The Priming Game
Author: amonitrate
Link: AO3
Ship: Tony Stark & James “Rhodey” Rhodes (platonic)
Rating: Teen and Up
Major Tags: Gen, Implied/Reference Torture, Psychological Aftermath, Afghanistan, Friendship, Canon-Compliant, IM1, One-Shot
Summary: (from Ao3) Rhodey wonders if from now on it’s going to be Tony Before and Tony After.
Review:
You know those fics that are practically canon? Those fics where the writing or characterization rivals sequels or official novelizations? This is one of those fics.
The story is set during Iron Man between Rhodey finding Tony post Afghanistan and his return home. No villains attack, but at this moment the entire world is Tony’s antagonist. Military officials want to know exactly what happened in that cave. Tony is tired, twitchy, quiet and still needs to hold onto his secrets.
By necessity, Iron Man glosses over the logistical problems of Tony explaining how the hell he escaped three months of captivity. It’s a happy scene; he’s in Afghanistan, now he’s home, all ready to joke with Pepper and change the world. This story is about those uncomfortable in-between moments of recovery and responsibility. It’s real and alive and you need to read it.
A snippet:
“One of the things Rhodey can’t wrap his mind around is how disjointed these little dribbles of information are when they come out, until Tony has repeated them enough to integrate them smoothly into his tale… The halting way he’s been talking, as if he’s testing every word before he lets it go, is freaking Rhodey out almost as much as the light in his chest.”
Reviewer’s Name: mailorderfictionalcharacter
