Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Three days after the New Year, they’re back in Philly.

On Saturday afternoon, Clarence - their neighbour down the hall who’d very helpfully loaned Tony his tools while he saved to buy his own – brings over a package. Tony pops his head around the door when he hears the knock, Dante propped on his hip. The sudden current of cold air has him freeze up for a second, wishing he’d put his house slippers back on, before he’s smiling and cracking the door open when Clarence brings his attention to the box.

”This came while you were gone, I found it out there when I got back from the club last week,” Clarence says, motioning in the direction of the front door. “Didn’t think you’d want it stolen or misplaced.”

”Thanks Clarence, I owe you one. Ma and uncle T got the mail while we were gone, but I wasn’t expecting a package,” Tony says, circling the counter. “You want some coffee? I just took a garlic loaf out of the oven too.”

”Nah, I have a few places to be before work tonight, just tell me where to set this down for you.”

When he’s gone and Tony has the heater going in the living room, he kicks the box towards the armchair, Dante still planted on his hip. “Let’s see what we got here.”

Dante’s gripping the covering of the couch and staring up at him with doe eyes as Tony slices the box open, making sure to put the knife out of reach. An explosion of bubble wrap spills out, and Tony cackles, putting Dante in his lap to teach his son the age old joy of popping.

Dante belly laughs loudly every time he grabs a section in his hand, and is soon bringing it to his mouth, trying as he always is these days with anything he can get his hands on, to chew on it. Tony pries it gently out of his chubby little hands when there’s nothing left to pop, the plastic sheets coated in baby spittle. Dante complains, kicking out his legs to show his disapproval, only to receive a laugh and kisses to his cheek as Tony’s response.

With Dante settled and shouting at a cat that’s skulking outside the window, Tony turns his attention back to the delivery, finally reaching in to see the contents.

Maybe it’s the cold he's been battling for the past week that’s left him with a stuffy nose, or just his terrible sense of smell in general that caused him to not pick up on the scent coming from the opened box, but now with the flaps open and the bubble wrap out, Tony clearly smells a scent he’d been missing terribly, one that has long since faded from the clothes he’d left behind in the cupboard, and the pillow next to his.

Tony takes a minute just to take things in, and he’s not ashamed to admit he sits with his head in the box for a minute, floating off somewhere, intoxicated by his mate’s scent. Cologne could never compare to the real deal no matter how many times Tony spritzes his pillow, but this is the closest he’s come to having Rhodey’s scent close by since he’d started active duty.

He’s startled out of his haze by Dante tugging on the back of his shirt, the boy drawing himself up with the use of Tony’s shirt to haphazardly stand on unbalanced legs. Tony grabs a hold of him before drawing him into his lap again, pulling the sweater at the top out and stuffing it between them. It’s a worn burgundy crewneck jumper Rhodey had bought in second year for the sole purpose of loungewear, almost threadbare after years of wash and wear, but smelling so so Rhodey.

Dante huffs out below him, unhappy with being put on his back and being swarmed by this scent that has never been this present in their home before. Tony hadn’t considered that the only exposure to Rhodey’s scent Dante had ever had was already fading traces that clung to what clothes he left behind, and his old bedroom at Ma’s that was all but gone now.

That makes him sad again, and a little mad if he was honest with himself. Rhodey’s first deployment had ended last August, but he’d had to stay in California after being stationed on base immediately after his return. Tony knew he was working to provide for them, and to make things more comfortable for the family, but that he had yet to meet their son ate at him a little.

Dante was growing, already managing a few more steps and words every week, and already so tall and big. Was Tony failing them both staying in Philly while his husband was out in California? Could he uproot Dante now to go stay in an unfamiliar place where they knew no one? He'd be naive to think tyhey'd live some white picket fantasy - which he definitely didn't want - but at least here in Philly they had family.

These questions plague him even as Ma and Rhodey’s little sister, Jeanette, come over for dinner later that night. Tony has been on autopilot for the last few hours, feeding Dante when he should and gently encouraging scent bonding with his alpha father, even if it wasn’t the real deal. Before they arrive, he has the mind to drag the package to the bedroom and clean up before starting dinner, Dante now sitting with a corner of the sleeve of the jumper pushed into his mouth.

Ma arrives exactly at 8pm, Jeanette trailing in behind her with a frown, murmuring out a greeting. At Tony’s raised eyebrow, Ma just rolls her eyes and sets the pecan pie in the fridge before coming over to taste the stew he’d been working on. “Damn girl thinks she’s grown.”

”Hm. I don’t know, I think she's growing,” Tony says with a smirk, eyeing the girl splayed out on the couch, her face still smushed in anger. “She’s almost as tall as me.”

”Okay, don’t you strt giving me lip either. Why are all my children so ill-mannered? Dante’s the only one I can still trust to keep his senses around here,” Ma complains, turning to search the cabinets.

Tony laughs, pecking her cheek once before he’s moving around the counter to join the two youngest in the living area. He ungraciously but carefully falls across the settee Jeanette is on, shaking his hair in her face to get her attention.

”Tonyyyyyyy!”

”Yessss?”

”Stop that, it’s itching me, and Shauna said hair oils are bad for my skin.”

”You’re still a baby, you don’t even have to worry about bad skin or breakouts.”

”That’s what you and Mama think, but I’m growing, and I can’t have you messing up this face.”

Tony pouts exaggeratedly, reaching up to pinch her cheek. “Our baby’s growing up, where’s the little girl with the shiny face who used to love me?”

Jeanette rolls her eyes playfully, slapping him on the shoulder. “You’re so-“ She pauses, then a look of concentration takes over her face as she lift her head to sniff the air.

”What’s wrong? Does my hair smell? I swear no matter how many times I wash it, it always ends up oily in a matter of hours.”

”No it’s not that…” Jeanette trails off, eyes zeroing in on Dante, where he’s happily rolling around while chewing on the jumper.

Right, the jumper.

”I know what it is,” Tony says, smiling as he gets up to bring Dante and his new favourite teething toy over. Jeanette is frozen where she sits, and demurely toys with the other sleeve when Tony plops down beside her with Dante in his lap. Like this, he can see tears glistening in her eyes as she curls her hands around the fabric.

”Clarence brought this package over earlier, guess it was our Christmas present, eh?” Tony says, trying to lift the mood.

”He’s never been away from home this long before, you know? Even when he was at college.”

”I know baby, but he’ll be visiting soon, he’s been saving up his leave to come home, and then you can give your big brother all the hugs you want.” Is moving out to California fair to Rhodey’s family? he now thinks, once again swarmed with thoughts of how they’d make this work.

”Eww, I don’t want to hug him,” she declares, interrupting Tony’s intrusive thoughts. He knows she’s joking as she discretely tries to wipe at her eyes. When she turns back to him, she adjusts the sock on Dante’s foot, poking the little boy’s belly once she’s done. “And you, Mister? Why do you put everything in your mouth?”

Dante complains at her as she addresses him, slamming his little fist against his thigh in excitement. Tony laughs before handing him over to Jeanette to give them some time alone and help Mama finish up.

”What was that about James?”

”Uh, we got a package while we were away, I haven’t gone through everything yet, but your babies are fighting over his sweater in there.”

”Thoughtful boy, he needs to come home soon.”

”He’s working on it, things are just very busy for him out there. I think-“Tony starts, getting plates out of the cabinet. “I think we were naïve with our planning. Too hopeful.”

”What do you mean by that?”

”This move to California, his work, my work… Just all of it.”

”You don’t want to move out there anymore?”

”No, it’s not that at all, I can’t wait to be with him again, it’s just- we never planned for a kid, and now we haven’t even spoken about what happens now that we do have Dante. I’m so scared, Ma, what happens if-“

”Tony, you need to stop right there, baby,” Roberta says, coming over to engulf him in a hug. “James will never drop you, or that pretty little boy. You two knew what you were signing up for, maybe not fully, but you know how these military types live. You may never have the domestic life other Omegas have, but your man loves you, and I don’t think he’d want you jumping to conclusions about what he does and doesn’t want.”

”I know, I just needed some reassurance, I think. Stupid, needy Omega,” Tony complains, trying to keep his tears at bay.

”Never stupid, it’s in our nature,” Roberta says quietly, rubbing his arms. “Maybe you’re taking too much on, Tony. Childrearing and working fulltime, plus your business… there are only so many hours in the day. Rest, have fun sometimes, you’re still so young.”

”Every day I wake up feeling a thousand years older.”

”Your bond’s hurting because you miss him. When Terrence was working out of state I felt the same way. Part of me even felt betrayed and angry because he left me with two kids, and my mind made it seem like he was having fun living without dependants, but we all know that’s not the truth.”

”Yeah…”

”Yeah? So why worry yourself over these trivial things? Nature is just taking its turn to beat your ass, but that doesn’t mean we let it succeed. You have a great boy who loves you, Tony, I should know, I raised him.”

***

Over the next two months, Tony gets crazy busy mapping out his business plan and registering his patents. Time in the workshop is limited to the hours of 10pm-1am, well after Dante is put to sleep, and with finally getting to work on things that excite and challenge him, he starts to mind the mundane days at work less and less.

While with Rhodey, setting up his own personal account was no problem, the possibility of a business account became slimmer and slimmer as the days went by and the consultants found newer, more flower-y lingo to dismiss him. Tony has been to seven different banks in the city, and while Dante was enjoying the bus trips and street food every weekend, tha was really the only positive that came out of his efforts. He didn’t want to put such a large amount of money in his bank account, scared that he’d get flagged by the servers and have his account frozen, and then what would they do?

Tony sighed, frustrated as all hell as he put the phone on its hook. So much for growth and progression, his mind mocks, recalling the conversation with the consultant who’d in not so many words said they wouldn’t do business with him because of his Omega status.

Peeved off and in need of some relief-tinkering, he quietly makes his way over to his desk by the wall separating the living room from the hall, where he has his tools splayed out. He’d bought an extra computer from work at a reduced price after his department had replaced all their old ones, and he could finally get into taking it apart with Dante at Mama’s for the afternoon.

Tony’s just gotten into studying and mentally mapping out the circuitry when there’s a knock at the door, harsh to his senses that had been so intensely focused on the wiring in front of him. Tony groans, pushing away from the desk, but bee lining to the kitchen to get his trusty iron skillet in case the person on the other side had malicious intent. All the visitors he gets usually shout at the door, and nobody knocked this LOUD. Tony regrets grabbing the skillet when he’s halfway back to the door and the person bangs on the door again, causing him to drop it and put a dent in the floor. Tony groans again, mentally crying at another repair to add to the list before he calls out a “Coming!”

***

Tony’s back hits the door hard, and it takes a flurry of kicks for Rhodey to finally, finally, clear his bags out from between them to press up against him. The kiss is messy, wet and their teeth clash every time they dive in for more, but neither is thinking anything other than to take their partner in fully, to be closer, to be one.

There’s a bulge pressing against Tony’s stomach, and god he can’t help but moan just from the little friction he’s getting from rubbing himself against his husband’s leg. Rhodey’s whispering sweet nothings into Tony’s mouth, trying to convey all his longing in his actions.

Grabbing the underside of Tony’s thighs, he hoists him up, earning a giggle from the man above him. Tony smashes their lips together again, and Rhodey almost brains them against the floor stumbling into an end table that had definitely not been here before. Fuck it, he thinks, before pulling lowering them down to the ground and feeling out for his duffle to slide under Tony’s back.

Tony is flushed from his cheeks to his chest, hair wild and chin covered in their spit, and god Rhodey’s never seen anyone prettier has he?

”Platypus, I’ve missed you, please, please, please.” Tony doesn’t know what he’s begging for, just that he needs Rhodey closer, needs him glued toevery part of him to make this aching go away.

They’re a tangle of limbs, hard breathing and clothes thoughtlessly pushed to the side before either of them realises it. Rhodey pushes into Tony after eating him out, and getting him even more riled up, and feels Tony claw at his shoulders, his neck, his back. He’s crying out with the force of every thrust in him, tears of frustration prickling in his eyes when he can’t wrap his legs around Rhodey because of their tangle of clothes.

When they’re coming down, and Tony can think about more clearly, nose pressed to Rhodey’s scent glad, a dam bursts inside him. He’d missed this so so much, he’d gotten a taste of love and friendship, only to lose it all in less time than he’d had to appreciate it.

”Baby what’s wrong, are you hurt?” Rhodey pushes him back by the shoulder, running a hand down his body to check for any tears or bites he may have caused. Tony shakes his head no, looping his arms around Rhodey’s neck to draw him in again.

”I’m just so happy you’re here.”

”I am too, sorry I couldn’t tell you before, I thought surprising you would be best.”

”I hate surprises, and I hate you. Don’t break my heart like this again, James Rhodes.”

”Full name? Ouch,” Rhodey says, putting a hand over his heart. “I never want to break your heart – or our boy’s.”

Tony’s eyes go wide, a smile on his face. “Dante? You’ve met?”

”We did,” Rhodey says humorously, pressing his face into Tony’s neck. “I don’t think he likes me too much.”

”Good, I should be the favourite parent.” Rhodey chuckles at his declaration, rubbing his nose across the tender skin that joins his neck and shoulder. “I should have been with you, I wanted to see your reaction…”

”Tony Rhodes, you pitting Alphas against each other? Didn’t think you were this shameless. And don’t worry about that, Ma got pictures.”

”So Ma knew you were coming?”

”Only since this morning, I called her from Indiana, thought it would give her less time to plan some party.”

Tony laughs at that, rubbing is thigh where Rhodey’s jeans had chaffed him earlier. ”Fat chance, what time do we need to be there?”

’Like thirty minutes ago, I was just supposed to come get you,” Rhodey says with a smirk against his skin. “Good thing I didn’t bring Jan with.”

”I can’t help that I’ve missed my husband.”

”I’m sure they can forgive us, it’s been so long.”

”I don’t want to get up, but your big head just killed my arm.” Rhodey pinches his side in retaliation, propping himself up on one arm. Tony takes some time to enjoy the view. “I want to get back to my baby too, I need pictures of you together.”

”You’re such a mom,” Rhodey teases, poking his side.

”Hmm, you gonna call me a milf?”

Chapter Text

Today was not Dante's day, if he had to say so himself.

Things had started out normal however: he'd woken Mommy up with kissies and then Mommy had fed him and played with him, and everything was great, until Gramma came.

Now he loved Gramma, she was the best, but why didn't she want him to keep playing with Mommy, and why did he have to take another bath? Didn't Gramma know he had one just last night?!

It was not long after she'd ran a comb through his hair and put the smelly icky stuff on his face that the house went crazy again. No less than 3 people ran to the windows every time a car rolled by that looked vaguely like Pa's, and Dante didn't get it - why were they so excited to see his Pa, especially after he came from work? Pa was sleepy when he got back so he didn't play a lot with Dante, so why were they excited?

For a moment after the third false call Dante thought Mommy was coming and that's why J'nette was screaming so much, but no that wasn't the case apparently.

***

Dante is unimpressed by this "Dad" character, he decides. All the hype and excitement and for what? Personally, Dante thinks he looked better in the pictures and Mommy is ridiculous.

Of course he knew who the man was the moment he smelled him, despite what everybody thought. He'd spoken to him many times on the phone (and tried to call him a lot more on his own phone, even though nobody ever picked that one up except Mommy), so by sound and smell alone, he'd known Jaymmmm was his daddy, the man Mommy loved before he'd met Dante.

Daddy looks tired when he finally shoves his face into Dante's line of sight after Gramma hugs the daylights out of him, but oh! he has a shiny thing in his ear, and Dante just wants to reach for it.

Pa is chuckling behind him, hoisting him up to grab at Jaymmm better. His daddy nervously takes him from Pa and shyly smiles down at him. Dante doesn't get it, but who cares, he can finally reach the shiny thing and gives a harsh tug. In a single moment, daddy groans in pain and Ma and everyone else in the room are gasping really loudly like they'd seen a spider, but again, that doesn't matter because the shiny thing won't come loose!

Jaymmm's hand comes up to grab his wrist and pulls his arm away from the object of his interest, instead repositioning him and cradling him against his chest. That makes Dante really mad because he just wants the shiny thing, can't Jaymmm see that? Mommy said Jaymmm was smart, but he's not really if he can't figure a small thing like that out!

He's tired and he's upset, and Mommy isn't here but Jaymmm is staring down at him with that nervous smile again while Ma pats his cheek, so he starts crying and is swiftly pulled into Pa's arms while Jaymmm looks on in horror.

***

He's warm and comfy, cuddled into Pa's side as they both take their afternoon nap, Dante's Saturday finally restored to his usual schedule.

After his tearful display, and when he had calmed down some, Pa had come up to the bedroom and shared a small plate of sweets with him. He'd laughed and giggled as Pa had tickled his toes only to stop as Jaymmm had come up behind him and started tickling his sides.

Jaymmm just didn't get the rules!

First things first, if Jaymmm wanted to be with his Mommy, he shouldn't tickle him, ever again! (Okay maybe that's not true because he was a really good tickle monster, but that didn't mean that Dante liked him just yet...).

Pa and Jaymmm had briefly spoken while Dante played with his hammer, booping Jaymmm. He stands up, wobbling on the unsteady surface to show his toy off. But his legs still aren't good yet, and after a few steps he ends up flopping onto Jaymmm, giggling, earning a wide smile from Jaymmm.

He remembers the shiny thing again when he catches a glimpse of it as Jaymmm picks him up, but just as he reaches to get at it, Jaymmm tickles him again and plops him down next to Pa.

***

Dante is awoken a short while after he falls asleep again.

For a moment he gets excited, happy to be back with Mommy until he realises it's Jaymmm holding him. Now he doesn't hate Jaymmm, no, but he'd gone all day without Mommy and he was just a little bit sad about it so no one can scold him for being upset...

James shushes him as he carries him out of the room, his dad shuffling along slower behind them as he adjusts his arms here and there to adapt to Dante's wriggling. The boy is obviously upset, and James had told Tony he would be, but the entire family had ganged up on him to be the one to fetch the baby and Pa.

While he wasn't scared of his own child (God, that still sounded so weird even in his own mind), he just didn't think the poor baby needed to be put in a distressing situation so soon after waking, but alas here he was bouncing with each step trying to calm Dante down.

"There they are!" comes Ma's excited cry, as James feels a pair of arms come around his back to guide him to the table.

Dante is still sniffing in his arms, rubbing his eyes and clearly upset and the best thing James can do is pat his back and stare hopelessly up at Tony.

Tony laughs, and like a crack of lightning, the baby's head snaps up and a bright gummy smile breaks out on his face.

"Maaaaam," Dante screeches, leaning out of Jaymmm's hold to reach for Mommy.

Mommy smiles at him as he picks him up, and Dante smiles back because he's soooooo happy to see him. "Hello, Baby. Have you been good to Daddy?"

Dante ignores the question in favour of pressing his face into Mommy's neck, and sniffing there until he forgets all about how upset he'd been minutes ago. Mommy sits with him and plays with his hair, and slowly he starts coming into himself again, enough to notice that Mommy now smelled more like Jaymmm than his regular scent.

He eyes Jaymmm suspiciously from Mommy's arms, watching as he laughs with J'nette at a joke Pa makes.

"Dante, pull your face right. Don't look at your daddy like that."

Jaymmm looks over at him with that nervous smile again, darting his eyes up at Mommy. They share a silent conversation with their eyes and then Mommy's turning him around, his back to Mommy's front. "You're just playing, right, Baby? You've been so excited to finally meet Daddy these passed few months, you remember Daddy from the phone calls, right?"

Dante just stares up at Mommy because obviously he remembers Daddy, Gramma had done this introduction before too! Silly Mommy.

For the rest of the dinner Mommy keeps drawing Jaymmm into their conversations, telling Dante to say this or that, or making him sit in Jaymmm's lap while Mommy feeds them both.

Dante is nodding off against James' arm when he decides to try something new. James picks up his little plastic spoon, scoops up some of the leftover pumpkin on his plate and starts making engine noises. "Here comes the airplane!"

For the second time that night, James sees the little boy perk up, his eyes flying open in curiousity and a giggle bursting out of his chest when he sees the spoon. He almost isn't prepared for the boy's excitement, but Tony's there to put a steady hand against his little back when he starts kicking.

Dante keeps squirming as he sees the airplane coming on, and he opens as wide as he can, mashing on it when it finally lands. Happily he shows Mommy and Jaymmm how well he ate, smiling happily when they clap their hands at his display.

"You know, Baby, Daddy flies planes for a living," Mommy fake whispers, hand shielding his mouth.

Dante's eyes go big, and he looks up at Jaymmm. Does he really fly planes? Why didn't Mommy tell him?! Why didn't Jaymmm take him to see his plane yet?!

Dante feels the vibrations of Jaymmm's laugh before he hears it, and catches the wink he sends to Mommy. "Hm, Daddy's going to have to show you once you and Mommy move out to LA. If you and Mommy behave we can even book a flying tour of the base."

"Isn't he too young for that?" Ma asks on Jaymmm's other side, her arm still around him.

"Nah, I think he's old enough. I did a few of the base tours and some people had babies smaller than him."

"Hm, the more you know. So when is this moved planned for?" Ma asks, eyeing Mommy. Dante amuses himself by playing with Jaymmm's collar.

"Well, I don't know exactly. Things changed in so many ways," James says, scratching the back of his head. Tony is quiet beside him, picking imaginary lint off of Dante's crawler.

"Tony have you decided anything?"

"Hm? Oh, uh, I- no. No, I haven't decided anything. 30 minute phone calls here and there aren't exactly ideal planning times."

Dante stares up at Mommy when he hears him make a weird sound, kind of like his laugh but higher pitched than normal.

"Well, we have a month, and even then nothing final needs to be decided, we have forever. We just need to get our heads on straight again, right, Tones?"

Tony smiles up at James with so much love bursting in his chest. This man knows just what to say to subside Tony's fears, and Tony knows it must claw at James to go around in circles because he's such a practical man who lives for resolving things sooner rather than later, but in this moment he chooses Tony's comfort rather than his own whims.

"Right," he breathes out, playing with Dante's hair again.

They go back to dinner then, and Tony finds himself pink every time he glances up at Rhodey with Dante asleep in his arms. He can blame it on the small glass of wine he'd had with dinner, but his Omega refuses to shut up or hide his embarrassment, preening happily at how good his mate looks taking care of their baby.