Chapter 5
“Please Mr. Stark!”
Tony breathed out slowly through his nose as he pressed the receiver to his ear. Peter had been going on about getting his crack PR team to get him his own twitter account, and Tony was not impressed with the idea. Sure twitter turned out to be enlightening and even a little fun, but it also opened him up to a world of filth that was ‘trolls.’ Telling people to kill themselves is fun somehow? Nope, no siree, Peter doesn’t need that in his life and Tony refuses enable that kind of harassment.
“You know, I gave you a way to contact me in case of an emergency, not to beg for a twitter account.”
Tony heard huffing on the other end and rolled his eyes.
“It is an emergency Mr. Stark! After that news article people are being more stupid than usual!”
Tony snorted but couldn’t deny it. The so called ‘rogue avengers’ had been spotted all over East Asia being both heroic and general nuisances. It had lit a new fire under the public to again rehash every single detail of the civil war and generally send both extreme hatred and love Tony’s way. Of course Peter being the hero he is wants to protect Tony’s name but it would take the world ending for Tony to even consider giving Peter an account. Tony told him as such.
“Mr. Stark…” Peter whispered. Unbidden, the image of Peter’s glassy-eyed adoring gaze looking up at him entered his mind.
“Hanging up now Peter! I’m allergic to that kind of talk and Rhodey’s here so I have to go!”
Tony cut the call without listening to the protests and walked into the living room where Rhodey was already setting the take-out on the coffee table.
“Hey.”
Rhodey nodded in greeting, laying out the utensils.
Tony frowned, taking a seat and waiting patiently for Rhodey to finish the busy work and just come out and say what he wanted to say.
He didn’t have to wait long.
“I think I want a twitter account.”
Tony groaned, reaching for the box of chicken fried rice.
“I’m serious Tony. Spidey and I have been talking and I think it’s a good idea.”
“When have you ever had a conversation when I wasn’t in the room?”
“You need someone to defend you, since you won’t defend yourself.”
“Seriously, he’s only over like, once a week.”
“I’ve already spoken to the air force and your PR team and they all gave the green light.”
Tony balked.
“Please Tony.”
Tony stuffed his mouth full and didn’t reply. Rhodey was a grown ass man and if he wanted to wade into the shit storm that was the internet he really didn’t need his permission, though he might need his PR team to get certified. Really, the fact that he was asking for permission was more of a courtesy. But Tony really didn’t want to give it. Rhodey was his best friend who no one ever really had a bad thing to say about his entire life. He goes out there and defends Tony then people will harass him, there’s no question.
“Rhodey it’s just a dumb PR ploy and I don’t need you butting in-”
Rhodes gave him an unimpressed look.
“-But fine, if it means so much to you then I can set one up.”
Rhodey shot him a satisfied look before pulling out his phone.
“Really? You already made one?”
Rhodey grinned before it melted into a grimace.
Alexandria Bull @Alexiab2ll
The only fucking reason Stark was behind the accords was because he felt guilty after sokovia.
Rhodey snorted, “Hmm… maybe that’s why they called it the Sokovia Accords! What a revelation! I need to tweet this.”
“Rhodey.”
“As if the motivation behind the act matters more than the act itself. ‘Oh I’m sorry officer, you see I killed this man for love which makes me innocent.’”
“Rhodey.”
“Like Captain Assholes’ motivation was any more noble. Like Barnes is worth more than the world.”
“Rhodey.”
Rhodey reared back at the tone in his friend’s voice, looking up from the hundreds of tweets he’d been scouring.
Tony grit his teeth. It wasn’t Rhodey’s fault. In the worst of his moments he’s picked apart every possible reason cap, and anyone, could have against the accords. Everything from ‘this is Captain America and he says no’ to ‘this would upset the political climate’ and every time he’s picked them apart so easily it makes him want to scream. But in the end it doesn’t matter. In the end, Rhodey is still hurt.
“Tony.”
Tony shook his head, trying to clear his mind.
“It’s fine Rhodey. I’m just tired.”
Rhodes snorted, gently pushing Tony’s shoulder. “Now I know somethings wrong. Tony Stark admitting weakness is a bad sign.”
A smile tugged at Tony’s lips but didn’t quite form.
Oh shit now Rhodey looked even more concerned.
“Tony,” Rhodey whispered, ”can you tell me?”
Ugh.
Tony groaned, reaching for whatever food was in front of him.
“Just leave them alone. They don’t know what they’re talking about. No reason to fight with a kid about something they don’t understand.”
The egg rolls are really good.
“Really?”
Tony rolled his eyes. “’Really’ what Rhodey?”
Rhodes shuffled closer.
“That isn’t everything Tony.”
“There’s just no point in fighting people over this Rhodey. Trust me, people who support Rogers are the minority.”
Rhodey let out a noise that was distinctly long-suffering.
“Please tell me.”
He really didn’t want to. Rhodey had enough on his plate, but the thing with Rhodey is that once he thinks there’s a problem he won’t let it go until it gets fixed.
Letting out his own brand of a long-suffering sigh, Tony caved.
“It’s just…they have a point.”
Rhodey looked around like Tony had just given him whiplash.
“Not about the accords. About me.”
Wow, I really shouldn’t have said that. Honey-bear looks ready to fight someone.
“Not! Like! I should die or whatever, just that they’re right. I wanted the accords because someone died because of me and I felt like shit. I wanted the accords because my friends were threatened. I didn't understood why other people would want the accords. I never truly understood what everyone was thinking when they protested the avengers. That’s it.”
Rhodey raised an eyebrow.
“Wanting to protect your friends doesn’t make you a bad person Tony.”
Tony’s lip curled, putting his food down carefully. “Really? Because last time I checked Steve fucking Rogers was only trying to save his buddy.”
Rhodey threw his hands up. “You know there’s a difference Tony!”
Tony rolled his eyes and balled his fists on his knees. Rhodey was over-protective at the best of times and after Siberia he became insufferable. Unfortunately Tony couldn’t really call him out on it considering Tony was just as bad with Rhodey’s new condition. But really? Rhodey’s the one who couldn’t walk away. Who didn't walk away.
“So what, you understand now? Is that it?”
Tony looked at him strangely.
“You said you didn’t understand why people protested. So what do you understand now?”
Shame forced his head down while dread curled in his stomach.
“Fear.”
Rhodey exhaled slowly, grabbing Tony’s knee and urging him to continue.
“They’re so afraid, Rhodes. Everyone. They’re afraid of us. And I didn’t-I couldn’t empathize because I was on the other side. I trusted my team to do good but-“
“-but now you can’t. Now you’ve had the strength of the avengers turned against you. And it’s scary.”
Tony pursed his lips and nodded. It was embarrassing to admit, but watching the ‘Rogue Avengers’ committing the exact same crimes they used to flaunt together under the banner of ‘superhero’ was jarring. Watching them from halfway across the world knowing that he couldn’t help, or couldn’t help stop them filled Tony with a terror he couldn’t really describe. A helplessness that causes cold-sweats and nausea every time he turned on the news. This feeling is what caused people to decorate poster board and scream in the streets and Tony couldn’t blame them.
“So what? You deserve the death threats because you couldn’t understand what they were feeling? Tony, c’mon man, you know that’s not right.”
Tony looked away, wanting to get up and pace but not feeling right knowing Rhodey couldn’t do the same.
“You can’t fight everyone Rhodey, and you’ll wear yourself out trying.”
Rhodey huffed, muttering to himself. Tony leaned in trying to catch the tail end of his sentence but Rhodey planted a hand against his face and pushed him away.
“Tony, I’m not looking to fight everyone. Some people just won’t listen to reason. But you deserve to be defended Tony. People should know that if they send batshit insane harassment your way they will meet a quick and quipy reply from their favourite disabled superhero.” Rhodey finished with a grin.
Hearing Rhodey admit his condition for the first time sucked any will to fight right out of Tony. It was months after the accident and all the physical therapy in the world wasn’t going to get Rhodey his ability to walk, giving Tony the many excuses to expand on the exo-skeleton part of the iron suits that would grant Rhodey the ability to walk, but it wouldn’t be the same. Admitting that, just proving that he’s facing the reality of the situation struck Tony dumb.
Rhodey smiled tightly, looking into his eyes for a moment before nodding, and turning back to eat their meal in silence.
“So, I think this is good as any for my first tweet.”
Tony looked up with a noodle hanging from his mouth trailing to the chopsticks that are dug into the to-go box as Rhodey leaned in and there was a shutter sound. Blinking, Tony narrowed his eyes at the tiny screen with the unflattering photo of himself next to Rhodey’s wide smile.
Colonel James Rhodes @ColJRhodes
Dinner with my best friend @TonyStark
Hannah Heart @Heart4me
YEEEEEEEEEEES. IVE BEEN WAITING FOR MY FAVE TO GET A TWITTER!!!! FTW WAR MACHINE!!!
Asad Amil @AsAD420dadd
Loving the trend of making Tony Stark look like an idiot >:) #fuckhim
Sophia Garcia @sophiecutie578
Oh my god. Best friends? This is adorable and I need more of it in my life #ProtectSuperFriendships2k17
James Kennedy @KenGuyhbu65
So are they, like, gay? Was this a date? Lol straight people don’t have dinner together