[tony's house]

[anthony_e_stark]

Parties have always been Stark's thing. Since he'd been old enough to enjoy the attention showered on him, he's been fond of them. Can't get enough of 'em. Would throw them for anything. Special event? Good business deal go through? It's Tuesday? Time to party. Birthday parties are doubly so.

Not so much this time, though. Despite having been the lifelong life of the party this is exactly the last place he would like to be right now. That's not a sentiment much of anyone around him would believe - well, mostly. There's at least one person who might've backed him on refusing this shindig. Not that anyone else would listen, even if she yelled again.

Shame, he thinks, staring down at the spiderweb of dark veins radiating out from the arc reactor while his computer screen cheerfully lists his new and improved expiration date. Palladium concentration: 89%. Not like I'm gonna get another one after this.

Comments

[lichfield]

Whoo-hoo, time to roll on this stupid fucking party nobody actually wants. Or at least Stark doesn't want the damn party, and it's his birthday. Nobody asked her though. Or him apparently. Ugh. Anyway. Caroline makes her way into... is this actually his bedroom? It looks weird for a bedroom. Maybe it's a weird rich people thing. Who knows.

Wherever this is, Stark's in here and she's bringing him a box of watches. More rich people shit. She walks in quietly enough that he very obviously does not hear her, because his shirt is open and he's not making any remarks about it. Caroline starts to announce her presence when she notices... what the fuck is that? She pads closer very carefully, trying to get a better look. The gray... she's not sure if they're veins or what, but they lead back to the arc reactor in the middle of his chest. Maybe...

"Is that it?" she asks quietly. "Is something wrong with your arc reactor?"