The door creaks as Tony opens it.
He throws his keys on the living room table and takes off his jacket. He'd been half-listening to lectures all day while trying to improve DUM-Es coding, had spent the last hour in the lab working on DUM-E's mechanics and now he is completely exhausted. He wants nothing more than to finally sit down and relax for a while.
To do so, he pulls out his diary, a small blue notebook and sits down with a pen, about to write to get the weight of studying and inventing at the same time off his chest.
As he's about to write his next entry, he takes a breath and realises that he smells of sweat, machine oil and black coffee, and not in a good way. And as much as Tony doesn't mind that when he's focused on something, right now the desire to shower is almost overwhelming.
He knows Rhodey's schedule in his sleep by now, which is one of the many perks of living with him, so he knows that his sugar bear, and his heart beats unproportionally fast at the thought of his affectionate nickname for Rhodey, won't be home for at least an hour.
Because of that he's not worried about leaving his diary on the table, and simply grabs a comfortable pair of sweatpants and one of Rhodey's MIT sweaters that are somehow always way more comfortable than his own, and goes into the bathroom.
As he steps into the warm shower and the tension leaves his body, he can't help but think back to when Rhodey moved in with him.
They had been friends for almost a year already and Rhodey had been there for him through all his ups and downs. Through the parties, the alcohol, his parents death, Jarvis' death and also the occasional heartbreak, though that had faded soon, because over the course of their friendship, Tony had fallen hard and hopelessly in love with Rhodey.
He has been in in love with him ever since, and even though he tries to hide it as best as he can, it still feels like Rhodey can see right through him everytime his eyes catch Tony staring a second too long when he comes out of the shower or takes off his sweaters in the summer heat, showing off his abs. Or how when he's in the lab sometimes, helping him lift heavy equipment and sweat glistens on his dark skin, Tony's pants get a little tight all of a sudden.
And well, that they actually moved in together was something he had never dreamed of, only caused by Rhodey's insistence that Tony needed someone to quote, " Keep an eye on you to make sure you don't die of dehydration or food poisoning because you put motor oil into your coffee again " and that he was the man for the job. Rhodey had argued that the lease on his current flat had been almost up anyway and that he definitely didn't want to stay there for another year. For all the time they had spent together already, moving into a flat together wouldn't even be that big of a change.
For the longest time Tony had been convinced that Rhodey didn't mean it, that he would decide that living with Tony Stark had lost its novelty and he would decide to move out.
But he hadn't.
And by now they had been living together over a year, long enough for Tony to know that Rhodey wants to be here with him, even if he still doesn't quite know why.
Tony shakes his head and starts washing his hair under the almost unbearably hot shower. He'll take some time to relax and let the shower warm him up, because even though the worst parts of the cold season are over, it's still freezing in both the lecture halls and the lab he spends most of his time in. Thus, taking a long, hot shower was a really good idea.
And, hey, he knows he can take his time, because Rhodey won't be back soon anyways.
Rhodey doesn't come home an hour later.
Rhodey opens the door to their apartment ten minutes after Tony did and smiles as he hears the sounds originating from their bathroom, a mixture of badly-sung Rock n' Roll and the sound of running water.
He takes off his jacket, already on the way to their kitchen and, once there, grabs an apple from the fruit bowl he had to sneak in when Tony was on vacation because in the beginning of their rooming together, he had been living on microwavable lasagna, which Rhodey simply couldn't allow. But once it had found its place in the kitchen, Rhodey did notice that the bananas he bought were often gone suspiciously fast for all of Tony's denial of ever touching the fruit bowl.
He fills the old copper pot, a memory of his childhood home, with water, and puts it on the stove after dropping a teabag in. He slowly wanders over to the desk in the living room that's filled with all sorts of knick knacks both of them left there and throws his bag into the corner of said room.
As he surveys the chaos, he sees an empty can of some energy drink that definitely belongs to Tony, because Rhodey wouldn't touch those drinks with a stick if he could help it.
Unfortunately, Tony loves the stuff, which means Rhodey has been subjected to their vile smell for a long time now and is mostly desensitized. Mostly.
There are some of Rhodey's Air Force application papers, left there yesterday after he had tried and failed to read through some of the legalese while Tony was pestering him about food and something about dying of boredom.
Next to those are the schematics for DUM-E that Tony has redrawn countless times and in the middle of it all, surrounded by empty gum wrappers and what Rhodey recognises as Tony's favourite pen is a book with a blue cover and pages that, Rhodey can see from afar, seem to be filled with Tony's hastily scribbled notes on something.
Curious and certain in his assumption that he is allowed to read whatever Tony has written there, he makes his way over to it. He's sure it's not something Tony doesn't want him to see, or he wouldn't have left it lying open on their table in the living room.
Even though they have been living together for more than a year now, Tony is still skittish at times, and even though Rhodey is sure that he trusts him, he's still very particular with his possessions.
There's a cufflink he has on his nightstand that Rhodey is sure he'd give his life to protect and there is an old children's book on one of the shelves in his room that he'd do the same for. Rhodey has never seen these objects up close, simply because Tony hides and protects what's his with a determination unparalleled in strength by anything except his intellect, and Rhodey respects that.
He's about to start reading when the kettle starts making the mildly disturbing sounds both of them have come to associate with a fresh pot of tea. He turns around and walks back to turn the stove off and to pour himself a cup, after which he starts drinking it, paying no attention to the heat and how it's almost burning his tongue. He's used to this exact temperature after drinking his tea like this his entire life.
The tea safely clasped in his hands now, he walks back to the living room, curious what kind of invention Tony has dreamt up now in that amazing brain of his.
Only, what he finds isn't a look at Tony's new invention, but rather a look into his genius friend's brain.
The page on the left has been filled with what looks like a diary entry from yesterday, and although by now Rhodey knows he should back the fuck up and stop reading, he can't help himself.
Friday, the 21st.
Rhodey and I had breakfast together today, and I couldn't help but stare at him again.
I'm sure he noticed, but at least he didn't mention it.
Rhodey remembers this, remembers sitting at the kitchen table opposite of a sleepy, rambling Tony and eating his cereal while listening absentmindedly, until all of a sudden Tony had stopped talking.
He remembers being concerned and confused after seeing Tony stare at him, but quickly getting distracted by how adorable he had looked in one of Rhodey's big MIT jumpers.
It had hung off his smaller frame in a way that made Rhodey want to protect Tony forever, and he remembers thinking to himself that Tony must not even have realised how cute he looked, with his hair in long curls atop his head, a sleepy smile on his face, related to whichever invention he was thinking of at the moment and wearing that damned oversized jumper, because he certainly seemed completely oblivious to the effect his appearance had on Rhodey.
This isn't fair.
Why can't I go back to being like all the other students? Go to parties, have sex, drink and enjoy life.
Why am I such a fuck-up? I shouldn't ever have invited Rhodey to stay with me, he deserves so so much better than me.
At this, Rhodey takes offense because Tony is talking about his best friend here, and if the other pages of this diary are anything like this one, then Rhodey and Tony will have to have a very serious conversation about his decision to move in with Tony and also about Tony's self-worth, because as it stands, it doesn't sound as though he thinks very highly of himself, for all his talk of being a genius.
And Tony can't believe Rhodey could deserve something better than him, because what else is there that's better? Tony is amazing and funny and loyal and adorable and he wouldn't want to leave him for anything. He drinks the last bit of his tea and continues reading.
Not some idiot, in-love-with-his-best-friend-creep like me.
Rhodey drops his cup.
Of course, in that exact moment, as the empty tea cup is shattering into tiny pieces on the floor and as Rhodey is looking at what he's just read in surprise, the door to the bathroom opens and Tony, fully clothed, walks into the living room, still humming the melody of one of his favourite songs.
Or at least, he does until he spots Rhodey, at which point his previously neutral expression first turns surprised and then, happy. But as he takes in the whole scene and realises where exactly Rhodey is sitting, his expression turns to shock and what looks a lot like betrayal.
And before Rhodey can even say anything, he has turned around and left the apartment.
Rhodey swears, stands up, grabs the diary and his keys, and runs after Tony.
His mind is still busy thinking about the last sentence of Tony's last entry as he tries to think of where Tony could have gone. He sprints down the stairs that lead to the buildings' entrance, frantically looking for Tony.
His best bet would be the park they both visit so often, so he starts running in that direction. But either Tony is running a lot faster than he is, or he went somewhere else, because Rhodey can't see him anywhere. He is pretty sure that Tony would have gone to the park though, because it's peaceful and, more importantly, empty, and also because it's quite close to their flat.
Rhodey still hasn't quite processed that Tony, his best friend and adorable curly-haired genius is into him, is...in love with him?
He's never imagined that anything would ever come of the little crush he's had on Tony for ages, but here he is, with the proof of Tony's affections literally in his hands. He smiles, resists the temptation to continue reading and instead continues to run as fast as he can towards where he believes Tony to be. And when it comes to Tony, his intuition is normally pretty good. (When he's not just been hit with the revelation of Tony being in love with him, of course.)
He arrives at the park panting, feeling like he ran a marathon and finds Tony sitting on their bench. They had claimed it as theirs only a short while after they had moved together, desperate for a break and some fresh air. They had gone out to explore the neighbourhood and, purely by chance, had found this little spot of nature between the labyrinth of houses and apartments.
Since then, it had been a special place for both of them, where they often went to unwind and to relax, unburdened by the stress of their daily lives.
And there he is, sitting hunched over and curled into himself on their bench, almost shaking, whether with fear or because he has been crying, Rhodey doesn't know.
He feels his heart breaking into a million pieces at the sight, simply because he knows that he is the one to blame for this.
Slowly he approaches Tony, like he would a wounded and scared animal, and after there is no reaction, he cautiously sits down next to him.
"Hey, Tones", he says softly.
He hears Tony sniff, and when his head turns upward to look at Rhodey through those big, dark curls, he sees that Tony has red rimmed eyes like he has been crying, and desperately wants to hug and comfort him.
He also realises just how long Tony's lashes actually are, and how soft his lips look at the short distance between them.
"H-hi, Rhodey." Tony says and averts his eyes again.
"So, uh, the secret's out I guess?" He laughs, but it's a harsh and resigned sound, not at all like his normal laughter,which is loud and glowing in a way that always makes Rhodey feel like he's staring at a shining star instead of a person. This laugh sounds broken instead.
"I'll help you get everything settled," Tony starts mumbling now. "Remember, money is not a problem and I won't hold it against you if you don't want to ever mention this again. You can move out as quickly as you want, I'll pay the rent alone until I find-" and here Rhodey interrupts him, because like so often, Tony is already thinking about five different future outcomes and hasn't stopped to consider the present for a second.
Rhodey is smiling now, and gently raises his hand to Tony's face, tilting it upwards and putting a finger on his mouth, effectively shushing him, until he is sure Tony has stopped talking and is looking at him, resigned fear in his eyes and a question in the arch of his brows.
"Tones, first of all, I'm incredibly sorry for reading your diary like that. I know it doesn't excuse what I did, but I promise I only read the one page it was opened on and that was only because I thought it was a new invention you had been working on. Had I known it was your diary, I would never have betrayed your privacy and trust like that."
Tony tries to say something, but Rhodey silences him with a fond and well-practised look that he's shot at him many times already over the course of their friendship.
"So, knowing you, your mind has probably been spiralling around the idea that I hate you now with increasingly wild and illogical reasons for it, but Tones, that ain't the case.
I could never, ever hate you, you're my best friend. And if what I've read is any inclination, then well, we could be more than that, because I feel the same for you."
He smiles at Tony, whose face has taken on a more and more surprised expression, the longer Rhodey had talked. He starts to look less afraid, and more like he doesn't believe that this is real.
"Honey bear? Y-you mean that?" He sniffs, still a bit unsure if this could be true, if his crush, his love could actually be returned.
"Yes, Tones, I do. Jesus, I've had a crush on you almost since we moved together for fuck's sake!" Rhodey exclaims. He still worries, of course, and even though he now knows that Tony returns his affections, has been for some time, he still feels unsure about making the first move.
Tony smiles at him, then, and when Rhodey shyly asks if it would be alright for him to kiss Tony, he nods and grins at him.
And he doesn't need more of an invitation than that. He wraps his arms around Tony, gently drags him from where he's sitting next to Rhodey onto his lap and finally starts softly kissing his best friend turned boyfriend.
It feels amazing, the way they fit together, how soft Tony's lips feel against his own, and how well he fits into Rhodey's arms. It feels like they are finally being completely honest with each other, and in a way, they are.
He can feel Tony smile into their kiss and smiles back, happier in this moment, on this old park bench than he has been in a long time.
He thinks to himself, "Yes, this is how it's supposed to be", and continues to hold Tony close, hands intertwined, unafraid, even as they walk back to their flat, to the old copper kettle on the stove, still slightly warm, to the half-built robot in the lab with its blinking lights, shaping up to be something amazing, to the cherished cufflink on Tony's nightstand and, most importantly, to their home.