right now and we can move on."
"The data is good," Vision echoes, quieter. "And if Amora is a trouble we can handle, it may be worth appearing to work with her. I do not think most of us can do so safely, however."
Eyes narrowing, Stark says, "Not really, Rogers. She was an unknown. You're spending a lot of time worrying about who I was sleeping with when I think that matter has been pretty well covered. You want a video? It's a bit long, but I could have Jarvis send it over if you still have questions."
Easing himself off the couch and wandering back to refill his glass, Clint lingers by Janet to ask, "How much do you think a Mr. I-Am-Iron-Man sex tape would fetch on the open market?"
"Rogers, this is the final time I will tell you to stop blathering like my mother. Who, if you are not aware, is a Queen and feels she is entitled to thirty minute sermons," Thor growls. "We have upset you, I understand this. Stark and I will sort out our differences another day, or not at all, and merely agree silently that we are both fools with egos larger than the World Serpent who support more upon their shoulders than most people have ever fathomed!" Thor rambles loudly. His eyes narrow. "If it was not clear before, I thank you for mediating our disagreement. I apologize for stopping his electric heart. And no, I have no desire to dwell upon the conquests of Tony Stark any longer at an Avengers meeting!" Thor booms angrily.
"Market's flooded," Stark asides to Clint. Take a moment to consider the implications, everyone. "Value's quite low."
"That's not funny," Steve grumbles to Tony, but clearly Tony Stark sex tapes are not a topic he's going to pursue to lecture further. "This isn't about me being upset, it's about Tony recognizing the potential consequences of his--" And then he just draws in a breath and stops. "Fine," he says after a long moment. "Let'e just -- move forward."
"Can we get back to the less sexy parts, then?" Bruce's smile is a little sardonic as he lifts an open-handed gesture toward Thor. "You did just mention there's more data on Amora you might share?"
Janet covers her mouth with her hand and snorts at Clint's question, though she cannot help but adding a "Me too," to Thor's declaration about conquests.
Stark continues to favor Steve with a particularly irritated expression. When he turns away, it is without comment to get a third glass from the bar.
Natasha lifts a hand just slightly, expression serious. "I want one," she says, fixing a look complete with arched brow on Tony. "In fact, I'd like recordings of all your interactions with her."
"Guess no early retirement for me," Clint accepts easily, splashing liquor into his glass before he leans against the bar on his forearms next to Janet.
Bruce blinks at Natasha, momentarily derailed.
"I'll make popcorn, you can come over," Stark says to Natasha, maybe not taking her very seriously.
Thor nods his head, expression unsouring. His arms cross over his chest. "Amora is capable of illusions, much like my brother. I do not believe she is quite as skilled as he," Thor shrugs a little. "And she may also travel great distances. The greater the distance, the more taxing. From Asgard to Midgard would deplete her energies, most like. From New York to Boston, perhaps a brisk walk, as you would say," Thor explains. "Aside from her magic, she is a skilled manipulator, particularly of men. In Asgard, her magic would not have been permitted. Yet at court she took many married lovers as her own. This practice is not illegal, but it is a subtle game - and she was among the best of players."
"All right," Natasha agrees without argument. "Tomorrow afternoon?"
Stark looks at Natasha a little bit longer this time. He twitches an eyebrow at her in query. What, really?
Natasha's gaze in return is level, with nothing more than a brow twitch of her own in response. Really.
Stark looks speculative. Stop it, Tony.
MOVING ON. "Did she eventually do something illegal?" Steve asks Thor. "How did she end up here?"
Momentarily distracted by the impending /porn date/, Bruce drags his attention back to the topic at hand and narrows his eyes a little at Thor as he goes, "Uhm."
Speculative gets a leveled gaze from Barton on Tony, and he says with a touch of dryness, "She's not coming over to admire your work in the bedroom, Stark."
"She should," Stark says to Clint with a wide gesture of his hands. "I do good work. All right. Clear your calendar, though. I bet you'll make that one face of yours if I try fast-forwarding, so we might be there a while."
"I'd ask how we ended up back in Tony's bed but I don't think we ever left," Bruce says. He drags his hand through his hair, nails scraping along his scalp amidst its fluffy dark waves. "So basically what you're saying is that she's dangerous in part because she's got the magic, but she's accustomed to getting her way without it, except I'm still a little fuzzy on ... what her way is. Besides trouble. I mean, are we talking bringing the world to its knees here or what?"
Natasha tips her head, leaving agreement to silence so as not to interrupt Bruce's explanation.
Janet rolls her eyes and takes a seat on the edge of the bar while studiously attempting to avoid thinking about Tony's techniques. It involves a steady stream of alcohol.
Thor ignores the talk of sex tapes and porn and Amora naked and hot and sweaty and oh odiiiiiiin, give him strength. "There was a scandal," Thor explains. "Typically, court affairs remain private. However, Amora's final lover was married, and his wife did not appreciate her husband's advances. Before it was spilled into the light, Amora left the court. No one pursued her," Thor explains. To Bruce, he answers, "She is a parasite upon this realm, Banner. She uses her lovers for all they are worth before leaving. A wake of ruined lives lay in her wake," he gestures with his hand. "Imagine if Stark were not immune, and she subverted him. Humanity's most important science would be at risk."
"So you're willing to grant that I was right about that," Stark says, picking that /one thing/ out of /everything/ that Thor says to focus on.
"In the right about what?" Thor questions, booming.
Natasha's voice lifts just slightly, though she's still half-lost behind Thor's question. "Immune?"
Steve hesitates a long moment, something of reluctance in the knit of his brow, before finally saying, "Did she do anything -- I mean, what exactly was the extent of her manipulations? They sound pretty small in scope. What has she done that makes you think she's interested in putting humanity's most important science at risk given the opportunity?"
Stark points at Natasha, like he thinks she is answering Thor's question. Right about that.
"If her goals are truly that small, it should be possible to keep each other from becoming too entrenched if she continues to target us," Vision ventures. Right? Right?
"I believe Stark is immune to her magic," Thor replies with a nod. "His heart is somehow capable of diffusing it. I do not fully understand how that is possible, but my own attack upon him demonstrated his... resistance," Thor concludes. He focuses on Steve. "Because she did, Steve. She used her weapon on Stark."
Bruce looks over at Stark, opens his mouth, and then sets his teeth against the curve of his lower lip, smile faint. His eyebrows arch and then fall. He glances toward Jan, who is probably still drinking, and then toward the Vision, and then toward the ceiling. Rather than say anything about humanity's most important science, he says, "So there's definitely a way to beat it."
"Yes, I know that she's been asking questions about you and using her magic to manipulate people," Steve says, "but does she have a greater game in mind? Something beyond just -- living comfortably off other people? Because so far, her real goal has seemed to be self-preservation and a certain amount of low-level mischief, but from your reaction, I expected something -- I don't know, bigger. In her history."
The sudden smoothness of Natasha's features speaks of some reaction held tight under control to those who know her well. So pretty much Clint. She lapses into silence again, though now she stirs from her stool to slip into the kitchen and pry the fridge open.
Thor frowns at Steve. "I do not understand. She is victimizing men, ruining families, because she is greedy and manipulative. True, she is not a murderer," he gestures to Clint and Natasha, "but ask your comrades how they felt when their minds were made a play thing. Perhaps they can explain better than I."
Thor adds, to Bruce, "There should be. It exists in Asgard, at least."
"So you -- have the thing that Tony and I are busting our balls to make like, lying around in a closet somewhere?" Bruce asks, somewhat dismayed.
"She wasn't exactly angling after my science when she tried her magic on me," Stark disagrees. His tone /explicitly/ does not suggest she was after his pants. /Explicitly/. "She seems very fixated on you, Thor. She tried spinning this story that you were just bitter she wouldn't date you. Don't worry: I had more faith in you. Didn't believe it." His smile bites. He sips and moves on. "From what I've seen, she's deeply self-interested. I've mostly seen her act seeking out information about Thor. We're interesting due to our ties to him." He tries not to look too annoyed about that, given that he is perfectly fascinating as is.
Clint's brows raise as Thor gestures to him, and he makes one sharp shake of his head in warning. Don't.
"I'm not saying she doesn't sound like someone who should be stopped from this behavior," Steve assures Thor. "I'd just -- Well, from how you spoke of her, I thought she posed a more destructive threat." He glances, frowning and thoughtful, at Tony. "Are you sure there's anything else you aren't telling us?" he asks Thor. "You said she made the bracelet herself? And you guys -- made some sort of counter-measure in Asgard?"
Natasha digs a beer free of the fridge, and the glance of her gaze toward Clint is casual before it moves on. She pries the cap off with a quiet hiss of carbonation.
Thor raises Mjolnir and shows it to Bruce, "You cannot replicate Mjolnir," he explains, "but hammer is my protection. You could not fabricate Loki's magic, but he is also immune to the Enchantresses' charms. As I said, her talents are rare. But no power is absolute." Thor turns to Tony. "That may be. If she merely wishes to stay, I was all that was stopping her from continuing on as she was," Thor explains. "But I do not know her motives. We never spoke in court. I knew her only by reputation until I chanced upon her."
Something faintly skeptical lingering in Bruce's eyebrows, he tilts his head in vague acknowledgment anyway, and rubs his hand over his mouth as he settles into an elbow-lean against the bar. "Okay," he says. "So what's your goal? Sounds like she'd be a ... parasite back home, too."
Thor adds, "I cannot simply walk up the stairs to my father's hall and nab some magic rings to stop the Enchantress," with a sigh. "If I knew a portal to the realm of--" Thor shakes his head. "No. We are alone. /We/ must find a way. There is no other course of action that I know."
"I want her gone," Stark says. "I'm tired of Asgardians lording it over the little people." The cool fall of his glance does not exclude Thor, but his manner has softened /somewhat/ in his regard. "Thor wants her arrested. I don't much care about that as long as she isn't causing trouble /here/. On Earth. My suggestion would be giving her the chance to walk away."
"To where?" Natasha asks from the kitchen. She raises the bottle to her lips as she fixes on Stark.
Stark throws a hand up in a wide gesture. Space. "She can figure that out."
"It seems best for Earth that she not be here," Steve agrees wryly.
"Unless you want to keep her here just so we can keep an eye on her," Bruce says, with a peculiar emphasis on 'we' as he slants a look across at Natasha.
"And release her upon another realm where she will destroy more lives?" Thor asks with a frown. "Would you release a terrorist to Canada?" Thor adds, angrily.
Natasha meets Bruce's gaze. "I'd rather kill her," she says bluntly. "But I don't think it's an option."
"It's not," Steve says firmly.
Bruce makes a hand-weighing gesture, as though he is making some internal balancing -- one hand, other hand. His eyebrows twitch together. He says, "Okay then."
"Sure. Send one to Canada and they might come back reformed," says Stark. His careless manner is belied by a sharp gaze. "If you have a better idea, let's hear it. Right now, I'm the only one that I /know/ can't be controlled by her powers."
Clint glances towards Natasha with a roll of his shoulder, a silent twitch of his brows upwards. Good practice killing gods, y/y?
Natasha's eyes move to Steve, and she finishes dryly, "Mostly because they seem immortal." And not because Steve hates killing the bad people, guys. She turns away, taking a long swallow just in time to catch Clint's glance. She returns it with a steady, subtle sort of annoyance.
Vision glances around the room, chin still propped on his hands. He focuses briefly on Stark. "Suppose reform were possible. If we could direct her self-interest. Would this be worth attempting."
Stark looks uneasy at Vision's suggestion, but for whatever reason says nothing /against/ it.
Thor continues to frown at Stark, but glances around the room, too. Thor begins to speak, but waits until Vision concludes. "I offered her a place upon this team when I first encountered her. She would make for a powerful ally. I would be willing to attempt a second offer, but not personally. Were this not to work, I insist upon transporting her back to Asgard."
"Reform is tricky, and dangerous. I wouldn't risk my life on the chance," Clint answers finally, aloud, to Vision.
"She'd be hard to trust," Steve says quietly, though not sounding entirely against the proposition. "I think Asgard is probably better-equipped to handle her, though."
"No," Natasha says, sudden and firm to Thor's 'second offer'. "She trades in ripping away free will and replacing it with her own. With burrowing into our minds and turning us into puppets."
"Valkyrie says they can get killed," Bruce assures Natasha in what may not be a productive contribution. He pins the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. "Thor, no offense, but I'm not seeing that Asgard has this great ... track record containing people. She gets out again, she'll be more mad. If we can deal with her, maybe less so. If we give her the chance to walk away. Maybe if we /disarm/ her first so we're not ... unleashing terrorists on Canada."
Vision inclines his head toward Bruce. "I don't think we can trust her as a teammate, but containing Asgardians seems to be - very difficult. Even for Asgardians."
Thor nods to Natasha. He focuses on Bruce. "Have a care how you speak. Asgard has safeguarded these realms for nigh two thousand years. One mistake should not earn your distrust," Thor says. "Although, I will consider your suggestion. Removing her weapon will not render her useless, though. She need only ally herself with Loki, who will see it returned."
"So -- what?" Steve looks about the group. "We offer to leave her alone if she leaves Earth?"
"Oh, shut up," Stark says when Thor makes with the Shakespeare. He rolls his eyes /again/. That is not an attractive look, Tony. Rising to Bruce's defense, he cuts in: "I'm tired of hearing about how great Asgard is. Asgard can't keep its criminals -- all two its criminals, apparently, so nice percentages there -- from coming here, or its wars from spilling over. Why don't you work on cutting back on the time you spend patting your own back before you injure something?"
"I mean, we have to contain a lot more than two criminals on Earth, we're kind of used to it," Bruce points out, as though to soften Tony's point while agreeing with him. He rubs at his eyes, thumb and middle finger sliding in a slow drag over his lids as he exhales a soft breath through his nose. "You smash the bracelet with Mjolnir. Or I can have the ... other guy jump up and down on it."
"So the goal is to get the bracelet," Natasha says, in case anyone missed that point.
Thor frowns at Stark. "And everyone is tired of hearing about the great Tony Stark. How noble, how charismatic, and how ungrateful. Were it not for Asgard, you would not exist," Thor replies angrily. "Your entire realm would be a frozen wasteland. Do not forget this, and do not insult my home again," Thor growls. He focuses on Bruce. "Were a prison designed for her, I would entertain keeping her here on Earth."
"All right," Steve says. "So our focus is on retrieving the bracelet to at least dampen her powers and then removing her from -- the situation where she may do harm on Earth."
"Actually, we've mostly been talking about how stupid I am when it comes to hot women. If you want to talk about how noble and charismatic I am, I can set aside a couple of hours," Stark allows. He points his glass in Thor's direction. "You can shove your past victories, because Asgard released a war criminal on Earth that brought us -- in your words, I believe -- to an entire new level of warfare. You make cultural masturbation an /artform/. I'm /impressed/." Progress, what? Amora, who?
"And now we've moved on to masturbation," Bruce murmurs.
"I am learning very much," Vision sotto-voices.
"Haven't you guys punched it out enough yet?" Clint questions, gaze sliding from Thor to Tony before settling on Steve. "We could use Astrovik, or Vision. See if their little tricks would work on it."
"Guys, this isn't helpful," Steve says, frowning between Thor and Tony.
"Your show then, Rogers," Natasha says, sliding from kitchen to living area and toward the door. "You've got the battle plans. Let me know if you need my skills."
"Immuno-Stark, plus the resident android?" Bruce says, raising his eyebrows as he glances between those present so you can tell who he means when he adds, "Plus the subtle people?" I.e., not him, because his job is to become large and green and step on things.
"Astrovik may be able to dislodge the bracelet most subtly," Vision tries to on-topic. "If we wished to destroy it, I could see what happens if two items occupy the same place at the same time. At worst, I can replace a hand."
"I really don't think smashing the thing is going to be a problem," Bruce assures Vision.
"You and I are going to have a long conversation, little man," Thor agrees, tone furious. "Another time." He focuses on Steve, and then Natasha. "I will make myself available should you have more questions or require aid, Rogers." Thor turns to leave, steps thundering as his armor shakes and clatters.
Stark finishes off his third glass and turns away from Thor in a gesture of complete disregard. He goes to return the glass to the bar for some robot to wash, or something. "I could always fuck it off her," he says with unusual crudeness that speaks of anger he does a better job of hiding than Thor does with his fury.
"Thor," Steve says, on the cusp of a censure before the Asgardian is gone. Then, "/Stark/." He is full of exasperation tonight.
"I don't think even your penis is that good, Stark, if that's the source of all her power," Clint replies, unbothered by the crudeness as he sips at the other man's alcohol.
"Perhaps as a last resort," Vision milds. "At least a third resort."
"Steve," Bruce says gently, in a tone that says: is this helping, Steve.
"Pity," Natasha says with a glance a Clint. "Be a lot easier that way."
"She'd probably scratch my eyes out," Stark agrees in an absent tone. He leaves the glass behind and stretches in the manner of a nonchalant feline. "But at least they'd be my eyes. I don't know about the rest of you."
"If we're going to be potentially /fighting/ the Asgardian," Bruce says quietly with a faint frown down at his own knuckles, fingertips dragging across the back of his own hand, "I'd kind of prefer if you were armored up."
"You are the only one assured to be immune," Vision agrees. "But with our combined skills, thievery does not need to require touch and chance of suggestion. It will still be a risk, of course."
Steve quiets at Bruce's gentle interruption, but it is the hard-jawed quiet of frustration. He glances at the bar like maybe he wishes it were more applicable to him, then finally just chooses a chair to sit down in.
Natasha slips out the door because I have to go to bed.
Stark gives Vision a long look. His eyes narrow as he thinks past his irritation. After a moment, he nods. "All right. But I'd prefer it we wait to act until I have a prototype detection device. Then we'll know if she tries pulling anything. I don't know if we'll have the luxury of that time, I admit. She's been coming after us pretty hard thanks to Thor." PS: THOR'S FAULT.
Vision inclines his head deep. "We can wait as long as we can. If any of us as individuals are attacked, as long as she does not know our intentions, we can hope her suggestions remain mild. That we are still able to report incidents and handle them promptly."
"Yes, everyone reports any contact," Steve agrees quietly from his seat.
"Sure," Bruce says. "Although I'll probably be head down in the basement here most of the time, so."
"Good meeting," says Stark in what is almost certainly sarcasm, and then he walks out. Sorry, Steve.
Steve watches Stark go, jaw twitching, and then looks back to the two others. Halp.
"Good meeting," Vision says without sarcasm. Perhaps he hasn't learned it yet (although he's likely filing cadence away for later). "I am certain that if it escalates to the point we can't wait for the detector, we will know. Is this a fair plan, Steve?" he redirects.
"Yeah," Steve says, a little distractible. He lifts a hand to smooth his fingers restlessly through his hair. "Yeah, it's a fair plan."
"Good," Vision says with a final headbow. "We will see it through. Thank you for calling the meeting." He begins to withdraw. "It was important to have. If combative. Good day." He turns to go.
"Good day, Vision," Steve says quietly. And then he sits in the living room by himself and mopes. Like an American hero.
Sure they aren't.
=NYC= Great Room - Ground Floor - Avengers Mansion
The Great Room at Avengers Mansion earns its place namely by its size: the facilities are updated and rather expansive, and consolidate several different purposes in one area. It's one of the few rooms on the ground floor that has been completely stripped of ornate walling and flooring. The walls are a comfortable sage green and the floor has been covered with plush carpet and expensive tile, as appropriate. The sizable kitchen takes up the far end, stock full of buffed metal and shiny appliances, while an entertainment room fills the near end. An oversized island that also serves as a breakfast bar separates the two spaces.
The living space is set off by a pair of arm chairs and a small table set against the back of a large sectional couch. Several arm chairs flank the couch and coffee table to complete the 'U' that faces a television that is almost /too/ big, and just about every entertainment and video game console known to man.
Steve has opted for the Great Room rather than the more officially intimidating Command Center, so the whole thing kind of has an air of a family meeting rather than a team strategic session. But Steve is there, in Captain America spirit if not in uniform, standing at a sort of parade rest with his hands clasped loosely at the small of his back. He watches people enter, offering small flickers of smiles on occasion. Good job for showing up, guys. Gold star.
Natasha is there early, though she doesn't seem particularly inclined to make any 'hi how are you' type small talk. She avoids the couch and comfortable chairs in favor of perching atop one of the stools at the breakfast bar, a seat which gives her an excellent view from the back of the room.
Family meeting means bar; bar means Stark drinks. Good choice, Steve. He finishes off glass one to pour himself glass two. Scotch pours neatly over ice that hasn't even had time to melt in the low glass tumbler, and wow, I really wanted to spell that tumblr.
Vision arrives brisk and after giving Steve a small smile and nod, takes a comfortable chair without comment. Elbows rested symmetrically on chair arms.
If his partner seems more business, Hawkeye appears rather casual. In worn jeans and a plain shirt, he is out of uniform as well, and wearing his glasses indoors, at night. A word is murmured to Natasha as he gathers his own glass of scotch, since Tony Stark has it all nicely set out. He takes it over to one of the comfortable couches, his arms hooking on the back as the tilt of his head settles on Steve.
Bruce is hanging out at the bar, too, but only because he is showing Stark the chemical analysis he took of the mead he stole on his Stark tablet. There are probably graphs. This is probably how he took a break from studying Asgardian tech: studying Asgardian hooch.
Vision did not arrive alone. Hitching a ride because her feet hurt (probably from the heel dangling awkwardly from one of Vision's pockets), Janet remains perched on his shoulder (at a diminutive size, because ow) even after he settles. She hooks an elbow into the ledge of his ear canal and leans.
"Thank you all for coming," Steve says, his voice firm and even and all reasonable Commanding Officer. "The fact of the matter is that we have a problem. Part of that problem is Amora, but she's not the only problem. The problem is that apparently we forgot everything we learned during the Chitauri invasion in regards to working /together/. We're not just a number of individuals living in the same area; we're supposed to be a team." Dab your eyes, children.
"--all I'm saying is thank God for your virtue, because if it was up to my thirst, we wouldn't have had enough to analyze," Stark says to Bruce as he looks over his glass at the twist of molecules on the screen. He turns his attention to Steve with a roll of his eyes for punctuation and then leans up against the bar. He says nothing. He drinks.
Natasha answers Clint with an upward flick of her brows and a sardonic look before she settles back, hooking her elbows against the island behind her. When Steve starts in on his speech, she very kindly does not say 'I told you so.' She in fact remains silent.
Thor enters late. He storms down the hallway, footsteps thundering, before he reaches the great room. Once inside he smiles at his friends, perhaps by way of apology, and stops moving. Except that his arms cross. He wears his armor, and Mjolnir is attached to his hip.
Vision's expression is all staid imperturbability for having a wasp in his ear. But he is good at staying awful still. When he raises his hand to massage his chin post-Steve-speech, it's carefully gradual, using the arm opposite the one Janet's shoulder-perched on.
"Not all of us were in that little tutoring session," Janet notes offhandedly, though Vision is the only one capable of hearing that particular comment.
Bruce is nice enough to actually lower his tablet and look up and over at Steve while he's talking. His expression is not as blatant as Tony's, but there is something dry, maybe ironic, about the faint crimp of his mouth. He looks sidelong along the room as though to read the reactions of the others. "Virtue. Funny way of putting it," he mutters aside to Tony, and then clears his throat to wonder aloud, "What'd we learn?"
Steve's gaze flicks to Thor but briefly before returning to the group at large. "We know that Amora is a problem," he says. "She's targeted members of this team to manipulate. Thor's first response when he found out she was here was to claim total and singular responsibility for dealing with her. That was our first mistake." Aww, look at that, he is taking group responsibility for mistakes. "Tony's response to this was to make a bargain with her in order to study her abilities without any communication with the rest of the team. This was our /second/ mistake." His jaw hardens somewhat. "Thor's response to this was to /attack/ and nearly kill Tony. /That/--" He draws in a slow breath. "That is not how we deal with things. That is not how we're /going/ to deal with things. Attacking each other out of anger is /never/ an option, /particularly/ with that kind of strength against regular human constitution."
Vision provides low-voiced for Janet, although she can hear just fine. "I believe the intended lesson was to make plans as a team and not murder each other."
Humor is smothered in the corners of Clint's mouth as he lifts the liquor to his lips, his gaze--well, his gaze is obscured by sunglasses, where ever it may flick to. "That shouldn't be how we deal with /each other/," he says. "Other things, totally acceptable?"
Smothering the twitch of a frown that threatens his brow, Stark blands his features as Steve speaks. He hides tension in the lift of his glass to take another sip. He presses his glass to his jaw and tips his head at Clint. "I don't recommend it if the barista gets your order wrong."
The irony fades from Bruce's expression as Steve goes on. By the time he is finished, Bruce has blanched pale and his knuckles have whitened in his grasp of the tablet, which he carefully sets down on the surface of the bar. He looks from Steve, to Thor, to Stark, where his gaze steadies beneath the slight lift of his eyebrows. His breath puffs, quietly, past the flare of his nostrils. Despite his hard-won sense of humor about his own ... situation, he sure seems to be lacking in the funny just this second.
Janet glances down at her host, lips quirking in humor while her wings flutter briefly with a high pitched sound, then resettle and go nearly transparent. "Like this group could settle on a plan more than one time out of ten?"
Natasha's eyes flick toward Clint, and the corners of her lips turn slightly upward with the tip of her head before her expression smooths unreadable again at Stark's response. She remains silent, gaze flicking from Tony to Thor before settling on Steve once more.
"My intent was not to murder Stark," Thor thunders, tone serious, "nor do him great harm. I intended to destroy his research regarding Asgardian weaponry. Regardless, I have come to see this as a great personal error. More reckless than Stark sleeping with Amora," Thor explains with a heavy sigh. "I must apologize, my friends. I was thoughtless. And ask for your forgiveness."
"Yes, we're just talking about dealing with each other. As a team," Steve says, a bit dry to Clint's joking. He doesn't respond to Janet, although his gaze does flicker over in her direction briefly. "The point wasn't your intent," he tells Thor. "You have the capacity to kill people with barely a thought." But he seems content enough with the Asgardian's regret. "Tony," he says, addressing him specifically and sounding a bit resigned to be giving him any sort of positive attention in the midst of the lecture. "Do you want to share what you discovered about Amora's abilities?"
While Bruce takes deep breaths, Stark asides, "There are some interesting differences in Mjolnir's signature while it is active and while it is in a resting state. Remind me to show you next time we are down there." An expression of lightly disbelieving skepticism settles over his features when Thor speaks, and his expression draws to a reserved sort of irony. "Give a guy a hammer...." His low murmur edges around the glass and then he pushes forward to stride across the room when Steve addresses him. "Jarvis, over here." He clears some discarded bit of Avenger trash from one of the room's holographic projectors. "Pull up the experimental footage from Amora's tower visit." Not the sexy footage.
"It's my research, too," Bruce remarks with a peculiar thinness in his voice, "although I-- haven't slept with anybody, for the record." He manages an exasperated smile over tension that appears to be ratcheting, as he blinks a particularly wtf look at his scibro -- but this intelligence about Tony's sexual discretion still doesn't stop him from completing the thought to this extent: "So if you want to attack somebody over it..." He leaves that 'pick on someone your own size' to trail off invitingly. Steve, you need a spray bottle or something.
"No one is attacking anyone over this," Steve reminds the group. Lecturingly.
Natasha's unfazeable expression shifts suddenly fazed at Thor's speech - the part of it where he says 'Stark sleeping with Amora.' Her jaw doesn't quite drop, but her gaze does go very hard very quickly, and her eyes flash to Stark. For a moment, anyone who might happen to glance her way can nearly /see/ the tension vibrating from her form. Several seconds tick by before she says very quietly, "You knew about this too, Banner?"
"/No/," Bruce could not be more vehement about without losing a few shirt buttons. He scrubs his hand over his face.
"I think we are capable of plans," Vision says, speaking again to Janet while his eyes fix on the projector. "In this case, we have two opposed methods. Expunging a threat outright versus using it to acquire more data on a larger threat. And Amora is very personable," he appends, of course.
"Rogers, that is enough," Thor rumbles. "You are my ally, you are a friend, and I have heard you," Thor replies. To Banner he answers, "You are correct. I misspoke. There needn't be further battling over Amora, though, Banner."
Back to the gathering, Stark ignores them as he mutters to Jarvis: this footage, that angle, a certain overly, and false color to draw up details that normal vision wouldn't show. Put that graph up right here, would you? Good. Perfect. One he has the display he wants, he steps to the side. His gaze passes over the collected Avengers before stopping at Steve. "The most important thing to keep in mind regarding Amora's magic is that she enacts her ... mind-control with the aid of an artifact commonly worn as a bracelet, although it has looked different the two times I saw it." She's clothed in the footage. Does that help?
Clint pushes his glasses from his eyes, his study of the footage sharp and interested. He doesn't even spare a moment to appreciate the woman's looks, instead dead serious. Mind-controlling Asgardians are bad news bears.
"Apparently," Janet replies dryly, pushing away from Vision's ear. Her wings beat the air, lifting her off his shoulder and carrying her across the room, dodging people along the way. Don't mind her. She drops to the bar top near Bruce, pausing to glance up at him before and picking her way carefully around the littered bottles and glasses while growing in size to about that of an oversized barbie. Where's the vodka?
Steve's gaze lingers on Thor, then his lips twitch and he nods his assent. He looks back to Stark's display, going quiet as he gives the engineer room to make his full report.
"The opposing methods aren't the problem here," Natasha says, her voice still quiet. She pauses, then tips one hand slightly. "Or, not the only problem. Not the /biggest/ problem."
Vision watches the display, with a half-sotto, "Ah, the bracelet. I remember the bracelet now." A little louder, if a bit aside, he asks Natasha, "What is the biggest?"
Bruce tips his head in a slight acknowledgment toward Thor and then glances down in a moment's brief distraction as Janet treks amidst the liquor. Uh. He says, a bit vague in his distraction, "There's a lot we don't understand about it, obviously, like why it works. But its energy signature is not fundamentally dissimilar to other Asgardian tech we've had the opportunity to -- study."
Natasha fixes her gaze on Tony for a moment, despite the fact that she is answering Vision. "When Stark asked me to look over his security measures for the mansion, I missed the biggest gaping security risk we have." Her voice cuts off into silence behind Bruce, and she leans forward on her stool,
folding her arms. Oops pressed enter.
Thor watches the footage for a moment. He adds, "What else have you recorded her doing, Stark?" Thor asks. His arms cross over his chest while he listens to the other Avengers. He answers, Bruce, "Her talents are uncommon among my people. We do not subvert through trickery," he explains. Unless you are Loki. He adds, "However, Stark is correct regarding her artifact. It is a rare, powerful weapon that she has likely forged herself. As her skills are esoteric, so must be the weapon she uses."
At Bruce's point, Stark draws out a couple of charts to highlight a particular overlap in wavelengths similar to -- from the videos next to the graphs -- Mjolnir, Valkyrie's sword, and Sif's sword. "That makes identifying it a strong possibility. I'm prototyping a couple of things to detect Asgardian tech. Even if it looks like something else the next time, I'd know it's there." He does not answer Thor's question nor does he address Natasha. One thing at a time, right? He is obviously dealing with fully answering Steve, first.
"It seems that two out of three Asgardians prefer mind control, so I am going to have to take you with a grain of salt," Clint says to Thor, his brows curving upwards at the god. But, hey, at least his eyes aren't blue right now.
Vision glances at Natasha, then follows the direction of her glance. "Ah." He leans forward, his elbows shifting from chair-arms to his knees. He rests the bottom of his chin against the clasp of his hands, studying the charts and graphs and the man presenting them. "But the data is good," is low again.
"You said before you might be able to develop something to protect us from it," Steve pipes up again to remind Tony. He glances to Natasha and says, "It's not going to be a problem again," before giving Stark a very pointed look. IS IT, TONY.
Stark ignores the pointed look to roll a shoulder at Steve. "One thing at a time. I'm working on the protection angle, but right now I'm not sure it doesn't involve major surgery."
Shifting his weight back onto his heels, Bruce folds his arms loosely across his chest. "Assuming that Thor and Valkyrie aren't just the only dentists in the world that hate Trident," he says, "it's still seems prevalent enough to make precaution smart." He glances at Steve. "The first step towards protection is detection," he agrees. "I mean, theoretically, I think it should be possible. It's empirically clear that the ... mind control ... tech isn't infallible." A beat. He mutters, "Can't believe I just said 'mind control tech' out loud."
Silly Cap. Of course it is. Janet slants a look around the room upon finding the bottle of vodka and debates the wisdom of trying to actually mange making a drink in her current size. The cons of giving herself a hernia outweigh the advantage of being tiny and she hops off behind the bar and grows in an obviously practiced motion, then turns and reaches for the bottle. That motion is checked momentarily as she shoots Bruce a baffled "Trident?" to go with his own muttering.
Do you see Natasha's face? This is what appears in the dictionary under 'doubtful' and 'unconvinced.' She lapses into silence again, though she doesn't turn her attention to Stark and his flashy science. She watches the faces around her, instead, shifting from person to person as her fingers tap against her arm. The only one she does not look at is Clint, though her lips thin at his comment. She clears her throat quietly to inform Bruce, "Get used to it. It's not going anywhere." Her gaze does flick briefly to Clint now, then away again before she adds lowly, "It doesn't have to be infallible. It just has to work once, on the right person."
"Do not question my honor," Thor replies casually to Clint. He glances upward as Steve replies to Natasha, but does not make a comment. "The truth regarding Amora's abilities, and my brother's, is this - it leads to villainy. For /centuries/ Asgard has been without criminals. Why there are two now, and why they have made Midgard their home, is an ill twist of fate. And one that I still intend to straighten." He focuses on Stark's display again.
"Right?" Stark says to Bruce with deep sympathy for his mutter. He flicks away the other videos to clear the screen and leave only Amora, dangerous in green. "She's going to keep coming after us. We're a target now, although more by association than in our own right. She seems profoundly self-interested." He would know, right? His gaze flicks toward Thor; irony curves his lip and skepticism his brow.
"One that /we/ will deal with," Steve corrects Thor firmly. "We need to agree upon a consistent strategy for dealing with her. One that does not involve -- /fraternization/." He attempts another pointed look at Stark. Who knows why he keeps trying that.
"Has Amora used her abilities for more than," Vision appears to be searching for the word, and settles on a tame, "information gathering?"
"You know-- the-- four out of five dentists -- never mind." Bruce waves his hand. "The point is, it can be beaten, has been beaten. So there's a way to beat it again. It's just a question of finding the practical way to make that happen without--" He gestures at Stark. "What he said." Then he folds his arms in another loose cross over his stomach.
Thor frowns at Stark, and then glances at Steve with a short nod. "Indeed," he answers. Vision gets his attention next. "She has," he answers easily before uncrossing his arms.
"She has. She's trouble," says Stark, without hesitation as he labels her. "She primarily seems to want information on Thor, though, as he's made a point of going after her. I'm pretty sure we should worry a little more about getting dragged into wars and alien feuds due to Thor's enthusiasm and spend a little less time worrying about what's in my bed, Cap," he adds to Steve.
"I'm pretty sure we probably shouldn't get dragged into bed in alien feuds," Bruce says, although he is much more wry and exasperated in his reproof than disapproving because let's face it, he just can't measure up to Steve Rogers. He rubs his eyebrow with the pad of his thumb. "What does she want with Thor?" He glances over at the Asgardian with a faint crease to his brow. "I used to think I was okay at avoiding being stalked but, you know, apparently not. Still."
"Who has time to keep up with that?" Janet muses aloud while mixing up something in glass. Apparently she's forgotten she's no longer too small to be heard.
"All she wanted was information on Thor, in my encounter. Information on him. Messages to him. Well," the Vision owns slowly. "Not entirely that. But the rest seemed peripheral. Entertainment. Or, more pertinently, attempting to build loyalty through - personability."
"When you're consorting with known enemies -- under the same roof as the rest of this team, no less -- it's a security risk that involves all of us," Steve tells Tony with a little more vehemence.
Clint will laugh at your joke, Janet, aloud and without bothering to muffle it as he glances towards the tiny woman. "I think we have a whole division devoted towards it at SHIELD," he offers blandly. What, was this meeting supposed to be serious?
"Let Stark vent his anger," Thor chides Steve grumpily. "And do not blame Stark for sleeping with Amora. She is an attractive woman. And he is not accustomed to restraint. 'tis I who is at fault, here," Thor explains. "When I claimed control over the investigation of Amora, I restricted all information about her. Had I told Stark what I know, which indeed even now I have not fully revealed, perhaps he would have shown restraint. As it is, he did only what he is oft inclined to do."
Stark turns to face Steve and ticks off points on his fingers. "Wrong on two points, Cap. I keep my consorting on my own territory, and at the time, Amora was still pretty much an unknown. All Thor had told us is that she was the Enchantress." He pushes forward on his toes and says, "What about the /security risks/ of turning everyone you associate with into targets because you get cranky about where one of your people vacations?"
Thank you Clint, though his laugh startles Janet into awareness. Oops. She shoot shim a sheepish grin and puts the finishing touches on her drink, now pink. Somehow.
--he goes back on his heels when Thor agrees with him, and looks kind of baffled in general, like the wind has all been taken out of his sails. Stark finishes his Scotch instead to cover confusion.
"He said a /little/ more than that she was the Enchantress," Steve says in an exasperated tone. "Whether or not Thor should have been more open about her, you're still throwing out any trust you have with a teammate by sleeping with her." He looks between Thor and Stark with rising aggravation. "This isn't a /competition/. This isn't about 'this person did worse than I did, so don't talk to me about my actions.' We /all/ have to do better." He squares his gaze on the Asgardian. "Tony's an adult responsible for his own behavior, whatever his -- habits are. Why don't you share what you know about Amora, then?"
"You know," Bruce says, "the intelligence was good. I mean, I guess I should say the /data/ was good." He points to Stark's graph with both eyebrows up. "I'm pretty sure I would not have voted against getting the data. But like Steve's saying, it's where both of you guys just kind of decided to do it your way without letting any of the rest of us know. I think the blame game is pretty tiresome, I mean, I bet I have sucked worse than anyone in this room at making decisions. So I can win that competition right now and we can move on."
"The data is good," Vision echoes, quieter. "And if Amora is a trouble we can handle, it may be worth appearing to work with her. I do not think most of us can do so safely, however."
Eyes narrowing, Stark says, "Not really, Rogers. She was an unknown. You're spending a lot of time worrying about who I was sleeping with when I think that matter has been pretty well covered. You want a video? It's a bit long, but I could have Jarvis send it over if you still have questions."
Easing himself off the couch and wandering back to refill his glass, Clint lingers by Janet to ask, "How much do you think a Mr. I-Am-Iron-Man sex tape would fetch on the open market?"
"Rogers, this is the final time I will tell you to stop blathering like my mother. Who, if you are not aware, is a Queen and feels she is entitled to thirty minute sermons," Thor growls. "We have upset you, I understand this. Stark and I will sort out our differences another day, or not at all, and merely agree silently that we are both fools with egos larger than the World Serpent who support more upon their shoulders than most people have ever fathomed!" Thor rambles loudly. His eyes narrow. "If it was not clear before, I thank you for mediating our disagreement. I apologize for stopping his electric heart. And no, I have no desire to dwell upon the conquests of Tony Stark any longer at an Avengers meeting!" Thor booms angrily.
"Market's flooded," Stark asides to Clint. Take a moment to consider the implications, everyone. "Value's quite low."
"That's not funny," Steve grumbles to Tony, but clearly Tony Stark sex tapes are not a topic he's going to pursue to lecture further. "This isn't about me being upset, it's about Tony recognizing the potential consequences of his--" And then he just draws in a breath and stops. "Fine," he says after a long moment. "Let'e just -- move forward."
"Can we get back to the less sexy parts, then?" Bruce's smile is a little sardonic as he lifts an open-handed gesture toward Thor. "You did just mention there's more data on Amora you might share?"
Janet covers her mouth with her hand and snorts at Clint's question, though she cannot help but adding a "Me too," to Thor's declaration about conquests.
Stark continues to favor Steve with a particularly irritated expression. When he turns away, it is without comment to get a third glass from the bar.
Natasha lifts a hand just slightly, expression serious. "I want one," she says, fixing a look complete with arched brow on Tony. "In fact, I'd like recordings of all your interactions with her."
"Guess no early retirement for me," Clint accepts easily, splashing liquor into his glass before he leans against the bar on his forearms next to Janet.
Bruce blinks at Natasha, momentarily derailed.
"I'll make popcorn, you can come over," Stark says to Natasha, maybe not taking her very seriously.
Thor nods his head, expression unsouring. His arms cross over his chest. "Amora is capable of illusions, much like my brother. I do not believe she is quite as skilled as he," Thor shrugs a little. "And she may also travel great distances. The greater the distance, the more taxing. From Asgard to Midgard would deplete her energies, most like. From New York to Boston, perhaps a brisk walk, as you would say," Thor explains. "Aside from her magic, she is a skilled manipulator, particularly of men. In Asgard, her magic would not have been permitted. Yet at court she took many married lovers as her own. This practice is not illegal, but it is a subtle game - and she was among the best of players."
"All right," Natasha agrees without argument. "Tomorrow afternoon?"
Stark looks at Natasha a little bit longer this time. He twitches an eyebrow at her in query. What, really?
Natasha's gaze in return is level, with nothing more than a brow twitch of her own in response. Really.
Stark looks speculative. Stop it, Tony.
MOVING ON. "Did she eventually do something illegal?" Steve asks Thor. "How did she end up here?"
Momentarily distracted by the impending /porn date/, Bruce drags his attention back to the topic at hand and narrows his eyes a little at Thor as he goes, "Uhm."
Speculative gets a leveled gaze from Barton on Tony, and he says with a touch of dryness, "She's not coming over to admire your work in the bedroom, Stark."
"She should," Stark says to Clint with a wide gesture of his hands. "I do good work. All right. Clear your calendar, though. I bet you'll make that one face of yours if I try fast-forwarding, so we might be there a while."
"I'd ask how we ended up back in Tony's bed but I don't think we ever left," Bruce says. He drags his hand through his hair, nails scraping along his scalp amidst its fluffy dark waves. "So basically what you're saying is that she's dangerous in part because she's got the magic, but she's accustomed to getting her way without it, except I'm still a little fuzzy on ... what her way is. Besides trouble. I mean, are we talking bringing the world to its knees here or what?"
Natasha tips her head, leaving agreement to silence so as not to interrupt Bruce's explanation.
Janet rolls her eyes and takes a seat on the edge of the bar while studiously attempting to avoid thinking about Tony's techniques. It involves a steady stream of alcohol.
Thor ignores the talk of sex tapes and porn and Amora naked and hot and sweaty and oh odiiiiiiin, give him strength. "There was a scandal," Thor explains. "Typically, court affairs remain private. However, Amora's final lover was married, and his wife did not appreciate her husband's advances. Before it was spilled into the light, Amora left the court. No one pursued her," Thor explains. To Bruce, he answers, "She is a parasite upon this realm, Banner. She uses her lovers for all they are worth before leaving. A wake of ruined lives lay in her wake," he gestures with his hand. "Imagine if Stark were not immune, and she subverted him. Humanity's most important science would be at risk."
"So you're willing to grant that I was right about that," Stark says, picking that /one thing/ out of /everything/ that Thor says to focus on.
"In the right about what?" Thor questions, booming.
Natasha's voice lifts just slightly, though she's still half-lost behind Thor's question. "Immune?"
Steve hesitates a long moment, something of reluctance in the knit of his brow, before finally saying, "Did she do anything -- I mean, what exactly was the extent of her manipulations? They sound pretty small in scope. What has she done that makes you think she's interested in putting humanity's most important science at risk given the opportunity?"
Stark points at Natasha, like he thinks she is answering Thor's question. Right about that.
"If her goals are truly that small, it should be possible to keep each other from becoming too entrenched if she continues to target us," Vision ventures. Right? Right?
"I believe Stark is immune to her magic," Thor replies with a nod. "His heart is somehow capable of diffusing it. I do not fully understand how that is possible, but my own attack upon him demonstrated his... resistance," Thor concludes. He focuses on Steve. "Because she did, Steve. She used her weapon on Stark."
Bruce looks over at Stark, opens his mouth, and then sets his teeth against the curve of his lower lip, smile faint. His eyebrows arch and then fall. He glances toward Jan, who is probably still drinking, and then toward the Vision, and then toward the ceiling. Rather than say anything about humanity's most important science, he says, "So there's definitely a way to beat it."
"Yes, I know that she's been asking questions about you and using her magic to manipulate people," Steve says, "but does she have a greater game in mind? Something beyond just -- living comfortably off other people? Because so far, her real goal has seemed to be self-preservation and a certain amount of low-level mischief, but from your reaction, I expected something -- I don't know, bigger. In her history."
The sudden smoothness of Natasha's features speaks of some reaction held tight under control to those who know her well. So pretty much Clint. She lapses into silence again, though now she stirs from her stool to slip into the kitchen and pry the fridge open.
Thor frowns at Steve. "I do not understand. She is victimizing men, ruining families, because she is greedy and manipulative. True, she is not a murderer," he gestures to Clint and Natasha, "but ask your comrades how they felt when their minds were made a play thing. Perhaps they can explain better than I."
Thor adds, to Bruce, "There should be. It exists in Asgard, at least."
"So you -- have the thing that Tony and I are busting our balls to make like, lying around in a closet somewhere?" Bruce asks, somewhat dismayed.
"She wasn't exactly angling after my science when she tried her magic on me," Stark disagrees. His tone /explicitly/ does not suggest she was after his pants. /Explicitly/. "She seems very fixated on you, Thor. She tried spinning this story that you were just bitter she wouldn't date you. Don't worry: I had more faith in you. Didn't believe it." His smile bites. He sips and moves on. "From what I've seen, she's deeply self-interested. I've mostly seen her act seeking out information about Thor. We're interesting due to our ties to him." He tries not to look too annoyed about that, given that he is perfectly fascinating as is.
Clint's brows raise as Thor gestures to him, and he makes one sharp shake of his head in warning. Don't.
"I'm not saying she doesn't sound like someone who should be stopped from this behavior," Steve assures Thor. "I'd just -- Well, from how you spoke of her, I thought she posed a more destructive threat." He glances, frowning and thoughtful, at Tony. "Are you sure there's anything else you aren't telling us?" he asks Thor. "You said she made the bracelet herself? And you guys -- made some sort of counter-measure in Asgard?"
Natasha digs a beer free of the fridge, and the glance of her gaze toward Clint is casual before it moves on. She pries the cap off with a quiet hiss of carbonation.
Thor raises Mjolnir and shows it to Bruce, "You cannot replicate Mjolnir," he explains, "but hammer is my protection. You could not fabricate Loki's magic, but he is also immune to the Enchantresses' charms. As I said, her talents are rare. But no power is absolute." Thor turns to Tony. "That may be. If she merely wishes to stay, I was all that was stopping her from continuing on as she was," Thor explains. "But I do not know her motives. We never spoke in court. I knew her only by reputation until I chanced upon her."
Something faintly skeptical lingering in Bruce's eyebrows, he tilts his head in vague acknowledgment anyway, and rubs his hand over his mouth as he settles into an elbow-lean against the bar. "Okay," he says. "So what's your goal? Sounds like she'd be a ... parasite back home, too."
Thor adds, "I cannot simply walk up the stairs to my father's hall and nab some magic rings to stop the Enchantress," with a sigh. "If I knew a portal to the realm of--" Thor shakes his head. "No. We are alone. /We/ must find a way. There is no other course of action that I know."
"I want her gone," Stark says. "I'm tired of Asgardians lording it over the little people." The cool fall of his glance does not exclude Thor, but his manner has softened /somewhat/ in his regard. "Thor wants her arrested. I don't much care about that as long as she isn't causing trouble /here/. On Earth. My suggestion would be giving her the chance to walk away."
"To where?" Natasha asks from the kitchen. She raises the bottle to her lips as she fixes on Stark.
Stark throws a hand up in a wide gesture. Space. "She can figure that out."
"It seems best for Earth that she not be here," Steve agrees wryly.
"Unless you want to keep her here just so we can keep an eye on her," Bruce says, with a peculiar emphasis on 'we' as he slants a look across at Natasha.
"And release her upon another realm where she will destroy more lives?" Thor asks with a frown. "Would you release a terrorist to Canada?" Thor adds, angrily.
Natasha meets Bruce's gaze. "I'd rather kill her," she says bluntly. "But I don't think it's an option."
"It's not," Steve says firmly.
Bruce makes a hand-weighing gesture, as though he is making some internal balancing -- one hand, other hand. His eyebrows twitch together. He says, "Okay then."
"Sure. Send one to Canada and they might come back reformed," says Stark. His careless manner is belied by a sharp gaze. "If you have a better idea, let's hear it. Right now, I'm the only one that I /know/ can't be controlled by her powers."
Clint glances towards Natasha with a roll of his shoulder, a silent twitch of his brows upwards. Good practice killing gods, y/y?
Natasha's eyes move to Steve, and she finishes dryly, "Mostly because they seem immortal." And not because Steve hates killing the bad people, guys. She turns away, taking a long swallow just in time to catch Clint's glance. She returns it with a steady, subtle sort of annoyance.
Vision glances around the room, chin still propped on his hands. He focuses briefly on Stark. "Suppose reform were possible. If we could direct her self-interest. Would this be worth attempting."
Stark looks uneasy at Vision's suggestion, but for whatever reason says nothing /against/ it.
Thor continues to frown at Stark, but glances around the room, too. Thor begins to speak, but waits until Vision concludes. "I offered her a place upon this team when I first encountered her. She would make for a powerful ally. I would be willing to attempt a second offer, but not personally. Were this not to work, I insist upon transporting her back to Asgard."
"Reform is tricky, and dangerous. I wouldn't risk my life on the chance," Clint answers finally, aloud, to Vision.
"She'd be hard to trust," Steve says quietly, though not sounding entirely against the proposition. "I think Asgard is probably better-equipped to handle her, though."
"No," Natasha says, sudden and firm to Thor's 'second offer'. "She trades in ripping away free will and replacing it with her own. With burrowing into our minds and turning us into puppets."
"Valkyrie says they can get killed," Bruce assures Natasha in what may not be a productive contribution. He pins the bridge of his nose between thumb and forefinger. "Thor, no offense, but I'm not seeing that Asgard has this great ... track record containing people. She gets out again, she'll be more mad. If we can deal with her, maybe less so. If we give her the chance to walk away. Maybe if we /disarm/ her first so we're not ... unleashing terrorists on Canada."
Vision inclines his head toward Bruce. "I don't think we can trust her as a teammate, but containing Asgardians seems to be - very difficult. Even for Asgardians."
Thor nods to Natasha. He focuses on Bruce. "Have a care how you speak. Asgard has safeguarded these realms for nigh two thousand years. One mistake should not earn your distrust," Thor says. "Although, I will consider your suggestion. Removing her weapon will not render her useless, though. She need only ally herself with Loki, who will see it returned."
"So -- what?" Steve looks about the group. "We offer to leave her alone if she leaves Earth?"
"Oh, shut up," Stark says when Thor makes with the Shakespeare. He rolls his eyes /again/. That is not an attractive look, Tony. Rising to Bruce's defense, he cuts in: "I'm tired of hearing about how great Asgard is. Asgard can't keep its criminals -- all two its criminals, apparently, so nice percentages there -- from coming here, or its wars from spilling over. Why don't you work on cutting back on the time you spend patting your own back before you injure something?"
"I mean, we have to contain a lot more than two criminals on Earth, we're kind of used to it," Bruce points out, as though to soften Tony's point while agreeing with him. He rubs at his eyes, thumb and middle finger sliding in a slow drag over his lids as he exhales a soft breath through his nose. "You smash the bracelet with Mjolnir. Or I can have the ... other guy jump up and down on it."
"So the goal is to get the bracelet," Natasha says, in case anyone missed that point.
Thor frowns at Stark. "And everyone is tired of hearing about the great Tony Stark. How noble, how charismatic, and how ungrateful. Were it not for Asgard, you would not exist," Thor replies angrily. "Your entire realm would be a frozen wasteland. Do not forget this, and do not insult my home again," Thor growls. He focuses on Bruce. "Were a prison designed for her, I would entertain keeping her here on Earth."
"All right," Steve says. "So our focus is on retrieving the bracelet to at least dampen her powers and then removing her from -- the situation where she may do harm on Earth."
"Actually, we've mostly been talking about how stupid I am when it comes to hot women. If you want to talk about how noble and charismatic I am, I can set aside a couple of hours," Stark allows. He points his glass in Thor's direction. "You can shove your past victories, because Asgard released a war criminal on Earth that brought us -- in your words, I believe -- to an entire new level of warfare. You make cultural masturbation an /artform/. I'm /impressed/." Progress, what? Amora, who?
"And now we've moved on to masturbation," Bruce murmurs.
"I am learning very much," Vision sotto-voices.
"Haven't you guys punched it out enough yet?" Clint questions, gaze sliding from Thor to Tony before settling on Steve. "We could use Astrovik, or Vision. See if their little tricks would work on it."
"Guys, this isn't helpful," Steve says, frowning between Thor and Tony.
"Your show then, Rogers," Natasha says, sliding from kitchen to living area and toward the door. "You've got the battle plans. Let me know if you need my skills."
"Immuno-Stark, plus the resident android?" Bruce says, raising his eyebrows as he glances between those present so you can tell who he means when he adds, "Plus the subtle people?" I.e., not him, because his job is to become large and green and step on things.
"Astrovik may be able to dislodge the bracelet most subtly," Vision tries to on-topic. "If we wished to destroy it, I could see what happens if two items occupy the same place at the same time. At worst, I can replace a hand."
"I really don't think smashing the thing is going to be a problem," Bruce assures Vision.
"You and I are going to have a long conversation, little man," Thor agrees, tone furious. "Another time." He focuses on Steve, and then Natasha. "I will make myself available should you have more questions or require aid, Rogers." Thor turns to leave, steps thundering as his armor shakes and clatters.
Stark finishes off his third glass and turns away from Thor in a gesture of complete disregard. He goes to return the glass to the bar for some robot to wash, or something. "I could always fuck it off her," he says with unusual crudeness that speaks of anger he does a better job of hiding than Thor does with his fury.
"Thor," Steve says, on the cusp of a censure before the Asgardian is gone. Then, "/Stark/." He is full of exasperation tonight.
"I don't think even your penis is that good, Stark, if that's the source of all her power," Clint replies, unbothered by the crudeness as he sips at the other man's alcohol.
"Perhaps as a last resort," Vision milds. "At least a third resort."
"Steve," Bruce says gently, in a tone that says: is this helping, Steve.
"Pity," Natasha says with a glance a Clint. "Be a lot easier that way."
"She'd probably scratch my eyes out," Stark agrees in an absent tone. He leaves the glass behind and stretches in the manner of a nonchalant feline. "But at least they'd be my eyes. I don't know about the rest of you."
"If we're going to be potentially /fighting/ the Asgardian," Bruce says quietly with a faint frown down at his own knuckles, fingertips dragging across the back of his own hand, "I'd kind of prefer if you were armored up."
"You are the only one assured to be immune," Vision agrees. "But with our combined skills, thievery does not need to require touch and chance of suggestion. It will still be a risk, of course."
Steve quiets at Bruce's gentle interruption, but it is the hard-jawed quiet of frustration. He glances at the bar like maybe he wishes it were more applicable to him, then finally just chooses a chair to sit down in.
Natasha slips out the door because I have to go to bed.
Stark gives Vision a long look. His eyes narrow as he thinks past his irritation. After a moment, he nods. "All right. But I'd prefer it we wait to act until I have a prototype detection device. Then we'll know if she tries pulling anything. I don't know if we'll have the luxury of that time, I admit. She's been coming after us pretty hard thanks to Thor." PS: THOR'S FAULT.
Vision inclines his head deep. "We can wait as long as we can. If any of us as individuals are attacked, as long as she does not know our intentions, we can hope her suggestions remain mild. That we are still able to report incidents and handle them promptly."
"Yes, everyone reports any contact," Steve agrees quietly from his seat.
"Sure," Bruce says. "Although I'll probably be head down in the basement here most of the time, so."
"Good meeting," says Stark in what is almost certainly sarcasm, and then he walks out. Sorry, Steve.
Steve watches Stark go, jaw twitching, and then looks back to the two others. Halp.
"Good meeting," Vision says without sarcasm. Perhaps he hasn't learned it yet (although he's likely filing cadence away for later). "I am certain that if it escalates to the point we can't wait for the detector, we will know. Is this a fair plan, Steve?" he redirects.
"Yeah," Steve says, a little distractible. He lifts a hand to smooth his fingers restlessly through his hair. "Yeah, it's a fair plan."
"Good," Vision says with a final headbow. "We will see it through. Thank you for calling the meeting." He begins to withdraw. "It was important to have. If combative. Good day." He turns to go.
"Good day, Vision," Steve says quietly. And then he sits in the living room by himself and mopes. Like an American hero.
Sure they aren't.