[Wasn't this proof enough of that? He has been playing at being someone else for a time, but in the end it never did work. He was still himself, still Tony Stark, and that was what had led to this break down of everything he'd had again. He'd been running from it since he woke up. Resilient was a way to start over, yes, but he was also running. He had told his friends he wasn't good at that whole business thing. And even when he'd been Iron Man, it had all been apologies for things he couldn't remember, denials, and more running. Doing everything he could just to keep himself from being what they expected of him.
Keeliai had been kind of a blessing in that, but even here he couldn't escape it.]
Well, that was a selfish wish anyway. [He says that casually, pretending he hadn't really invested in it. He still looks tired, but he can sound lighthearted at least. He gives Tony a look that does carry some apology with it.]
I'm still Tony Stark.
[Even as a clone, he still can't escape that. There's cosmic irony for you. But in a weird way, it's also a relief. For a long time he was only "Stark", and being denied being Tony, however bad that Tony was, had hurt him on a deeper level. He'd gone with it eagerly because he had wanted to escape all of those downsides. The responsibility. The judgment. Being held accountable for sins he couldn't even remember and knowing that somehow it was his fault that he had ended up that way. He had run, but even then, he had missed being Tony. Tony, and not just a lesser version that happened to copy the last guy's image. Now that he couldn't run anymore, he realized that part of him had been missing. This change felt good as much as it hurt.]
For what it's worth, I don't think that meant much to anyone else. One was enough for them. Me, I... I kind of like the fit. Every other day.
no subject
[Wasn't this proof enough of that? He has been playing at being someone else for a time, but in the end it never did work. He was still himself, still Tony Stark, and that was what had led to this break down of everything he'd had again. He'd been running from it since he woke up. Resilient was a way to start over, yes, but he was also running. He had told his friends he wasn't good at that whole business thing. And even when he'd been Iron Man, it had all been apologies for things he couldn't remember, denials, and more running. Doing everything he could just to keep himself from being what they expected of him.
Keeliai had been kind of a blessing in that, but even here he couldn't escape it.]
Well, that was a selfish wish anyway. [He says that casually, pretending he hadn't really invested in it. He still looks tired, but he can sound lighthearted at least. He gives Tony a look that does carry some apology with it.]
I'm still Tony Stark.
[Even as a clone, he still can't escape that. There's cosmic irony for you. But in a weird way, it's also a relief. For a long time he was only "Stark", and being denied being Tony, however bad that Tony was, had hurt him on a deeper level. He'd gone with it eagerly because he had wanted to escape all of those downsides. The responsibility. The judgment. Being held accountable for sins he couldn't even remember and knowing that somehow it was his fault that he had ended up that way. He had run, but even then, he had missed being Tony. Tony, and not just a lesser version that happened to copy the last guy's image. Now that he couldn't run anymore, he realized that part of him had been missing. This change felt good as much as it hurt.]
For what it's worth, I don't think that meant much to anyone else. One was enough for them. Me, I... I kind of like the fit. Every other day.