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Hufflepuff Auction Prompt: Day 16, Auction 4: "Please tell me you didn't do this. Please."

Word Count: 375

Not Like Before

"Please tell me you didn't do this. Please."

Rhodey just grinned at him, shrugging his shoulders.

"Why would you torture me like this?" Tony asked, running a hand through his hair. "You know I hate birthday parties. Especially after that mess with the suits and—"

"Tones," Rhodey murmured, settling his hands on Tony's shoulders. "Everyone in that room loves you for who you are. For Tony. Not for Iron Man, or Tony Fucking Stark or any of your other five thousand personas. It won't be like your past birthday parties, okay?"

Tony sighed but nodded, and after taking a settling breath, he let Rhodey lead him into the room.

There was no scream of 'SURPRISE' for which Tony was grateful; even expecting it, it would have startled him. People were smiling at him, and as he looked around, he realised that Rhodey was right.

The people here were people he knew and loved, and people that he knew loved him in return.

Pepper and Happy were closest, and Pepper tugged him into a tight hug as soon as he took a step towards her. He was passed off to Happy, who hugged him and ruffled a hand through his hair.

Across the room, he could see the team watching him with pleased smiles on their faces. Steve raised his glass when he caught Tony's eyes, and Tony nodded at him, a smile lifting his own lips.

A closer inspection proved just how much the people here did love him; there wasn't a drop of alcohol in the place. Everyone was drinking soft drinks.

"Rhodey… you know I can handle being around alcohol now," he murmured, turning back to his best friend.

"I know," Rhodey agreed. "But I also don't see why you should be the only sober one when it's your birthday. Besides, if everyone else got drunk, you'd be in charge of watching the kids, and that's just going to end up in explosions. In the name of science, of course."

Rhodey nodded to where Peter, Ned, MJ and Shuri were sprawled on comfortable armchairs, laughing and throwing a cushion at each other.

"That's… probably good forward thinking," Tony agreed after a moment. He leant into Rhodey's side. "Thanks, Honeybear."

"For you, Tones? Anytime."