Day 0
Tony took the day off, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be able to concentrate on anything else. Not even inventions and the baby geniuses were able to keep his attention. No, no one and nothing could take his attention away from the fact that T’Challa was arriving that day.
“He’s not going to just appear if you keep looking out the window,” Harley teases him as he forces a sandwich into Tony’s hand. “Eat.” He’s eating his own as he stares out the window with him that looked out onto the landing pad.
“Not hungry.”
“Eat or I rat you out to the prince.”
Tony snorts. “He can’t make me nor would he.”
“He’ll probably just woo you into letting him hand feed you though.” He grins when he sees his mechanic blushing: he was right and Tony knew it too. “He be happier if you ate right now though.”
“You know, I don’t get you kid.” Tony takes a bite and moves away from the window and moving towards the elevator once more.
“What’s to get?” Harley follows him and hits the button for the entertainment room floor he had set up with Harley and Peter coming around more often, and then expanded on when his amount of geniuses to nurture grew exponentially over night.
“I honestly don’t get why you care. I get why I care for you, but not the other way around.”
“Cause we’re connected.”
“Not an answer.”
“Yeah it is mechanic. You’ll learn eventually.” Harley pats his cheek in a way that is both teasing and comforting. “Now come on, we got Peter’s butt to kick at laser tag.”
*******
“Would you like me to put a hammock up for you?” Peter says in greeting; apparently it was his turn to be the one to get Tony away from the landing area. “Surprised you don’t have a chair up here by now.”
“That would make it obvious that I’ve been waiting.”
“It’s nothing to worry about Mr. Stark. He won’t mind. Probably even like it, and find it cute.”
“Cute?!” He feels his face turn as red as his iron man suit.
“Yes cute.” Peter grins. “I think it’s cute. Bet he would too.”
“I’m too old to be called cute.”
“Fine, adorable.” Cheeky grin too much like his own blinds him (he should probably get a paternity test done soon. This kid was too much like him) as the teenager dances away to the elevator. “You have ten more minutes here, before I see you downstairs or I will have FRIDAY send the prince videos of you waiting for him.” The elevator doors shut before he could respond.
“I’ll help him too,” supplies JARVIS.
“Already got the videos saved and ready to go, boss.” FRIDAY adds, her Irish voice full of amusement.
“Traitors, the lot of you,” he grumbles but can’t hide his smile.
*******
“Hello Tony,” T’Challa smiles down at him, his hand carding through Tony’s hair. “Did you sleep well?”
“hrrghhha?” His brain was not working, and his mouth clearly wasn’t either. He needed coffee.
“Sir isn’t quite awake Prince T’Challa.” JARVIS informs the younger man. “He had a bit of a panic attack earlier and his medication tends to make him sleepy.”
“A panic attack?” T’Challa’s brows furrow is concern, his fingers digging a little more into the other man’s hair. “What happened?”
“The delay into your arrival made him spiral a bit with the what ifs.”
“Oh Anthony.” His voice was ever so soft, his hand coming down to cup Tony’s cheek (and if Tony leaned into the touch a little, well no one could blame him). “I’m sorry for the late arrival, but I am here now. I’ll be here for quite some time too, I promise.”
“Kayyy.” Tony smiles dreamily. “Stay with me?”
“Of course.”
*******
“That is too fucking cute.” Rhodey smiles at the picture JARVIS sent him of his Tones and T’Challa cuddling up on the couch as they both rested – their arms wrapped around one another and pressed as close as possible.
“Indeed. I felt you would like it.”
“I do. But Jay?”
“Yes, Colonel?”
“We’ll still need to put the fear of god into that man. Tony’s ours first and ours to protect.”
“Quite right.”
Rhodey could hear the evil smile in the AIs voice, and felt his own matching in kind.