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shipskicksandgiggles · 3 years

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17, 23 and/or 26 please and thank you! Any ship or pairing, platonic or otherwise!!

Also my god those prompts are hilarious, they're so amazing sofjfkk 😂💗💗

!!! ahhhh okay so I did 17 and 23 since I filled 26 already, but this is so rhodeytony and you cannot convince me otherwise. I'm glad you like the prompts <3

prompt(s): “I ALMOST GOT ATTACKED BY ANOTHER GOOSE. ANOTHER FUCKING GOOSE.” and “Do you drive a Jeep?” “Do I look like the type of person who would drive a Jeep?” (from this list)

Read Wants and Needs here on ao3

~~~

“I ALMOST GOT ATTACKED BY ANOTHER GOOSE. ANOTHER FUCKING GOOSE.” Tony yelled as he stomped into their dorm.

“It’s Tuesday, Tones. Tuesdays always suck. It’s, like, a universal law.” Rhodey didn’t even look up from his astronomy homework until Tony collapsed next to him on his bed.

“Rhodey…” he whined.

“Did you break your bed or something? C’mon man, get up.”

“We could break my bed, if you were so inclined,” Tony said suggestively.

Rhodey threw a highlighter at him. “Menace.”

“Joke’s on you, this is mine now.”

Tony got up and put it in the jar of pens he kept on his desk. Rhodey resolved to steal it back later, he should have known better than to use his favorite highlighter as motivation to get Tony off his bed. He sighed. “Alright, so you almost got attacked by a goose.”

“Why are they so scary?” Tony groaned. “I never got attacked by geese in boarding school.”

“I don’t think they have Canadian geese in Switzerland, actually,” Rhodey told him. “Plus your dumbass is natural prey for geese. My old zoology text book is up on that shelf actually. If you look, your picture is probably right next to caterpillars in the diet section.”

“Ha ha,” he said dryly. “You won’t be making fun of me when one of them murders me in the square and you don’t have a roommate anymore. Do you think they’ll pair you with someone in your class bracket, or someone your age?”

Losing a pillow to Tony’s sarcasm would be unfortunate. He was less likely to get that back. “I hate you. Geese?”

“Right, so I’m walking home from the coffee shop, which is a whole other can of worms by the way, and I went by that little pond where photography students usually hang out, but there weren’t any photography nerds. Because of all the geese. They should post signs when that happens, I’m telling you. Anybody could have walked into that.”

“Maybe you should become friends with one of the photography kids,” Rhodey suggested. “That way they can let you know when that happens.”

“Stop being helpful while I’m complaining. So anyways, I’m walking down the sidewalk there, and most of them were far enough over on the grass that I wasn’t super worried about it, but I didn’t see this one that was right on the edge and she was not happy.”

“Did she have babies?”

“She did have babies as a matter of fact. I moved to the opposite side of the sidewalk to get away from that, but that wasn’t good enough for her.”

“Oh god,” Rhodey muttered.

“I had to run all the way back here just because I wasn’t sure whether or not she would follow me.”

“And you sat on my bed with your sweaty ass? You’re lucky I was planning to do laundry today.”

“You’re mean,” Tony pouted. “I need a better roommate.”

“Liar,” Rhodey snorted.

“I mean it, I’m leaving,” he threatened, reaching for his school bag again.

“That means you have to walk past the geese again.”

Tony stopped. “Shit. After the geese are gone, I’m finding a new roommate,” he amended.

“Don’t be like that, Tones. Who else will tolerate you complaining about your day?” His foot was falling asleep, so he uncrossed his legs and stretched. “What went down at the coffee shop?” Rhodey figured the question would get Tony to settle down.

He was right.

“Okay so it’s Tuesday, which means I go down there to get a midday energy shot since I’ve been up for so long, and while I’m in line, this guy walks in the door and taps me on the shoulder and asks, ‘Do you drive a Jeep?’”

“How dare he!” he gasped, but Tony didn’t seem to pick up on his sarcasm.

“I know! So I turn around and respond with ‘Do I look like the type of person who would drive a Jeep?’ and he agreed that I do not look like that kind of guy.”

“You look like you should still be using training wheels.”

Tony shot him a reproachful look. “Anyways,” he emphasized, “before I could turn around and order, this guy starts prattling on about Jeeps and how they’re such good vehicles and all that, which whatever, they’re fine, I’d rather die than drive one personally, but what do I know? I’m just an overqualified mechanic.”

“I’m choosing to ignore that you said the same thing about my Chevy.”

“College students are allowed to have shitty cars, it’s one of the only times it’s socially acceptable,” Tony conceded. “I trust you to get a better car eventually. This guy was like, dedicated to Jeeps though, and that’s a huge red flag. I finally got him to shut up, and asked why he wanted to know about the car I drove, and he goes ‘Oh, I just hit one trying to park and wanted to make sure it wasn’t you’.”

Rhodey imagined this was why people watched soap operas. “No way.”

“Yes way. The barista looked like she wanted to clock out right then and there, but she called the cops and I bought the rest of the staff coffee.”

“Did they find whose car it was?”

“Oh yeah, you’re not going to believe this. It was the Dean’s car.”

“No shit?” Rhodey asked delightedly.

“I know! I had to stay and give my statement to the cops. The only reason I wasn’t any later getting home is because I ran from the geese.”

“That’s incredible. I can’t believe I missed it. He’s going to be in so much trouble.”

“The head of campus security was on the scene when I left. It was insane. Rumor has it he hit the car because he saw me walk in and wanted to be able to start a conversation with me without seeming like a crazy person.”

“Totally pulled that off,” Rhodey nodded solemnly. “He doesn’t seem like a psychopath or anything. In fact, I give you full permission to bring him back to our room.”

Tony hit him with a pillow, and Rhodey turtled to avoid it. “The only person with a sub-par car that will ever be in this room so long as I live here is you, honey bunch.”

“I’m just saying Tones, word around campus is that you’re looking for a new man. I wouldn’t begrudge you for going for someone so interested.”

He rolled his eyes. “I don’t think you heard me. There’s only one man I ever need in this room, period.”

“Okay, well, the option’s there if you want it.”

Distantly, Rhodey knew Tony was being weird, but he decided to ignore it and continue working on his homework. That is, until Tony removed his notebook from his hands and set it on his desk.

“Hello,” he said.

“Hi.” Tony crawled back up on his bed and sat facing Rhodey.

“Did… something else happen that you need me to know about?”

“Nope.”

“Right, well then,” he reached for his work again, but Tony batted his hand away. “… do you want something, Tony?”

“You’re not hearing me,” Tony stated.

Rhodey vaguely wondered when he’d last slept. “I’m almost certain I did. Geese, guy talking about Jeeps, you not wanting to bring him home. What did I miss?”

“I only need one man in this room.”

Well that certainly cleared things up. “Great, so don’t ask him to come over. Find a woman if you’re so inclined. Can I finish my homework now?”

“Other than me, who is the only man in this room?”

“Me I guess? That’s sweet, Tones, I need you too.”

Tony huffed, and adjusted so he was kneeling over Rhodey’s thighs. “Hey.”

“Hi. What are you doing?”

“Trying to make you not stupid.”

“I’m almost as smart as you, Tones.”

Then Tony kissed him. On the mouth.

“Huh. So you meant ‘need’ like-”

“Like ‘need’? Yeah dumbass.”

He grinned and went to respond, but was interrupted by a yawn. “Damn it, this is why I tell you to not mess with me while I’m working.”

Tony frowned. “When was the last time you slept?”

“Couple days ago maybe? I’ve been busy.”

“Okay, here’s the deal. No more homework, I know it’s not due for a few days, you can wait, and we’re napping.”

“We?”

“Yes we,” Tony thumbed over his chin. “Unless you don’t want this?”

“Who says I don’t want this?” He reached up for Tony and pulled him back into a soft kiss. “Mm, yeah, I want this, definitely. C’mon, I know dealing with idiots and cops and geese probably tired you out too.”

To be honest, Rhodey was ready to dismiss the whole conversation as a hallucination caused by the lack of sleep. Then he woke up a few hours later to a tiny genius’ face tucked into the space between his neck and shoulder, and he breathed a sigh of relief before dropping a kiss into his hair. He didn’t just want this, he needed it.

#ironhusbands #mit era rhodeytony #tony stark x james rhodes #fluff #fluff and humor #getting together #friends to lovers #geese #car accident mention #shaderose01 tag #teddy tag #prompts #ellis writes

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sibmakesart · 3 years

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Your art is so beautiful 🥺 if you’re still taking promts — MIT era!Tony with hangover and Rhodey taking care of him?

MIT ERA IS THE BEST

also you know that moment where its super dupper early but youre awake bc alcohol fucks with your sleep cycles and you have hours before your day starts ? it sucks BUT when youre with someone whos also awake ????? or its just me

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lovelyirony · 3 years

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@unfortunatelyevent a late birthday gift for you! special thanks to ava and peachy for giving me this idea :)

When Rhodey got accepted into MIT, he was fifteen, set to turn sixteen when he went there. His family held parties for it, his mama cried, and his dad called about every friend that he’d ever made to tell them the news that his boy was going to MIT.

Outwardly, you couldn’t tell that he was fazed by anything. He got registered for classes, signed up for a random roommate, and kept track of getting his textbooks. His dad bought him a crewneck, told him to start saving up for “the brass rat” ring, and said that he was so excited to help him move in.

Rhodey’s terrified. He doesn’t get sleep, has recurring nightmares about failing out, and he’s much younger than everyone else.

“You’re only two years younger, honey,” Mama says, her hand brushing away flour on his face as he helps her bake cookies. “It’s not gonna be that bad.”

It’s that bad.

Everyone knows more than him, no one talks to him, and he’s nervous as all hell.

He cries for two hours when his parents and his sister leave, telling him to remember to call or write. He thinks that’s the only thing that’ll keep him sane.

He’s one of the younger ones in his engineering class, and someone asked him why he’s taking such hard classes.

“Because this is...my major?” Rhodey answers, confusion written all over him.

“Oh, we thought you played basketball or something,” the other guy says, as if that’s all he can do.

Rhodey doesn’t say anything, doesn’t want them to know how much it burns to hear that, so he just nods and says his coordination is shit.

His roommate also hasn’t moved in yet. Or he has. He has. His name is Anthony, but Rhodey literally never sees him except for when he’s a blanket-burrito in his bed or when he traipses in from spending all night at a frat party or studying at the library.

They say hi to each other. Rhodey asks how things were. “Fine” is the usual response, followed by “I’m gonna go to bed.”

He’s never felt more alone.

He tries not to call his parents often. A lot of people get home-sick, right? But he doesn’t think that anyone else wants to call their parents every single day.

“So, what fun things have you been up to?” Dad asks over the phone. “My boy been partying out all night?”

“I’ve just been focusing on studying,” Rhodey mumbles. “Not a lot of time for parties.”

“Your roommate okay?” Mama asks. “What’s his name again...Anthony?”

“Yeah, he’s alright. I don’t see him much, he stays out late a lot.”

“Even on school nights?”

“Even then, mama,” Rhodey says. “Listen, I gotta head to lunch, but I’ll call you later this week?”

“Be sure it’s not on Friday, we’re headed to Jeanette’s band concert! We love you, Jim!”

“Love you too!” he responds, hoping to god they can’t tell how sad he is when their phone calls cut off. He misses his home, misses waking up to the smell of bacon and eggs in the morning, his mom kissing everyone’s foreheads as they rush out of the house to school or work.

He hates it here.

But he can’t leave.

His chest gets tight when he imagines calling his parents or telling them at a holiday party that he doesn’t want to go there anymore, he’s not ready.

Would his scholarship be guaranteed two years later? No. They would ask him why and he can’t tell them the real reason why. He can keep up with schoolwork no problem. In fact, that’s the least of his worries.

It’s just so goddamned lonely. His roommate isn’t anywhere, no one talks to him, and he doesn’t know anyone in Boston.

He walks back into the room, and Anthony’s sitting on his bed. It’s the first time he’s actually seen him.

His hair is everywhere, he’s looking at Rhodey for the first time and he looks so young. Just like him.

“Are you eighteen?” he blurts out. “You really don’t look like it.”

“I’m, um, sixteen,” Rhodey says. “And you...?”

“Fifteen,” he says quietly.

“You’re fifteen and you’ve been out every night?!”

“I’m mostly at the library!” Anthony defends. “Friday is for the partying, but mostly the library!”

“That’s good to know,” Rhodey says faintly.

“And you’re in college, why aren’t you going to parties with me?” Anthony asks.

“I don’t have time, Anthony!”

“No,” he says. “You are not calling me Anthony, that’s so stupid. Call me Tony, everyone does.”

“You know a lot of people at this school?”

“More like they know me,” Tony says with a shrug.

“How so?”

“What, you haven’t seen my dad on magazine covers or anything?”

“Uh...am I supposed to?” Rhodey asks. “He an actor or something?”

Tony snorts, pulling out a magazine that he’d obviously nabbed earlier on.

On the cover is Howard Stark.

Rhodey looks between Tony and the face on the cover.

“Oh. Shit.”

Tony cackles.

“Rhodey, I think I’m going to like you. How’d you get that nickname?”

“Wouldn’t stop following my older cousins around, they nicknamed me that as word-play off of ‘roadie’.”

Tony snorts.

“That’s so lame. I love it. Hey, listen. I gotta go get a book for one of my projects, you wanna come with me? I know that one of your classes needs a book, right?”

“Yeah, my writing class. Wants some biography.”

“Come on, let’s go.”

Tony...he’s a good conversationalist. For once since he’s gotten here, Rhodey isn’t letting the impending panic of being alone consume him. He walks easily instead of nearly on his toes around campus, and his eyes aren’t darting everywhere as Tony tells him about something stupid that happened in his early morning class.

“You know who you’re doing your biography assignment on?”

“Has to be someone who’s had a profound effect on your life. I don’t know who.”

“Scientist or what? What are you studying?”

“Aerospace engineering.”

“Holy shit, you’re smart,” Tony swears.

“Says the son of a genius billionaire.”

“Yeah but I don’t touch aerospace with a sixty foot pole,” Tony says. “Jesus, you’re incredible. How did you even know you wanted to do this?”

“I’ve always liked the myths and stuff behind space, and I liked how we discovered more and more over time,” Rhodey says. “The moon was cool as shit.”

“Or was it...faked?”

Rhodey shoots him a look, and Tony’s cackling.

“You did not.”

“Who knows? I come from a very rich families. Rich families buy politicians and also cover up every single scandal. Who knows what I know?”

Rhodey looks over at him, eyebrows raised.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Oh my dear,” Tony says, holding a hand to his chest. “You have so much more to learn about your new friend.”

Friend.

That makes him feel better.

He finds a book on Humphrey Bogart.

Bogart has not had a profound effect on his life at all. Ever. He’s never even seen a movie with the guy in it, although it’s the only book that he can find that looks remotely interesting and the library is about to close.

He reads about Bogart quite often. The guy’s...something. Grew up high society, his parents sucked, the typical Hollywood story.

Although he said exactly what was on his mind, which made him popular with the press and unpopular in the business.

It’s intriguing.

It kind of reminds him of Tony, honestly.

The paper itself isn’t due until the semester is over, and the book is over three hundred pages, so he has time to read it.

Tony and him become...closer. Tony hangs around the room more, and Rhodey stops being so lonely, although he still misses Philadelphia badly and calls his parents every week and occasionally talks to his sister.

He always gets a strange look from his roommate, but it never lasts for very long.

Finally, he gets a question from him.

“Why do you always call your parents?”

Rhodey looks at him in surprise.

“I...miss them?”

“Why?”

“They’re my parents. I love them. What, do you not like your parents?”

Tony blinks.

“Uh, no I love them. I guess. They’re just...busy a lot.”

Rhodey doesn’t say anything to that, doesn’t have time as Tony charges forth and asks if he wants to help him present a rocket for one of his clubs.

Halloween comes upon them quickly, and Rhodey has a gigantic test to study for the night of. Tony’s been trying to convince him to come to a costume party with him for the better part of a week, and he was so close until the professor sent out a letter that essentially said, “Surprise! Oops!”

So Tony does something unanticipated: he stays home.

Tony, the life of the party who wouldn’t miss one for the world. Tony, the one who has been talking about how much he loves Halloween parties. He misses it.

“Like you said, I probably don’t need to be at parties all the time,” Tony says. “And I can make you watch Dracula with me. You’re gonna like Lugosi.”

“Who the hell is Lugosi?”

“Oh my god, I’m making you do a monster-movie-marathon. I’ll rent every movie I can find.”

Rhodey shakes his head.

“Okay, but I probably won’t be paying attention tonight. I have to know the difference between a robust and gracile australopithecine.”

“One begins with ‘r’ and one begins with ‘g’, now come on and make the popcorn.”

Tony’s...the best part about him is that he’s himself. He’s loud and sometimes annoying and by god sometimes Rhodey wants to launch him out of a window, but Tony’s also incredibly kind and far more insightful than he ever wants to admit.

They fall asleep surrounded by candy wrappers and a blanket that was definitely too small slung over (mostly) Rhodey.

They get into a good routine, Tony and Rhodey. Rhodey brews the coffee, and Tony doctors it to his heart’s content. It involves a lot of syrups, creams, and sugars. The occasional terrible one, although everyone in Rhodey’s morning lab are jealous when they can smell his coffee.

They go to lunch together, and Rhodey gets the salads and fruits while Tony gets the slices of pizza or hamburgers that they’re so fond of. They argue about philosophy and call each other idiots while stealing the popcorn chicken off of each other’s plates and coexist peacefully.

It’s not until Tony has to leave for some conference that his parents want him at that Rhodey realizes just how much Tony has affected his life. He makes two coffees, almost calls out and asks if they’re still going to get takeout from that should-be-shut-down pizza parlor five blocks off, and realizes he’s all alone.

Again.

So he reads about Humphrey Bogart.

He’s kind of annoying, all things considered. Guy got steady work being the villain/bad-guy type and wants more. It’s steady, what more is there to want?

(His mind whispers that he just views it that way because he has no idea what he’s going to be doing in the future.)

Back to Bogart.

The guy is...kind of interesting. Kind of. He’s still not sure what he has in common with him. He’ll figure it out later. Maybe he can ask Tony for help.

Tony comes back in a whirlwind of emotion, almost all of it rage at his father.

Rhodey sends him a look.

“Shut up about how much your dad sucks and come with me to get food for the week. I had to survive off of hummus.”

“My hummus?!” Tony shrieks. “The garlic?!”

“Yes, I’ll get you more you gigantic baby,” Rhodey says. “Also, what do you think Humphrey Bogart and I have in common?”

“An h, an o, an e, and a y,” Tony answers quickly.

“Besides the letters,” Rhodey scowls.

“Well I’d say you go to different barbers.”

“No shit.”

Tony looks at him, and really looks at him. Rhodey tries to forget how much he loves his eyes, the kindness that’s in them.

"You both like important things,” Tony says. “And you commit to something when you decide you’re going to do it. Just think of the Great Burrito Event of ‘89.”

“We’re still in ‘89, genius.”

“Exactly, still important and still making history as we’re currently living it a day at a time,” Tony says. “Now come on, I need more hummus since you were a monster and attacked the fridge. What, you wanted to be Godzilla for a day?”

"Not Godzilla, just have a power dynamic. Come on, grab the keys. Missed you this weekend.”

“Aw, you do care!” Tony cheers.

“I always care about you,” Rhodey answers.

He misses Tony stilling at the door, feeling the words circle his head like a damned message from Cupid.

(Yeah, he was going to marry Rhodey.)

The holiday season and finals season coexist, which Rhodey thinks is a cruel joke played by God in order to let mortals know where their influence lies.

He’s currently on his fifth cup of coffee in five hours which is most likely dangerous, unsure of if he’s actually seeing the correct numbers on his study guide, and about to blow a gasket if he looks at one more problem. But he has to.

Tony doesn’t study.

He’s of the rare sort that just...remembers, at least when it comes to his important classes. Out of everything he’s had to study, Tony actually had to study something about wine cellars in France, which he hated.

“I’m making you come with me to get ice cream.”

“I don’t have time.”

He’s about to tear his hair out. Everything is riding on these exams, it seems. If he doesn’t do well on these, what are Mama and Dad gonna say when he comes home? What are they going to tell people? He made it to MIT, but he has to make it count.

Tony is looking at him in that way that lets him know that he will get his way.

“You’ve been studying for six hours straight. You’re not gonna learn anything new, and you’re about to cry because you hate stats so much.”

“You’re wrong.”

“You literally have a tear streaming down your face,” Tony deadpans. He crosses the room, wipes it away with his thumb. “Your coat is at the table towards the front, I’m giving you five minutes. And for the love of god, please put on your cologne. You smell like anxiety and anger.”

“Those have scents?”

“Apparently so.”

The cold breeze is a refreshing slap to the face as he walks, hat tugged low.

“It’s cold enough, why do you need ice cream?” Rhodey asks, teeth chattering.

“Never too cold for ice cream.”

“Says the boy who vacations in Malibu for Christmas.”

“Told you that you could come. Not like Howard would notice.”

“I’d rather not take that chance. Besides, I’d miss a Philadelphia Christmas.”

“That a movie or something?”

“No, it’s where I live you son of a bitch,” Rhodey teases.

“I hate you,” Tony says, no real heat clipped to his tone. It’s a back-and-forth they have, all this name-calling and accusatory behavior. “I’m going to request a new roommate next year.”

“Like they’d stick you with anyone else. Or would anyone else cover for the seven fires you’ve nearly started this year?”

“Six out of seven wouldn’t have been fires.”

“They would’ve.”

“Says the man who doesn’t work at all with fire, but with graph paper. Do want your Christmas gift to be a pocket-protector, by the way?”

“Oh fuck you.”

“You wish,” Tony says, winking.

He gets peanut butter chocolate.

When they get home, he makes a bowl for Rhodey.

“Your tests aren’t until noon tomorrow. Get some sleep, babe.”

“And what, you’re going to get some too, honey?”

(Pet names are also a thing. And also more favorable to both, although neither knows the other’s thoughts on this subject.)

Tony grins.

“You want both of us to sleep?”

Rhodey and Tony have figured out a nifty trick: soap operas or Seinfeld. Whichever one is on, they’ll watch that and fall asleep on the futon, which should be as uncomfortable as any futon is.

(They both think the temporary backaches are worth it to be in each other’s arms.)

Tony drifts to sleep, although he makes sure that Rhodey’s first. He pulls him over to his side, head resting on his thigh.

“You this forward with every guy you bring home?”

"Only the cute ones,” Tony grins. “Come on, get comfy. You’re gonna get sleepy.”

“Like hell I am,” Rhodey says. “You’re gonna fall asleep...first.”

Rhodey falls asleep first. Mouth slightly agape, eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks.

“Like hell you are,” Tony murmurs, adjusting the blankets. (They’ve upgraded to fancy hotel ones that Tony may or may not have stolen.)

Rhodey will be okay. He just has to convince himself first.

#i saw a post that was like 'we never get to see rhodey panic about college and so here it is #rhodey #this drew HEAVILY from my freshman year of college #god what an experience #lovelyirony writes #also my dear i am so sorry that this is coming to you so late #time and inspiration got away from me #rhodeytony #tony stark #mit era #rhodey and tony at mit #college au #unfortunatelyevent

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irontinystar · 4 years

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silly tony! you’re already dressed as his boyfriend!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN !!

inspired by this post by @ad1thi

Open for better quality!

#GOD tumblr quality REALLY sucks huh #if you look closely you can notice how fucked up the anatomy is❤️ but idc #OKAY IM SORRY I HAD TO DRAW THAT BECAUSE ITS AN ADORABLE IDEA PLEASE !!!!#adi your MIND !!!!!#happy Halloween everyone !!!!#rhodeytony #ironhusbands #rhodey x tony #tony x rhodey #tony stark #james rhodes #iron man #war machine #rhodeytony fluff #mit era #I draw things

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ironhusband · 3 years

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“Did you like the play?” Rhodey asked, thumb brushing over Tony’s hand.

Tony swiped his pinkie across the side of Rhodey’s hand in return, and hesitated before answering, “it was good.”

Rhodey hummed, threading their fingers together, “your snores said otherwise.”

Tony laughed warmly at Rhodey’s tease, “there was no snoring!”

“There was yawning.”

“I’m not allowed to yawn?”

“You’re allowed to yawn, it just means you thought the play was boring.”

Tony raised one hand in surrender, that damn charming smile on his face, “you caught me, officer, I admit to the felony of yawning.”

“I don’t get it,” Rhodey shook his head in amusement, “it wasn’t that bad of a play.”

“Every play is bad to me,” Tony shrugged.

“You’re so cynical.”

“Just telling it straight, babe.”

“Well, maybe you should start telling it gay because you’ll be missing out on some things in life.”

Tony snorted, smiling softer this time, the smile reserved for Rhodey, “that was a horrible pun. But I’ll play - what things will I be missing out on?”

Rhodey paused and thought at that question, “like... like the high of just finishing an invention with a friend and the jittery feeling when you go on a date with your boyfriend.”

Tony melted at that, eyes twinkling with adoration, “you’re sappy today.” He squeezed Rhodey’s hand before looking around, spotting something. When his eyes found what he was looking for, they sparkled, Tony getting that look he always had when he was up to no good.

Rhodey’s heart swooped at the thrill but his brain thought, “oh no” - proving once more that his mind knew Tony was a bad idea but his body never seemed to listen.

“I’ll be missing out on the felling of getting ice cream and licking it off your lips?” Tony suggested.

Rhodey raised an eyebrow, “we’re going to get ice cream?”

“Do you want ice cream?”

“Ice cream sounds great,” Rhodey frowned at how low-key it was, however, confused at what the look could then mean, “but you seem-”

“Then ice cream it is!” Tony grabbed Rhodey’s hand and pulled him towards one of the buildings.

Rhodey let himself be pulled with a surprised chuckle, “Tones, slow down!”

“Slow down you die, platypus,” Tonys smirked at him as they reached the back door and pulled out a key.

Rhodey stared at the key, “well, you get caught breaking and entering, you also kind of die.”

Tony rolled his eyes at Rhodey worrying and shoved the door backwards, shoving Rhodey with inside too.

The door clicked shut behind them - “Tony, what are we doing?” Rhodey hissed in the darkness. As his eyes adjusted, he blinked as realizing they were in the dining hall.

“We’re getting ice cream,” Tony spread his arms at the buffet, exhibiting where they are.

Rhodey was stunned. Every single time he thought Tony couldn’t surprise him - he went ahead and did it. “How do you have a key to the dining hall?” he asked, and as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how stupid they were. He was Tony Stark, that’s how.

“I know a lot of very powerful locksmiths,” Tony said ominously.

“Tony, we could get expelled for this,” Rhodey tugged nervously at the sleeves of his shirt.

Tony’s expression morphed into one that was designed to relax Rhodey and he placed his arms around his neck and massaged his nape, “hey, relax. Look around. For tonight’s it’s all yours. Besides, you know me -” he kissed Rhodey just under his eye, “ - I wouldn’t let us get caught.”

Rhodey felt the tension leave his body at the physical display of affection, but more so because of Tony’s promise. He looked around as Tony said at the collection of cereals. “It is kind of cool,” he admitted.

Tony grinned, happy to see Rhodey’s small smile, “wait ‘til you see the kitchen.”

Rhodey let himself out of Tony’s hold, holding his hand instead. He walked towards the cereal station, “I’ve never been here early enough to see it completely full.” His eyes got wider at one of the options, “ha! Told you they had Cocoa Puffs.”

“So, what, I should stop buying them for us?”

Rhodey scoffed, “only if you wake up at 5AM to get me some.”

“Get yourself some.”

“No. See, that’s why we buy them-”

“No, I mean,” Tony chuckled and showed him the bowl he was holding out, “get yourself some.”

Rhodey cocked his head to the side in question, an expression made to tease Tony, “weren't we getting ice cream?”

“We can get both. We can get anything you want.”

Rhodey’s head got dizzy with Tony’s unusually romantic decoration. It wasn't often that he made such declarations. Tony’s love language was usually this - breaking in to a cafeteria for Rhodey. So, used to something different than their banter, he naturally had to ruin it, “I want you to take care of yourself.”

“...Almost anything you want.”

Rhodey snorted. He got himself a bowl and as the cereal rolled into the bowl with a loud clattering sound, Rhodey got a thrill he came to associate with Tony. As he munched on his Cocoa Puffs, the ones his mother always complained about the amount of sugar in, he smiled, thinking about what she would have told him if she saw him now. “You’re corrupting me,” he noted, eyes wandering.

Tony beamed, “and you’re enjoying it.” Then he paused as he tracked Rhodey’s gaze, “you looking for something?”

“Yeah, the register. Wanna pay for this.”

Tony glared at him, “You serious?”

Rhodey shrugged, “the school pays for this, Tony.”

“Honey, believe me - with the amount of money my parents are paying to this school, they have a few Cocoa Puffs to spare.”

“The ice cream means they lose of money, though,” Rhodey joked.

Tony sighed, “I love that you’re such a goody two shoes. Forget the register, let’s go get your ice cream.”

“’Kay.”

Rhodey let himself be pulled away by Tony-

but at the last minute he threw the few dollars he had in his pockets into the cereal station.

“Rhodey, c’mon!”

“I’m coming!”

#Ironhusbands #rhodeytony #druwrites #tony stark #james rhodes #rhodey #james rhodey rhodes #rhodeytony fic #ironhusbands fic #tonyrhodey #rhfe #MIT era #iron husbands #Iron Man #war machine #iron patriot #scene almost plagiarized from Gilmore Girls #thinking of starting a series -#Tony and rhodey as Logan and rory

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gothamsglam · 3 years

Text

Tony Rhodey MIT Gremlins

I saw this pose and I absolutely had to do with Tony and Rhodey

They're in love your honor

#tony stark #marvel #james rhodes #rhodey #rhodeytony #tony stark/james rhodes #ironhusbands #ironhusbands fanart #fanart #marvel fanart #tonyrhodey #art #vix draws #my art #tony stark fanart #mit era #mit #doodles

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ad1thi · 3 years

Text

ripped at every edge

Summary:

Tony’s at MIT when he finds out.

(Or: the days After Tony finds out his parents are dead)

for @spiderrpcrker

Tony’s at MIT when he finds out.

Specifically, Tony is on his knees, between the thick thighs of one of Rhodey’s frat brothers, Ryan, who’s had a fair amount to drink and decided that he wants to experiment with his sexuality - leading to an extremely enjoyable set of events that culminated in Tony loosening his throat and swallowing his dick when he gets the call.

He pulls off Ryan's dick with a wet pop, licking the tip of his dick in silent apology as he fishes his pager to see a 9-1-1 from Rhodey blinking up at him - buzzing in the palm of his hand.

“One second,” he says to Ryan, pulling at his sleeve so he can wipe the spit around his mouth, “Don’t go anywhere, I’ll be right back.”

Except, Tony doesn’t go anywhere, because he opens the door to see Rhodey on the other side, fist raised as if he was about to knock; a morose look on his face.

Tony’s never seen that look on Rhodey’s face before, not in the two years he’s known him - which, admittedly, isn’t an extremely long amount of time, but is enough time for Tony to know that the look on Rhodey’s face doesn’t mean good news.

A pit starts growing in his stomach.

“What?” he says, stronger than he means to, but he can’t stand Rhodey looking at him like that for a second longer, it makes him watch to crawl out of his own skin, “What is it?”

“The police stopped by our apartment an hour ago,” Rhodey starts, and then falters, and then continues, “It’s your parents Tony.”

“What about them?” he scrunches up his nose, “Did something happen to them? Did something happen to my Ma?”

“Tony they -” Rhodey looks past his shoulder, as if realising Ryan with his semi hard dick out for the first time, “This really isn’t the right place for this. Let’s go home.”

Tony wants to argue, wants to dig his heels in like a little kid and insist that Rhodey tell him now, but Rhodey’s still got that morose look on his face; like he wants to pull Tony in and never let him go.

Tony doesn’t know how to deal with that look aimed at him, not from Rhodey, so he just nods quietly.

“Hey!” Ryan cries from the bed, speech slurred, “What about me?”

Tony throws a baleful look over your shoulder, “You’ve got two working hands and a half bottle of lotion on your bedside table. Get yourself off.”

Fucking frat boys.

Rhodey insists on flying with him.

There’s nine days till Christmas. Rhodey’s flight back to Philly is on the 22nd. He’s been talking about how excited he is to finally see his niece ever since Jeanette gave birth in September. He didn’t get to go back on Thanksgiving, on account of the fact that Tony had so much to drink that they ended up in the hospital so he could get his stomach pumped.

If Tony was a better friend, if Tony was a better person, he would insist that Rhodey stay back at MIT, actually catch his flight to Philly like he planned to.

If Tony had the ability to think about anybody other than himself, he wouldn’t let Rhodey come with him, wouldn’t let Rhodey mess up his own life just because Tony’s was so fucked up.

But Tony isn’t a better person, and Tony doesn’t have the ability to think of anything other than the fact that his parents are dead.

The police were still waiting for them when he went back with Rhodey to their apartment. They hovered behind Rhodey like bodyguards as Rhodey sat him down on the couch, explained to him in soft turns that Howard had drank too much; that they’d found the car wrapped around a telephone pole.

There’s photos. Photos of the road his parents were on, photos of the accident, photos of the skid marks, photos of his parent’s dead bodies. Photos of his Ma’s lifeless corpse.

They still need Tony to go identify the bodies though, even though just a passing glance at the photos will tell you who was in that car.

It’s apparently standard protocol, to have a family member come identify the bodies. Howard had no siblings, and his Ma hasn’t talked to her family in Italy since before she married Howard. Tony’s all they have left.

Tony’s all that’s left.

“Mr. Stark? Mr. Stark, I’m sorry, but I’m going to need you to confirm their identities.”

“Mr. Stark, are these your parents?”

“Yes.”

“I’m very sorry for your loss Sir. I’ll give you some time alone with them.”

Tony takes the first two steps up to the Mansion, before he stops, unable to move further. Rhodey is right behind him, but Tony still jolts when he feels Rhodey’s hand on his shoulder.

“It’s just me Tones,” Rhodey says in a soothing tone. He’s been using that tone a lot with Tony over the past couple of days, like Tony’s a stray animal he’s worried he’ll spook. It might have something to do with the fact that Tony’s barely had five words since he found out, “Why’d you stop?”

Tony doesn’t know why he stopped. There’s only three more steps till the door. He doesn’t know why he’s stopped.

He turns to Rhodey, unable to open his mouth, looking at Rhodey as if Rhodey can read his mind through his eyes.

“Okay,” Rhodey says after a couple of seconds, as if Tony’s responded even though he knows he hasn’t, “Let’s go find the closest hotel. Mr. Stane said we could call him for anything right? I think this qualifies.”

Rhodey shifts his hand so it’s resting on Tony’s back instead of his shoulders, and turns them both around so they’re walking down the stairs. The cab that drove them from the airport is still waiting, probably because it hasn’t even been a full minute since he dropped them off; and Tony listens as Rhodey talks to the driver about taking them to the nearest hotel.

His hand doesn’t leave Tony’s back, not when they make their way back into the cab, not for the thirty minute car ride until they end up at the Ritz, not when they exit the cab and he’s paying the driver a little extra for his troubles.

“I have a suite,” Tony says, and Rhodey whirls around to face him; eyes wide. His tongue feels heavy, like it’s been coated with lead, but Tony pushes through to elaborate, “You don’t need to call Uncle Obie. I have a suite at the Ritz. They’ll recognise me when we go in.”

“Okay Tones,” Rhodey says, like there’s nothing weird about the fact that these are the first words Tony’s said to him all day, “We’ll check into your suite.”

There’s only one bed in the suite. This is by design, because Tony uses this suite for people he doesn’t trust to bring back to the Mansion, or when he’s not feeling like waiting. He has a suite in the Ritz because it’s in the middle of the city, and the staff are extremely discrete - and because they have good room service options.

There’s only one bed in the suite because Tony brings people back to this suite to fuck them.

He hasn’t brought Rhodey back to this suite to fuck him. The singular bed in the suite might cause some problems.

Rhodey comes in after Tony, because he’s elected to bring in their suitcases, even though the bellboy at the concierge tried to explain to Rhodey that it was hotel policy to have the luggage delivered to the guests’ suites; which means he doesn’t automatically see the single bed in the suite.

Tony should say something about the single bed, offer to call and ask for an extra pull-out, but Rhodey just turns to the single bed, and says, “Looks like it’s big enough for the two of us. What’s good to eat over here?”

Tony’s known for a long time that he’s in love with Rhodey. In different circumstances - if he thought Rhodey wasn’t straight, if he thought Rhodey felt the same way, if they weren’t in New York to attend his parent’s funeral; Tony would’ve brought Rhodey back to this suie to fuck him.

Or get fucked. He’s not picky.

Tony’s known for a long time that he’s in love with Rhodey. It was one of the absolute facts in his world: the sky was blue, he was a Stark, he was in love with Rhodey.

He’s never had the urge to say it before, to voice it, to make Rhodey understand just how much he means to Tony.

Rhodey’s opening up their suitcases, pulling out Tony’s suit and hanging it so that it doesn’t get crumpled before the funeral - and Tony has never wanted Rhodey to know just how much he means to Tony more.

They sleep on opposite sides of the bed. It’s a King Sized bed, big enough to fit three, even four people comfortably, so there’s more than enough space for both of them to sleep.

Rhodey takes the left side of the bed, and Tony takes the right, and it’s reminiscent of their dorm days; when Rhodey had the bed on the left side of the room and Tony had the bed on the right.

Rhodey falls asleep almost immediately, his soft snores filling up the room, but Tony takes longer. He curls on his side, bringing his knees up to his chest and wrapping the blanket as tight around himself as possible.

The room is heat-controlled, but Tony can still feel himself shivering.

He doesn’t know when he falls asleep, but he does know that when he wakes up; he’s no longer on the right side of the bed. At some point during the night, he migrated towards the middle, and from the looks of it, so had Rhodey.

His legs are tangled up around Rhodey’s, the sheets caught between the two of them, and he’s curled under Rhodey’s arms - like he was seeking warmth.

He blinks once, twice, and then looks up to see Rhodey looking down at him, a soft smile on his lips.

“It’s my Ma’s funeral today,” Tony says in a scratchy voice, still rough with sleep, and Rhodey leans down ever so slightly to drop a kiss on his forehead, “Yeah it is baby.”

He moves closer to Rhodey, almost on instinct, and Rhodey’s arm moves from where it’s bracing his head to wrap around him, fingers lightly stroking his sides.

“Do I have to go?” Tony asks after a couple of minutes, softly “I like it here. With you. It doesn’t hurt right now.”

“No, you don’t,” Rhodey replies, equally soft, and the arm he has around Tony tightens, “But I think you’ll regret it if you don’t Tones. I’ll be with you every step of the way okay? But if you don’t want to go, we don’t have to go. We can stay right here, just me and you, and I won’t ever let you go.”

“Promise?”

He doesn’t know what he’s asking for. Promise that they don’t have to go? Promise that Rhodey will be with him every step of the way? Promise that Rhodey won’t let him go?

He doesn’t know what he’s asking for, but it apparently doesn’t matter, because he feels Rhodey drop another kiss on his forehead, harder this time, like he wants to make sure Tony feels it, “I promise.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay, I’ll go. But, not right now. I want this, us to last a couple minutes longer. Can we stay like this, for a couple more minutes?”

“We can stay like this as long as you like Tones.”

Fin

#my writing #rhodeytony #ironshusbands #james rhodes/tony stark #rhodey x tony #james rhodes x tony stark #mit era #angst #hurt/comfort #pre slash #LOOK this was actually supposed to be a fluffy bed sharing thing #and then - this happened #its mainly just angst okay #and rhodey being the best there ever was #this is for tanya #so feel free to air your grievances at tanya #tanya tag

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goldenageofespionage · 4 years

Text

Caught at the Inbox

Requested: @gayoccultism

Prompt: TonyRhodey Secret Admirer

Post info: Uhhh, this is super fluffy. Comes in at about 643 words.

A/N: Hope you like it. I think the writing style is a lil’ disjointed, but so are my boys.

Tony was tired. It had been approximately sixty-three hours, forty-nine minutes, fifty-six seconds and counting, since he had last slept. It was finals week, and he was getting his ass handed to him.

It wasn’t that the finals were hard, necessarily. He was a genius after all. But they weren’t easy, and the hours were taking a toll on his body. Rhodey liked to point out that Tony had kept himself awake for longer while on an inventing binge, but Tony counters that he’s in a zone then. He was most definitely not in a zone for finals week. And he decided finals would be what finally got him. Not the drinking, or terrible self care habits, or questionable sexual practices. Just good, old-fashioned college finals.

Rhodey would say he’s being dramatic. To that, Tony says “pfffbt”. Which is the sound that occurs when he blows a raspberry.

The only saving grace of his shitty finals season, was his secret admirer. At first, he had thought their dorm was doing a Secret Santa he hadn’t been aware of. It happened last year, and people were very upset with Tony for not participating. But no one else in the dorm was getting gifts. He would know, he asked.

Tony’s last final had ended about thirty minutes earlier, and he had gone straight to his dorm building. The plan was to stop by his inbox to check for a new gift, then head back to his room to Rip Van Winkle.

Walking into the room, he had his head down to look at where he was writing equations so he wouldn’t forget them after his nap. When he looked up, Rhodey was staring at him with a stricken look. For several moments, they were staring at each other in tension filled silence. Then, Tony registered what he was seeing.

Rhodey, his best friend, savior, and long-time crush, was putting a gift in his inbox. The same inbox that his secret admirer left gifts in.

“You weren’t supposed to be back yet. You always go to the lab after your 11:30 class. Why aren’t you in the lab?”

Tony, objectively, would find the situation hilarious if he weren’t so damn confused. Rhodey looked ready to bolt, hand halfway into Tony’s inbox.

“It’s finals week and I wanted a nap. For once in my life, lab time can wait.”

“Of course,” Rhodey murmured under his breath.

“So… you think my eyes are like sun-dappled whiskey?”

A loud groan was the only response Tony got. “Stop. Please. Lord above, this is embarrassing. You weren’t supposed to know it was me.”

While Rhodey looked morosely at the ground, Tony walked up to him and wrapped his best friend in a hug. “I’m glad it was you.”

Tony refused to look at Rhodey’s face while he spoke, pressing his forehead to the taller boy’s shoulder and speaking to his pec. “I’ve had the biggest crush on you since Freshman year. When you pulled me out of a fight with that stupid Senior.”

Rhodey snorted, causing his shoulder to jostle Tony’s head. “Tony, I saved your life. Don’t downplay it.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hush. I totally could have taken that guy who had one hundred pounds and a whole foot and a half on me. Totally could have.”

“I’m sure you could have, you little gremlin,” Rhodey said fondly while stroking the curly brown hair on Tony’s head.

“You know what I definitely could do, though, Platypus?” Tony fingered the fringe of Rhodey’s jacket as he spoke.

“What's that, Squid?”

“Go on a date with you. But only after I sleep for approximately 72,000 years. Now take me to bed, please.”

Chuckling, Rhodey lifted Tony into his arms bridal style and carried him up to their room. Both boys could tell it was going to be a great holiday season.

#tonyrhodey #rhodeytony #iron husbands #ironhusbands #secret admirer #fic #avengers #mcu #gayoccultism #Jas wrote shit #requested fic #holiday #holiday fic #college au #mit era #mit era tony #mit era rhodey #mit tonyrhodey

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justlous-art · 2 years

Photo

day 12: date 👨‍❤️‍💋‍👨

some things never change...

(buy me a ko-fi and get a sketch!)

#took me forever to finish bc college is keeping me busy #rhodeytonymonth #rhodeytony month #rhodeytony #ironhusbands #rhfe #tony stark #james rhodes #rhodey #marvel #mcu #iron husbands #war machine #iron man #rhodey x tony #tony x rhodey #mit era

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the-chickenshit-oddity · 2 years

Text

IronHusbands 38

For this one, Tony grew up with only ever adults around him. Probably he was tutored/homeschooled instead of going to school. So when he shows up at college and the first person his age he meets (well, as close to his age as he can get when he's in college four years early) is so nice and caring and funny and everything all the adults in his life have never been, he naively assumes that every other person the same age would be. Enter Bain and Stone, proving him painfully wrong. Which only highlights how great Rhodey is. And how much Tony cares about him (hint : it's a lot).

#the-c-odd-prompt #prompt #tony stark #iron man #ironhusbands #iron husbands #tonyrhodey #rhodeytony #mit era #mit era tonyrhodey #mit era rhodeytony #james rhodes #james rhodey rhodes #war machine #sunset bain #ty stone

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shipskicksandgiggles · 3 years

Note

heard u needed a distraction, can u tell me about your mit tony&rhodey headcanons? please? ▼・ᴥ・▼

YES I CAN babe you don’t know how long I’ve been wanting to go off about these little nerds are you ready???

so first of all, Tony is not the trouble maker people think he is. we’re talking about a kid who was taught manners at an extreme level, and was always told to be quiet so he has like,,,, no friends for a while. he barely even leaves his dorm room unless it’s to go to class or get food, and he doesn’t have a roommate his first year

rhodey however is a little shit from the start. he’s not much older than Tony, but he was raised in Philly. you know. where the motto is quiet literally “Fuck Around and Find Out”

this little shit argues with people constantly. he’s like 16 years old and his classmates don’t think he’s capable of anything

obviously he’s smarter than all of them, but that’s a given

they have one class together their first year. it’s quantum physics. Tony noticed a mistake in some upperclassman’s work and corrected him without thinking

the guy gets pissed, and started freaking out, calling him names, threatening to beat the shit out of him, etc. and Tony has a panic attack

Rhodey notices and punches the guy in the nose before hauling ass back to his dorm room with Tony in tow because this kid is going to get himself killed, and goddamn it he wasn’t going to let that happen

they don’t talk much at first

well, Tony doesn’t talk much at first. Rhodey never shuts up, so he talks to him about everything from growing up a genius kid in Pennsylvania to how his mama talked him through sneaking food out of the dining center

Tony loves it

he warms up to him pretty fast, and soon he never shuts up either. he talks about the Jarvis’, his aunt Peggy, the projects he’s working on, the book he read last week. having someone who listens to you is one hell of a thing

Rhodey teaches Tony how to stick up for himself in class

Tony makes sure Rhodey doesn’t give anyone else a concussion

they get into shenanigans more after they move in together. they store spray paint above the hall closet and the components to make smoke bombs in a false cabinet in the bathroom

campus security hates them

they manage to find love hidden in languages and codes only they can understand. they bounce off each other in ways that would make you think they’d known each other forever

Rhodey proposes in front of the classroom where he punched that one guy in the face. Tony yells at him because he was going to do that in front of the wall they’d vandalized the night they’d kissed for the first time

in the future, they encourage their kids to go to MIT, just because of course they’re going to be geniuses, but also because they kind of wanted them to recreate their parents chaos 30 years later

#asks #answers #ironhusbands #mit era rhodeytony #anon #headcanons

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sibmakesart · 4 years

Text

some memories are just too far away

#ironhusbands #tony stark #art #iron man #artists on tumblr #tony x rhodey #james rhodey rhodes #rhodeytony #digital art #mit era #college au #omg there was only one bed #omg they were roommates

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lovelyirony · 4 years

Note

Oh, can I please ask for one of your folklore prompts? “And I can go anywhere I want, anywhere I want/just not home” my tears ricochet For a young Tony, maybe? It doesn't have to have a pairing if you don't want to. :)

A house and a home are different. Tony did not know this until he was in college, much to his surprise.

A house is somewhere you live. A central place that you come back to in between visits to other people or places or countries or anything else. It is not personal. It is something you use until you no longer see the need or the desire. You can move to a lot of them.

A home lingers. A home is where you smile late at night over drinks. It is where crumbs reside from last night’s takeout, and you spend lazy Sundays.

(Tony also didn’t know what that was either.)

He’s lived in a lot of houses. He has a lot of houses. There’s the one in New York that is looming and lonely and probably would be his least favorite except it’s in New York, which earns it its redemption.

There is sunny Malibu with its beaches and great views. There are a few others.

None of them are homes. It’s just a place to rest for a couple of months or a year or until Howard decides it’s not enough.

He gets to MIT and gets a dorm room, same as everyone else. It is pitifully sad, he gets sun only in the mornings, and that sucks. He kind of hates it. He guesses that’s the college experience.

He also has a roommate. Jarvis had told him it’d be good for him, and Tony had had to talk Howard out of about twenty-seven different legal documents that basically said “if you ever breathe a word of anything to anyone, you’re being legally sued.”

James Rhodes. Literally studying to become a rocket scientist, has questionable taste in posters, and waves at Tony when they meet each other.

“Call me Jim.”

“...Jim. Are you eighty or something?”

It’s probably the wrong thing to say. It definitely is the wrong thing to say by Jarvis’ raised eyebrows and down-turned frown.

But James Rhodes takes it in stride.

“You can call me something else if you want, but it has to be good and I have to approve it. Can’t be my last name, can’t be Jimmy. Anything else is fair game.”

Different reaction. That’s...that’s weird.

So Tony shrugs, smiles as Jarvis leaves, and realizes that he’s alone and Howard doesn’t really have an influence--except he does, god he does--and Tony asks James Rhodes if he’d like to get pizza.

“You know anywhere with good pizza?”

“Wanna find out if Hemingway’s is any good?”

“It’s either going to be artisan hipster or the worst. Hell yes.”

It’s artisan hipster. It is bad, and James laughs as he tells a story and burns his tongue when he’s reenacting his mother is chewing him out, using his full name, and:

“Rhodey,” Tony gasps out.

“I told you that you couldn’t use my last name!”

“It’s technically not your last name, sugar plum,” Tony mocks, using one of his mother’s nicknames against him. “You are forever now Rhodey. Forever.”

From there, friendship progresses. Tony’s never actually had a real friend before, not that he tells Rhodey that. Besides, Rhodey probably knows. Tony just automatically assumes he’s paying for everything, and he’s not sure what to do with genuine affection for a couple of months.

He looks at Rhodey with such love and affection. He does, really. Rhodey has created a whole new world for him.

And then, the holidays.

Thanksgiving is Tony’s least-favorite-holiday for a variety of reasons. It’s all a fake kind of gathering. “Coming together to celebrate gratefulness” is the biggest goddamn crock of bullshit he’s ever cooked in his life, and for once his family isn’t doing a PR stunt, so his mother has announced that he’s welcome to be back home, but they won’t be there.

Howard is taking Jarvis with him on a trip to England to visit Aunt Peggy and probably talk shop about Cap and ice and stupid fucking theories about the degree of alive he’ll be when he’s found.

(When. What pretentious bullshit.)

Tony doesn’t want to be alone in the house, because that’d suck shit and MIT would be better. At least he could make shitty ramen and cry and only get a noise complaint instead of one of the cleaning staff members saying that he probably needed therapy.

“You are not staying in the dorms, what the fuck man,” Rhodey says. “You’re coming home with me.”

“Now darling, I thought you said we weren’t going to be forward about this whole thing,” he purrs, putting on an old Hollywood accent. “Are you finally coming up and seeing me?”

Rhodey rolls his eyes.

“I’ll be as forward as I want,” he decides, and Tony wishes he wouldn’t say things like that, because that seriously get’s a man’s heart rising. “Besides, I told you that you need to have my Aunt Kendra’s rolls, and that’s a promise. So, Thanksgiving is now with the Rhodes’ family.”

Tony doesn’t know if they know that he’s coming. He also doesn’t know the dress code, and Rhodey is absolutely no help.

“What do you mean by casual?” Tony squawks. “Is it business casual? Dressy casual? Jeans casual?”

“What do any of those mean?”

“Oh my god, I’m going to look like a failure at this shindig. Your mother will die over her cooking because I’ll pull out of the wrong wardrobe and be a fool. I’ll die, and you’ll have to bury me, and you won’t even know which outfit I’ll want. God, this is going to--”

Rhodey shuts him up, putting a hand over his mouth.

“Just wear your red turtleneck and your dark jeans or whatever. That looks nice.”

“You noticed?”

“You don’t give me as much credit as I deserve,” Rhodey grunts. “Early wake-up on Monday. I’ll supply coffee as long as you give me gas money.”

“I’ll give you anything for coffee. I’ll give you my hand in marriage for coffee.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Rhodey teases. “I might actually do that.”

God, I wish you would.

Rhodey’s house is a nice place, a wire fence bordering with a porch swing covered in a light dusting of snow, and swinging slightly with the wind that blows through the neighborhood.

There are quite a lot of cars parked in the driveway and in the street, and Tony can see at least six people inside the house, which is more family than he actually knows on either side.

It’s all warm and yellow, and Rhodey moves with an ease that Tony didn’t know happened outside of those cheesy family shows.

He throws open the door and there are shouts of joy and happiness and “Jimmy-boy!”

“I didn’t know Jimmy-boy was on the table,” Tony remarks dryly. “And here it’s been for months, Jimmy-boy.”

Rhodey groans.

“This is worse than Rhodey,” he mutters.

A woman who could only be his mother steps forward, grinning.

“Call me Mama, darling. And what’s this I hear about ‘Rhodey’?”

“He burnt his tongue on pizza while telling me about a time he got a well-deserved talking-to by your own graceful words, Mrs. Rhodes,” Tony says. He’s charming. Oh, he’s very charming.

She giggles.

“I said mama, but I can’t say I’ll mind too much when you talk like that. Jim, you should’ve had us meet earlier.”

“You see I would’ve, but I happen to value myself,” Rhodey says.

“You do?” a man says. Mr. Rhodes, tall and a smile that could put any of the fake veneers in Hollywood to shame. “Could’ve fooled me.”

Rhodey gets pulled into a hug, and he laughs, and Tony has the Distinct Memory that He’s Never Been Hugged by his Father.

Well, isn’t this a time to realize family inadequacies!

“Rhodey, light of my life, where am I setting up my suitcase?” Tony asks.

“Come on up with me. We’re sleeping in my room, hope that’s alright.”

It’s more than alright, and Tony smiles when he sees Rhodey’s room.

He loves it. It’s decorated with model airplanes hanging from the ceiling, a peeling Star Wars poster that has most definitely been needed to be thrown away for more than five years (but won’t be), and a few trophies from soccer.

Tony’s never had his own room decorated with anything but the current trends, his mother hand-picking his comforter and the decorations in his room. And they all say he’s so “fashionable” and “keeps an eye out for trends.”

(Ha.)

It’s odd for him to see a house look so...lived in.

“Welcome home,” Rhodey says. “I haven’t grabbed it yet, but I’ll use a sleeping bag and you can take the bed.”

Tony snorts.

“No way, honeybee. I’m not kicking you out of your own bed. We’ve shared a bed before, this is no different.”

"Only if you’re sure,” Rhodey says, smiling at him. “This is a bit different than both twin beds being crashed together because we wanted more space for the fridge.”

“This time we don’t have the fridge,” Tony quips as Rhodey laughs.

“Come on, let’s head downstairs. Mama’s probably gonna have us wash dishes or something. Maybe set up some more chairs.”

What actually happens is that their laundry machine has gone rebel-mode, and is currently trying it’s best to fling the door open and spew laundry everywhere.

“Shit,” Mr. Rhodes says, looking at it. “Another call to the repairman this month...”

“He won’t get here until a week after Thanksgiving,” Mama says, sighing. “How much do you mind your jeans freezing up a bit?”

He smiles a bit at his wife.

Tony’s never seen that. But he likes it.

“I can fix it,” he says. Family turns to him. This is all quite embarrassing. “I, uh, I’ve taken apart some washing machines before. I think I can figure it out, if you don’t mind me poking around.”

“I wouldn’t mind a bit,” Mama says. “Jimmy, I like this one.”

Rhodey rolls his eyes.

“I’ll go get the toolkit for you. Need anything?”

“Towels and you, honey-pie.”

“You get one out of two of those options.”

“You treat me like a vagrant,” Tony declares. Rhodey laughs as he heads to go get supplies.

The night goes on. People occasionally check in, and Rhodey assures them that it’s going well.

“Instruction manuals are such bullshit,” Tony says. “Half the time they’re written by someone who doesn’t even know how to do it themselves. The other half, no one uses them.”

“Well when you take over your company, write better instruction manuals,” Rhodey says. “Pass me a towel, things are about to get sudsy.”

Forty-five minutes later, the washing machine is probably doing better than it was even at production, and Tony gets a kiss on the cheek and cheers all around him.

“This calls for cookies,” Rhodey declares. “Tony, let’s go get some.”

They sit at the kitchen table, and Tony learns so much about Rhodey’s family. He sees him laugh and relax and tell the funniest stories about when he was little and got stuck in a tree.

It’s home. That’s how he finally understands it. Home where you keep on going long after, with people you love.

He doesn’t have one of those.

He thinks, maybe, that he could make a home of his own. Maybe he could have AC/DC posters lining a wall, or have the pictures of friends and vacation in the kitchen.

And Rhodey would be there. For now, he’s going to enjoy his hot chocolate and try to get more embarrassing stories about his best friend from his family.

#lovelyirony writes #rhodeytony #ironhusbands #the difference between a house and a home #mit era #rhodey #tony stark #jarvis #anyways yeah i don't think tony would actually know what a home looks like #he's Deficient

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moved-to-anthotnio · 5 years

Text

cloud gazing

For @starksnack | Rhodey/Tony | mit era (but more modern?), slightly-underage drinking, first kiss, fluff and angst, obvious and painful pinning, open ending/no ending (unless ya’ll encourage me to continue the fic, of course👀)

•••

“That one looks like a cat.”

Rhodey looks up to where Tony's pointing and hums, squinting his eyes to try to catch the form, “Yeah, it does. A soft, fluffy cat.”

Beside him Tony agrees, his brown eyes analyzing the sky with rapt attention before he breaks into laughter, startling Rhodey, who can't help but grin at the guy, “Why are you laughing?”

“That one looks like a dick,” Tony says in between laughs, pointing at one of the many clouds floating in the beautiful blue sky spread above them.

Rhodey wants to roll his eyes, but Tony is right, that cloud does look like a dick, and Rhodey joins Tony in his laughing fit, his whole body shaking with it. God, this feels so good, so freeing. They've been here for three hours, drinking and laughing at clouds with weird and funny shapes. He can feel his shirt sticking to his back, damped by the grass underneath him, wet after the campus left the sprinklers on all night. But he doesn't care. The end of the year is near, and summer break is closer than it feels.

Tony is laying beside him, a stupid smile on his stupid face. God, Rhodey wants to kick him, but he feels too good, and he knows that if he kicks him, Tony will kick back and they will end up wrestling on the grass while drunk off their asses, which wouldn't turn out okay for neither of them. Plus the possibility of Tony ending under him is way too high and way too tempting. So yeah. He will not kick Tony.

“Remind me again why we're drinking,” Rhodey mumbles, letting the bottle fall from his hands and spill it's contents onto the grass. Huh. Maybe the grass likes beer too. He would be doing it a favor, probably. Who knew?

Tony shifts beside him, propping himself up on his right arm and looking at him with that manic look of his that shouldn't be cute, yet it completely is, and makes Rhodey's heart all soft and mushy, “We're drinking, Rhodey-bear, because we got an A on our final project, and we deserve to celebrate!”

He raises an eyebrow at Tony, “It's ten in the morning.”

“And yet, here we are."

Rhodey does roll his eyes this time.

“Hey, hey now,” Tony pouts at him, cradling Rhodey’s face with his free hand. “Don't roll your pretty eyes at me, you make my knees weak, what if I fall and die?”

“You're lying on the grass.”

“That wouldn't stop me.”

"Fuck, you're right."

Rhodey shakes his head, pulling away from Tony's hand and rolling to the side. He closes his eyes, and shivers when he feels Tony cuddling up to him, the warmth making something coil at the bottom of his stomach. They stay like that for a few minutes, until Tony makes an annoyed sound and rolls Rhodey onto his back, so they're face to face.

Tony is pouting at him, and he should look absolutely ridiculous - okay, he actually does - but Rhodey's pretty sure he feels his heart swell in his chest at the sight. He ruffles Tony's hair, his pout becoming more pronounced, and then Rhodey starts to worry. Maybe Tony’s got a headache now, is hungry just like Rhodey is, or is finally annoyed with his own shirt sticking to his back. Rhodey opens his mouth to ask what's wrong, but no words come out, swallowed by Tony's own mouth as he presses their lips together.

Rhodey is startled enough to forget about kissing back, but then his brain caughts up, and he feels like he wants to cry for two very different reasons; first, he's been waiting for this kiss for a long time, but, second, they're drunk, so that automatically invalidates the kiss.

Tony breaks the kiss and shyly smiles at him, his eyes wide and delighted, and then passes out. Rhodey is startled once again, and sighs at the sight of his best friend curled up in the grass, using one of Rhodey’s legs as a pillow.

•••

Rhodey spends the rest of the week stressed with other projects and finals, not having much time to spend with Tony. He can’t stop thinking about it; about the press of Tony’s lips against his, about the shy beautiful smile he gave Rhodey after kissing him, about the flutter in his stomach and the hope slowly and steadily growing in his heart. It feels like ever since that morning, the universe has tried to keep them apart. It hurts, to say the least. He wants to know what that kiss meant. Does Tony feel the same as him? Or was the kiss driven by the alcohol they drank moments before it happened?

It’s...nerve wracking, if he’s being honest with himself.

A week and a half after the kiss, and two days away from graduation, Rhodey finally spots Tony. He looks well rested from far away, he has sunglasses on, and an arm around a girl’s waist. Rhodey thinks nothing of it while he makes his way towards him. It's been a while since the last time he and Tony have coincided during the day, since Tony has been working away, probably in the lab. And Rhodey couldn’t afford to use his studying time going looking for him, even as much as he wanted.

He’s almost there, hoping that maybe he can ask Tony for lunch today and catch up. But the moment he’s less than five feet away, Tony turns his head to press a kiss to the girl’s mouth, and Rhodey feels the ground give under him. He stops, standing behind Tony, who hasn’t noticed him since he’s talking amicably to the other students hanging out with them. And he’s grateful that at least Tony isn't around, because he’s almost sure that all his emotions are splayed on his face.

He starts to turn away and make his way back, but not before the girl that’s sitting in front of Tony looks up, her brown eyes meeting Rhodey’s face as her own downs in realization. She smiles with sympathy, and Rhodey runs all the way back to his dorm.

He’s sitting in his bed, his heart beating wildly in his chest, when realization dawns on him like a bucket of cold water.

The kiss meant nothing to Tony.

•••

Ko-Fi | Patreon

#like i said. uh. encouragement is greatly appreciated #specially in the form of asks telling me what u think abt this lil fic #yes?#dante: writes #r: rhodeytony #t: gift #tony stark #james rhodes #mit era #rhodeytony #tonyrhodey #rhfe #iron man #war machine #iron husbands #ironhusbands

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