madimpossibledreamer

            “They’re called ‘friends’, actually,” Tony says, irritated, then lets his shoulders relax.  “I know you were pretty much my only friend growing up, so I didn’t even realize what that word meant, but I go to school now.”  He sighs.  “I’m told this is normal.”  A beat, then, “…wait a minute, you know I was friends with Rhodey; you even talked to him sometimes.”
            “You’re not normal and never will be, Tony.  You’re better than ‘normal’,” Whitney says, and Tony bites back the snarl and carefully hides the fist he can’t stop himself from making behind his back.
            “Pepper and Rhodey are great.  I’d appreciate it if you’d at least try to get along.”  She’d have a lot more fun if she stopped being quite so stuck up.  He hadn’t really noticed it before, but when she’s being such a jerk and trying to isolate him from his friends?  That’s a no-no.
            “She doesn’t like me,” she responds, sweet but vicious, and he resists the urge to pound his head against the desk in front of him.
            “Trust me, I know.  But after the way you’ve been acting toward her, can you honestly blame her?”  He shakes his head.  “I’ll talk to her.  Like I’m talking to you right now.  Like I talked to them about Gene.  But Dad wanted me to have a normal life and and it’s honestly kind of fun.”
            “But they’re poor,” she insists, and he senses a disconnect, like she really isn’t understanding what he’s saying.  “Sure you’re not just buying their loyalty?”
            He recoils, fury on his face.  “You take that back,” he hisses, eyes dark with anger.
            She just shrugs, unfazed.  “I’ve experienced it before.”
            He doesn’t bother stopping his teeth from gritting.  “Well, I’m sorry you’ve got crappy taste in friends.  Maybe you should reconsider being friends with me, too!”  And before she can react, he’s gone in a flurry of rage.