Do some studies (Tag Tony)

[st_hotflashes]

Liz had a small vial of her own blood she had taken from the infirmary. It reminded her of when she had to take blood from Alex to switch with Max's at the hospital. It seemed like a really long time ago now and Alex... well, Alex was dead.

She pushed the thought away as she rounded toward Mr. Stark's room. She knew he mostly used it for work and she hoped he was working today. She also hoped he would be willing to run some basic tests on her blood.

Liz paused outside his door, then knocked. She briefly wondered if Peter told him what had happened to her. She also wondered if Mr. Stark was aware of how they hadn't been kissing for practically two months and now they were again.

Comments

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“That’s what the Q&A is the for, right?” WALL-E the robot maid approached Liz, offering her a chilled can of sparkling apple juice from its crane-like head. “There’s no limits on my behavior.”

[st_hotflashes]

She smiled to the robot despite it being a robot and thanked it as she picked up the juice. She was thoughtful for a moment, her mind swirling with questions. She suddenly heard herself ask something was perhaps in the back of her mind. "Do you really think I'll be able to get back to your world?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Yes.” The AI answered simply, circling his hands to theatrically conjure a burger. “In some realm of the multiverse.”

[st_hotflashes]

She tilted her head, watching him. "Do you mean yes because some version of me in some version of the Madonna Inn will do it, or do you mean me, specifically."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Could be you specifically. Why shouldn’t it be?” The Tony Stark made of light smiled down at her in inquiry.

[st_hotflashes]

Liz picked up on the 'could be', but decided this was probably how the AI Stark was going to answer most things. It reminded her of the people in books that answered in riddles. "It's going to be." Not that she could truly be certain, but she could at least sound like it. According to Kyle, half of playing any sport was confidence.

She paused, thinking as to whether she should be talking to the AI about certain things or if that meant she should talk to both of them about the same thing. "Did Peter tell you.. that we've um -" She glanced to one of the roombas, slightly embarrassed. "started to kiss again?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“In so many words. How’s that boding?” There were a few things for Liz to see to the enjoyment of no one.

[st_hotflashes]

"It's fine... I mean, well... nothing's happened. I know probably eventually it will and I don't know what to do when it does, but... it's like this weight's been lifted, if that makes sense?" She wasn't even sure if she understood it completely herself. "I know it's constantly on his mind, though..." She paused. "I almost sort of wish it would just happen so Peter wouldn't have to carry around that kind of worry, you know?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Truth finds it way through every crevice. Eventually.” That almost sounded sagely, though the effect was reduced by the projection eating a translucent burger. “I don’t mean to sound flippant. Being made up of 1s and 0s gives one a unique perspective. Don’t take being able to kiss the one you love for granted, though—I can’t even do that.”

[st_hotflashes]

"I don't" It came out quickly from her mouth before she really could temper it. She pressed her lips together a little at her reaction, then glanced down at her hands. She was feeling find now, which meant she didn't have electricity trying to engulf her body for some reason, but the memory of the pain from it could still be remembered. "It was actually really hard respecting Peter's wishes." She had, of course, but it had still been hard. She didn't think she could do it if she suddenly found herself as an AI.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Respect of boundaries is a skill most adults haven't learned. Take some pride in that one." When the pretend-burger was gone, he summoned a glass coke bottle with a straw to sip at. "But hey, it's not all bad. Ran the analysis on your blood earlier. You wanna hear it from me or from me?"

[st_hotflashes]

She paused, trying to decide that. It somehow seemed wrong to pick one or the other. "Does he already know?" She glanced around as if wondering if he had been there all along or something.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“He’s honeymooning. So no.” Enough said.

[st_hotflashes]

She flushed a little, simply with the connotation of 'honeymoon'. "Well.. I don't think I want to disturb him..." And she was desperately trying not to picture it either.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

The AI shrugged. “Question stands. For the record, I have decent bedside manner.”

[st_hotflashes]

She pressed her lips together and nodded. "Okay.. then, yes. I'd like to know."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"You might wanna sit down for this one." The AI gestured and prompted the armor to pull the rolling office chair around for her. "Good news: you're not dying. Well. Not any faster than the rest of you."

[st_hotflashes]

Liz sat and readied herself for some sort of answer. The fact that she wasn't dying was good. "Loki said the fact I was starting to do things could signal changes..." And she was a little worried what that meant exactly.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“You’ve got a funky DNA portrait going on.” The AI flitted a few feet to his right, surrounded by a backdrop of protein sequences. “Did you get a blood transfusion recently?”

[st_hotflashes]

Her brow furrowed for a moment and she shook her head, though he mind raced. She'd been coming back to the same thing for a while now, though she had no way of understanding it.

"When I was home, I got shot. I'd have died, but Max - he healed me using his alien powers."

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

“Uh-huh. That explains it.” Nodding as if he knew it all, Tony’s AI tapped a floating protein and zoomed in. “Your DNA got mixed up with his.”

[st_hotflashes]

She took that in, trying to look like she was okay with the news, but she was quietly freaking out a little. Somehow the idea of Max's DNA mixing with her own felt intrusive and she inexplicably felt guilty.

"Do you... Do you think it's temporary or, am I going to be like this forever?"

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Excellent question." The AI reappeared at Liz's side while the armor approached to set a hand on the young woman's shoulder. The closest thing he had to a physical body, after all. "I could take samples over a period of weeks and monitor for any changes."

[st_hotflashes]

It was definitely a little weird being comforted by a suit of armour, though she appreciated the sentiment. She considered the offer and nodded. "Okay..I should, um. I should know, right? In case things get even weirder or something... or I get sick and regular medicine stops working." Or she started to crave Tabasco sauce.

[st_arkravinghazelnut]

"Loki give you a formal diagnosis?" The armor tapped the top of her head lightly. "You've visited him already, right?"