driftfleet | Try Catching Flootemon with your Communicator!

[he smiles a bit wryly] I have a feeling I know what reactions you mean. But I'm not much for that. [that's what happens when you shut out the world for years; you don't care about the politics of it much. Russia was complicated anyway.

He picks up on the teasing and the grin widens, and he murmurs his thanks for the skewers before answering] Just a little.

[Natasha returns his expression. There'd be a lot of bringing him up to speed if she explained. His reaction was interesting though. So she just says,] In my experience, most Americans don't even know where that is.

[Her tone is still light as she says it.]

I've spent a lot of time in New York myself, though. Mostly there and DC.

Heh, that's true. [a bit sheepishly] I guess I could use the excuse I'm a scientist, but really I just know a lot of - random things. Foreign cities and where they are is one of them.

[again, he lights up a bit at the mention of DC] I worked there for a while after I graduated college.

A scientist, huh? [That could be why he reminds her a little bit of Bruce—only a little, and only in ways, but there's a certain commonality there.] Being curious about things like that and interested enough to remember them can't hurt in that line of work.

There's a lot of work for scientists in that area.

Mm, I'm a geneticist. Or - I was. I'm a teacher now. [but old habits die hard and he does more of his old work lately than any actual teaching. That was for back home] No, it doesn't hurt. I haven't traveled as much as some, so I tend to read a lot - it just sort of sticks.

[a nod] They were in demand when I was job-hunting. Though - ah, to be fair, that was in the 60s, too. It's still like that?

I'm no scientist, but from where I stand? I'd say there's probably more demand now than there was fifty years ago.

[he can't say he's surprised. He's heard some interesting things about the future]

Is that a good thing or a bad thing? I've heard - ah, of some things in different futures that would call for that.

I don't think I'd call it good or bad in itself. Isn't that how it is? Always a little of column A and a little of column B?

[She smiles a little ruefully and tips her head.]

It all depends which future is yours.

Well - mm, that's true enough.

[talking about the future is always a funny thing, considering that they'd changed the outcome that was once supposed to be theirs. It was up in the air now, something they were building from scratch and he had no idea where it would go. Just where he knew he and everyone else wanted to see it go]

Have you heard much about what happens in the future? Or is telling people about that against the rules around here.

[It probably ought to be, all things considered.]

Some things. History-wise, I sort of avoid that on principle, but things like - ah, the internet or cell phones I've heard a lot about.

[he makes a considering noise, then:] There are people here from a - version? Of our future, and I've heard some things regarding that, but - it's either years away or it won't happen.

I won't tell you about the alien invasion then.

[She says it archly, teasing. She's joking.

She's probably joking?

It's actually hard to say if she's joking. But she definitely finds it funny. Her expression falls a little after that, though.]

Different versions of the future, different versions of the same people. I've run into a little of that.

[he. He doesn't even look surprised]

Are you from one of the worlds with superheroes?

[because the last time he heard about an alien invasion, superheroes were involved. And - well, his world counts, but he still doesn't think of them that way.

His lips quirk, wry and understanding]

I have too. People who know me - an older me - but I have no idea who they are, mostly.

Something like that. I don't know that everyone would say superheroes, though. A few of them are around here.

[She catches that expression, mirroring it subtly.]

If they're from the future, that would make sense. So they hear you're here and expect an old man?

It's the most general word I can think of - since "people with powers" doesn't apply to everyone. Can I ask who they are?

[he can't help but huff, sounding just a little bit offended]

I don't know if they expect someone middle-aged or older than that, but I get a lot of teasing for looking as young as I do. [a pause] And they expect me to look different, too.

There's a lot worse things to be than younger than people expect.

And you can ask. [Natasha isn't trying to hide who she knows or who she is, but she still shows a little hesitation. There are too many people here who know the truth to control the narrative any other way.] You know Captain America? Iron Man—they're both running around here.

Mm, I've experienced some - worse things. There's an evil version of me out there that I've heard about.

[over in the darkest timeline. Hank understands the hesitation, but he does perk up at the mention of Captain America - now that he knew who it was. He grins a little] I'm friends with Steve. And - I've heard of Iron Man? I don't think I've met him. [or he has and he never got Tony's name]

That's got to be rough. [And weird. All things considered though, Natasha wouldn't be surprised if there were an evil version of her out there. Hopefully it never came to that.]

Tony Stark? He tends to make an impression. Not surprised you're friends with Steve, though. He's easy to be friends with. [Most of the time.]

Mm, it made things a little awkward at first. But it hasn't come up since. [it's absolutely weird, and no one could quite believe it to be true, despite the reactions and the stories. Sometimes he still can't, and yet he wouldn't hesitate to throw his double out an airlock if they ever showed up]

He might've been the guy I spoke with who never gave me a name. [the smile widens] He's a good guy. That means you know Winter and Vision as well, right? And - I believe her name is Wanda?

Wanda, yes. [Small world, isn't it? Or small fleet, at least.] Sounds like you know just about everyone then.

[it's definitely a small fleet]

We seem to end up talking to one another sooner or later.

Doesn't sound like that's been a bad thing for the most part.

They're pretty easy to get along with.

Not at all. They've all been very kind.

Yeah.

[She smiles slightly, eyebrows raised slightly.]

So what about you? Sounds like you're old hat at the superhero thing.

Me? Uh - no, not really. I mean - we were part of a group and all, but it's not - the same as the other ones I've heard of. Or even the one in the other, similar worlds.

I'm a mutant, though, and that comes with - powers and abilities.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject