All Of Me (Peter Parker x Reader)

Chapter 13

"-and I literally just got done interrogating her again. Now, be honest, is that what it feels like to argue with me?" Tony asked as he took a small sip of the bourbon from his glass. Rhodey sat diagonal from him, a semi-empty glass of bourbon in his hand as well. The dark skinned man held it in his hand, staring off into space as if in thought.

"Yes. That's exactly what it's like to even talk with you. I think karma has finally decided to deliver," he said as he finished off his glass, placing it on the table and leaning back in his chair.

They had been sitting in the room for an hour now, with Rhodey painfully listening to every party of Tony's "totally undramatic" retelling of what had happened the night before. And not even fifteen minutes in, Rhodey stopped Tony, knowing that he'd need a drink if he wanted to get through the whole story without losing his mind. Not only did Tony make some very stupid mistakes in security measures, but he still had a hard time processing the fact that there were otherworldly factors in their world know. He was getting better, with each crazy magic or scientific miracle or abomination, but it still threw him for a loop sometimes.

Rhodey sighed as Tony followed his lead, lifting the glass and drinking what alcohol was left in it and set it down at the table. Rhodey shook his head as he stared at the table. "Crazy world nowadays, huh?" he said.

"You have no idea," Tony replied.

"I mean, first we get attacked by a rebellious god with daddy issues,"

"I almost got nuked in space,"

"Then you and banner create a wired magical human together,"

"Why do you have to explain it like that?"

"And now we have a band of good-guys-gone-bad, who ran off to become vigilantes while on the run from the government of basically the whole world,"

"I didn't start that one, can't blame me,"

Rhodey lightly smiled at him as they sat in comfortable silence, staring at their now empty glasses. "Since when did everything go downhill?" he asked.

"I think this whole mess started the second Mr. Stark decided to become Iron Man," a voice spoke from the doorway.

Tony and Rhodey's heads turned towards the direction of it to see the straightened posture of Secretary Ross. He was as sharp as ever with a black suit and his graying hair in its neatly slicked back form. A small file envelope held securely under his arm and next to his rib cage. He strode over to the table, gracefully dropping the file on its surface.

"I mean, it's like you created a whole universe or something!" Ross exclaimed.

Tony's head nodded slightly as a smirk grew on his face at Ross's words. "You know what? I think that's the greatest compliment I've ever been given, and it wasn't even from someone I might listen to," Tony said in a voice that caused Ross to silently seeth with a barely contained rage.

Rhodey sighed as he watched the interaction. He didn't know what else he really expected from his best friend, but this certainly wasn't it. At the very least he could take something with a serious attitude for once, he thought in vain. By this point in his life, he knew that not acting serious was Tony's way of acting serious, in a really counterproductive way. It was a habit that took some effort to see, as well as patience that no one had time for.

"Ah, Commander Rhodes. Wonderful to see you here," Secretary Ross said, a feeling of gratefulness that there was someone other than the cocky genius to talk to. "And, actually, your presence is just what we need," he added.