InsaneJournal

Who: Tony/Haymitch
When: Early September pre-plot
Where: Stark Tower
What: PR discussions
Rating/Warnings: Low/None
Status: Complete



Tony had called Haymitch into his office because he wanted to show the other man his new software. It was always good to get a set of eyes from someone not in the industry, and Haymitch had handled a lot of Stark Industries’ publicity in the past. He was likely to have some good insight on this new product. Not that Tony was sincerely thinking about assembly line-ing the product and putting it on the market, necessarily. But possibly.

Okay, maybe he just wanted to show off and hadn’t seen Haymitch in a while.

So he brought the other man up to his office to show off the AI.

“Jarvis,” Tony said aloud. “Are you there?”

“I’m here.” The computer responded. It sounded more like Stephen Hawking than like Jarvis, but it’d do for now.

“Go on,” he said to Haymitch. “Ask it anything.”

Haymitch had an inkling he’d been called here purely so that Tony could show off, for one thing he’d not received any communication from Pepper about meeting with the Stark marketing team which usually happened before a new product launch. But he didn’t actually mind. He liked Tony and it would hopefully take his mind off Effie for a while.

Raising an eyebrow at his friend he sighed, “Alright, so computer, Jarvis” he amended, “What’s the meaning of life?” because really Tony had opened himself up to that by saying ‘anything’.

“Life, noun, one, the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death.” The computer almost sounded bored--as much as a Stephen Hawking voice could sound bored--then went on, “ask me a hard one next time.”

Tony laughed. God damn, he was proud of that program.

Haymitch laughed as the computer proceeded to define life before adding another comment, “Sassy computer” he said to Tony, “Model it on anybody we know?” he teased with a smirk. He had to admit it, he was impressed.

“Jarvis.” Tony responded.

“Yes?” The computer asked.

“No, not you.” Tony turned to glare at one of the random computer screens around the room. “I was talking to him.” He turned back to Haymitch, and almost offered him a Drink. Almost. “Can I get you a coffee?”

Haymitch chuckled, “Okay Tony, he’s amazing. It’s amazing and coffee would be great” he agreed, also impressed that Tony remembered not to offer him a beer. He’d done so in the past but Haymitch had never minded or held it against him. It was just habit.

Tony moved through the lab over to the coffeemaker. “Okay, Jarvis. Coffee?” He asked, and put a mug into place under the machine. There was a whirring sound, then a bubbly sort of sound, and coffee started to pour out into the cup. “And again,” Tony said, removing the mug and replacing it with another. It took a little longer the second time, but Tony handed over Haymitch’s cup while the second was pouring.

“This is incredible. Can you imagine one of these in every home? A house that basically talks to you? Revolutionary. This would blow everything currently out there out of the water” Haymitch said taking the coffee with a nod of thanks.

Tony nodded. He turned back around and picked up his mug when it was finished, grinning, and lifted it for a sip. It was boiling hot, and he decided not to burn his tongue. “Not sure if I’m ready to release the AI into the world. But for right now? It’s invaluable.”

Haymitch had decided the same, he could feel the heat coming from the cup, “I figured as much” he smiled, “But it’s still an incredible thought for the future Tony”

“Yeah? Well. I’ve got to work out the kinks, for sure.” Tony said, lifting his coffee for a sip. “I got it from my dreams. Mostly. There’s more to it here.”

“I have no doubt you will” Haymitch replied, because Tony was the smartest person he knew, “pretty nifty dreams you got going on there”

“Yeah, they’re interesting so far.” Downplaying the amazingness. A first for Tony Stark. “What about yours? Are you dreaming about anything interesting?”

“Less interesting, more disturbing” he said giving the brief outline of his dreams of the Hunger Games, “So after winning dream me turned to drink and is now mentoring other kids and watching them die” In truth being drunk in the dreams and a recovering alcoholic here was slowly wearing on Haymitch, though he wouldn’t admit it.

Tony raised an eyebrow, listening intently. He bit his lip for a moment. “It’s a wonder you’ve hung onto your sobriety for so long. Just listening to that makes me want to Drink.”

“I just can’t go back to that you know? I was a mess” Haymitch replied, which is why it made it so much worse that he had been thinking about it. “I’m just trying to remember it’s not my life, it’s just a dream”

“Yup.” Tony said, and clapped Haymitch on the shoulder. “Just a dream. Hey, have you seen my suits?” He asked, then waggled his eyebrows in a playful way. Just a dream. A dream that gave him presents. “C’mere. I’ll show you.”

“Suits?” Haymitch questioned, “Nope can’t say I have” He laughed at Tony’s expression, “Somehow I get the feeling you aren’t talking about a normal tux” but he followed nonetheless.

Tony chuckled on the way across the lab. He clicked a few buttons on a keypad, then spoke aloud. “Hey, Jarvis? Let’s show off the suits.”

“With pleasure, Sir.” The robotic voice rang out. Then panels opened in the floor and three glorious Iron Man suits came rising up from their storage place underneath.

“Holy Shit” Haymitch exclaimed as he watched the suits appear, “Bloody hell Tony, these are incredible. Have you tested them?” he asked, before continuing before Tony could reply “What am I saying? Of course you’ve tested them. How are they? You like robocop or what?”

Tony opened his mouth as if to respond, but Haymitch beat him to it. Then Tony laughed and nodded. “Exactly like Robocop. Only way, way, way more awesome.” He motioned for Haymitch to come a bit closer. “There’s weapons systems, and communications, and flight. They’re pretty amazing. Straight from my dreams. These are only three of the models I’ve created.”

“Well it’s you of course it’s way more awesome. I mean it looks more sleeker and colorful than Robocop” Haymitch smiled, “Jeez man, that’s incredible” Haymitch moved closer looking in awe at the suits. “You making spares for friends?” he asked, with maybe just a little bit of hope in his tone.

How flattering! Tony knew there was a reason he kept this guy around. He grinned brightly and nodded. “...Not yet, no. But you’ll be fourth in line.” Pepper first. Then Kevin Flynn. And Stiles. Hey, being fourth wasn’t bad. Tony had a pretty long list.
Oh Tony was a genius and Haymitch knew it, like most others. And this was very impressive. “Okay fourth I can live with” he agreed with a nod, he knew fourth on Tony Stark’s list was pretty damn high.

“Brilliant. C’mon, I’ll show you some specs.” Tony said, and clamped a hand on Haymitch’s shoulder in a friendly way. He turned to lead the way over to the screen that took up the whole wall, and called to Jarvis to bring up some information. That way Haymitch could see what he was talking about.

Haymitch might not understand it all but he was an intelligent guy so as Tony ran through the information with him it became obvious just how much of a genius Tony Stark really was and how Haymitch was really really glad to be on that list at all. Taking one of these suits out would be incredible.