Preparing for try outs.

[arrogantalloy]

 WHO: Tony, but open to all.
TONE: Easy going.
RATING: PG-13 for possible language
WHEN: August 9th
WHERE: Hogwarts grounds. Roughly where the first years are taught how to ride a broom.
WHAT: Tony's getting ready to be a captain before general try out for quidditch start.
STATUS: Ongoing! 


With Tony being the Captain of Ravenclaw's team this year. Tony decided to take a break from homework and general geniusing, to sit out in the autumn sun while doing some general broom maintenance out on the grass. 

He's absorbed in his work; readjusting twigs, shifting his foot stands and getting on and testing how it moves a few feet off the air.

He's mumbling to himself during the entire process.

"What I wouldn't give for an iPod to work here sometimes"

Is one of the few things he can be heard mumbling aside from extensive thoughts on how the broom should hand'e when he does this thing or that thing to it.

One thing is for sure, he seems to be quite in his element playing with the broom.

Comments

[rule_britannia]

".. What's an iPod?"

Okay, exposure to Muggle technology through a cousin can only go so far and there are some things that Arthur just isn't aware of. He has his own broomstick held against one shoulder, head slightly tilted and one eyebrow raised.

He wasn't trying to sneak up on the other boy, but given how absorbed he is in his work, that he'd managed it wouldn't come as a surprise.

[arrogantalloy]

Tony continues to adjust his foot stand, then pulls back to look at it before answering Arthur. Tony hadn't expected to be spoken all that much, and if he were the kind, he would have started in surprise.

"Small little muggle box, that plays music. Lots of music."

Tony puts the broom at arms length then inspects it again, then turns to actually looks at Arthur.

"I'd use Stark tech, but I don't care if an iPod get's stolen. Going for try out practice?"

[rule_britannia]

"Oh.. like a.." There's a pause and he frowns while he tries to think of the word. What was that thing.. "An mp3 player?"

He shrugs slightly at the question, shifting the weight of the broom against his shoulder.

"I suppose I am. I'm getting a little tired of people telling me that this is something I can't do."

Really, the best way to get Arthur to do anything he's uncertain of is to imply he's incapable.

[arrogantalloy]

Tony gives a slight smile a nod then points this twig trimmers at him.

"This man, deserves a prize. A pure blood who knows muggle terms."

After seeming rather pleased with himself he puts the trimmers to work on the broom. Choosing to ignore the fact he's a pureblood who plays with muggle things all the time.

"Well really, that's the best way to do it. Proving things to other. Good motivator."

[rule_britannia]

"Give credit to my cousin, Victoria. I'd not know them if she hadn't insisted upon educating me."

Yes, he's noticed that, but feels it's best not to point that kind of thing out. There are plenty of purebloods with the same fascination with muggle technology, after all. It's rather a pity, he thinks, that such things don't work here.

"Mm, I thought as much. Georgia's been curiously supportive. At least, after she got it into her head that I might actually be serious about this."

[arrogantalloy]

"Victoria? Blonde, tiny, glasses, small waist?"

Tony gave a slight smirk if it was the girl he was thinking of. She had very little time for him so he spent most of his time leaving her alone. But that didn't mean is wasn't going not live up to his reputation.

"Got boys and girls all over the place interested in you in someway, don't you there Artie?"

[rule_britannia]

"Er.."

He doesn't really want to think of his cousin in those kinds of terms - or rather, what he thinks Tony is thinking - so he nearly sidesteps that with a small nod..

...and immediately flushes bright red.

"I beg your pardon?"

[arrogantalloy]

Tony chuckles.

"Oh, wow. You are just too easy. You know? Well you've got Bruce flirting with you, Georgia interested in you when it comes to Quidditch. And that Gryffindor that 'annoys' you. You're obviously quite the, commodity there aren't you?"

[rule_britannia]

Commence aggravated and embarrassed spluttering. Damn, you really know just where to hit, don't you Tony?

"Bruce does not flirt with me, we just... And I highly doubt Georgia has any interest in me whatsoever beyond my not fucking up if I get on the team."

He pauses and pinches the bridge of his nose. The less said about Alfred, the better.

"I'm sure you're doing this on purpose."

[arrogantalloy]

The look on Tony's face shows just how much fun he's having with this.

"You know, you pick up on that a lot quicker than other do. Bruce is a friend, I know you have this weird gay chicken thing going on. Which, beyond me, but hey you two seem to like it so good luck with it."

Tony goes back to looking at his broom for a moment then back up at Arthur.

"What do you think your chances are of getting on the team?"

Tony might not have announced outside of fellow Ravenclaws that he's the captain. But because he was happy for no one to know right now. At least not until tryouts were over and he can see who's being picked for other the other teams. To make the best strategies, you have to know as much as possible about what you're dealing with.

[rule_britannia]

Far too much fun, and he's lucky Arthur likes him or there would be some yelling to go along with how red he is. While he fights to get that under control he listens to the other boy, then looks over his shoulder.

"I wouldn't like to say. I know I'm damn good on a broom, I know my aim is on the mark and I can't say I'm afraid to do what it takes to win a match, but there's every chance that there are several people more qualified than I am."

He lifts one shoulder in a shrug.

"They'll be missing out if I don't get in. Potential, you know."

[arrogantalloy]

"Oh yeah? How good is damn good?"

Tony looks him up and down for a moment, as he runs numbers in his head.

"So, Keeper, or chaser?"

He keeps his tone casual, as he goes through his maintenance kit and then oils a couple of the outer bristles on his broom.

[rule_britannia]

"You'll have to wait and see, won't you."

Blushing finally under control, he grins cockily. Arthur's not a well-built teenager as far as being muscular goes, but he's slim and agile, with quick reflexes.

"And that would be telling. Why so interested, Stark?"

[arrogantalloy]

"I'm going for Chaser. Just want to know if I'm going to have to deal with you or not. And out of all the positions, you're going to be going for those two."

Tony quirks a cocky eyebrow at him.

[rule_britannia]

"Observant of you," he comments, though he's aware his build limits the number of positions he's most suited for. It could only be Keeper or Chaser, really.

"I suppose I'll tell you, since we're friends and all. I'll be going for Chaser, so.. I'm afraid you will have to deal with me, should I make the team."

[arrogantalloy]

"It's something I do sometimes."

Tony runs his fingers through his hair then nods.

"Chaser, huh. Not bad. Hey, you might even be a challenge if I get in. But, hey, maybe I can just get Bruce to flash you at the start of the game. Because all's fair in love and war, right?"

Tony chuckles.

[rule_britannia]

"I'll take that as rather high praise coming from you."

The second part of what he says draws a laugh, and Arthur presses one hand to his face, though he's not blushing half as much as he might have been.

"If you can persuade Bruce to do that, I'd deserve to lose the game."

[arrogantalloy]

He grins more.

"To be honest, if I could talk him into it, there should be some prize in it for me. It would be like actually finding El Dorado without a map."

[rule_britannia]

"Come on, Stark. Everyone knows El Dorado is a myth."

He laughs and looks away, and a small frown twitches over his face.

"Say, Tony... He is alright, isn't he? Bruce, I mean. Last week he looked like someone had been torturing him."

[arrogantalloy]

"Which really should tell you how easy it would be for me to get him to do it."

As the topic moves towards Bruce's appearance of health, Tony grabs a rag and starts to wipe excess bristle oil of the back of his broom, then gives a shrug.

"He spent most of the summer with me. So if that's some veiled way of saying I'm a horrible friend, then I think I need to pretend like I care."

[rule_britannia]

"I wasn't suggesting anything of the kind."

Though, how the other boy immediately jumps to such a conclusion does draw a slightly puzzled expression.

"Bruce has always seemed a fairly decent judge of character to me, and I don't think he's gone wrong with you. I'm only expressing concern."

[arrogantalloy]

"Well there's nothing to be concerned about, he's fine. He just runs himself ragged sometimes, he's just not as good at staying up all hours like me. It's nothing."

Tony lifts the broom to make a show of inspecting the broom. Pleased that Arthur looked puzzled by his conclusions.

[rule_britannia]

"If you say so."

Not that he'd take Tony at his word even for a moment.

"I'll leave you to it, then."

[arrogantalloy]

Tony gives him a sidelong glance, he knew what it sounded like to have what he said be dismissed, and as he speak his tone becomes more serious than normal.

"I know him better than you do, okay. So when I'm worried about him. Then you can think something's wrong with him."

Tony puts his broom down, then starts to pack up his things, his tone back to normal.

"But hey, if you've got things to do, then I'll see you around."

He shrugs at Arthur dismissively.

[rule_britannia]

"I think I'll form my own concerns without relying on you, if it's all the same."

Not that he doubts Tony knows Bruce better - he spends more time with him after all - but something in him bristles at the implication that he needs some kind of permission to worry about a friend. The dismissive shrug is mirrored in a light lifting of Arthur's shoulder, and he walks away, leaving the other to finish packing his things away.

"See you, Stark."