Work Text:
Rhodey met Natasha first; he met her when she was Natalie Rushman, of course, but she’s the first of the Avengers that he meets as an Avenger as well. She smiles at him, in that way that’s actually a smirk but feels like a real smile when she gives it to you and Lt. Col. James Rhodes might be a lot of things but he isn’t an idiot so he doesn’t trust it.
“Rhodey, this is the Black Widow‒”
“Natasha Romanoff. Used to be Natalie Rushman, right?” he interrupts Tony when he introduces them. Natasha appreciates it from her expression. Rhodey trusts her only so much as she seems to be willing to put her life of the line for Tony. That’s all Rhodey expects from the team in Tony’s corner. That’s his best friend and that’s what he cares about as of now. Plus, he knows what Romanoff is capable of‒ he is military after all; he is versed in what his so called ‘enemies’ have and the Black Widow fits that criteria as well as any terrorist. Or she did, once upon a time. Now it seems she works for the good guys.
It doesn’t take long before Rhodey sees her as a Natasha Romanoff and not her codename and understand who she is outside of who she is as a weapon. By the end of the night, she’s smiled at him without it being a smirk and Rhodey thinks it’s a win.
*
Rhodey knows who Bruce Banner is. They’ve never met, because very few people have actually met him since he became the Hulk, so he’s surprised to see him in the lab of the tower while it’s being renovated.
“Pepper let me in,” Rhodey tells Tony, only glancing at his friend.
“Oh, good, you’re here. Lunch is here, good.”
Tony takes the bag from Rhodey’s hand and Rhodey wants to tell him that there was no reason for him to have to stop at Popeye's when there’s a full staff of chefs in the tower, but he’s long since given up on trying to fathom Tony when he gets in a work space. He loves his best friend, but he doesn’t always understand where his head goes. Plus, he’s more concerned with the fact that Bruce Banner seems to be neck deep in whatever is going on in the lab too.
“Oh, Rhodey, this is Dr. Banner. We’re seeing what we can do about getting Jarvis’ bioscanning technology into the future.”
“Right, because Jarvis needs to be even farther ahead than he is.”
Banner lets out a small sound like a laugh. “You refer to Jarvis with a gendered pronoun.” Rhodey gives a one shouldered shrug and Banner nods. “Seems like a hazard of being around here too long.”
It’s then that Banner makes a move to stand up and extend a hand to Rhodey.
“You’re not what I pictured,” Rhodey says before he thinks about it as he shakes Banner’s hand.
“What? Not a big green monster?” There’s a tiny bit of an edge to Banner’s voice, but it’s mostly humor. Rhodey can’t help but give him a crooked sort of half smile.
“No, I thought you were blonder. Wiry. I’ve seen your file.” There’s a pause before Banner responds, taking in Rhodey’s words. He seems to come to some sort of conclusion before he goes on.
“I’ve changed a bit in the last few years,” Banner replies. The edge is completely absent from his voice when he does.
“Haven’t we all.”
“Yeah, great, let’s can the whole metaphysical nature of change and life conversation and talk about the important things. Namely, are you going to be here for the grand reopening party I’ll be throwing once Avengers Tower is back up to snuff?”
“Avengers Tower?” Banner asks before Rhodey can. Tony rolls his eyes.
“Well, yeah. I’m getting floors done for all of you to crash here in case a giant slime monster invasion happens or something, obviously. It’ll be a lot easier if no one has to go to Calcutta for you again. You good with a green and purple color scheme? Or do you need beige or gray or something calm?”
Tony’s talking a mile a minute and Rhodey feels just a touch uneasy about it. It’s different than his usual mania, but he won’t say anything in front of Banner.
“You really called me to get you fried chicken and ask about a party? Tony‒”
Tony waves him off.
“And I wanted you to meet my new science bro. Thanks for the chicken by the way.”
“Science bro?” Rhodey asks. He sees Banner make a face and roll his eyes up and it’s that minute that in Rhodey’s mind he goes from ‘Banner’ to ‘Bruce.’ Rhodey’s glad he’s there.
*
Rhodey has no idea why Tony needed this reopening party to be a formal affair, but he’s in full dress with a near empty glass of champagne in his hand when he meets Captain America. He nearly does a spit-take.
The man‒ Steve Rogers, Captain Rogers of the Howling Commandos, American hero loved by most of the country over‒ snaps to a salute when he sees Rhodey.
“Oh, wow, would you look at that,” Tony says from Rhodey’s elbow. They’d been in the middle of a discussion about the merits of throwing a concert to benefit the rebuilding after the Chitauri attack and inviting Jay-Z and Captain America is saluting him. Muscle memory takes over and Rhodey salutes as well. Sometimes, Rhodey’s life is really great.
“Lieutenant Colonel,” Captain Rogers addresses him. Rhodey is flabbergasted.
“For God’s sake, put your arm down, Rogers,” Tony snaps when Rhodey can hardly speak. It shakes him out of it and he drops his position.
“At ease, Captain.” Rhodey thinks his voice might come out a whisper. He’s gushing before he can stop it. “It’s an honor to meet you, sir.”
Rhodey can feel Tony rolling his eyes, but Captain Rogers smiles.
“I didn’t realize Stark had friends in the military.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Cap. A lot you just plain don’t know being a popsicle for 70 years.”
Captain Rogers’ eyes darken and Rhodey wants to punch his friend.
“I think Tony sometimes doesn’t realize he has friends in the military. What with how he behaves and all.”
“Hey! You laughed at the senate committee hearing meeting just as much as I did!” Tony protests. Rhodey gives him a smirk and Tony throws up his hands. “I’m going to find someone who actually likes me.”
“Love you, bud,” Rhodey says to Tony’s retreating back. He gets the finger for it and laughs.
Captain Rogers is smiling.
“It’s good to know someone can get under his skin.”
“He’s not as bad as he wants people to think he is,” Rhodey explains. He wants to ask a million things, but he has no idea where the landmines of Captain America’s mind are and there’s no way that he’ll overstep his bounds the first time he meets him like this. He wants to say a million things and he takes a deep breath and plunges in.
“I know it might seem weird, but I’ve just got to say thank you, Captain.”
He looks taken aback.
“For what? You’ve done just as much as I ever did, being a Colonel and all.”
Rhodey shakes his head.
“Thank you for taking Gabe Jones as a Howling Commando.”
Neither of them expected that that was what was going to come out of Rhodey’s mouth, but Rhodey isn’t surprised by it. He didn’t realize that’s what he needed to say until he’d said it.
“Not that I want to make it weird for you,” he says quickly when he sees that Captain Rogers seems flustered.
Captain Rogers shakes his head. “No, no. It’s just that I never thought it was something I needed thanking for. Just wanted the best people on my six.”
Rhodey sticks out his hand. “Well, Captain, if you need people at your back again, I’m Lieutenant Colonel James Rhodes and I’m at your service.”
Rhodey realizes how it sounds and as the Captain is shaking his hand he continues.
“You know, if the whole team of Avengers doesn’t work out and you need a B squad or whatever.”
He’s shaking his head in embarrassment but Steve-"please, just Steve"- Rogers laughs and thanks him. When he’s walking away, saying he needs a refill, Rhodey wants to bash his own head into the wall.
“Don’t worry about it,” Tony says, popping up from nowhere. “He seems to be into that sort of earnestness. Should I start planning for a spring wedding?”
Rhodey socks his friend in the shoulder, hard enough that Tony winces.
*
The first words Rhodey ever says to Clint Barton are “Where the fuck‒?”
He is not ashamed of that, because people shouldn’t drop down from the ceiling the way Barton had. He will stand by that forever, no matter what the look on Tony’s face says.
Barton nods at him, not even a little embarrassed by his entrance. “Colonel Rhodes.”
Rhodey’s recovered enough to nod back with an “Agent Barton,” and that’s that.
“Sorry, buddy, we’ve got official Avengers stuff to deal with. Play date’s over,” Tony says with a faux mournful look. Rhodey rolls his eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, have fun storming the castle or whatever it is. Don’t invite your military friend to help you strategize or anything,” Rhodey gripes back at him jokingly. Barton snorts out a laugh and Rhodey thinks about forgiving him for his terrifying appearance out of nowhere.
*
Rhodey thanks God that he’s in his War Machine armor when Thor claps him on the back in greeting, and mentally laughs at his own jokes.
“You fought well, War Machine. It speaks well of your skills as both a leader and a warrior.”
“Uh,” Rhodey starts. He reaches to scratch the back of his head before he realizes that his armor will make that look incredibly stupid. “Thanks. Thank you.”
Thor gives him another clap on the shoulder and a small smile. Something makes Rhodey want to keep talking, like he needs the honor of Thor’s approval more. Like he needs some sort of connection. He is a god after all, even if he’s not the one Rhodey’s sent silent prayers to before leading a troop into a fight. He’s sent them less often since the Battle of New York.
“You can call me Rhodey, by the way. Or Rhodes. Tony’s told me you tend to do the last name thing.”
Thor nods. “Ah, yes, Stark has spoken very highly of you. Always as Rhodey.” Rhodey smothers a small laugh‒ he isn’t surprised; he can’t even remember the last time Tony referred to him any other way. “It’s clear you share a brotherhood, even outside your armor. He is lucky to have such a friend for times of peace as well as times of war.”
Rhodey glances over to where Tony’s in the middle of a conversation with a once again human Bruce and fiddling with one of his broken gauntlet’s wires. It’s clear even from there that he’s talking a mile a minute and Bruce wants to smack him. Rhodey can’t stop the smile that spreads on his face.
“It is lucky, yeah.”
Despite any lack of Midgardian experience he may have, Thor takes that as a cue to exit, heading in the direction where Steve is cleaning up rubble from something that had been destroyed. Rhodey moves towards Tony, thinking he might be able to rescue Bruce.
“Where you been, buddy?” Tony asks as he sees Rhodey approaching. “I don’t know if you noticed, but there was a whole fight going on here. Got the green guy out and everything. Maybe you missed it what with that older model you’re sportin’ there, but this Mark 40 was really holding up well.”
Rhodey rolls his eyes. “Yeah, I was there. Just finally met all the rest of your friends is all. Surprised it took me this long what with there not being that many and all.”
Tony throws a hand up to his heart dramatically. “You wound me, Rhodey. I know we have a bromance for the ages, we’re the Bro-T-P if you will, as the kids are calling it these days, but the rest of these guys matter too.”
“Yeah, but he’s the only one who can stand you all the time,” Bruce pipes up. Tony waves a hand at him dismissively.
“Like I said, Bro-T-P.”
Rhodey doesn’t even know what that means but he thinks he probably agrees. He does tend to have Tony Stark’s back after all.