#james “rhodey” rhodes

[airas-story]

Reverse "they didn't know they were dating" 😂

Tony and Stephen have been dating for years and when they announced their engagement everyone was surprised coz they thought they both couldn't stand each other.

I admit, this probably wouldn't have lasted for years, but this was what the brain gave me.

“We’re thinking quick and easy,” Tony told Rhodey and Pepper, still riding on the high of Stephen’s proposal last night—and the subsequent celebration. “We figure we’ll just elope next weekend and then take a week off work to go dimension hopping.” He grinned at them. “You guys are invited, obviously.” He paused. “To the wedding. Not our dimension-hopping honeymoon.”

Rhodey snorted. “You’re off by six months, Tones.”

Tony blinked, confused. Off? He’d thought Stephen’s proposal was entirely timely. It wasn’t quite the anniversary of their first date, but given they couldn’t agree on when exactly their first date had taken place, that was impossible. “I mean, feels pretty timely to me.”

“April Fool’s Day is in, and this is pretty clear in the name, April.”

Now Tony was even more confused. “What?” Sure, he had commitment issues, but he was also madly in love with Stephen. It didn’t feel like a joke that Stephen had proposed or that Tony had said yes.

“Tony.” Pepper sounded amused. “If you want to celebrate April Fool’s Day in October, you could choose someone more believable.”

…more believable than his boyfriend? He wasn’t exactly sure how he was supposed to do that. Was he supposed to marry a stranger off the street? “…okay,” Tony said slowly. “As much as I hate admitting it, I’m incredibly confused on how marrying my boyfriend is apparently on par with a joke?”

He swallowed hard. Did they think… No. No, they wouldn’t call his love a joke. …would they? Rhodey had always told Tony that someone, someday would be lucky to have him. That someday someone would see him as he really was. 

“You literally greet him as asshole whenever you see him,” Pepper pointed out.

Rhodey jumped in. “And he calls you douchebag.”

So their terms of endearment were somewhat unusual. He and Stephen were unusual people.

Tony stared at Rhodey. “You literally told me if I mentioned my sexual engagements with Stephen ever again you’d throw up.”

Rhodey grimaced. “Don’t remind me,” he muttered. Then shrugged sheepishly. “Honestly? I thought it was hate sex.”

Tony blinked. Hate sex. With Stephen. “Ooookay.” He looked at Pepper. “You too?”

Pepper shrugged, looking equally sheepish. “Pretty much.”

Tony wasn’t sure if this was hilarious or tragic. “Well,” he said. “I officially think neither of you are ever allowed to call me oblivious again. You two take the cake.”

[lovemesomerafael]

The Adventures of Captain and Mr. America

Part 564

You can read all the parts of The Adventures of Captain and Mr. America on AO3. If you're American, it's something to pass the time before you vote in November. And you MUST vote in November unless you think living The Handmaid's Tale in a country that looks a whole lot like Iran sounds like a good time.

[spider-manz]

What I think is the correct art medium to draw the following Marvel characters in based on vibes:

Captain America: He is the one doing the drawing

Bucky: Charcoal pencils.

Tony Stark: Crayons (half do not have wrappers), Cheap Markers (The blue is perpetually dried out), broken pencil crayons.. really any art supplies commonly found in an under funded elementary school art cabinet.

Pepper Pots: Black ball point pen, or if you're feeling whimsical, blue.

Bruce Banner: Calligraphy pen on top of water colour.

Hulk: Macaroni.

Black Panther: Pencil crayons, really nice ones you spend a lot of money on! That or a fountain pen :)

Peter Parker: Spray paint (On a brick wall specifically).

Loki: Oil paint and Stained glass (Except in the movies the glass is cracked and in the series the oil is olive).

Thor: Sand. Not as in sand art, as in drawn in the sand at the beach.

Clint Barton: Sharpie.

Natasha: Idk the blood of her enemies??

Rhodey: Mechanical pencils (Not the kind you find on a classroom floor with one and a half led left inside, like you went out to the store and specifically bought these mechanical pencils for Rhodey).

Dr. Strange: A pen with a considerable amount of whiteout.

Wanda: Ink and Quill.

(Speaking of) Peter Quill: Four coloured pen.

Rocket: Stray bullets, probably.

Nick Fury: Gouache paint.

Antman: Highlighter.

Vision: Chalk (On a chalkboard).

Sam Wilson: Some sort of pastels, chalk or soft, probably.

Quicksilver (not to be confused with his Avengers: age of Ultron counterpart, SlowAluminum): despite being able to steal literally any medium, he would just grab a average, #2 pencil.

Wolverine: A sketch pencil, the kind where the graphite is super long because the the wood is cut off with a knife.

Jean Grey: Copic Markers

Scott Summers: Acrylic Paint

Charles Xavier (James McAvoy): Alcohol Markers

Erik Lehnsherr (Micheal Fassbender): A Metallic marker (pun not originally intended)

Professer X: Watercolor Pencils (Practical but pretty)

Magneto: The kind of paint you use to paint a wall

Nightcrawler (Alan Cummings): Paper Mache

If I missed anyone, feel free to ask!

(This is such a stupid post wtf)

[marvelousyahtzee]

July Round-Up

We had a great first month with our new format! Thanks to everyone who participated! If you missed it, the August Cards are out now. We've added "Fun In The Sun" and a Peter Parker mini card! Be sure to check out all the wonderful creations that got posted!

Twos:

@papermacherainbow summer days driftin' away (oh those summer nights) - Peter Parker/Tony Stark It's been eleven years since a summer romance under the stars flipped Peter's life upside down. Now he's a single dad walking into a job interview, which is definitely a bad idea, considering his boss would be his summer fling and the father of his child, who doesn't know she exists. Prompts: Single Parent AU | Tony Stark | Familiar

Sixes:

@papermacherainbow All For You Chp. 13 - Peter Parker/Tony Stark Tony tries something new with his boy, and Peter breaks a couple of rules. Prompts: Fault | Toy(s) | Multiple Orgasams

@42donotpanic I'll teach you what it feels like - Bucky Barnes/Clint Barton Clint is starting a new chapter of his (sex) life. He's glad Bucky has his back as he learns what life feels like when you're in a body that feels like your own. Prompts: Touch | Over-Stimulation | Clint Barton | Discipline

Four of a Kind:

HecticDemon | @voiceoffenrisulfr Stress Relief - Bucky Barnes/Tony Stark The two most perpetually pent-up Avengers have an agreement. Prompts: Rough | Vaginal Sex | Squirting | Bucky Barnes

aspen_blackwood | @blackwood4stucky devoured (unholy is the hunger) - Bucky Barnes/Steve Rogers Bucky knows something is wrong with Steve. Ever since they pulled him from the ice a second time, Steve’s been different—quieter, colder. He doesn’t sleep. He doesn’t age. Shadows stretch toward him like they know his name. And when he looks at Bucky, it’s like he’s seeing through him. Prompts: Canon Divergence | Steve Rogers | Quarrel | Shield

UnfortunateBeetle | @workingdownthewordmine Trust Issues - Clint Barton & Natasha Romanoff Some might say Clint Barton thinks too far outside the box where Natasha Romanoff is concerned. Her presence in his life has already led to more than one questionable call. Prompts: Clint Barton | Phil Coulson | Effective | Dramatic

Full House:

dontutemoji | @starksvinyls Play With It - Bucky Barnes/Peter Parker Peter tries to get off without permission and faces the consequences. Prompts: Peter Parker | Size Difference | Bucky Barnes | Touch | Multiple Orgasms

@42donotpanic Tamed - Clint Barton/James "Rhodey" Rhodes It all started with another night out at the club. Luckily, it didn't end there. Prompts: Outlet | College | James Rhodes | Friend | Familiar

@papermacherainbow Say You'll Be Gentle - Peter Parker/Steve Rogers (& more!) All Steve wanted for his birthday was to get out of the city and spend time with his pack. Of course, his partners have more than that up their sleeve, making this birthday one to remember. Prompts: Full House | Slow & Gentle | Fireworks | Foreplay | Steve Rogers | Peter Parker

Small Straight:

@42donotpanic Let me take care of that - Bucky Barnes/Clint Barton When Clint walks in on Bucky having "alone time" things take an unexpected--but very welcome--turn. Prompts: Oral Sex | Clint Barton | Masturbation | Bucky Barnes | Clothed

Large Straight:

@42donotpanic Baby Hawk - Clint Barton/James "Rhodey" Rhodes When Daycare calls to let Clint and James know that their Daughter isn't feeling good, it means that they have to rearrange their schedule and change some shifts to make sure she has the time to recover she needs. Prompts: James Rhodes | No Powers AU | Clint Barton | Protect | Listen

@papermacherainbow What Omega Wants- Bucky Barnes/Peter Parker | Peter Parker/Tony Stark Peter hates his heats because it means he has to pick which one of his boyfriends is going to help him through it. This time, Tony and Bucky know they're going to have to work together and solve their differences very quickly in order to help their Omega survive this heat. Prompts: Peter Parker | Tony Stark | Cock Warming | Double Penetration | Shower/Bath

[thesickledex]

Algún escenario donde veas a James con Temugin?

Imagínate esto.

Los dos se quedan en la armería, tratando de llevarse bien pero han sido "encerrados" ahí por Pepper y Tony, quienes esperan que los dos se lleven bien. Pero no lo hacen, al menos no de la mejor manera.

Temugin está reacio al principio, no quiere hablar con James porque no quiere revelar información comprometedora. Sin embargo, Rhodes no se rinde y comienza a "ser hostigante" para Temugin, quién le termina diciendo que no se llama Gene... Le cuenta sobre su amada y difunta madre. Tocando el corazón de Rhodes sin querer. Y siendo el primero del grupo al que le confía información tan sensible.

[darthbloodorange]

Military Influence

Rating: Teens Universe: Marvel Cinematic Universe Pairings: Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Characters: James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers Warnings: Swearing, Canon-Typical Violence, Implied/Referenced Sex, Implied Semi-Public Sex Major Tags: Crack Treated Seriously, Humour, Developing Relationship, Time Skips, Walking In On Someone, Good Friend James "Rhodey" Rhodes, He's Trying His Best… Okay?, James "Rhodey" Rhodes Needs a Hug, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Tony Stark Has Issues, Steve Rogers Being a Little Shit, Dom Tony Stark, Sub Steve Rogers, POV James "Rhodey" Rhodes Word Count: 500 - Quintuple Drabble

Summery: Rhodey is worried about Tony. Has been for years. What Tony needs is some good old Military Influence in his life. ...Right?

For the: ✦ CapIM Holiday Exchange 2024 Community Gift Prompt: Steve Rogers and who the world expects him to be as Captain America are very different…

Read below or on AO3 >HERE<

Rhodey tosses the remote onto the couch and gets up. "You know what?"

The headlines of the latest 'Stark Scandal' run through his head on repeat.

"What?" Tony huffs, glaring.

"What you really need, Tony," he says, pointing at Tony, "...is more military in your life."

Tony rolls his eyes, "Oh, is that right?"

"Oh, that's right," Rhodey says, walking towards the door, leaving, "Show you how to be more disciplined. Half of this bullshit wouldn't even happen."

He lets the door slam behind him.

Rhodey worries for his friend.

Somedays, it feels like something drastic has to happen for Tony to realize he needs to course correct. Fast.

Captain America has returned.

It's hard to wrap his mind around. He had read comics about the guy. Watched the news reels. And now, he's here. Alive!

Like a childhood dream come true, he'll be able to actually meet Captain America.

Even better, it might even be the answer to his concerns.

Becoming Iron Man has helped Tony pull himself out of his downward spiral. But he needs a little more help. Someone to help set him on the right path.

Cap's a military man. He'll be able to help straighten Tony out. Keep him on track.

Rhodey smiles.

'Who'd you trust if not Captain America?'

There's been progress. But it's slow going. What's a Stark if not stubborn?

But the improvements have eased Rhodey's worries somewhat.

Tony's definitely been happier. He smiles more, like back when they first really became friends. It warms his heart to see.

He'd cut back on the parting to a huge degree, and according to JARVIS, the man had quit drinking.

Tony was even exercising, to his surprise. And eating better.

Things were on the up and up. Rhodey couldn't be happier. Or prouder.

Rhodey heads down the steps to Tony's workshop.

But freezes as he looks through the windows.

Captain America was perched on Tony's lap, pulling Tony in by his tie as Tony kissed him enthusiastically.

'…Okay,' he thinks, 'alright... we can work with this...'

Captain America rides a motorcycle out of a 47-story building, just three floors down from the roof. Crashing through the glass and soaring through the air. Driving the motorcycle through the cockpit of the HYDRA helicopter, managing to miss the spinning rotor blades, all while shooting.

The man pulls his shield free from the motorcycle as the helicopter quickly plummets from the ground and jumps. Jumps roughly 18 stories from the hard, super-solid, not at all soft, unyielding ground.

Free falling casually. Until Tony races over in the armor and catches him.

'He's not a bad influence,' Rhodey tells himself. 'He Can't be. He's Captain America. …Maybe this is just a taste of his own medicine.'

Rhodey rubs his eyes, willing the images from his mind as he runs.

But they won't go. Seared into his brain.

'Oh god!'

What was Tony even doing, spanking Captain America in the training room?

Maybe he was wrong all along.

"Fuck!"

THE END

[aravenlovesfanfiction]

[asiss-s]

https://archiveofourown.org/series/2739700

Summary:

When cracks between realities wake the Infinity Stones, they decide to take action and try to fix what Thanos broke. But to do that, they must first claim something of theirs, something that hasn't been claimed in centuries.

Together with Life, Death, and Fate, they must claim their Champions.

Notes:

For CinnaMinion.

Inspired by Second Time's the Charm by ArcticVulpix

Inspired by Good My Mother by katling

Inspired by The Futurist by shadowscribe

[squilfmybeloved]

loving multiple ships is so fun like yeah thats tony's wife pepper, pepper's wife may, and pepper and may's wife natasha. yeah that's pepper's husband tony, tony's husband rhodey, tony's other husband steve, steve's husband bucky, bucky's boyfriend sam, bucky's girlfriend sarah, and tony's other OTHER husband stephen. and they're all coparenting peter parker, what about it?

[airas-story]

Tony doesn’t know why Stephen and Rhodey get along so well. They don’t have similar careers, their interests are fairly separated. They have some similar hobbies, but nothing Tony thought they would bond over. It’s driving him insane. Until he finally overhears a conversation between them and realizes they get along so well because they’re worried about him.

Tony didn’t get it. He really didn’t.

Rhodey had a type—not romantically, just in general—of people he got along with. Which, admittedly, didn’t include Tony’s type at all, but he’d always been the exception to that particular rule. But Stephen. Stephen didn’t fit the type either. Stephen was a little too sarcastic, a little too ‘bizarre’, a little too out-of-this-world. 

So, why was Tony watching Stephen and Rhodey chatting near the wall when Sam Wilson—a favorite of Rhodey’s—was there. And, not to brag, but Tony was here and Stephen normally spent his time with Tony.

He wandered over casual as could be, giving into his curiosity.

”—he’s doing okay,” Stephen was saying. “Don’t want to go into it, of course.”

“Yeah,” Rhodey said. “Not going to ask you to infringe on his privacy.” Rhodey shook his head. “He doesn’t talk to me as much, anymore.” He sighed, rubbing at his temple. “Things haven’t really been the same, since…”

“I get it.” Stephen paused. “I’ll take care of him.” His voice was quiet. “As much as he’ll let me,” he added wryly.

Rhodey sighed. “Tony’s lucky to have you.”

Tony froze. Oh. Oh.

It was for him.

[lovemesomerafael]

The Adventures of Captain and Mr. America

Part 616

My mom's car battery died yesterday. Today we learned the water in her house is not safe to drink and she needs a wildly expensive filtration system. I'm concerned about tomorrow. Perhaps I should tell her to read all the parts of The Adventures of Captain and Mr. America on AO3. She'll be so worried about her daughter's mental state, she'll forget all about her other troubles. In completely unrelated news, a parent can't have their child committed once the child is over 18, as long as the child is just really, really weird but no danger to anyone, right? Asking for a friend.

[spider-manz]

I made three Rhodey edits but they wont download right :(

[oldmanbracket]

Sexiest Old Man Tournament: Round 2

Who is hotter?

[incorrect-marvel-because-why-not]

Some of the Avengers are on a hike Rhodey: It’s beautiful out here. Bruce: And quiet. Sam: Too quiet. Bucky: Did we lose someone? cut to Steve with a bear in a headlock

[justaz]

peter, nauseous as fuck but refuses to admit that he feels ill:

rhodey who attended college with tony and knows the exact face he makes when he over does it, glances at peter (who is literally like a carbon copy of tony) and asks on instinct: what did you take?

peter, forcing his stomach to not spew everywhere, trying and failing to act casual: what? nothing. i didn't take anything.

rhodey activating his mom voice colonel voice: peter.

peter: i did what i had to. (reaches into his pocket and pulls out $40) and i won the bet.

rhodey: what did you do?

peter: i drank a gallon of bleach

rhodey, closes his eyes and takes a deep breath trying to process how peter is simultaneously better and worse than tony ever was: why...did you drink a gallon of bleach?

peter: i lost my backpack and needed money to buy a new one. and i cant ask may. shes bought seven over the last two months

rhodey:

peter:

[dameronspector]

Philophobia

(PART 1)

Pairing: Joaquin Torres x Stark!Reader

Summary: Devastated by your father’s death and cutting yourself off from everyone, you are on the road of recovery, accompanied by your uncle Rhodey. After Rhodey has finally convinced you, you agree to reunite with Sam Wilson and help him with his tech. He introduces you to another techie nerd, named Joaquin Torres, for the first time. Will you let your phobia get in the way and push away your new found family and this beautiful boy? Or will you get better and let yourself be loved once again?

Warnings: Mentions of Death and Depression/Depressive episodes, Mentions of Panic Attacks, Abuse by a parent (not Tony), Weight loss due to stress, Nightmares, Some cursing, Fluff, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Steve Rogers Slander- please don’t read this if that’s not something you’re looking for, Reader is sassy and a bit reserved because of The incident and because they’re a Stark, Reader has some phobias, Found family, also there’s a few references and hidden plots in this. 😁 (please keep in mind that I wrote this from my point of view as a south asian.)

Author’s note: I probably went overboard and this is very long + very self indulgent….but tony stark is the father who raised me and joaquin torres is my boyfriend so i Had to do this. ☺️ also lots of found family content with Rhodey, Sam and Bucky. Set around the time of TFATWS. Please let me know if there’s any changes to be made if I have written anything wrong.

series masterlist

Moving back to New York was extremely hard and painful for you ever since your dad passed away. That was the city that you were born and raised in and it had the ghosts of your father’s and family’s moments everywhere. But you told Pepper that you couldn’t handle living in that cabin anymore because 1. you were going stir crazy since you loved the hustle bustle of a city and 2. the depressive episodes were more frequent than ever.

You’d think living in your family cabin that has your father’s memories written across every wall would help you…but you’re a Stark. Ignoring your own problems and running away from emotions is kind of your specialty. Hereditary, even.

Pepper, bless her heart, told you that she’s happy you are trying to get back your life back on track and that she would always be there for you. Even if you called her Pepper, she’s always been your Mother.

Hardest part of it all was saying goodbye to Morgan. Little Morgan who was so attached to you and vice versa. She was too young to even process her father’s death, how was she supposed to understand why her elder sibling was never leaving their room? And now that same sibling was going too far away from their house. It took Pepper, Happy and you to console Morgan and she was finally ready to send you off–only with a (pinky) promise of visiting her during holidays.

Rhodey and Happy helped you settle in your newest house- a penthouse in manhattan that your dad left behind for you. That was 3 months ago. Now, fully settled in your new space, you’ve decided to restart college to finish your degree that was put on pause because of a giant purple psycho. You had decided you will stop the whole Avenger shit the moment you lost your dad. You needed to leave that life behind in order to move on, and what better than being filthy educated and eventually finding a normal job?

Well, let’s just say it didn’t go as planned.

I mean, really, were you expecting to just magically heal from the most traumatic time of your life in three months, with no therapy or contact from your family and friends?

Panic attacks are like your best friends. The other day you had a panic attack because you found a scarf that was gifted to you by your dad. Embarrassing, really.

Nightmares are something you have been walking hand-in-hand with since your dad was kidnapped and you were just a little kid. But now, every night you close your eyes and you see your father’s lifeless eyes staring back into yours.So it’s not surprising that you have become insomniac as well.

Overall, you were continuing the Stark legacy of being severely mentally ill but not doing anything to help it or accepting any help. The only difference was that you chose NOT to drink until you blacked out because after watching your dad do that as a kid, you developed a strong distaste for any type of alcohol. It was so bad, that you got diagnosed with dispophobia– a persistent fear of drinking alcohol. It’s real, look it up.

You chose the other option—pushing everyone around you away until you wallowed in your misery, loneliness and sorrows.

This behaviour of yours was constantly stressing Pepper, Rhodey and Happy out. All three of them did their best to help you and make you socialise, but everytime they approached, you either ignored their calls and messages or told them you were busy (by busy you meant that you were tinkering on your father’s old suits that you moved to your apartment, but you didn’t tell them that.)

Even FRIDAY tried giving them updates on your well-being but you had threatened the AI to not “leak” any of your “information”. This was giving the three of them a major déjà vu. Eventually, they had enough and Rhodey came to your house one day because he knew he’s the only one who can call out your shit. He kinda had a Phd in tackling the Stark family’s issues.

“Look kid, it’s been 3 months. You haven’t bothered to call or text any of us. We didn’t even know if you were alive since you have banned FRIDAY from reporting anything to us as well. Can you please spend one evening with us for a dinner? Hell, if not all of us,then atleast meet up with Morgan?”, Rhodey said firmly with his eyebrows furrowed and arms folded tightly around his chest, leaning on your kitchen island.

You were making your dinner when he decided to come over. Trying your best to be nonchalant, you kept stirring the soup with your back to him, and scoffed, “You sound exactly like dad sometimes.”

Rhodey closed his eyes in frustration. “That’s not important right now. You’re doing the same thing that Tony did when he was feeling all these… emotions. Please, stop this kiddo. You’ve got all of us. Always. Just reach out once and we’ll be there to catch you”, he replied in a soft tone.

You took a deep breath and he saw your shoulders go up and down. You stopped stirring the soup, turned the gas off and turned around to face him.

You wrapped your arms around yourself, making yourself smaller, and intently focused on your shoes to avoid meeting his eyes.

“There’s nothing to ask. I’ve already told you I will be starting college soon. I’ll keep myself productive and occupied. It’ll be alright, don’t worry about me”, you say, your voice scratchy after not using it for a long time.

Rhodey observed you with his sharp gaze. You knew you were screwed the moment you saw Rhodey at the door because he could read you like a book. Honestly, it was extremely intimidating but you will never admit that to his face. He’s been around for your whole life- right from your birth. He knew you like you were his own child.

“FRIDAY, activate babysitter protocol”, he said, his voice stern.

You snapped your gaze up from your shoes to stare at him in confusion.

“On it Mr. Rhodes”, FRIDAY replied.

“What the hell is this?”, you replied narrowing your eyes at him.

“I know you blocked FRIDAY from telling us anything about you. Did you know Tony had an emergency protocol built in so that if there’s anything that went wrong while you were alone, FRIDAY would update him?”, Rhodey replied nonchalantly.

You widened your eyes and immediately teared up on hearing how protective your dad was over you. You were too tired to fight back so you just shut your eyes and wrapped your arms around your body tighter.

“FRIDAY, give me a proper run down of the kid’s activities and schedule in this past month. Including their health”, Rhodey asked the AI while observing you closely.

“OK sir. In this month, they have stepped out of the house only once for buying groceries. The rest of the month they’ve been at home, fixing Mr Stark’s suits”, FRIDAY finished.

At this, Rhodey’s eyes widened. “Tony’s suits? How did you even get these suits?” “They sneaked in the suits 2 months ago, Sir”, Rhodey’s eyes snapped back to yours. 2 months ago- right after you moved in. The suits were at the new compound and they were heavily guarded.

They should’ve known better because did they really expect you, a genius like your father, to not figure out how to hack the systems? It was a cakewalk for you.

You scrunched your eyes in shame and bowed your head. “Kid….”, he sighed.

“Tell me about their health, FRI”, Rhodey asked in a pained voice.

“They’ve had panic attacks almost every week. I suggested taking medication or visiting the therapist, but my requests were ignored. I’ve also observed a spike in their heartbeat everytime a loud noise is heard. They have nightmares regularly due to which they have stopped sleeping altogether. All the stress has made them lose weight, their appetite has lessened and has made them more irritable and unpredictable”, FRIDAY finished (snitched, you think).

Hearing it from someone else made it sound so much worse. You couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down your face.

You were too busy keeping the sobs from coming out of your mouth to notice Rhodey coming closer and wrapping his arms around you. He brought you closer and hugged you tightly and that completely broke you.

You leaned your head against his chest and wrapped your arms around his torso and just sobbed. Rhodey hushed you gently and rubbed your back softly with one of his hands.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I can’t deal with this, Uncle. Please. I need him back”, you said in between sobs while clutching him tightly and pressing your face into his chest. Rhodey teared up at this and put one of his hands behind your head.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. Let it out. I’m so sorry I didn’t visit you sooner. I know what you’re feeling. But I’ve got you now. Please allow me to help you?”, he said weakly.

You let out a shuddering breath and tried to calm yourself down. “Okay. ”, you replied in a weak voice. Rhodey broke the hug before putting his hands on your shoulders and let you wipe your tears. He caressed your head and told you, “We’re gonna get you something to eat first. From tomorrow, we will work on your routine and talk to your therapist about your insomnia and panic attacks. And then, you will be taking lots of rest. No more tinkering on the suits endlessly or skipping meals. We will go on walks and you will have a dinner with us at the cabin soon. That okay?”, he asked gently. You looked up at him and nodded your head yes. “Good. Now, you sit your ass down and Rest. Let me prepare your dinner”, he says while moving around you to get to the stove. “Do you even know how to turn on the stove?”, you say in a stuffy voice while wiping your nose with your sleeve and side eyeing him. He abruptly pauses and turns around. “You’re such a little shit, you know that?”, he says sassily while pointing a finger at you. That brings out a genuine smile from you and you just chuckle before he starts laughing as well. Your smile fades slowly. “Thank you. This means a lot to me,” you reply softly. Both of your eyes start tearing up and he just nods his head before giving you a side hug. “Anything for my favourite Stark”, he says in a shaky voice.

2 Months Later

You and Rhodey fell into a rhythm after that night. He stayed with you for some days and got you checked with your therapist and helped you around the house. He took you out for jogs every morning, made you work out and exercise every day. This made you feel productive and gave you a routine to follow. It also improved your appetite and you started to genuinely enjoy making healthy and filling meals.

You stopped unnecessarily tinkering on the suits and the medicines prescribed by your doctor helped you sleep better. You still had a long way to go but you had finally started stepping out of the house and went to a dinner at the cabin. Happy, Pepper and Morgan were so delighted to see you and they told you how proud they are of you. You just gave all the credit to your uncle Rhodey.

Rhodey had become a major figure in your life lately. He’d always been there for you and your dad but now he was like a teacher and mentor to you. All thanks to him, you could get your life back on track. And he was happy to help you anyways because you were like his own child.

But he’d started to take you to various social events lately and you HATED that. You were always a shy and socially anxious kid (a complete opposite of your father.) So the thought of attending social events where so many people and cameras were present…that was enough to send you into an early grave.

“Rhodey….for the last time. I’m not going with you. What am I even gonna do there? Sit and yawn while all you military and political people make speeches? No thanks”, you said breathlessly and jogged a little ahead of him.

He joined you immediately, huffing and puffing, “First of all.” Huff. “Slow DOWN. Jesus Christ.” Huff. And he stopped while putting his hands on his knees.

“Keep up, lazy! We gotta keep THE War Machine kicking and alive, come on!”, you say while jogging backwards and smiling at him.

When you saw that he was not going to join you, you stopped and jogged over to him. “Lazy, my ass. I’m 60 years old, you little shit”, he said while looking up at you, eyes narrowed and hands still on his knees. Still huffing and puffing.

You chuckled and helped him stand up with your arm around his back and another arm holding his. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. You wanna sit down? Might as well drink some water, I’m thirsty.”

He nods his head yes and both of you sit down on a nearby bench and take a breather. You’re quiet for sometime, soaking in the crisp morning air and looking at the water fountain in front of you when Rhodey speaks up.

“I know you hate these events. But, please come to this one. We have a reunion in order, anyways”, he says cheekily while looking at you with that big smile of his plastered on his face.

You turned your head to look at him and raised your eyebrow, “Reunion? With whom?”, you ask skeptically. “Please don’t say Steve Rogers, Rhodey. I swear to god, I will never step foot in this city again”, you say, irritated.

He scoffed, “Nah, don’t worry. That’s never happening. It’s Sam. He’s been telling me that he wants to meet you.”

You observed his face for a second to see if he was being serious. “Sam? Sam Wilson? Why would he want to meet me?”, you asked, confused. Ever since the Sokovia Accords were brought into existence and ever since you sided with your father, Steve and the others didn’t want anything to do with your family. But you didn’t have anything against any of them— well, except for Steve. That was personal.

Even back then, you told your dad that you thought Bucky was innocent and that you want him to forgive Bucky somehow. You never met your grandparents so their accident/murder didn’t affect you. And you especially didn’t give a fuck about your deadbeat grandfather who would abuse your dad, but you felt your dad’s anger was justified as he loved his mom. You didn’t have an issue with Sam either. Not even when Rhodey met with that fatal accident that made him lose his legs. You saw the footage, and Rhodey told you as well, that Sam simply dodged. He didn’t cause the fall, nor did he injure him on purpose. The fall happened because his suit malfunctioned. But since Steve was the glue that was holding them together, they avoided talking to you at all. They were simply being loyal. And we all know how Steve Rogers thanked their loyalty in the end.

You would never forgive him for breaking your dysfunctional-found-family apart by being a selfish asshole and by abandoning your dad when he needed his support the most.

Rhodey shrugged. “Dunno. But he was looking forward to meeting you. He’s the kindest man I know, kid. And I know you don’t hold a grudge against him either. Please, come with me. I promise we will go get some ice cream later”, he said earnestly and smiled.

You let out a deep sigh. “Chocolate chips. Double scoop”, you said and lifted your water bottle to drink to avoid looking at his smug expression.

“Oh, you shall get anything you ask for, your highness”, he said while extravagantly bowing at you.

You just smirked and got back up to jog.

The constant clicking of the cameras was quickly causing a throbbing ache to appear behind your eyes. You were dressed in your formal clothes, presentable as always, and entered the museum arm-in-arm with Rhodey.

After giving a thousand repetitive interviews, half of which Rhodey denied on your behalf, you finally saw the man in question—Sam Wilson. Captain America.

Honestly, you were so proud of and excited for him to take up the mantle. It wasn’t a shock that Steve handed over that shield to Sam. He deserved it.

He saw the two of you and came over to talk. As he came closer, you saw just how shocked he was to see you there.

“Whats up, man? How are you?”, Sam said while shaking hands with Rhodey and bringing him in for a hug, all the while flashing his lovely, tooth-gaped smile.

Rhodey patted his back and broke away from the hug. “The usual. I got a surprise for you”, Rhodey said while putting an arm around your shoulder.

Sam, still surprised, flashed another one of his smiles at you.

“I just can’t believe you’re here. I hope you know how grateful I am”, he said earnestly while putting his hand out to shake yours.

You looked at his hand and shook it. “I’m surprised you wanted to meet me”, you say while smirking at him.

His smile faded after hearing that and he looked at you with a solemn expression.

“Yeah. I’m sorry it took me so long. I-” “Mr. Wilson, it’s your turn to speak.” Sam looked back at the woman and nodded his head at her.

“Uh…I’ll catch up with you after all this is done. Please wait until then?”, Sam turned around and asked you, nervously.

Rhodey looked at you to decipher your reaction. “Okay. I’ll wait. But not for long and not in front of these cameras”, you say coolly.

Sam smiles at you and Rhodey before approaching the stage.

“See? That wasn’t so bad”, Rhodey says while leading you to sit at the front row.

“We’ll see about that— not the front row, Rhodes... It’s like you want me to run away”, you groaned while slowing your pace.

Rhodey just laughs and pats your shoulder. “Come on, I’ll be next to you the whole time. You can even crush my hand if you want to.”

You and Rhodey sat down and watched Sam approach the stage.

Sam looked sharp in his well-fitted suit but something about his expression screamed anxiety.

He began his speech.

“Steve represented the best in all of us. Courageous, righteous, hopeful. And he mastered posing stoically”, everyone chuckled at that. You scoffed.

“The world has been forever changed. A few months ago, billions of people reappeared after five years away, sending the world into turmoil. We need new heroes. Ones suited for the times we're in. Symbols...are nothing without the women and men that give them meaning. And this thing...”, he chuckles before picking up the shield and continuing.

“I don't know if there's ever been a greater symbol. But it's more about the man who propped it up, and he's gone. So, today we honor Steve's legacy. But also, we look to the future. So, thank you, Captain America. But this belongs to you”, Sam concluded and handed over the shield to the museum security who then put encased it in a glass case. The camera flashes went off.

You couldn’t believe this was happening. You knew something was wrong the moment Sam stepped up on the stage. Your mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

You furrowed your eyebrows and turned your head to look at Rhodey.

“Why did he give up the shield?”, you asked confused.

Rhodey solemnly smiled.

“Maybe try talking to Sam about this?”, he explained to you, gently.

You nodded your head in understanding.

Rhodey went over to talk to Sam while you checked out the other exhibits to give them a little privacy.

You ended up looking at Bucky’s exhibit.

They were displaying those clips of him in the 40s, smiling and free of all the pain, and they made your heart clench in sadness and guilt. He deserved better.

“Still can’t believe bionic staring machine was a heartbreaker back then”, you heard Sam’s voice behind you.

You looked at him and smirked.

“As if he’s not a heartbreaker anymore. Those baby blue’s? Could break a grandma’s heart too, which is funny because he would still be older than her”, you joked and looked back at the display.

Sam stood to your right with his hands in his pockets. He laughed at your joke and looked up at the TV displaying Steve and Bucky together.

He let out a sigh and brought his lips together in a thin line.

You looked over to him and studied his profile observed the way he carried tension in his shoulders.

“Penny for your thoughts?”, you asked him gently.

He shut his eyes and looked down, letting out another deep sigh.

“Kid…I’m sorry”, he said, his voice heavy with guilt.

You furrowed your brows.

“For what?”, you asked, genuinely confused.

Sam finally looked up at you with teary eyes. His brows scrunched together.

“Everything. The accords…Rhodey’s acci- injuries. For-for not making an attempt to maintain contact with you, for-”

“Hey. Don’t. I’m not angry about any of that. I never was. And I will never hold a grudge against anyone that wasn’t on my da- on our side”, you cut him off and explained to him firmly. “And if Rhodey isn’t upset about his accident, then who am I to question it? I know you didn’t dodge. It was an accident. I saw the footage way back then, Sam”, you laid your hand on his shoulder to comfort him.

He was overcome with emotion. He deflated as if years’ worth of weight on his shoulders had been lifted off of him. He simply nodded his head.

“If anything, I’m sorry. For everything you had to go through. I hope you’re doing better, now”, you continued.

Sam gave you a half smile.

“Yeah, I’m good. Helpin’ out my sister with the house and my nephews.”

You raised your eyebrows, surprised. You didn’t know he had a sister or nephews.

Sam chuckled. “Yeah…I got a younger sister and 2 nephews— AJ and Cass.”

You smiled. “I had no idea. I’m glad you guys can live together again”, you replied sincerely.

“Thank you, kid. I had no idea you’re so….nice”, he smirked.

You let out a loud laugh. Contrary to popular belief and rumours, you were a good and polite kid. Your dad, Pepper, Rhodey and Happy made sure of that. It was always funny to find out how people would judge you on the basis of your last name. But, it could also be because of your resting bitch face.

Both of you quieted down and looked at the display once again, when you decided to finally bring it up.

“Sam, why’d you give up the shield?”, you asked curiously.

He pursed his lips.

“That shield is heavy. And I don’t know if this country is ready to see a man like me bear the weight of it. No matter how many times everyone keeps telling me that it was Steve’s choice, they don’t know the consequences of me being Captain America until they wear my shoes. Steve didn’t know it either because at the end of the day, our skin colour doesn’t match and that isn’t suitable for the shield”, he replied heavily.

It felt like someone had put cold water on top of you, his words cutting straight through your ignorance. The pressure that Sam was undergoing would never be understood by anyone who didn’t look like him. That’s why Rhodey was so understanding of his decision.

You straightened up.

“Oh. Sam, I’m so sorry. I didn’t-”, you paused to gather your thoughts and word them carefully. “Yeah, I’m sorry. I should’ve known better. I understand. And I respect your decision”, you replied, genuine understanding dripping from your words.

Sam looked at you, surprised. He wasn’t expecting you to understand his situation.

“That’s- it’s..alright kid. Thank you for understanding me. It means a lot”, he replied sincerely and patted your shoulder.

You were about to take his leave when he spoke up.

“Listen, I got a proposal for you.”

You quirked an eyebrow.

“Just…hear me out, okay? Rhodey told me to keep an eye out for you whenever he’s busy. Says you do well with discipline in your routine. If you don’t mind, you could join me and help me out with the tech stuff, you know?”, he said hesitantly.

You were about to deny his offer when he put his hands out in a placating gesture.

“I know, it’s been a long time. You’re not interested in this stuff anymore. But I could use some extra hands and who better than a Stark to help out with technology, right? And, who knows, maybe you’ll make a friend”, he tried to convince you.

“A friend? You think I’m some loner or what, Wilson? (You kind of were, a loner, but we will ignore that.) And just who is this friend?”, you asked him with narrowed eyes.

“He’s my new team member. A tech savvy nerd, like you. You’ll get along, trust me. Except I’ll warn you, that boy yaps a Lot”, Sam replied while chuckling.

That sounded way too familiar to you. You immediately froze and just stared at Sam, lost in thought. All those unwanted and painful memories were coming back to you.

Sam put his hand on your shoulder and you snapped out of your stupor.

“You don’t have to answer me immediately. Take your time, the offer is always open for you. Okay?”, he asked hopefully, ever the optimistic counselor.

You let out a big sigh.

“I don’t know. I’ll see”, you murmured. You could feel that uneasy feeling creep up your veins that told you to shut down, keep everyone away and to run somewhere far away where you could be isolated in peace.

You were finally feeling comfortable in your little bubble that consisted of you, Rhodey, Pepper, Happy and Morgan. Now you had to go out and make yourself accommodating and welcoming again. You had to repeat everything and start from scratch. It was a lot. You were not ready for that.

Healing is never linear, you knew that. But you were doing so well for the past two months. You clenched your fists and begged your mind to keep it together. You were pretty good at masking it.

Sam just nodded his head and patted your arm.

“Come on, I’ll walk you and Rhodey off.”

You both returned to Rhodey and said your goodbyes.

“See ya, old man. Take care of yo’self, alright?”, Sam said while hugging Rhodey.

“You too, Wilson”, Rhodey said before breaking the hug and patting Sam’s back.

“I’m proud of you, Sam. Never forget that”, Rhodey said gently.

Sam just smiled weakly and patted Rhodey’s shoulder before turning to look at you.

You looked at him and gave him a barely there smile before surprising him with a hug. You don’t know what came over you but you just wanted him to know that you appreciated his support and the conversation that you two had back there. Your words failed you, so you did the next best thing you knew– a hug.

He looked at Rhodey over your shoulder and patted your back like an older brother.

“Take care, kid. Think about what I said”, he said after breaking off the hug.

You simply nodded your head yes.

“And both of you are invited to the family cookout, alright? Rhodes, make sure you bring them with you. Sarah makes a mean cornbread”, Sam says while pointing at you.

Rhodey chuckles and you grin before departing.

You sat in the car and looked out of the window, deep in thought. You were processing your conversation with Sam and debating whether you should join him, or not. You couldn’t help but keep thinking about this friend that he mentioned and how he reminded you too much of-

“Whatcha thinkin’?”, Rhodey asked lightly, as if to not startle you.

You glanced back at him and turned your attention to the front of the car. You sighed softly.

“Had a good chat with Sam. We apologised to each other and sorted out our misconceptions.”

“That’s good, right?”, Rhodey asked and tilted his head to look at you.

You nodded. “Yeah. It was really nice to clear all of that up. He’s so…lovely to talk to. We also talked about his decision to give up the shield. I felt so stupid when he explained it to me. How could I not understand that beforehand?”, you said while clenching your jaw, feeling guilty for judging his decision.

Rhodey gave you a soft smile.

“Atleast you’re self-aware, sweetheart”, he said lightly.

You finally gave him a smile.

“Yeah. He also gave me an offer. To join him”, you said hesitantly.

Rhodey smirked knowingly. Sam had already discussed this with him.

“And? What’re you thinking?”, Rhodey asked nonchalantly so as to not freak you out.

You let out a deep breath.

“I don’t know. I’ll think over it”, you replied with finality in your tone.

Rhodey felt the walls build up again so he backed off instead of pestering you to talk more.

“That’s okay. You can take all the time you want, kid. There’s no rush”, Rhodey said sincerely.

You looked at him and squeezed his hand.

“Shall we go get that ice-cream now, your highness?”, Rhodey joked.

You finally let out a chuckle and nodded your head yes before turning your attention back towards the window. You let out a sigh.

You were not going to get any sleep tonight.

Part 2

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AN: Whew. This was so LONG, I’m so sorry. 😭🙏 but I just couldn’t stop writing because I love me a stark!reader as that’s literally me but also I needed some found family content + closure between the stark family and the cap fam, too. Which is why I had to break it in 2 parts. Our lovebirds will meet in the 2nd part. Keep guessing the references and this mystery person until then.😛 thank you for reading!