XX WAR MACHINE XX

James Rhodes. War Machine. Avenger. COMBAT POINTS: 1450. HEALTH POINTS: 600.

[ageofwondersrp-blog]

Welcome to Monster Isle.

[justafan-kamala-blog]

Most of the agents didn’t make it back. Those words rolled around for a long moment, briefly stilling any anticipation for the mission. Commander Rogers sounded hesitant - which, quite honestly, Kamala hadn’t figured he was even capable of doing. That should have been a red flag, right? Could they do this? 

Then the transmition cut out, and she couldn’t help but feel like the other shoe had just dropped.

War Machine was quick to cover for the loss of instruction, and Kamala was immensley grateful for that. Given time to think that over, she might have let herself freak out in a way that most certainly wouldn’t have appeared professional. And on this mission, that could not happen. This life altering, spectacular opportunity to work with the Avengers. To be an Avenger. She chanced a glance around, eyes catching on the heroes standing beside her. These were her heroes, looking to her as someone strong enough to be a freaking Avenger. Missing agents or not, her life was magnificent.

Just like that, her heart was racing again, limbs itching to move. A shred of doubt lingered, tucked into the far corner of her mind, but the mere significance of this mission left so little room for it to do any damage. She stood straighter as she was adressed, biting back a half-anxious half-disbelieing smile as she looked between her given team members. “Gotcha. Roger that. I mean, yes sir!” Kamala stumbled for the correct response, the words sounding a little strange on her tongue. She nodded once, at War Machine, reminding herself time and time again to keep her cool. “Check out the ground- no problem.”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

As they walked around to explore the Island, James wondered if Ultron had managed to deal with the monsters from here. Well, there were monsters in here somewhere, he believed. It wasn’t a real confirmation, by what Commander Rogers said no one was actually able to return and confirm something about this place. They’d be the firsts. Rhodes read about this place back in his times with the Air Force, they had little information and some pilots were also sent there. None returned, as stated by the Commander of SHIELD, he wondered if maybe there might be a chance they... No, this was not a rescue mission.

Stay focus. James was taught not to get sidetracked by anything during missions, either as a pilot or as an Avenger. The young lady - Miss Marvel - sounded really excited, maybe she was anxious or even nervous. Rhodey had dealt with newbies before, just not in this field of action. “Watch each other backs, this place might be dangerous.” Might was an understatement, from what they had heard and read about it. His armor’s scans were trying to find some sign of life, but so far nothing that was archived in any database. Nothing really alive. They had faced Thanos, with many help and effort, but not they were on a new ground.

It wasn’t only about the possible creatures or whatever it was that lived in that place, Ultron was also present. The android who held the most powerful items known to any creature on the whole Universe. One of the good things of having this mission in there was that they had no need to watch out for civilians. This mission would have no casualties. That’s when James’ armor started beeping, something living had been found. 

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

“There won’t be any skynet bullshit,” Tony replied with a smirk, taking a sip of the ice cold water that had been set on the table by the waiter and trying not to think about what had just happened, what they had just been to. The funeral was done, they’d said goodbye to Jarvis. “No, this is something that is much more benign and not nearly as complicated. Whether or not you should actually call it AI is an interesting debate, the programming probably won’t be complex enough to warrant the term Artificial Intelligence, because that would suggest it has its own Mind, like a human’s, but it doesn’t, not yet anyway.” 

“But, I’m rambling on, and boring you,” he said with a shrug as they awaited their food. “What have you been up to since you’ve been back Rhodey?” he asked with a smile as he shifted gently in his chair, trying to get truly comfortable. “You can’t tell me the classified stuff, I get that, but there must be somethings that you can tell me.”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Taking a sip of the drink which had just arrived, Rhodes looked Tony right in the eye with a look of disbelief. “That’s the kind of bullshit that the idiots who made Skynet probably said before making it.” His statement was probably truth, but he didn’t manage to keep a straight face. Soon after speaking he started laughing. It was fun to think about how Tony could create something that would end the world. The kid Rhodey met back in the day when he couldn’t really stand any social gathering.

“I met a nice girl.” James said, thinking about how many people he had met during his time with the Air Force. “Her name is Carol Danvers.” Then it hit him that Tony was going to get the bad idea, all that ran trough his mind was about sex. Well, it wasn’t always like that so Rhodey had some blame in that. “She isn’t someone I’m interested in, just someone who impressed me. A friend.” And that wasn’t all Rhodey had in his life ever since going into duty. Rhodey foudn out how the army had been buying more and more weapons from Stark Enterprises, but they were really in need of something new. But as stated previously it wasn’t up to Tony, he was working for himself for now.

[pepper-potts--ceo-blog]

Impressive Resume // Rhodey & Pepper

[pepper-potts--ceo-blog]

Hearing his assurance of meeting her there, Pepper felt her shoulders drop and a hesitant smile flicker over her lips. He’d come. Muttering a quick ‘thank you’ she hung up the phone, grabbed a jacket, and ran out the door. She had already dressed down, hoping that different clothes would calm her more than the office suit. Her flats slapped against the cement, and she was grateful she had remembered a jacket after realizing her T-shirt wasn’t the warmest item in her wardrobe. 

Pepper walked into the bar a few minutes later, her cheeks flushed and her eyes searching for the familiar man. Her heart skipped a beat when she thought he hadn’t come, yet within seconds her pulse dropped after seeing him sitting at a table. 

“Hey Rhodey.” She smiled and slipped into a chair beside him. Her smile felt unsure, but that wasn’t something she hadn’t bet on. “How are you?” It seemed rude to just jump into her problems without checking on him first. After all, it was at her request they meet here. When the waiter came back around, Pepper muttered out a quick request for whiskey and looked up to him. “Have you heard? I doubt… I tried to keep this as quiet as humanly possible.”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

From what he noticed Pepper felt really anxious, he had no idea what had been happening to her but if she did call him he would be there to help. Maybe something bad had happened with Tony. “Hey, Ms. Potts.” He replied to her, trying to make her feel comfortable. “I just returned from a field mission, but nothing with the armor. Haven’t used that ever since I faced the Melter.” The army was still trying to fix some damages, since Rhodes wasn’t on best terms with Tony.

Lately he didn’t really feel good about not talking to Tony, but it wasn’t his choice because the genius had decided to build himself a fort around his lab. “Is he talking to you?” They had been together as a couple, for God’s sake. It wasn’t just that Pepper was his friend, she was his girlfriend, at least until something happened. Rhodes didn’t meddle on things that weren’t his business, but he ddin’t like the idea that his friends were doing something dumb. Still, Tony didn’t feel like a friend ever since he decided to lock himself in that lab.

With the missions and everything he also barely spoke to Pepper, which is why he was really surprised to see her. “To be honest I have no idea what you are talking about, Pepper.” He did’nt. As previously stated he had no idea what had been going on with the lives of his friends. “But do tell, now I’m curious.” One thing he knew was that Pepper had been really busy with Stark Enterprise and her life as a CEO, it could be something related to that.”

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

Spaghetti Bolognese. That was what he would be having. He had been to this restaurant a few times. The first time he had been introduced to it by an old colleague from his MIT days. He’d considered buying it but upon realising that he knew nothing about running a restaurant and would probably just end up ruining something that was already as god damn close to perfect as you could possibly be, he had elected against it.

“Inventions?” he asked, looking up from the menu for a second, before snapping it shut. “Hold on just a second,” he said to his friend as a very pretty waiter appeared. “Can we get your best bottle of red wine, and I’ll have the spaghetti with extra meatballs please,” he smiled and waited for Rhodey to order whatever it was that he wanted before continuing. “Inventions, that was what we were talking about right?” he shrugged gently and sat back in his chair, “as inventing goes I’m working on AI right now, just something small for the house, there is also some rough mechanic work going on in the basement but that is just a hobby…” he trailed off and shrugged. It wasn’t like he could say, what about you?

“For the moment, Rhodey,” he said looking his friend in the eye, “I’m good, but if that changes I will let you know, I think that for the moment I just need to take a moment, take some time, relax, get this whole ordeal over with.” He shrugged gently. It needed to be done. 

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

During his time serving James didn’t really had any access to this kind of food, he barely ate anything solid at all. Some pasta was going to do him some good, carbs were something he was needing on his diet at the moment. Hopefuly he would be able to come here more times, with Stark. He really wished to be able to stay for longer, so he could actually build a life around these areas again. It was unlikely though, they would need him elsewhere in a few months. 

“I will have the same as him.” Rhodes said to the waiter, just as he looked into Tony. Tony’s taste in food wasn’t any bad, just like his taste in women and well - most things. If this place was good enough for Stark to bring him, it meant most of the things he could order would still be a pleasure. When Tony mentioned the AI the first thing that came to James’ ming was how the whole Terminator movie went down. “Plase, do not create any Skynet bullshit.” He was trying to create humour based on something that actually did worry him a little. Still, this AI must have been like a way to cope with the whole burrying the people he loved stuff. It must help Tony not to feel alone. If it takes the machines taking over the world for Tony to be fine, he wouldn’t mind all that much.

And he was right to want a time for himself, not to be working on something for others. All the ideas of Tony’s mind were for himself for now, he shoudl take care of himself. “You’re right, it’s probably for the best.”

[ageofwondersrp-blog]

Welcome to Monster Isle.

“Alright team, you will be arriving at Monster Island at any second now”, Commander Rogers’ voice warned, coming from the nearby comm. If they looked out of the windows of the Quinjet, they could spot the grotesque, rocky formations that rose above the water, teeming with forests and mountains and gods knew what else. “As we have explained in the debriefing, not a lot is known about this place. Most of the agents that were sent here didn’t, uh, make it back.” They could hear the director cleaning his throat, before returning. “But we know why the island gets its name, so be careful once in land. If Stark’s tech is right - and we are all hoping it is this time - your arrival has already been noted by Ultron, even with the camouflage shielding, so attacks will come in shortly, be prepared. We don’t know exactly wha–”

The sound of the director’s voice was lost, turning into static and then simply disappearing the closer they got to solid ground. The jet was programmed to land by a beach, closer to the last source of energy readings detected by Stark’s tech. There was a mountain nearby, where it was assumed to be Ultron’s hideout. To get to it, however, there was an entire mountain worth crossing first.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Hearing about how there were agents that did not make it back from that place didn’t really concern Rhodey as much as it should. What did concern him was that a place called Monster Island was something that actually existed and he not yet heard of this. “How long have we known about this place?” He asked, not really directing his question to anyone. Maybe he just didn’t read the file properly about this place. There was a chance, even if it was a really small one, that they got to rescue those lost agents.

At the moment Commander Rogers was cut off he felt some chill on his spine. This was what being an Avenger felt like, he was already getting used to it at this point. After all, there wasn’t a chance of not getting used to it when they were flying into a place called Monster Isle. Once they got on the ground, Rhodes lead the team out of the Quinjet. “We should split, Cap.” He told the winged Avengers. “I take the newbies.” Spider-Man and Miss Marvel, they ould hold their own in a fight but didn’t have as much experience.

Then it hit that he could use some heave hitter on his squad, so he looked to Vision. The android had just been hijacked by Ultron, he was a reliability but Rhodey could really use him as well. “And him.” He said, looking into Vision. “Come with me, you guys. We gonna look into the ground.” Most of the others could fly, they could fly and do their thing. Only reason he didn’t place himself in the air was because none of the newbies could fly and he rally wanted to watch over them. 

Uncle-y instinct maybe.

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

“Military stuff, classified, whatever.” He was bitter. Sure. He was definitely bitter. His tone showed it too. There was a definite bite to his words. But none of it was directed at Rhodey. This wasn’t Rhodey’s fault. Rhodey hadn’t done any of this to hurt him. Rhodey hadn’t done any of this really. But it wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. None of this was his choice. Yet he was the one who was going to have to deal with it all. On his own too. Rhodey would fuck off back to the military, Aunt Peggy would die, then he’d be left alone. Alone in the world. Back to the good old days right? 

He swallowed gently as he parked, and stepped out of the car. “If you’re sure,” he said with a shrug, closing and locking the door he walked to the restaurant and paused at the door. “Table for two please,” he said gently to the waiter stood in front of him, holding up two fingers to indicate what he meant. It was a habit he’d picked up in his time on this Earth. 

After a brief, silent pause, they were led over to a small booth. Just about big enough for two people to sit. Tony took his seat and grabbed a menu. Opening it and scanning the pages to avoid conversation, just for the moment. Just until he was ready to say something.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

It was really outstanding how bitter Tony could sound with just four words, Rhodey couldn’t help but to smile to himself. It might take him some time but eventually Tony would wrap his head around the fact that his job wasn’t a joke or anything of sorts.Given time they’d be able to have a normal friendship without these kinds of awkward moments of silence. Rhodey kept in mind that all was just a matter of time, Tony was just starting to get used with the whole military career of his friend. Soon he hoped Tony would have a work or even a hobby of his own as well, being locked up in the mansion wasn’t going to do him any good.

Once they were inside the restaurant James tried to think of something to talk about, he wasn’t really any comfortable with silence and this silence wasn’t going to help Tony trough the hard part of his life. Sports weren’t really something he remembered Tony liking, neither were soap operas. Then a light lit up on his mind. “What are your latest inventions,Tony? Anything good?” One thing Tony was as passionate as his father werte inventions. Their mind allowed them to create the best - or in some cases the worst - invetions possible.

“If you want I could get you to sell something to the military. If you’d like to I mean.” He added, this would really give some support to Tony create more stuff, also a proffit if he ever needed considering the company wasn’t being ran by him anymore.

[pepper-potts--ceo-blog]

Impressive Resume // Rhodey & Pepper

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

 pepper-potts--ceo:

After using the suit for the first time, Pepper had needed someone more than Tony to help her. It was still hard between them, and she needed someone who had made the transition to a suit just as she had. Unexpectedly. Her hands were shaking, and for the first time, Pepper could feel doubt creep in her shoulders. This had been a feeling she was experiencing more often, and it was a terrifying reminder that she was new to being a hero. She had more of a responsibility than managing a thousand or so jobs; she had to protect a city with over a million people. 

Her hands were shaking when she picked up her phone, her fingers lightly tapping on each key to call Rhodey. She needed to breathe, to control herself before she became a nervous wreck over a matter that didn’t demand such nerves. She could handle this… she would just need some pointers. When a voice came over the line, her eyes snapped open and words poured out of her mouth. 

“Rhodey? Hey- it’s Pepper. I don’t know if you’re busy, or if you want to help, but I need help. I’m uh… I’m in my apartment. But I can meet anywhere. Why don’t we meet at the bar? I can use a drink, or three. I vote Charlie’s. It’s equal distance between you and I. Let’s do that. I like that plan. Will you come?” She rushed through the spiel, barely stopping to breathe between her hurried words. 

Working as a colonel at the Air Force was just a task for Rhodey nowadays, it didn’t get him tired or even exausted. The hard part of his life at the moment was having to deal with the whole War Machine deal. Ever since him and the other members of the Force Works decided this life wasn’t for them, especially if they couldn’t trust the government or even SHIELD. Whatever was that Insight thing inside the J.O.C.A.S.T.A. disks, Rhodes didn’t really believed it to be a good thing. Now he was going solo, working for the Air Force but nothing of the black ops sort of thing. He was a machine of war, of sorts. It didn’t really fit his personality but it was the name his superiors thought appropriate.

When his phone started to ring, he had just got out of a bath after a mission in Russia - nothing really important just some odd terrorist dealing. Ten Rings was related to it, he wasn’t really going to mention it to Tony because he had his plate full after the whole Invasion deal. Also, Tony was barely talking to him or anyone else ever since what went down with those Frost Giants things and the gods of Asgard sort of thing. He saw Pepper’s ID pic and number, then he answered it. “Hey Peppers.” He said, right before hearing what she had to say. “Yes, of course. Meet you there in thirty.”

It didn’t take him long to get ready, he had just taken a shower. He picked up the first nice looking clothes he saw in his wardrobe and then took his car to the bar. It was still week and he would be working in the next morning so he didn’t really intended to drink any sort of alcohol. When he got to Charlie’s, he didn’t see Pepper at first so he just got a table and ordered some soda. “Hey, I thought you weren’t coming.” He told her once she arrived at their tabble.

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

“Classified.” Fantastic. His least favourite word. His father had bandied it about constantly, telling him that something was classified in the little time that they had spent together. In his experience it was one of the most effective conversation killers that there were. But he wasn’t going to admit that right now. He didn’t want to kill the conversation. The conversation was the only thing that was really distracting him from everything that was going on, and he wasn’t going to jeapordise that right now. Honestly it felt as if it were the only thing that he really had going for him at the moment. 

“I can drive most cars,tanks included,” he said dryly. It was a poor attempt at humour, but you had to give him credit for it . At least he was trying to keep a conversation going. He owed Rhodey that much. “Maybe if you’re good then I’ll lend you one of my cars,” he would give Rhode a car in a heart beat. Hell he would give the man anything he wanted. His intense love for him was unconditional. Rhodey was a brother to him. That would never change. He’d always hold him in the highest esteem and he’d give his right arm and left leg if it would help his friend. Without hesitation of course. 

“We’re nearly there,” he muttered as he took a left with ease. He liked to think that he was a good driver, even if he did drive a little too fast sometimes.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

He was pretty sure Tony wouldn’t really care about what his superiors had in store for himself, after all it was nothing but a trip. Not a vacation but a trip nonetheless. “Sorry, military stuff.” Rhodey told Tony, probably the other had already presumed such thing. At this moment Rhodey couldn’t really imagien Stark having to keep a secret, he would never last in the Air Force or the Secret Service. Good thing that in Tony’s line of work he didn’t have to keep a secret for his or anyone else’s life. Maybe he needed more responsability, to learn about how important things had to be handled.

Still, that was not the right moment to think about how Tony had to grow up as a person. They were about to get to the restaurant, which was great news because Rhodey was starting to hear his stomach trying to talk to him. When Tony mentioned lending him one of his rides, Rhodey couldn’t help but laugh at the sentence. “Please, I couldn’t handle the responsability of oen of your cars. They cost more than I made so far in my life.” And probably on the last twenty lives he probably had if past lives were actually a thing. For things like this he was really cool with not driving any of Stark’s cars.

Once they reached the location of the restaurant, James had a smile on his face. “Finally.”

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

“Aren’t all of my rides nice?” Tony quipped dryly. That was the luck of the draw. Out of the billions of people who had been born on this Earth, he had been lucky enough to have been born a Stark. He was now part of the family that had a company that headed up global development, technology and military arms around the world. It was basically his birth right to have fast cars, pretty girls on his arm and he was sure that there were a number of political commentators who were more than a little surprised that he hadn’t developed a bit of a drug habit. He had other addictions, and he’d dabbled with a few drugs in his time. But his real addiction was his work. Though he’d never admit it.

“Working, on a new piece of software, for personal consumption, I don’t intend for this to hit the market or anything like that, but still,” he went silent as he slid his keys into the ignition and the car roared to life. Backing out of his parking space, he checked that he was good to go before driving away. “How about you? What have the good old generals that you report to got planned for you?”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Point, they were indeed all nice. Well, except for the custom made ones that really looked like a bad Terminator prototype. 

Something Tony and Howard had in comon was a weird taste for expensive things that could end up being ugly as hell. Unlike their taste for women, he never saw neither father nor son with a gal who wasn’t a supermodel. Their brains were so alike, he wondered if Tony could actually see how alike his father he really was despite them having been so distant from each other during Howard’s time on this Earth. “I wonder if you’d know how to drive a regular Toyota.” He said with a grin on his face, it was such an absurd image on his head. Tony ‘the richest kid’ Stark driving a Toyota. At this moment it was marvelous that Tony’s car still had wheels.

So he was working on some sort of software, that wqas nice. Something Rhodey didn’t want was having Tony lock himself up or let the alcohol and drugs consume him. His work was an addiction but it wasn’t as damaging to his health as the other ones he had. Then a thought ran trough Rhodes’ mind, he didn’t give it much attention before voicing it out. “Have you been to the company? I mean, ever since...” His parents passed away. Died. Have been in an accident. Probably he hadn’t, that would remind him too much of his father and the work he spent his life on. At the question Tony made him, he was about to voice out everything then he remembered. “Classified.” He said with a disapointed face. Damn.

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

“Italian, great.” He muttered, gently, almost under his breath, almost so that he would be the only one that could hear it. After all what they were eating was never hat had worried Tony. What had worried Tony was that he had lost so many relationships, he had lost his parents and he was losing Aunt Peggy, and now Jarvis was gone and he couldn’t for a single moment bear to think of what would happen if he had really lost Rhodey too. But no, for once things were apparently working in his favour and he was beginning to be able to swing back into the way things had once been, he was beginning to be able to swing back into a normal friendship with Rhodey.

The funeral was all but over now, and as Rhodey squeezed his shoulder he took a deep shuddering breathe, reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe away the tear that had trickled down his cheek. Composing himself he turned to his friend and looked at him for a moment, trying to make a decision on what he should say next. 

“Come on,” he muttered, starting to make his way away from the coffin and towards the sports car that he had parked in the car park. “Lets get out of here,” he muttered gently as he clicked the button on the remote with his keys and watched the car beep back at him in reply.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

He was glad the whole funeral was done, at least the vibe of sadness and grief wasn’t going to stay for their whole dinner. Tony wasn’t the least bit close to comfortable in there, if he wanted the other to ease on himself and have a nice conversation it was better to get him away from there. Rhodes probably chose the worst day possible to return to Tony’s life, but he wasn’t about to let the chance of having his best friend back. “Nice ride.” He cumplimented the car as soon as they got to it. Despite his cumpliment he was not the least surprised with the ride, growing up around the Starks he got used to the finnest machinery running around. 

“What have you been up to, Tony?” They were just walking inside the car, he wanted to get away from the whole death subject. If they remained in the cemetery this probably wasn’t going away anytime. Rhodey really missed being around Tony, his life and the whole fact that he didn’t have anything to do with his military career. It was a nice change of pace, feeling like he was more than the Air Force guy. “Just came back from the field, you wouldn’t even know the amount of stuff that happened.” Maybe talking about the things he had experienced during his time away would ease Tony up, also that would relief his own stress. 

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

He could see why someone would want to let him make all of the decisions, and in this moment, the controlling part of Tony, that wanted everything in this chaotic world to have some semblance of balance, wanted everything to be in his control. So when Rhodey offered to let him pick the place, his heart leapt and soared. “There is a little Italian place, just - well it isn’t far from here,” he said with a shrug, trying to play it cool and as if he didn’t care about this with every fibre of his being, “we could go there if you felt up to it, they make a really good pizza or pasta if you don’t want the … calories.”

God how lame did he sound right now? Here he was, seeming to be worrying about fucking calories when the man who had practically raised him was sitting in a hole that was quickly being filled with dirt. What the hell was his problem? 

That, sadly, was a question that he was more than capable of answering. Sadly, he knew exactly what his problem was. His problem was that half of him wanted, to scream, to cry and to flee from this damned situation. Half of him wanted out, it wanted nothing more than to curl into a ball and hide. The other half of him, the more reasonable side of him, wanted Rhodey back as a friend. Just as someone to talk to. Just so he wasn’t …. so alone.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Itallian sounded good for him, especially if Tont was down for it. James was used to any kind of food, so he probably wasn’t going to dislike whatever food the place Tony chose served. In a restaurant they’d have the chance to talk more properly, even without all those eyes on them. “Itallian it is then.” He said, reasuring the other. Step by step Rhodey tried to find a proper way to talk to Tony, without pushing too hard or making the other uncomfortable. A moment passed as he said his goodbyes to Mr. Jarvis in silence as he watched Tony drift away in whatever his thoughts were.

If the occasion was different Rhodes would preffer to have dinner at the mansion or his place, but he felt like it would be pushing too much to ask Tony to be left alonge with him like that. First he wanted to show the genius that despite the time he spent afar from him, Rhodey would always be the same best friend to him. 

When he noticed Tony was letting hiw own thoughts get the best of him again, Rhodes reached for his shoulder and squeezed it gently. There weren’t any words for him to say, he couldn’t change how bad Tony was feeling for loosing another father figure but he could and he was going to show Stark that he was there for him. After all, he hadn’t been around to do that until now. 

[bullbasaurusrex]

Yep. We are still calling him The Villain.

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

Rhodey was now stood next to him. That wasn’t what Tony wanted right now, right now he wanted to be on his own, dealing with this in his own way, he wanted to work on something, to get his hands dirty with engine grease and oil, he didn’t want to be here if he could help it. He wanted to be in his basement, working on his projects. But he couldn’t help it right now, right now he couldn’t do anything but watch the closest thing that he’d ever have to a father go six feet under the earth.

Gulping, he realised that suddenly his palms were sweaty and he gently wiped them on the legs of his suit trousers, he didn’t want clammy hands when he had to shake all of those hands later on. That would be a disaster. Never mind a little embarrassing. 

Fighting back the tears that were threatening to spill out of his eyes and trickle down his face, he swallowed once more, trying to keep in control, trying not to fall apart on Rhodey or anyone else who was watching. Aunt Peggy was losing her marbles, his parents were dead and now Jarvis was gone, suddenly his life was empty of people. Once it had been full and vibrant, with loving pseudo parents and then his own parents, who loved him in their own special way. 

“I miss him already,” he said as he watched the coffin touch the bottom of the grave, then they began to pile the dirt onto it. It was final, Jarvis was gone and Tony wasn’t going to be able to stop any of this from happening. God what he would do to just have five more minutes with the man, just to talk to him, just to confide in him. That would be, well that would be impossible and he had to accept it. 

Rhodey’s suggestion was kind and Tony knew that he meant the best, but that was the very last thing that Tony wanted. Tony wanted to say no, he didn’t want to talk about this, he wanted to be alone, being alone was the only thing to do right now. “Sure,” he said, being polite rather than a … well being a dick, this wasn’t easy for Rhodey either and he needed to accept that. “We can get dinner, if you want.”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Despite feeling like Tony wasn’t feeling like having him around, Rhodes felt like he couldn’t leave his friend behind. Not in a moment like this. He had lost a father, he could imagine how Tony was feeling. After all, as if his dad’s death wasn’t enough he was now losing his paternal figure. It was hurtful to remember all the times Mr. Jarvis watched him and Tony, made them snacks and even took care of them if they got hurt. This was a marvelous man who had been an important figure for him and Tony.

Still trying not to be intrusive, Rhodes watched Stark. He noticed that Tony was fighting his emotions, probably not to crack in front of all these people. After going trough so many funerals he could say that he understood both the pain as the need to keep it inside. There were not many things that could be as painful as the loss of the people you loved. Rhodes never felt more alone and broken than the day he lost his father, so he could guess how Tony felt.

Both of them missed him, he liked the man and knew how important he had been for Tony. “I know, Tony. Me too.” Rhodey imagined how the man in the coffin would have been feeling if his wife hadn’t passed away before him. One thing Jarvis loved more than anything was his Ms. Anna. Now they were together, somewhere over the rainbow. Both of them were such an inspiration for him, for something he wants to achieve one day. In life they marked not only his life but also the lives of all around them.

“Dinner sounds great.” He said, trying not to cross any line. Dinner indeed sounded great, that way they could talk about life and stuff out of the whole funeral situation. Both him and Tony held no conditions of talking at this moment, not when they had just watched Mr. Jarvis be put under the ground. “Where do you prefer?” Rhodey asked, he wanted to leave the choices all up to Tony because that way the millionaire would feel more confortable.

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

[nottheironman-blog]

It was weird, the pain wasn’t even physical. It was just something that had settled in his chest and remained there. A long, dull, ache that felt as if he were missing a large part of his chest cavity. He had once talked to an evangelical pastor who had described the feeling of a godless life as a hole in your life that only god could fill. Strangely it felt as if there was now a hole in his life that only Jarvis could fill, except there was no way that he ever would fill it again. 

Everyone was here, everyone who should be. That was some form of consolation he guessed, that was something good at least. He was trying to find silver linings, anything to cling onto to stop his world from tumbling down around him, anything to stop everything from going to shit. But no matter what he tried, all he wanted to do was pull away from the world, lock himself away and grieve alone and in peace.

He wanted peace, but apparently Rhodey wasn’t going to give it to him because a second later there was a touch on his shoulder and an all too familiar voice in his ear. He gulped and tried to find the right words, his eyes were watery and his knees felt weak, he certainly wasn’t prepared for an encounter with Rhodey, not after all of this time.

He wanted to scream and ask him where he was the first time this happened, he wanted to cry and hold his friend close to him for comfort, he wanted to punc the man in the face for being gone for so long, and he wanted to do all of those things at once. He wanted to do something, he needed to do something other than just stand there.

He watched the coffin be lowered for a second longer before turning and clearing his throat. “Rhodey,” he said gently, “I’m sorry too, Jarvis was a great man.”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Seeing him after all this time made him feel a little concerned for his friend, not only because of the loss but also because of how that many losses would be affecting him. Tony didn’t look the young bright boy that Rhodey knew and cared about, he was a little more... Adult? No, it wasn’t the right word but the one he managed to find to describe. It was like something was broken on him, not something he could fix like tech.

He thought Tony was going to be mad at him for not being there when his parents died, but it was something different. Maybe it was the grief or he just didn’t feel as close to Rhodey as he used to. That made James feel a little guilty, like if he had been there he could have kept Tony full of life or something. He couldn’t feel worst, but he was decided to make the best he could to keep Tony well.

“Yes, he was.” He replied to Tony, with a friendly smile that probably didn’t do the best of jobs keeping his own grief hidden. “He will be missed Tony, by us all.” Then he stared into the coffin as it was being lowered, he imagined how many times they’d have to go trough that. Him and Tony. His dad, Tony’s folks and now Mr. Jarvis.  Life was hard but facing the death of someone they loved as much harder.

As the coffin had been lowered, he kept looking at Tony, making sure he was alright. Or the closest to alright as he could be. “When this is done do you want to talk?”

[current-comix]

[nottheironman-blog]

Bury Your Feelings Here (Flashback) || Rhodey and Tony

This suit was too damned tight. 

Actually, there was no way that it could be. It had been tailored made to fit him literally days ago, the company that did it said that it might be a rush job but Tony didn’t care. He needed it, for the funeral of someone whom in his opinion had been more to a father to him than his own father. 

Though he was dead too. But now was not the time to focus on that, now was the time to focus on Jarvis, the person who’d always brought him little mints and taken him to the beach for ice cream and hiked him onto his shoulders and spun him around by his ankles and …

Tony forced himself to think about it no more, shifting gently he forced his eyes to focus back on the coffin, this was the first time he’d been around so many people in weeks, but it was worth it. It was what Jarvis deserved, it was the least that Tony could do. If that meant that he avoided eye contact with his old friend Rhodey then so be it. That was something that he could handle.

That was something that he had to handle for now.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

After so long in the military he expected himself to be able to hold himself in good shape when it came to the death of someone he was close. A few of the men and women who served with him had passed away, he had to deal with his grief all of those times. Mr. Jarvis was an important part of his childhood, but he knew who he mattered the most to.

Tony... Little Tony. They white skinned brunette was looking at the coffin of the man who raised him, the one who remained by him even after his parents passed away. Rhodes had lost his father, he imagined what Tony had gone trough - while he wasn’t even there to comfort his friend - but lose Mr. Jarvis too now... It was too much.

The last time Stark had gone trough something like this he wasn’t close enough to help the other, but this would not happen for a second time. Rhodes wanted to be there for Tony and help him go trough. Something was giving an impression that Stark was trying to avoid eye contact with him. Still, he wasn’t to let the chance slip of talking to Tony.

“Stark, I’m sorry.” He said, touching Tony’s shoulder from behind.

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

J.O.C.A.S.T.A. - James // The Witch

[ageofwonders-npc-blog]

If he was really a treath to her, she would have vanquished him as it was. Also if she didn’t believe him to be a reasonable man that would actually listen to what she had to say. “Stop mocking me, Colonel Rhodes.” Those were her words as she approached him with the disks on her hands. Previously she believed them to have some value but what she found in them was actually the opposite. 

“In these disks you can find some information on Project: Insight.” She revealed him, with a serious look in her face. SHIELD had developed a true evil, at least in her opinion. Their will to protect the world had gone to far, or maybe it was like the dreams have been telling her. There was more to it. “They want to access everything. Watch everyone, at every place.”

[thewarxxmachine-blog]

Right in the moment his armor’s entire system shuts down he get a few more seconds to think about what she was saying. James had no idea what she meant by ‘watch everyone’. Was this some sort of Big Brother shit? How did she hear of that? When the armor completed its reboot, he didn’t attach her. He wanted more information on that, then he could arrest her. “What do you mean?”

Before she could answer her heard Carol’s message over the comunicator, she sounded worried about him. So they weren’t under attack, she targeted opnly him. “Come to my location, Danvers. Bring everyone along, I have her.”