[ That's fine. He's solid. Solid enough, anyway. He's okay though, you can touch him. He likes knowing that you're solid too. ] Okay. All of it then. You're gonna look like a punk rock model, high cheekbones and a tight buzz and just enough lithe movement to set off a spark in anyone who gets too close to the tender tinder. [ What even man just keep talking. Or don't. Actually probably don't, but like that's going to stop him. ] Just, uh. Sit still. Actually get it wet again, it seems a little damp. Dry. It only seems damp.
[ As for that, he shrugs a bit. ] Whatever you want. I know it's not all yours; some of it's a different blood type. [ I mean. Don't read too far into that one, Max. Just keep going. ] Maybe after I cut this hair off, so you have less to double-clean.
[ Tony, are you okay, she doesn't think you're okay at all. You're doing that whole babbling thing that happens sometimes when you don't know what else is going on or what to say. Please start making more sense soon she's going to worry otherwise. But she obliging slips down long enough to get her hair wet before pushing back up to lean against the side of the tub, half heartedly trying to wash off anything lingering.
She's not trying that one all that hard at all though, because it hurts. ] Don't - you're smelling it? [ Please. Like she was ever going to not read all the way into that one. ] We're going to fix that.
[ He's babbling though - it's pretty normal, at least as far as anyone's ever told him. People interrupt him all the time, usually to tell him that he's still talking, which, thanks, he knew that??
well, usually he knew that anyway. sometimes it's a bit of a surprise. sometimes he doesn't like that he talks so much. sometimes he says things that he didn't even realize he was thinking and it's a little alarming to be sharing your ideas and thoughts with other people before you've shared them with yourself to begin with. ]
What? No, it's fine. It's not that bad. I mean, blood - not my favorite scent, but it's not fresh. [ In terms of blood, anyway. It's not too bad right now. When they start cleaning her up afterwards, when they break out the antiseptics and antibiotics and the wounds bleed a little bit all over again, if they do, then it'll be time to dab a little oil under his nose. ] Hold still, okay? Unless you're into the asymmetrical thing - I hear that's pretty big in the hip hop videos.
[ Yeah, he babbles, but there's a difference between his normal babbling and the babbling he was just doing. It was just different, okay. She knows, even if she couldn't tell him exactly how it was. It felt wrong.
Mmm hmmm. She doesn't even sort of believe that, but she still just sags back against the edge of the bath tug and stays still. ] That's bullshit. I'm still.
You are still. Good job. [ He completely condescendingly pats the top of her head and then more or less immediately moves his hands to start cutting her hair so she can't actually retaliate. Not that he thought she was going to, but still. A bit of levity, a bit of normality here in the moment, helps get them to the next, and then the one after that, &c. ]
I feel like we need to be gossiping about someone's baby-daddy. Isn't that what happens in salons?
Asshole. [ Still tired but fond and amused. He's right, the little moment of normalcy is a nice relief, a change from everything else. It makes things seem easier, like they do stand a chance of eventually making their way entirely back to normal. Bit by bit, and she stays still except to keep idly running her hands over herself, making sure that she's washed off the dirt. ]
I don't really know. Is someone pregnant that we know? [ Considering the small circle of people they know it seems unlikely, but hey. ] I think you're also allowed to gossip about, like. [ Uhhh what are you allowed to gossip about. ] Celebrities?
Yeah, we probably are allowed to gossip about celebrities, but we already talk about me all the time, I was trying to inject a little variety into things. But hey, we can talk about me if you want to, sure.
[ Straight lines, right? He figures if he tries for something mostly straight, then at least he can claim either success or intentional failure depending on how it goes. Or maybe she just wants something chopped looking, or layered. In truth, he actually has very steady hands, very good fine motor control - it's really just that hair hates to stay still for some reason. It always seems to curve off somewhere and surprise you after you've already swept. ]
You realize you're not the only celebrity in the universe, right? What if I actually want to hear about how, uh. [ Wait she needs a celebrity's name. Shit. ] How Angelia Jolie's been doing while I was gone.
[ Success! And she genuinely just doesn't care what her hair looks like at the end of this, so long as a significant portion of it's gone. At least back to the length it was before she was taken. ] I won't say no to hearing more about you, though.
I'm here, and you'd rather talk about Angelina Jolie? [ Snip, cut. ] Yeah, okay, I'd rather talk about Angelina too. I think she's been fine, but I haven't seen her personally for a while now.
Well. Not necessarily rather, but I figure you'll be slightly more honest about her. [ She's just saying. How much have you already been lying to her about how okay you are, Tony, huh? ] Little busy giving JARVIS expanded rein?
[ But you know, she thinks she can make him be honest eventually. ]
[ Wow way to crash all that nice buoyancy they had floating around here. He's quiet for just half a moment, subtly chastised, but unwilling to admit defeat just yet. ] JARVIS typically has free rein. I just encouraged him to use it productively instead of obsessively googling me all day. [ Shrug. He pauses cutting her hair first to do that, just to be clear. ] I had him google you for a few days instead.
[ The buoyancy was nice and she might want it back soon but also she's tired and she's worried about him and concealing things takes a lot more effort than she actually has in her right now. ] Yeah? What's out there on me?
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[ As for that, he shrugs a bit. ] Whatever you want. I know it's not all yours; some of it's a different blood type. [ I mean. Don't read too far into that one, Max. Just keep going. ] Maybe after I cut this hair off, so you have less to double-clean.
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She's not trying that one all that hard at all though, because it hurts. ] Don't - you're smelling it? [ Please. Like she was ever going to not read all the way into that one. ] We're going to fix that.
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well, usually he knew that anyway. sometimes it's a bit of a surprise. sometimes he doesn't like that he talks so much. sometimes he says things that he didn't even realize he was thinking and it's a little alarming to be sharing your ideas and thoughts with other people before you've shared them with yourself to begin with. ]
What? No, it's fine. It's not that bad. I mean, blood - not my favorite scent, but it's not fresh. [ In terms of blood, anyway. It's not too bad right now. When they start cleaning her up afterwards, when they break out the antiseptics and antibiotics and the wounds bleed a little bit all over again, if they do, then it'll be time to dab a little oil under his nose. ] Hold still, okay? Unless you're into the asymmetrical thing - I hear that's pretty big in the hip hop videos.
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Mmm hmmm. She doesn't even sort of believe that, but she still just sags back against the edge of the bath tug and stays still. ] That's bullshit. I'm still.
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I feel like we need to be gossiping about someone's baby-daddy. Isn't that what happens in salons?
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I don't really know. Is someone pregnant that we know? [ Considering the small circle of people they know it seems unlikely, but hey. ] I think you're also allowed to gossip about, like. [ Uhhh what are you allowed to gossip about. ] Celebrities?
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[ Straight lines, right? He figures if he tries for something mostly straight, then at least he can claim either success or intentional failure depending on how it goes. Or maybe she just wants something chopped looking, or layered. In truth, he actually has very steady hands, very good fine motor control - it's really just that hair hates to stay still for some reason. It always seems to curve off somewhere and surprise you after you've already swept. ]
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[ Success! And she genuinely just doesn't care what her hair looks like at the end of this, so long as a significant portion of it's gone. At least back to the length it was before she was taken. ] I won't say no to hearing more about you, though.
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[ But you know, she thinks she can make him be honest eventually. ]
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