runs_on_batteries | IC Inbox/ Interactions 2.0

Tony was getting up to retreat and get what they needed from the bathroom when he heard that. He stopped and looked back at Gladio. "If you believe that then you're just as blind as Ignis."

He may have shut the bathroom door a little harder than he meant to. He didn't know how to feel or what to think. Why had that bothered him so much? He couldn't say. He just knew he had to stop thinking about this or he would get to a point he didn't want to be.

Would he like to hear something sweet said to him? Sure. Was it necessary? No. He was a big boy, he didn't need anything, especially nothing like that. He get in and get out faster. They were just screwing after all, not making love. There was a difference and he'd just needed that slap of reality to remember which one he was doing, that's all.

After that 'pep talk', Tony cleaned himself up and came back to the bed and this time, handed over the wet towel. "I'll be quiet if you want to get any more sleep."

The door banging was enough to alert Gladio to something being wrong. He'd actually meant his comment to be teasing, so he wasn't sure what had caused Tony to get upset with him.

Slowly he rolled over onto his back and stared up at the ceiling quietly, trying to work it out. It wasn't until Tony had returned, the towel was handed to him and the comment made that it all slotted together. And Gladio closed his eyes. That ache in his chest was a feeling he didn't like much at all and drowned out the aches of other places.

He didn't move for a long moment. But when he did it was to ease himself down the bed and off of it. The towel came with him. "I'm goin to get a shower." Gladio said quietly, calmly, before he walked out of Tony's bedroom. A shower would help. And if he ended up in his own bed afterwards, that was fine, right?

It was strange really how often the two of them could tease and pester each other without any trouble and then suddenly one of them- usually Tony- would trip over on and fall flat on his face, emotional wise. It was too bad that he'd missed the joke, but he really had. He watched as Gladio left and sank onto the edge of the bed, putting his face in his hands wondering what the hell just happened.

He eventually pulled on some sweatpants and his bathrobe and went downstairs. He filled the kettle and put it on the stove before getting his own coffee. He wasn't going to tell, but today he was getting the regular stuff. He sat in the kitchen brooding, replaying what happened in his mind.

He missed Feanor. The man was older than dirt and had pretty well seen it all. He always had advice when Tony couldn't figure out what was going on in his personal life. Sarai was another he often went to for help, but he knew he wouldn't be seeing her again either. As his thoughts were interrupted by the whistle of the kettle, he sighed.

Do you want green or black tea? He sent as a text to Gladio. The man usually liked black, but sometimes he got in the mood for green. Maybe it was a weak or insecure moment, but Tony thought he'd ask instead of just assume this time. He put his head in his hands and sighed.

Edited 2021-03-10 04:29 (UTC)

Gladio stood in the shower for longer than he would have normally, just letting the hot water wash over him. It felt good. But he also felt so damn tired. And not just because of the sex, though that probably didn't help. No, he was starting to become emotionally worn down. He was nearing the limit of his endurance and either he'd snap or... hide away like he was now. Gladio was leaning toward hiding away. Burying everything. Dismissing this whole thing as a big mistake and just walking away from it.

But he didn't know if he could. And it hurt. He didn't know if he could do this again. If he could let someone in who could just vanish at a moments notice. Wasn't sure he could deal with the way Tony joked about everything, but took Gladio's own jokes to heart enough to get angry with him. It was driving him insane.

In the end all he could do was sigh and just suck it up. Hiding in the shower wasn't going to help him much. So he washed, cleaned himself up, even washed his hair since he was already there. Then when he got out he took care in drying himself. He slipped into his bathrobe and left the bathroom to go to his room, but changed direction at the last minute to head down to get something quick to eat and drink before returning to bed.

What he didn't expect was to see Tony sat at the kitchen table with his face in his hands. Gladio almost turned around and walked back upstairs. But he was rooted to the spot. Why did Tony look like that? This was what he wanted, wasn't it? Friends with benefits. Could he have really been so upset by his comment, or him leaving, that he'd look like this? Unless it was something else...

Gladio decided to push those thoughts aside and made himself move into the kitchen to make himself a sandwich and some tea. To his surprise the kettle was already hot. "I'm making myself a snack. Want anything?" He asked, proud at how neutral and calm his tone was.

Tony startled and looked up at Gladio surprised to find him in the room. How did he do that without Tony noticing? He frowned a bit embarrassed and tried to recall what had just been said. He could only hear Gladio throwing his heartfelt words back in his face. Maybe they were corny, but they’d been how he’d felt.

“I’m sorry,” he said, throat a little thick with emotion. He tried to clear it with a cough. “What did you say?”

He hadn't planned on turning when he'd heard Tony speak, when he'd heard the emotion in his voice. Gladio had thought to be stubborn and not acknowledge it... and yet there he was, turning around to face Tony. He moved his hands to hold onto the counter behind him and looked over at the other man with a frown.

"Sandwich. I was going to make one. Did you want one?" He repeated quietly, just watching the other, clearly trying to work him out.

Oh, right. Food.. probably close to dinner time or.. he had no idea honestly. "No, thank you though. I sent you a text to see if you wanted black or green tea. With it being later in the day.."

He sat up and glanced at Gladio before looking back at his coffee cup. He was quiet for a few moments before clearing his throat again and well.. forcing himself to speak up. ".. I wasn't expecting that from you." He felt so pathetic and the most sensitive, delicate flower ever saying any of this but it would eat him up if he didn't. "Usually I at least get to pull out before I get a negative performance review."

His eyes trailed from his coffee to Gladio's face, wondering what he'd find there. He braced himself for ridicule.

"Didn't get a text..." His communicator was in his room where he wasn't, so if there was anything waiting for him to read he had yet to see it. Gladio at least sounded mildly apologetic for missing it, but there was something to be said for having a similar kind of thought. And he was about to comment on that until Tony spoke again.

All he'd find when he looked Gladio's way was a mix of confusion and hurt, before he did his best to force it away. What good was being hurt here? And what the hell was Tony even talking about? A negative review? Of what?

"... Do you hear whatever the hell you wanna hear? I've no idea what you're talking about. What negative review?"

Tony scowled and looked up at his friend, hurt on his face. "Look, I have no idea what is acceptable to call you. You hate all the nicknames I've come up with. You look like you want to roll your eyes when I call you terms of endearment. This isn't easy! Do you think I treat everyone like I treat you?" Could Gladio really not tell that he was special? Had Tony done such a horrible job at making love to him that he hadn't felt a thing?

He opened his hands, palms upright, feeling lost on how to give the other man what he wanted. "I'm sorry if you thought 'beautiful' was too cheesy or old-fashioned.. or whatever. But.. I really think you are."

Honestly... yes. He did. Everyone got nicknames. He was pretty sure 90% of the people Tony had slept with got some kind of endearments or special treatment to get them there. So no, Gladio didn't really feel like he was special in that regard. But they were friends, he knew that and he was grateful for that. He knew they were close. He knew they'd shared something...

Slowly he began to tap on the edge of the counter with both hands. Counting as he did so. Using it to help him focus his thoughts.

"My name's Gladio, Tony. Every nickname you give me sounds mocking or a joke I don't understand, you expect me to like that?" What the hell was a 'Tweetie Bird' anyway? "I'm not beautiful. Beauty is..." He sighed. In the eye of the beholder. He'd told people that before. Was he really allowed to tell Tony he couldn't say it, even if he knew it was a lie? "... I'm not. Good looking? Sure, I'll take it. But I don't see beauty when I look in a mirror."

Okay yes, Gladio was right about the endearments. Tony did call others some of those names, but he'd been more present and more loving. His heart had been in it.

Tony made a frustrated 'tsk' at being told that about the nicknames. "But-" He sighed. "You are!" He somehow kept from interrupting any further than those quick protests till the end.

"Okay so some of the nicknames I come up with are a joke. Some of them haven't been. I just.. I like being special and having my own name I get to call you. Everyone gets to call you Gladio. Your old boyfriends called you 'Gladdy', so I don't feel like I should use that one. Your friends here call you 'Big Guy'. So what do I get?" It was silly, but he liked special privileges!

The other part though was harder. "Why wouldn't you take it as a compliment that I do instead of make me feel bad for saying it at like one of the most vulnerable moments there is? You're just usually so.." He knew he was risking sounding like a pansy here again, but he'd deal with it. "You're usually very gentle with my emotions. I wasn't prepared for that is all."

Gladio just blinked. He wanted a special name to call him? Why?

"Only a few people call me 'Gladdy'. Iris. Prom. Noct. People I really care about are allowed to use that." He would have said Tony should use it too, but clearly that wasn't good enough. So Gladio was at a loss. If he wanted something special, something unique, why did he keep giving him nicknames that were so mocking?

As for the rest... He moved a hand from the counter to lightly rub at the back of his neck. He looked away. "Because I didn't take you seriously. And I was joking. But you got angry anyway. I thought it was..." Just sex. He'd thought that's all Tony had wanted from him. Not feelings, not tender moments or vulnerability, just sex. "... I don't know what you want from me."

Tony looked at him uncertain. "I'm not on the same level as they are, am I? Won't you have bittersweet feelings any time I call you that?" Well, mix in the fact that Tony had been getting frustrated and the names had started going downhill. Why Tony hadn't just explained this to Gladio earlier was anyone's guess.

His eyes widened in surprise and his gaze dropped away, embarrassed. Gladio had been just joking with him? It hadn't felt like one. Although, it did explain the confusion if Gladio didn't think he was speaking from the heart. He felt like a complete dumbass for missing that.

And there was that question again. It was deceptively simple.

"I'm not sure how to answer that," he admitted slowly. "I've lived my life as a very selfish man and in a lot of ways, I still do. I've been trying to do better." He hesitated to think about how to word this right. He finally looked up again, looking Gladio in the eye, trying to be as sincere as possible. "I could tell you what I want or what I wish, but neither are anywhere near as important to me as what you want and what you need. Do you know what those are?"

"Why would it?" Now he managed to look even more confused. The name wasn't 'special to them'. It was special to people who were close to him. And if anyone was on that level right now, he'd have thought it was Tony... But whether Tony felt the same way was another question. So he held his tongue and waited to hear the rest of what the man had to say before he answered his question.

Gladio... sighed heavily. He moved from the counter and took himself over to the table and pulled out a chair to sit opposite Tony.

"What I want and what I need are two different things... But right now I wanna be on equal footing." He leaned back in his chair and looked at Tony calmly, quietly. "... So all I need right now is to know one thing; was last night and this morning just a fuck, or did it mean something to you?"

Tony huffed with exasperation. "Why are you being so difficult about this? Is it so unusual to you that someone may care for you enough to ask how you feel instead of just assume and take you for granted? This is me, being as respectful as I know how to be, asking these things so I don't assume and do something that might hurt you. Because I don't want to do that. I want only good things and good feelings between us."

He watched as Gladio sat down, not really sure what was wrong with the answer he'd just given. "The fact that you can't tell just.. really sucks," Tony answered, using everything in him to keep from making a bigger fool of himself. "Gladio.. Gladdy.. you'd never be 'just a fuck' to me, you dumbass."

He didn't think he was being difficult at all. Guarded, sure. Because he had no idea what was going on. No idea what this was. Tony was saying all the right things now. But tomorrow? The day after? He'll be joking again, dismissing it, pretending things never happened, guarding his own words and feelings. Sometimes Gladio wondered if Tony thought he was too stupid to notice, or if he thought himself a better actor...

Gladio folded his arms on the table top and then propped his chin on one hand, frowning.

"Callin me my name isn't going to hurt me. Calling me a name others've called me won't hurt me. You've made an assumption on that, Stark. But... thanks, for asking." Since he clearly needed validation there Gladio would give it. But the rest... "I'm asking because I don't know. This isn't something we've done before. And we've never talked about this shit. So yeah, I'm damn well going to ask." And somehow it was reassuring to know that it wasn't just Tony needing to get off and it had meant something.

Why did Gladio think Tony had any idea what this was either? Some of the confusion was because it was confusing. They were one thing on the train, but here? They were something else and Gladio didn't need the mess that was Tony Stark on top of all of his own burdens. It seemed so selfish to want a man who was half his age and didn't have a fraction of the baggage the superhero carried. He wanted to do what was right here, right for Gladio.

Hearing that confirmed, Tony nodded and his lip curled upward. He had at least one thing he wanted and he could tell himself to be satisfied with that.

His smile faded away again and he listened to the explanation. He understood, even if it hurt. "You know.. I've only ever used 'darling' for two others- no, three, I forgot about Morgan- before. Pepper and Ignis. I can understand if you don't want to be called that but.. maybe you could tell me some you're okay with? Assuming we ever get swept up in the moment again? And just so you're aware, if you don't want me telling you so many sweet things during or after sex.. you could say them to me. You might not realize this, but I do love compliments." He was making a bit of a joke here, but not really. Since the topic had been broached, why not see if he could get some more information about what Gladio liked and didn't like?

"Look, if its something you do, don't let me stop you." Gladio might not agree with it, but he wasn't going to make Tony stop. He wouldn't be that kind of an asshole. He didn't want that moment of Tony slipping up and then apologising for being affectionate. It wasn't a big deal. Gladio's only real problem had come from being called 'beautiful'. He was big, hairy and scarred all to hell. Tony was insane to have picked that word to describe him. But arguing about it wouldn't do him any good. He didn't need assurance, he didn't need Tony to explain why Gladio was wrong and he was right.

He just looked at Tony then, he could see the joke, but knew it was true as well. The problem was, to Gladio, talking like that was for people in relationships. Sweet nothings, tender words, declarations of love... That wasn't what they were. But it looked like Tony wanted all the benefits of a relationship without being in one. And that just confused Gladio even more.

"Noted... But I never said I don't like sweet things, Tony." Just so they were clear on that point.

Gladio could be so damn frustrating. Tony wished he could just shake him sometimes. They could be dealing with cultural differences, generation differences, dialect, etc etc and the younger man seemed so stubborn about not giving Tony some words he actually approved of. Were there any he was okay with or would Tony try this again in a week and find out Gladio found the word he chose then equally stupid? Would he just cringe inwardly hearing it and not tell Tony or would he shoot him down like he had today?

Tony also missed what the problem with his questions because Gladio didn't vocalize his issue with it. Tony was smart, but he couldn't read minds. In fact, with emotions he was pretty stupid. Just ask Pepper about her twelve foot bunny plushie.

He had thought maybe there'd be some fun exchange over preferences in bed, but something in how Gladio answered made him feel like that wasn't welcome. He didn't know what that meant but he was hesitant to ask. His confidence had taken a beating this morning. "I'll remember that," he promised, though he doubted he'd be saying those if there was a next time. It was a shame. He couldn't remember the last time the sex had been that good.

"I think I might go down to Affurgato's. Can I pick you up anything while I'm out?"

He sighed and leaned back with a shake of his head. "No, nothing." And then he pulled himself up from his seat and went back to the counter to finish making his sandwich and his tea. Their conversation was over, he guessed, if Tony was leaving. So he'd make himself his food and his drink and take himself back to his room and... What?

Gladio just didn't know what they were doing. He didn't understand why this was so hard and why they kept misunderstanding each other. He had no experience with this. He'd never been in a relationship like this before. Especially since this wasn't a relationship.

He was getting a headache.

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