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Tony had always said he was Rhodey’s first and biggest fan. Every time something exciting was happening at work, Rhodey would call him to avidly tell him about it, only to have Tony say, “I already know. I’m your first and biggest fan.”
Rhodey would huff and say, “my Mama is my first fan. You’re my first stalker.”
And Tony would laugh and they would move on to talk about why Rhodey was excited and then to was going on with Tony and then to different topics, like NASA’s new robot.
In 2009, Rhodey became War Machine. Tony was the first to publicly call him a superhero, was the first to say Rhodey was his inspiration, was the first to release merch, was the first one to open a War Machine fan page. Tony was Rhodey’s first, and biggest fan, and he would fight everyone who said he wasn’t.
But now he wasn’t the only one.
Tony didn’t mean to get jealous. Tony was happy for Rhodey. He knew he always wanted to be a superhero, always wanted to be important and inspire others. Rhodey never admitted to wanting fans, always saying fame was vain and only for people like him, but Tony knew Rhodey preened when a little kid walked up to him and said they wanted to be just like him when they grew up. So Tony was supposed to be happy. Tony wasn’t the only looking up to Rhodey now, and he knew Rhodey loved that. But Tony just couldn’t be happy for him. He saw Rhodey’s fans as competition.
The thing was, Tony had been in love with Rhodey since MIT. He had long since come to terms with the fact that Rhodey would never see him like that, but Rhodey might see his fans like that. DADT was repealed in 2011, and a half a year after it was, Rhodey publicly came out. And ever since then men had been throwing themselves at Rhodey (and sometimes women who either thought he was too masculine to be gay or that they just had to talk about guys together). And Rhodey didn’t always seem uninterested in those guys. Tony’s jealousy told him it wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair because those people didn’t even know Rhodey, and Tony did know him. He knew him and he stayed for him. He was always there for Rhodey, and he was perfect for Rhodey. If he could just open his eyes, see that, and stop flirting with the random guy at the bar, while they were on guy’s night out, that would be great.
Rhodey promised him they would go out tonight. No Air-Force, no Avengers, no War Machine, no SI, nothing work or superhero related. Just them drinking beer and talking about this and that.
But then Rhodey left him for what was supposed to be a second, to bring them two more beers, suggesting it with a charming smile, and he didn’t come back. Tony turned his head five minutes after Rhodey hadn’t returned and spotted Rhodey standing and talking to an attractive man who was feeling up his arm.
Tony should let Rhodey talk to him, the logical part of him thought. Rhodey had always silently watched Tony flirt with men and women before, without complaining. He should return the favor. Maybe even play wingman. He could let Rhodey enjoy himself.
Rhodey laughed at something the man said and squeezed his shoulder, and Tony just couldn’t.
“-I’ve done a few jobs for military guys, I always liked Air-”
“Hey, Rhodey, where are those beers?” Tony asked, cutting off whatever the man was saying, “if I knew you’d get lost in this maze of a bar, I would have offered a map.” Then Tony turned and smiled towards the anonymous man, “hello, maze.”
The man looked between the two of them, “am I interrupting something?”
Tony said “yes” at the same time Rhodey said “no”.
They glared at one another.
The man didn’t falter in his charms, however, giving Rhodey’s bicep one last squeeze, and saying, “how about you two figure this out, and you’ll call me after?” He handed Rhodey a business card, it seeming to have materialized out of nowhere.
Rhodey smiled back at him, taking the card, “great, thank you.”
The man left, not a minute too soon, if Tony must say, and Tony immediately grabbed the card from Rhodey’s fingers, “aw, he has his own law firm, nice,” and then he started ripping the card to pieces.
Rhodey looked alarmed, trying to stop him, “Tony, what are you-”
“You don’t want to go out with him. He’s your fan,” Tony cut him off, “oh my God, it’s War Machine,” Tony mock squealed, “wow, you are so big and strong and I’m not wearing any underwear!”
“It wasn’t like that,” Rhodey told him firmly, looking sadly down at the ripped business card, “he was nice. Funny. Smart. We talked. We got to know each other. It’s not that big of a deal. And are you doing him or you?”
Tony scoffed, his cheeks flushing as they always did when Rhodey said anything even close to flirting back, “I’m different. I was your fan, because I was your friend. Your fans, they don’t know you. They love War Machine. I love you .” Then Tony blinked and started stumbling over his words, realizing what he just said, “I mean like. The real you. Like I got to know you and then I loved you, as a friend. It wouldn’t be like with your fans. It’s a total power imbalance. And they’d be disappointed.”
“Why would they be disappointed?” Rhodey asked, seeming amused, and slightly hurt.
“Because the media always tells lies,” Tony rushed to clarify, “like ‘War Machine’s dick is eleven inches long, more at ten’. Not because you’re not amazing, it’s just impossible to measure up to all those fake stories.”
“What if what you said is true, though?” Rhodey asked, smirking.
Tony’s face flushed deeper, and he was having trouble getting to the point, “then, then uh- well, good for you, but that’s not my point, my point is these kinds of stories are lies, and your- your fans believe them. I’m passing my knowledge down to you, listen up - You need to have a proper power balance with someone you date. Believe me. You’re new at this whole fame thing. You need to date someone who you knew for a long time, or that is equal to you. Like Pepper is to me. Or another celebrity, or maybe even another superhero.”
“So, that’s why you haven’t had a serious relationship ever?” Rhodey asked, and added, muttering under his breath, “and why you feel like you are in a proper position to give me dating advice?”
“Yup,” Tony lied in response to the first question. The real reason was that he always wanted to be available for Rhodey. The second question stung a whole different way than the lie. “And don’t be a smartass. Things have changed and I’m starting to think about it. A serious relationship.” Please ask more, Tony slienty begged.
“With another Avenger, apparently,” Rhodey smirked, seeming to take the chance to change the subject, “do tell.”
Why would he think that? Because he said superhero? Goddamnit, Rhodey, he never said an Avenger! “Oh, well, I won’t pretend I didn’t notice Steve or Thor, but they’re sort of dense and clueless, so I don’t know about that. Natasha is good looking and can match me wit for wit, but she’s too secretive and I’m pretty sure she’s a lesbian. There’s also… Bruce. He’s intelligent and cute and a good friend. But he’s not emotionally mature enough. So…” Please ask about other superheroes, please!
“You’re not emotionally mature,” Rhodey countered, amused.
“Which is exactly why I need someone who is!” Like you. Like someone who always catches me when I fall. Someone who I’m willing to return the favor to.
Rhodey laughed, “good point. Then I guess Pepper is your best bet.”
“Yeah,” Tony said, trying to hide his frustration at the fact he was clearly describing Rhodey as his ideal person, “but it could ruin our professional relationship. I need someone else.”
Rhodey and Tony fell into silence again, Rhodey seeming thoughtful. He really hoped that Rhodey was thinking about what Tony was practically screaming to him. He was screaming to Rhodey that he wanted him, and that he wanted Rhodey to consider dating him.
“Do you think you could track down that guy’s number for me? I remember his name and we know he has a law firm,” Rhodey said when he broke the silence, “I think I still want to go out with him. You owe me. For ripping his number and blowing me off to fuck someone else a million times.”
Tony really hoped Rhodey couldn’t hear his heart breaking. He smiled tightly and said, “fine, but when you’re stuck with a prenup that’s gonna screw you over, don’t come crying to me.”
~~~
Rhodey’s fan’s name was Ewan Johnston. His law firm was small, difficult to find, but not nearly impossible. He hacked into a few more places to get Johnston’s personal phone number, and he sent that to Rhodey as well as his work number. He hoped Rhodey would call his personal number, probably scaring the guy into thinking Rhodey was a stalker. And then Rhodey would be sad and could find comfort in him, and then-
Nope. There was no use for thoughts like that. Rhodey was already on the date with Johnston. And Tony wasn’t rooting against Rhodey. He wanted Rhodey to be happy. If not with him, then with someone else, and all that other cliché shit. If his best friend could find someone to make him happy, then Tony would be happy for him. He would be jealous, depressed, possibly suicidal, but he would be happy for him.
He just wished he could be happy for himself too.
However, Tony was trying to put his mind off that, having some lab with Bruce to distract himself from the fact that Rhodey was on a date that Tony helped him set up right now. If he checked his phone every five minutes for an SOS from Rhodey anyway, then sue him.
“Do you have a crush on me?” Bruce asked, causing Tony to drop his phone.
“ What ?” Tony asked in surprise, “no! Why would you think that?”
“Lt. Col. Rhodes, um, War Machine, your best friend-”
“-yes, I know who Rhodey is-”
“-well, he’d been pressuring me to ask you out, and I told him it wasn’t like that, but he told me you said you think I’m intelligent and cute and a good friend. So… is it true?”
“No, it’s not true!” Tony huffed. Why on Earth did Rhodey think he had a crush on Bruce? Could he be more oblivious than Tony thought?
“You don’t think all that?” Bruce asked, insulted.
“No, I do, and I told him that,” Tony rushed to assure Bruce. That man didn’t need anymore things hurting his ego. “It isn’t like that,” he explained, “this is a huge misunderstanding. I’m sorry honeybear was harassing you. It isn’t like that.”
“Oh,” Bruce said, “it’s fine. It was sweet. He gave me his blessing and everything. He seems to want you to be happy.”
Tony’s stomach was twisting with guilt. Here Tony was scheming to destroy Rhodey’s date, and meanwhile Rhodey was trying to find him a significant other. He was such a jerk. He was being a terrible friend. God, what was he doing?
“Yeah, it’s sweet,” Tony said weakly.
Bruce regarded him, before making a small ‘oh’ sound and putting a comforting hand around Tony’s shoulders, “you love him, don’t you?”
Tony buried his face in his hands, “am I that obvious?”
“No, not really,” Bruce said, mostly to his benefit, Tony suspected, “you just seemed weirdly sad about your best friend trying to find you a boyfriend. So I figured…”
Tony took a deep breath, trying not to get frustrated, “I’m just sick of it. I always knew he didn’t feel the same way, but now he’s dating! He never dated before! I mean, sure, there were a few women I set him up with to help him trick the military into thinking he was straight. They thought we were sleeping together. They knew about bisexuality, so I don’t understand why it worked, but it did. The point is, that’s Rhodey’s whole dating history. But now he’s out, and people are flirting with him, and he flirts back. And I have to watch and help!” Tony was exploding by the end, “I’m sorry, I’m rambling.”
Bruce smiled sympathetically, “if it helps, he didn’t sound too happy about the idea of us being together.”
Tony was sure that Bruce was lying for his benefit again, but he still couldn’t help grinning and saying, “thanks. It does.”
~~~
“So how was the date?” Tony asked, having dying to ask it all evening, dreading and anticipating the response at the same time.
“It was good,” Rhodey said, sounding cheery, “he noticed I was inexperienced in dating, and he was very nice about it. He’s also smart. A successful lawyer. Doesn’t know shit about engineering, but that’s okay. We had dinner and then he asked me back to his place-”
“Oh,” Tony stopped him, “do I want to hear this?”
“We had coffee,” Rhodey finished, “and shut up. You have told me about your conquests in vivid detail. Hell, you even made me watch your sex-tape once.”
“Alright, alright, okay,” Tony cut him off before he could ramble about everything inappropriate Tony has done in front of him. Boy, that would be a long list. He forgot he did what Rhodey was talking about. That wasn’t what was important though. He finally asked what he really wanted to ask, “so… nothing happened?”
“Well, not nothing. We kissed,” Rhodey said.
Rhodey sounded too excited about that. “Congratulations,” Tony teased, “how was your first kiss? Probably bad. Did you also hold hands?”
“Shut up,” Rhodey laughed, “I know that all of your dates end in sex, but this is how normal people date.”
Tony rolled his eyes, “whatever. How many times did he fanboy over you being War Machine?”
“...Only two,” Rhodey responded reluctantly, “alright, I see your point. But I listened to you, I didn’t want to take advantage of him. I told him what you said. He said that after the date he was only more impressed by me.”
Tony tried to hold back tears. Rhodey sounded so happy and wistful, and Tony was the most awful, heartbroken person in the world. “That’s great, man. Maybe I was wrong.”
“I hope so,” Rhodey responded.
~~~
“Are you okay? James texted me,” Pepper asked him as soon as Tony picked up the phone.
“I mean no, but first tell me what he texted you.”
“‘Pepper, if you and Tony don’t get your shit together and get together, I swear to God I will kill you. Tony has been pining and me and Ewan need a couple to double date with’,” Pepper read aloud, “so two questions. First, who the fuck is Ewan and how are you handling that? And second, why the fuck does James still think we’re going to get together?”
“I told you I have no idea!” Tony exclaimed, “he just saw for a minute and now he’s sure we are going to bone.”
“That was five years ago, Tony,” Pepper countered, “you were supposed to tell him he was wrong a while ago, but you keep using me to show him you’re not in love with him.”
So, Rhodey might have noticed something was wrong and Tony might have told him he was bummed because Pepper was dating Happy (which she was) and wasn’t giving him attention. He didn’t think Rhodey would rat Pepper out to him about that.
“Alright, alright, I’m sorry. If it makes you feel any better, you’re not the only one getting his treatment. Bruce already asked me if I have a crush on him, and Natasha told me she was flattered and asked me how I knew she was gay.”
Pepper paused, “well, it’s nice to know I’m not alone. Why does Rhodey think you want to fuck your teammates?”
Tony sighed and started explaining, “I was trying to show him he shouldn’t date Ewan because he was his fan. I told him he should date another superhero. He now thinks I want an avenger. I was trying to show him I wanted him, another superhero,” Tony groaned, “God, I’m dying. He’s so oblivious, and he’s never going to see me that way. Why am I still trying?”
“Tony, if you just outright said it, I’d bet he’d dump Ewan in a heartbeat and be with you.”
Tony shook his head. He didn’t understand why Pepper thought that, but she had yet to let it go. “You’re wrong. He might be out now, but he’s been out to me for years, and nothing has happened.”
“Yeah, because of DADT and because you were sleeping with everything that moves.”
“Trying to get over him,” Tony pointed out.
“He wouldn’t see it that way and please, you were trying to keep your horniness in check while keeping an opening for him.”
Damn, she knew him too well. “Well, nothing is happening right now either!” Tony snapped, frustrated.
Pepper sighed, “I’m sorry. This whole Rhodey-has-a-boyfriend-thing must have been hard for you.”
“Yeah,” Tony crawled into himself, hugging himself, “it is. I’m pathetic, frankly.”
“Maybe it’s time to move on,” Pepper suggested, “this has been going on for what, almost three decades? Maybe the next person Rhodey sends your way, you should take them up on it.”
“That would be Steve or Thor, so fuck no,” Tony frowned, “I’ll figure something out. It’ll be fine.”
~~~
Rhodey and Ewan’s relationship was sickeningly sweet. It was like little kids attempting a relationship. Ewan had asked Rhodey to be his boyfriend . They always texted each other good night and good morning, like they were each other’s first and last thoughts. Rhodey asked Tony to make one of Ewan’s ideas for merch, asking to make it a surprise for their two months anniversary (the fuck was that?). To Tony’s knowledge, he and Ewan hadn’t slept together yet, and Tony wasn’t sure if to be grateful for that or scared Rhodey was sparing him the knowledge. Tony was sure Rhodey secretly hated it. His honeybear couldn’t be enjoying something that cheesy. And with no sex to help him through it. He had to save him-
“Tony, stop it,” Pepper warned, “he just wants different things from you.”
The most frustrating thing was, Ewan was perfectly nice. Rhodey set up for them all to meet, and Ewan seemed to make Rhodey happy and he was funny (making Tony laugh despite himself at least once) and he reeked of smart lawyer with his eloquent words and persuasive speeches. He went into a rant about something political at least once.
But the thing that really tipped Tony off that Ewan was a good guy that didn’t deserve Tony scheming to tear him apart and ruin his life, was when Ewan had cornered him.
“Mr Stark, I wanted to talk to you,” he said, “I’m… this is bizarre for me, because you are like my idol, and now I’m seeking a shovel talk from you.” He chuckled. “Well, I don’t want a shovel talk, but it seems like I’ll be asking for one. It’s just that I really like James, and I get the sense you don’t like me. And well... James talks about you a lot. He really loves you. I know it would mean a lot to him if we were friends. Give me a chance to win you over. I know you like cheeseburgers. Maybe we could meet at a burger place and talk once?”
This irritated Tony. How dare Rhodey's boyfriend think they could be friends? Didn’t he know who he was? Didn’t he understand he wasn’t special, just a lucky person winning the lottery to Rhodey’s heart? “I don’t know, Johnston, I’m busy, you know, saving the world. With my company and the Avengers.”
“Oh, don’t worry, I get it,” Ewan assured him, “the law firm is quite a handful too. We can talk and find a time that works for both of us. Maybe even if you’re too busy, you can bring the Avengers with you.”
Tony narrowed his eyes at him, “that won’t happen. The Avengers aren’t toys that I can help someone in a make a wish foundation meet. Maybe someone in a make a wish foundation, actually. Are you in one, Johnston?”
“No, I’m not. And I know, it was a joke,” Ewan assured him, slightly panicked, “I just want to meet up with you. And please call me Ewan.”
Tony sighed, seeing that Ewan was not backing down, “fine, I’ll see if I can work you in.”
Ewan beamed at him, and Tony could almost see what Rhodey saw in him. Almost.
But Rhodey didn’t need someone like that. He didn’t need a ball of sunshine to make him smile. He needed someone who understood the dark and hard parts of his life and made him laugh when he needed it.
“I don’t get why you enjoy being with him,” Tony confessed one day, “he seems too… cutesy. You’re not cutesy. You’re in your mid-forties.”
“What are you talking about?” Rhodey almost seemed offended, “Ewan isn’t cutesy.”
“Oh right, how was the three months anniversary?” Tony mocked, “did he ask your Mama for permission before he asked to be your boyfriend? And oh, what happens if you don’t text him good morning? You get to text him goodnight from the couch?”
Rhodey narrowed his eyes, “we don’t always text each other good morning. Just the one time you stole my phone. And will you get over the asking to be your boyfriend thing? He just did that because he wanted to be clear he wasn’t messing around with me. And for God’s sake, I didn’t say I wanted the gift for our two months anniversary, I said I wanted it before the weekend after I told you that, because he was going away on business, and I just mentioned that day was our two months mark. Tony, what is going on with you?”
“Nothing,” Tony folded his arms, “I’m just worried maybe you’re being blind to the faults in your relationship because it's your first one. You two aren’t even sleeping together, but you’re taking major other steps. That seems like a red flag to me.”
“Who said we’re not sleeping together?” Rhodey asked, and Tony was regretting his words suddenly, because he didn’t need to know that. Then Rhodey examined him, making a face as if he realized something, “you’re jealous.”
Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, oh, no, no, Rhodey’s can’t know. “What, no I’m not!” he said.
“It’s alright, Tony, you’ll find it too,” Rhodey assured him, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder, “I know you said you were looking for a serious relationship. You can get it too, you know.”
Right. Rhodey was the most oblivious person on Earth. “I’m not jealous of your fucking juvenile relationship with your fan! I’m not jealous at all! I’m just sick of always hearing about him when I’m with you. I came first, and you’re mine, and he doesn’t get to swoop in and take you away!”
Tony felt like clasping a hand over his mouth, realizing he’d said too much and showed his cards. Rhodey just stared at him, shocked. And angry, it seemed. Tony felt like running away. Rhodey probably knows he’s in love with him by now and will never speak to him again. Great, that was fucking great.
“You’re the most selfish person I know, you know that?” Rhodey shook his head, “the second I find someone I like as much as I like you, you act like I’ve disappeared completely from your life and that I’m not paying attention to you anymore. You’re my best friend, Tony, I give you as much attention as one would give to their friend. Me having a boyfriend has done nothing to stop me from being your best friend. Look, I love you man, but you are being jealous and selfish. You are jealous that I’m getting more attention than you, and jealous that I’m not suddenly not your inexperienced, lonely friend that you can show off all your conquests to, and I’ll be here listening. You’re jealous that I’m suddenly not at your beck and call. Well, fuck you, Tony, I’m not yours, and I can do whatever I want with my life.”
After hearing that, Tony did run away.
~~~
“Tony, you need to get out of this funk,” Pepper said, starting to gather his empty donut cases and pizza boxes, “I need you to sign these papers and you’re making me act like your assistant again.”
“Pepper, you don’t understand, Rhodey and I never get into fights. I mean, he doesn’t like some things I do and vice versa, but we always have each other’s backs, and we always work this out. But everything he told me… how long has he been keeping that in? Has he really felt that way? I mean, I knew he had to hide who he was for a while, and I guess he thought I was lucky that I could be with any man I wanted. But like… is it true? Have I been doing that? Have I been keeping Rhodey around for the ego boost?”
“Isn’t that why you keep everyone around?”
“Pepper,” Tony whined.
Pepper sighed, sitting next to Tony, “Tony, you’ve been keeping James around because you love him. He’s probably just mad because you told him he was yours.”
Tony groaned, “yes, that was stupid and possessive. I don’t know how he thinks I still only see him as a friend.”
“Me neither,” Pepper admitted, “you’ll make up, though. I promise. Maybe a little distance will help you get over your jealousy.”
“Nope,” Tony said, “I keep refreshing my messages like a loser. I thought the fact he was paying less attention to me was agony, but this so much worse. I wish he’d just text me. Or call me. Even if it is just to yell at me. Do you think if I annoy him he’ll talk to me?”
Pepper scoffed, “yeah, cause that worked before.”
“Yeah, it did.”
Pepper took the phone away from him, “let him come to you, okay?”
Tony tried desperately to gab back at his phone, but when Pepper didn’t give in, Tony sighed and let his head drop on Pepper’s shoulder, “yeah, okay.”
~~~
“You and Jim are idiots,” a message on his phone dinged from Little Rhodey.
“Thanks, we know,” Tony responded, “why now?”
“Because he’s dating someone that is like, lawyer you.”
Tony frowned at the text, “if you knew me, you’d know I’d never be a lawyer, so that can’t be. What do you mean, though?”
“I mean that he’s a tan white guy with brown eyes and fluffy brown hair and he really wants to save the world and Jim has to remind him to eat and he calls Jim honey and tiger and he has your sense of humor and he’s animated when he’s excited. Just like you.”
Tony’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t notice that. But that did sound like him and Ewan. Why would Rhodey date someone like him? “It’s probably just a coincidence. How do you know all this, anyway?”
“Jim took him to meet all of us.”
Tony wanted to scream. The Rhodes’ were the people Rhodey took Tony to see. That was their thing. Now Ewan was replacing him that way too?
It was a stupid thing to get jealous over. Ewan was Rhodey’s boyfriend, it was inevitable. Still, Tony was tempted to send his ‘does Mama like him better than me?’ massage but before he could, he got a text message from Jeanette,
“But Jim isn’t even enjoying it, because he’s too pressed about his fight with you.”
“Really?” Tony immediately deleted the previous text and sent the new one to Jeanette.
“Yeah. But how quick did you ask that?”
“Shut up,” Tony texted her, “what are you doing telling me this, anyway? The second your big brother brings home someone, you text the guy you’d rather he be with? Aren’t you supposed to be supportive?”
“You really know nothing about families, don’t you?” Jeanette teases, “Tony, this guy might be similar enough to you to show you he really wants to be with you, but he’s not you. He can’t make Jim happy like you can.”
He wanted that to be true. But he didn’t believe it was. “Thanks, Lil’ Rhodey, but right now I’m not even sure Rhodey wants to be my friend, let alone my boyfriend.”
~~~
They made up another week after that. The supervillain of the day showed up, this time being some veteran who vowed to take revenge on the army by blowing the UN building up. It involved Rhodey’s jurisdiction, so he showed up too, and the both of them worked smoothly together, despite still being in a fight.
Tony’s heart skipped a beat when one of the supervillain's drones nearly struck Rhodey down, but thankfully Tony was there to catch him. They eventually talked the terrorist down and arrested him, zero casualties involved.
After it was all over, Tony caught Rhodey’s shoulder before he could fly away, “hey,” he said and Rhodey turned towards him, “I’m sorry about being so possessive. You’re right, I don’t need you to be eagerly waiting by the phone for me to call. You’re allowed to have other people.”
Rhodey smiled at him tensely, “thanks. I’m sorry, too, about what I said.”
“So… we’re good?” Tony asked.
“Yup,” Rhodey said and lifted his faceplate up, “sorry, I have to go. I left Ewan in the middle of a date.”
“Right, right, go-”
Rhodey flew away before Tony could finish his sentence.
~~~
Rhodey didn’t really talk to him the following week. Tony asked him to go get a beer or a burger with him, but Rhodey always blew him off and once he’d said, “can’t, but Ewan would love too.” Tony scoffed and didn’t respond. Tony considered maybe stopping talking to Rhodey altogether. If their friendship really mattered, Rhodey would come to him. But the terrified part of him feared that would never happen and he’d lose Rhodey forever, unless he pushed.
The thing was, it wasn’t like Rhodey to blow him off like that. Rhodey always made time for him. Even checked in on him once in a while. If Rhodey was mad at him, he could be cold, but if he sensed Tony needed him, he always came running. He had told him that was exactly the issue, though. Tony didn’t know how to fix it. But Tony didn’t ask, didn’t push too hard, until Rhodey showed up at the tower.
“Hey,” he said, Tony too stunned by the surprise (Rhodey didn’t like those kinds of surprises. He used to, but now he liked schedules) to say it back, “I know we aren’t on great terms right now, but can I sleep on your couch?”
Tony said nothing, but wordlessly spread his arms and hugged Rhodey. Only once Rhodey had returned the hug, had Tony said, “of course, man. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”
Rhodey was quiet when Tony had let him in. He usually wasn’t that loud, but he wasn’t quiet. He joked with Tony, talked with him, liberally took sodas and food from Tony’s fridge and turned on the TV. Now he was just standing, hesitant.
“You can sit on the couch if you like,” Tony teased.
Rhodey didn’t even seem to notice he was joking, sitting and muttering, “thanks.”
“You want pizza?” Tony asked nervously, knowing Rhodey was only quiet like this when something bad happened, “I ordered the kind you like. I don’t know why, it’s disgusting, I guess I was thinking of you and slipped up.” Like I’m doing right now , Tony thought, stop babbling like an idiot. “You want some?”
“No, thanks,” Rhodey said.
Tony closed the fridge and went to sit down next to Rhodey. Rhodey didn’t say anything then either, still seeming deep in thought. “Rhodey, say something, you’re freaking me out here.”
Rhodey looked at him sharply, leaning in to put a hand on his knee, “did you know that when I was on tour, everytime I had my hands on a paper, I’d grab it and look for you in it?”
Tony didn’t know that. It was… sweet. Tony had done the same for him, always drinking up every word any Air-Force general had to say, hoping maybe they’d talk about Rhodey.
“I’d cut out or rip out any article I could find about you, and I’d put all the pieces of paper in a box. Jean used to call it ‘Tony in a box’. I was probably your biggest fan back then.”
“You were up against the guy who stalked me for a month, so… doubtful.”
Rhodey moved his hands, so he was holding Tony’s, “point is, I did it because I missed you. And… I miss you now, too. I caught myself doing it this morning, so I realized I missed you. I miss you.”
Tony looked away from Rhodey’s gaze, something he couldn’t recognize in his eyes, “you didn’t really show it lately.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I was just pissed at you, but I shouldn’t have been so harsh.”
“It’s okay, I deserved it a bit,” Tony tried to joke.
“I mean, yeah…”
They both laughed.
“Ewan and I broke up,” Rhodey told him after a while when they just smiled at one another. It took Tony completely off guard.
“What? Why?”
“He said he didn’t fit in my world. That he didn’t want to worry about a superhero boyfriend. That he couldn’t keep up with my friends…” Rhodey looked pointedly at Tony.
“I’m so sorry, Rhodey,” that passive aggressive text made so much more sense now. “I didn’t mean for you two to break up,” he lied.
“It wasn’t your fault. I guess you were just right about dating fans,” Rhodey shook his head, “and… and he thought I was ashamed of him. And he was mad at me for hiding my injuries after that fight.”
“What?” Tony’s eyes blew wide, “you were hurt after the fight? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I’m fine now,” Rhodey assured him, “and because I was mad at you. Probably why I hid it from Ewan, too. And uh… there was this other thing.”
“What thing?” Tony inquired, only half focused because he was texting JARVIS to scan Rhodey behind his back.
“He told me he loved me,” Rhodey hesitated as he spoke, “and I didn’t say it back.”
Tony stopped in his typing, “oh. Oh, wow. Um. Why didn’t you say it back? Is this some ‘I don’t deserve love’ shit? Because I’m here to tell you, that’s bull-”
“No, it’s not that,” Rhodey said, “it’s not that with him anyway.”
“Then why didn’t you say it then?”
“Because I just didn’t feel it,” Rhodey said.
“Why not?” Tony pressed.
“Because he’s not you,” Rhodey blurted out.
Tony felt his mind crashing like a computer. He let the implication of Rhodey’s words hang in the air for a minute. Rhodey was in love with him. Rhodey was in love with him . It was unbelievable. Tony had dreamed and fantasised about this, but he never believed it could actually happen.
When he came to it, he noticed how Rhodey seemed crushed by Tony’s silence. He looked like he thought he made a big mistake. Tony couldn’t have that. The first thing he did was move to press close to Rhodey, cupping his face in his hands, “oh, oh, wow, oh my God, why didn’t you tell me?”
Rhodey chuckled, leaning into Tony’s touch, “do you want all the reasons or just a few?”
Tony snickered, “yes, I’m a tough one.”
“No, it’s not that, Tony,” Rhodey said, stroking Tony’s hand where they lay on his cheeks, “it was… it was either because of DADT or because you were sleeping with everyone else or just because I felt like I couldn’t measure up to the great Tony Stark. But then… then I became War Machine and then I came out and nothing happened when it finally felt like something could. You just… you just started acting weird-”
“Jealous,” Tony corrected quickly, “of all the men throwing themselves at you.”
“Right,” Rhodey said, “the only conversation we had about it, you said not to date your fans. And you always said you were my biggest fan, so.”
“Yeah, but I also said I was different!” Tony exclaimed, “God, I was being so obvious, how could you not notice?”
“You also went on a rant about how your teammates were attractive,” Rhodey pointed out.
“What did you want me to do, just admit I’m in love with you?”
“Yes!”
Tony and Rhodey both glared at each other before bursting into laughter.
They calmed down a few minutes later, Tony curled up into Rhodey’s chest, and both of them grinning at one another, insanely happy. “Well, I’m doing it now,” Tony said, looking intently into Rhodey’s beautiful eyes, so dark they were just his pupil. He always liked how it meant most of Rhodey’s eyes were just emotion. “I’m in love with you.”
Rhodey softened, “think maybe we can lift that ‘no dating your fans’ rule?”
Tony laughed, “guess we could make an exception.”
~~~
A week after they were dating, Tony wrote on the fan page (previously filled with gossip about Rhodey and his new boyfriend) a message for all the suitors, hearing about Rhodey’s breakup and thinking they could have his Rhodey. “He’s mine. Back off.”
Rhodey seemed to disapprove, but that was before the best sex Tony ever had.
~~~
Years later, the Rhodes’ family and Tony were joking about Rhodey’s ex boyfriend.
“His name was Ewan,” Tony said, “eeee-wen. He should have just been called Ewok.”
Rhodey glared at him, “his name wasn’t that bad.”
“The Star Wars connotation is probably why you dated him to begin with,” Tony kept teasing and Rhodey silenced him with a kiss.
Jeanette laughed, “what about the fact he was clearly Rhodey trying to find a boyfriend like you?”
Rhodey bristled, “untrue!”
“Jimmy, he called you honey and tiger,” Mama Rhodes pointed out, “remind you of someone else who calls you honeybear and by the name of an animal?”
“C’mon, they are popular pet names,” Rhodey protested.
“What about that joke he said about being with Rhodey?” Rhodey’s dad suggested, “Tony told me the exact same joke the first time you brought him home as your boyfriend. He had the exact sense of humor as Tony’s.”
“That’s just a coincidence,” Rhodey countered.
“What about his little rant about responsibility? I had flashbacks to watching Tony speak on TV the day he stopped weapon manufacturing,” Jeanette added, ignoring him.
“The fact he wore nothing but suits and shades?”
“Or his hair and eyes and bubble-”
“Alright, alright!” Rhodey threw his hands up in surrender, “so I have a type.”
“Aw, honey, are you blushing?” Tony leaned in to kiss his cheek, “we’re only teasing.”
“Hey, you don’t even notice,” Jeanette accused.
“Yeah, and you were acting crazy jealous,” Rhodey joined the attack, “that’s more embarrassing.”
Tony smirked, “but I got you, didn’t I?”
Rhodey sighed, but was smiling at him fondly, “yeah. Yeah, I guess you did.”