Beyond the reactor

“I get that Rhody is your best friend and that Happy and I are just chopped liver, so you didn’t tell us. But do you have any self-preservation at all!?”

“Pep! Love is not something you choose!” Rhodey defended by standing in front of Tony.

“Get the fuck outta the way babe! I need to see his face! Boss, how could you not tell me?” Happy asked looking sad.

“I may not have had control over the initial attraction but I chose every day to prioritize you and Happy in my life James. Falling in love with someone is making a thousand choices to love them until it becomes a habit, then a necessity! So do not tell me he didn’t choose this shit!”

“Pep! Tony fell in love with them after they were a couple already! It was not like us where it was long before you and Happy got together and I stepped down. Do you know how hard that was for me? I don't think there is a single way to fall in love. Sometimes it sneaks up on you!” Rhodey sighed looking down.

Happy came to hold him, kissing his forehead before talking into his skin “Baby, when Pep and I got together it was because we both knew we loved you - so much was happening and we were never sure you still wanted us. We only got together because you went on that mission with Tony and saw you go through paralyzing your legs and working through physiotherapy was so hard on us. Especially Pep, she would cry all the time, until one day we both confessed we loved you… and each other. Then we sort of became a thing, both of us terrified to ask you to join us and risk losing you”

Rhodey giggled “As long as you protect me and Tones from Pep right now, we are square Hap!”

Tony snorted, Pepper had tears in her eyes and all three men went to comfort her. Each touching her in some way. Men of few words, when it came to emotions.

“I just don't want him to get hurt. He is an idiot when it comes to people he loves, he gave me the whole company on a whim. He never protects himself. They will walk all over him. They don’t deserve him. How could he not tell us!?” Pepper started to get heated again.

“ ‘He’ is right here” Tony giggled “and I don't have to look out for myself - that is why I have you three. I didn't tell you because I knew you would get protective and that is not something any of you can hide. Rhodey is always protective of me so that doesn’t raise suspicions”

“Let me tell ya! It sure as shit raised suspicions when he banished the super soldiers to the tower while their precious Tony was incapacitated - I thought they would be another civil war. But Pep and Rhodes managed to get Stephen to restrain them to the tower with a spell. As a bonus, they got Wanda and Clint to babysit them there.”
“They kept trying to touch him!!!” Rhodey whined.

“Thanks, honey bear, thank you guys. I couldn’t ask for a better family than you three. I-I love you”

“I love you, Boss”

“I love you, Tony”

“I love you, Tones”

They all replied at once. It was a much-needed group hug moment. Fully packed with misty eyes and genuine expressions. It lasted .5 seconds.

“They do not deserve you Tony - I am going to make damn sure they treat you well this time”

Tony looked at Rhodey with wide eyes “Platypus control your woman!!!! She is going to blow my cover!!”

“Maybe…. Maybe it’ll be like Pep, Rhodes, and me… maybe… maybe you’re theirs boss” Happy, ever the undercover optimist hoped out loud.

“I don’t want to know. I can live with not knowing. That way when it is convenient I can believe that they love me and when it isn’t I can believe they don't. If I get confirmation that they don't - I don’t I-I just I don't want…um I can't-”

“We will back your play Tones” Rhodey clapped him on the back.

“Can we stop feeling all these feelings now?”

“Sure Boss”

“Whatever you want Tones”

“You two are always enabling him. This is how we got here” Pepper scolded as she kissed Tony’s cheek and grabbed Rhodey’s hands. “It's time to sleep my love, you have been awake for 70 hours and that is very close to Tony’s record. He is okay now, now you can sleep, baby. I’ll cuddle you for a full 10 hours and I will accept nothing less”

Pepper dragged Rhodey towards the quinjet as Happy put a hand around Tony and did the same to him.

“Don’t worry boss. We got you, we will make sure you get to go straight to the lab. Strange extended the spell so they can’t get into the lab or your floor. You don't have to see them until you want to. You get to see the bots though. And T’challa and Shuri will visit ya there tomorrow. And Clint and Wanda are waiting in your lab”

Happy’s attempt to distract Tony and coax him into the quin-jet did not go unnoticed. It was appreciated. The first thing he saw when he walked into the quinjet was Pepper kissing his sour patch. He looked away smiling - heart lighter than he can remember it ever being. Peaceful. Peace felt great. Happy brought him some coffee, it was in a war machine cup. A gift from Peter.

“Because there are no better best friends in the multiverse than you two and I have seen barely any war machine merch. So when I saw this I had to get it for you Mr. Stark” Peter had said, looking like the whole world would collapse if Tony said he hated his gift. He loved it, of course. Anything given to him by the kid, anything to do with his sour patch - he loved.

“You traitor Hap! YOU GAVE ME DECAF?”

“Boss I am on thin ice with Pep already, because Rhodey let you fall in love with the idiot super soldiers and I think it can work out with them” He glared at Rhodey, then whispered, “She thinks I will encourage you to be with them, which I will. But” then unnecessarily loud “in NO WAY am I going to give you caffeine when you have to sleep after greeting everyone at the tower.”

Tony just looked at Happy like he had lost his mind “Hap, while I was out did you get diagnosed with D.I.D.”

“Trust me, Boss, my life would be easier if I had another personality to blame my views on.” Then lowering his voice “They are both protective, I love you just as much but… I feel like they would grow to deserve you. They would have to, or soulmates or not, these two will kill them. Think about it, boss. I think the three of you have potential” Then raising his voice again “If you don't want to see Brooklyn’s village idiots you never have to, their loss”

“Can it Happy! I know what you are whispering to him! Let’s take off, Rhodey needs sleep, Tony needs to speak with Wanda and Clint then sleep before he has to see Shuri and T’challa tomorrow. I am sure Peter is bothering May as we speak to come to you as soon as you land. You need sleep, both of you!”

“Pep… you mean all of us,” Rhodey said gently, as if Pepper would start crying again. Instead Tony started to tear up, and his tears fell without permission.

Three very confused pairs of eyes faced him. “It's just, my three best friends, the best people I know, have the best life partners. What more can a friend ask for?”

“That is exactly what we want for ya, Boss” Happy said quickly sitting at the wheel to fly them to the tower.

“And it does not have to be those two fossils that don’t know your worth,” Rhodey said sleepily.

“Damn straight” Pepper echoed.

Tony might have dozed off on Rhodey’s shoulder because he was being shaken awake by his platypus.

“Tones, we are almost there! Wake the fuck up!”

“Hmmm wha-”

“C’mon Tones, we have to rush you to the elevator as soon as we land… um, we forgot to ask Strange to include the helipad in the spell… I am worried they’ll bolt towards you, so you and I are gonna run to the elevators, then we can go to the lab where Wanda and Clint are desperate to see ya!”

“Stop rambling, it's not going to distract me from the fact that you fucking forgot! What if they catch me?”

“Um we have both our suits here - I'll wear the Ironman one and you can wear the War Machine one. Then you can rush to your lab with pep and they will think I am you. I’ll say you wanted to annoy Pep by making us wear the suits. You are an eccentric bastard they will believe me”

Tony glared at him but nodded and they quickly put on each other’s armor.

“Platypus, you asshole why didn’t you tell me that the left eye was nicked. I can barely see anything”

“It’s the old one”

“You mean the emergency spare?”

“Um… Tones?”

Tony grunted

“The left eye is damaged in the spare war machine armor”

Tony always had to convey feelings with his body language and he was making the war machine armor reflect clearly how unamused he was with Rhodey. He got the point loud and clear even though he couldn’t see Tony.

“E.T.A. 10 seconds” Happy yelled out.

Tony bowed down with his hand extended to Pepper “Mi lady”

Pepper took his hand giggling but ready to bolt to the elevators. As predicted Steve and Bucky came thundering up to the helipad as soon as their enhanced hearing picked its landing up. Tony could see them rush toward the Ironman armor as he and Pepper waited for the elevator doors to close. Well, he could kinda see them from his right eye. He did not expect what a relief it was to see them. If it wasn’t for the suit his knees would have given out. Shit. He fucking loved them. Still. This was some bullshit. Surely almost dying for the multiverse warranted some sort of anti-angst love erasing gift. Clearly, there was no God. He collected himself enough to get out of the suit just before the elevator door opened to his lab. Clint came rushing to hug him, forcing his hand out of Pepper’s.

“Fuck! Thank fuck! I am sorry for everything I said Tones, you are my brother. Always. My brother! I was an asshole! Fuck! Thank God you are okay”

“Actually thank Strange, Shuri, and my honey bear” Tony smiled.

“I lost Nat, I can’t tell you what it means that I didn’t lose you too man” Then, shyly “I love you, man”

Tony smiled sadly, “I love you too, I wish we didn’t lose her… I wish…”

“I know, also nice make-over Tincan”

They hugged again

“Alright alright, you’re making it weird Legolas” Tony chuckled.

“I am sorry too Stark, I don’t deserve to be called your friend but I will make it up to you. You gave me Viz… I… I have never been more wrong about someone than I was for blaming you, for hating you, for someone else’s actions. When there is a car crash, we don't blame the dealership… we blame the drunk driver. I didn’t do that and you still… gave me a reason to go on, not just with Viz but… but amending the accords and getting us pardons. I am grateful for you Stark and I will earn your forgiveness and friendship”

“Start by calling me Tony, then,” Tony said smiling, he never held a grudge. “I blamed myself more than you ever could. And Viz was a gift to us all. You are not alone Wanda. Okay?”

Wanda nodded, teary but hopeful. Tony accepted the quick side hug she built the courage to give him. Thankfully the emotional bullshit was interrupted by the bots. Who now had Tony’s undivided attention, he talked to them, reassured them, and petted them. U and Dum-E beeping what seemed like complaints against Butterfingers whose beeps were sounding sheepish.

“They want to tell you that Butterfingers touched your cars without your permission,” Friday said helpfully.
Dread filled Tony’s soul, his Audi R8 e-Tron, his precious. “He just started them all every day because he once heard you say ‘an untouched car becomes unalive’, no damage boss”

Tony giggled, before turning to Butterfingers “Doesn't mean it has to be started every day silly, but thank you!” Then turning to U and Dum-E “Stand down children, your brother did not do anything wrong” He giggled when all three were back to whizzing around excitedly. They didn’t know that they almost lost their dad. They don’t see how young he looks. They just… love? that he is with them”

Things were feeling normal until Rhodey came in grumbling with Happy.

“He fucking dented the quinjet! Bucky is not allowed to breathe anywhere near Tony! I have barely lifted the faceplate and he lost his shit! Like damn is it a race thing? I know I'm not as pretty as Tony but a guy can get offended by such a violent disappointed reaction”

“You’re beautiful baby!” Pepper said.

“Hot as fuck!” Happy agreed. Rhodey looked smug yet bashful.

Tony looked at Clint for sympathy, who whispered empathetically “It feels like looking at your parents flirt.”