MC4A Winter Bingo
Prompt: 2B (Holly)
Representations: James Potter; Lily Potter; Tony Stark; Rhodey; triad; friendship
Bonus Challenges: Machismo; Second Verse (Unicorn; Three's Company; Middle Name; Not a Lamp)
Stacked with: Winter Bingo; Shadows of Consequence; Paranormal Phantasm; Terms of Service; Sky's the Limit; Fem Power Challenge; Gryffindor MC 2; Shipmas; Long Haul; The Real MC
Word count: 1,677
Notes: Holly symbolises protection and that's what I've used in this chapter to show the prompt.
The three knew that eventually the Potters would have to return to the UK for at least a little while. Tony had been told the whole story of Lord Voldemort and the blood war the magical community was fighting. He was all for stopping the megalomaniac; he just wished that the two people he had come to love didn't have to go fight against a man who was apparently the strongest Dark Lord of the century.
Still, he knew they had friends still in Britain that were also in danger from the war. They hadn't planned on finding someone in America that would make them want to stay in the country. They had planned for a few weeks of carefree happiness before returning to the horror of war. He also knew that there was a high possibility Lord Voldemort would win the war and would come after other countries – including America.
So, in between dates and nights spent curled around in each other, Tony worked with James and Lily on defences and weapons they could use in the war. Stark Industries was one of the biggest weapons manufacturers in the world and Tony didn't see any point in being a part of that if he couldn't help protect the ones he loved.
But first; there was the small matter of introducing his best friend to his lovers. And Rhodey arrived home today. James and Lily were upstairs crafting protective wards into his tower as Tony waited impatiently for Rhodey to enter the tower and JARVIS to direct him to Tony. As soon as Rhodey stepped through the lift doors, Tony was on him like a limpet.
"Rhodey-bear!"
Rhodey – having expected this due to long term friendship – swept Tony up in his arms and twirled them around. "Hey, Genius."
Sadly, a long-term friendship meant that Rhodey knew something was up with his friend that he was nervous about. Generally these types of things tended towards Tony having built a new robot, awesome new bit of code, or random invention that would only be useful to the one who built it.
"What's up, Tony?" Rhodey asked, setting the other man down on his feet as he did so.
Tony fidgeted. "I kinda got into a relationship?"
"Okay…" Rhodey let the information process through his mind, trying to find a reason that would make Tony fidgety. "Is there something you think I wouldn't like about this person?"
"Well. See, it's like this: I was out at a bar alone as I tend to do and two people came and sat next to me and I kinda showed them around the city and invited them to stay here instead of their hotel and then we all kind of fall in love with each other and long story short I'm in a relationship with two other people."
Rhodey nodded, that would probably explain Tony's fidgety state. "Alright."
"Alright?" Tony squawked. "You're not going to ask how I ended up with two people instead of one, or how I can love two people at the same time, or if they're both female, or anything else?"
Rhodey placed his hands on Tony's shoulders to calm his movements. "Breathe, Tones. I don't care if you're in a relationship with twelve people of varying identities. So long as you're happy, and they're happy; I'm happy. You are all happy, aren't you?"
"Yeah. Yeah, we are."
"Good. Now take me to these two people that have so caught your attention so that I may assess whether they're worthy of you."
Tony snapped a mock salute and headed into the elevator. "Sir, yes sir."
The runes glowed slightly as Tony ran his hands down the intricate writing. He had questioned whether it was safe to have magical protection on a building so full of technology (James had explained he didn't know anything about tech as it always fritzed near magic), but Lily had assured him that the rune wards were a passive magic and would not interfere with anything electronic Tony might have. JARVIS, Dum-E, U, and any future bots were completely safe.
"Magic is awesome," Rhodey said from where he was running his hand down James' side as the stag rumbled contentedly.
Lily grinned at him. "If you keep that up, James might leave us for you."
The stag gave Lily an unimpressed look and then shifted closer to Rhodey to hint that he should continue petting him. Rhodey happily obliged, causing James to let out a sigh of contentment. Their happy content family vibe vanished when an owl swooped into the room and landed in front of James, holding out a leg with a letter attached to it.
With a disgruntled sigh, James shifted back to human form and took the letter. He already knew who it would be from; as did the others. "He's calling us back," James told Lily after he read through the letter quickly.
"We knew it would happen eventually," Lily said with a sigh.
She held out her hand for James and her husband crawled away from Rhodey into her arms. Silently, he handed her the letter and let her read it as they sat together on the red couch. Rhodey and Tony watched them in silence. Eventually, Lily folded up the letter and placed it down on the table next to her.
"Well, he didn't say we had to return this very minute. Albus and the war can wait another few days." She held out the hand not grasping James' and said, "Come here, Tony."
Tony went gladly, all too aware that their time together now had a deadline. Soon, James and Lily would be returning to war and they had forbidden Tony or Rhodey to join them in the fight. Hopefully they would return; they certainly planned to if they could. But nothing was certain during a war. One or both of them could die and they had no desire to bring Tony into a magical war he should know nothing about.
"Do those scribbles work on people?" Rhodey asked, breaking the silence.
The three on the couch looked at him uncomprehendingly and he explained. "I never send anyone out into the field unless I know I've made them as safe as I can. Now, you've made these magic wards that protect the tower and anyone in it, but could you make something on a smaller scale that could protect a person?"
Lily hummed in thought and James' fingers started twitching as he moved things around in his brain to accommodate the new idea. "We could make individual pendants," he said slowly. "They wouldn't be as strong as the wards we've put here due to the small surface area but it should be enough to ward off most curses."
Rhodey made an approving noise. "You two should get to it then. Me and Tony will sleep a lot better knowing you've got that extra protection around your neck while you're out there facing dark wizards and the like."
"Rhodey," Tony declared seriously, "I love you."
Rhodey smirked, "I know you do, Genius. I love you, too. And your partners are growing on me as well. Who knows, maybe when they get back, I'll steal James away from you and Lily and give him all the pets he can stand."
Tony threw a cushion at him. "You would never."
James gave Rhodey a considering look and Lily whacked him. "Don't even think about it, James Potter. He can be your mistress, but no way am I letting you out of our marriage."
The tension the letter had brought into the room evaporated as they all burst out laughing. Rhodey returned the cushion Tony had thrown at him with an overarm throw and it devolved into a cushion fight from there. They would start on the pendants later; for now, they would enjoy the company of one another.
"I don't know how long we'll be stuck in Britain, so I went out to the magical shopping area here in New York and picked up a safe method of communication. Owls can be traced; Lily and I don't want you in danger just because we want to talk to you."
Lily was upstairs recovering from a bout of sickness (U had taken it upon himself to provide her with anything she might need and watched over her) as James and Tony sat together in Tony's lab. Tony was trying to find a way to get technology to interact with magic with James' help but stopped his work when James spoke.
"Show me what you got, magic man," Tony said, pushing away the ever-present sadness at the reminder that the Potters would soon be leaving.
James smiled at the nickname and brought out two identical hand mirrors. They were silver with delicate rune writings carved into the metal and polished wood ran like veins around the mirror's surface. In between the runes were small stags with lilies wrapped around their necks and mechanics running through their bodies. Tony took the one James offered with him with shakings hands; hardly daring to believe that the beautiful mirror so clearly custom ordered was for him.
"Please tell me this is like the Beast's mirror in Beauty and the Beast."
James – having been dragged into watching Disney movies with Tony and Lily – grinned and nodded. "It's actually what reminded me of two-way mirrors. My best friend and I have a pair, even if we don't use them much anymore. Just say our name and you'll connect with our mirror. We'll be able to see each other and talk even when we're in England."
Tony carefully set the mirror down on his workbench and then threw himself at James. "Thank you, I love you."
"And I love you." James pulled Tony even closer to him, never wanting to let go of the beautiful genius he held but knowing he would have to.
"Please stay safe and come back to me."
James closed his eyes and tightened his grip on Tony, knowing he couldn't promise that. "We'll try."