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[Security measures are all well and good but Constantine knows that little of what Tony's security is prepared to handle will be able to manage what's likely coming his way. If they're lucky, it'll keep out the more physical dangers, but the things that might come for him aren't so limited. And with a prize like Tony Stark on the line... Constantine can only imagine what kind of power might be coming their way.
So he brings some of his own big guns with him, although no one would think it to look at him, turning up at the silent Stark Tower with only a battered bag in one hand.]
Fancy digs. Now which part don't you care about getting possibly destroyed?
[Security measures are all well and good but Constantine knows that little of what Tony's security is prepared to handle will be able to manage what's likely coming his way. If they're lucky, it'll keep out the more physical dangers, but the things that might come for him aren't so limited. And with a prize like Tony Stark on the line... Constantine can only imagine what kind of power might be coming their way.
So he brings some of his own big guns with him, although no one would think it to look at him, turning up at the silent Stark Tower with only a battered bag in one hand.]
Fancy digs. Now which part don't you care about getting possibly destroyed?
Edited 2021-07-13 02:56 (UTC)
With this kind of mess? Never know what's going to happen.
[Constantine follows after him, looking around at the building curiously as they walk. He'd never usually end up in a place like this - not without being tossed out on his arse shortly after entering - and it looks like he wasn't wrong in assuming it would be all bleeding edge tech and fancy chrome.]
Working on any other big projects? Might have something to do with how you've got a target painted on you. Let's face it; there's more powerful types if that were the only reason to go after you. So there must be something else. If it's not a vendetta...
Well I imagine Stark Industries can reach a lot of people in the world. Nice way for a demon to generate a lot of souls.
[Constantine follows after him, looking around at the building curiously as they walk. He'd never usually end up in a place like this - not without being tossed out on his arse shortly after entering - and it looks like he wasn't wrong in assuming it would be all bleeding edge tech and fancy chrome.]
Working on any other big projects? Might have something to do with how you've got a target painted on you. Let's face it; there's more powerful types if that were the only reason to go after you. So there must be something else. If it's not a vendetta...
Well I imagine Stark Industries can reach a lot of people in the world. Nice way for a demon to generate a lot of souls.
( He gives the question some serious thought, sliding his thumb across the biometric scanner once inside the lift, and off they go. )
Clean energy, biomed development, binaural augmented reality, funding student research, upgrading our telecoms the world over, and addressing the hole in our current anti-alien defenses as a whole. Among other things.
( Those go ticked off one by one, as he leans back against the rail. )
You think I have I'm being targeted because I have reach?
Clean energy, biomed development, binaural augmented reality, funding student research, upgrading our telecoms the world over, and addressing the hole in our current anti-alien defenses as a whole. Among other things.
( Those go ticked off one by one, as he leans back against the rail. )
You think I have I'm being targeted because I have reach?
Stands to reason, doesn't it?
[As he spoke, Constantine fished out a packet of cigarettes and slipped one between his lips, hiding the packet away again and producing a lighter. No Smoking signs are for other people.]
Someone like you, lot of fingers in different pies... Lots of possibilities for ruining lives. Toss in some corruption and take things back to how your company used to be, that'd be a lot of souls getting sent to Hell. Big money for an ambitious demon.
[As he spoke, Constantine fished out a packet of cigarettes and slipped one between his lips, hiding the packet away again and producing a lighter. No Smoking signs are for other people.]
Someone like you, lot of fingers in different pies... Lots of possibilities for ruining lives. Toss in some corruption and take things back to how your company used to be, that'd be a lot of souls getting sent to Hell. Big money for an ambitious demon.
( Regarding the cigarette, exasperated: )
Seriously?
( The elevator slows upon reaching the penthouse, and the doors open wide on a splendid view of Midtown, the spread of city lights like beacons of defiance against the darkness. He lets Constantine precede him, shaking his head, and fishes in the inner pocket of his jacket. )
Sound theory, but Pepper would have my shares stripped before Stark went back to weapons manufacturing. I made sure to include that in the fine print. Here- ( Tony offers him a slim keycard. It's Cap's old rooms, which he sure as shit didn't need anymore, not with the team still splintered. )
Suite's down the hall on your right.
Seriously?
( The elevator slows upon reaching the penthouse, and the doors open wide on a splendid view of Midtown, the spread of city lights like beacons of defiance against the darkness. He lets Constantine precede him, shaking his head, and fishes in the inner pocket of his jacket. )
Sound theory, but Pepper would have my shares stripped before Stark went back to weapons manufacturing. I made sure to include that in the fine print. Here- ( Tony offers him a slim keycard. It's Cap's old rooms, which he sure as shit didn't need anymore, not with the team still splintered. )
Suite's down the hall on your right.
[Precious little gets Constantine to stop smoking short of taking the cigarette off of him, so he lights up as soon as they're clear of the lift, smoke curling behind him as he takes in the multi-million dollar view.]
And what's to stop you making sure she can't, if a demon gets inside of you?
[He turns to meet Tony's eyes, a touch of unspoken sympathy in his gaze as he accepts the keycard. He knows what it's like to think you'd taken every possible precaution and still lose. He's hoping that, in this instance at least, Tony doesn't have to learn that as well.]
Cheers, lets get it set up, shall we?
And what's to stop you making sure she can't, if a demon gets inside of you?
[He turns to meet Tony's eyes, a touch of unspoken sympathy in his gaze as he accepts the keycard. He knows what it's like to think you'd taken every possible precaution and still lose. He's hoping that, in this instance at least, Tony doesn't have to learn that as well.]
Cheers, lets get it set up, shall we?
Getting around the legalese of it will be difficult. The rest of the Board...
( but there's the thread of uncertainty now. Some members of the Board are practically lifers, there since before Tony stood before the rest of the world and stated they would no longer make weapons. Would they want to go back, even after all this time? Should he get his lawyers on the horn? And tell them... what, exactly?
His temple throbs, and he ignores it. Happy to move on to another subject, Tony gestures toward one of the handful of seating places around the common area, all meant to take advantage of that view. )
You'll have to catch me up to speed; I haven't sat in for any séances since college.
( but there's the thread of uncertainty now. Some members of the Board are practically lifers, there since before Tony stood before the rest of the world and stated they would no longer make weapons. Would they want to go back, even after all this time? Should he get his lawyers on the horn? And tell them... what, exactly?
His temple throbs, and he ignores it. Happy to move on to another subject, Tony gestures toward one of the handful of seating places around the common area, all meant to take advantage of that view. )
You'll have to catch me up to speed; I haven't sat in for any séances since college.
That's the problem with your higher tier demons; they're sneaky bastards and tend to be good at contracts. Could also be an entirely different plan. That's why we need to find out what's happening and put a stop to it.
[Constantine strides into the common area like he owns the place and starts shoving chairs and tables aside, clearing a space in the centre of the room. Then, without waiting or even explaining what he's doing, he pulls a spray can out and starts painting a number of sigils directly onto the floor.]
This isn't much like your usual bunch of drunken and high college students trying to get demonic help with their finals.
[Constantine pauses and shoots Tony a lopsided grin.] Not unless they were like the crowd I knew in college.
[He resumed, finishing off the summoning circle and stepping back to check his handiwork.]
Right, squire. Lets see if we can find out who it is who's got you marked, shall we?
[Constantine strides into the common area like he owns the place and starts shoving chairs and tables aside, clearing a space in the centre of the room. Then, without waiting or even explaining what he's doing, he pulls a spray can out and starts painting a number of sigils directly onto the floor.]
This isn't much like your usual bunch of drunken and high college students trying to get demonic help with their finals.
[Constantine pauses and shoots Tony a lopsided grin.] Not unless they were like the crowd I knew in college.
[He resumed, finishing off the summoning circle and stepping back to check his handiwork.]
Right, squire. Lets see if we can find out who it is who's got you marked, shall we?
( Hands in his pockets, Tony watches Constantine work, unperturbed by the brazen defacing of obscenely expensive marble tile. He rolls his shoulders in a casual shrug at the man's remark, trading that grin for a wry smirk. He was an innocent lamb then.
No, really. (Not really) )
That's it? No salt, goat blood, or a pile of coeds' bras?
( Really not innocent, okay. He nods at the circle. )
The sigils; what do they all mean?
No, really. (Not really) )
That's it? No salt, goat blood, or a pile of coeds' bras?
( Really not innocent, okay. He nods at the circle. )
The sigils; what do they all mean?
Salt's mixed into the paint, among other things. Makes it harder for a demon to shift the stuff enough to get a hold.
[Constantine gestures for Tony to approach the circle as well, stopping him short of actually crossing any of the symbols.]
They're a design of my own, a mixture of different symbols from different origins for binding and holding. Not much can get through this easily.
And as for the other ingredients...
[Constantine returns to his bag and produces a sealed jar filled with a thick, vile looking sludge. It has a distinctly deep red colour to it that suggests that maybe Tony wasn't entirely wrong with wondering if blood would be involved.]
Here's one I prepared earlier.
[Constantine gestures for Tony to approach the circle as well, stopping him short of actually crossing any of the symbols.]
They're a design of my own, a mixture of different symbols from different origins for binding and holding. Not much can get through this easily.
And as for the other ingredients...
[Constantine returns to his bag and produces a sealed jar filled with a thick, vile looking sludge. It has a distinctly deep red colour to it that suggests that maybe Tony wasn't entirely wrong with wondering if blood would be involved.]
Here's one I prepared earlier.
That's going to have to wait.
[Constantine focuses on Tony, the jar still carefully gripped in both hands.]
I need you here and focused if we mean to draw out what marked you, otherwise we're shooting in the dark.
So, what's it going to be?
[Constantine focuses on Tony, the jar still carefully gripped in both hands.]
I need you here and focused if we mean to draw out what marked you, otherwise we're shooting in the dark.
So, what's it going to be?
don't be. like I said, I'm not complaining.
well, not for anything other than the fact you're still taking your time getting here.
well, not for anything other than the fact you're still taking your time getting here.
[The pub Constantine steers them both towards doesn't stand out as anything fancy in the slightest, but the beer is good, as requested, and there's enough other people that any conversation won't stand out but no so much that they have to shout. And they can duck out if they want to go somewhere more private.]
So, Leeds from New Jersey... quite a reputation in that place.
So, Leeds from New Jersey... quite a reputation in that place.
Stay by the circle. I'm drawing on your presence to hunt down this demon and we don't want to give it the chance to slip away. That and...
[Constantine moves around the circle and gestures at Tony's shirt and tie.]
Give us a little room, will you?
[With that he pops the lid of the jar off and a strong, coppery smell fills the air.]
[Constantine moves around the circle and gestures at Tony's shirt and tie.]
Give us a little room, will you?
[With that he pops the lid of the jar off and a strong, coppery smell fills the air.]
Oh yeah, [ he says with a laugh, finding a table for them and sliding into one side of the booth. ] Mother Leeds and her thirteenth child. [ god, he'd hated her back then, knowing how he'd been abandoned. at the time, he'd blamed her for everything-- for his birth, for being alone, for being raised.. the way he'd been raised. he knows better now, of course. women were treated like little more than property back then, and she'd just been trying to survive.
he pushes his foot against constantine's beneath the table, brows arching in amusement. ] I'm actually from the pine barrens, too.
he pushes his foot against constantine's beneath the table, brows arching in amusement. ] I'm actually from the pine barrens, too.
( Rocking back toward the circle as he's told, Tony isn't particularly thrilled with what he thinks John's asking of him here. )
You're serious.
( Keen to move things along, however, sees him pulling at the knot of his tie. The pungent scent of blood calls up any number of vivid memories, some of them associated with this very building, and all of them harrowing. )
You're serious.
( Keen to move things along, however, sees him pulling at the knot of his tie. The pungent scent of blood calls up any number of vivid memories, some of them associated with this very building, and all of them harrowing. )
Then you must have heard a lot about it in your time.
[It's one legend that he refreshingly hasn't ever had to investigate himself, beyond general curiosity. Enough to decide that if there is any truth to the story, whatever it was wasn't hurting anyone.
And while it's an interesting topic, it's not as interesting as the gent opposite him. Constantine grins, gaze flicking teasingly back at Hiram before dropping back to his hands, his tongue wetting his lower lip briefly.]
You know you are making it difficult for a man to go get us both a beer.
[It's one legend that he refreshingly hasn't ever had to investigate himself, beyond general curiosity. Enough to decide that if there is any truth to the story, whatever it was wasn't hurting anyone.
And while it's an interesting topic, it's not as interesting as the gent opposite him. Constantine grins, gaze flicking teasingly back at Hiram before dropping back to his hands, his tongue wetting his lower lip briefly.]
You know you are making it difficult for a man to go get us both a beer.
Deadly.
[It is, after all, the entire reason that he's here and doing this at all. Easier if Tony helps out, but Constantine doesn't mean to give up even if the man changes his mind and tosses him out on his arse. He's relieved at least that Tony isn't quite at that point yet, and does mutter a soft "sorry" as he quickly daubs a sigil at the base of the man's throat. The mixture of blood and several other ingredients is oddly warm against the skin, thick and clinging. Unpleasant to say the least, but he hopes that Tony can tolerate it for the time being.
A mark on his own forehead, then Constantine lifts the jar in both hands, chanting a Sumerian incantation before he drinks the remainder of the jar.
The effect is immediate; both sigils light up with a brilliant glow, the mixture going from oddly warm to uncomfortably hot as Constantine's voice reaches a crescendo and a thick smog fills the circle.]
Come on, you bastard, let me see your face!
[It is, after all, the entire reason that he's here and doing this at all. Easier if Tony helps out, but Constantine doesn't mean to give up even if the man changes his mind and tosses him out on his arse. He's relieved at least that Tony isn't quite at that point yet, and does mutter a soft "sorry" as he quickly daubs a sigil at the base of the man's throat. The mixture of blood and several other ingredients is oddly warm against the skin, thick and clinging. Unpleasant to say the least, but he hopes that Tony can tolerate it for the time being.
A mark on his own forehead, then Constantine lifts the jar in both hands, chanting a Sumerian incantation before he drinks the remainder of the jar.
The effect is immediate; both sigils light up with a brilliant glow, the mixture going from oddly warm to uncomfortably hot as Constantine's voice reaches a crescendo and a thick smog fills the circle.]
Come on, you bastard, let me see your face!
Yeah- Yeah. Give me a sec-
[ Because hey, implying Barry was doing *anything* slowly was a little bit insulting. And really- it only takes a few seconds for Barry to zoom around the city to find exactly where the waverider was parked. Another second to convince Gideon to open the doors before the familiar red blur was just stopping in the others room with a bright, happy smirk on his face because- well, he'd been true to his word right?
Barry himself wasn't in the flash suit. Just as simple pair of dull blue, tight jeans that showed off the curve of his runners ass quite nicely- and a simple black shirt as he reached back to close the others door with a button, his eyes not leaving the other.]
So. You serious or was this whole thing just some elaborate prank?
[ Because hey, implying Barry was doing *anything* slowly was a little bit insulting. And really- it only takes a few seconds for Barry to zoom around the city to find exactly where the waverider was parked. Another second to convince Gideon to open the doors before the familiar red blur was just stopping in the others room with a bright, happy smirk on his face because- well, he'd been true to his word right?
Barry himself wasn't in the flash suit. Just as simple pair of dull blue, tight jeans that showed off the curve of his runners ass quite nicely- and a simple black shirt as he reached back to close the others door with a button, his eyes not leaving the other.]
So. You serious or was this whole thing just some elaborate prank?
Edited 2021-07-18 04:26 (UTC)
[ he makes a mild noise of agreement at the first comment, but doesn't pursue the topic any further. god knows he's heard enough about himself and his origin and all the stories surrounding him over the years.
instead, he slides his ankle against the younger man's, smile sly and a little smug. ]
I suppose I am. [ he slides his foot away again to free constantine, brushing his knuckle over his lips lightly as he does so. ]
instead, he slides his ankle against the younger man's, smile sly and a little smug. ]
I suppose I am. [ he slides his foot away again to free constantine, brushing his knuckle over his lips lightly as he does so. ]
[Constantine's room is not exactly a mess but is definitely cluttered; there's a number of esoteric books piled around the place in no particular order, several questionable looking items set on various surfaces, and the lingering smell of cigarette smoke. All of which Barry likely takes in due to his faster senses, because no sooner is the door closed then Constantine is shoving him against it and cutting off the rest of the question with a rough kiss.
Both hands cradle the speedster's face gently and his teeth catch Barry's lower lip as he pulls away to meet his gaze, thumbs gently smoothing over his cheekbones.]
Does that answer your question, speedy?
Both hands cradle the speedster's face gently and his teeth catch Barry's lower lip as he pulls away to meet his gaze, thumbs gently smoothing over his cheekbones.]
Does that answer your question, speedy?
[His smile widens and Constantine rises from the booth, leaning in teasingly close to Hiram as he does so, then slides away.]
Just a beer, yeah?
[He's still grinning to himself as he gets drinks for them both, returning to set the other man's order down in front of him and trailing his fingers over Hiram's arm as he returns to his own seat. He doubts that they'll have more than the one with the way things are shaping up, and doesn't find that idea a problem at all.]
So what does Hiram Leeds do with himself when he's not getting plied with alcohol?
Just a beer, yeah?
[He's still grinning to himself as he gets drinks for them both, returning to set the other man's order down in front of him and trailing his fingers over Hiram's arm as he returns to his own seat. He doubts that they'll have more than the one with the way things are shaping up, and doesn't find that idea a problem at all.]
So what does Hiram Leeds do with himself when he's not getting plied with alcohol?
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