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[Steve looks around for the source of the voice, stepping in gingerly like he is worried he might break something if he moves the wrong way. There's plenty of space, really, but Steve is cautious as he makes his way toward the worktable.]

Hello. You're Jarvis? It's nice to meet you.

[He's still going to be polite. And, of course, Steve also has a box with him, which he gently places on the workbench surface.]

There's a diner not too far from here.

[Okay, it was a bit of a hike, but so what? The pie is good.]

[And really, he should have known that Steve wasn't kidding about the pie thing. He can't help but shoot the box a faintly amused look, but it's not like he's going to turn it down.]

Thanks. Feel free to make yourself comfortable.

[One hand waves over towards the couch tucked into the corner, though there are also other stools tucked against the various workstations if Steve would rather be closer.]

[Of course Steve brought along pie. While he has no doubt that Sam is making sure Tony is fed, there is always room for good pie. It's one of the simple comforts that mean a lot to him. He stands near the bench Tony had been seated at, looking over it curiously.]

So, what are you working on? Do you think you can explain it to a simple guy?

[Alright, so they're getting right to it. Tony gives a thoughtful hum, then spins around on the stool to put his back to the table.]

J, toss it up?

[A circle of blow glowing lines appears in the air in front of him, slowly gaining detail. Once the general shape is there, he turns a little to look at Steve.]

Okay, so this is an arc reactor. It's a power source, basically.

[The glowing schematics in front of him reflect off of the blue in Steve's eyes as they widen, taken by the way the image just appears in front of him and the complexity of the design. After a pause, he raises his hand, tentatively reaching toward the lines, and Tony through them.]

And you want to use that to power the generators?

[It does make sense. Maybe.] Or give them a jump-start?

Both, essentially. Jump start and keep running.

[Really, Tony will take whatever he can get, but he's feeling pretty good about the whole project. It's definitely a thing he knows like the back of his hand, at least, and there's a lot you can do with that.]

The trouble will be figuring out how and where to hook them up so that they have the best contact with the rest of the plants and won't run into any issues if the wildlife decide to poke around.

Well, I can't help you find connections, but if you pick a path, I'll help clear the way for you. And I can help protect them from the wildlife.

[That much Steve does feel confident in. He's not a technician, but he wants to help Tony build a better place in the Quarantine.]

[Tony huffs a laugh and shoots Steve a grin over his shoulder.]

I kinda figured that would be more your thing. If you've got any ideas for how to do it long term, I'm all ears.

I wouldn't be against patrols out there to watch the generator sites. We could set up a schedule if we got some volunteers and clear the area more. I know most people stay within the city or focus on the Abandoned City ruins, but with a route, your work would get done faster.

[See, he does have some ideas. The technical aspects are beyond him, but he can always help.]

Could work. All we'd really need is someone to swing by every so often and make sure nothing's been chewing on the wires. If there was a problem with the reactors, it would probably be pretty apparent.

[And Tony himself can do flyovers to check on that. It'd be good to have an excuse for flying.]

Figure you've been out there more than me, anything you can think of in terms of repulsion?

They don't like fire. I'd say lights and activity will deter a lot of the creatures out there, but some of them aren't so easy to spook. I went on a mission a while ago and ran into some lizard folk. They're smart, but if they can communicate with us, they haven't shown any interest. They could probably disable the electronics and the alarms we put out there.

[He's not sure what to think of them. Are the city's inhabitants the intruders? They haven't tried to disturb anything, but he is still figuring the local relationships out. It's so rare to see any groups.]

And you already saw there are some big ones that tend to push over anything in their way. We could use some heavy equipment. I know that'll take time, but there's not much else that'll keep them out.

Yeah.

[That's all pretty much what he'd figured, but he helps to have it confirmed. Tony leans his head back to stare blindly at the ceiling as he lets out a long breath.]

So, short term fixes, if that. What we really need to do is fix up the walls.

[He's sure no one's ever thought of that one before.]

Yup. That's pretty much the size of it.

[Sorry, Tony. It's the hard way all over again. Steve knows how he feels. The solution to their problem isn't easy. It'll take time.]

In the meantime, we'll just have to keep watch. But we can handle it.

Of course we can.

[It might come out on a sigh, but it's still true.]

And I guess I'll get started working out ideas for that wall thing.

[Like he hasn't already. Just not that seriously. Yet.]

[Steve knows that weary agreement. It's the answer he always has late at night when the battles at home got to be too much. Sometimes things just felt overwhelming and he would find himself considering all the what-ifs he might have had once upon a time. The hero's version of not wanting to get up early for work the next day. He smiles, putting a hand on Tony's shoulder.]

If I can help, let me know. I'm sure I can move things around for the wall when you need them. And I'll ask some other people to help us keep an eye on the generators out there.

[One side of Tony's mouth quirks upward, but the expression is genuine.]

I'd appreciate it. I put too much work into those things to let them get eaten by giant space slugs or whatever.

[He pats the hand on his shoulder almost absently.]

I'll keep you in the loop, much as I can.

I'll keep watch.

[He nods seriously, giving his word like this is a sincere promise. For Steve, it is. He'll be out late to check up on those generators.]

Thank you, Tony. I'm glad you can trust me.

[At least this much. It's more than he's had for a while from any of the new Avengers and he's still trying to manage without it.]

[Tony pauses before his eyebrows draw together in a look of vague confusion.]

Why wouldn't I?

[Trust has never really been the issue. At least not with this Steve.]

Because you don't know me. I don't expect you to trust a stranger so easily.

[Part of that is just the reactions he's gotten from the other slightly familiar faces. Steve is under the impression that other worlds' heroes have a lot of trouble trusting even those that should be heroes and allies to them. He's trying to play by their rules. And, of course, he isn't sure how much he can be trusted.]

I'd like to earn it. To know that it's deserved.

[That just gets an even more puzzled look. Which, considering the issues Tony is currently having with his own Captain America, is a little darkly amusing.]

Sure, but you trust me, right? [Or else they wouldn't be having this conversation.] And same goes.

I trust you.

[It's a more difficult question than he's used to, but the truth is he does trust Tony. All of them, if he's really pressed to say it. There has been damage done thanks to the rift that grew between him and many of the heroes of his world, but even that isn't enough to make Steve give up on the people around him. Heroes are still heroes.]

...Then both of us are on the same page. I guess our worlds aren't that different.

Well that I'm not sure about.

[He gives Steve a wry grin, looking a little more settled now that the conversation has moved to place he understands.]

No offense, but yours sounds a whole lot weirder than mine.

[ Steve nods in acknowledgment, giving Tony a smirk. ]

I haven't heard a lot about your world. Your Avengers seem a little different from ours. Not as used to the world ending.

Just the one attempt, really.

[And the fact that he doesn't wince as he says it probably means he's growing as a person.]

Everything else has been...I don't know, conquest attempts. Money making bullshit.

[It seems so small-scale when put that way.]

[Just one. Steve finds it hard to remember what it was like to just have one great danger. To him, the first great threat was always the war. The first great change was when he woke up in a world with Avengers. He smiles slightly. How things change.]

It's a lot, isn't it? The world is bigger than we dreamed it was when I was a kid.

Your Avengers never saw anything like this?

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