#ironhusbands drabble

[every-marveler-ever]

Out Of My Limit - Live

Fluffbruary Day 16 | @fluffbruary | Glasses

IronHusbands Bingo Round 4 | 🗯️ @ironhusbandsbingo | Free

masterlist :: (ao3 link)

RATING: General WARNING: N/A

A/N: I’ve been trying this new drabble idea by writing a plot bunny from whatever song shuffles from my liked songs on Spotify, so far it has definitely worked. I'm also actually using a Free Square for once which I am so excited for!

James stares at the customer in front of him, “uh sorry sir but we don’t have any of that,” because who walks into a service station and asks for a poppyseed muffin. | Tony Stark/James 'Rhodey' Rhodes

fluffbruary 2023 | ihb 🗯️ round 4

“Hey can I just get a poppyseed muffin and a caramel lattee?”

James stares at the customer infront of him, “uh sorry sir but we don’t have any of that,” this is the first time the customer looks up from the phone that he is hastily messaging on. It is Tony Stark, the man James is serving is Tony Stark of Stark industries. The guy who saved him without even knowing it. “I can get you a chocolate muffin and fairly bad cup of coffee instead?” How does he, a service station employee, tell Tony Stark no.

The Tony Stark in question raises the sunglasses off his eyes to rest ontop of his head, his attention fully of James now rather than the phone, “could I get a cup of you?” Tony looks the guy up and down, inquiring with subtle flirtation.

“I am pretty sure I’m out of your limit,” Rhodey says while taking a blueberry muffin out of the display shelves. Plugging the price and code into the machine he slides the muffin towards Tony, “on the house,” he mentions off handidly, trying to ease the tension between them.

Tony smiles gracefully sliding a personal business card in tandem with taking his muffin, “I am pretty sure you are,” he taps the card twice “please use it anyway, maybe hit below your level.” He leaves without another word.

He sees the reflection of James' excitement as he puts his glasses back on and his smile doesn’t fade. 

Cards:

[tonystarkbingo]

Is there a certain way the masterlist has to be? Any idea of the next round?

There's no required format for your masterpost, but here are a few great examples from past rounds:

Including a title, link, pairing, rating, and summary are highly recommended, as that's information that readers/viewers often look for.

As for the next round, we don't have a date yet, but we are absolutely planning on another round, and very possible an event between now and then, so stay posted! We will announce upcoming events here and on our Discord.

[dykeninthdoctor]

“tony getting deaged and rhodey being the only one he trusts/surprised rhodey is still in his life” for @official-impravidus. happy birthday, lexie my love!

“What the fuck happened to him?”

Jim knows his voice is shaking, but it’s better than yelling, better than seeing the teenager in front of him shrink away and curl in on himself, a habit that took years for Jim to coax out of him with gentle words and even gentler touches. Rogers raises his hands in a show of peace–I’m on your side–but it does nothing to quell the anger building in Jim’s throat.

“We don’t know what happened, Rhodey–“

Jim’s fists clench at his sides at the nickname from Rogers’s mouth as Tony–little Tony, tiny Tony, the Tony that used to be his–looks up in shock.

“Rhodey?” he asks breathlessly, hopefully. “You–you’re Rhodey?“

Jim nods, not trusting his voice.

And then his arms are full of a trembling teenager, a trembling teenager that was once his, and his shirt is slowly growing damp from the silent tears Tony cries against his chest.

It’s easier than breathing to hold Tony closer.

He starts carding a hand through Tony’s soft hair, the usual gel that Jim’s become accustomed to absent, and rubs his back with the other hand, humming just soft enough for Tony to pick up the melody and tap it out on his shoulder with light brushes of his fingers.

Rogers stares at them.

Jim doesn’t care, because Tony’s not shaking anymore.

-

He takes Tony to the lab first, because the lab is where his Tony feels safe.

But this Tony looks around with an unreadable expression–almost unreadable, except to Jim.

It’s disbelief. And fear.

“I did this? Not–not Howard?”

It breaks Jim’s heart.

“Yeah, Tones. It was you.”

“Oh,” Tony whispers. “Wicked.”

-

Jim tells him about the future, and Tony listens with wide eyes.

Jim tells him about Tony’s place in the future, and Tony understands with wider ones.

-

It’s not hard to tell Tony about his parents’ death.

It’s the hardest thing in the world to tell Tony about Edwin Jarvis’s.

Tony tries to make JARVIS again, for the first time in his lifetime, and Jim has to stop him, for the fifth time in his lifetime.

Jim holds him while he cries.

-

Tony doesn’t ask about Rogers until two days in, after two days of not leaving Jim’s side, after two days spent in the lab with the bots, his creations, his children.

They’re on the couch in the common living room, watching Star Wars Episode VII, because after Tony had heard there were more than just the original trilogy, he’d begged for a marathon and Jim’s never been able to resist his puppy eyes. Tony’s head is pillowed on his chest, Jim’s nose is resting against the crown of his head, and their arms are around each other. Tony’s watching the movie. Jim’s watching him.

Rogers walks into the room right as Finn and Poe reunite on screen.

Tony tenses. Jim holds him tighter.

“Oh–I didn’t realize you were in here–“ Rogers says. Jim taps a calming pattern against Tony’s back.

“It’s all good, man.”

There’s a beat, a moment of silence as sharp as glass where Rogers’s eyes stay on Tony, and Tony’s eyes don’t leave the screen.

Jim clears his throat and shatters it. Rogers blinks, nods, looks at Tony one more time, and leaves the room.

There’s an explosion on screen.

“How did he find him?” Tony asks, barely a whisper.  

Jim frowns into Tony’s hair. “How did who find him?”

“Howard.”

“No,” Jim says sharply, before he can stop himself. “It wasn’t Howard.”

“Oh.”

“He’s gone, Tones. Rogers wasn’t his find. And Rogers–he’s–“ Jim sighs. “He’s okay.”  

Tony relaxes against his chest.

“Okay, platypus.”

-

The overwhelming feeling of relief, and then guilt, creeps its way into Jim’s heart when Tony still refuses to leave his side, even with his newfound trust in Rogers, and to an extent, the rest of the team.

It takes them a week to figure out how to reverse it, a week for the flowers of relief and weeds of guilt to continue to grow, along with the coiling, painful root of longing, longing for his Tony.  

Tony’s always been perceptive, so when he picks up on it, Jim isn’t surprised.

“You miss him. Me. The other me. Your me.”

“Every you is mine,” Jim says immediately, and means it.

Tony will always be his, and he will always be Tony’s. It’s the way the universe works.

Tony just rolls his eyes. “No shit, Sherlock. But you still miss him. I mean…it’s weird to be in love with a seventeen-year-old when you’re like…fifty.”

Jim drops the casserole dish and spills Momma Robbie’s famous peach cobbler across the kitchen tiles, staining white with yellows and oranges.

“Shit,” he says, because Tony flinched, even if he tried to hide it. “C’mere, Tones.”

“Did I guess wrong?” Tony asks weakly, tucked into Jim’s chest, head under his chin.

They fit together like pieces of a puzzle; or, two puzzles with matching pieces.

“No. No, you really didn’t. You picked up on something my Tony’s been missing for years, though.”

“He doesn’t know you love him?”

“No, he doesn’t know I’m in love with him.”

“Maybe he just doesn’t want to believe it,” Tony whispers softly.

Jim doesn’t know what to say in response.

-

It takes them a week to figure out how to reverse it.

When they do, Tony, Jim’s Tony, stands in front of them, gray at his temples and in his goatee, a lifetime clouding his eyes, but still drowning in Jim’s old MIT hoodie.

“Tones?” he asks weakly.

“Hey, platypus. I think you’ve got something to tell me.”

“I hate you.”

“No, I’m pretty sure it was the opposite,” Tony says, a smirk that looks more like a smile on his face.

And then he’s in Jim’s arms.

His Tony is in his arms.

Jim smiles.

It’s easier than living to kiss Tony breathless.

[gotlostonmywayhome]

“No, not those balloons!” Tony groans when his husband walks through the door of the hospital room.

“So, what happened this time?” Rhodey asks, tying the offending gift to Tony’s bed.

“I was testing the new remote activation sensor and things may have gone a little haywire,” Tony says quickly. “But don’t worry, I’ve worked out the bugs and it will function perfectly next time.”

Rhodey sighs knowing that no matter what he says, Tony will have an argument as to why he should keep testing. All Rhodey can do is pray and continue to annoy Tony with “those balloons.”

For the @tonystarkbingo Fill R2 - Remote Control

[rhodeys]

I wish you would write a fic where tony has accidentally turned into a child and Rhodey has to babysit him Thanks !!

thank you for the prompt! 💞💞

(i may have had too much fun with this) 

The thing is, Rhodey's used to being greeted by an empty penthouse every time he decides to check up on Tony. It's precisely the reason why the rest of the penthouse blend into the background while he makes his way to the private elevator that leads to Tony's workshop – the sectional sofa, the mezzanine, the staircase leading to the mezzanine, the kid, the–

Rhodey does a double take. 

There's a child in the penthouse - staring back at him like a baby deer caught in the headlights. The child blinks, just once, before brown eyes are back to being impossibly wide over the tiny hand perched upon the glass handrail. He's wearing a black t-shirt that's ten sizes too big for him, the edges of it ending at his knees. His feet are on two different stairs, almost like he'd been in the middle of making his way down before Rhodey conveniently barged in. The child doesn't even move a muscle. 

"Uh," is all Rhodey says, eyes flicking around the penthouse in sudden uncertainty before he turns to the boy. "Hey." 

The boy continues to stare at Rhodey for five odd seconds, making the older man feel oddly conscious. And then, finally, a careful: "Hi." 

"Hey," Rhodey says again, softer now. "Are you alone here?" He scans the empty penthouse once more. "Where are your parents?" 

"Why?" The boy is quick to ask, tone changing as his eyes narrow, and Rhodey's never seen a five-six-whatever-year old sound so defensive. "Where are yours?" 

Rhodey's taken aback, if only for a brief second, at the sudden shift in tone. Brown eyes are no longer wide, but slitted with something close to suspicion. "They're not–" Rhodey starts. Stops. "I'm sorry. Just–" He turns his head away, still maintaining wary eye contact with the boy, and calls out in the general direction of Tony's bedroom. "Tony?" 

"Yeah?" The boy asks. 

"No, not– that's my friend," Rhodey elaborates, making a vague motion with his hands to the space around them. "Have you seen anyone else around here?" 

"Is your friend's name Tony, too?" The boy asks, slowly continuing to make his way down the stairs, sharp eyes still fixated on Rhodey. 

"Yeah. He's–" Rhodey starts, and then something the boy had said registers. "Wait. Too? What's your name?" 

The boy finally takes the last step, and it's right then that Rhodey sees the familiar design of Black Sabbath printed across the oversized t-shirt. The sleeves were pulled up and knotted at awkward angles to prevent it from dangling down tiny arms. "Tony," the boy says. 

Rhodey's lips part in growing surprise as he takes in the messy waves of dark hair, matched with a pair of brown eyes that shine too bright, the layer of chub across a familiar bone structure, and the all too familiar expression of suspicion that Rhodey was once subjected to in MIT – one that, over the years, had eventually been hidden behind a perfected mask of cool. "Tony."

"Yeah," the boy says, making a face like Rhodey's being stupid. "S'what I just said."

---

"I mean," Rhodey clarifies, pinching the bridge of his nose after Pepper had calmly pointed out through the call that Tony's always been a child. "He's an actual kid. Physically. He's–" he cuts off as he shifts his attention to Tony, who's scowling from the other end of the sectional with tiny arms crossed over his chest. "Do you know how old you are?" 

"Course I do," Tony huffs out, eyes narrowing in offense. "I'm eight."

"Eight? Kinda short for an eight year old, aren't you?" Rhodey teases, and Tony's eyes narrow even further. The boy looks away just as his cheeks flush pink at the jab aimed at his stature. 

"Wait. Is that Tony?" Pepper's voice filters through the phone. "It doesn't sound like him."

"Gee, I wonder why eight year old Tony doesn't sound like fifty year old Tony."

"How are you even sure it's him? Did you ask Jarvis?" 

"Trust me, I'm sure," Rhodey says, deciding against bringing up when eight year old Tony had unashamedly called out 'who's the broad?' the second Pepper answered the phone, which ended with Rhodey fumbling to put the phone off of speaker. 

"And Jarvis isn't responding. He must have gone down when Tony did– well, whatever he did." Rhodey sneaks a quick glance at his watch. It's been almost an hour since he walked into this debacle. "He should be back up soon." 

"Okay," Pepper says after a heavy sigh. Her calm demeanor doesn't even surprise Rhodey – god knows the pair of them have been through enough and more of Tony's eccentricity. When it comes to Tony, this is just another day for them. "Jim, listen. I'm still in DC, but I'll be there in a few hours." There's distinct shuffling from her side. "Just– stay put. Read him a book. Put him to sleep."

"Put him to–" Rhodey cuts himself off before he can even consider the ridiculousness of the suggestion. "This is Tony."

"And you're his best friend. Which is why I'm sure you'll figure something out." And by thrusting her sheer level of confidence upon Rhodey, Pepper ends the call, leaving him staring helplessly at the phone in his hand. He looks over at Tony, who immediately looks away, defensive hands still folded across his chest in an act of petulance. 

Pepper had a point, Rhodey figures. Smaller Tony can't differ much from the real deal. He just has to make Tony talk; keep him occupied. Maybe play an R-rated movie– 

"Keep staring at me like that, 'm gonna think you're a pedophile."

"Jesus Christ."

---

They're not even ten minutes into watching Eraserhead before Tony decides it's too unrealistic, and therefore not worth his time. 

"What?" Rhodey asks, barely able to suppress the disbelief in his voice. Tony loved this movie – even watched it twice a month, every month, while they were in MIT. Sure, it had Rhodey worried for Tony's sanity at first, but he got around to movie nights soon enough. "You love this movie."

"Nope," Tony says, and that's that.

---

"Aren't you too old to be a babysitter?" Tony asks after spending a whole of five minutes scrutinizing Rhodey with a fairly impressive stink eye.

Rhodey huffs out a breathy laugh. "Tell that to the guy who put me here."

"Maybe I will," Tony says pointedly – sounding like he fully intended to file a formal complaint. "Where is he?"

"You're talking to him," Rhodey says, which shuts Tony up.

---

Rhodey's making a mental checklist of how else he can entertain eight year old Tony who hates Eraserhead – when Jarvis comes online.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Rhodes," Jarvis greets, and Rhodey immediately shoots a silent prayer of gratitude to the AI. On the other side of the sectional, Tony's head jerks up in surprise from where he was fiddling with the StarkTab – eyes darting around for the voice. 

"I apologize for my inactivity. My servers may have been affected while Sir was testing the functions of…" Jarvis trails off, and there's a very telling silence that follows – Jarvis apparently having noticed Tony's absence and the kid's presence. Tony's still looking around for the source, and when his attempt turns futile, decides to zero in on Rhodey. 

"Mr. Rhodes," Jarvis starts, his words edging on hesitation. "Is that–" 

"Yep."

---

Tony takes it upon himself to find out the source of the voice. There's ten minutes of Tony opening and closing doors, crouching under tables, checking behind furniture five times his size, and because Tony - no matter the age – is still Tony, returns to where Rhodey's seated, newfound determination plastered across his face. "Who was that?"

"Who was who?" Rhodey asks, raising an innocent brow. 

"The guy who was just talking to you." 

"Don't see any guy here."

"I heard him."

"Heard who?" 

"The guy!" Tony blurts out hotly, throwing his arms out in frustration as his cheeks flush a shade of red. The movement makes the full sleeves of Tony's undershirt break from the knot Tony had made, resulting in them splaying out like loose wires before they end up dangling flimsily at his sides. Tony pays no mind, and Rhodey tries to pay no mind. 

"Which guy?" Rhodey asks, and he can barely contain his grin watching the way Tony puffs his chest, lips parting to make way for whatever childish blabber before they snap shut in annoyance. 

His face turns into a scowl as he brings his arms back across his chest, dangling sleeves and all. "Stop pulling my leg." 

"Whatever you say, kid."

"Not a kid."

"You're, like, five."

Tony looks like he's about to explode from frustration. "Eight!"

"Full fledged adult, then."

---

"You have a lot of grey hair," Tony speaks up all of a sudden, working on the offense this time. 

"You're short," Rhodey answers without missing a beat.

"But I'll grow," Tony says, grinning now, like he'd struck gold. "I'll be taller than you."

"Oh, yeah," Rhodey agrees for the sake of entertaining the kid, deciding against breaking his bubble as much as he'd like to. He adds an enthusiastic "definitely." 

Tony, self-proclaimed genius that he is, catches on to the intent. He looks almost giddy with excitement as he crawls over from his place on the sectional to where Rhodey's sitting. "You're jealous!" Tony exclaims, eyes shining in delight. "Aren't you? You're jealous that I'm gonna be taller than you!" 

"You got me, kid," Rhodey shrugs, a lopsided smile pulling at his lips. "What can I say? Life can be a– biscuit, sometimes."

"A bitch, you mean."

---

They go through the StarkPad together, not that Tony needed much help anyway, seeing as he already figured out most of how it works by himself. Rhodey gets his fair share of questions anyway, from why do people need such a big screen? to I can watch an entire movie in this?

"Ha, this makes you look even older!" is the first thing points out when Rhodey switches it to the front camera. 

"Yeah, yeah," Rhodey says smiling, and in a split second, contorts his face just as a grinning Tony holds up the tablet and takes a selfie of them. 

"This is so cool," Tony exclaims in barely contained excitement as he proceeds to take a dozen more pictures of himself, some of which Rhodey accidentally ends up in the background of. 

"Yeah, remember my friend Tony? He made it."

Tony perks up, suddenly more interested, and Rhodey thinks he's going to ask more about the StarkPad until– "Is he taller than you?" 

Rhodey snorts. "He wishes. Tony used to stuff paper balls into his shoes when we were in MIT. He wears heels now." 

"I know MIT! My dad studied there," Tony says, and Rhodey makes a surprised sound, like that wasn't news to him at all. Tony cocks his head, eyebrows knitting as if something just occurred to him. "Wait, how does he wear heels?" 

"He gets them custom made into his shoes."

A pause. Then: "And he's still shorter than you?" 

"Yep."

"That must suck balls."

"Yep."

---

"You never told me your name," Tony says out of the blue after spending a good few minutes drooling into Rhodey's shoulder while he was dead to the world.

"It's Jim."

Tony shifts, drawing his feet towards himself so he can curl into Rhodey's chest. "That's an old man's name," Tony points out softly. 

"Rhodey, then."

"How many names do you have?"

Honeybear, Platypus, Sourpatch– "A few."

"My name is Anthony," Tony says, voice softening even more, as if he'd pass out any moment now. "But nobody calls me that anymore."

"Thought you didn't like-"

"Because when they do, I kick 'em in the dick," Tony finishes, words coming out in soft mumble before he drifts back to sleep.

---

When Pepper walks into the penthouse an hour later and spots Tony snuggled against Rhodey's side, soaking his polo shirt wet with drool, she flashes him a triumphant smile. I told you so.

[irontinystar]

Efficiency

for my dear @ad1thi who wrote this adorable snippet 💞

Open for better quality!

[official-wayward-keener]

Back Home

“Dad!” Peter said quietly into his phone but in a way that Tony knew he was shouting. 

“It will be fine, Pete. I will have the rest of your project there in no time,” Tony told his son. Peter still was panicked. He had to have the project soon and he had forgotten it at home. 

“Just get here in two hours and drop it off with Ms. Lewis. She will make sure I get it,” Peter said. Tony said he would before he hung up with his son. 

~

It was two hours later and Tony still hadn’t shown up with his project. Peter was panicking as he tried to figure out an excuse when his teacher pulled him aside before class started.

“Ms. Lewis said that your dad dropped off your project just now if you want to go get it well I take attendance,” She said. Peter nodded as he ran off to grab his package. He got to the office when he stopped. His dad was there like he expected but he hadn’t expected to see Rhodey. Rhodey who had been out on a mission for the past month. 

“Well do I get a hug from my favorite little boy?” Rhodey asked. Peter ran over and hugged his papa as his dad smiled recording the whole thing. 

“I missed you, Papa,” Peter said.

“I missed you too,” Rhodey said before he let his son go as he told the boy he would pick him up from school for ice-cream. Peter smiled as he left to go back to class as Tony and Rhodey watched their son head off to class.

[crypt-glitch]

Desert - a dry, virtually waterless land with no vegetation. A place that swallowed up Tony Stark and spit back out a hero, an Iron Man. Somewhere that showed him that his worst fears could become reality.

So when he was told that he was being sent out on a mission to the deserts of Egypt with Tony, Rhodey was a little upset.

"You're killing my mood, platypus."

They had left the quinjet over an hour ago and little had been spoken between them. They had half an hour left until they needed to be in position for the Hydra base raid so they were currently standing on a sand dunes a few miles north. The sun would rise soon, giving away their location.

"Am I not allowed to think quietly?"

"You're allowed to think," Tony replied, staring out into the horizon. "I'm just worried about the content of those thoughts."

It was quiet for a minute.

"I know the last time you and I were in a desert it was," Tony jestered vaguely into the air. "It was bad."

Rhodey scoffed at that.

"Bad? Man, bad doesn't even cover it. I almost lost you to the desert, Tones. I did lose you," he amended. "I was just lucky enough that you came back."

Tony's face softened as he grabbed his friend by his shoulders and turned to face him.

"I know, honey bear."

Rhodey's shoulders sagged. "What if I lose you again and you don't come back?"

Tony brushed his lips against his friend's cheek softly. "I'll always come back to you."

They smiled at each other, quiet again.

"And right after this mission, I am going to blow your mind."

Rhodey groaned and pushed Tony away not unkindly, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Why do you always have to ruin the moment?"

Tony only shrugged in response, still grinning, and turned to look at the horizon again.

Thank you @glitternotgold73! I had to repost this because Tumblr is being problematic. Enjoy!

[ifdragonscouldtalk]

4 with Tony and literally anyone you want. I love your writing btw! ❤️❤️❤️

4. “Don’t be ridiculous, of course I’m going with you.”

(not sure this is really what you wanted or if its any good haha, but its what my brain came up with! and thanks, dear)

“Honeybear,” Tony sighed, and it came out less whining and more tired than he wanted.

“Tony, don’t.”

“Rhodey, please. It’s not like you need to protect me or something.” Tony fidgeted with the too-large sweatshirt sleeves, fraying at the cuffs and logo worn near off.

“Tones, don’t be ridiculous, of course I’m going with you.” He swallowed, glancing up at Rhodey’s serious expression and crossed arms, forcing down his own emotions to smile.

“Aww, I didn’t know you cared.”

“Tones.” His smile fell as he looked down again.

“They forgot,” he whispered, glancing through the windows where he could see the paparazzi and reporters lingering along the street, discreet but not enough. “Can you believe that?” He frowned down at the cast on his hand, bulky as Bruce had intended, making it impossible for him to operate the armor well enough to escape the vultures that way. Rhodey snorted.

“I’d believe anything. But I remember, and I’m here. C’mon sugar, put on something a little nicer so we can go give them a piece of our minds. Calling an ‘important meeting’ that ‘must be conducted in person’ today, of all days?” He squeezed his eyes shut as Rhodey’s hands fell on his shoulders, warm and steadying, swallowing thickly again.

“I was fine last year, I guess,” he said after a moment, and Rhodey snorted derisively again. “But then Barnes and- and it’s just so... raw again.” He shoved the tears back with his sleeve, turning to wrap his arms around Rhodey and be wrapped around in return. “That she- she didn’t have to die.”

“I know, baby,” Rhodey kissed into his hair. “Which is why I’m going with you to tell them a piece of my mind. Go put on jeans so I can kick their asses.”

[bloody-bee-tea]

you're great at unusual pairings, so I may have a prompt for you: TonyRhodey, Rhodes saying "You're my best friend" and Tony answering with "Yeah, you're more than that". Perferably in some emotional/dagnerous situation. I have a soft spot for Tony being secretly in love with Rhodey for all these years.

“The Avengers need Steve to be the Captainand I won’t let you die for him. The Avengers need you too,” Rhodey said, one armouredhand reaching out to hold Tony back.  “You’remy best friend, and I won’t let you do this.”

Tony kept his eyes firmly on the whirlpool beneathhim. He could barely make out Steve at the bottom, even with his HUD, and therewas no way Steve would survive if he managed to put the stone back.

Tony had calculated the odds, of course hehad, and even with the suit, there was only a five percent chance that he wouldmake it back out.

Rhodey tightened the grip on his arm andTony finally turned to look at him.

“Yeah, you’re more than that for me, and Iwon’t let you die for him. He’s not worth your life,” Tony said, right beforehe locked the suit around Rhodey, making sure that the flight stabilizers werestill working correctly, but also preventing Rhodey from following him.

Tony wretched his arm free of Rhodey’s gripand then flew down into the whirlpool, Rhodey’s screams in his ears.

Steve was still wearing the jet pack, whichTony started without listening to Steve’s complains, and only when he sawRhodey catch Steve did Tony slam the stone back into his socket, and thewhirlpool immediately collapsed around him.

The water was pressing him down, drowninghim, and while Tony had known this would happen, it was still terrifying tofeel the pressure of it, knowing that his suit would most likely not be able tostand up to it for much longer.

Tony was making his way up through thewater, but the power of the suit started to fail him around the same time hecame into range for Rhodey’s comm again.

“You idiot,” was the only thing Rhodeymumbled over and over, only intercepted by “Please, don’t do this to me,” butit all started to fade with the water pressure still keeping Tony down.

Right before Tony blacked out, he sawRhodey reaching for him and hoped to god that it was just a figment of hisimagination and not real. He did this to keep Rhodey save after all.

*~*~*

Tony woke up in his bed. It was not ahospital which was good, but he also knew that he shouldn’t be awake right now.

He looked around for a second before hiseyes fell on Rhodey, slumped in a chair next to his bed.

“Rhodey?” Tony asked and Rhodey awoke witha start.

“You idiot,” where the first words out ofhis mouth and Tony had a very vivid flashback.

“Why am I here?” Tony asked and now Rhodeylooked pained.

“Because I got you out. You were going todie on me, how could you do that?” Rhodey asked and Tony shrugged.

“I told you, you’re more important thanSteve or me.”

“I’m not more important than you,” Rhodeyprotested and Tony avoided his eyes, remembering what he had said right beforehe dived down.

“You are to me,” he mumbled and he heardRhodey’s sharp breath at that.

“Did it ever occur to you that you could bemore important to me too?” Rhodey quietly asked him and Tony chuckled.

“Yeah, right, because you said it. I’m yourbest friend.” Tony took a deep breath before he went on. “But I said it too.You are more than that for me, Rhodey, and I couldn’t let you die. Not ever. Iwouldn’t know how to live without you.”

“And you think it’s different for me?”Rhodey asked and his voice sounded strangled. “You are my best friend, yes, butI also love you, and I thought you knew.”

“How would I know that?” Tony asked, eyeswide and now firmly looking at Rhodey.

“You’re an idiot,” Rhodey repeated and thenclimbed onto the bed next to Tony. “I love you, and I couldn’t live without youeither. Don’t ever do something like that again, okay?”

“I promise nothing,” Tony gave back, knowingfull well that if Rhodey’s life was in danger again, he would act the same waylike he had. “But I love you, too,” he added, suddenly shy and unsure if Rhodeyreally meant it like that.

But Rhodey reassured him that it wasexactly like that when he leaned in to brush a kiss over Tony’s lips, beforepressing his face into Tony’s neck.

“Don’t do this to me again,” he mumbled andTony pressed a kiss to his hairline.

Tony couldn’t promise that, and they bothknew that, but Tony did the next best thing.

“I love you,” he told Rhodey again and keptRhodey close to him.

[ironhusbandsbingo]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Iron Man (Movies) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark Characters: Tony Stark, James "Rhodey" Rhodes Additional Tags: Supernatural Elements, Poltergeists, Haunted Houses, Protective James "Rhodey" Rhodes, Fear, James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark at MIT Summary:

Summary: Some older students lure Tony to a house that's reputedly haunted... then lock him in.

Tony Stark Bingo Square: R4 - Supernatural (moodboard), Card number 4059 IronHusbands Bingo Square: I3 - Poltergeist (drabble)

[dykeninthdoctor]

You asked for prompts, so maybe Rhodey/Tony with the Avengers meeting Rhodey for the first time and realizing how devoted Tony is to him? Like Tony has been doing that Trademark Stark thing but then the team sees him with Rhodey for the first time and realizes THIS is the real Tony.

thank you for the prompt!!! this was so much fun to write, i hope you enjoy!!

Tony Stark is an enigma.

He wears expressions like they’re masks, and wields words like they’re weapons, and takes people apart with one piercing glance.

He’s more than a man, he’s a paradox; he isn’t made of flesh and bone and blood, no, Tony Stark is made of gears and wires and lines of code that run the solutions to every possible problem before they happen.

It’s terrifying.

Natasha looks at him, and to her, he’s a mirror; Tony reflects what they all want to see. And mirrors are not glass. She can’t tell what’s real, can’t see through him at all, and she hates it. It makes her feel weak. She tries breaking the mirror, breaking Tony, but it doesn’t work. Even at his lowest point, sitting across from her and Fury in the diner, he reflects what she wants to see–a broken man. And yet, not a broken mirror.

Steve doesn’t know what to think of him; he is nothing like Howard, and yet he is everything like Howard. Steve sees Howard in the way Tony balances five conversations at once, the way Tony knows he’s the smartest person in the room and acts like it, the way he carries himself with his hands constantly in motion. It makes Steve ache for the time he left behind.

Bruce only sees an equal in him; their minds attract each other like magnets. But magnets can repel each other, can become polar opposites so very easily, and as Tony starts pushing, Bruce lets himself be repelled, because it’s easier than answering Tony’s questions that strike too close. Bruce doesn’t know how he does it, how he can find someone’s heart in minutes, especially because Tony acts like he doesn’t understand people at all. It’s fascinating, and confusing, and not a magnet Bruce wants to draw in.

Clint thinks it’s all a show; Tony acts like the people he grew up around, performers who used flashy tricks to distract the audience from their real movements. Tony is a magician, Clint realizes, after he reviews the footage of the days he missed, and sees things no one else caught, sees the bugs he plants and the seeds he sows, because Tony was too busy distracting them all with his words.

He’s a myriad of things, a collection of lies and half-truths, and the Avengers don’t know what to do with him.

-

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do with you,” Tony hears, and he knows he’s covered in engine grease and that there’s probably some in his hair, but that’s not really the point. Then there’s arms wrapping around him, a chest pressing to his back, lips against his temple, the smell of jasmine lotion surrounding him, Rhodey slotting into place behind him.

It’s embarrassing how long it takes Tony’s brain to register the facts, and he turns around so quickly he gets whiplash.

“You’re home!”

“Clearly I’m less interesting than that engine that you’re working on.”

“I haven’t slept in two days,” Tony says, just to watch Rhodey get that crinkle in his brow. He kisses it. “I missed you.”

“Missed you too, genius.” Rhodey’s lips trail across the exposed skin of his shoulder. “You’re wearing my sweatshirt.”

“When am I not wearing your sweatshirt, honey bear?”

“When I’m taking it off of you,” Rhodey says, punctuating it with a bite.

“Oh, yeah, fair point–“

Rhodey cuts him off with a kiss.

-

Steve walks in on them first, in the kitchen, where Tony’s sitting on the counter with his legs crossed under him, drowning in clothes that are too big for him and mismatched socks, wearing a smile that’s as blinding as the sun.

He feels like it’s a moment that needs to be captured in time, but only for the two men in front of him, a moment that he wasn’t meant to see.

Tony doesn’t look anything like Howard as he draws Jim Rhodes into a kiss.

Steve leaves, and if he draws the smile on Tony’s face and gives the picture to Jim later, that’s between them.

-

Natasha finds them during movie night, when Tony’s sleeping on top of Jim Rhodes, head pillowed on his chest and arms wrapped around his waist, bare feet hanging out at the end of the blanket that covers them both. The movie plays as background noise; even Natasha can see that Jim’s only got eyes for Tony.

When she comes closer to pull the blanket over Tony’s feet and Jim mouths a silent thanks to her, she sees Tony’s face, half-pressed into Jim’s neck.

He looks content. No mirror to reflect what she wants to see, only glass to show her what Jim Rhodes always sees.

Jim’s gaze shifts to meet hers.

“Wanna watch?” he asks softly, motioning towards the T.V. with a brush of his hand across Tony’s back.

The offer is surprising, but what’s more surprising is when she sits down, and Jim lets her put Tony’s feet in her lap to keep the blanket from slipping off of them again.

Neither of them watch the movie much, and Natasha realizes, as Tony starts to stir, and is greeted with a soft kiss from Jim, that the mirror doesn’t need breaking to show her the real Tony Stark.

-

Bruce comes across them in Tony’s workshop, where Tony’s lying on his stomach across a workbench, focused on a holographic blueprint of the War Machine armor, arms and legs dangling off the edge of the bench like he’s a little kid. Jim Rhodes’ fingers are loosely entwined with Tony’s from where he sits on stool, looking at the same hologram but in a smaller size.

Before Bruce can say anything, Tony rolls off the bench with no verbal warning; Jim catches him anyway.

They stand up together, and then suddenly they’re working together in a seamless dance of passing parts and trading kisses, the moon orbiting the earth, or the earth orbiting the sun, and Bruce thinks that maybe he does want to draw in the magnet that is Tony Stark.

-

Clint’s the last person in the Tower to see them, and when he does, they find him, rather than the other way around.

He’s sitting on the roof, because open air clears the clutter in his mind, and he hears the door open behind him.

They don’t even notice him, too wrapped up in each other, Tony tugging Jim outside, his quips and tricks and words turned soft, and they’re met with a smile that’s just as soft. None of it is a show, not for Jim Rhodes.

Clint clears his throat.

“You two should get a room.”

“Christ, birdbrain, warn a guy!” Tony yelps. His hand doesn’t leave Jim’s, and his face doesn’t change, and Clint thinks that maybe the curtains have closed for real, and the show is over for the Avengers, too.

-

Tony Stark is still an enigma.

But now, the Avengers understand him a bit better.

They understand that he belongs to Jim, and that Jim belongs to him, and that they are each other’s. They understand that if they don’t try to learn who Tony is, it won’t work, because the only person who can know him without any effort is Jim Rhodes. They understand that Tony will be what they want to see, that he will be abrasive and sharp, that he will be polarizing, that he will put on a show, unless he is with Jim Rhodes. They understand that Tony is not what they thought.

It’s still terrifying.

But it’s terrifying because Tony’s love is terrifying, all-encompassing, and they’ve only experienced a fragment of it.

It’s a miracle, they think, that Jim Rhodes hasn’t burned up yet.

Then again, Tony Stark protects his own.

[moved-to-anthotnio]

i’m here

Drabble | Rhodey/Tony | Post-Civil War, Tony Feels, Not Steve Friendly, Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Canon Character Deaths (Mention)

•••

When Steve Rogers - along with the rest of the avengers - leaves Tony behind, Rhodey is there to pick up the pieces.

In every movement, every stare he shares with him, Rhodey can see his husband's guilt, his restlessness, his wavering hope. It breaks something inside him, to see Tony lost and without a purpose. He had thought the Avengers were his family - they both had thought they were his family. But family wouldn't give up on you that easy, right?

Tony tries his best to hide it all, be it behind smiles, jokes, and even soft lingering kisses. But Tony has always been an open book for Rhodey to read, ever since they met at MIT, ever since they fell in love. So he knows, he knows his husband is in more pain that he allows himself to show. And it all comes crashing down one day, of course.

They're at Rhodey's physiotherapy appointment, joking around as Tony steals love-filled kisses from him. It's all so sweet, that Rhodey doesn't feel his legs giving out on him until he's being held by Tony. Rhodey looks up, startled, and something painful blossoms in his chest when he notices Tony’s shaking, tears streaming down his face, as he holds him tight and close to his chest.

Rhodey holds him back, rubbing circles on his back and whispering in repeat that it isn't Tony's fault, that he chose to fight by his side, that he's okay and he loves him and that he has nothing to forgive, as Tony sobs into his neck.

After a moment, Tony seems to calm down, but Rhodey doesn't let go. He keeps holding his husband, kissing his neck and jaw softly.

“He knew.” Tony whispers as if he were sharing a secret - and he is -, his voice breaking on the last word. “He knew that the Winter Soldier killed my parents.”

Rhodey is left breathless at the revelation, but before he can ask more, Tony continues, “He knew for the past two years, and he never told me. I risked my life for him, I risked your life for him. But I'm not even worth the truth, huh?”

“Tony,” Rhodey cups his husbands face between his hands, and looks into Tony's warm, brown eyes, filled with a deep sadness. “You are worth everything in this world, you're worth my love, and my loyalty and my life. Don't let him take that away from you.”

Tony closes his eyes, letting the tears gathered in the corners fall freely down his face. Rhodey kisses them away, and then presses his lips together. “I here for you, and I love you with all I am, and he will never take that away from you.”

•••

Ko-Fi | Patreon

[ivoryblush]

For Ironhusbands Week 2019

Day 1: “You keep me going.”

Check it out if you’d like!

@rhfenovemberbash​

@ironhusbandsweek​

[tonystarktogo]

My shadow's the only one that walks beside me. Tony, Rhodey

Rhodey is the first. It’s not a secret. Nor is it something anyone ever really comments on. Most don’t even acknowledge it, barely comprehend that there is something to acknowledge, so used have they become to this. It’s a simple, fundamental truth, nobody in their right mind would waste their time fighting.

When it comes to Tony Stark, Rhodey is the first. Always has been.

He’s the one the hospital calls, when they first fly him in from Siberia–never mind that Rhodey can barely get up from a chair on his good days, never mind that Tony’s and Pepper’s separation still isn’t public knowledge–just like they did when Tony was nineteen and had a shard of glass bigger than his palm embedded in his left foot, and Rhodey reaches the hospital long before they finish the surgery because that is what he does. There’s no family only bullshit from the doctors here either, because that’s what Rhodey is, Tony’s made sure of that. And so did Rhodey, that one time they refused to let him through to Tony, who had a lot of lawsuits to pay off once the anaesthesia wore off.

He doesn’t leave Tony’s side, not even when a squad of over-eager military guys show up to arrest Iron Man. And Rhodey may not be Tony, may not have billions of mega watt smiles and sheer audacity to carry him through, but he’s served in the army for decades. He knows how to work the system, knows which buttons to push and which laws to circumvent.

So that’s what he does. He calls in favours and gets in contact with old friends, dials the numbers of journalists JARVIS had cleared back when he’d still been around. He talks with the right people, gets the right story out there–the story of a betrayed hero in a coma, put their by his former team mates and friends. Adds a sprinkle of tearful, honourably discharged best friend. FRIDAY and Pepper help as much as they can, but it’s Rhodey who drives them, Rhodey who fights this battle with the same bullheaded stubbornness he’s fought every other one.

Because Rhodey is a soldier, and with his best friend recovering from excessive trauma and Ross throwing a tantrum, he’s in just the right state of mind to fight dirty.

That he gets to drag Captain America’s through the mud is really just an added bonus. One Rhodey takes a vindictive pleasure in, even though the tactician in him recognises a disadvantageous move when he sees it. Knows they might be in need of the runaway super-humans one day soon. 

He publicly tears them down all the same.

*

Later, looking back at those chaotic first weeks filled with accusations and nightmares, the thing that will most stand out to Rhodey isn’t Ross’ face when he first realised the guy in the wheelchair would push back, isn’t even the gracious moment Tony regained consciousness for the first time, confused and scared and barely aware, but recovering–healing–all the same. No, it’s the unsurprised acceptance people greet him with, the way not once any of them ask him ‘why’.

Granted, it’s not a question he’s asked himself either. Not in a long time. But it’s only now that he realises that the one thing nobody fights him on is his right to stand up for Tony. To speak for Tony, while he isn’t in a position to do it himself.

Rhodey has been there before the Avengers. He’s been there before Pepper. He’s always been the first. He just hasn’t considered until now that the public might know it too.

The first time he runs into T’Challa–after–serves as a bit of a wake-up call.

They’re in a private medical floor at Stark Tower–and damn hadn’t Rhodey taken a sick satisfaction in tearing that cursed Avengers’ sign down. T’Challa has brought some documents from yet another UN meeting in the aftermath of the wayward superhumans’ disappearance. It’s a front, and an obvious one at that. The king of a country doesn’t usually run around, handing people paperwork.

Which is precisely the reason Rhodey has ordered FRIDAY to bar the entry to Tony’s room. The enforced steel door may be a bit over the top, but the last time he turned his back on the guy, he came back in a thoroughly trashed suit with more internal damage than Rhodey cares to remember, so he doesn’t care.

“Ltd. Rhodes,” T’Challa greets him, and Rhodey appreciates the way the man’s eyes don’t linger on the wheelchair. “I hope you are doing well?”

It’s a bit disconcerting, really, to try and reconcile this calm, polite man with his cultured voice and proud but unobtrusive stance with the rage driven fury Rhodey had come to associate with the prince in his father’s death. Well, king now.

“As well as can be expected,” he replies, and though the words are polite there is no hiding the steely undertone. “A pleasure to meet you again, King T’Challa.” He bows his head in respect, but only a little. Respect has been hard to come by, these days.

“That is good to hear,” T’Challa smiles. It looks sincere enough, but then so had Rogers. Rhodey can’t bring himself to smile back. “These,” he pulls a very official looking stack of paper out of a very professional looking briefcase, “are copies of the transcript of Zemo’s interrogation, confession and trial. I believe you will find the jury’s verdict acceptable.”

Considering how at peace T’Challa looks, talking about the murderer of his beloved father, Rhodey has no doubt he will. Part of him wishes that would be enough, wishes the knowledge that justice has been served will fix–all of this. But it won’t. It will help, certainly, but it won’t mend what has been broken.

Not this time. Maybe not ever.

“Thank you,” he says instead and takes the file. “I’ll make sure that Tony will receive it once he’s feeling better.”

It’s a half-lie. Tony, in true Tony-fashion, is doing pretty damn good already. Very much to the displeasure of the medical staff who, Rhodey’s pretty sure, preferred him unconscious. If not from the start than certainly after he woke up for the third time and promptly pulled the IV out. The nurse had not been impressed. Just because Tony is convinced he’s perfectly fine though, doesn’t mean Rhodey wants anyone not vetted by him, FRIDAY and possibly an old friend in the FBI near him.

He’s seen the tremble in Tony’s hands–the one that refuses to die down for hours and comes back time and time again when someone mentions the Avengers–and he never wants to see it again.

To his credit, T’Challa seems neither surprised nor taken-aback by the unsaid but strongly implied warning to back off. If anything he looks like he’s expected nothing less, and that, that eases some of the tension Rhodey has been holding on to for weeks.  

They part on better terms than Rhodey has with anyone else since Tony made it back from Siberia.

*

Rhodey is the first. He has always known that. And slowly but surely the rest of the world is beginning to catch on as well.

[teamsharoncarter-archive]

8 & Rhodey x Tony for the ship ask

8. roomates au

Rhodey should have known not to take a nap when Tony didn’t have a class. He should have known to fight the sleep his deprived body needed.

His sock was wet and he hated life. The whole floor was covered in mini solo cups filled to the brim with water. He groaned and flopped backwards back onto the bed, cursing Tony.

Speak of the devil, he thought when his phone went off with Tony’s ringtone.

Forgot to mention, the floor is lava!

Rhodey narrowed his eyes at the text. That little fucker. One time! One time he plays that joke on Tony and this happens.

This means war he texted back.

send me a number and a ship