Power & Legacy || Steve Rogers

5 || jets with you are the worst

"Nothing.", Rhodey says, turning the newspaper in his hand over.

"Lia?", he asks, peering over at me.

"A magazine.", I say uninterestedly.

"Come on, sour patches.", he keeps pressing.

I turn over to the next page, which features my father and some random redhead leaving a club together, then him with his tongue down her throat in said club. I snap the magazine shut and leave it on the sofa, going to sit at the table with Dad and Rhodey.

"I'm not sour.", he says.

"I am now.", I grumble.

"Don't be mad.", Dad says to Rhodey.

"I told you, I'm not mad. I'm indifferent, okay?", Rhodey declares.

"I said I was sorry.", he says.

"But you didn't mean it, let's be honest.", I say, leaning back in my chair and smirking as I stir the drama.

He rolls his eyes, "Go back to reading your magazine, why don't 'ya?", he sees said magazine and must have already been made aware of the story inside, "Actually... maybe don't."

One of the flight attendants comes over, smiling at him, "Good morning, Mr. Stark."

"I told you I was sorry.", Dad continues arguing.

"You don't need to apologize to me.", Rhodey says, "I'm your man."

"Hi.", Dad smiles up at the flight attendant, "I told him I was sorry, but he-"

Rhodey cuts him off, "I'm just indifferent right now."

"Hot towel?", the flight attendant offers Dad, who takes one, still wearing that sickeningly flirtatious smile.

"You don't respect yourself, so I know you don't respect me.", Rhodey shrugs.

"I respect you.", Dad says.

"Please,", I scoff, "you don't respect anyone."

"Hey, I respect you too!", he defends.

"Oh, yeah, that's why you ditched my birthday dinner and made me accept an award for you whilst you gambled away an average upper-class person's net worth.", I cross my arms over my chest.

"Hot towel, Miss Stark?", the flight attendant offers me.

"Thanks.", I say quietly, taking the towel from her.

"I do respect you, Aria.", he says seriously.

"Mhm.", I hum.

"Whatever.", he huffs, clearly I've hit a nerve, "And you too, Rhodes, so I don't know why you're all so annoyed."

"I'm just your babysitter. So, when you need your diaper changed...", he grabs a hot towel, "Thank you. Let me know and I'll get you a bottle, okay?"

"Hey! Heat up the sake, will you?", Dad asks one of the flight attendants, "Thanks for reminding me."

"No, I'm not talking... We're not drinking. We're working right now.", Rhodey declares.

"You can't have sashimi without sake.", he says.

"You are constitutionally incapable of being responsible.", Rhodey shakes his head, "How you managed to raise a kid astounds me."

"It would be irresponsible not to drink. I'm just talking about a nightcap.", Dad shrugs.

"Hot sake?", a flight attendant offers.

"Yes, three, please.", Dad says.

"God, I'm going to sleep.", I groan, standing up and heading off in the direction of the bedrooms.