"Hi, Gene." The golden mask slipped back to reveal a man who looked a lot like…
"Howard Stark!" The Chinese teen took a step back involuntarily, then raised his clenched fists, eight fingers glittering with rings. "How did you escape?!" The man laughed.
"Not Howard, Gene; Tony." He corrected. "You've been transported to the future." Gene felt the uncomfortable sensation of fear creep into him as he analyzed the situation and came up with the most viable scenario.
"You've brought me here to kill me before I've achieved my full power." He accused. "Well it won't work!"
"Come on, Gene. Does that really sound like the Tony you know?" The man – Tony? – asked incredulously. Gene frowned.
"I kidnapped your father and tried to kill you and your friends." He stated coldly. "I'd say you have plenty of motivation."
"Plenty reasons, you mean." The older Tony replied. "And you wouldn't blame me if I tried, would you?"
"What are you talking about?" Gene demanded, unsure of where Tony was going with this. Impatient and slightly nervous, he raised his right hand towards the sky, preparing to transform into a less destructible form. Tony raised an eyebrow and tossed a small object at Gene's chest. When it impacted, it started to glow red and shot out tentacles that wrapped themselves around his ribcage. "What is this?!"
"That is a little something I created that neutralizes Makluan energy," Tony shrugged. "Sorry." Gene glared at Tony and extended his arm, attempting to access the rings' power.
Nothing happened. He was powerless.
"So go ahead," Gene said in a deflated tone, lowering his arms to his sides and lifting his chin. "Kill me."
"Oh, Gene." Tony sighed. His eyes looked almost…sad. "I'm not going to kill you. I just didn't want you trying to kill me before I had a chance to help you."
"Help me?" Gene asked in disbelief. "You'd never help me find the rings!"
"No, not with that," Tony said. "I want to help you get home, back to your time." Gene's eyes widened in shock. "I didn't bring you here. A man calling himself the Time Master did. He takes people from their own times and sends them to another to find something he thinks they need. But people weren't meant to leave their own times – most of them don't survive. And the time stream suffers as well."
"What do you want from me in return for this help you've so kindly offered?" Gene sneered. Tony frowned.
"I want something I'm not sure you're able to give," He said seriously. "I want your friendship."
"Why?" The "True" Mandarin was very, very confused. "I've caused you nothing but pain. Why on earth would you want to be my friend?"
"We are friends in my time," Tony replied. "And I've gotten to know you – the older you."
"This is nothing but a ploy!" Gene shouted. "You're trying to manipulate me!"
"I know about everything you've been through Gene and I promise you can trust me not to use you like so many others have." The older Tony pressed the middle of his chest and the suit fell away.
"You know nothing!"
"I know everything." The man behind the mask stepped closer and Gene backed away. "I know about your father leaving you when you were too young to remember him. I know about your mother's murder. I know about your step father's abuse and I know about how you want to make the world better. I also know the one thing that scares you more than your past is someone who tries to get close to you because no matter how much you don't trust anyone you don't trust yourself more."
"Leave me alone!" Gene tried to run, but the older Tony grabbed his arm.
"You can't hide from your fears forever." He said. "And you can't leave here without my help. So if being friends makes you so uncomfortable, let me help you return to a time where we try to kill each other."
Behind yellow sunglasses were eyes that had never looked so vulnerable. Eyes that saw a future in front of them that the teen behind them couldn't begin to try and accept. Friends…being understood…he had never even wished for anything like that. He had thought it was too much, too impossible.
He wasn't ready for this…he couldn't believe it…he didn't deserve it. And he felt so empty, so lost. And for a moment, he could see clearly – he could see himself drowning and a boat beside him, hands reaching out to save him. He could see three hands – Pepper's, Tony's and Rhodes'. Slowly, he saw two of the hands fall as two of the heroes gave up. But one hand stayed.
"I won't give up on you – the real you."
There was another hand now. A hand that wasn't reaching out anymore back where Gene came from. He had tried to push the hands away so many times. It wasn't that he wanted to drown – he just didn't know how to do anything else but push himself deeper into the ocean. Nobody had ever bothered to teach him any other way…well, that wasn't quite right. Maybe he had just never bothered to learn.
"I guess maybe…I could try," He said softly.