OVER BY THE BATHROOM. 25. She. Regularly crying about Tony Stark. I write sometimes, ship all of the things. idk man i'm pretty chill drop me a message. \o/ Prompts/Requests: open
Title:Â Wings in my Soul (Stars in my Eyes)
Author:Â @mistrstank
Author(s) AO3 account: Mistrstank (dreamingdarkly)
Artists: @feignedsobriquet & @zainniko /Â @trashcanakin
Pairing: James âBuckyâ Barnes/Tony Stark (Pre-slash)
Rating: Teen & Up
Warnings: no archive warnings apply
Additional Tags:Â Pre-Slash, Gen or Pre-Slash, Protective Tony Stark, BAMF Tony Stark, BAMF Bucky Barnes, Protective Bucky Barnes, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Bucky Barnes Recovering, Alternate Universe - Science Fiction, Space Pirates, Space Battles, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Bucky Barnes Feels, Tony Stark Feels, Howard Starkâs Good Parenting, AI Tony
Word count: 20,641
Summary:
âWho, or what are you?â Bucky slowly climbs to his feet and the fact the hologram is shorter than him tugs a reluctant smile onto Buckyâs face.
âOh! Iâm star-traveler model T-0N33!â The hologram smiles and gestures at the ship around them in one expansive movement.
âYour name is Tony, and youâre the ship?â
The hologram frowns and itâs head tilts to the side again.
âTony,â It repeats thoughtfully. âNo, that isnât my designation. Do you think I should have a name instead?â
~Ă~
After being spaced when his ship is destroyed, Bucky assumes his life on the run is over. His life is unexpectedly saved by one of the most advanced spaceships heâs ever seen, and the sentient AI running it. T-0N33 is so real, Bucky quickly finds himself questioning how thin the line is between machine and man. Together, they flee from HYDRAâs spreading influence and the megalomaniac Technopath, Zola. Throughout space battles and hijinks, they ask themselves: Can an AI have a soul and more importantly, can they fall in love?
Below you will find the names and summaries of the entered stories, please take care to read through them and be aware of any warnings when thinking about which piece it is you wish to claim. Make sure to have two in mind when choosing as your first choice may already be taken.
To claim a story, send an email to [email protected] with the titles of your top two favourites. Claims only begin on March 24th at 10am GMT, please wait until this time to submit your claim, or else it will NOT be counted.Â
Iâve had people in the past try to submit claims via ask and they have not come through, please send in the claims via email only. Thanks.
1.   Title: HandShook
Summary: âGet me a handshake, Tony, thatâs it. Donât break anything and please do not turn this into an interspecies war.â -James Rhodes
Tony Stark is the first man in the history of the human race to breach the heliosphere keeping space-faring humanity from the rest of the universe. Buckyâs people, the Aldori, a technologically advanced, space-faring race, watch him do it. The Aldori demand a meeting to establish diplomatic relations and determine whether or not humans will prove to be a threat to them. Without letting the Aldori know that only Tonyâs ship is advanced enough to make the trip, Rhodey is forced to send him as ambassador.
Simple right? Except the handshake Tony is supposed to capture on film for Rhodey is intensely intimate to the Aldori.
The Aldori decide to go through with it. Their people are at war and they need these humans, who are apparently so advanced that they can skip through âThe Trench,â to either join their cause, or, at worst, remain neutral.
Theyâve married off royalty for political alliances before. Itâs a good thing Prince Bucky came back from the war only partially damaged. Heâs perfect for an alliance with an untested race of people.
Current word count: 21,637
Warnings: -
2 Title: Tonyâs New Friend (working title)
Summary: When Tony is forced to come home for his summer break at MIT, he thinks it is going to be a disaster. Heâs right. But it also ends up being a lot more exciting than he thought too. Who says urban exploring is a bad thing?
Current word count: 14432
Warnings: None
A/N: Itâs not finished yet, but Iâll have a better summary/more finished by time you pick it. Promise. (This is turning out longer than I thought)
 3 Title: No Title Yet/Canon-Divergent from CA:WS
Summary: After helping Natasha and Steve with the Project Insight fuck up, Tony agrees to help with their Winter Soldier problem. Namely, find the man and keep him non-hypnotisable. But of course the Winter Soldier, being the Winter Soldier, finds Tony first.Â
Current word count: 5.181
Warnings: Maybe some gnarly description of the connection between the metal arm and Buckyâs skin. Nothing too bad, but I guess caution is best. There might be a scene of adjusting a new arm, but since I am no doctor, I donât know how detailed I will describe that yet.
A/N: This is a canon-divergent fic, that has Steve, Nat, and Sam ask Tony for help with the Helicarriers instead of, you know, dumping all of SHIELDâs info online xD Steve tells Tony about his parents and Tony, taking a few days to deal with it, then decides to help him with the Winter Soldier, thus creating BARF sooner, with Helen Cho and Bruce Banner (so no Quentin Beck). Bucky in the meantime, having managed to evade HYDRA, finds him because the arm needs repairs.Â
4 Title: The Daemon In Me (tentatively)
Summary: Tony Stark is, as far as he knows, the only person who can see daemons, a manifestation of a personâs soul that, naturally, shares their Mark.Â
Several years after his parentsâ deaths, Obadiah Stane arrives to inform him that Howard had arranged a marriage for him, and itâs time to meet his prospective husband. Thereâs just one tiny hitch.Â
The groom doesnât have the same Mark as his daemon.
A/N:Â This is definitely alternative universe but itâs incredibly vague on details of such. Itâs also not finished yet, but Tony and Bucky will definitely meet, beat the bad guys and end up happily ever after (I canât be more specific, because this was supposed to have been a completed fic).
 5 Title: The Tangled Tale of WinterironÂ
Summary: Prince James was born to the kingdom of Brooklyn via the miracle of a magic flower. Kidnapped at a young age, his best friend and betrothed Steve Rogers tears the kingdom apart to find him.Â
A thief named Iron Man is currently on the run from the kingâs guards. Hiding in a secluded tower, he finds himself tied up by a young man with a whole lot of⊠hair?
Current Word Count: approximately 9500 words
Warnings: Emotional manipulation and abuse
A/N:
6 Title: Winter Witcher (may change)
Summary: Twenty years ago, the Witcher Bucky rescued the King and Queen of Stark from a monster that had moved into their castle. Pressed to name a reward above and beyond the coin heâd been promised, he claimed the Law of Surprise, electing to let destiny choose his prize. Before he could return to find out what it was that heâd won, another monster locked him in ice.
Tony of Stark has always known that his marriage would be a political one, but heâs discovered that his betrothed and his chief counselor are conspiring against him. Left with no time to plan an escape and isolated from his few loyal friends, Tonyâs desperation and determination unlock a conduit of chaos within him that takes him far, far away, right into the arms of his destiny.
Current word count: ~25,000 (finished but unedited)
Warnings: Dubcon (sex drug/magic)
A/N: This draft is complete, but if our artist has additional ideas, weâre happy to discuss how to work them in! This is basically âEpisode 1â of what might turn into a whole series of stories, but as this is the âpilotâ episode, it should stand on its own.
 7 Title: Your eyes arenât rivers there to weep (But a place for crows to rest their feet)
Summary:Â Bucky sat up slowly, pain throbbing from his temple to the nape of his back specifically. âYouâre an absolute idiot, you know that? Didnât you know your AI canât detect magical traps?â
âOh sure, âcause we fight many villains who like to hide portals in the floor? Youâre a bigger idiot for following me, Barnes.â
-or-
Tony disobeys orders during a mission and causes him and Bucky to fall through Doomâs time travel portal, forcing them to survive together in a tropical rainforest, to their utter reluctance.
Current word count:Â 11 800
Warnings:Â None
A/N:Â This is an unedited WIP! I added the outline for what I plan for the reminder of the story at the end. :)
8 Title: Wings in my Soul (Stars in my Eyes)
Summary:Â After being spaced when his ship is destroyed, Bucky assumes his life on the run is over. His life is unexpectedly saved by one of the most advanced spaceships heâs ever seen, and the sentient AI running it. T-0N33 is so real, Bucky quickly finds himself questioning how thin the line is between machine and man. Together, they flee from HYDRAâs spreading influence and the megalomaniac Technopath, Zola. Throughout space battles and hijinks, they ask themselves: Can an AI have a soul and more importantly, can they fall in love?
Current word count: 7,838
Warnings: Nongraphic violence
A/N: ^o^ gay bois in SPAAAAAAACE
9 Title: Here, There and Neverwhere
Summary: After a long quiet night at the pub, Bucky was ready to have a simple night in. However, as fate deals its hand, Bucky gets dragged into a series of events that pulls him out of his new normal to a game where Gods and magic reign supreme. A handsome and charming magician Tony helps Bucky stack his deck, granting him a chance to survive.
When the wheel of fortune spins, will the odds be in their favour?
Current word count: 5086
Warnings: Canon typical violence
A/N: Rating is currently T but could go up to M or EÂ
As an Australian, fuck you! :) nice to know your petty, salty little ass is more interested in shitting on someone you don't even know than supporting a really lovely cause.
So I'm Shi_Toyu on AO3, but I recently accidentally deleted my Tumblr. Please refollow me on this account and reblog to spread the word. I can't remember everyone's names here, so that would really help me reconnect.
See Mistrstank âs existing works here
Preferred contact methods:
Discord - mistrstank #8609
Email - [email protected]
Preferred organizations:
- Anything from the list of approved organizations
Will create works that contain:
Anything AU is my jam, and I love all kinds of tropes.
Will not create works that contain:
ABO, mpreg, noncon
Â
â Fic or other writing â
Auction ID: 115
Will create works for the following relationships:
Tony Stark/Any - MCU, AA
Work Description:
For this auction I am offering a 5k fic of the bidderâs choice of ship. They may either offer me a complete prompt/idea or give me a general concept of what they want and I will write it. Iâm a Tony writer, so I will write any Tony ship up to and including OT3âs.
Ratings: G, Teen, Mature
CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK
â Fic or other writing â
Auction ID: 116
Will create works for the following relationships:
Tony Stark/Any - MCU
Work Description:
For this auction I am offering a 2k fic of the bidderâs choice. They may either give me a complete prompt or request, or I can offer some ideas of my own to suit a general prompt.
Should this auction go higher than $5 I will add another 2k to the fic length, making it a total fic of 4k.
Ratings: G, Teen, Mature
CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK
The auction runs from October 19 (11:59 PM ET) to October 26 (11:59 PM ET). Visit marveltrumpshate.com during Auction Week to view all of our auctions and to place your bids!
Hey everyone! Your gal went and offered up my mediocre skills for charity! ;D be sure to give me a signal boost or throw a bid up if youâre feeling generous. Much love, MISTY
See Mistrstank âs existing works here
Preferred contact methods:
Discord - mistrstank #8609
Email - [email protected]
Preferred organizations:
- Anything from the list of approved organizations
Will create works that contain:
Anything AU is my jam, and I love all kinds of tropes.
Will not create works that contain:
ABO, mpreg, noncon
Â
â Fic or other writing â
Auction ID: 115
Will create works for the following relationships:
Tony Stark/Any - MCU, AA
Work Description:
For this auction I am offering a 5k fic of the bidderâs choice of ship. They may either offer me a complete prompt/idea or give me a general concept of what they want and I will write it. Iâm a Tony writer, so I will write any Tony ship up to and including OT3âs.
Ratings: G, Teen, Mature
CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK
â Fic or other writing â
Auction ID: 116
Will create works for the following relationships:
Tony Stark/Any - MCU
Work Description:
For this auction I am offering a 2k fic of the bidderâs choice. They may either give me a complete prompt or request, or I can offer some ideas of my own to suit a general prompt.
Should this auction go higher than $5 I will add another 2k to the fic length, making it a total fic of 4k.
Ratings: G, Teen, Mature
CLICK HERE TO BID ON THIS WORK
The auction runs from October 19 (11:59 PM ET) to October 26 (11:59 PM ET). Visit marveltrumpshate.com during Auction Week to view all of our auctions and to place your bids!
Hey everyone! Your gal went and offered up my mediocre skills for charity! ;D be sure to give me a signal boost or throw a bid up if you're feeling generous. Much love, MISTY
We are thrilled to announce the Bucky Barnes Fandom Bingo of 2019! The first official one! Or, the first one weâve ever done.
Announced today in honour of our favourite Winter Brooderâs birthday, weâre looking to stir up all those Bucky lovers out there and inspire you to join us in writing, drawing, fanmixing, moodboarding, or any content you like (screaming totally counts, right?) about Bucky Barnes!
What is the Bingo?
Well, like all Bingos before it, this will involve you signing up, giving us a little info about your yes and noâs for creation, and weâll send you a Bingo card of your very own. You can do as little or as much as you like on each card! Itâs all about enjoying and loving our boy, Bucky!
What do I get?
Well, dear Commandos! Depending on which milestone you hit, youâll get yourself a fancy custom art badge, with your name on it! Woo!
These are the badges up for grab:
Participant - You showed up, and weâre thrilled to see you! No fills required.
Bingo! - You got 5 in a row on your card. Awesome work!
5 Fill - You got 5 fills, but not in a row! Nice! Who needs lines anyway, right? ;D
Black Out - You maxed out your card! Stupendous! Maybe you even asked for another one, and blessed us all with more content? ;D
What happens now?
Sign ups will officially open on the 20th of March! Sign ups will close on the 31st of March, so you have plenty of time to think about it!
Who can I talk to?
Well, you can drop an ask here on the Tumblr, or come on over and join the Discord at https://discord.gg/J3UzK9h !
Please donât forget to reblog the post, so word can spread!
We are thrilled to announce the Bucky Barnes Fandom Bingo of 2019! The first official one! Or, the first one weâve ever done.
Announced today in honour of our favourite Winter Brooderâs birthday, weâre looking to stir up all those Bucky lovers out there and inspire you to join us in writing, drawing, fanmixing, moodboarding, or any content you like (screaming totally counts, right?) about Bucky Barnes!
What is the Bingo?
Well, like all Bingos before it, this will involve you signing up, giving us a little info about your yes and noâs for creation, and weâll send you a Bingo card of your very own. You can do as little or as much as you like on each card! Itâs all about enjoying and loving our boy, Bucky!
What do I get?
Well, dear Commandos! Depending on which milestone you hit, youâll get yourself a fancy custom art badge, with your name on it! Woo!
These are the badges up for grab:
Participant - You showed up, and weâre thrilled to see you! No fills required.
Bingo! - You got 5 in a row on your card. Awesome work!
5 Fill - You got 5 fills, but not in a row! Nice! Who needs lines anyway, right? ;D
Black Out - You maxed out your card! Stupendous! Maybe you even asked for another one, and blessed us all with more content? ;D
What happens now?
Sign ups will officially open on the 20th of March! Sign ups will close on the 31st of March, so you have plenty of time to think about it!
Who can I talk to?
Well, you can drop an ask here on the Tumblr, or come on over and join the Discord at https://discord.gg/J3UzK9h !
Please donât forget to reblog the post, so word can spread!
Avengers AU - If Tony was Peterâs biological father
Tony is super protective of his son. And Peter, inspired by his dad, becomes Spiderman anyway (his dad and his Uncle Rhodey figure him out in a second though).
Only those of us who open up an absurd amount of fan fiction tabs at once knows after you reach 99, Google Chrome mobile stops counting and just says :D, smiling at you cheerfully as you go deeper and deeper into the the void.Â
Taken from someone else on another network, deemed too good not to use.
Ask me a question about one of my fics or series. It can be absolutely anything in any project and I will tell you the honest-to-goodness answer (even on the progress/plans for next chapters of current series).
Donât hold back. Whatever you ask, Iâll answer as truthfully and as completely as possible. You can also ask about my writing as a whole, if you like.
I have an idea for an Ironhusbands prompt. There's all these stories about Tony having nightmares and Rhodey comforting him, but what if it was reversed. What if Rhodey has nightmares about not being able to find Tony in IM1, or Tony dying when his house was destroyed in IM3, or something that happened in any of the other Avengers movies or Civil war. And Tony comforts him.
OKAY! Now that I have crawled my way out from under Open Hearts, Open Doors letâs do this! *rubs hands together*
First of all, Iâm so excited someone sent me a prompt you have no idea. *vibrates excitedly*
Second of all, iron husbands!
Read it on Ao3Â or below!
It happens for the first time just after Afghanistan. Tony is awake and has been for longer than he cares to count (JARVIS, the little bitch, is quick to remind him), buried in the workshop pulling together the fragments of an idea.
âSir, Lieutenant Rhodes is on the phone.â JARVIS intones and Tony blinks owlishly around the workshop, waiting for the haze of numbers and formulas to settle.
âWhat? Oh, put him through.â He waves a distracted hand and pushes away from the workbench, rolling idly across the workshop on his stool.
â T-Tony?â Rhodeyâs voice echoes around the workshop, and he sounds wrong.
â Sugarbear, whatâs wrong? Are you hurt? Please donât tell me youâre in some military hospital somewhere being poked by second rate medical monkeys.â Tony knows his tone is all wrong; too sharp by far, but his heart is pounding so hard he swears he can feel it hitting the arc reactor casing.
â Where are you?â Rhodey doesnât sound like he even heard the off colour joke, and if that isnât an indicator, Tony isnât a billionaire.
âHoneyblossom, puddinâ pop, where I always am! Working away in my little ca- uh, house of wonders! Iâm more concerned about where you are?â
âMâapartment? I was dreaming. You were gone and I couldnât find you and I just wanted to. I just wanted to call.â Rhodeyâs voice steadies a little, but he still sounds sad and shocky and wrong. Tony canât remember ever having heard Rhodey sound like this and itâs both extremely gratifying and utterly terrifying. Tony would never like to repeat this experience, thank you.
âWell hey!â He says, falsely bright. âWhy donât you help me out with an issue Iâve been having with the Roadsterâs engine. I had this idea, see...â
Thereâs a shuffling on the other end of the phone, what Tony assumes is Rhodey settling back into bed, but Tony doesnât pause in his rambling.
It takes about an hour, but eventually the only sound from the phone is quiet snoring, and Tony hangs up with a smile.
~x~
After the Palladium incident, Tony takes to wearing v neck or unbuttoned shirts whenever Rhodeyâs around and they both try to ignore the way Rhodeyâs eyes seem continually drawn to the reactor. Once, Rhodey even traces a hand from Tonyâs neck downwards, following the skin that once wore the marks of Palladium poisoning.
â Please, Tony.â Rhodey whispers and his eyes are wet. Tony pretends not to know what heâs asking for, but they both know.
He wants to promise he wonât leave Rhodey behind, wonât go somewhere his best friend canât follow.
He knows it for the lie it is, though.
~x~
After New York, Rhodey calls him every night for a week. The first time he tells Tony in hitching gasps about seeing the Iron Man armour disappearing into a hole in the sky; after that sends Tony very promptly into a panic attack, they donât talk about it.
They just talk to each other, clinging to the soft sounds of life through a phone line.
~x~
Rhodey gets the phone call to say Tonyâs been killed in a terrorist attack, though Tony doesnât find out until later. Heâs drifting aimlessly around the penthouse of Avengers Tower, trying not to remember the expression on Mayaâs face right before she died, or the way Pepper screamed as she fell. Theyâre on a âbreakâ, now, and Tony canât blame her.
Heâs a piping hot mess, he knows he is, but everything is so fucked up now he wouldnât even know where to start fixing it.
The elevator door slides open behind him and Rhodey strides in, looking pale and tense. Tony blinks and opens his mouth to say something pithy, but the words die unspoken as Rhodey crashes into him. Tony stands for a moment in stunned surprise as Rhodey presses his face into the side of Tonyâs neck, hard arms wrapped tightly around Tonyâs waist. His shirt pulls uncomfortably at the back, where Rhodey has it twisted up in a desperate grip.
âHey, Sugarplum, the bed in your apartment not cutting it? I can sympathise.â He tries, treading carefully because Rhodey looks like heâs about to lose it and Tony doesnât know what to do. He kind of wants to panic, but then he figures: what would Rhodey do if it was Tony?
At a loss, Tony slides his arms around Rhodeyâs back and clutches just as hard. Rhodeyâs grip loses a little of itâs desperation, turns a little less into clinging and a little more like an embrace. Tony shuffles them gently over to the couch, but Rhodey fights him when he tries to get them sitting. Instead Rhodey sits and yanks at Tony until heâs practically in Rhodeyâs lap. On his best day Tony wouldnât deny this position hasnât featured in some of his very, very, very private fantasies, but that doesnât seem to be the mood Rhodeyâs going forâŠ
Rhodey shifts a little and rests his head against Tonyâs chest just to the side of the reactor, arms now loosely wrapped around Tonyâs waist, and he gets it.
âI just, I need a minute Tones, Iâm sorry. I canât sleep.â
Tony thinks of telling Pepper he couldnât sleep for fear of not being able to protect the most important person in his life, and wonders.
~x~
After Ultron, Tony is...Fragile, in a way he can barely admit to himself, let alone anyone else. Itâs like Afghanistan all over again, only this time he canât fix it. He nearly destroyed the world, killed countless people, again. He finds himself pacing around the tower, stepping around broken glass and the remnants of everything.
Heâs alone, again, and he doesnât know why heâs surprised; isnât this always how his life turns out?
He doesnât even notice when Rhodey arrives, at first. Heâs too busy staring at the broken lines of code that was JARVIS. Now itâs just the echoes left behind, after Ultronâs attack and Visionâs creation. His, well his son is gone and itâs Tonyâs fault. He remembers reading, somewhere, that no parent should have to outlive their child.
But Tonyâs not just outliving JARVIS, he killed him.
âTones,â The voice is soft enough it somehow doesnât startle him, his subconscious registering Rhodeyâs presence without him realising it. Tony doesnât turn but he angles his head a little, an acknowledgement that he knows Rhodeyâs there.
Seconds later and arms slide around him, warm and familiar. Heâs tugged backwards against Rhodeyâs chest, warm flesh and a steady heartbeat to anchor himself to. Rhodey chafes his arms gently, his hands big and so warm, a bony chin coming to rest on Tonyâs shoulder.
For the first time in his life, Tony finds he has nothing to say.
~x~
Standing in a hospital waiting room, Tony canât help but feel bitterly resigned to the fact that somewhere, someone is laughing at his expense. At this point, he figures he has to believe in a higher power, because how else could everything he do so consistently turn to shit. The Avengers have fallen apart, with over half of them arrested, two missing and the remainder not talking to him. But thatâs not the worst, because of course it isnât. The worst is Rhodey, whoâd clung to his hand and stared up at him with eyes blown wide in fear.
Whoâd whispered âTony, I canât feel my legsâ as hospital staff surrounded the gurney and started tugging him away.
God, Rhodey couldnât feel his legs. Tonyâs struck by the simultaneous urge to scream and cry; fucking Steve Rogers and his righteous crusade.
âMr Stark?â Tony turns immediately to face a smiling nurse, standing poised in the doorway. âHeâs asking for you.â
He almost trips in his hurry to cross the waiting room, but the nurse only smiles sympathetically and turns back down the hallway. It seems an interminably long walk, with Tony just barely keeping the pile of questions stoppered behind his teeth. Eventually, heâs shown into a hospital room, the huge window looking out onto a small garden. He barely gives the view a glance, his attention immediately arrested by Rhodey.
Rhodey, lying flat in the bed and paler than Tony has ever seen him. Tony crosses the room and sits on the edge, leaning down. Almost simultaneously they embrace, clinging tight to one another. Rhodey presses his face into the space between Tonyâs shoulder and neck, and through their embrace Tony can feel the way Rhodey trembles.
âSpinal injury; they said Iâm paralyzed, Tony.â Rhodey murmurs, just loud enough for Tony to hear. The words take a moment to sink in and when they do it feels like Tonyâs world cracks in half.
His Rhodey is paralyzed.
âOh God,â Tony whispers, before he can bite the words back. Rhodey nods against his neck and Tony pretends he canât feel the wetness against his skin. âWeâll fix it, boo-bear.â
âYou canât build your way out of this, Tones.â The words are harsh and grating; Tony expects Rhodey to be angry, to hate him. But thereâs no accusation in Rhodeyâs voice, just a quiet kind of despair that breaks Tonyâs heart. âIâm useless, now.â
â Watch me. â Tony whispers fiercely. âRhodey, I donât care if you canât walk, you are not useless. Ever. Iâll always need you, but if you need it, then I will fix this, do you understand me?â Tony leans upright to put some distance between them and forces their eyes to meet. Rhodeyâs are wet with the threat of tears, but Tony couldnât care less. âIâll build you a whole new fucking spine if I have to, you got me?â
Rhodey laughs wetly, tips his forehead against Tonyâs. âYeah, man, I get you.â
They curl together in Rhodeyâs hospital bed, huddling for comfort like they havenât since they were in college. Rhodey is warm against Tonyâs side and pressed this close, Tony can feel the reassuring beat of his heart.
âAny word on Cap and Barnes?â Rhodey asks after a short silence. Tony hums quietly and drums his fingers against the place the reactor used to sit.
âNot as such, no. I think they might have been telling the truth about the UN bombing, though. Looks like Barnes was set up.â
âYou goinâ after them?â Rhodey lifts his head and turns a little to catch Tonyâs eye. Tony chews his lip in silence for a moment, and then shakes his head.
âNo, Iâm not leaving you.â He decides, eventually. âSomeone else can deal with the mess, for once.â
Rhodey doesnât say anything for some time, staring at Tony in silence long enough for Tony to start fidgeting. âYou should go. Heâs your friend, too.â
âRhodey, you-â
âIâm fine.â Rhodey interrupts firmly and Tony knows the stubborn glint in his eye. âI hate this, and I hate I canât go with you to watch your back, but itâs the world, man.â
âItâs always the world,â Tony huffs bitterly. âYouâd think it would stay saved for five minutes.â He pushes slowly, reluctantly to his feet and hates everything about his life in that moment. Rhodey nods at him and flashes a wobbly smile, though it doesnât reach his eyes.
âTony, wait!â Rhodey calls just as Tony reaches the door. Tony stops and turns to the sight of Rhodey reaching a desperate hand in his direction. He crosses back to Rhodey immediately, catching his hand and squeezing it warmly. âIâll be honest, Iâve got a real bad feelinâ about all this, and it feels like every time Iâm not lookinâ youâre almost dyinâ. So, Iâm gonna say it because I feel like Iâm gonna lose my chance.â
âHoneypie, youâre not making a whole lot of sense, here. Say what?â
Rhodey tugs on his hand, and keeps tugging until Tony leans down to meet him. The other hand comes up behind Tonyâs neck, and a moment later theyâre...Theyâre kissing.
Tonyâs brain screeches to a very abrupt halt and then starts racing. Rhodey is kissing him.
Rhodey is kissing him.
Rhodeyâs lips are warm and soft, coaxing a response rather than demanding one. Tony groans lowly in the back of his throat and presses into the contact, his free hand cupping over Rhodeyâs shoulder. The kiss seems to go on forever and at the same time, itâs over too quickly. They spend a few precious seconds hovering close, breath warm in the scant space between them.
âWhen you get back, weâre gonna talk about this.â Rhodey states.
âUh huh.â Tony mumbles, only half paying attention to the words.
âGo save Captain America, hero.â Rhodeyâs smiling, now; the first real smile Tonyâs seen yet.
Tony goes, reluctantly.
Later, lying alone in a Siberian bunker, heâll wish heâd paid more attention to Rhodeyâs âbad feelingâ. Heâll think of that moment in a well lit hospital room, with Rhodeyâs lips on his, and wish heâd stayed.
~x~
Floating through space in a crumbling spaceship isnât really how Tony pictured himself going, but considering the number of near death experiences heâs managed to acquire in the past few yearsâŠ
Well, he supposes it isnât the worst way to go. Nebula hasnât given up; sheâs still desperately trying to patch up the ship, but it feels like for everything they fix, something else breaks. Tony wants to help, but everything feels a little fuzzy. He knows itâs the dehydration and the starvation combined, knows itâs slowing his thoughts. He canât remember the last time he slept.
He misses Rhodey.
He wonders if Rhodeyâs even still alive; half the universe is gone, now, thanks to Thanos. Statistically, the odds that Rhodeyâs alive arenât...Well, they arenât great.
He stares blankly at the Iron Man helmet in his hands. The eye slits are glowing a faint blue. He thinks he might have been recording a final message.
He doesnât remember what he was saying.
ââM tired, Rhodey.â He mumbles, blinking sluggishly. âJusâ wanna rest.â
He blinks again, and realises heâs staring at the roof of the ship. When did he lie down? He doesnât remember doing that, but now that heâs stretched out, it feels so nice. Maybe he could just take a little nap, and when he woke up he could help Nebula.
The ship feels like itâs rocking and the motion is oddly soothing. Tonyâs eyes slip slowly closed, his brain distantly registering the tortured shriek of metal without worrying over the significance.
He drifts, for a while; floating in a haze, feeling nothing but the cool metal beneath him. The hunger and thirst fades to the back of his mind. The next thing he becomes aware of is blazing warmth on either side of his face. Tonyâs eyes snap open and he finds himself staring up at Rhodey.
He knows the smile that stretches across his face probably looks ridiculous. ââM hallucinating.â He tells dream Rhodey, who frowns down at him. âGlad sâyou.â
Rhodeyâs eyes are bright and it takes Tonyâs sluggish brain far too long to realise theyâre wet with tears. Even then, he only realises because one drops on his face. The splash of wet to his cheek jolts him, and Tony belatedly realises Rhodey is here.
âI got ya, Tones. I got ya.â Rhodey is whispering as he hauls Tony upright. Tony presses into the contact, finds himself folded into a familiar embrace. The lips that press urgently against his own isnât as familiar, but itâs so welcome. âGod, I love you.â Rhodey near sobs and Tony clings with what little strength he has.
Half the rest of the universe might be gone, and somewhere inside that still hurts more than Tony can process. But for right now? The most important part of his universe is here.
