war machine rox

“How convincingly do you think I could fake my death to get out of training today?” Sam pouted, dropping down into the seat across from them. “I can’t do it.”

  “I don’t really see it as something to brag about at dinner parties.” Pepper said with a laugh following afterwards. “I learned a few years back. Figured it’d be smart to do considering everything but it wasn’t like it did much to prevent this. I was just glad I was able to help somehow. I owe Steve for getting me to the med room in time after everything happened.” Pepper leaned against him now, shoulder to shoulder as she remained quiet for a moment and bit on the inside of her lip. She let out a shaky breath and then turned to look up into his eyes. “I’m glad you’re back..” She said while feeling her eyes filling up with tears. She cleared her throat and shook her head, “Ah, sorry.. Just..” She shook her head again and tried her best to smile once more. “It’s nothing.”

“I’m sure he has. He’s been locked up in his office all morning.” Tony let out a breath once they door were closed behind them and he nodded. “I know. I’m trying my best.” He sat on the edge of the desk. “Is it weird my head also went to people being hurt that could hurt someone else?” He questioned, looking up at Rhodey. “Like Pepper isn’t one of us, but she’s close to me. And everyone knows Thor would go to the ends of the universe for his brother.” He paused and shook his head. “I might be thinking too much into it. I did briefly think about sending Morgan off to my mom’s family in Italy, though.”

Pepper had agreed to take it easy. Of course that meant working from her office instead of being able to attend the meetings. Her healing was coming along rather well but despite that it irritated her not being able to move freely or without pain. She knew it was a process and one doesn’t just heal from an injury like that in a week but she wished that wasn’t the case. She was looking over some expense reports when she heard a knock on the door and peeked up to see him peeking in. A smile crossed her face, “Rhodey. I didn’t know you were back already.” She motioned him to come inside, “I’d hug you but… I’m sure you already know.”

@war-machiine // closed starter

Thor hadn’t slept. Not truly, any rest was fitful and unsatisfying. But how could he sleep again? What would he dream next? To escape his mother’s worried looks, when her attention needed to be focused, Thor had retreated to his room once more. He splashed cool water from the tap on his face, didn’t immediately hear the knocking over the sound of rushing water. Or his own thoughts. But Rhodey’s voice rang through the suite clearly. “My friend,” Thor called in return, stepping out to meet him. “I uh… I did not hear you come in, forgive me.” He scrubbed a hand over his face, eyes still heavy with weariness, and skin still damp. “Please, sit with me,” he said, nodding towards the sofa and chairs before setting down in one himself. “Jane and I will be here a while. So we can both be closer,” he explained, as though he needed to. Rhodey was not an unintelligent man, and his loyalty was beyond compare. Thor gave him a weary smile. “I suppose given the circumstances, I can forgive you for missing it. Turned out a little… unpleasant.”

Tony looked over at his best friend when he didn’t immediately say anything. He let out a breath, having an idea of where Rhodey’s mind was, and nodded. “Kinda freaky as fuck thinking we missed something and someone on the team isn’t who they said they are? Yep. I had the same thought.” He nodded for him to follow him down the hall, towards his office, and away from others. “Our files aren’t that detailed for that reason, but they’d have to hack into Friday and you know there’s virtually no way anyone could do that.” He shook his head. “Storm’s powers are a little more obvious, but whatever they did to Thor’s brother really fucked him up, so someone had to have a little insight.” Tony paused, before he continued, “Pepper got hurt, too. She was with Cap, so I don’t know if that was intention and she was the intended target, if he was, or if was random.”

He snorted, albeit a little humorlessly. “I don’t think anyone would be too surprised to see you giving a press conference for me.” Though despite that, he gave the other man a small smirk. It faded after a moment though and Tony sighed. “It’s just a goddamn mess.” He fell silent when Rhodey voice his suspicion, one that he himself had thought about before. “You know, I wondered that. They knew how to get to Barnes exactly. Whatever they hit Odinson with pretty much shot his magic. And they got Storm with something that wouldn’t let him use his very specific set of powers. It’s like they have access to our files or something.” He groaned and looked at him. “This is gonna fucking suck if it’s someone close to us.”

   “Well, you’re not wrong on that.” He said as he knew that there was a chance no one would even question it but Rhodey had no background in what had happened other than what was told to him as he arrived. Questions would be silenced and that meant people would grow more panicked. He felt like he was holding his breath for a moment because the thought that someone would turn their backs on them was actually more than terrifying and it planted doubt where there should be none. If one can’t trust their team then what is there to do? They had to remain united. “There’s a minor possibility that files got hacked as well but... is all that information stored?” He asked him. Perhaps that was a question better suited for someone else but he was sure that Tony would at least know something. 

Tony glanced over at his best friend and gave him a half, but tired, smile. “Yeah. Physically I’m good. Mentally this has been ass.” He groaned and ran a hand through his unstyled curls. “Me and/or Steve probably needs to give some kind of public statement, but I don’t even know what the hell happened.” Tony shook his head, “One of the guys was the one that followed Bishop and Odinson back here last month. No idea how he got in.”

     Rhodey figured this must be hard on Thor. He also had an idea that the other hadn’t given himself much time to rest or to even think about himself so he figured after his conversation with Tony to go up and check on him. He made his way towards his room and knocked a couple of times before he walked inside, “You in here?” He asked as he lingered by the door. 

Tony walked downstairs and eyed the clean up efforts going on. There was a list of reasons he was currently pissed beyond reason, but this was definitely near the top. “I don’t even want to touch any of this.”