Who: Tony Stark, Aedan Vael, Meghan Vael When: Current Where: Craigcrook Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland What: Tony's over at the castle with a migraine avoiding his own home and a jackhammer on the street outside. Meghan comes home from school and chats a bit. She's been thinking Tony's upset about something she said when she first arrived, which is not actually the case. Tea and toast happens. Rating/Warnings: Status: Complete
Tony's visiting the Vaels. Or to be more exact, he asked Calum what Hogamany (Hogmanay?) was, admitted to A: the jackhammer down the street, B: his migraine, and well -
He was invited. It's fine. He doesn't have to be sociable. Admittedly, the cat slept on his back and Noah left him a mug of tea before heading off for his own nap and apologized for texting his husband while he was in the room.
Meghan’s heading back from a half day at this universe’s answer to a prison for childen, and is already tugging off her uniform tie and shoving it into her blazer pocket as she heads into the house before draping it over the coatrack. She’d slip it into the closet, but it probably wants washing so she’ll swap it out with the spare one later, and if she loses the tie, well that’s perfectly fine with her.
She doesn’t see the need to make a real fuss about the whole uinform, since it isn’t that bad. Neutral dark charcoal blazer with the school crest, dark skirt or trousers, and a collared shirt in either white or a pale blue or grey and the aforementioned tie, in the school plaid. There’s also the option of a skirt done up in the plaid, and kilts for the boys for the rare two or three times a year there’s an assembly requiring something so fancy as all that, but that’s maybe the advancement ceremonies at the end of the spring term, before summer holidays, and distinguished alumni visits. While, technically, she COULD wear the plaid skirt at any point in time, no one really DOES, so she hasn’t bothered with it either. The ties though? Meghan would make a HUGE protest about those if she thought it would do ANY good.
At the moment, though, she’s content just to rid of that, and sighing in DEEP relief as she heads through the rest of the house toward the kitchen. Tea would be fantastic right now, and she needs to grab the fish oil to make Smoke’s afternoon meal. As she’s passing through, she blinks a little, spotting someone in the other room.
Hmm? No one had mentioned anyone coming around.
Gomez is curled up, looking content in a sunbeam beside - that's Tony Stark, sprawled out on the couch there, with a phone and a cup that probably had tea in it. He looks - dimly awake, petting the cat's ears, but definitely not that coherent yet. He's wearing a t-shirt with "2019 Pride" on it, and some jeans.
Aedan’s heading in from the barn about now, when he spots Meghan, and then Tony, and Tony’s closer from the door he was using ,so he steps around there, first, offering Gomez a finger to sniff. “Hello, Gomez. Hey Tony.” He adds. “You feeling any better?”
“He’s ill?” That gets Meghan’s attention and she’s dropping her school bag on the end table nearest her and crossing around. “Uncle Cal mentioned you were sometimes poorly with headaches like Doctor Combeferre’s, Ser Tony. I can help you, if you’d like. Some of what I know has helped my...has helped Sebastian.” She corrects quickly, lest she let something else slip that isn’t quite true yet. Sebastian may be her uncle by blood, but...well.
At least she’s glad she’s helped the man. Maybe she can help Tony too. “I can get my basket of things if you’d like.”
"Basket of -" Tony sits up and winces as he gets upright. "Hey, Aedan. Sorry, Gomez." Gomez resettles sitting on his hand and sniffs Aedan's hand curiously. "Hey, Meghan. I am feeling a little - they're doing construction stuff on my street, and Calum offered that here'd be quieter. Didn't you just get back from school? It's a school day, right? Do you need to eat or something first?"
“Och construction.” Meghan makes a face. “Not a pretty thing to be having in the midst of a headache. OR a brilliant way to cause one. And I was about to put something on for tea, but we could all have a cup while we talk all this out. I’ve just got to change before I go outside for...things. Skirts and the barn aren’t good and well.” She cringes a bit. “I don’t much fancy explaining to my father or to Sebastian or Uncle Cal about how mine got mucked up so bad it’s only fit for wearing here now. “
Aedan frowns at that. “Not saying it’s comfortable to go to the barn in a dress shirt and that skirt of yours and strappy shoes, but it’s not as though...you’d not be in any trouble for it. And even if you were, they’d not…”
“I just don’t want to go taking chances.” Meghan shakes her head firmly. “I owe them enough for the fact they’re paying all the fees and all of this. Throwing it in their faces...I could never. You know how that’d have gone at home. Anyway.” She pushes some loose hair off her forehead. “Can I make some tea for you while I’m up? Either one of you, that is. Smoke can wait a little for me.”
Then she glances at Tony, and frowns. “Ah...forget you heard that last part?”
"Secrets are weird, but I can try." Tony stretches his back. "Can you point me toward tea stuff? I'm headachey and a mess, but I could try to help out. I brought over some stuff as a thank you thing, so we could raid a bit of that, if you'd like. If we find the box. What's the herb stuff you were talking about? I need to be careful of things that makes my - uh - heart slower? Slows down blood flow?"
He's pretty sure there's stuff like that in herbs, and while he'd sooner not get a nice cup of "you'll rue the day you drank this bitter mess" it's probably not going to hurt him as long as he's careful.
“He’s…” Meghan smiles, a little awkwardly. “I don’t want them to find out and take him away, you ken what I mean? When you’ve got something that brightens the day and..actually knowing what you do, I’d no be very surprised if yours was a robot or bit of technology you created.” She looks thoughtful. “Thank you for, for keeping it. And as for my tricks up my sleve and my potions, I thought I might make up something just for you. Ginger, for any stomach pains or nausea, Lavender to soothe. Calendula for some of the pain?”
"First two would be fine, I'm sure, last one, I've got no clue if it's okay." Tony hesitates and taps his chest. "I've got some missing bones here, and my heart's kind of hurt. It's - stable? But that's why I'm worried. And hey, I get it? It's just - secrets are weird things. Aedan sounds like he knows about it, I'm guessing."
“Heart things…” Meghan’s tapping her forehead a moment. “Best be sure about that so I can grab one of my herbals to have a look before I mix it. Maybe a bit of peppermint as well…” And she’s nodding at Aedan.
“Aye, so he does. Smoke lives in the stables with his horses, so he and Hans were bound to find out.” Meghan grins a little. “And Aedan’s helped when he...when I needed stitches when we were getting used to each other.” She looks thoughtful. “Anything else that I can maybe help you with?”
"Stitches, huh? I'd say tell people about what's up, but - that's me for you. Tea and something with it like some toast wouldn't be awful. Sure you want me just to stay here while you'd do that?" Tony's smiling at her. "And if you want to take care of Smoke, I can wait."
“Aye well.” Meghan nods slowly. “I’d see the point but I was…” she shrugs. “I didn’t want them knowing I was a bit stupid and got hurt. Then I’d have to explain it and I don’t...It’s hard to think of that. You make a lot of sense when it’s someone with a reaction that you’ve got some knowledge of. But worth thinking over. ANd tea and toast I can do. He can wait a bit, too. He got his breakfast today and that wasnae too small at that.”
“I’ll help.” Aedan says, stepping around to grab a few things. Meghan’s taller, so she’s reaching the teacups down from a taller shelf.
“Flavor preferences?” Meghan asks now, turning. “We’re fairly drowning in most of it.”
"I'd say surprise me, but I suppose with Noah that you get various things in the bread bin?" Tony looks thoughtful.
Aedan laughs. “That too. He brought home a chocolate and cinnamon one that’s good and there was a glaze on it that’s nice and still at the edges, and one with apple and a nice sourdough…” He steps around to get out the loaves and a slicer.
“And for teas we’ve got the chocolate orange, an apricot and vanilla mint. And some chamomile and this pumpkin spiced bit.” Meghan lifts them down. “And of course the usual black, green and white. “
She’s going for the largest mugs they have. A little inappropriate for tea, when they seem to be for coffee, but if no one out there will know… These have owls and foxes and squirrels near a tree and sitting on piles of fallen leaves.
“Ser Noah found these and brought them home.” She explains. “They’re cute and roomy.”
"Sounds lovely. I'd say - black? I'm getting potential potion stuff at some point, right, and - I guess apple or sourdough. Stomach gets a little crabby sometimes when I have headaches like this." Tony leans on the counter. "Those are lovely. I can't picture Noah buying mugs. I mean, I don't know him well, but he seems so serious."
“He’s not so much actually.” Aedan says. “Not all the time at least. Likes cute things and brightly colored ones and is...a bit of a nerd when you get down to it. Which I’ve actually been trying to convince my cousin of.”
“It’s hard to see it.” Meghan looks thoughtful. “He’s intimidating, without meaning to be. I tell myself that he’s safe, and that there’d be a lot more trouble here if either he or Prince Sebastian were as super serious about things as they seem but...I’ve trouble with that too, still.” She gives Tony a little smile. “You’re not alone in that. I mostly, on my part., don’t wish to ever...how to put this...to run their patience out and find out it’s not so pleasant. And I don’t like being in their way besides that.”
“They’re fine.” Aedan says. “I can promise you that.”
“Mm.” Meghan doesn’t look convinced, but… “They ARE less demanding than you would assume they’d be, I’ll admit to that. And of course, it’s nothing to say to their faces. They’d be mad then. Might not show it, but...it’ll stack up, won’t it?”
She’s stepping around as the water boils now, to grab the bags and teaballs and such.
"But you've got the gatehouse thing, right? It'd be colorful and nerdy. And is Noah on the net much? I know it's weird, but maybe there's stuff on there with him. Or stuff Aedan remembers?" Tony's looking thoughtful. "I saw some of Balthier chatting with people. His book club."
“True.” Meghan agrees. “They’re likely not as terrifying as it seems. It’s more of a. Well .There’s always consequences, aren’t there, to everything you’ve done are doing, or will do. It’s a matter of reducing the bad ones, much as you can by making sure you don’t bring it on yourself. I’m still learning what’ll do that. But then my therapist says I’ve got to get over it. That if I don’t snap out of being ridiculous and afraid of things, I’m going to be dragging things down for me and everyone around me the rest of my life here.” She wrinkles her nose. “There’s a consequence that’s worse than anything else.”
"Well, I think that's -" Tony waves a hand. "I got hurt, I have a consequence of that, but that's not the entire summation of it. I'm sure you heard about something like that before. But a lot of what makes me feel bad isn't the actual injury. It's the circumstances. Aedan had some stuff like that happen to him, so he probably gets what I mean. But like - if you burn some toast or brew some tea until it's battery acid, I'm not going to think that's the start of an endless rivalry and we'll go out and duel by the moonlight for the honor of toast, you know?"
"It sounds like you're - scared of stuff, but there's no way out of it for you?" Tony frowns. "I don't know if that makes sense. You can just go and say stuff is weird, and nothing goes catastrophically wrong."
“It seems a BIT far reaching for it to go that far, true.” Meghan laughs. “The point is that, if it was your place, you’d be within your rights TO do it. That’s always a bit scary, I think. Which does sound paranoid, but there’s a lot of knowing what COULD happen to me that’s..well you see why I try not to…” He doesn’t seem to be following exactly, so she glances at Aedan.
“It’s like the fact I’m not so popular with you now, over when we met.” Meghan winces. “When we talked about home, and job prospects there and... “ She glances away. “Well, that was me saying stuff was weird and look at what it’s gotten me, hmm? And now Ser Noah’s not so fond of me because of that, himself.” And she doesn’t understand what she said about Aedan being a bastard was so hurtful, but she gets it’s not done in this universe, so she stopped mentioning things like that.
“It’s hard to know how and what to say. But I suppose that I’ve just got to find some things out too, now, haven’t I?”
"Not popular with me?" Tony blinks. "I wish someone mentioned that to me. I mean - you kind of - were intense in how you were feeling, I guess I could put it that way. It sounded like you weren't too fond of a lot of people, and still kind of assuming you had no real legal protections, which - cultural changes? That's not on you that it'd be a change."
Tony's trying to think. "But that doesn't mean I don't like you. I barely know you. I don't really know Aedan that well either, but he knew another me, and we're - we've chatted? He came by once, when he wasn't feeling great, and I'm glad he trusted me. I don't think Noah hates you over whatever it was with me."
Honestly, Meghan’s not sure that it’s the case now, that there are any legal anything here. The bit about the people is a bit of a surprise, though. “Did I say anything about anyone in general then? “ She blinks. “Aside Aedan having better prospects here at least? Which is the thing that sparked it off, but I guess that’s a language issue, really.”
The rest of that’s reasonable enough, though. “It’s a relief to know that, at least. I’d assumed, well, that was written off for good, you know? Like most people.”
"You seemed kind of - still seem kind of not sure if Noah and Sebastian are going to whip out their villain hats?" Tony tilts his head. "And I didn't hear it as Aedan has better prospects - more that you saw him as nothing but - his birth and that you thought it was normal what was going on with him? Not mean as much as - kind of - like he wasn't someone you cared about. Which - you were new here?"
He should probably - "I really don't think you're - uh - unwelcome to visit or talk."
“Right.” Aedan holds up a hand at that. “The thing is. It IS totally normal. It’s not nice and it’s not HERE, but contextually?” he shrugs. “Honestly the prospect isn’t a bad one at home. It’s one that was good enough for me to try for. It’s not something I’d go for now, but... “
It made sense in the moment that someone new would casually toss it off. And, having spent time with the rest of his family enough…
“It’s like reminding Uncle Hari he’s the spare, or my da that he was supposed to be a princess to be married off. Sometimes things come up that to an outsider sound a little…” He shrugs.
“And not as though some random orphan had any decent clout at home either.” Meghan adds, grabbing the kettle now that it’s boiling.
“And hardly villain hats.” Meghan adds, snorting a little. “I feel like there’d be mustaches.”
“Noah has a helmet.” Aedan offers. “In that game.”
“There we are then,.” Meghan grins. “A helmet. But, no I’m just not about to venture out and test anything with them either. Knowing what they’d have the rights to do, if it was a big enough problem...I looked up the ages to get rid of someone here and now. It’s close for me.” Best not to draw negative attention, isn’t it?”
"I don't really think they're the type to just do that though." Tony tilts his head. "I mean, they invited me over to talk, and I could see that being weird for people here. And there's Iomhar here. I'm pretty sure he's got some voice in what happens. Like Calum's the one that invited me here."
“Oh, it’s not so simple as that all goes in actuality, I’d imagine.” Meghan says. “It’s just something to be kept in mind. That I’m lucky that I’m allowed here and should know it, and just….be content with that and not try for anything too crazy. It’s what I hope I’m getting done at least. I doubt they WOULD at any rate , but better to be safe by keeping a low profile where I can, hmm?”
"And the stuff I'm not supposed to know about - that matches the other? I mean, you can do what you want, but it just sounds strange to my ears." Tony shrugs. "At the least, don't feel like you've burnt the bridge with me?"
“I can only imagine it’d end up being…” Meghan frowns. “A little like Hagrid from Harry Potter and Norbert the Dragon, actually? Dumbledore didn’t start screaming about the fact there was a dragon on the school grounds or anything, but, once he knew they’d been about to send him away, he didn’t exactly try finding a way for him to keep it either. I don’t doubt they’d be sympathetic about it, but I can’t risk losing him if that makes sense? Not that Smoke’s a dragon. Or even a hippogriff, though THAT would be sort of brilliant too, but no one’s exactly pleased to hear you’ve got a tamed wild animal in their stable are they? You’re likely right about the rest with them. It’s...worth trying. And I will give that some thought. Thank you, for the rest of that, by the way. I’d just imagined, well…”
That Tony had hated her and there was no way back. Or hate’s a strong word for a stranger, but that he’d decided she was awful.
“Anyway, it’s good to hear I’ve not. It’s...hard to know, here and now. Things are a good bit more subtle than I’m used to.”
"Well, people kind of assume you grew up with the same stuff. So that's a shock for people, and I can't say I'm the best at handling it." Tony waves a hand. "But next time, ask? It's better, where I'm from, doing that."
“I’ll do that.” Meghan nods, and takes a breath. “Thank you. I do feel better, knowing where I stand isn’t nearly so awful as I’d thought. And I should be getting something together to help YOU.”
"Tea, you said? And toast?" Tony smiles. "I'd like that."