(no subject)

[nottheworsthing]

So I did the headcanon meme over on memebells, but I just keep thinking of more stuff I wish I'd included. So: the new and improved personal headcanon list, to be updated when something new occurs to me. Currently at [26] facts and counting.

1. He genuinely thought he was doing the right thing back when he was designing weapons. He thought he was helping to defend the country. Finding out the truth disillusioned the hell out of him.
2. Part of the reason he was such an asshole to Steve at first is that because of #1, the whole patriotism thing makes him kind of uncomfortable now.
3. He doesn't read much, but he's secretly a massive Song of Ice and Fire fanboy. He started reading purely because it amused him that most of the main characters were called Stark, and then got sucked in big time.
4. Despite his enduring reputation, he hasn't been sleeping around since Afghanistan. Mostly because he doesn't want to deal with the freakout he knows he'll have if anyone he doesn't trust touches the arc reactor.
5. He hates being called Anthony. It's Tony, damnit.
6. He respects the shit out of Bruce Banner, mostly 'cause that's a level of self-control he just can't even begin to fathom.
7. He's perfectly aware he drinks way too much, but he's convinced it doesn't matter because something else will kill him first.
8. He kind of wants kids, but he's pretty sure he'd be an absolutely terrible father.
9. He lives in fear of the day he fucks things up with Pepper. He doesn't want to hurt her, but he knows better than to think he'll be able to stop himself.
10. He thinks life was easier before he grew a conscience.
11. One guaranteed way to piss him off is to refer to him as a scientist. He's an engineer, and no, they're not even close to the same thing.
12. He speaks passable Dari and a little Arabic.
13. He actually has kind of a knack for languages, even if he lacks the attention span to learn any properly. That one always surprises people for some reason.
14. Now he's older he basically does get why Howard acted the way he did. The fact that he can't even justify his resentment to himself any more only makes things worse.
15. He doesn't trust his own judgment of character.
16. He really dislikes it when people around him show strong emotions - grief is the worst - because he hates that he has no idea how to deal with it. After a loss he'll shut himself off; he can handle his own emotions, but he can't handle anyone else's.
17. His personal favorite nickname for Steve is 'Captain Anachronism'.
18. Very few people outside SHIELD know the arc reactor is part of him rather than part of the suit, and you could count on your fingers how many know it's keeping him alive.
19. He's functionally ambidextrous. This is generally very useful, but it also means he has trouble telling left from right.
20. In the crash which happened during his escape in Afghanistan he dislocated his right shoulder. He had to put it back in himself, but kind of screwed it up; as a result it didn't really heal properly and has never been right since.
21. Due to excess heat buildup the arc reactor and the flesh around it are warm to the touch.
22. His dislike for being handed things dates from Afghanistan, and extends to any unexpected physical contact with anyone he doesn't know.
23. His tendency to bestow nicknames on people is mostly due to the fact that he has a poor memory for names
24. He's never told anyone that he was conscious when they operated to remove the shrapnel
25. On a related note, has a serious phobia of surgery
26. He's actually fairly competent with a gun. He was a weapons designer after all. Would you buy a car built by someone who couldn't drive?