Chapter 1
James Rhodes was a polite boy through and through his Ma would have his hide if he did not use respect for his elders and etiquette no matter who he was with. His parents disapprove of the use of swears and the word hate but that did not mean he could not apply in adapt situations. He never thought he would apply it to one of the wealthiest and most well-known men in America but after meeting the boy he was rooming with it was more than necessary.
Tony was thin enough that James was sure he could see the boy’s ribs if he ever lifted up his shirt and he was short. Shorter than any of the other fifteen-year-olds he knew and that included his little brother. He was also withdrawn from everyone, had not reacted when the man that had brought him on move-in-day that he was leaving nor did he when James asked him anything. It was kind of frightening almost as if he had a ghost living with him that hardly spoke or ate. All he did was work and not just for classes, James had seen the Stark Industries logos a few times.
It grew worrisome when he finally did hear the boy speak for the first time. He was on the phone with someone and did not seem to know that James had just been using their shared bathroom. Tony seemed frustrated and looked like he just went to throw his phone and cry but was holding on by a thread and from half of the conversation James heard he could not help the need to protect.
“Yes sir. I know that I am only here due to your generosity and the need to uphold the familial mantle. I am fulfilling all of my roles as best as I can for you. The designs you required are almost completed sir but I had a few issues...You are right sir. Stark men never have issues with our work, apologies sir I will look back over my work. I am sorry for wasting your time, sir. I know sir. I know I am nothing and need to work better on that work.” He was pacing as he grew more agitated. Something in the words he was saying and the way he seemed to draw more into himself made James want to wrap his arms around the boy and protect him from this person.
Tony was 15 for god’s sake and here he was trying to help create new designs for a multimillion corroboration while attending the most prestigious robotics school in the northeast. Other fifteen-year-olds were worrying about who to take to homecoming and pimples. Whatever had gone on in that simple phone conversation had broken him and James was never more grateful for being there when it happened.
Tony had been trained by his “family” with how he was supposed to be in the world. It was an exhausting act playing the role of the genius heir. The only good thing about his life growing up had been Jarvis. The butler had never once spoiled him and taught him right from wrong, how the world really worked. However, as soon as he was old enough to stand by his father’s side and see the top of the desk he was taught about the family business. Expected to pick up wherever his father left off. Howard had never been a loving figure in his life and Maria flitted in and out so often it was hard to even call her a figure in his life.
During his training for this new life, he was subjected to cruel treatment. There had been days when he was not allowed to leave the lab as he was subjected to more and more puzzles. They would lock the lab with interactive puzzles that took forever to disengage. That was only one way Howard had figured out to focus his mind but every time was more damaging than the last.
The conversation on the phone he had to endure was nothing more than a reminder of what he was supposed to be doing and what could be done to him. As if he, Anthony Edward Stark, did not know what he was supposed to be doing. After years of torture and finally being able to live away from the controlling forces of the Stark, adults should be freed but it just did not work. He was floundering and he needed help out but did not know how to ask. Tony was more than sure he was going to always be under his father’s thumb and never be able to make his own decisions. It was a terrifying thought after everything they had done to him he was still vying for their attention and love.
The phone call had been the breaking point for him. His father had been on the other line telling him that he was a useless waste of molecules and energy. It had frustrated and angered him beyond thinking clearly that is what he blamed for his inability to realize he was not alone. The realization had not hit until after he had chucked his phone across the room. When he was turning around to throw himself onto his bed that’s when he had seen James standing there.
James had been a bit of a puzzle for Tony. The older boy had tried multiple times to get Tony to interact with him but after one time too many people scamming him he was cautious. So cautious that he had even told the older boy once to go shove his kindness up his ass.
Today though those eyes were not showing that appearance of cunning ideas like the rest of the world would be filled with. Tony was not naive enough to believe that no one had ulterior motives even his own parents but right now he was not seeing someone that wanted something. He found himself watching cautiously someone who looked worried and kind. Someone he wanted to ask for a hug and be able to tell how the world was not fair with his parents being who they were.
Instead of explaining anything Tony just smiled a bit weak and tried to escape from an awkward conversation. Of course, though he just had to trip over his own feet and James just had to conveniently catch him before he fell. Tony could not wait for this teenage awkwardness to finally dissipate.
“Sorry. I..I’m just gonna go.” Tony tried to straighten up to leave but he felt James’s hold tighten just a bit.
“No, we are going to talk. Well, I am and I want you to listen if you want to continue ignoring the incident that just happened then you can. Just listen to what I say and if you still want to leave afterward you can.”
Tony nodded as he figured that the older boy could easily pin him and he was definitely not strong enough to fight him off. Thinking he made the best decision he relaxed his body as he found himself seated. He hoped this would not take long, he would rather go to the library than be here right now.
“You know I’m a scholarship student..basically shouldn’t even be here. I had a 4.5 GPA in high school, I was top of my class yet everyone told me that I was worthless and inadequate. You see where I am from, we lie, steal, and cheat for a penny. I’m not proud of myself for it but I’ve broken laws to help feed my family once or twice.
I’m not saying that you as a person of high-class society and rich beyond any of my dreams are not allowed to be seen as worthless. I am just trying to explain. Everyone has adversaries and it is how we decide to face them that makes us who we are. I fought against mine climbing my way out of my social class to be here. It has made me a better man and it was also what had me classified as a caregiver.”
Tony was wide-eyed listening to the older boy. James knew how to tell a story short and sweet while driving a point home. But what was really bothering him was that he was rooming with a caregiver. He was already told he could not be anything like one or be anything but a Neutral or alpha.
It was all he wanted in life was to be able to be as commanding as his father. Maybe get to knock him down a few pegs but this. This could cause problems. Fighting back his own fears he nodded along to what the older boy was saying.
“So you don’t have to tell me right now, today, or even two years from now but I am here for you. Whatever you need to talk about or if you just need a break from all of this..this stress. I know we don’t know each other very well but I would like to rectify that. This right here right now is either going to make you or break you. I want to see what a stronger and better Tony Stark can be but I can’t give you every tool to dig yourself out.”
James decided the conversation was over as he stood and went to his side of the room looking for something to either eat or distract. Things like this took time and he was not sure Tony would come around in a few seconds. Hell, he did not think the kid would come around in a year's time but he would wait. He would wait as long as it took if that meant he did not have to hear the kid cry himself to sleep another night.