theatrical_muse: What are you hiding from?
If asked, if someone has the audacity to do so, Tony Stark will say that he doesn't hide from anything. He doesn't hide from anyone, either. It's a silly concept; absolutely ridiculous and why should he hide, anyway?
He'll say it with a smile, and a laugh. One so sincere, one so damn honest that it'll look like the real thing. His charm, and just the way he answers won't leave room for anything else. Besides, he's the one that, in front of the whole press, confessed he's Iron Man. He's not hiding with a secret identity, remember? He'll point out that he has never hidden. Hell, maybe if he had he would have saved himself those three lost months in Afghanistan. Rhodey had warned him that a weapon test in a hot zone was a bad idea, after all, because the biggest weapon manufacturer taking a trip to a place that was in a war was a really bad idea, but Tony hadn't listened. He had moved forward with his plans. He has nothing to hide. Nothing, and no one, to hide from.
What he won't say is that what he hides from isn't corporeal. He doesn't hide from it, not really, because he can't. There's no way to. All those damn ghosts he chases, the ones he tries to put behind, they're the ones chasing and haunting him at the end of the day. They're the ones coming out from the caves within his mind, always there. Always listening. Always shoving in his face everything that he has done, and what he hasn't done. He just quiets them down with company, scotch, fast cars, and a shiny suit that lets him be someone else for a a few hours. He just covers them up with charming smiles, and convincing words to prove to the world that he's okay. Perfectly fine. Never better.
Tony Stark doesn't hide, after all. What a silly concept. How absolutely ridiculous.
He'll say it with a smile, and a laugh. One so sincere, one so damn honest that it'll look like the real thing. His charm, and just the way he answers won't leave room for anything else. Besides, he's the one that, in front of the whole press, confessed he's Iron Man. He's not hiding with a secret identity, remember? He'll point out that he has never hidden. Hell, maybe if he had he would have saved himself those three lost months in Afghanistan. Rhodey had warned him that a weapon test in a hot zone was a bad idea, after all, because the biggest weapon manufacturer taking a trip to a place that was in a war was a really bad idea, but Tony hadn't listened. He had moved forward with his plans. He has nothing to hide. Nothing, and no one, to hide from.
What he won't say is that what he hides from isn't corporeal. He doesn't hide from it, not really, because he can't. There's no way to. All those damn ghosts he chases, the ones he tries to put behind, they're the ones chasing and haunting him at the end of the day. They're the ones coming out from the caves within his mind, always there. Always listening. Always shoving in his face everything that he has done, and what he hasn't done. He just quiets them down with company, scotch, fast cars, and a shiny suit that lets him be someone else for a a few hours. He just covers them up with charming smiles, and convincing words to prove to the world that he's okay. Perfectly fine. Never better.
Tony Stark doesn't hide, after all. What a silly concept. How absolutely ridiculous.