[ Graciously including Wysteria in this minor protest. Rising with a small dust pan full of china, Ellis directs a faintly apprehensive look at her though he can't very well say anything else at the moment. ]
If I interrupted, I'm sorry for it.
[ He should have used the front door. Maybe he'd have had a few more vases thrown at his head, but it seems more easily managed than whatever strange tension he'd broken upon his arrival through the garden.
Instead of sampling the wares he'd ferried, he turns to empty the little dust pan with far more care than is probably necessary into the bin and return both items to their place. Maybe by the time he's done there will be a more clear consensus on what he should do. Ellis has made it a habit not to seek more information than people are willing to give him, and now he knows more of Tony than maybe he ought to. ]
[ His shirt is closed, but he doesn't futz with closing up the jerkin over it, and lyrium light presses hazily through cloth. That Ellis was surely already aware of some kind of mysterious glowing artifact around Tony's heart place was a given, on account of the man having eyeballs.
But it's the principle of the thing.
There's a long pause, before Tony reaches out towards the box to rifle for the best one, and gestures at this hand with his other hand and says, ] This is not-- I don't condone any of what's happening. [ He takes a bite of cinnamon twist, and around it, adds, ] And he's going to have to sign an NDA too.
Happening? What is happening? Nothing is happening, and there is nothing at all to interrupt. Honestly, from the look on both your faces it is as of we all have one of our feet in some secret endeavor, which is not at all the case. Sit down, Mr. Ellis. And have a twist.
[She shoves one into her own mouth and pours a third cup of the chicory coffee for him.]
[ At Wysteria's urging, Ellis finally takes a seat across the table from Tony on the least rickety chair left. There is a long pause as he obligingly lifts a twist and holds it in his hands as if unsure what to do next. ]
What is an NDA? [ Ellis asks, in what he clearly assumes is a conciliatory manner. Going against his own personal decision to ask zero questions and puzzle out most of what Tony says from context clues is an effort to break the ice.
Possibly an effective one. If Tony doesn't answer, Wysteria might, and surely the conversation will carry on from there. ]
[ He looks at Wysteria like does that work in real life but at least doesn't say it this time. Having relaxed, some, since being initially startled, if taking pains to show that he is doing so under duress. ]
Stands for, uh, 'nude dancing-- allowed'. Which you're not, yet, and currently none of us are, not until you, you know--
[ The joke is dropped, and he pivots to Wysteria; ]
I was gonna run it by him, the name thing, but he calls me Tony like we live in real life and not an Austen book. Bumped it down on the to-do list.
[ A momentary squint at Tony, then a quiet chuckle as Ellis breaks off part of the twist in his hands. So clearly not dancing. ]
Even though Ellis isn't my surname?
[ Debating whether or not he cares to try to stop Wysteria from tacking the "mister" onto his name. ]
You don't have to explain anything to me. I know there's many reasons a man may decide to use another name. [ Though Tony being a Rifter cancels about 90% of them out, but Ellis doesn't need to mention that. ] We'll happily call you whatever you please.
Okay, [ Tony says at Wysteria, in the tone of uncalled for. And then, to Ellis, a more emphatic, ] okay, slow your roll there Mr Rogers, this isn't like I'm asking you guys to call me Indigo Moonshine or whatever and you're oh so supportive while secretly thinking I've joined a cult and taken up raw food diets and goat yoga.
My name is Tony Stark, it was always that name, the other name was a made-up name, and doesn't matter anymore. I want to be like crystal clear on all those points.
There is of course, the looming question of Tony's chest. But Ellis isn't willing to steering the conversation back around to it. The only real question that comes to mind is: is it painful? and he doesn't think that serves any particular purpose. ]
[ Do you understand, says a squint from Tony, suspicious in the face of getting exactly what he wanted which was unconditional understanding from either side. But as Ellis contributes Ellisly, there's really nothing to be done except allow himself to be mollified.
Certainly. [Wysteria punctuates automatically. And then there is a full beat of silence—were clocks yet on vogue, we might be made aware of one now—, after which she adds,] What a relief it is to all be on exactly the same page.
[She takes another bite from her pastry and allows herself to stare at the table rather than about the room.]
[ Ellis shoots Wysteria an incredulous look. That's all she has to say? It's potentially the least amount of words he's heard her contribute to any conversation in all the time he's known her. He glances back at Tony, then clears his throat. ]
If I was intruding, I can leave.
[ Because bringing up the weird tension is just what will get conversation rolling. ]
[ LiKeWiSe unsettled, Tony's look to Wysteria is more suspicious than incredulous. A little blindly, he reaches to take another twist to stack on top of his currently unfinished twist. ]
I mean, [ he says, pivoting to Ellis, delivery flat, ] why, did it look like we were sharing some kind of intimate moment to you?
[ Too bad no one knows Tony's basically a doctor yet.
Though apparently now it falls to Ellis to keep Wysteria from dying, since Tony is choosing this particular moment to start eating his cinnamon twists. He rounds the table and—
Just whacks Wysteria hard on the back. Nailed it. ]
[ A moment of concern manages to zither through the smugness when Choking Continues, and his spine stiffens a little in his chair like he's about to get up--
But then Ellis does that. That'll work. And he didn't even have to put down his pastry.
He does reach to slide her cup of chicory within reach. Helping. ]
[Somewhere, a man named Heimlich is staring into the middle distance and only later wonders where his thoughts wandered off too just then. Here, Wysteria gags once under the thump, then hocks up would-be murderous pastry with a sawing series of coughs.]
It was not [she gasp-sobs, pausing to down the cup's entire contents] an intimate moment!
If we could all just be cool for maybe two minutes. These are really good, by the way. [ Unperturbed by the saliva-y mass of pastry that just went flying. ]
[It's not proper tea; what does she look like, some kind of damned lady of fortune?
--She does not say, because she is busy choking down the contents of Ellis' sacrificed cup and using a scrap of paper to scrape away the murder weapon from where its unceremoniously splatted.]
I'm quite all right. [She spits, all the meager venom she can manage shot in Tony's direction.] Thank you, Mr. Ellis.
[ Ellis looks visibly fatigued at Tony's contradiction, and decides to let it pass. He can't. He'll just sit here and accept the idea that the weird tension was over the thing in Tony's chest.
Which Ellis is also not inquiring about at this juncture. ]
We are cool.
[ ha. ]
Very cool.
[ Somewhere in the depths of the house, there's a rattle, two thuds and a faint crash. Ellis sighs. ]
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[ Graciously including Wysteria in this minor protest. Rising with a small dust pan full of china, Ellis directs a faintly apprehensive look at her though he can't very well say anything else at the moment. ]
If I interrupted, I'm sorry for it.
[ He should have used the front door. Maybe he'd have had a few more vases thrown at his head, but it seems more easily managed than whatever strange tension he'd broken upon his arrival through the garden.
Instead of sampling the wares he'd ferried, he turns to empty the little dust pan with far more care than is probably necessary into the bin and return both items to their place. Maybe by the time he's done there will be a more clear consensus on what he should do. Ellis has made it a habit not to seek more information than people are willing to give him, and now he knows more of Tony than maybe he ought to. ]
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But it's the principle of the thing.
There's a long pause, before Tony reaches out towards the box to rifle for the best one, and gestures at this hand with his other hand and says, ] This is not-- I don't condone any of what's happening. [ He takes a bite of cinnamon twist, and around it, adds, ] And he's going to have to sign an NDA too.
[ About what? His chest hair? Doesn't matter. ]
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[She shoves one into her own mouth and pours a third cup of the chicory coffee for him.]
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What is an NDA? [ Ellis asks, in what he clearly assumes is a conciliatory manner. Going against his own personal decision to ask zero questions and puzzle out most of what Tony says from context clues is an effort to break the ice.
Possibly an effective one. If Tony doesn't answer, Wysteria might, and surely the conversation will carry on from there. ]
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Stands for, uh, 'nude dancing-- allowed'. Which you're not, yet, and currently none of us are, not until you, you know--
[ The joke is dropped, and he pivots to Wysteria; ]
I was gonna run it by him, the name thing, but he calls me Tony like we live in real life and not an Austen book. Bumped it down on the to-do list.
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[This, said around the cinnamon twist and from behind her hand.]
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Even though Ellis isn't my surname?
[ Debating whether or not he cares to try to stop Wysteria from tacking the "mister" onto his name. ]
You don't have to explain anything to me. I know there's many reasons a man may decide to use another name. [ Though Tony being a Rifter cancels about 90% of them out, but Ellis doesn't need to mention that. ] We'll happily call you whatever you please.
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My name is Tony Stark, it was always that name, the other name was a made-up name, and doesn't matter anymore. I want to be like crystal clear on all those points.
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Yes, yes. Of course, Mr. Stark. Mr. Ellis [hm] and I understand. And naturally we are perfectly honored to be the first people you thought to tell.
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Right, [ is Ellis' brief contribution.
There is of course, the looming question of Tony's chest. But Ellis isn't willing to steering the conversation back around to it. The only real question that comes to mind is: is it painful? and he doesn't think that serves any particular purpose. ]
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A trace reluctantly. ]
Good. And you should be.
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[She takes another bite from her pastry and allows herself to stare at the table rather than about the room.]
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If I was intruding, I can leave.
[ Because bringing up the weird tension is just what will get conversation rolling. ]
sweeps this thread back into my notifs gdi
I mean, [ he says, pivoting to Ellis, delivery flat, ] why, did it look like we were sharing some kind of intimate moment to you?
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Is she choking? [ Ellis asks, before redirecting, half rising out of his seat. ] Are you choking?
[ What is he supposed to do about this masterful diversion Wysteria has so helpfully created? ]
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Though apparently now it falls to Ellis to keep Wysteria from dying, since Tony is choosing this particular moment to start eating his cinnamon twists. He rounds the table and—
Just whacks Wysteria hard on the back. Nailed it. ]
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But then Ellis does that. That'll work. And he didn't even have to put down his pastry.
He does reach to slide her cup of chicory within reach. Helping. ]
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It was not [she gasp-sobs, pausing to down the cup's entire contents] an intimate moment!
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Are you alright?
[ Followed by— ]
Have the rest of my tea.
[ Fellow Wardens with grievous battle wounds, easy peasy. One young lady having choked on a pastry, hard mode. ]
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[ He gestures a little with the twist. ]
If we could all just be cool for maybe two minutes. These are really good, by the way. [ Unperturbed by the saliva-y mass of pastry that just went flying. ]
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--She does not say, because she is busy choking down the contents of Ellis' sacrificed cup and using a scrap of paper to scrape away the murder weapon from where its unceremoniously splatted.]
I'm quite all right. [She spits, all the meager venom she can manage shot in Tony's direction.] Thank you, Mr. Ellis.
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Which Ellis is also not inquiring about at this juncture. ]
We are cool.
[ ha. ]
Very cool.
[ Somewhere in the depths of the house, there's a rattle, two thuds and a faint crash. Ellis sighs. ]
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