After the first movie
James worked with Tony every day for the next four years through everything. He reminded Tony that he was not his father that he could be a great man on his own. James had even taken Tony to a psychologist twice a week for a few months. To this day he’s still not sure what they talked about in those sessions and he’s not sure he wants to find out.
But the day came where they had to part ways. James had already made the obligation ages ago to join the military and Tony already with two Master's degrees was considering options. He had told the older boy he was not going to work for SI until he was ready.
It had been a startle to get a call at three in the morning but listening to his best friend’s heartbreaking sobs he felt even worse that he could not just go and be with him. His heart shattered more when he was told that the younger boy’s parents were dead. He knew that he did not have a good relationship with the Starks and neither did Tony but this was still the people who created him.
James felt horrible that all he could do was read newspapers and listen to the radio about his friend. He found himself worrying more and more about the kid as he watched from afar as he destroyed himself. After all the hard work they had put into teaching Tony how to be an adult, how to be true to himself and this...this was shattering even the young Air Force officer.
Tony had told his best friend long before his parents died how he would not cry if they just disappeared one day. After all of the shit they had put him through, the number of times he was asked to complete impossible tasks and was nothing more than a pet project. Hell, he had to go to therapy because of them! (Under a pseudonym and only while he was in college but still!) He had promised himself and Rhodey that he would not shed a single tear.
Maybe they had meant more than Tony had thought but he likes to think that it was just an overtaxing day that led to the tears. It was not until he started partying, compulsively drinking, and sleeping around that anyone showed worry for him again. It started with calls from Rhodey. Who had told him that he would not be stationed back in America for a while but convinced him to visit the therapist at least once more again. Tony had agreed but found ways to put it off.
He swore to his friend that he was doing better but Rhodey knew he was lying. Could tell when he finally saw his friend from the dark bags, greasy hair and the flask clasped in his hand. James had decided that he would take his friend’s lies until he finally told him the truth. He could not force Tony to tell him about his problems, he was an adult anyways. At least that’s what Rhodey hoped.
Then Afghanistan happened and Tony got worse. He broke down in front of the press that he should not have even been in front of. It was too soon. It was all too soon.
Rhodey took his placating words though as the man was stressed out enough and tried to show his support but being told he was not going to have his best friend’s weapons. It worried him. No one else took the care that Tony did. He created weapons not to be destructive but because he knew his best friend was using them and he did not want him unarmed.
That’s what Tony had told Rhodey all those years ago when he had taken over SI but now it felt like it was just a duty the other man had to bear. An unpleasant task that he had never wanted. Rhodey may have made his displeasure known a bit more than he normally would but he was frustrated.
Rhodey was not sure what broke him from his anger to see that his friend was suffering. To see that Tony needed him more than he would have ever admitted was probably part of it. Maybe it was seeing how Obadiah treated Tony though that really broke him. Watching his best friend battle someone that was supposed to be on his side really destroyed Rhodey. Reminded him of when he had first met Tony and after he helped deal with his nightmares after Christmas break.
Tony was exhausted and his feet hurt more than he would admit to anyone. The marks had not healed as well as they normally did before he was on his feet but he had to return to school. Jarvis had given him ointment and told him to rest as much as he could. Not that Tony was listening but hey who cares.
Rhodey had noticed. Of course, he noticed but he had learned not to say anything until Tony told him. He had learned the hard way but the older teen had understood it was hard for Tony to trust so he created trust by following the unspoken rules. So Rhodey just told the younger boy not to worry about their school work just yet or to worry about their room he should get some rest. It helped that Tony had to travel the farthest out of the two of them so it made sense.
Tony had dreamed about his father’s disapproval telling him about how Rhodey only wanted his money just like everyone else. That he, Howard, would have to “donate” to MIT just to keep his idiot son in school if he could not do better than an A- on English assignments. Then it was Maria telling him that if he can’t be dressed appropriately then she does not want him claiming her as his mother. Tony did not deserve the name Stark and it was clear when he had started sobbing not even a minute into his punishment.
He was not made of iron. He broke with the slightest pressure applied to him. He was already destroyed from something as simple as being told off a little bit. Anthony Edward Stark should not have ever existed. He should not have even tried to be worthy of their attention. The sobs had started without his permission in his dream and in his sleeping body.
The sounds of Tony’s terrified tears had woken Rhodey even when he was thousands of miles away from his friend. That night had stayed with him for his entire life and he had more nights after Afghanistan of Tony’s that would forever be ingrained in his mind. Rhodey was breaking down at the seams watching his friend struggle back to the top of the endless rushing waves of life. He was glad for Pepper. She helped a bit but it was clear she was not who Tony needed.
So he made an appointment with Tony’s old psychiatrist. The young woman had agreed to see them as an emergency after she heard the patient's name. She had told Tony years ago that she wanted to keep him on with all of his issues but he stopped on account of his parents' demise. It broke her heart that he pushed away a form of help when he would need it most. But she could not force an unwilling patient instead she left that up to his friend.
It was clear to Doctor Edey that Tony was suffering worse than she had ever seen him before. He was in stained clothes (and not just grease and oil but food too) and disheveled. The young man had not been taking care of himself, he reeked of alcohol, smoke, and women’s perfume.
When she started to talk to the younger man she realized that everything they had worked on before had been shattered and left in the gutter. The boy had destroyed everything all because he refused to get help when he needed years, months, weeks, and days ago. She pushed her own feelings down as she suggested the next course of action as he needed more help than she could give.
Rhodey and Tony sat stiff-backed in the chairs in front of the psychiatrist’s desk. Her nameplate caught the sunlight just right to be a bit of a distraction to Tony. He kept moving the tiniest bit so that he could watch the different ways the sunlight caught the gold embossed letters. When the doctor cleared her throat though Tony’s head snapped up to watch her.
“As you know I helped with Mr. Stark’s treatment when he was in college but due to his decline, I believe it will be in his best interest that he sees a new doctor. Not that I can not continue to help him but I believe my close friend is a better match with his diagnosis and treatment.” She explained her hands steepling in front of her.
“Doctor Edey can you please tell us about his diagnosis and this treatment...effectiveness,” Rhodey asked, glancing at his friend who seemed more closed off than normal.
“Of course. In my opinion, I believe Mr. Stark suffers from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and..an attachment disorder called Reattactive attachment disorder due to his parents’ neglect.” She took a breath as she saw the words sink in. “I am suggesting that Mr. Stark partakes in an...unconventional treatment. It is called age regression and my friend happens to specialize in the use of this treatment. We have found it helps with some forms of RAD and PTSD as it helps them create a new bond of trust that they had trouble forming with their parents or guardians.”
Rhodey nodded even though he did not think Tony would agree to this treatment but as he was thinking along those lines a thought occurred to him. “So it is like being a little but therapeutically?” Rhodey asked hesitatingly. “Tony...have you ever been classified?” Turning to his long time friend he tried to remember if he had been or not. It would make sense if he had not been with the long term neglect he had suffered.