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May 29th. This is the day. Tony’s made it through another year of life, and just like every year before it, he feels alone. Howard obviously didn’t call. He never calls Tony on his birthday, and if Tony’s being honest with himself, he doesn’t want to speak to him anyway. He can barely handle the criticisms that Howard spews at him every other day of the year, and he definitely doesn’t want to hear them on his birthday.
As always, his mom actually does call. She calls every year and just like the last time, she gives Tony a quick, “Happy birthday, I love you,” then gives an excuse as to why she has to get off of the phone. This year it’s that she’s late for a meeting. Last year, it was that she was on vacation, and the year before it, she didn’t even have a legitimate excuse. She just said that she had something to do that wasn’t talking to Tony. Well, obviously she didn’t say the last part, but Tony knows that’s what she was thinking.
He hasn’t gotten a single text or call from one of his friends either. Tony’s not really surprised. If his parents don’t want to make the time for him today, even on his birthday, why would his friends either?
His dorm is silent. He’s not trying to wallow in self pity. He really isn’t, but he’s been sitting in the dark in front of his desk since 9 pm and can’t really help himself. The only sound being made in the silence of his dorm room is the ticking of the clock hanging on the wall next to his bed.
Tony glances up from a spot on his desk that he’s staring at and sees that it’s 11:52 pm. Eight more minutes, and it won’t be his birthday anymore. Another year wasted on loneliness and self pity.
Tony tries to act like it doesn’t bother him. He really does. It’s not like he isn’t used to being alone on his birthday. He’s never been good at making friends that want to stay around him for more than an hour at a time and obviously his parents aren’t there. He just wishes that he could experience something different. Something other people experience. He just wants that feeling of being a central thought within someone else’s brain, especially on a day like his birthday.
He runs his fingers through his hair and decides to go down to the lab in the science building. He’s tired of the pity party he’s throwing himself and wants a distraction. No, he needs a distraction from the overwhelming feeling of loneliness that’s beginning to choke him.
Just as he’s about to get up from his chair, someone knocks on his door. He glances at the clock again before getting up, and it reads 11:58 pm. Two more minutes and Tony can finally forget about this day and the lack of meaning it has for him.
Getting up, he walks over to the door and swings it open. Rhodey is standing there smiling at him with a store bought cake in one hand and a gift paper wrapped box in the other.
James Rhodes. His Rhodey. His platypus. His honey bear. His best friend. He didn’t expect him to be there, but there he is, smiling at him as if Tony is the best thing in the world.
“Happy birthday, Tony.” Rhodey says as Tony steps back and lets him into the room. Standing in front of him, Rhodey hands Tony the box and looks up expectantly at him.
Looking down at the box, Tony shakes it and whatever is in there rattles against the inside walls of the box, but the action doesn’t give him any clue as to what could be in there. Glancing up, Tony looks at Rhodey questioningly and Rhodey asks, “Well are you gonna open it?”
Ripping off the wrapping paper, Tony opens the box and sees a framed picture sitting inside. It’s a picture of him and Rhodey with Rhodey’s arm thrown over Tony’s shoulder. It was taken at the robotics competition they went to and won last month. They’re both smiling, but instead of looking at the camera, they’re both looking at each other. Fondness is radiating from both of their eyes and Tony’s breath stops as he analyzes every aspect of the photo.
He’s received gifts from Howard every year, but it’s always tools and gadgets. It’s never been something this personal before and Tony feels overwhelmed. This is the feeling that he had been asking for earlier. The feeling that someone cares. He can’t believe he even considered Rhodey being a part of the group of people that hang around him, but don’t actually care for him.
Rhodey’s been there for him since the beginning. Since they first ran into each other in the hallway and Rhodey helped Tony pick up the papers that he dropped in the collision. Ever since that moment it’s been him and Rhodey. Rhodey and Tony. Everyone in their classes knows about the two teens that got accepted early into MIT and how they now seem to gravitate around each other ever since meeting.
Rhodey’s done so much for Tony.
Rhodey is the one that picks up Tony drunk from parties and makes sure he doesn’t go home with anyone that could take advantage of him.
Rhodey is the one that helps Tony with all his projects and gives Tony the ideas that help him finish his work.
Rhodey is the one who brings Tony food when he’s stuck on one of his big ideas for an invention and won’t leave the lab.
Rhodey is the one who drags Tony out of the lab with the offer to watch movies, which both of them know are really just disguised ways that Rhodey gets Tony to sleep more often. Tony knows that he never makes it past the first thirty minutes without nodding off with his head resting on Rhodey’s shoulder, but Rhodey never seems to mind.
It wasn’t until this moment though, with Rhodey standing across from him on the night of his birthday, that he realizes he is as important to Rhodey as Rhodey is as important to him. At this point, Tony realizes it was ridiculous for him to ever doubt his honey bear, and he hopes he never does it again.
Glancing back up, Tony realizes he’s been silent for too long, and as he makes eye contact with Rhodey, Rhodey begins to stutter and explain that he didn’t have the money to get something bigger, but is cut off when Tony rushes forward to hug him.
Rhodey leans back to steady himself then lifts his arms to place them around Tony’s back, being careful not to drop the cake he has in his right hand. He sets his chin on top of Tony’s head and starts to rub his back with his free hand when it’s been a couple minutes and Tony still hasn’t let go.
A few more minutes pass and they slowly begin to let go of each other. Tony whispers, “Thanks, Rhodey,” and steps away to put the picture of them together on his desk.
He can’t stop the smile that’s radiating on his face and can’t bring himself to care.
After standing there for a second, Rhodey looks at Tony’s bed and suggests that they eat the cake he brought and talk about the theory Tony was telling him about the other day.
….
It’s one of the quietest birthday’s Tony’s had, but unlike the previous years, Tony feels warmth radiating in his chest.