thecapitol | I'm really not sure if I'm floating or drowning here.

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I'm really not sure if I'm floating or drowning here.

WHO| Tony Stark, and anyone who can see him!
WHAT| Tony is not really loving this whole kidnapping death match thing
WHEN| 11th of the May
WHERE| Several locations in the tower
WARNINGS| References to the end of Winter Soldier but it's only a spoiler if you haven't seen it or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. But you can avoid it by not reading what Tony's doing/thinking on the roof

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[District 12's floor]

After Tony had told the Gamemakers what they could do with their evaluations and had been left in his room with a communicator and a credit card, he stood in his room for a moment staring at both. Then after a moment he dispassionately drops the card on the bedside table and starts turning the communicator over in his hands.

Sure it wasn't the first time he was taken away from what he knew and threatened with death, really it's starting to become a major theme in his life, he's had better themes to be honest, just as destructive, but on the whole more fun. However this was the first time he was kidnapped, given an allowance and technology. He isn't sure if it's amature, or cocky but he's not going to pass it up. Frowning a little Tony pockets the communicator then starts looking through his room as he runs a hand through his hair now and then. Clothes, Shoes, a remote (Which he also pockets) but no much else. Frowning at what he's found he leaves the room and turns his attention to ferreting his way around the floor as a whole, for now he's staying out of the bedrooms but if he can't find so much as a screw driver, very narrow knife or a broad fork he's going to invade privacies.

But as it is, right now he needs what he knows, and that's playing with tech, and he's probably not being quiet in his looking as he loudly moves things about and mutters to himself.

[Central Commons - Cocktail Bar]

After his attacking of his floor for something to do, Tony started to feel a little claustrophobic and found his way to the bar, something else that was familiar enough to act as a calming agent. You know what Tony also finds calming? Scotch. When he orders, he doesn't even realise it's free, he's just assumed they've given him an automatic tab, which for him isn't unusual.
He contemplates the two neat amber fingers in the glass then toasts the air.

"Here's to kidnappers with a resort and open bar."

He takes a drink and takes in who's wandering around the bar, feeling the twinge of homesickness. It's weird being held hostage but not you know being threatened with pain if you don't build a weapon for them while being allowed to apparently roam free for the moment.

[Roof]

The homesickness got to him for a while so after just idely riding the elevator with no purpose, Tony takes it up to the roof. It's about as quite as a roof top in a large city can be and if he closes his eyes he can almost pretend he's standing on the landing pad back in New York, Pepper listing the names of S.H.I.E.L.D agents who have jumped that sneaky ship and are banging on his doors for work.

He runs a hand over his face and huffs, he really needs to quit being a hypocrite with all this sentimentality of his. He walks to the edge and looks down seeing what little he can of the busy streets.

Tony let's his mind tick back to when he was told that he had been selected for a battle to the death.

"If this is going to involve swords, and war horses then I am in a lot of trouble."

He could probably use another drink. Actually, what he could really use is Pepper.

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"Why would I give you a uniform?" Then he shakes his head, because really that's not the important part of the conversation.

"If anything this is really starting to sound like a really solid platform for string theory, multiverses. Do you know how I became Iron Man?"

His sarcastic, suspicious tone and air has long since moved on to more of a scientific vibe as he actually gets appropriately curious. Tony's never really be interested in things like this, however he has done some idle reading on the subjects when he was particularly bored.

That first question almost gets a laugh from Bucky. He shakes his head, though, and waves it away to address the other question. "You built the suit in part to keep you alive after nearly dying of a heart injury, isn't that how it goes? Sorry, your history isn't one I'm as familiar with as mine and Steve's."

He stops for a moment. "Steve--he isn't here, is he? Any version of him. It doesn't matter. He shouldn't be here."

"Well that's at least the same at least. Probably a fixed point. Probably? One of the most defining moments of my life and I'm saying probably." He shakes his head as he get's caught up in his own thoughts that he almost missed the question about Steve.

"Uh, if he is he hasn't said anything to me about it. Well not that I'd really expect him to try and call me for any reason, but I haven't seen him around." He pulls the communicator out of his pocket and waggles it between his fingers. "Nothing on this either."

"I haven't seen a lot on that network yet anyway," he says, frowning a little at the device. "How useful can it be since it's monitored up and down? We need one that isn't. But that's probably a pipe dream. There's always a way to crack the security on those things."

Tony smirks then pockets the communicator.

"Unfortunately, this place doesn't seem big on letting me near the tools of my trade. So anything I can manage will take some time and jerry rigging."

Then he looks around to spy out any obvious cameras.

"Well, a kid on my floor did mention people who seem to know how to get around it."

"We're being watched everywhere, so don't count on a break from it," Bucky says without changing his casual tone. "I'm crippled here too. I should be able to generate an EMP with this thing--" He holds up his left arm. "But it's not working here. They've got us in the palm of their hand. What's this about a kid who knows a way around it? I could find some use for that."

Tony looks at the arm and automatically inches towards it because hey, it's tech, and that's Tony's thing. And right now he's tightroping between being not rude, and wanting to poke at the arm.

"An EMP." He frowns at the arm and it's apparent lock down, his hand automatically drifts up to his chest, tapping where his reactor used to be but now holds only scar tissue as he takes a moment to wonder what they would have don't about that, considering that his reactor was powering an electromagnet so he was constantly living in a small EM field until very recently.

"Haven't been to New York in a while, huh? CCTV on most street corners watching for traffic or ATM hold up. This might be a bigger brother, but not impossible to get around. And she knows nothing, leave the kid out of it."

It's not that he felt close to her or anything, but she was essentially an innocent, especially considering how uneasy she was about telling him what she had.

"I wasn't talking about hurting her, Stark." His voice has a gentle note to it for a second. "But even kids can help fight what's going on here. They've got to, or they'll be victims too."

He lifts his brows. "Unless you've got a better idea for beating the odds here?"

"She was anxious enough telling me what she did. I know kids can help, I've had an unwanted kid sidekick before. She wasn't him."

He shrugs a little, staring off into space.

"I've only been here maybe 19 hours. I don't all have all the variables just yet. I'm not JARVIS, I need more than a few hours."

He might look a little disgruntled by this, but that would be because he is.

He lifts his hands. "All right, all right. I won't pry." He also won't bother asking just what JARVIS is. There's a lot he figures he might not need to know here just yet.

"What kind of variables are you looking for, Stark? I guess we're allies here, even if we aren't from the same world. I can help you out."

He can't help but give a slight smirk when Bucky calls them allies. Seems like everyone wants to be his friend when he's got subversion on his mind.

Well, Bucky and Natasha count as everyone, okay?

"I need a lot of variables. And really, I like my tongue, it does a lot of great things for me and others. So..."

Tony gestures to the door both of them had come through. If Bucky wanted to know variables, he was going to have to go somewhere noisy.

Bucky gives him a slightly surprised look. "That serious already, huh? You move fast." He has trouble imagining a little idle talk of rebellion would bring down much punishment on either of them just yet, so by his estimation, Tony must already have real plans--or at least the start of them.

So with a small nod, he heads for the door.

"I don't move fast, this time anyway. I've just seen the results of getting caught on my floor. You might have by now too."

Tony opens the door for Bucky to go through first.

"So I'm thinking the cocktail lounge."

Considering the book of his life has had a fair few chapters dedicated to clubs, bars and lounges, Tony is more than aware of how hard it is to over heard someone when they're not looking to be overheard.

"Yeah. Those poor guys? I noticed. I--" He shakes his head. "All right. Let's head down there for now. I'm pretty sure I could use a drink, too."

And he steps through the door.

"I would say the first round is on me. But, perks of being lead to the slaughter."

He shrugs as they head to the elevator, his tone sounding far more accepting of the situation than he actually is, which is eyes give away by taking on an unimpressed and irritated shine.

"We're rich and famous," Bucky agrees dryly. "Well, I mean, you were already rich and famous. And I was already famous. So I'm not sure what we've gained."

His gaze drifts away for a few seconds, goes oddly haunted. "Other than a free ticket back to the past," he adds in a muttered whisper.

"Well I've gained a bunch of people killing me to win, instead of killing me because they've met me, so really that's new."

He shrugs dismissively then tilts his head.

"Are you still thinking I'm from the past?"

"Relax," Bucky says. "I haven't tried to kill you in years. I'll look out for you if you need it. Huh?"

That last comment as he registers the question. "Sorry. No. That was--that was personal."

Tony supplies him with a neutral look.

"That's comforting. Also, you haven't killed your Tony in years." The neutrality quickly becomes sharp however. "I don't need looking after. I might not have fought Nazi's or Hydra. But I'm more than capable of holding my own."

It's taken Tony a long time to make himself feel like he isn't some helpless rich kid, just when he thought he was past it Steve had unfortunately dredged it all back up, getting himself a healthy dose of PTSD afterwards really didn't help matters. Unfortunately it did mean he would get highly defensive if it was suggested otherwise.

Bucky's reaction almost has him become less snippy, however all he does his rolls his eyes.

"Now who's moping?"

He lifts his brows. "Even without your suit?" He hesitates a moment, then adds, "Sorry. You're right. I don't know much about you, Stark. And I'll have my own problems in the Arena."

He gives a little snort. "Even without all the moping."

There no mistaking that questioning his ability without the suit causes his expression to get tighter and his eyes narrow on him.

"You really don't, Barnes."

Clearing his throat and running a hand through his hair gives him a moment to think, he lets himself remember that he shouldn't fight right now. Especially against Bucky, he might be able to out think the guy, but not outfight him. Once his hand pushes its way to the back of his head his demeanour changes, becoming more relaxed an casual.

"And what would those problems be?"

The brows stay lifted for a moment. Then he lets the moment pass. There's no point in antagonizing a potential ally right now.

"The same ones everyone has," he says with a shrug, all forced nonchalance. "Trying to survive while not letting them make a monster out of me."

"I think that one would be easy enough. Monsters hunt."

At least that's what he's learnt from personal experience. He's quiet for a moment as the elevator doors open up for them. He steps out and heads to the lounge.

"Name your poison, Barnes."

Bucky joins Tony in that moment of silence. He's not going to say to someone who apparently doesn't know that he once hunted, too. That the monster he was wasn't him but he's afraid the Capitol can turn back the clock anyway.

He's so busy not saying any of that that when it comes time to ask for a drink he responds without really thinking, "Vodka, straight. What else?" He'll stop at one drink--he can't afford to dull his senses too much right now--but a little self-destructive masochism wouldn't go amiss right now.

Smirking Tony gives an almost playful shrug.

"Well, growing up with Rogers, I was thinking something more along the lines of beer. Or the fun wild card of Bacardi Breezers."

Striding up to the bar, Tony asks for a scotch and vodka both straight. He hands the vodka over to Bucky then moves to a part of the room that was noisier than the bar.

"I've barely been here a day, but right now, I have to many variables and no direction to look in." He drinks slowly.

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