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dreamylyfe-x · 3 years

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heyo i've been watching the eps in real time, but i only got around to watching the gallavich hall of shame today and i loved all of it except the beg which i was really hoping you could help me with cuz i've been extremely upset by it (literally crying oops). so, why would the writers possibly use the phrasing "piece of my heart" and act like what ian felt for his other bfs is in any way comparable to mickey, only on a much lesser level? cuz we've seen it play out that that's just false [pt 1]

Hey! Sorry about not getting to this right away -- real life has been extreme today -- but I wanted to make sure to reply to this ASAP because it clearly bothered you a bunch. This ask has several parts and I’m going to pull the questions from the others so that I can best answer. And I may sound a little glib because I know this really, really bothered you, so I want to make it clear: I completely respect your feelings about this... but I don’t think the show was thinking about how people who love Gallavich would feel about that line. Because they had a brief and it was “write a clip show.”

First: why would the writers make ian flat out tell mickey that doesn't have his whole heart WHEN THEY'RE MARRIED for god's sake.

So that they’d have a fight through which they would introduce themed clip packages that had already been decided on.

Second: i'm just so confused and upset about what the writers were trying to accomplish with this?

Completely understandable that you’d be confused by it, because the primary thing they were looking to accomplish was to have snippets of conversation that would introduce themed clip packages.

Third: why'd the writers chose such vague flowery BS wording for this? plz help me get it

Because nothing in the Hall of Shame episodes can actually add up to anything significant, because they’re clips shows that were put together entirely because Showtime needed to fill time while the show -- which is still shooting -- finishes up.

A few things about the Hall of Shame episodes. The first and the most important: It’s pretty much impossible to write a good clip show. They are creative black holes. I shudder to think how much time the writers were even given to do these things. They all -- All! -- exist solely to fill time. So it’s always “The Golden Girls sit around a table and eat cheesecake and then reminisce about all the times they ate cheesecake.” One of the very worst episodes of Star Trek: TNG exists solely because they ordered another episode at the last minute and it’s -- you guessed it! -- A clip show. The best -- and I use that term loosely -- clip shows are the ones where the have some Voice of God narrator say “Mickey and Ian are the romantic heart of the show, but they don’t always get along! Cue clip package where Mickey and Ian fight about stuff. Voice of God: “But they sure do enjoy making up!” -- Cue clip package of Ian and Mickey making out.

That still sounds pretty terrible. The best idea for a Shameless clip show is to do some sort of Frank-at-the-bar-talking-shit thing and I’m sure they thought of that and then I'm sure they were like “Fuck. We can’t spare Bill for that kind of time.” -- and then they had to do this. This whole thing is born of scarcity -- of time, of means and of new things to put on the tv -- And given the choice, having seen what came out of it, I think I opt for what they did because I truly do believe the Mickey gifs that the Fiona one produced have restorative properties and I am very grateful that they exist.

The Hall fo Shame episodes giveth, and they taketh away. So my advice, in how to approach them is just this:

They aren’t canon

Nothing that happens in them matters

But the parts you like can be as real as you want them to be

So take what you like and throw the rest away

But again, this might be easier said than done, so let me dig a little deeper into what bothers you so much about this line in the context that it happens.

The 87% line is patently ridiculous and I reject its premise. Love is not finite. You do not divide it between people. You love the people you love, the way you love them, and if someone else showed up you’d love them in whatever way you love them and that would not lessen the love you feel for anyone else. You do not suddenly love your child 50% less because you had another child. That is insane. You just love the other child also.

That said, the 11 seasons in which we have seen Ian love Mickey more than he loves anything -- his freaking words -- cannot be undone by one line of dialogue in a clip show. First, because clip shows are innately flawed, but also because 11 seasons are more important than one line of dialogue. Even ONE episode of Not a Clip Show is more important than what happens in a clip show. Every single episode of Shameless is trying to do something much more valid and important with the characters than introduce a clip package.

This problem is also not restricted to the Gallavich episode -- People do a whole bunch of stuff in the HoS episodes that they’ve never done on the show. Carl and Debbie don’t punch each other in the face. Lip doesn’t completely and totally discount every single thing his sister did to keep a roof over their head. Mickey doesn’t act like Ian’s sexuality is a lifestyle choice and Ian is smart enough to know that Mickey Milkovich -- who he loves more than anything -- doesn’t want hear about the mathematical breakdown of how much Ian cares about Other Men.

now i desperately need the writers to fix this and say mickey has ian's whole heart.

This is probably not going to happen because I don’t think Actual Shameless considers that to be a thing that happened. On Actual Shameless Ian watched Mickey beat Ned up and then ran away with him when the cops showed up looking DELIGHTED that Mickey had beaten Ned up. On Actual Shameless Ian can barely stand to have Kash touch him once he’s been with Mickey, because Mickey is all he wants. On Actual Shameless Ian’s most viable non-Mickey relationship crumbles the second Mickey shows up because there’s just no comparison for him. Ian loves Mickey. He doesn’t stop. If something happened to Mickey he wouldn't look vaguely disconcerted and then get into an argument with some third party about whether or not it’s valid to be weirded out when someone you had sex with dies. You know that line, “show, don’t tell”? There’s reason that’s considered better storytelling -- because the stuff you show is the stuff that the audience feels and experiences. If Ian had said he loved Ned in any capacity I would have laughed out loud, because what I was shown was Ian mostly hanging out with Ned because he was missing Mickey, wanted a distraction, liked room service and the occasional nice gift, and... it made Mickey jealous. None of that was about Ned.

And in the end: Ned’s dead, baby. Long live Gallavich.

(it would of course be very nice if Ian would tell Mickey he has his whole heart, partly because it’s true, but also because Mickey deserves to hear these sorts of things, and we all want Mickey to be happy. And I do think Ian probably does tell Mickey that, after the clip show is over -if we acknowledge that this happened at all- because ultimately Ian’s whole life is about Mickey. Mickey is all he ever talks about. Even when he’s being pissy it’s all about how things are going with Mickey and how they are GOING to be going with Mickey. How he feels about his job, how he feels about himself, what his life plan is -- all depends on what is up with Mickey. Mickey is everything to him, and I’m going to assume Ian both shows and tells Mickey that in key ways, because Mickey sure seems happy in the Fiona HoS.)

Anyway -- I don’t know if that helps at all, but that’s my take on this mess. Thank you for asking!

#asks #shameless hall of shame #hall of shame: daddy issues #the only good clip show was #Community's fake clip show

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partlycharlie-archive · 6 years

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ep: things leo does; by jason grace

chapter 2. aftermath link to chapter 1

summary: 2. hey, mom? okay, there's this guy named leo, and i'm in love with him. wait - wait, you knew that already? well. fuck. wait! aha - i bet anything you didn't know he was in love with me, now did you? yeah, i thought - fuck. word count: 2,051 warnings: mention of cannibalism (not serious), mention of DDLB/NSAP, morse code a/n: valentines chapter because i’m a sucker for the babe :/ read on ao3

5. taps out messages in morse code when he thinks no one is paying attention

Two short taps. One short, one long, two short. One long, one short, two long. Rinse and repeat.

Three letters.

Jason’s sure nobody else has noticed - Leo tapping his fingers in what seems to be a random pattern is nothing new, and his eyes track Chiron’s movements with what seems to be laser focus.

He likes to think he knows Leo better, by now.

Jason thinks back on his old Morse training (“Why do I have to know this?” “Just in case.” “What the hell kind of situation requires us to tap Morse code to each other when we have fucking mouths?”) - laborious months of bullshit memorizing that he never used on quests, but damn if it isn’t coming in handy now.

Two short taps. I

One short, one long, two short. L

One long, one short, two long. Y

ILY.

Jason jerks up in his seat, avoiding Leo’s eyes when his fingers stop tapping and he glances over, obviously concerned.

Leo’s mouth quirks up into a tiny smirk - how the fuck does he manage to lift only a corner of his mouth, and still convey so much? It’s fucking adorable, and Jason hates it - and he focuses back onto Chiron, who is trotting across the front of the room with a vaguely frustrated expression on his face.

Leo’s fingers continue their tapping, slim fingers pressing coded messages into the tabletop.

Two short taps. I

One short, one long, two short. L

One long, one short, two long. Y

One short, three long. J

One short, one long. A

Three short. S

Three long. O

One long, one short -

“Alright, any questions?” Chiron asks suddenly, raising his voice to attract the attention of any heads whose heads are drooping (Jason tries not to feel guilty - fails - whatever.). “No? Alright, dismissed.”

Jason glances at Leo, who is standing up like nothing’s changed, slapping his hands on the table like nothing’s changed, brushing a hand down his jeans like nothing’s changed, turning to leave like nothing’s -

You get the point.

Okay, so Leo had spelled out ILY JASO- something. That something was either a K, a D, a Y, a C, an X, a B, or…

An N.

Was it too much of a stretch to think he might have been spelling out JASON? Zeus knows it wasn’t JASOD, anyway.

Fuck.

6. acts like a child when he gets tired*

* leo doesn’t get tired.

“… so the chip attaches to this port -” Leo yawns, and then shakes his head to clear it up, “ - and so it becomes able to track -” another yawn, “ - the movements -”

“Leo?” Jason asks, tilting his head slowly. Leo glances up, blinking blearily (ha, alliteration) up at him.

“Yeah?”

Jason smiles fondly, unable to hold back his reaction to an evidently tired Leo.

“You look tired. Ready for bed?”

Leo shakes his head again, more rapidly this time, and his curly hair flops around with his movements. He blinks a few more times, then opens his eyes as far as he can. “Nuh-uh,” he says, with an expression like a guilty child.

Yeah, right. Even Jason’s tired, and Leo likes to call him Superman - mostly because he looks like a blond version of him, but also because he’s basically superhuman. Jason doesn’t really get tired.

“Yuh-huh. C’mon, let’s head to my cabin. It’s too late, I don’t want to wake the Hephy kids up.”

Leo shakes his head with a petulant expression, narrowing his eyes and leaning back in his chair. With arms crossed, he mutters, “Nuh. Uh.”

Jason raises an eyebrow and nods to himself for a second, fighting back an amused smile at Leo’s behavior. “Alright, you’ve got a couple of options,” he relents, watching with the fond grin that he hadn’t been able to restrain as Leo slowly relaxes, nodding with lingering suspicion still present on his face. “You can either get up and walk with me, or I pick you up. Your choice.”

Leo sighs heavily, tipping his head back and huffing out another breath through his nose. “Fine.”

Jason stands, hovering for a few seconds. He frowns as suspiciously as he can manage when Leo doesn’t stand up like Jason thought he would, instead slouching further into his seat with hands outstretched, as if…

… he wants Jason to pick him up. Of course he does.

“You’re a fucking baby, y’know that?”

Leo shrugs, a carefree smile on his face. “Yup.”

Jason sighs indulgently. “Yeah, of course you do. Alright, we’re doing piggyback, because we both know - despite how incredibly underweight you are - there’s no way I’ll be able to hold you on my damn hip or whatever for the amount of time it’ll take us to get back to the cabin.”

Leo nods and Jason turns his back to the shorter teenager, crouching on the balls of his feet with his hands outstretched behind him. As carefully as he can manage (which isn’t saying a lot, considering how fucking delirious he seems to be), Leo tucks his legs into the slots of Jason’s hips and he stands up, chuckling softly when Leo yelps behind him.

He regains his balance, though, and wraps lanky arms around Jason to rest in the juncture between his neck and shoulder.

“Good to go?”

Leo says nothing, merely nods against the shoulder he’s already starting to fall asleep on - not that Jason expected anything less.

“¡Dios mio, las luces!” he cries almost immediately, shoving his face into the back of Jason’s shirt. [t - Oh my god, the lights!]

Jason can’t stifle the chuckle that escapes him - okay, so maybe he forgot to tell Leo it was basically morning, but. Who could blame him? He’d been… distracted. By Leo. And his hands. And his hair. And his smile. And his laugh. And his -

You see? It just happened again. Totally not his fault.

Definitely.

"Sorry, love," he says, trying and failing to sound truly apologetic. (Did he just say love in reference to Leo? He’s not going to think about that.) "Afraid I can't turn these lights off."

A groan spills its way out of Leo's mouth, sounding suspiciously like a "Why not?" but with a lot more vowels, probably.

"Well," he starts, the fond amusement (he’s fond way too often when it comes to Leo, damn it) probably ridiculously evident in his voice, "there's this thing in the sky - now, don't get too excited - called the sun. Totally crazy, right? It -"

Leo's left hand knocks harshly against his temple. "Asshole."

"- even makes this wild thing called - wait for it - light! It's pretty fuckin' awesome, if I may say so myself."

Leo sighs. "You may not," he grumbles, and Jason can feel the fluttering of the other boy's eyelashes against his neck. He fights back a shiver at the surprisingly intimate feeling and tries to concentrate on getting them to his cabin.

"Hey, dad?" he murmurs, words slurred through a heavy tongue. Jason opens his mouth to answer, but -

Wait.

What?

He freezes.

Mentally, of course, because otherwise Leo would know something was up, and he was so close to falling asleep, and Jason really didn't want him realizing what he said, because it'd turn into a whole production, and Leo would never get to sleep, and then... you get the idea.

But - anyway. Back to the matter at hand:

Dad?

Is that, like, a kink thing?

Jason remembers reading up on kinks (it was a late night and too many Wikipedia articles, sue him), and he's pretty sure daddy kinks are a thing.

(Eugh. He shudders at the thought. Yikes.)

But - that didn't sound like a sexy Dad word. What would a sexy Dad word sound like? It'd probably be Daddy and not Dad, for one.

Oh, gods.

He's getting off track.

Jason decides, as any sane (teenager) semi-mortal would do, to completely ignore the last word of Leo's sentence. "What's up, squirt?"

Okay, what the fuck?

He definitely meant to say Leo, or maybe bro, as regular teenage boys do, but squirt? Gods, Jason's out of his mind.

Maybe it's because Leo's way heavier than he looks. Who knows.

"'m tired."

Jason resists the urge to fist pump the air, instead pulling Leo onto his hip for ease of motion.

"Yeah, yeah, me too. Don't worry, we're almost there."

7. has horrible grammar when he texts (no, it doesn’t annoy jason)

[17:49] leo_valdez: wht do u want 2 do 4 dins 2nite

[17:55] jason_grace: Salmon with asparagus and rice?

[17:58] leo_valdez: damn chef grace out here [17:58] leo_valdez: yeah boi

[17:59] jason_grace: Okay, cool.

[18:38] jason_grace: Hey, Percy said he’d cook. Cool with you?

[18:43] leo_valdez: yeah np

[18:45] jason_grace: He might take a while, though, so I think we’ll be eating late tonight :/

[18:45] leo_valdez: ye its fine i ate late 2day

[22:24] jason_grace: How’s it smelling over there? I’m hungryy

[22:30] leo_valdez: lol i cant smell anything

[22:31] jason_grace: Omg lol. Do you think it’s your poor sense of smell smell or that nothing is cooking??? Haha

[22:31] leo_valdez: both lmfaooo

[22:32] jason_grace: Lol, okay.

[23:11] jason_grace: 11:11!

[23:14] leo_valdez: my wish is 2 eat

[23:15] jason_grace: Mood [23:19] jason_grace: I’ve died a million hungry deaths already. I may start to eat paper any minute. [23:19] jason_grace: It’s organic, right???

[23:20] leo_valdez: yeah totes gotta get on that #vegan #organic #freerange #localwoodonly trend [23:20] leo_valdez: ykno this shirt is made out f cotton????? thts a crop i cld totally eat this

[23:22] jason_grace: As long as you take tiny bites like a rabbit.

[23:22] leo_valdez: yeahhhhhhh [23:23] leo_valdez: i s2g im gonna eat percy if he doesnt tell me its fuckin ready soon

[23:23] jason_grace: Wait what’s s2g again? [23:23] jason_grace: Oh, nom.

[23:23] leo_valdez: swear to god

[23:23] jason_grace: Nvm*

[23:23] leo_valdez: NOM NOM I HUNGRY

[23:24] jason_grace: Lolzzzz.

[23:24] leo_valdez: thnks jace u rly gotta remind me ://////

[23:24] jason_grace: He’d probably be pretty tasty. [23:24] jason_grace: Remind you of what?

[23:24] leo_valdez: how hUNGRY I AM

[23:25] jason_grace: Nom nom nom I have no other words.

[23:25] leo_valdez: nom [mood in hungryspeak]

[23:26] jason_grace: Me nom.

[23:26] leo_valdez: i just saw th word omw and rly tht it said nom im losing my mind over here

[23:27] jason_grace: Our bellies could have been full hours ago. Savage.

[23:27] leo_valdez: ikr [23:27] leo_valdez: horrible

[23:29] jason_grace: Are tears edible???

[23:29] leo_valdez: hopefully im producing way 2 many of thm

[23:30] jason_grace: Sip slowly, I don’t want you getting full before we eat.

[23:30] leo_valdez: i gotchu [23:31] leo_valdez: trying 2 remind myself tht festus 2.0 is a living being and im not ready 2 b a murderer

[23:34] jason_grace: Oh honey. He wouldn’t be tasty. Too much fur.

[23:34] leo_valdez: u rite u rigt

[23:34] jason_grace: What were we thinking??? We know Percy well enough by now lmao. Sigh. Burp. Ugh.

[23:36] leo_valdez: im crying salmon

[23:37] jason_grace: Oh noooo why’d you have to say salmon?????

[23:38] leo_valdez: LMAOOOO

8. loves jason grace

Okay, okay.

You gotta keep this one a secret until Jason finds his journal again, okay? He doesn’t know I took it.

I’ve read through it a couple of times, and - damn is Jace a fucking sap. It’s a pity I love him.

No it’s not, who am I kidding.

Aha! That’s the first time I’ve written it down since I realized (which was… too long ago for me to feel comfortable admitting to).

If you didn’t get that, Jason: I love you, you piece of shit.

Ugh.

Fuck, whatever, maybe this thing is a prank and he doesn’t actually love me. Maybe this is a hallucination? Dad knows I’ve been spending way too much time in the Bunker, anyways. Maybe… who knows, honestly.

God, I’m tired.

Whatever. I hope he finds this soon, I’m tired of waiting, for Christ's sake.

See you soon, hopefully.

- leo valdez, the one & only

I love you too, Leo.

#partlycharlie #my fic #percy jackson #valgrace #@caitlyn #fun times #yeet

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not-close-to-straight · 7 years

Text

Long Distance (Chapter Five)

ADDITIONAL CHAPTERS HERE

*********************

{Group Text}

From Steve -- Good morning honey. My last class gets out at 345 today, and Bucky has to be at practice at 5, so we will have about 45 minutes free when we can all talk. Does that work?

From Tony-- Sounds perfect. Are we just group texting now?

From Bucky-- Yep. I'm tired of being left out of your conversations. I need to be included in everything from now on.

From Tony -- Is Bucky the needy one? I am usually the needy one in a relationship, this will be new for me.

From Bucky --Aw you can be needy all you want, sweet thing. We will take care of you

From Steve -- Yes, Tony. Bucky is definitely the needy one.

From Bucky -- I feel like that's enough from the blonde. Don't you have a class on play-doh to teach

From Tony -- Daaaaaaamn. Bucky with the snark.

From Steve -- I do have a class, we both have full days. Can't wait to talk this afternoon, honey.

From Bucky -- Yeah really looking forward to it. So excited to finally see you Tony

From Tony -- have a good day, guys.

****************

Tony was basically worthless all day, zoning out during meetings, staring at the clock impatiently, waiting for his video call and his chance to finally see Steve-- and of course, Bucky-- face to face.

“Are you nervous?’ Rhodey came to see him for lunch, bringing their favorite pizza and they ate it sitting on the floor of his office. “Nervous to see them, I mean?”

“Nervous to see them together.” Tony admitted. “To have like, visual proof of their relationship. It's… it's not going to be easy. And I'm afraid maybe I won't feel as forgiving once I see them together. Maybe I'm not as ready as I think I am.”

Rhodey waited, and Tony added, “But I'm never going to know until I see them, right? Maybe it will be fine, maybe it will be awful, but I have to know. I hid away and sulked for a week--” the Colonel sent him a surprised look. “-- Pepper's words, not mine-- and now I have to face it. It is what it is.”

“I'm all of two seconds from tracking them down and killing them both.” Rhodey pointed his fork at Tony. “I can't believe Steve was talking to you while sleeping with someone else. And this Bucky character was just chill with it? Tony I swear--”

“Calm down, honeybear.” Tony took a big bite of his pizza. “Yeah I was pissed about it for a while there too, but I've decided to give them another chance.”

“Pissed about it? Pepper says you almost cried.” Rhodey countered. “Did you cry, Tony?”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Pepper is getting a pay cut and I'm adding a confidentiality clause to her contract. Anyway, I was pissed about it. But you know, we talked it out and had a good phone call and now things are…” he smiled to himself, a pleased, secret little thing. “Now things are…”

“Damn Tones.” Rhodey's mouth fell open. “How do you even turn that color red without bursting a blood vessel? Is that even healthy? Go get your blood pressure checked.”

“Thank you for that.” Tony huffed. “Anyway. Things are going to be fine, I think. The phone call yesterday went really well, and we have been group texting today and its been really nice.”

“Oh my god, you are sixteen.” Rhodey laughed. “Sixteen years old. Falling in love over texting and using group chats. Oh my god.”

“Okay, we’re done talking.” Tony scooted further away and glared at his best friend. “If you’re going to make fun of me--”

“What does Bucky look like?” Rhodey interrupted. “I know you'd rather talk about them then bitch at me, so come on. What does Bucky look like?”

“He said he’s built like Steve, but brunette.” Tony mumbled. “And I've seen a picture of Steve so... so....”

Rhodey tossed his napkin down.“Seriously, Tony. Is it healthy to blush that hard?”

“Get out.” Tony stood to his feet and started shoving and kicking at Rhodey. “Just get out. I'm done with you. Leave.”

“Tony.” Rhodey was laughing too hard to even stand up. “Tony, I'm sorry, but come on. Come on. It's ridiculous. You are being ridiculous with these two guys. A week ago you were ready to kill them both and now you just smile and blush about it! What the hell happened?!”

“My god, I hate you.” Tony slumped into his chair and crossed his arms. “Can't you just be happy for me?”

“I am. I am happy for you, Tony.” Rhodey started cleaning up their lunch. “But aren't you worried that they will recognize you, and this whole little anonymity thing will be over? I mean, you have a pretty famous face. What if they see you and end up acting like everyone else who realizes who you are?”

“Yeah.” Tony shrugged halfheartedly. “Yeah I am a little worried about that. But if they are freaked out then I guess I'll learn pretty quickly that this won't work out, won't I?”

Tony shrugged. again “If they recognize me right away and can't handle it then... “

“Then I'll kick their asses.”

“Exactly. I'll just sick my favorite friend on them and call it a day.” Tony tried to smile. “No harm, no foul.”

“Well, let me know how it goes.” Rhodey clapped a hand onto his shoulder. “Keep me posted, yeah?”

“Sure thing, Colonel.” Tony tossed him a mock-salute. “I'll let you know whether or not to unleash the air force on them.”

“Love you, Tones.”

“Bye.”

Tony smiled, watching his best friend leave the office.

He was lucky to have Rhodey. He absolutely wouldn't have survived MIT without his friend, and it had been years of shenanigans between them since then.

Rhodey had never once left his side, had been there through everything with Tony's parents, through those first hard years of running the company-- everything.

And if Steve and Bucky broke his heart it would probably take half the armed forces to keep Rhodey from killing them, so there was that too.

Yeah.

Yeah, Rhodey was solid gold.

Tony was very lucky.

*****************

At four o clock on the dot, Tony's phone rang, a request for a video call.

“Oh shit. Okay, here we go.”

Tony took a deep, steadying breath, ran his fingers through his hair one last time so it didn't look quite so wild and hit answer.

“Uh, hey.” he offered with a hesitant smile, and on the screen, Steve-- who was big and blond and so beautiful Tony thought he could die-- beamed back at him.

“Tony!”

“Where?!” A brunette shoved Steve out of the way, and Bucky filled the screen, all long dark hair and bright blue eyes. “Oh my god, Tony you are gorgeous. Look at you.”

“Move, Buck. Share the screen.” Steve complained, and he crowded in next to him. “Tony! Hey!”

“Hey.” Tony laughed a little. “Hey to both of you. Um, you both are stupidly good looking. That's not even fair.”

“Aw.” Bucky grinned. “Don't worry, Tony. You’re so pretty you will put us to shame.”

“Seriously.” Steve added. “Look at that smile. God, you’re cute. I knew you would be cute.”

“He totally did!” from Bucky, who finally turned their phone sideways so they could both fit into the picture. “He kept saying you would be cute enough to kill us.”

Tony, completely relieved that they hadn't recognized him from a magazine cover or some sort of article, relaxed a little.

“I don't know about cute enough to kill you.” he brushed off their admiration. “But thanks anyway. You guys having a good day?”

“Your voice is like honey.” Bucky announced. “Sure do love that, sweet thing.” he let his voice drop low, a barely there Brooklyn accent coming through thick and strong,

Tony blushed bright red, a complete sucker for something so smooth, and interestingly enough, Steve blushed red too.

“Love that accent.” he said in explanation and rolled his eyes when Bucky elbowed him. “Bucky does it on purpose to get me all flustered. Works on you too, I see.”

“Yeah, who knew Brooklyn accents did it for me?” Tony teased and Bucky just waggled his eyebrows mischievously, scrunching his nose until Tony grinned at him.

“Hows your day, Tony?” Steve brought the conversation back on track. “Are you in your office? It looks huge. I bet you can see the whole city from up there.”

“Uh, yeah, it's alright.” Tony rotated the phone so they could see the office. “Got a decent view of the city. Comfy chair.” he laughed. “I spent an awful lot of time sitting, gotta keep that butt comfy, right?”

Steve's dark blue eyes lit up.“Love that laugh, honey. Been thinking about hearing that for ages.”

“Stop talking about his laugh. Let's go back to talking about his butt.” Bucky suggested. “I bet I could keep that comfy Tony, come sit over here.”

“Bucky!” Steve shoved at the big brunette. “Calm down.”

“Sorry, sugar.” Bucky winked at the screen. “Can't help myself.”

“Damn.” Tony rubbed the back of his neck. “You two are killing me. All that charm.”

“Oh you should see it in person!” Bucky sent Steve a sidelong glance. “Slayed Steve when I started flirting with him for the first time. He didn't stand a chance.”

“It's true.” Steve admitted, and turned to give Bucky a kiss, their lips connecting for a long minute. “I didn't stand a chance.”

They broke apart when Tony cleared his throat.

“Sorry.” Steve looked upset. “Sorry, was that-- we shouldn’t have kissed in front of you yet. Sorry, Tony, I wasn't really thinking about--”

“No it's fine.” Tony assured them. “It's fine, really. I mean, I thought seeing you two together would be difficult, but you know, who doesn't want to watch hot guys kiss, right?”

“I love him!” Bucky crowed. “Why don't you come a little closer, baby doll? We can practice kissing you too. Forget this long distance thing!”

“Yeah, Bucky's sort of impulsive.” Steve apologized with a grimace. “Not much of a filter. Grabby too.”

“Cute.” Tony smiled at them and Bucky winked again.

“Seriously, though. Would love to hear how your day is.” Steve prompted. “We haven't talked in over a week so I have no idea what's going on with you.”

“Oh ok. Well--”

Tony started telling them about his week, leaving out the hours he spent pining and angry at Steve of course.

He told them about getting another speeding ticket, and how he was fairly certain Pepper was plotting to have him fitted with a tracker so she would know why he was late all the time.

He told them that he had spent two whole days trying to renegotiate a contract with the German tech company, and how he didn't usually have to do this sort of thing, but it was actually sort of fun?

But the contract was still just barely hanging by a thread and who knew if it would last long enough to--

“You’re Tony Stark.” Bucky suddenly blurted and Tony froze. “Right? Tony Stark. Oh my god.”

“What?” Steve looked at Bucky, then back at the screen in surprise. “ What ?”

“I kept thinking you looked familiar, so I Googled you while you talked.” Bucky's blue eyes were wide. “You’re Tony Stark. What do they say about you? Philanthropist, genius, playboy?”

“You’re Tony Stark ?” Steve shook his head. “Seriously? That's so cool, Tony. We use some of your software in our graphic design classes. You do amazing work.”

“And the team travels in one of the jets you donated!” Bucky added excitedly. “This is so cool! They were all excited to travel in a Stark Jet, and now I'm just casually chatting with him? I'm like a gym class hero at this point!”

“Um--” Tony was still trying to find something to say, but Bucky and Steve didn't let him get anything out.

“They teach a financial class at the University and you are basically the entire subject of the first quarter.” Steve was saying. “About your business techniques, and how you own all your own patents, and choose who to let use them. It's incredible, the tech you’ve just handed over to hospitals, children’s hospitals especially.”

“And your work with prosthesis!” Bucky chimed in. “I have a kid on the track team who has a leg that your company designed, it's unbelievable how well it works, how little it pains him. You are a genius .”

“And how dedicated you are to learning! I have three different students who are only able to come to school thanks to the Stark Foundation Scholarship Fund! It's amazing!”

“Wait. That's all you have to say?” Tony asked incredulously. “That's it? You just are going to talk about how smart I am?”

Bucky and Steve looked at each other, then back at him and shrugged. “Well, what else would we say?

“Yeah, I mean you're brilliant which is a little intimidating, but you do so many good things, especially for students and college kids--”

“And your work with robotics has changed the lives of people with artificial limbs.” Steve sort of elbowed Bucky then, who shook his head slightly and smiled at Tony. “What else should we say about you?”

“Um.” Tony was at a loss for words, trying not to show how much their nonchalance affected him. “Never mind I guess. Let's not talk about me though.”

“Sorry.” Bucky smiled sweetly at him. “Fan girling out a little. Not every day I get to chat with someone smart and good looking.”

“Are you kidding me right now?” Steve's jaw dropped. “Bucky, you sleep next to me every night. I am a professor AND I was voted Hottest Teacher of the Year and--”

“Oops.” Bucky shrugged, and dropped a kiss on Steve's forehead to shut him up. “You're smart and good looking too, babe, of course. What was I thinking?”

“Jesus Christ.” Steve muttered, and then looked back at Tony. “Sorry, about that sweetheart. What were you saying?”

“It's fine.” Tony put his phone down and leaned over the screen, propping his chin up in his hands. “You guys tell me about your day.”

“Well.” Steve thought for a minute. “I only had three students come onto me today--” both Bucky and Tony burst out laughing. “--and everyone got their projects turned in on time, so that was a plus. In my art history class I had a girl leave the room because all the Greek statues are nude, and she had been home schooled up to this point, so that was horrifying for her. And then--”

“Wait, wait.” Bucky clapped a big hand over Steve's mouth to shut him up. “Tony, we can text whenever and tell you about our day, but we only have about five minutes before I have to leave, and I want to hear you talk. Give me more of that honey smooth voice. Tell us about you, sugar.”

“What, you aren't going to Google everything you want to know about me, now that you know my secret identity?” Tony raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“We don't care about that.” Steve denied. “Don't want the Internet's version of your life. Actually want to know you.”

“Right.” Bucky agreed. “You being Tony Stark has nothing to do with how much we want to know you. In fact, don't tell us anything about your work or anything. What's your favorite color?”

“Um, red?” Tony said, and he knew his voice shook a little.

“You alright, sweet thing?” Bucky asked, concerned. “It might just be the lighting I guess, but you look pale all the sudden.”

“It's just um… I can't believe you guys don't care about who I am.” Tony stammered, starting to feel a little foolish. “I can't believe that you don't really care? Anyone I've ever even tried to talk to has changed the moment they recognize me. And I've definitely never had a relationship that wasn't built around my image and--”

“That's why you didn't say anything before.” Bucky realized. “Why you kept it to just Tony. What, did you think Steve would stop talking to you because of your last name?”

“Or keep talking to me.” Tony admitted. “Didn't want him to keep talking to me because of my last name.”

“Oh.” Steve smiled gently. “Tony, honey, I was already--” Bucky coughed loudly. “ We were already crazy about you, already wanted to meet you within a few days of talking. Why would finding out your last name make a difference?”

“Because I went from a random drunk number to you know me .” Tony gestured helplessly. “And I knew that would change things.”

They exchanged a look, and then Steve reached out, his fingers brushing over the image of Tony's face on their screen.

“Tony. This doesn't change anything . I mean, you were upset because we didn't tell you about our relationship, which is perfectly valid. But you feeling like you had to hide this part of you-- no way. We don't care.”

“Not at all.” Bucky shook his head. “The money or...or whatever doesn't matter. You could be homeless and I'd still wanna rip your clothes off.”

“Goddamnit Bucky.” Steve sighed. “What Bucky means to say is--”

“No, no I stand by what I said.” Bucky laughed out loud. “But I have to go right now, or I will be late for practice. You guys can keep talking if you want but--” he cupped Steve's chin and lay a long kiss on his lips. “I'll see you later, baby. I love you.”

Then he grabbed the phone and touched it to his lips as well. “Tony, a long distance kiss is gonna have to work for now, huh? Text me or something.”

Then he was gone, disappearing out of the picture and shouting goodbye a few seconds later as a door slammed somewhere off screen.

“So.” Tony said slowly once it was just him and Steve. “So he’s… nice.”

“Yeah.” Steve smiled. “He’s really amazing. And he was so excited to talk to you, Tony. I'm so glad you were willing to talk to us. I mean it.”

“I'm glad too.”

They stared at each other for a minute, tracing over each others face with their eyes, until each of their phones trilled loudly with an incoming message, startling them both.

From Bucky-- I know you guys are staring at each other like goons. Cut it out. I'm so irritated I am missing video time. Tony, hurry up and decide that you want to see us in real life. Can't wait to get my arms around you.

From Bucky-- And my hands on you. Good Christ you're cute.

Tony laughed out loud when Steve face palmed, reading the group message. “Seriously, Tony. He's a good guy. He just doesn't really have a filter.”

“It's fine. Hes adorable.”

“Yeah, so are you.” Steve's voice softened. “We alright, then?”

“Yeah.” Tony nodded. “Yeah, we’re alright.”

“Are you sure?”

“Steve…” Tony covered his mouth with his hand. “Steve, I'm not saying this whole thing is easy for me, but it's easier than I thought. And really, the hardest part about a video call was wondering what you guys were going to do when you realized I wasn't just Tony who worked at a tech company, but Tony Stark who owned the company and most of the other ones out there. And you guys don't care so--”

“Of course we don't care.” Steve shook his head. “That doesn't matter. All that matters is that for some reason, like a month and a half ago, you drunk texted me and now both me and my boyfriend are basically head over heels for you.”

“Is it weird? That this happened over text?” Tony tapped the screen lightly. “I mean, do people do this?”

“People used to fall for each other just by writing letters.” Steve offered. “Texting is just...shorter letter, isn't it? This is fine. It's sort of wonderful. How do you feel about it?”

Tony blushed and looked down. “It is wonderful.”

“Well make sure you text Bucky and tell him, otherwise he will be upset he missed this moment.” Steve teased. “He is a hopeless romantic even though he would die before admitting it. I think the whole idea of a long distance relationship is making him very happy.”

“I'm kind of a hopeless romantic too.” Tony admitted sheepishly. “The text thing is pretty cute.”

“So cute.” Steve rubbed his thumb on the screen like he was trying to touch Tony. “You sure we're alright?”

“So, so we can do this again tomorrow?” Tony answered instead, and Steve grinned in understanding. “Can I text you guys after we hang up or is that weird?”

“We can do this as often as you want, Tony.” Steve promised. “Text us anytime. We can schedule another call tomorrow. Whatever you want.”

“Got a long distance kiss for me?” Tony coaxed, only half kidding, and he had to bite back what was definitely not a giggle, when Steve pressed his lips to the phone in a kiss. “Well thanks, Professor.”

Steve blew him another kiss, and they ended the call.

Tony sat at his desk for a long time afterwards, tapping his phone against his palm, mind spinning.

Both of the men were big and beautiful, and Bucky was hilarious and Steve was sweet, and damn-- damn Tony had thought it would be more difficult to see them together.

But if anything, seeing the couple together had calmed Tony down. They were so obviously in love and so obviously smitten with him and it was... nice.

It was flattering.

And Tony couldn't stop grinning while thinking about it.

“Oh Tony!” Pepper looked startled when she walked in over an hour later. “I didn't expect you to still be here.”

She motioned to his phone. “Did video call go alright? Did it happen yet? Why are you still here?”

“Hey.” Tony said slowly. “Yeah, I think the call went really well.”

“And?” She prompted.

“And I think they like me.” Tony tried to keep from smiling, but absolutely couldn't. “They uh, they definitely like me.”

Pepper bent down to kiss his cheek. “That's wonderful, Tony.”

“Yeah.” Tony gave up trying to hide his grin. “Yeah, it sort of is.”

******************

From Tony-- Well talking with you guys is the highlight of my day. Very fun.

From Bucky-- Oh it was definitely the best. Let’s do this everyday. Twice a day. Whatever.

From Steve-- Bucky, Tony says falling for each other via text is wonderful and cute. I told him you would think the same thing.

From Bucky-- Sweet thing you are the fucking best, I cannot wait to see you in real life. Gonna kiss the shit out of you.

From Steve -- Calm down Bucky

From Bucky -- You calm down, old man. Don't tell me what to do.

From Tony-- Old man?

From Bucky -- Steve is 28, I'm only 27

From Tony -- I'm 30

From Bucky -- Well that's alright sugar, turns out I have suddenly developed an older guy kink. Should I call you Daddy?

From Steve -- Oh my god. Tony, I am so sorry about him.

From Tony -- {audio message} HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

#ncts #stuckony #long distance #texting au #tony stark #bucky barnes #steve rogers

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