To Be Done After That.
Jun. 14th, 2008 11:10 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
quigonejinnBillionaires own million-dollar pieces of real estate.
1.
When Tony is thirty four, he sells the family house on Central Park. It's a house, not an apartment despite being thirty stories in the air: Howard produced it by combining three half-floor apartments. There's a staircase with lions carved in to the banister and a private roof garden above. Tony outgrew the workshop in his bedroom early, Obadiah explained. It took some period of time to talk the co-op into letting Howard buy the apartment underneath so that Tony could have a shop at home. Three floors. In New York. With a full-frontal view of the reservoir.
"Back then, Tony was tall enough to reach the basement button, but when he was done, he had to stop at the lobby on the way back up to get somebody to push the floor and turn the key."
Tony sells the place to a couple who plan to gut and replace it with something modern and clean as the wife puts it, and when Pepper and the brokers are going through the house on the final walkthrough, Tony declines to come with them. There's some fussing about damage to the shop floor, but the brokers resolve it within the parameters that Pepper has been working with, so everybody comes out of the lowest floor to find Tony standing in front of the glass windows that front onto the Park. All the furniture has been cleared; Tony is wearing one of the light gray suits with a white shirt that has the very faintest of red threads running through it. He has his hands in his pockets and doesn't look up when the husband makes a joke about it being too late for Tony to have seller's regret.
For a moment, Tony has a look on his face that communicates exactly how unfunny he finds the whole thing.
As long as Pepper has worked for Tony, on the exceedingly rare occasions when he needs to stay overnight in New York, he gets a suite at the Plaza.
2.
There was, in addition to the New York home, a place in the Hamptons. Pepper has never been there; in the years she's worked for Tony, he's never gone out there, so she's never gone. She signs off on the checks for the landscaping, the maintenance people. One time, she even looked it up on GoogleMaps, and Rhodey tells her about the place when she mentions it.
Right on the ocean. Great 180 degree views. One summer, he stayed there for a week with Tony when dorms weren't open yet, and the summer leadership program had run its course. There was no reason to fly back to Oregon, and a week was too short to get a job somewhere, so Tony offered a place with him in East Hampton. Plenty of extra bedrooms, a pool with a view of the ocean. They played around in the basement workshop; Rhodey investigated the library and got ahead on his course reading. The housekeeper made them Guatamelan burritos and stored enough in the refrigerator so that they wouldn't starve when she left for the long weekend.
A couple times, they went out in the sailboat at the end of the pier. Rhodey had seen boats go by with women's names or the names like Honest Profit or Shining Breeze.
Howard's was named YH-22.
3.
Pepper lives in a version of Stark employee housing: the house by the ocean is not the only property that Tony has near Malibu. After failing to get Pepper to live in the house proper or move to one of the guest cottages -- "Look, it would be so easy. I could just call you on the house intercom anytime. It would be great," with a little arch in his voice to let her know that he kind of knows how obnoxious he's being, but doesn't care -- they came to a compromise. She will live at a location normally no more than twenty minutes commute, and he'll pay half of the rent. He isn't allowed to show up outside her apartment building, ever, and he's not allowed to call her from the parking lot of the shopping plaza down the street.
"What about the one across the street? Is that OK? If I buy your apartment building, can I visit?"
Pepper barely restrains the urge to hit him.
4.
Tony's last personal assistant left in something of a hurry, so Pepper had to check with Tony on what he wanted to do for the anniversary of his parents' death. They're buried in Westchester County in New York.
"Just get some flowers," Tony said, not turning around from his workbench. He had a soldering gun in one hand and a slab of circuitry in the other and a slightly distracted tone in his voice. "I usually go in the afternoon."
Having worked for Tony for five months at this point, Pepper knows to arrange for the cemetery gates to still be manned past sundown. The last personal assistant did leave behind the name of the florist he usually used, so the bouquet is taken care of with a minimum of pain, but Tony has to be reminded that yes, today is the day they're going to the cemetery. That's why they flew out and are doing the meeting with the R&D guys instead of arranging a teleconference. Then, they have an interview with a reporter from the Washington Post about lobbying by defense firms, and the cemetery is why they can't keep chatting about deep sea fishing and places that Tony has gotten laid. Happy drives them about half a mile into the cemetery, then Tony tells Happy and Pepper that they can stay in the car while he goes the rest of the way himself. He takes the flowers and walks. Bends down and puts the flowers on the grass between the headstones, then stands in the grass for a while. Hands in his pockets.
Years later, Pepper recognizes the way he's standing and looking off at nothing.
Sunset is almost done -- Pepper had booked the visit for three PM -- and sooner than she expects, Tony comes back to the car. He's in his thirties. He's had over a decade to come visit them at this place, and he's a grown man. Pepper brushes away a bit of grass that's blown onto the lapel of his suit. Tony doesn't say anything; the last assistant left a note that Tony wants to be cremated, but hasn't specified what he wants to be done after that.
The car passes through the gates into darkness, going towards the airport. Tony doesn't sleep in New York that night.
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(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-14 03:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 01:18 am (UTC)And yeah. This was prompted by reading a good, but not quite all the way satisfying Tony-visits-the-parents fic. The fic was competently executed, and the ear for the dialogue was very good, but I don't know if I bought into the way the author had Tony expressing his manpain. It was so clear and sensible and logical, y'know? Like the way normal people express manpain.
<3 Thank you so much for the comment, man. Between this and the TONY-DOES-PEPPER-OH-GOD-LOOK-AT-HIS-ASS vid on your LJ, you seriously fixed my morning.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 01:35 am (UTC)ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOTE. I just read
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 07:52 am (UTC)Also, "They throw stuff at the dog because they can't throw stuff at themselves" is perfect imagery, but in IM it would translate into Tony just sorta wingin' stuff at Pepper with 0 effort from the couch.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 01:31 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-14 04:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 01:18 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-14 04:30 pm (UTC)For a moment, Tony has a look on his face that communicates exactly how unfunny he finds the whole thing.
and
A couple times, they went out in the sailboat at the end of the pier. Rhodey had seen boats go by with women's names or the names like The Honest Profit or Shining Breeze.
Howard's was named the YH-22.
and
"What about the one across the street? Is that OK? If I buy your apartment building, can I visit?" HA!
and
Years later, Pepper recognizes the way he's standing and looking off at nothing.
because they're all such concise, wonderful moments of characterization. Like, characterization distilled to its essence. Lovely.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 01:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 02:24 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-14 09:22 pm (UTC)Okay, so clearly all I needed to get re-motivated about Lolita in the desert was for you to flesh out your amazing idea about all Tony's properties. AND ABOUT HOW FUCKING MUCH I LOVE YOU. AND ABOUT HOW DEEP HIS MANPAIN GOES. DEEPER THAN EVER PEPPER SUSPECTS.
And aaaaaarhg cremated. YOU ARE KILLING ME HERE. Now I have this image of Pepper looking at the little pot of his ashes, just sitting on a clerk's desk somewhere, and she's standing in front of it trying to bring up one of his annoying expressions in her mind, but just the urn is there, plain and beige, and obliterating everything.
"plain and beige"?
Date: 2008-06-14 10:22 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 12:50 am (UTC)SCORE. MISSION FUCKING ACCOMPLISHED. :D :D :D
And oh God. The idea of Pepper looking at Tony's ashes. I mean, I'm trying to write the fic where Tony comes back from Afghanistan dead? (Found behind that rock, massive chest wound, but either right before or shortly after, while he was bleeding out, two 9MM rounds to the top of the head), and yeah. Cremated. You should stop encouraging me with she's standing in front of it trying to bring up one of his annoying expressions in her mind.
DDDD:
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 02:25 am (UTC)gah. That would kill me.
HOMES
Date: 2008-06-14 10:09 pm (UTC)Tony doesn't say anything;
The way you connect his silence to his thoughts about his own mortality: AAAGH. MY SOUL. That is the most beautiful semicolon I will ever, ever see.
(In my head, Tony Stark's Will has him buried in a city powerplant or something, because he wants that reactor in his chest to continue to be put to good use, but everyone would feel really weird about yanking it out of him, even if he's dead.)
Re: HOMES
Date: 2008-06-15 12:53 am (UTC)Coherent comment to follow at a later date, but for now. has him buried in a city powerplant or something, because he wants that reactor in his chest to continue to be put to good use, but everyone would feel really weird about yanking it out of him, even if he's dead
That is a motherfucking cool idea. In my head, after he starts getting the suit and getting a mission in life beyond becoming even more motherfucking rich (OH GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE NOBODY THOUGHT OF THAT AU YOU PROPOSED BEFORE HOLY SHIT), Tony gets OK enough with the vacancy and the loneliness and stuff that he's willing to be buried with his parents.
God, off to read your fic and stare at the art again.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-14 10:43 pm (UTC)But he doesn't, he really doesn't need to be reminded, and oh, this whole thing is laced with Tony being passive, and watching Pepper recognize this as a bad sign is (can you guess what I'm going to say next? I bet you totally can't) breeeeeaking my heart. I love how manage to define Tony by everyone around him, from Pepper to recognizing the far off look as being something more than distraction, to Rhodey picking up on the little things, to the past assistants who leave notes that manage to define Tony more completely than any number of magazine profiles.
And fricking this:
"Back then, Tony was tall enough to reach the basement button, but when he was done, he had to stop at the lobby on the way back up to get somebody to push the floor and turn the key."
That's Obie, right? Fucking Obie knows and tells all the Adorable-Tony-as-a-kid stories and oh my fucking OWCH.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 01:09 am (UTC)Yeah, it's Obie. OBIE. WHO KNOWS TONY BETTER THAN ANYONE. AND HATES HIM. AND TRIES TO KILL HIM. AND TONY HAS TO LIVE WITH IT. I mean. God. It's such fertile ground to write about, and Tonyyyyy. I'm going to embarrass my sister tonight when we go catch the 10PM showing of Iron Man. :D
More importantly, though, shit .
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 02:26 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 02:48 am (UTC)Howard's was named YH-22.
NnghjfdghdkYES. Seriously, oh god. My heart. [insert clutching motion here] I just love how sharp and biting and oh-so-ohgod-real this is (LIKE EVERYTHING YOU WRITE. JESUS.) - Tony Stark and his manpain, as viewed by _______.
I'm so not coherent enough to give this the feedback this deserves, but in general: YESSSSS.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 03:15 pm (UTC)This will, I suspect, be my theme for the next six months or so. Minimum. I am so utterly fascinated by this. And all the different ways to show his manpain. And all the different ways to source his manpain.
*sings a song of sixpence and Obadiah fucking Tony on his 21st birthday*
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-17 04:44 am (UTC)BLESS YOU. Six months of awesome for me to shamelessly slobber all over.
This will, I suspect, be my theme for the next six months or so.
Augh, the more I think about it the more and more likely it seems. I mean it depends on when Obadiah decided he really did want to whack Tony, but even if he hadn't come to the decision that he was going to off the kid... Tony turning twenty-one is definitely the end of one era and the beginning of another, as much if not moreso than the transition between being Tony Stark, son of Howard Stark to Tony Stark, the Orphan Heir Apparent.
And, you know, eras. They're always marked with hot manpain-er-iffic sex.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 03:02 am (UTC)Howard's was named YH-22.
I really like this. Also, the elevator story. I just love watching people go nuts for a new fandom, and you guys in IRON MAN fandom -- you being a standout -- are doing such a great job of that.
Maybe it's that I'm so used to the Five Things gimmick, but I really expected there to be a #5 involving the disposition of Obadiah's property.
My bet is that Obadiah changed his will recently. Tony is still named, but there's now a thoughtful, detailed clause to the effect of what to do if Obadiah's heir predeceases him.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 03:13 pm (UTC)and
My bet is that Obadiah changed his will recently. Tony is still named, but there's now a thoughtful, detailed clause to the effect of what to do if Obadiah's heir predeceases him.
FUCK.
Seriously.
FUCK.
Pardon the string of profanity, but I totally hadn't even thought of that. And that would be so amazing. Seriously. It would unutterably, unspeakably, brain-bollixing amazing. Tony, in that crazy, overstuffed Orient-lite mansion that Obadiah has. And how it contrasts to his own, scrupulously modern place by the sea. And. Oh Jesus. *cradles head* Oh my God. I can't even deal with it. And the personal shit would go to Tony, wouldn't it, because Obadiah wouldn't want to raise any eyebrows since he and Tony share an estate planning law firm. And.
That is an amazing idea.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 11:31 pm (UTC)That is an amazing idea.
Feel free to do something with it, if you like.
The biggest trick would be getting Tony to deal with it. Pepper would have to work on him; post-movie, Obadiah is probably on the long list of things that Tony Stark does not want to talk about, ever; he probably refuses to admit that he ever loved Obadiah at all.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 03:22 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-15 03:09 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-16 12:56 pm (UTC)"Back then, Tony was tall enough to reach the basement button, but when he was done, he had to stop at the lobby on the way back up to get somebody to push the floor and turn the key."
I know everyone else has quoted this already but every time you come out with these little bitty stories about tiny!Tony, it just breaks my heart so hard. Especially because Obadiah is the one telling them, and there's this reminder that when the last person in your family (extended, accumulated, or other) who remembers you as a child dies, this whole part of you dies with them-- that wealth of stories of you from outside, when you were small. Especially because I sense that Tony doesn't tell these stories himself because he has an aversion to putting himself on the freak pedestal-- but when Obie does it, it's different, there's a form of affection there and a tie to his parents. GAH.
He isn't allowed to show up outside her apartment building, ever, and he's not allowed to call her from the parking lot of the shopping plaza down the street.
The fact that this has to be explained, and that Tony continues pushing to see where exactly the boundaries are, say SO MUCH about him.
Years later, Pepper recognizes the way he's standing and looking off at nothing.
AAAAARRGH. Man, you have just referenced that look he gets at the press conference, I swear you did, and it breaks my heart every time and ARGH.
He's in his thirties. He's had over a decade to come visit them at this place, and he's a grown man.
Ow ow ow ow ow.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-16 07:06 pm (UTC)Yeah, I think that (like everything from Nostradamus to chicken eggs) came up in one of the DOOMTHREADS. And I was thinking about it some more today, and I realized that now that Obadiah is dead, the only record of Tony's childhood left outside his head has to be those retard articles his Dad pimped him out for.
And you know Tony doesn't read those. And that makes me so wretchedly sad.
AAAAARRGH. Man, you have just referenced that look he gets at the press conference, I swear you did, and it breaks my heart every time and ARGH.
Why, indeed, I was trying to. :D Although he might be sitting during the particular moment I'm thinking of. All I remember is the overwhelming :LKDJF:LKDJF TONES. OH MY DARLING. paired with this shot of RDJ's little face.
And, also, trying to tie it back to when he's selling his childhood home. She sees him do that then; she sees him do it on his parents' grave, and she finally puts a proper name to it when post-Afghanistan Tony gets up on the podium.
I'm listening to Cat Power's rendition of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," and man. I want to write so much emo tiny!Tony.
(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-17 12:11 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-17 05:20 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-20 04:51 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2008-06-28 12:01 am (UTC)