strangetrip | No WiFi

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No WiFi - OTA

There was no cell service here at the Madonna Inn. There was no wifi. There was internet, but it was dial-up and Ned's laptop didn't even have an Ethernet port to plug the sluggish internet connection into his own device

The horror.

So Ned needed a solution - he was going to take one of the Ethernet cords and one of his USB cables and see if he couldn't make some sort of usable cable this way.

He was currently in the lobby. His laptop was on a coffee table, closed, and on his lap was a big blue Ethernet cable and a black USB cable. He currently had pliers in his hand, but there were other tools on the ground in front of him.

Ned was on a mission.

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Tony had grown so used to pacing the halls in search of that exhausted post-all nighter clarity that any little shift in the environment stuck out like a sore thumb. Things were so quick to reset into kitschy homeostasis that anything new was worth inspecting. This time, it was some trailing wires instead of some inscrutable mysticism like the kind that composed the library.

Even better.

Whoever the enterprising individual was, they must have been fresh. Staring at strangers was still a type of weird that Tony didn't care to brand himself with, so sizing up new faces had to happen quick. The profile of this newcomer rang a few immediate bells, but nothing that was enough to hang his hat on. A kid, around Peter's age? Fashion both contemporary and casual. Pretty dang familiar with that dell laptop decked out in meme stickers. The picture added up.

"Windows 95 era. Gotta love it."

"I don't even think I've ever seen that OS before." Ned didn't look up until after he said it and when he did, his whole body paused and he looked like a deer in the headlights. This was Tony Stark. After a long pause where Ned didn't even blink, he scrambled to stand up. He wiped his hands on his hips. "Uh, um. Hi, Mr. Stark. It's nice to finally meet you." He paused again, and then awkwardly held out his hand that was definitely a little clammy.

"Easy there, Tiger. We're all in our jammies here." Tony yawned, approaching leisurely in his sweater and joggers, taking Ned's hand for a firm shake. "Let me guess. High schooler. 2016, 2017, thereabouts?"

He nodded a few time. "Uh, yeah. 2018, actually? I'm Ned. Peter's friend?" He felt a surge of panic even though Peter had told him it was okay. "And, before you say anything, I'm really sorry for hacking into Peter's suit and turning off the training wheels protocol."

Tony's eyebrows flickered up in recognition. He drew his hand back, folding them both into his arms. "So you're the one. Neat."

"Uh." His eyes widened and he felt like maybe he was going to throw up. It would probably be bad if he threw up, right? "Yes?" He winced a little. "Sorry?"

Tony nodded along, giving Ned a quick pat on the shoulder. "Not bad. Hit me up in two years for a job."

"What?" Obviously Ned's hearing was impaired or... something. "Really?" His voice went up a pitch and his eyes widened. "Are you serious?!"

“Yeah.” Tony nestled his hands in his loose pockets. “I don’t need anyone who can hack my tech working for the competition.”

"Oh! I would never - I mean - okay, wow! Yes! For sure." Ned felt like maybe he was going to explode from excitement. "You know, ever since Peter started the Stark Internship thing, which, I guess is just like, him being an Avenger? I've always really wanted to meet you guys so this is like, beyond cool."

"He's not an Avenger. Yet." Tony's eyes went between Ned's face and his laptop. "And you're his, what, guy in the chair?"

He sucked in a breath. Did Tony Stark just get him? Like, he understood what he did for Peter? And then Ned had to wonder if Peter told Mr. Stark about it...

Still, he said it. He said it like it was a real thing. It was definitely official now - he was the guy in the chair.

He nodded a few times. "yeah, yeah that's it. You know, helping him when he needs an extra pair of eyes or... a map or whatever."

"That what this," Tony gestured down to the side at Ned's laptop, "Is about? Keeping the title?"

"Sort of. I mean. Well, not really? He doesn't need to like, do the whole Spider-Man thing a lot here, right?" From the sounds of it, it only really happened once. "I'm actually trying to access the internet? It's dial-up, so it's pretty ancient."

"You and what outside world to access, Tiger?" Tony gestured at the double doors. "I won't break down the physics but if you were hoping to stay current on the latest meme...welp."

"Uh... well, no. No. But the inn does have some internet access." At least, it had seemed like it. "When I logged onto the dinosaurs in the business center there was some sort of bulletin board? Like a forum, I guess. Maybe the first sort of Reddit? I figure maybe there's some sort of coding or loophole that might get access to the outside, you know?" But first he needed more than the inn's computers could provide.

“I like the optimism.” Tony patted the boy on the shoulder with the back of his hand, claiming a seat beside Ned’s. “Let’s have a look.”

Ned looked a little surprised and almost in shock that Tony Stark - Tony Stark - decided to sit down and help him. Ned was pretty sure his mind was going to explode. This was so surreal and yet also so amazing. He had to remind himself to breathe as he held out the wiring. Don't pass out Ned. Don't. Pass. Out.

Tony held the ethernet cable and the USB cable in other, piecing together what Ned was getting at pretty quickly.

"Might as well throw together an adapter, am I right? Might make a fun afternoon project."

The fact that he was making something with Tony Stark had Ned beyond floored. This was basically a dream come true. "Yeah! It'll be fun"

(ooc: Fade with Tony and Ned making an adapter?)

"I've got a wire stripper in my room." Tony rose as he gave Ned's shoulder a firm pat. Even if he didn't say it, a humble project that kept his hands busy was probably what the doctor ordered for a decent nap later on.

(ooc: fade here :))

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