The Heartbreak Rides [Backdated to Feb 15th]

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

After the Fun House debacle that left Tony Stark thankful that extra-dimensional dimensional lawsuits didn't carry, he was in no hurry to return. However, the thought of missing out on the scant bit of novelty as well as seeing the kids at play was a powerful motivator and so back he was.

The thrum of the sugar pop and the passing cries of those on the alpine echoed in the background where Tony lingered by the gated borders, idly thumbing the face of a foot-long alien-shaped cup filled to the brim with lemonade. God, the sugar. Why did he grab this thing again? Oh, right, sugar therapy. He had promised himself he would only meditate on the homesickly stirring for 10 minutes at most before he regrouped.

Comments

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Kitty's anniversary date with Lara, by contrast, had gone so well. But then most things went well with her and Lara. They were smooth, smooth like silk...or chocolate mousse. Yeah, chocolate silk mousse pie. Sweet, cool, thick, creamy...

Shit. What was she thinking about?

Her face and upper chest flushed and it was a good thing her lust-blown eyes were hidden behind dark glasses, because the guy who'd just left the stand with the hopefully sweet, creamy, banana smoothie she was angling for was none other than Tony Stark.

Eh. Tony wouldn't even notice. So she waved. "Hey you!"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

Tony’s hips swiveled back around for the rest of his body to follow, decorative cup in hand. His eyebrows popped up over his shades in an arc of pleasant surprise at the sight. He’d seen Kitty in everything from PJs to semi-formal but the street ensemble took him off guard somehow. Christ, that’s what being cooped up from civilization for 7 months did to a man.

“Well, well. Small dimension.”

[st_alksthroughwalls]

Tony's expression was hard to read. It seemed like he was surprised, not to see her probably, but something about seeing her. He almost looked like he might be...nah.

"Probably literally," Kitty replied. "Either that or there's some kind of energy barrier in place. Have you ever thought about how weird it is that we can't stay in these alternate dimensions? Even when people have tried, they end up back at the Inn."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"About as weird as everything else." A wry grin spread across his face, gesturing at the merry and otherwise innocuous surroundings. "It's all so suspiciously arbitrary I'm ready to chalk it up to the anthropic principle."

[st_alksthroughwalls]

"Obviously the most sensible explanation, but then who and why...?"

She flashed a grin at Tony, amused that no matter where they happened to be, they didn't seem to be able to avoid investigative or inventive conversation.

"So, seen anything here yet it's worth trying to take back with us?" She really hadn't been looking when she was here with Lara.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Took a few things back I wish I hadn't." A beat, and then Tony shook the liquid-filled alien with a disarming smile, clearly in no rush to recount the story.

"I'd get philosophical and say all we take with us in the end are memories, but I like stuff. Amassed an army of Pikachu at the disk drop game. C'mon." He pointed a foot in the direction of the colorful station, boyishly nodding towards it in anticipation of showing off.