Avengers: Legacies

Man With A Plan

James joined Tony on the main bridge of the Helicarrier shortly after his training session. The young man had showered and cooled down. He only had one change of clothes so he put on a SHIELD trainee uniform that was in his room. That ensemble consisted of a pair of navy blue cargo pants and a fitted blue T-shirt. As he walked into the room, heads turned. His eyes flashed back and forth at the people watching him. These agents must have thought that he was a newby or something like a new kid at school in the middle of the year. They didn't recognize him. Or maybe they did and they couldn't get over the fact that his mom and dad were legendary SHIELD operatives and Avengers. He had a heavy legacy weighing down his shoulders.

Tony turned at the sound of whispering. James shrugged at the older man, almost sheepishly. He stepped up on Director Hill's platform.

"What's everyone's problem? They know who I am," he muttered under his breath.

Tony leaned toward his ear. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you incite a lot of interest in being what you are. You're breaking hearts without even knowing it."

James peered over his shoulder. Those caught staring scrambled back to work. He mulled over the possibility that he scared them in some way. It wasn't because he was nice to look at. That seemed ridiculous. He shook his head.

"I don't think that's it, Mr. Stark," James said.

"Whatever you say, kid," Tony shrugged. "We'll be landing soon. I need you to make sure that the others are settled in all right. I made special modifications to everyone's rooms so they all feel at home."

James nodded. He had no idea how Tony could modify anything under short notice, but he didn't ask.

"Later, this evening," Tony continued, "there will be another training session at seven. I won't be able to make our session due to business reasons. I need you to check on how everyone else is doing and assess their initial performances. That way, we can keep track of their progress. I already took the liberty of assessing your sister this morning, but Bobby never showed. Don't forget about him. I heard that his father's been training him since he could walk and talk. I expect a written report on my desk by 9 a.m. tomorrow morning. Don't forget to comment on behavior between mentor and mentees as well as how your teammates grasp the concepts being taught to them. You got all that?"

"Yeah, Mr. Stark. I got all that," James said. He cursed in his head. He wasn't expecting homework. He was supposed to be learning how to defend himself against foes bigger than him. He was supposed to be learning how to manage a team. He was supposed to be learning how to keep civilians safe. He was not supposed to be learning how to write up evaluation reports. James eyed the older man up and down suspiciously. It was obviously a test, something to throw him off. Tony wanted to know whether or not he'd listen. He wanted to know if James would follow orders.

The problem was that James hated being told what to do. He had trouble with listening to anyone in a place of authority. He didn't mind it when he found himself in a collaborative setting, but when it came down to being considered a lesser in a hierarchical environment, forget it. He knew better than anyone that that was where pillars of trust and honesty started to crumble. Who was Tony Stark trying to kid? He was making the same mistakes all over again. Didn't this man ever learn?
James supposed not. His dad's stories made it very clear that Iron Man was a creature of habit, constantly making the same mistakes no matter the consequence. It was obvious that Steve didn't quite understand it. Why did Tony, a super genius, sabotage everything when he knew that he and the Avengers could succeed?

The young man side-eyed the older man and made a mental note to keep vigilant with Tony's behavior and intentions. The last thing James wanted was for Tony to screw up their chance of getting their parents back.