Poem: "Colossus"
May. 5th, 2020 02:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis is today's freebie, inspired by Angel. It also fills the "Colorful Garment" square in my 5-1-20 card for the Sumerian Me Bingo Fest.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It features a graphic depiction of 14-year-old Tony Stark screwing Sunset Bain in college, while drunk, and then Rhodey pulling them apart. There are various indications of neglect and maltreatment that Tony considers normal and Rhodey considers appalling. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Colossus"
"Hey, sweetie, can you
run this up to Sunny's room?"
said a gorgeous brunette. She
shoved a basket of condoms
and lube into Rupert's arms.
"I think she's gonna need 'em."
Rupert rolled his eyes.
Just because he was black,
half of MIT treated him
like a servant boy.
On the other hand, it
would be funny to walk in
on some sorority bang.
When he opened the door,
the whitest ass cheeks that
he had ever seen in his life were
pumping away on top of a chick
who looked like a brunette Barbie.
The room was a total wreck.
The desk was swept clean,
the chair overturned, and
some colorful garment
hung from the ceiling fan.
"Hey, Sunny, I brought
your stuff," said Rupert.
Sunny and her partner
both turned to look at him.
Suddenly Rupert realized
that the short, scrawny guy
was actually just a kid.
Horrified, Rupert dropped
the basket, hauled him
off her, and then pushed
the kid behind himself.
He pointed at Sunset.
"You, get out before I
call a cop," Rupert said.
"But it's my room!" she pouted,
crossing her arms under her tits.
"I look like I give a fuck?" Rupert said.
"Get out, or you can go to jail
for statutory rape, bitch."
Sunny snatched her clothes
and ran, swearing at him.
Then Rupert looked at
the squalling, spitting boy
in his hand and said, "Cool it,
kid. You're safe now. Let's
get you properly dressed."
The white button-up was
probably a loss, stained with
what looked like red wine, but
the suitcoat was intact and
the pants could be salvaged
if Rupert sacrificed his belt.
"The fuck, dude?" said the boy.
"I wash jusht gettin' shome!
She'sh in businesh an', an'
eclec -- elet -- gadgetsh."
Lovely. He was drunk, too.
Rupert suppressed a desire
to go find Sunny and strangle her.
ROTC would frown on that.
Instead he said, "Well, you
look a little young for that.
What are you, twelve?"
"I'm fourteen!" the kid said.
"I don't need to be, to be --"
He swallowed. "-- rescued."
Oh yeah, he totally did.
Rupert looked down at
the stark-naked, drunk teen
who was clinging to him.
"How did I end up in charge?"
he muttered, overwhelmed.
Apparently, because nobody else
was going to be the grownup.
Rupert crouched down so he
could start stuffing the kid
into the wrinkled pants,
trying not to think about
how the zipper got broken.
"You got a name, kid?"
Rupert asked him.
"M'not a kid," he spat.
"I'm in college!"
"That's not a name,"
Rupert said as he
buckled his belt around
the ridiculously tiny waist.
Did the kid ever eat?
"They call me Love Machine,"
the boy said with a smirk.
"You can't be Love Machine,"
Rupert said. "You're too young.
Besides, I'm Love Machine."
"Aww." The kid pouted.
"Alla good nicknamesh
are already taken!"
"I'm sure you'll find
your own someday,"
Rupert assured him.
"What do the teachers
call you in class?"
"Tony Stark," he said,
and then appallingly,
"Know-It-All. Brat.
Trust Fund Ticket."
Rupert rubbed a hand
over his face. Punching out
a professor would be bad.
He scooped up the shirt
and began buttoning Tony
into it. With the suitcoat
over it, the stains wouldn't
show too much. He hoped.
"Nice to meet you, Tony,"
he said, standing up so he
could put the suitcoat on
the kid. "I'm Rupert Rhodes."
"Wow, y'r big," Tony said.
His head barely came up
to Rupert's chest. "Y'r like
a colosshush." He giggled.
"The Colosshush of Rhodes!"
Rupert thought that he had heard
every possible bad pun on his name,
but no, those all involved streets.
This one was actually new.
Maybe there was something
about this kid after all.
"Big and strong enough
to get you home safe,"
Rupert said, wrapping
an arm around Tony.
"Yeah yeah, sure thing,
Colosh -- Cush -- Rhodey,"
said Tony, clinging to him.
It was a stupid nickname.
It was undignified. But it ... fit,
somehow. Well, all right then.
"Okay. Where do you live, Tony?"
said Rhodey. "I'll walk you home."
Tony gave him the address
of a dorm, and Rhodey got him
there, expecting a floor supervisor
to take the kid off his hands.
But the supervisor's room
was locked, which it
wasn't supposed to be.
"Fffff ... udge," Rhodey said,
which made Tony giggle.
So Rhodey made him
drink a bottle of water,
fed him some aspirin,
and held him up to pee.
Then Rhodey undressed him,
put him in a sleep shirt, and
tucked the boy into bed.
The way Tony stared
at him made Rhodey
think dark things about
the kid's so-called family.
Rhodey put another bottle
of water and packet of aspirin on
Tony's end table, with a note that read,
Take these before trying to get up.
He wrote his phone number underneath,
in case Tony needed something else.
"Good night, Tony. Sleep well,"
Rhodey said, smoothing the blanket.
Tony gave a drowsy murmur that
wrapped around Rhodey's heart
and squeezed like a boa constrictor.
How did he wind up in charge?
Rhodey wondered yet again.
Because that's what Tony needed.
* * *
Notes:
Colonel James Rupert "Rhodey" Rhodes later becomes the superhero War Machine.
Sunset Bain later becomes a nemesis of Iron Man.
The Colossus of Rhodes was a giant statue standing over the harbor of Rhodes.
Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It features a graphic depiction of 14-year-old Tony Stark screwing Sunset Bain in college, while drunk, and then Rhodey pulling them apart. There are various indications of neglect and maltreatment that Tony considers normal and Rhodey considers appalling. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
"Colossus"
"Hey, sweetie, can you
run this up to Sunny's room?"
said a gorgeous brunette. She
shoved a basket of condoms
and lube into Rupert's arms.
"I think she's gonna need 'em."
Rupert rolled his eyes.
Just because he was black,
half of MIT treated him
like a servant boy.
On the other hand, it
would be funny to walk in
on some sorority bang.
When he opened the door,
the whitest ass cheeks that
he had ever seen in his life were
pumping away on top of a chick
who looked like a brunette Barbie.
The room was a total wreck.
The desk was swept clean,
the chair overturned, and
some colorful garment
hung from the ceiling fan.
"Hey, Sunny, I brought
your stuff," said Rupert.
Sunny and her partner
both turned to look at him.
Suddenly Rupert realized
that the short, scrawny guy
was actually just a kid.
Horrified, Rupert dropped
the basket, hauled him
off her, and then pushed
the kid behind himself.
He pointed at Sunset.
"You, get out before I
call a cop," Rupert said.
"But it's my room!" she pouted,
crossing her arms under her tits.
"I look like I give a fuck?" Rupert said.
"Get out, or you can go to jail
for statutory rape, bitch."
Sunny snatched her clothes
and ran, swearing at him.
Then Rupert looked at
the squalling, spitting boy
in his hand and said, "Cool it,
kid. You're safe now. Let's
get you properly dressed."
The white button-up was
probably a loss, stained with
what looked like red wine, but
the suitcoat was intact and
the pants could be salvaged
if Rupert sacrificed his belt.
"The fuck, dude?" said the boy.
"I wash jusht gettin' shome!
She'sh in businesh an', an'
eclec -- elet -- gadgetsh."
Lovely. He was drunk, too.
Rupert suppressed a desire
to go find Sunny and strangle her.
ROTC would frown on that.
Instead he said, "Well, you
look a little young for that.
What are you, twelve?"
"I'm fourteen!" the kid said.
"I don't need to be, to be --"
He swallowed. "-- rescued."
Oh yeah, he totally did.
Rupert looked down at
the stark-naked, drunk teen
who was clinging to him.
"How did I end up in charge?"
he muttered, overwhelmed.
Apparently, because nobody else
was going to be the grownup.
Rupert crouched down so he
could start stuffing the kid
into the wrinkled pants,
trying not to think about
how the zipper got broken.
"You got a name, kid?"
Rupert asked him.
"M'not a kid," he spat.
"I'm in college!"
"That's not a name,"
Rupert said as he
buckled his belt around
the ridiculously tiny waist.
Did the kid ever eat?
"They call me Love Machine,"
the boy said with a smirk.
"You can't be Love Machine,"
Rupert said. "You're too young.
Besides, I'm Love Machine."
"Aww." The kid pouted.
"Alla good nicknamesh
are already taken!"
"I'm sure you'll find
your own someday,"
Rupert assured him.
"What do the teachers
call you in class?"
"Tony Stark," he said,
and then appallingly,
"Know-It-All. Brat.
Trust Fund Ticket."
Rupert rubbed a hand
over his face. Punching out
a professor would be bad.
He scooped up the shirt
and began buttoning Tony
into it. With the suitcoat
over it, the stains wouldn't
show too much. He hoped.
"Nice to meet you, Tony,"
he said, standing up so he
could put the suitcoat on
the kid. "I'm Rupert Rhodes."
"Wow, y'r big," Tony said.
His head barely came up
to Rupert's chest. "Y'r like
a colosshush." He giggled.
"The Colosshush of Rhodes!"
Rupert thought that he had heard
every possible bad pun on his name,
but no, those all involved streets.
This one was actually new.
Maybe there was something
about this kid after all.
"Big and strong enough
to get you home safe,"
Rupert said, wrapping
an arm around Tony.
"Yeah yeah, sure thing,
Colosh -- Cush -- Rhodey,"
said Tony, clinging to him.
It was a stupid nickname.
It was undignified. But it ... fit,
somehow. Well, all right then.
"Okay. Where do you live, Tony?"
said Rhodey. "I'll walk you home."
Tony gave him the address
of a dorm, and Rhodey got him
there, expecting a floor supervisor
to take the kid off his hands.
But the supervisor's room
was locked, which it
wasn't supposed to be.
"Fffff ... udge," Rhodey said,
which made Tony giggle.
So Rhodey made him
drink a bottle of water,
fed him some aspirin,
and held him up to pee.
Then Rhodey undressed him,
put him in a sleep shirt, and
tucked the boy into bed.
The way Tony stared
at him made Rhodey
think dark things about
the kid's so-called family.
Rhodey put another bottle
of water and packet of aspirin on
Tony's end table, with a note that read,
Take these before trying to get up.
He wrote his phone number underneath,
in case Tony needed something else.
"Good night, Tony. Sleep well,"
Rhodey said, smoothing the blanket.
Tony gave a drowsy murmur that
wrapped around Rhodey's heart
and squeezed like a boa constrictor.
How did he wind up in charge?
Rhodey wondered yet again.
Because that's what Tony needed.
* * *
Notes:
Colonel James Rupert "Rhodey" Rhodes later becomes the superhero War Machine.
Sunset Bain later becomes a nemesis of Iron Man.
The Colossus of Rhodes was a giant statue standing over the harbor of Rhodes.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-05 08:34 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2020-05-05 08:52 pm (UTC)Yeah, just because he was an enthusiastic participant doesn't make it a good idea. Some people seem to do fine having sex at a good age, but others run into trouble -- in his case, it's another way that people use him instead of actually making friends with him. :/
>> It was really nice to see this introduction between him and Rhodey. I'm glad they found each other, and that Tony has at least one good friend throughout college.<<
Yay!
>> I can also see how it would be hard for Rhodey to see any changes in Tony's behavior, because he's just so used to cleaning up after Tony.<<
Yeah, to him, Tony will always be the drunk kid that Rhodey had to drag out of a sorority bedroom.
>> I hope they get a chance to reconnect now that Tony is making some progress due to Game Night. <<
That's the plan.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2020-05-06 12:57 am (UTC)I hope that in time Rhodey can see that Tony isn't only the drunk kid he had to drag out of a sorority bedroom. Tony finally has enough of a support network to be able to find and express the other parts of his personality.
Yay!
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2020-05-06 01:04 am (UTC)That depends on Tony ceasing to act like a drunk kid.
>> Tony finally has enough of a support network to be able to find and express the other parts of his personality. <<
... which would be, well, nowabouts. Rhodey hasn't seen it in person yet, only glimpses long-distance like the decline in Tony sending him dickbombs.
Re: Thank you!
Date: 2020-05-06 01:08 am (UTC)Tony has Phil and Bruce in his life now, so I suspect there may be a (slow) decline in drunken kid behavior.
I think the first time Rhodey and Tony get together in person again will be interesting, and possibly very awkward. I'm thinking having Phil nearby, if not actually in the same room, might be a good idea.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-05 09:54 pm (UTC)I suspect that Rhodey expected Tony to wake up the next day and just carry on and maybe they'd be acquaintances and Rhodey would occasionally save Tony from his worst decisions.
He never expected Tony to latch onto him and for Tony's worst decisions to be all the time.
Over the years Rhodey has obviously done the best that he can for Tony and his heart has always been in the right place but he was never really truly equipped to become Tony's parent-friend and it shows.
But protective Rhodey is wonderful to see and I like that Tony had Rhodey to look after him when he was possibly at his worst.
~Angel
Thoughts
Date: 2020-05-05 10:01 pm (UTC)Rhodey did better as a college student than any of the older adults had done. :/
"I suspect that Rhodey expected Tony to wake up the next day and just carry on and maybe they'd be acquaintances and Rhodey would occasionally save Tony from his worst decisions."
Well, yeah. But Tony is velcro when it comes to his friends.
>>He never expected Tony to latch onto him and for Tony's worst decisions to be all the time.<<
LOL yes, story of Tony's life.
"Over the years Rhodey has obviously done the best that he can for Tony and his heart has always been in the right place but he was never really truly equipped to become Tony's parent-friend and it shows."
It's part of what kept Tony going, though.
>> But protective Rhodey is wonderful to see <<
Yay!
>> and I like that Tony had Rhodey to look after him when he was possibly at his worst. <<
If you asked for a list of Tony Stark's Worst Moments, that would be on the Rhodey's list ... but Tony would have filed it under Best Moments. Because Rhodey.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2020-05-05 10:48 pm (UTC)Yeah, and all he did was care about Tony's welfare. It just shows that the older adults didn't care for Tony at all.
Well, yeah. But Tony is velcro when it comes to his friends.
Yep, and by the time Afghanistan came around Tony was part of Rhodey's family not just his friend. And family never quits on each other. Which was proven by Rhodey nearly destroying his career.
It's part of what kept Tony going, though.
See above comment about Afghanistan. Rhodey still searching even as Tony pulls himself out of that cave must have been the best thing Tony could have seen.
If you asked for a list of Tony Stark's Worst Moments, that would be on the Rhodey's list ... but Tony would have filed it under Best Moments. Because Rhodey.
Aww, it's sad that Tony's life skills at this point left him with not-so-good options for spending time with his Rhodey-bear. It makes me so excited for Rhodey realising how much Tony has grown even if the first few conversations are going to be painful and awkward between them.
~Angel
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2020-05-05 10:58 pm (UTC)Or actively took advantage of him, like Sunset Bain thinking it would be funny to get a 14-year-old drunk and fuck him.
>>Yep, and by the time Afghanistan came around Tony was part of Rhodey's family not just his friend. And family never quits on each other. Which was proven by Rhodey nearly destroying his career.<<
It's a good thing Rhodey was so persistent, because later on, Iron Man flew a nuke through a wormhole to save New York.
>>See above comment about Afghanistan. Rhodey still searching even as Tony pulls himself out of that cave must have been the best thing Tony could have seen.<<
Yeah. "Stunned" doesn't begin to cover it.
Which could be awkward between Steve and Rhodey, since Steve feels like he should have torn the world apart to find Bucky.
>>Aww, it's sad that Tony's life skills at this point left him with not-so-good options for spending time with his Rhodey-bear. <<
That and a long time afterwards. Even in the movies, Rhodey was pulling Tony out of drunken revels.
>> It makes me so excited for Rhodey realising how much Tony has grown even if the first few conversations are going to be painful and awkward between them."
Yyyyyeah. It's going to take some work to get that relationship back in order. But I think it will come out healthier in the end.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2020-05-06 10:25 am (UTC)Grr, I kind of wish Sunset Bain had pushed her luck with Rhodey here so he could have called the cops, but Tony would have denied that it was rape at this point I think.
It's a good thing Rhodey was so persistent, because later on, Iron Man flew a nuke through a wormhole to save New York.
Yeah, but I don't think Rhodey was thinking that when the news broke that Iron Man had flown through a wormhole with a nuke. He was thinking first of all, why was a nuke even in play and why am I not beside Tony offering air support? But maybe it was better that he wasn't? Because for him to feel the dead weight of his little brother when he caught him would have been disastrous.
Yeah. "Stunned" doesn't begin to cover it.
Which could be awkward between Steve and Rhodey, since Steve feels like he should have torn the world apart to find Bucky.
It could be awkward - it possibly will be - but maybe Rhodey has more chance of getting through to Steve on the same point? Because the difference in situation is that Rhodey knew something had gone wrong even with Tony's known off-the-grid tendencies. Plus Rhodey may be used to working for the Air Force but he wasn't actively part of the war zone in the way Steve was.
That and a long time afterwards. Even in the movies, Rhodey was pulling Tony out of drunken revels.
Yeah, if he wasn't unwinding himself - just the once - but that can be chalked up to finding Tony alive if not 100% well. He earned that completely.
Yyyyyeah. It's going to take some work to get that relationship back in order. But I think it will come out healthier in the end.
But with Phil, Betty maybe especially Betty because she can possibly understand Rhodey's childhood if he raised in a military family, Bucky possibly and maybe even JARVIS when he isn't researching how his emotions make themselves known the work shouldn't be too heavy for Tony and Rhodey. I trust that they will definitely be healthier in the end.
~Angel
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2020-05-06 06:42 am (UTC)I can imagine that moment has gotten Tony through some serious depressive spirals, just remembering it and holding onto it.
Re: Thoughts
Date: 2020-05-06 07:53 am (UTC)Oh, at the time, Tony was boiling mad. He was horny and enjoying himself and Rhodey made him stop. However, he did recognize that Rhodey cared about him and paid attention to him, which is rare in Tony's life.
>>I can imagine that moment has gotten Tony through some serious depressive spirals, just remembering it and holding onto it.<<
Absolutely. It's why he sticks by Rhodey even when they fight.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-05 11:39 pm (UTC)I suspect he had good male role models growing up too, even if it was just the elderly neighbor who fought in WWII or the guy who owned the corner store. I bet he was a good neighborhood big brother, too.
Yes ...
Date: 2020-05-06 12:03 am (UTC)That's the impression I got. If he and Steve can get past the awkwardness, I think they'll like each other.
>>Unfortunatly, the most responsible person happens to be him (instead of any of the official assigned adults), and he has enough good values to expect himself to step up if no-one else will.<<
Yeah, that's an uncomfortable situation.
>>I suspect he had good male role models growing up too, even if it was just the elderly neighbor who fought in WWII or the guy who owned the corner store. I bet he was a good neighborhood big brother, too.<<
That must have been the case. Rhodey has good big-brother skills, and is probably a key reason why Tony didn't drink himself to death in college.
(no subject)
Date: 2020-05-06 01:29 am (UTC)