[ It's been precisely three times Too Fucking Long, that's how long it's been. He can't believe how long it's actually been, how long their plan worked - they've been separated before, sure, they're both busy, both in various sorts of demand, but it's never been for this long. Never for nearly this long.
The fact that he was tricked for as long as he was, too, is... Difficult to describe. The sheer amount of self-loathing that's stemming from that has put anything he ever held prior to now to complete shame, and the determination to either rectify the mistake or pay them back tenfold for their kindness has become all but a doctrine or motto by which to wake up and sleep with every day. It just hasn't been that difficult to hold onto that feeling, the one he slowly realized one day when the empathic feedback he got from 'her', when 'her' shields dropped in the heat of the moment, felt the same. Never stronger, never altering. Slightly different, perhaps, but the same in several ways that mattered. Once that aspect of the illusion was shattered, it wasn't difficult to fracture and fragment the others.
He did at least have a three month crash course in interrogation techniques he was able to utilize. Let it never be said Tony Stark isn't a quick study, nor does he have difficulty taking his lessons and expanding upon them. He's been called 'creative' more often than even he has ever bothered to count.
However, the information was fairly vague before the impostor ceased providing it, and shortly afterward was taken elsewhere to be dealt with properly. Since then, he's been toeing the line between a balanced laser-like focus and sheer rage, reckless and ruthlessly efficient, all the strategy and war-mongering he'd been pushing aside and putting behind him come to the forefront once again. He doesn't even particularly expect to find her by now - it's been too long, and the enemy is too careful to leave people as resourceful as her just sitting around. On the other hand, they're reluctant to lose people as useful as her either, and it's that sad fact, combined with what he knows of her ability to survive, that's prevented him from losing hope altogether. It's double-edged, and more than anything else he's been able to ever compare it to.
They're following up on a lead - not a strong one, but when are they ever certain these days - when someone calls him. Senses high and on edge - as they always seem to be now - he can tell the difference in their voice, the tightness and emotional reaction involved, even if he can't tell precisely what it's for. Sometimes these rescues don't always go well, and those who haven't been on more than a couple can have adverse reactions. But he comes anyway, because this one feels different even if he built up shields to block out concern and anything else a long time ago, because maybe they need help. Maybe it's just a firm grip on their shoulder to get them back to rights.
It's really only the suit and JARVIS that prevent his knees from giving out when he comes over to see what he's been called for. He wasn't thinking much, giving in to that particular form of controlled rage that he's perfected lately, but when he sees her - and it's her this time, he can tell, because he can feel her now - everything vacates. Thoughts, fear, anger - everything. He still heads towards her slowly, stepping out of the suit midstride, because they've secured the area and even if they haven't, he doesn't care, he doesn't care if it's a trap because it's been too long and he doesn't care. He just needs to be sure that it's her, and to do that he needs to be outside his suit and vulnerable.
So he comes over slowly, but steadily, coming up next to her and altering his posture to avoid looming over her by accident. ] Hey.
yes basically it still completely is
The fact that he was tricked for as long as he was, too, is... Difficult to describe. The sheer amount of self-loathing that's stemming from that has put anything he ever held prior to now to complete shame, and the determination to either rectify the mistake or pay them back tenfold for their kindness has become all but a doctrine or motto by which to wake up and sleep with every day. It just hasn't been that difficult to hold onto that feeling, the one he slowly realized one day when the empathic feedback he got from 'her', when 'her' shields dropped in the heat of the moment, felt the same. Never stronger, never altering. Slightly different, perhaps, but the same in several ways that mattered. Once that aspect of the illusion was shattered, it wasn't difficult to fracture and fragment the others.
He did at least have a three month crash course in interrogation techniques he was able to utilize. Let it never be said Tony Stark isn't a quick study, nor does he have difficulty taking his lessons and expanding upon them. He's been called 'creative' more often than even he has ever bothered to count.
However, the information was fairly vague before the impostor ceased providing it, and shortly afterward was taken elsewhere to be dealt with properly. Since then, he's been toeing the line between a balanced laser-like focus and sheer rage, reckless and ruthlessly efficient, all the strategy and war-mongering he'd been pushing aside and putting behind him come to the forefront once again. He doesn't even particularly expect to find her by now - it's been too long, and the enemy is too careful to leave people as resourceful as her just sitting around. On the other hand, they're reluctant to lose people as useful as her either, and it's that sad fact, combined with what he knows of her ability to survive, that's prevented him from losing hope altogether. It's double-edged, and more than anything else he's been able to ever compare it to.
They're following up on a lead - not a strong one, but when are they ever certain these days - when someone calls him. Senses high and on edge - as they always seem to be now - he can tell the difference in their voice, the tightness and emotional reaction involved, even if he can't tell precisely what it's for. Sometimes these rescues don't always go well, and those who haven't been on more than a couple can have adverse reactions. But he comes anyway, because this one feels different even if he built up shields to block out concern and anything else a long time ago, because maybe they need help. Maybe it's just a firm grip on their shoulder to get them back to rights.
It's really only the suit and JARVIS that prevent his knees from giving out when he comes over to see what he's been called for. He wasn't thinking much, giving in to that particular form of controlled rage that he's perfected lately, but when he sees her - and it's her this time, he can tell, because he can feel her now - everything vacates. Thoughts, fear, anger - everything. He still heads towards her slowly, stepping out of the suit midstride, because they've secured the area and even if they haven't, he doesn't care, he doesn't care if it's a trap because it's been too long and he doesn't care. He just needs to be sure that it's her, and to do that he needs to be outside his suit and vulnerable.
So he comes over slowly, but steadily, coming up next to her and altering his posture to avoid looming over her by accident. ] Hey.