long overdue

[watchesthewatchers]

It's Ricki's little ramshackle apartment, but there Peter is one morning, perched on the loveseat, reading a file, waiting for Bruce Wayne to arrive.

He has a gun, but tucked out of sight, not on his person. Just in case.

Comments

[profiteering]

"Will you come visit?"

He retorts.

[rickitikitarr]

"When we've settled down."

He tells him, but he's smiling.

"How's Peter? Is he badly hurt? Bruce doesn't have an easy setting."

[profiteering]

"Uh..."

He glances at Peter, making sure he's not pale with agony.

"Well we won't have to amputate."

[rickitikitarr]

"That's something."

Unmistakably fond.

"I saw the footage of the fight, you know."

Peter winces, and buries his head in the pillow.

[profiteering]

"Give me the highlights, I haven't heard any details yet."

Which in hindsight he feels foolish for; he should have asked.

[rickitikitarr]

"Peter was being a lamb, when Bruce took as a lie. Bruce got angrier and more suspicious the more benign Peter got, until his patience cracked and Peter told him he was very good at getting his loved ones killed."

Ricki recounts, uncompromisingly.

"Bruce reacted furiously, and took him off his stool. He gave him two to the jaw and then pinned him. Peter told him to let him go or he'd regret it, and then fought the hold until his wrist broke while Bruce disarmed him. Both of them behaved like children, honestly."

[profiteering]

"Think he'll redact that 'stay out of Gotham' order, then?"

Tony asks dryly, trying not to sound hopeful.

[rickitikitarr]

"I think maybe, when he's less piqued, though it may be a good idea to meet on your turf first."

Sipping his coffee.

"But Peter needs to apologize."

[profiteering]

"Ok but you know he's the one with the broken wrist right?"

He nudges Peter under the blankets, and then does get up to take the conversation to another room.

[rickitikitarr]

"That he articulately warned Bruce he was about to break if he didn't release the hold. He knew what he was doing."

Ricki objects, quietly.

"Bruce owes him one too. But the things Peter said were cruel, Tony. He's a master at manipulation and he knows he's in the wrong here. Otherwise he wouldn't have promised to give me up. Do you see that?"

[profiteering]

Tony is quiet as he thinks that over and finally sighs.

"I'll talk to him. When's your next report in date? Next week?"

[rickitikitarr]

"Day after tomorrow."

He admits, softly.

"I'm about two weeks away."

He moved mountains for him.

[profiteering]

And Tony knows it. Even by his most demanding estimate, Ricki wouldn't have come close to what he's actually accomplished.

"I reserve the right to celebrate with you."

[rickitikitarr]

"Anything you like, pet."

Smiling.

"It was for you."

[profiteering]

"Thank you."

If they had been in person he wouldn't have said a word, he would simply have laid his head on Ricki's shoulder. But there's distance, and so he can only sound as grateful as he feels.

"...I've missed you. Just in case you wondered."

[rickitikitarr]

"When it's done, we'll take some time. I'll ask Bruce about making good on a few of those early promises."

Smiling, quickly.

"If you like."

[profiteering]

"I've wanted that for months. Maybe we'll even get the hotheads to make up."

[rickitikitarr]

"Maybe."

Smiling.

"You're sure Peter's all right? He hates losing."

[profiteering]

"...What did he lose? Is this a spy game?"

He has Dummy start in on making the coffee. He's wearing the collar still, and doesn't realize the compulsion he has to make tea until after he's already set it up for Bruce.

[rickitikitarr]

"I don't think things went exactly how he'd hoped."

He says, delicately.

"I'll let you ask him about that, in case I'm misreading."

[profiteering]

"I will."

He flops on the sofa.

"I have some stories for you."

[rickitikitarr]

"Can I have them now? The snugglebug is still down for the night, he probably won't be up for a while."

Sitting on his own armchair, smiling, propping his feet up.

[profiteering]

"I got around to some water torture. I watched, but still, for me? Very big step."

He grins, watching the ceiling.

[rickitikitarr]

"That is big."

He admits, eyebrows lifting.

"Why did you want to?"

[profiteering]

"Bruce wanted me to. When I first told him why I don't like- you know. Water. Being drowned. He said he wanted to waterboard me."

Tony takes a deep breath.

"But I guess I get a little twitchy in the shower so he changed his mind. I guess I figure playing around in water with him will prove something."

And it has, so he sounds very satisfied.