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tamingthemuseTitle: Room for Improvement
Fandom: Exalted/Iron Man
Prompt: Perfume
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Summary: After falling into a trap, the first order of business it to find out where you are. But, if where you are makes no sense, then what are you supposed to do? Traveling to the future is easy, just fall asleep, right? Waking up to a whole different world is harder. Luckily, Tony Stark can adapt to any environment.
Just outside the immediate area, the trees thinned and the air ship floated lazily over their heads. Inordinately pleased, Tony breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. He pulled his helm from his head and smiled. “Finally,” he said, walking forward.
White Song’s hand shot out and wrapped around his forearm, stalling him. He then noticed what she had. There was a small camp set up just under the boat, a few men sprawled out in relaxation. One of the men was none other than the same man that had been hunting them since the beginning. Tony cursed and dropped down to his knee, glaring at the man.
“How the hell?”
White Song crouched next to him and shook her head. “Look,” she said, pointing up at the boat. The bow was facing them and Iron Dust, his white hair gleaming in the low light of the setting sun, was standing next to another man. The man was wore a cowl and had his face in shadows. He was much taller than Iron Dust, but that wasn’t really saying much. They both stood easily, with no weapons in sight.
“What’s going on?”
White Song pressed her lips to his ear to whisper, “Stay here, I’ll go up there and find out.”
He shook his head. “What if it’s a trap?”
She smiled at him that smile that made him feel stupid, as if he was naught but a baby compared to her great wisdom. Which was ridiculous. He was the smartest man he knew.
“It’s not.” She shifted away from him and all but disappeared as she shrank down into a brown dove. He gaped at her, something clicking in the back of his mind as he remembered the first few days in this world and that bird that would follow them whenever White Song wasn’t with them.
She fluttered around the branches of the tree a moment before darting out toward the air boat. She disappeared around behind the thing. It was only because Tony was watching Iron Dust so closely that he him see White Song’s arrival. Without stopping their conversation, Iron Dust urged the other man back into the inside of the ship. The other man went inside first, and allowed Iron Dust a mere moment to look around, at the ground and at the trees, his eyes searching until he finally spotted Tony hidden away.
Tony did a two finger salute and he saw tension he hadn’t notice until it was gone leaving Iron Dust’s shoulders. That man was an impeccable actor, Tony thought with a smile. He could give Natasha a run for her money. Iron Dust followed the man into the ship, and Tony turned his attention back to the men camped out under the air boat.
The Dragon Blooded was still dressed in his armor as he lounged on the ground, his head propped up on a saddle. Tony couldn’t tell from this distance, but it seemed as if he were dozing in the shadow cast by the air boat. The other men of the group were busy either cleaning weapons or tending to the animals. Clearly, the Dragon Blooded lived up to his princely status. Tony could bet his bottom dollar that the man was pampered by his court and his retainers. With a nod of recognition, Tony admitted that the Dragon wasn’t unlike himself. Well, as he had been. Before everything, before Iron Man. Maybe to just before coming here. Spoiled.
Who was he kidding? Tony was still spoiled. He grinned and glanced back up at the boat. White Song was leaning against the gunwale, her hair flowing in the wind, eyes on him. When she saw him looking, she waved him forward. For a moment, Tony froze, his heart in his throat. This man standing between him and the boat had tried to kill not only him, but Iron Dust and White Song. He had been hunting them for months and miles. And while, really, Tony wasn’t afraid of him, he just didn’t trust his armor to hold out against another one on one with another Exalt.
White Song made a face at him, and Tony stood. He stepped over the last barrier between himself and the Hunt. As soon as he felt vulnerable, the Dragon Blooded sat up and faced him. He stood and rested his hand on the sword on his hip. With only a quick glance at White Song, Tony walked forward. He kept his eyes on the Dynast.
He came forward to meet Tony, and they stood face to face for a long tense moment, breathing each other’s air. He could see the anger and hatred in the man’s pale blue eyes. His jaw worked as he bit back his anger. Tony smiled, slow and condescendingly. The Dynast all but twitched.
“So,” Tony started, making his tone as agreeable as he could, the same tone that he used when getting under Pepper’s skin. “We’re now BFF’s.”
The anger quickly turned into confusion, and Tony rolled his eyes at himself. “Yeah, right, that doesn’t translate. We’re going to be pals, now. Our bosses are teaming up.”
The man’s eyes flickered up at the underside of the boat. “He’s not my boss.”
“Sure he’s not.”
The man took a deep, loud breath, and his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. Tony held out his hand. “Iron Man.” He looked down at Tony’s offered hand with a curl to his lip.
“Iron Man,” Iron Dust called, having climbed down from the boat while the two of them were facing off. Tony immediately turned to him, smiling and holding his arms out.
“Long time no see.”
Iron Dust arched his brows at him. “Indeed.” He turned to motion at the man climbing down the ladder, his cloak swirling around his heels. “I want to introduce to someone.” He walked away, expecting Tony to follow him.
Tony turned to the Dragon Blooded. He brought his hand to his face, making a gesture. “What moisturizer do you use? Your skin is so smooth, I’m almost jealous. Is it honey? I’ve heard honey works wonders. And your perfume won’t have to be so thick to cover up the smell of your own body odor.” The man turned to follow Tony with his eyes. Tony smirked at him as he followed Iron Dust.
By the time he had turned to face Iron Dust, the other man had arrived. He had one hand on Iron Dust’s shoulder and was whispering furiously in his ear. Iron Dust was shaking his head, clear yellow eyes on Tony. They stopped talking when Tony stepped up to them, his own brows arched in question.
“Lost Path,” Iron Dust said, “I want you to meet my Exalted brother, Guardian of Kindled Fires.”
The Guardian shoved back his cowl to greet Tony. Whatever Iron Dust said after that, Tony didn’t hear, because the blood was rushing in his ears, his heart dropping to his stomach. He fought for his breath a long moment, long enough that both the men looked at him in concern. Tony opened his mouth twice before he could force words out. “Yensin.” Even to his ears his voice sounded thin and weak.
Fandom: Exalted/Iron Man
Prompt: Perfume
Warnings: none
Rating: PG
Summary: After falling into a trap, the first order of business it to find out where you are. But, if where you are makes no sense, then what are you supposed to do? Traveling to the future is easy, just fall asleep, right? Waking up to a whole different world is harder. Luckily, Tony Stark can adapt to any environment.
Just outside the immediate area, the trees thinned and the air ship floated lazily over their heads. Inordinately pleased, Tony breathed a sigh of relief at the sight. He pulled his helm from his head and smiled. “Finally,” he said, walking forward.
White Song’s hand shot out and wrapped around his forearm, stalling him. He then noticed what she had. There was a small camp set up just under the boat, a few men sprawled out in relaxation. One of the men was none other than the same man that had been hunting them since the beginning. Tony cursed and dropped down to his knee, glaring at the man.
“How the hell?”
White Song crouched next to him and shook her head. “Look,” she said, pointing up at the boat. The bow was facing them and Iron Dust, his white hair gleaming in the low light of the setting sun, was standing next to another man. The man was wore a cowl and had his face in shadows. He was much taller than Iron Dust, but that wasn’t really saying much. They both stood easily, with no weapons in sight.
“What’s going on?”
White Song pressed her lips to his ear to whisper, “Stay here, I’ll go up there and find out.”
He shook his head. “What if it’s a trap?”
She smiled at him that smile that made him feel stupid, as if he was naught but a baby compared to her great wisdom. Which was ridiculous. He was the smartest man he knew.
“It’s not.” She shifted away from him and all but disappeared as she shrank down into a brown dove. He gaped at her, something clicking in the back of his mind as he remembered the first few days in this world and that bird that would follow them whenever White Song wasn’t with them.
She fluttered around the branches of the tree a moment before darting out toward the air boat. She disappeared around behind the thing. It was only because Tony was watching Iron Dust so closely that he him see White Song’s arrival. Without stopping their conversation, Iron Dust urged the other man back into the inside of the ship. The other man went inside first, and allowed Iron Dust a mere moment to look around, at the ground and at the trees, his eyes searching until he finally spotted Tony hidden away.
Tony did a two finger salute and he saw tension he hadn’t notice until it was gone leaving Iron Dust’s shoulders. That man was an impeccable actor, Tony thought with a smile. He could give Natasha a run for her money. Iron Dust followed the man into the ship, and Tony turned his attention back to the men camped out under the air boat.
The Dragon Blooded was still dressed in his armor as he lounged on the ground, his head propped up on a saddle. Tony couldn’t tell from this distance, but it seemed as if he were dozing in the shadow cast by the air boat. The other men of the group were busy either cleaning weapons or tending to the animals. Clearly, the Dragon Blooded lived up to his princely status. Tony could bet his bottom dollar that the man was pampered by his court and his retainers. With a nod of recognition, Tony admitted that the Dragon wasn’t unlike himself. Well, as he had been. Before everything, before Iron Man. Maybe to just before coming here. Spoiled.
Who was he kidding? Tony was still spoiled. He grinned and glanced back up at the boat. White Song was leaning against the gunwale, her hair flowing in the wind, eyes on him. When she saw him looking, she waved him forward. For a moment, Tony froze, his heart in his throat. This man standing between him and the boat had tried to kill not only him, but Iron Dust and White Song. He had been hunting them for months and miles. And while, really, Tony wasn’t afraid of him, he just didn’t trust his armor to hold out against another one on one with another Exalt.
White Song made a face at him, and Tony stood. He stepped over the last barrier between himself and the Hunt. As soon as he felt vulnerable, the Dragon Blooded sat up and faced him. He stood and rested his hand on the sword on his hip. With only a quick glance at White Song, Tony walked forward. He kept his eyes on the Dynast.
He came forward to meet Tony, and they stood face to face for a long tense moment, breathing each other’s air. He could see the anger and hatred in the man’s pale blue eyes. His jaw worked as he bit back his anger. Tony smiled, slow and condescendingly. The Dynast all but twitched.
“So,” Tony started, making his tone as agreeable as he could, the same tone that he used when getting under Pepper’s skin. “We’re now BFF’s.”
The anger quickly turned into confusion, and Tony rolled his eyes at himself. “Yeah, right, that doesn’t translate. We’re going to be pals, now. Our bosses are teaming up.”
The man’s eyes flickered up at the underside of the boat. “He’s not my boss.”
“Sure he’s not.”
The man took a deep, loud breath, and his hand tightened on the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. Tony held out his hand. “Iron Man.” He looked down at Tony’s offered hand with a curl to his lip.
“Iron Man,” Iron Dust called, having climbed down from the boat while the two of them were facing off. Tony immediately turned to him, smiling and holding his arms out.
“Long time no see.”
Iron Dust arched his brows at him. “Indeed.” He turned to motion at the man climbing down the ladder, his cloak swirling around his heels. “I want to introduce to someone.” He walked away, expecting Tony to follow him.
Tony turned to the Dragon Blooded. He brought his hand to his face, making a gesture. “What moisturizer do you use? Your skin is so smooth, I’m almost jealous. Is it honey? I’ve heard honey works wonders. And your perfume won’t have to be so thick to cover up the smell of your own body odor.” The man turned to follow Tony with his eyes. Tony smirked at him as he followed Iron Dust.
By the time he had turned to face Iron Dust, the other man had arrived. He had one hand on Iron Dust’s shoulder and was whispering furiously in his ear. Iron Dust was shaking his head, clear yellow eyes on Tony. They stopped talking when Tony stepped up to them, his own brows arched in question.
“Lost Path,” Iron Dust said, “I want you to meet my Exalted brother, Guardian of Kindled Fires.”
The Guardian shoved back his cowl to greet Tony. Whatever Iron Dust said after that, Tony didn’t hear, because the blood was rushing in his ears, his heart dropping to his stomach. He fought for his breath a long moment, long enough that both the men looked at him in concern. Tony opened his mouth twice before he could force words out. “Yensin.” Even to his ears his voice sounded thin and weak.
