WHAT THE FUCK????

[shadeof_grey]

*visible to everybody but Tony*

Pardon my language, but what the fuck is this about?

Is he trying to pick me up or to get me to sign up for one of his crazy political causes? I can't fucking tell! FUCK!

Can somebody please kick his ass?

Comments

[summers_grey]

I . . . I think he's interesting, Jean. Maybe you could try talking to him?

[shadeof_grey]

You. . .think he's interesting?

Jean realizes this is a stupid way to communicate, when they're in the same room. Then again, this probably isn't the kind of thing Emma should overhear. Jean turns to face Rachel, gives her a curious look, and sends her a private message. Please. . .do tell.

[summers_grey]

Rachel sent a mental shrug.

He's smart. And he thinks a lot about politics and how to. . . Rachel frowned. About how to make the world the kind of place people can't help but be better in? She checked the scans, thinking.

Tony knows what it takes to make things better, and he's not afraid to tell everyone. People underestimate him because he's drunk. Rachel glanced at Jean. This is him drunk. Think what he can do in the moments he's sober. He is interesting.

[shadeof_grey]

Not only was Tony doing a better job drunk than a lot of people were doing sober -- he had actually managed to use his reputation as a drunk to his advantage during his speech. Jean had pointed this out when discussing his speech with Rachel, and she isn't quite ready to do a 180 and contradict herself now.

But. . .

I don't want him to flirt with me. How do I make him stop?

[summers_grey]

Rachel glanced at Jean again, startled.

You don't? I mean. um. Sorry. How about . . . tell him no thank you and then stop flirting with him?

[shadeof_grey]

I'm not flirting with him! I tell him to go away and he keeps doing it.

[summers_grey]

um. And then you have to stop talking to him. In public and in private. Really stop talking to him. Do you want to do that? Just stop?

[shadeof_grey]

I'm not talking to him! Except to tell him to stop. I even tried to change my email address!

[summers_grey]

Right. That's talking to him. And, Jean, I can SEE what you did. If you really want to change your email, let me do it. Have all your X-Corp correspondence go through me, and don't reply to him.

Rachel raises an eyebrow at the screens, glad Jean can't see her face.

Stop talking to him if you don't want to flirt.

[shadeof_grey]

You make it sound so easy.

[summers_grey]

If it's what you actually want, it is. It's only hard if -- Rachel stops.

[shadeof_grey]

Of course it's what I want. As soon as I get out of here, I'll go to him and I'll tell him to stop. And if he doesn't stop, I'll rip him apart down to the molecules. That's a sensible solution, right?

[summers_grey]

Rachel giggles. Absolutely.

[shadeof_grey]

Jean is suspicious.

Why are you laughing?

[summers_grey]

Uh, it's not funny. It's just that . . . Rachel snorts, trying to not giggle again. It's just that, you know, right, since your press conference a while back? That there's a line in Vegas on when you are going to turn Phoenix and start killing people? With side-lines on the circumstances and the first victim. And the top runners are Scott and Emma, together or apart. That bit changes. I just thought a lot of people would lose a LOT of money if you atomized Tony Stark . . .

[shadeof_grey]

You know, first conversation with Scott when I came back, I offered to do just that. To Tony, I mean. She glances at Rachel. That thing about Vegas is a joke, right?