And you could have it all - My empire of dirt.

[letmetakeaselfie]

Rhodey is distracting the government types long enough for Tony to hack into the airspace and make sure none of this is being recorded. He loops the moments before the Milano pierces the atmosphere and plays them back, knowing by the time he's out of the system and they figure it out they won't be able to prove it was anything but a technical malfunction. He does all of this from his phone as he stands near the landing pad with Steve flanking his side. He's trying to do things right this time -- no more lone gunslinger act, as Pepper had phrased it.

He looks over his sunglasses at the spaceship as it decompresses, wondering who he's just invited over for dinner. Hopefully they're friendly... When the platform descends it really is just like Close Encounters of the Third Kind. He can't help but geek out a little. He'd technically met space aliens before, and Asgardians, etc. but somehow this is way cooler. "Welcome to Earth and please watch your step, we don't have liability insurance yet."

Comments

[favoredone]

She frowns at the sight of that vulnerability. It can't be helped. They're all clearly carrying terrible burdens. The best she can do is shield those vulnerable hearts from the "siblings and father" that would exploit them to secure their victory.

"My mistake." She very gently reaches out to touch his shoulder in solace, ready to drop her hand the second it seems unwelcome. "We are more alike than I expected." She comments evenly.

[letmetakeaselfie]

He does tense at the touch, but only because it's unexpected. The second he understands it's to comfort him, he relaxes and smiles gently in gratitude. "You took the words right out of my mouth." It's too serious for his tastes, and maybe a little sappy too, so he goes on the same way he always does. Joking is as automatic as breathing when things are this tense. "Though, and this pains me to admit, you have way more fabulous hair than I do. You'll have to hook me up with your stylist."

[favoredone]

She hesitates for a few seconds to work out what a stylist is before settling on it being someone who styles hair. Gamora smiles, unable to resist offering the truth while also teasing the man next to her.

"I don't think Peter will be able to braid your hair."

[letmetakeaselfie]

Tony laughs outright at that, rubbing at the short hairs on the side of his head to concede her point. "Maybe he could've if you guys had showed up a few years ago. I keep it shorter now--gray hair's a bitch." Does her race go gray? Is that ombre natural? He has so many questions.

[favoredone]

Gamora studies his hair carefully. "You should let it go gray. It looks becoming on Nova Prime." She's just saying.

[letmetakeaselfie]

"Nova Prime, huh?" One corner of his mouth twitches upwards. "Pepper does always say she likes it," he admits. Apparent silver foxes aren't just an Earth thing, who knew.