Young RDJ with glasses is my life support??
Also to anyone thinking about starting Sherlock. Don't. It's just pain.
"Look, I'll pay for your flight, just don't let me go to this dinner alone."Tony near enough begs, kicking his suitcase under his bed, shifting the boxes that have a home underneath his bed that Tony doesn't trust to be put into storage. He'd rather have his old blueprints and little gadgets under his bed where he knows that they are instead of some Stark Industries storage unit where he's sure Howard and Obi will steal his ideas.
As much as Howard sees his son as a failure - and really, it can't be seen as Tony's fault because the only reason he has the campus label of a manwhore is because he wants to rub it into Howard's face - he can't disagree with the fact that Tony is a genius. It would be said to be the only good thing about Tony from the eyes of Howard, that he has a brain in his head and ideas in his mind that blow Howard Starks ideas out of the ocean.
But Tony is stubborn, he doesn't want his ideas to be in the hands of people like Howard or his business partner Obi. He knows that whatever Tony has his ideas for, will be turned on its head and used for weapons, for manipulating technology that will sure be used to take over the world or some illogical shit like that.
It wouldn't be the first time that they've tried to take his ideas and it won't be the last either.
"As much as I want to be stuck in a hall filled with overweight billionaires with rods up their asses, I can't. I have work to be getting on with."Rhodey sighs on the other side of the phone, actually sounding sad that he is picking doing work over spending time with Tony. Of course, he wasn't the one to be drinking until he's picking into bushes but James Rhodes is no wuss and he can hold his fair share of drinks.
"For fuck sake, Rhodey. I told you I'd do your work for you!"
"Tony, as much as you think my professors are dimwitted, they know the difference between our work."He rolls his eyes, the tip of his pencil caught between his teeth.
"They should be grateful that they're even getting the opportunity to glance at my work."Tony mutters halfheartedly, picking up one of the prototype tablets that had been left abandoned on his clustered desk. He wouldn't go as far as saying that his bedroom is a mess, I mean yes it could go with a tidying up and maybe once in a while the maid could be allowed in to clean up, but Tony knows where everything is and it isn't dirty.
It's not as if he uses his bedroom often enough anyway, it was simply his own type of storage unit to keep his blueprints under his bed and prototypes stashed into boxes. Even when it comes to longer breaks, Tony doesn't spend time at home unless his Mother insists and even at that, it's for a short amount of time that he spends it with Jarvis more than his actual mom.
He'd had tutors come in at the young age to teach a young Tony things that he had already picked up from text books himself, and it wasn't until he was 8 that he was sent off to boarding school. His summer breaks spent with Traveling with his Aunt Peggy, and Winter with whoever was free enough to take the responsibility of Tony Stark.
So all in all, his bedroom has mostly been left untouched, with a bed that Tony has only slept in a handful of times. Tony has never gave himself the opportunity to sleep soundly while at home, despite the bolt lock he has installed on his bedroom door and the locks on his window, he never felt safe.
"Look, I'll do your work and I'll fly you over. Free food? And free drink?"Tony tries to bargain, swiping his free hand across the screen of the prototype tablet to bring it to life.
"Look, invite that new friend of yours, Stephen or something."
"It's Steve,"Tony snaps defensively, bottom lip jotted out in concentration as his fingers dance across the screen of the tablet. He has it resting on a cleaner desk, papers piled up high with notes and ideas that Tony hasn't glanced at in years."And anyway, he doesn't know."
"What do you mean he doesn't know?"
"That my sperm donor is Howard Stark, that I'm the next heir to Stark Industries, that I'm a genius all that type of stuff. And I don't want him to know either. He treats me like a human, that I'm the same, well not the same because of this arc reactor but y'know, as a teenager."
"Tony, if you want this friendship to continue he's going to know sometime or another, whether that be by seeing your face popped up on some tabloid after tonight's event or from you yourself."He can practically hear the tiredness in Rhodeys voice.
"I'll probably be dead in a month anyway-"
"Tony, stop being so melodramatic."
"Look, anyway there's a flight leaving Philadelphia in 3 hours, that gives you enough time to pack your stuff, tell your mom and still manage to get for 7PM. Don't worry about formal wear, I'll have Jarvis ring up the best tailor is Rhode Island to fix you a suit in time for the dinner."He swipes down on the tablet, typing out a message that will sent to Jarvis to inform him.
"It's like talking to a fucking brick wall."Rhodey whispers to himself, throwing his pencil across the room as he pushes himself out of his chair. It's not as if he doesn't want to see Tony - because by god he does, as much as that boy does his head in sometimes, he brings entertainment to his life and gives him a reason of protectiveness - he doesn't want to deal with brining his news to his mom about getting up and leaving before University even starts back up.
"So that's a yes? I'll pick you up, I'll steal one of Howard's cars, he won't even notice it's gone Wherever the fuck he is, but if I can't I'll get a driver to pick you up, okay? No point getting a bedroom fixed up, you're bunking with me, that good? Of course that's good-"
"Babe, you're rambling."Rhodey forcefully cuts him off, pulling out his suitcase from under his bed, his phone pressed between his shoulder and his ear.
"Right, sorry."Tony mumbles, swiping over the screen to shut the tablet off, the flight booked and references sent to Rhodeys email for him to print out before he leaves the house."I have everything sorted, sent to your email."
"Thanks,"Rhodey can't help but to roll his eyes a little, because no more than 10 minutes ago was he studying for January exams and now he's on his way to New York to attend an Event to celebrate his best friend getting out of his hospital."I'll ring you before I get on the plane."
"Okay, Love you Honey Bear. Give my love to Momma Rhodes."Tony kisses down the phone even after Rhodey has said his own goodbyes and has hung up. With a heavy sigh, Tony looks down at his phone, a weight off of his shoulders now that he knows that he won't be alone during this dinner.
When Tony is involved, nothing ever goes to plan and honestly, he thought that his Mother would know by now not to bring him along because it's going to end up in with an argument between Tony and Howard or something worse. It always does because Tony and Howard can never see eye to eye and both provoke the argument.
He dreads the dinner, despite the fact that Rhodey will be there because he knows that he's going to be shown around the guests like some prized cattle, with them wanting to poke and prod and lay attention to the Arc Reactor that is nestled in Tony's chest. They're going to want to ask questions, talk to Tony about his education as if they give a shit of what he wants to do in life.
After a few hours of procrastinating, Tony hops into the shower, scrubbing himself clean of the dreaded Hospital stench that seemed to have stained his skin. He washes from head to toe, rinse and repeat because he might not be happy about going to his dinner event but that doesn't mean he's going to show up looking like a slob. Tony Stark dresses to impress.
Picking up his Phone, Tony can't help the grin that breaks out on his lips as he sees the messages left by Steve, rubbing the towel through his hair once more before dropping it into the hamper. He's dressed in a pair of legging type tracksuit bottoms, a thick hoodie thrown on in an attempt to cover the slow old the reactor and glasses on his nose, for the mean time until the dinner.
From// Capsicle
Hey Tony, you doing okay??
From// Capsicle
Just wanted to know if you got home safe, I know today is your day of doing home
Tony bites his bottom lip with a grin, sitting down on the edge of his bed. It's ridiculous of how Steve makes him feel sometimes, how even just remembering the simplest of things makes Tony's day brighten up because somebody cares, or at least that's what Tony keeps telling himself.
To// Capsicle
Thanks for the concern, home safe.
From// Capsicle
That's good (: Was your family glad to see you home?
To// Capsicle
Hahahahaha no. Walked through the door and had an argument with my mom, Fun.
From// Capsicle
Oh. I'm sorry, Tony. I mean at least your home though, right? It's better than being stuck in a hospital, at least now you can go out places.
To// Capsicle
Was that an invitation on inviting me out? (;
The sound of knocking on his bedroom door is what causes Tony to look up from his phone, brows drowning in confusion as he stares at his door because nobody ever knocks. It's too early for it to be Rhodey and even if it was, he'd text him to tell him that he's here, Jarvis is out for the afternoon and won't be back until the dinner.
Pushing himself off the bed, Tony shuffles his way towards the door just as the knocking starts again, more inpatient than before. Hesitantly, Tony is unbolting the lock on his bedroom door and opening the door, finding himself face to face with Howard who stands in front of Tony. It's a shock to even see the man, nevertheless for him to be knocking on Tony's door during the day.
"Anthony."Howard addresses him, tone dull as he speaks. Tony should count himself lucky that he's being spoken to while he's sober, it's a rare moment.
"Howard."He nods his head in a sort of greeting, half of his body remaining hidden behind the bedroom door, not fully opening or exposing himself to the man in front of him. It's obvious that Maria is the one that has forced Howard up the stairs to talk to their son, Tony can tell by the way he has yet to leave.
"I see you're still alive."
"Unfortunately so,"Tony rolls his eyes, voice grave."What do you want?"
"Wanted to see the damage for myself, the work of this Arc Reactor I hear that is now keeping you alive."He takes a step towards he bedroom door, causing Tony to push the door to a closer close.
"Why? So that you can rip it out of my chest yourself? I think not."Tony gives the man a stare, one that he receives back. It's all fun and games, what tiny could like to say it is because death is a funny subject to talk about, especially with Howard because he's seen death, he's been close to death and so has Tony.
"Do you think I'd do such a thing?"Howard raises an eyebrow at the person he calls his son, he's forced to call his son. If it wasn't for the brain in his head, Howard would've thrown Tony out onto the streets the moment that he could. Tony swallows thickly, meeting those familiar shade of brown eyes, a face of his own looking back at him because he can deny it all he wants but he looks like Howard and it's unmistakable.
"Yes."Tony answers truthfully, keeping their stare."You'd do a lot of things to me just because you just could, and that's the truth."Tony's voice holds so much more, something that only Howard understands because neither might not be good with people but their good with one another, Tony can get inside of Howard's head and the same for the other with just words.
Tony is close and bolting the bedroom door before Howard can reply, knowing that the man has so much more to say but willing to bite his tongue to say it all tonight. Interactions with Howard is never pleasant and Tony wants to keep them to a minimal for the rest of his life, or hopefully for the rest of Howard's life.
Tonight's going to be entertaining
I didn't like how I worded Tony and Howard's interaction, I have it better planned for the next chapter.
Please tell me how you liked this chapter!
What do you think is going to happen at the dinner?
Your opinion on Tony and Rhodey's friendship?
On Tony and Howard's relationship? What do you think is going on?
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Peace✌🏼