Dog Days 2: The Doggening

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

The moment his fiancé entered with a plate that reeked of sharp cheddar and spiced meats, it was all Tony could do to hold himself back from darting out from under the red couch and consummating his demands. He still had his superego past all the screaming canine id.

“For me?” His suit sounded off as it welcomed Thor in in his own voice.

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[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“For however long it stays interesting.” Iron Man piped back up, delivering the plate of appetizing goods to his now-canine half.

Tony grunted in affirmation, opening his mouth to receive a slice of cheesy bacon.

[st_ormbreaker]

"Is that healthy for a dog?" Thor asks. Some might argue that it's not healthy for a human, but with Tony's new, diminutive form, he was concerned that the impact might be much greater than it would be if he were in his normal bipedal form. "I don't want you to get sick."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Healthy? No. Harmful? No—in small quantities. Delicious enough to justify it? Yes.” Tony chewed a crispy bit while it was still warm.

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor glances at the heaping plate of meat and cheese with a dubious look, then goes back to scritching Tony behind the ears.

"Don't stray too far from the inn without someone with you," he says. "There are dangerous creatures there. Creatures far more dangerous for a person of your size."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Have you seen me?” Iron Man wagged a sausage over Tony’s nose, making him whine petulantly. “I am clearly a luxury breed. Being hand-fed on the lap of royalty is what I was born for, not scavenging in the woods.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor hums at that, then momentarily dislodges his hand from the dog's significantly fluff to gesture at the Iron Man suit.

"How are you able to speak through that thing, anyway?" It was Tony speaking, wasn't it?

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“What thing?” Iron Man drew back and gestured at himself while Tony shook his head in an effort to break the skin of the sausage. “Me? I’ve always spoken for myself. You know that.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Doesn't explain how it can translate from dog to English." Thor plucks a piece of cheesy bacon from the plate and begins chewing away on it. No way that Tony will be able to finish this all himself.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Simply put? I can't." Iron Man gestured at the dog still possessed with the sausage. "This is all me. Tony Stark. ...Well. His essence. In essence."

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor is perplexed.

"I don't understand."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"He's the original hard drive." Iron Man gestured once again at the Pomeranian patiently. "I'm the back-up. The carbon copy--Wait, did you ever learn your way around e-mails? Alright, scratch that. Direct is best. I'm an A.I. constructed from Tony Stark's consciousness."

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor turns to look at the Iron Man suit. "So you just -- you know what he's thinking?" So this wasn't a translation like Thor expected it to be -- it was one Tony speaking for another.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Considering I'm the summation of every single piece of knowledge, life experience, belief, and miscellaneous thought Tony Stark's ever had? I can make a good faith guess."

His faceplate was directed in Tony's direction, and his shoulders fell in a soundless sigh as he reached for the still-uneaten sausage the dog was now wildly bouncing his head to adjust and tugged it out of his teeth. "Alright, you're killing me here, Me." Iron Man's finger formed a little automated saw, and he sliced off a piece for Tony to more easily chew.

[st_ormbreaker]

"But only up to a certain point," Thor says. It's not a question. "Unless you're getting updates from his head right now."

Thor spins a little finger in the dog's direction as Tonypup begins to scarf down the newly-cut sausage.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Right.” Iron Man put the sausage back on the plate before Tony could demand more, his jaws working to chew what he already had. “Is this weird? I could, you know—assume a more comfortable shape.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"What's weird is thinking that there's two almost-identical Tony Starks out here." Thor glances down at the dog. "Physical differences aside."

Thor runs his hands idly over the Tony pup's fur. "What other shapes do you have?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Iron Man unceremoniously popped his helmet off, walking a few steps as a headless body to set it down on the table beneath a vanity. The dark eyes flickered to life—projecting a holographic image of Tony Stark himself, dressed plainly in his Black Sabbath t-shirt ensemble. The display made Tony’s furry ears prick up.

“There we are.” The image of Tony dusted himself off and pulled the wrinkles out of his shirt, as if he’d just changed clothes.

[st_ormbreaker]

"I still prefer the original," he says, though the hologram is certainly easier on the eyes than than the Iron Man suit is. "How long has Tony had you around?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“You know, I see where you’re coming from, but that smarts coming from the man I love.” The AI half-joked, folding his arms. “Few weeks.”

[st_ormbreaker]

"Just a little side project?" Thor asks, studying the hologram. He can't help but wonder what inspired this particular course of action.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony wriggled off Thor’s lap, hopping down and shaking out his body. He made circles around the hologram, passing through the blue light, holding his head high in keen observation of it.

“Backing up data is the best contingency I got for now, besides being a wise decision in general.” The AI’s eyes followed his dog half. “If something untimely occurs, Tony Stark can be more than just a failed memory.”

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor decides that the hologram is a remarkable facsimile. Still not physical, though.

"Does he believe he's going to die?" he asks, not sure if he should use he or you here.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Both Tony's paused in their nonverbal communication to regard Thor a perplexed look. "...Yes?" The AI paused for the dog to make some sort of statement, though that was a silly thing to do. "Eventually."

[st_ormbreaker]

Thor was thinking more immediately, but he's not going to push the not-quite Tony Stark for answers.

Even though he wants to.

"All creatures die," he says. "Even I will die someday, though I'm not sure when." Provided he found Thanos and survived that and survived using the stones. He knew now that there was still plenty to lose. He just wish he realized that before his last encounter with the Titan.

Maybe then things would have ended differently.

"I think it's something you need to accept." You in general, not the AI or the cute dog Tony, either.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

The Tony Stark made of light and data cupped his chin thoughtfully while the Tony Stark of flesh and fur simply sat at its feet, gazing silently back at the god.

"I could play obtuse and ask, 'and what of it?' I'll acknowledge your point and respectfully add, 'not dying with unfinished business.' If I can help it. And I can. So I will."