riverviewlogs | [open] so don't worry about tomorrow

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[open] so don't worry about tomorrow

who: Tony Stark and Open
what: Amnesia Event; Tony forgets everything since just before his Afghanistan trip.
when: 8/12 - 8/16
where: All around
warnings: none at the moment

i. wandering

Tony was not having the best day. Waking up in strange places with no idea of how he'd gotten there might have been old hat, but opening his eyes to what looked like -- the hell, was that a dorm room? -- was a new one. He'd been in Vegas, he knew that. Was pretty sure there had been some sort of stupid award involved and that Rhodey would be turning up to bitch at him over it any second now.

Except Vegas was a lot of things, but it definitely did not look like this. Stumbling out of the building and into a completely unfamiliar place had not helped. He didn't have to be a genius to tell that he wasn't in Kansas anymore, but it helped. If this was a joke, it seriously wasn't funny, and if this was some sort of weird kidnapping then it was the dumbest one Tony had ever heard of.

He mostly found himself making his way cautiously through the streets, half trying to find anything familiar and half just trying to get his head together. And despite the obvious suspicion and wariness in his expression, his entire posture seemed lighter than usual. He stood straighter, held his head higher, and almost visibly seemed less tired for all that he hadn't actually changed at all.

And every so often, he found himself staring up at the sky with an expression of deep skepticism. "Okay seriously," he muttered, more to himself, "is this some kind of weird VR thing or what?"

ii. drinking

Once it had become clear that this was both not a trick and not somewhere he was going to be leaving any time soon, Tony had done the only natural thing and gone to find a drink. Or two. Or a dozen. If the choice was between the lack-of-privacy suite and the truly pathetic excuse for a workshop he'd stumbled across, Tony would very happily install himself in any of the bars he could find and stay there instead.

It wasn't calming, exactly, but it was at least something he knew how to handle. So he smiled and flirted and bought drinks at random. If he couldn't find a party, he started his own, spilling out across tables and corners. He was loud and obnoxious and if not drunk, then close to it. If you had to be stuck in some random-ass place, might as well make the best of it. Right? Right.

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[ With all the confusion, Steve is feeling lost. He is out and about, looking for the direction he's lost, and he can't exactly miss the noise when he pokes into a bar to see if something strikes him as familiar. He doesn't find that, but he does notice the loud and rather messy man calling attention to one table. Steve walks over, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder to steady him as he gestures with a drink that Steve is honestly surprised hasn't spilled. ]

Tony? Are you all right?

[A hand lands on his shoulder, and rather than tensing under it Tony just turns towards the owner with a vague, slightly unfocused smile. It sharpens a little as he gets a good look at the man next to him, and Tony's smile widens.]

Sure, gorgeous. How're you? Come to party?

You're drunk.

[ Steve sounds even more concerned by the realization and he doesn't remove his hand. Even against the smile that is almost unpleasantly bright, like Tony thinks he can scare him off by being aggressively cheerful, Steve stands his ground. ]

Did something happen? Are you sure you're all right?

[ He looks around the bar. Surely one of the other people from Tony's world are around to keep an eye on things. Maybe it really is a party and this Tony just happens to be more... flexible than his own about certain moral decisions. Steve doesn't like that thought, but he bites it back for the moment. ]

Right now I'm actually worried about you.

Excellently spotted. I am indeed drunk. [Or mostly there, anyway. He's been working on it for a while.

But since this is a conversation that doesn't appear to be going away, Tony spins on his stool to face the man properly, leaning his elbows back against the bartop.]

And what exactly are you worried about? This, [he gestures around them with one hand] is small change. Or are you just upset you weren't invited?

[He leans back a little farther to give the guy a long, thorough once-over, then smiles again.]

You can definitely drink with me any time.

[ Confusion washes over blue eyes as Steve searches Tony's expression for some sign of recognition, something he can hold onto and make sense of. The easy smile and smug demeanor puts him on edge, but he stays put, hoping, willing things to come together.

The lingering glance over his body does not go unnoticed. Steve winces. It's hard to tell whether he's more uncomfortable by the implications of that gaze or the knowledge that Tony doesn't really mean it. ]

Do you know who I am?

Really? [Tony laughs, though there's a slight sharpness to the sound. It's definitely more mocking than any real amusement.] You're going to try that 'don't you know who I am' thing with me?

[He leans back a little more, chin tipping up into an expression that's almost haughty.]

Go on, then. Regale me.

[ Steve frowns, unable to really say for certain what that means. Does Tony recognize anything, or is he just a random man catching him in a bar? He seatches Tony's face for something, anything that will give him a clue as to the man's thoughts. Well, besides obviously focusing on drinks. ]

Have you met Steve Rogers?

[ That seems like it might be helpful to know. A starting point, perhaps. ]

[His eyebrows instantly shoot upwards. Safe to say he recognizes the name. But of course he does. Howard would never have let him forget it.]

Either you somehow think I've met a man who's been dead for seventy years, or your friend has one hell of a name to live up to.

[Speaking of which, it seems like an excellent time for a new drink.]

[ Of course he recognizes the name, but that answer makes Steve frown with disappointment. So Tony doesn't remember meeting him. Or the other Steve, at least, which means something has gone very, very wrong. Steve instinctively reaches out to intercept the glass before Tony can get it, his attention fixed on the man. ]

Sometimes people just happen to be resilient like that. What do you remember? This is important. What were you doing before you got here?

[Tony stops abruptly as a hand gets to the glass before his can and he turns an affronted look on the man next to him.]

I was in Vegas. What's it to you?

[ Steve holds the glass like he's keeping it back for later. Honestly, he doesn't know what to do with it. He doesn't want to give it to Tony. ]

Do you know where you are now?

[ A very me first answer, but that's Steve for you. ]

Some place called Riverview on a moon, I got the brochure, thanks.

[The look he's giving gets more an more unimpressed the longer the glass is held away from him. Tony would try to snatch it back if he wasn't pretty damn sure the guy would just hold it over his head or something. Tony does have some limits to how stupid he's willing to look.]

Remind me why you care again?

So you remember that.

[ Or at least he was informed at some point. It still doesn't make Steve comfortable, because even if Tony knows where he is, he doesn't necessarily know much of anything else. And what he doesn't know could end up hurting him at some point. He keeps holding the drink, not drinking himself, but frowning at it. ]

I would be a pretty bad friend if I didn't care, Tony.

Kind of hard to miss.

[He lifts one eyebrow and nods towards the glass still being held captive.]

It's not going to do tricks. Either give it back or drink it yourself. Since we're friends and all.

[The emphasis on the word is skeptical at best. Though what exactly he's skeptical about is a different question.]

[ Steve frowns at the way Tony says friends like he's challenging him. Doubting him because he doesn't really know him at the moment. He's certainly not going to hand the drink back when Tony is this deep into his drinking anyway. ]

Don't you think you've had enough already?

[ He speaks quietly, still holding the drink away from Tony. ]

Have you eaten anything recently? We could get something.

If I thought I'd had enough, I wouldn't be ordering more.

[There's an exaggerated patience to it, like Tony's explaining things to a child.]

And as you are not the boss of me, you don't get a say in it.

[Like he's trying to prove it, Tony twists to try and get the bartender's attention to order a new glass. The guy's only got two hands, he can't steal all of them.]

[ Why Steve thought it would be easy to draw Tony away from the drinks, he doesn't know. Maybe it was just that flash of optimism, a hope that he could convince this man that in some world was his friend to leave the bar. Instead, Tony waves for another drink and tells Steve he doesn't get any say in the matter. Technically true. Steve frowns, gives the glass a scrutinizing look, and downs it in one long, steady swallow. He puts the empty glass down firmly, meeting Tony's eyes. ]

Please. I'd rather you didn't push it.

[Tony's eyes flick down to the empty glass and then back up to the man himself with as deep an unimpressed look as he can muster. And because he's never known when not to push, Tony just plants his elbow on the bartop, rests his chin on his upturned fist and stares right back at him.]

Or what?

[ Of course Tony takes that as an invitation to push. Of course, and Steve should have known that was coming. He returns Tony's pose with a tilt of his head, raising his chin slightly just to meet the man's attitude with a bit of his own. ]

I could get you cut off and carry you home.

[His eyebrows lift, but somehow Tony can't find it in himself to doubt that the guy would actually do it. And as much as he might enjoy being tossed over a ridiculously broad shoulder, it makes him narrow his eyes a little in thought.]

What's it to you if I drink or not?

[ Despite the challenge in Tony's eyes, the question is valid and Steve bites his tongue before he can retort with something stupid. He wants to get mad and argue with the man, but after only upsetting the other Tony Stark he doesn't really know, Steve tries to shift tactics. ]

I'm worried about you sitting here by yourself. It's a bad idea to drink alone like this... and at this rate it can't really be as much fun as your putting on. What's wrong with friendly concern?

If you're so worried about me being alone, you could join me.

[The way he says it, it's pretty clear that Tony's not actually expecting to be taken up on the invitation. It's issued more as a challenge anyway, the faint glint of a smirk on his face even as he waves a hand at the seat next to him.]

Believe me, gorgeous, we've barely gotten started.

That's not really...

[ He knows Tony is just trying to tease him, to push him away with sharp humor and a clever game. Steve doesn't want to encourage Tony to drink, no Tony, but he's learned from the other one that pushing will only drive the genius off and he really doesn't want to make a pattern out of it. So he cuts off, sucking in a frustrated breath and looks at the man with a measured gaze. If he has too much, then he can stop him. He can pick him up and carry him out if he has to, but for now... for now, he can't start a fight. He sits down next to Tony, looking sour and stern. ]

Okay. [ Bring on your challenge, Stark. ]

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