*he quickly signed a little ‘Max C’ in the corner with a smile* there!
Thanks a lot, buddy. I’ll treasure this, I promise.
*he chuckles, pocketing the crayon* thanks Carlos
Of course, Max. *He folds up the paper and puts it in his pocket for safe-keeping.* Oh – I just remembered something. I have something for you too – but I forgot to bring it. It’s still back in my mobile lab… damn.
Carlos blushed a bit and he tried not to let his smile grow too big. He turned his attention to Hancock’s hands instead, watching the wrinkled digits take apart the wrapping that Carlos had carefully put together. Then he smiled wider.
“That label is actually a newspaper ad for Red Menace that I found and I decided to use it,” Carlos explained. “I used some rubber cement to adhere it to the holotape. The tape itself actually has more than just one game on it – there’s six of them.”
“Wait, six? How’s that possible? I didn’t know they could even hold that much.” He beamed even bigger as he looked the game over, wishing he’d brought something to play it on right there. He looked up at Carlos again and reached up to grab him by the collar to tug him down into a deep kiss, lingering for a moment before pulling away again. “Thank you, sweetheart, this is perfect.”
Carlos made a noise of surprise as he was pulled in. His hands came up to hold Hancock’s waist and his eyes fluttered shut as they kissed. When they broke apart, Carlos smiled at him, a little dreamily.
“I’m glad you like it,“ he said softly. He swallowed slightly. “Um, admittedly that holotape is a bit beefier than standard ones. It… it took a little bit finding the right parts to put it together. But I already had the games – my brother was a programmer and he beefed up my Pipboy for me. So… um… yeah.”
“Well…at least you know who you are. That’s a good start,” Joseph returned, releasing a light sigh that revealed just how optimistic he was. Reaching up, the detective shifted his glasses upwards in order to gently rub his eyes – a momentary feeling of weariness creeping up to him. There was no time to sleep, however; there never was in this place. Knowing that the next moment may well be his last did wonders to keep him awake, and the constant adrenaline really got the heart pumping. It was dangerous to stay still for more than a minute, because his body was ready to drop. The moment he let the silence lull him, the less prepared he was for a sudden attack, and he needed to be on high alert at all times.
“I know it’s confusing right now, Carlos,” it was constantly so, and it never stopped, “but I’m afraid it’s going to be like this for a while. This place has the habit of…making you doubt a lot of things.” He knew what it was like first-hand, not knowing whether something was real or not. An hallucination or reality – it was becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference. “I found you wandering down the hallway, speaking to…well, nobody. You asked me where the biology laboratory was, before part of the ceiling fell and knocked you unconscious.” It was clear that the gentleman had lost time, convinced that he was still back home. Some people were more sensitive to the affects of STEM, and refused to transition swiftly – not that they had a choice in the matter.
“I fixed your wound the best I could, so that shouldn’t be too much of a problem now.” Joseph continued in an attempt to reassure his companion. “However, we should keep moving. This building is highly unstable, and the longer we stay here, the higher the risk of getting trapped – or killed.” There was still the possibility of Haunted roaming around, and they needed to find the exit quickly. “I’ll explain more on the way. Are you able to stand up?”
What? What was he talking about? This man seemed high-strung
about something and he was talking about life and getting killed.
“Uh – buh, what?” Carlos asked intelligently. But he quickly
took on a more alert manner. “No, no, wait, what?”
What the hell did he mean by ‘making you doubt things’? And
what place did he mean – the hotel? And Carlos didn’t remember seeing him at
all. He was meeting with some technicians and he was asking a nurse for
directions… Was he on drugs? Was Carlos
on drugs? He didn’t remember taking anything that would cause psychosis.
Something was obviously very wrong.
When asked about it Carlos immediately got up to his feet –
not just to show this other man that he could stand, but he was taking a
defensive stance. “What’s going on?” he asked. “Why did you bring me into a
broken building? What – who are you?”
Was this man a danger? Something had him rattled, clearly, and Carlos wondered
if it was because something was happening or if this man was disturbed in some
way.
“Why not you?” He tilted his head a little with a soft frown.
Was Mr Stark really asking that?
“I… uh, b-because you’re… I mean, I’m just me. And uh… I haven’t been on a date in ages – real or otherwise.”
Tony just shrugged a little and smiled softly to him. “Then I guess you’re over due and no one is just them.”
Carlos laughed nervously. “Compared to you, Mr Stark, I absolutely am ‘just me’.” Carlos still wasn’t convinced that Mr Stark was being serious – at least not about bringing him in on this scheme.
Tony chuckled softly and shook his head a little. “Everyone seems to think I’m this great person. I’m not always.” He replied before he lay a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, have some fun.”
That was because Tony Stark was a great person – especially in Carlos’ book. But he could sense that there might be an argument to be had if Carlos insisted that point so for now he was willing to let it drop.
“What… what is this even about, Mr Stark? What’s the reason for the… pretense?”
“Because I wanted someone to be my ‘partner’ for an event and everyone knows Pep is just my CEO at that point.” He replied and chuckled softly when he watched the other trying to think through his answer. “Just come with me for one night, will be a great time I promise you.”
“I… I don’t doubt it’d be,” Carlos said, which was a lie – he did doubt that he’d get over himself just enough to relax and have a good time. “I guess I just… don’t get it.” He knew he was being difficult, but Carlos couldn’t help it.
“Why not you?” He tilted his head a little with a soft frown.
Was Mr Stark really asking that?
“I… uh, b-because you’re… I mean, I’m just me. And uh… I haven’t been on a date in ages – real or otherwise.”
Tony just shrugged a little and smiled softly to him. “Then I guess you’re over due and no one is just them.”
Carlos laughed nervously. “Compared to you, Mr Stark, I absolutely am ‘just me’.” Carlos still wasn’t convinced that Mr Stark was being serious – at least not about bringing him in on this scheme.
Tony chuckled softly and shook his head a little. “Everyone seems to think I’m this great person. I’m not always.” He replied before he lay a hand on his shoulder. “Come on, have some fun.”
That was because Tony Stark was a great person – especially in Carlos’ book. But he could sense that there might be an argument to be had if Carlos insisted that point so for now he was willing to let it drop.
“What… what is this even about, Mr Stark? What’s the reason for the… pretense?”
The Perfect Scientist 