A little bit of everything Multi Fandom Imagines Book Three

Half a man - Part 1 - Rhodey/War Machine x Reader

 New character time again. 😄 I can't say that I have seen too many stories for Rhodey, so it's about time I made up for that. Please enjoy.

"Er.......Rhodey.........?" Tony coughed, as he tried to get his old friend's attention. The colonel seemingly too caught up in his own thoughts, to have heard a word that the billionaire had said.

"Earth to Rhodey. Come in Rhodey. Hey! Have you heard anything that I have been saying to you? What's gotten into you?" Tony continued with a huff. The billionaire, playboy, philanthropist getting to his feet and joining his friend at the large window that overlooked the grounds of the compound.

"What the heck is so interesting out there? I........oh!" Tony smiled, as his eyes fell on four people that must have just been running around the track. The quartet coming to a stop not far from the window.

"Sooooooooo. (Y/n), huh?" Tony chuckled. Rhodey still not seeming to be listening to anything that he was going on about. A heavy sigh leaving the air force man's lips, as he continued to watch the group.

Tony couldn't help but shake his head. Unable to understand why the colonel had never said anything to the beautiful captain, other than when they were on missions. And even that was short, to the point, and always over the comms.

"You do know that she can belch the alphabet, don't you............" Tony began, hoping to shake Rhodey from his thoughts.

"What......? Who........?" Rhodey enquired, as he finally turned his attention to the man by his side.

"(Y/n). And if you ask her nicely, she will even recite if backwards." The billionaire continued.

"Tony. What the hell are you talking about?" The colonel retorted. His brows furrowed in confusion, as he continued to stare at his old friend.

"You! I'm talking about you and (Y/n). You have been standing on the same spot for thirty minutes, just staring out of the window. And unless you have taken a sudden liking to Rogers, Barnes or Wilson, I will take it that you haven't heard a single thing I have been saying to you, because of the beauteous (Y/n)." Tony explained. A broad grin spreading across his face, as he watched the captain begin to stretch out, on the lawn.

"I wasn't watching anyone. I was........I was just thinking about some adjustments that I want you to make to my suit. I never want a repeat of the Ex-Wife Missile fiasco." Rhodey huffed, as he finally pulled himself away from the window, and made his way over to the sofa.

"I'm sorry, but I'm calling bullshit on that. I have known you long enough James Rhodes, to know when you are goofing over a girl.........."

"Goofing........?"

"Yeah, goofing. You were the same with Audrey Hayes at MIT. Goofy and all daydreamy. Why do you bother protesting, pal? I mean, (Y/n) is single. You're single. So, what's the problem? She's beautiful, smart, bad ass. What more could a guy want? I just don't get why you won't go and talk to her. Ask her out for coffee or something. You've never had trouble talking to a woman before............"

"I was never half a man before." Rhodey interrupted angrily. His hands rubbing at the braces over his trousers.

Ever since both of his legs had been completely paralysed during the Clash of the Avengers. Since he had been inadvertently shot by Vision. Rhodey had felt as though he was half a man. That despite the braces that Tony had designed, he could never do what he had been able to do before the incident. And without the braces, without his War Machine suit, he would be nothing.

"What? Have you lost your mind?" Tony asked in disbelief, as he made his way over to Rhodey, and took a seat by his side.

"Are you trying to tell me that just because you need those braces to help you walk, that you think you're less human. That you aren't still you? Because I would put my entire fortune on it, that no one else sees you that way. And I doubly doubt that (Y/n) would think that. And this self-pity party shit, isn't the James Rhodes that I know. If (Y/n) say's no to you asking her out, it won't be because of your legs. It will be because you can be a grumpy asshole. You've never let anything get in your way before, Rhodey. So why start now?" Tony added. Shocked that his old friend would allow that kind of thought into his mind. That he would allow that to stop him from asking out a woman, that it was obvious he had more than a passing fancy for.

Rhodey dropped his head. He knew Tony was right. That he had spent too many nights thinking about how, and if, he could ask (Y/n) on a date. If he might be able to take her somewhere nice away from the prying ears and eyes of the rest of the Avengers. Or should that be, out of the way of Tony so that he didn't put his big, fat foot in it. And all those thoughts had got twisted and warped in his mind. The colonel putting his inability to actually say anything to (Y/n), down to his inability to walk without the braces. The little voice in his head telling him that the beautiful captain would never want an old cripple like him, when she could have someone like Rogers, Barnes or Wilson. But no. He deserved to be happy just like everyone else, and Rhodey was sure that he could be happy with (Y/n). But that if she did say no to his invitation, it would be because, as Tony had so succinctly put it, he could be a grumpy asshole.

"But what about the others? Isn't she............?"

"Nope. Not one of them. Not that Wilson hasn't tried more than once. But she's always turned him down. I don't think that he is her type. I think our beautiful captain likes a more mature man. One that she can salute. One that will put her through her paces. One that she can call, Sir." Tony chuckled. Rhodey shaking his head, as the billionaire wriggled his eyebrows.

"Alright, alright, I get it. But do you think that she would be interested in me?

"There's only one way to find out, pal. And that's to go and ask her. But the longer you leave it, the more chance that she might change her mind about Wilson's invitations. Might decide that she likes one of the others. So, if I were you, I would strike while the iron is hot, my friend." Tony said, as he placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. Rhodey smiling softly and nodding in agreement. The colonel getting to his feet and making for the door.

"Ah, young love. Kids grow up so fast these days." Tony told no one, as he got to his own feet and made his way beck down to the labs. Hoping that soon his old friend would have his girl.