Spoilers for... IRON MAN
Las Vegas, Nevada
"Tony Stark. Visionary. Genius. American patriot. Even from an early age, the son of legendary weapons developer Howard Stark quickly stole the spotlight with his brilliant and unique mind.
"At age four, he built his first circuit board. At age six, his first engine. And at 17, he graduated summa cum laude from MIT. Then, the passing of a titan. Howard Stark's lifelong friend and ally, Obadiah Stane, steps in to help fill the gap left by the legendary founder, until, at age 21, the prodigal son returns and is anointed the new CEO of Stark Industries."
"With the keys to the kingdom, Tony ushers in a new era for his father's legacy, creating smarter weapons, advanced robotics, satellite targeting. Today, Tony Stark has changed the face of the weapons industry by ensuring freedom and protecting America and her interests around the globe."
The huge screen displays a photo of the man, the billionaire himself, Tony Stark. The crowd then cheers and I join in too. As the presentation screen changes to a photo of the Stark Industries logo, the spotlight turns on to focus on the man standing center stage; James Rhodes, or Rhodey as we like to call him.
"As liaison to Stark Industries, I've had the unique privilege of serving with a real patriot. He is my friend and he is my great mentor. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to present this year's Apogee Award to Mr. Tony Stark."
There was large applause from the audience as we waited for the man himself to walk up and claim his well-earned award, however, no one got up. I turned my body around to see if I could spot him sitting somewhere within the crowd but I only caught a glimpse of Obadiah Stane shaking his head as if to say Tony wasn't coming. "Tony?"
Rhodey stood there smiling, trying to hide the awkwardness he was feeling. It didn't help as even I felt second-hand embarrassment from the situation. Stane got up quickly and strode up towards the stage taking the award from Rhodey's hand. "Thank you, Colonel," Stane said as he shuffled into the spotlight.
Rhodey whispered a quick, "Thanks for the save." before leaving his place under the spotlight and giving Stane the chance to make a speech he probably was not prepared for.
We clapped again. As he thanked the crowd. "Well, I'm not Tony Stark." he joked as the crowd laughed. "But if I were Tony, I would tell you how honored I feel and what a joy it is to receive this very prestigious award. Tony, you know...The best thing about Tony is also the worst thing. He's always working."
He was right. Tony was always working. But that was what I liked about him, he was always striving for the best, a quality I've wanted in a friend. Of course, his hard work paid off. He was rich, handsome, and could get anything he wanted in life but I'm not quite sure he knew what he needs in life.
The crowd began to scatter as the event was now over. Rhodey came off the stage and walked straight towards me with a slightly annoyed expression on his face. "Did you have fun up there?" I joked, as he just shook his head.
"I just kissed this guy's ass up there and he has the decency to just not show up!" Rhodes complained as I chuckled. Even when the night is all about Tony Stark he does whatever Tony Stark wants. "Where is he anyway?"
"Oh, I know exactly where he is," I replied.
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𝐀𝐈𝐑 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐄 » avengers x reader
FanficNaturally, you were one of the toughest and most skilled soldiers in the world, but being tossed into a world where the entire universe depends on you, you often find it difficult to come to terms with your own past whilst saving those around you...
