#430: What time is bed time? // 487 words
Rhodey has no idea what time it is when his phone starts ringing - all he knows is that, as soon as he hears AC/DC playing next to his bed, Rhodey is bolting up in a sitting position. He hadn't even chosen the ringtone, it was one that Tony had picked and installed without him knowing, but at least it helped whenever there was some sort of emergency. Because, after Tony had gone missing in Syria, Jarvis was now instructed to get in touch with Rhodey immediately if something were to happen to Tony or the suit.
Now, he can barely grasp the fact that it's the middle of the night as he tries to fully wake up, and he immediately opens the phone to answer. "What is it? Jarvis?"
"Jarvis?" Tony asks on the other end of the line, sounding so awake that Rhodey groans internally. "I didn't know you and my AI had late night conversations."
"Tony, it's... Goddamn it, it's three in the morning. What are you doing up?"
"What am I doing up? What are you doing asleep? It's still early."
"Tony--"
"I mean, seriously, Rhodey. You aren't that old."
Rhodey lays back down in bed, that internal groan from earlier suddenly very loud as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Let me guess. You can't sleep."
"I've slept already."
"How long ago?" Silence is his only answer, until it's followed by the sound of a wrench falling and Tony letting out a string of curses that make Rhodey sigh. "What did you do."
"Nothing."
"Tony."
"I'm working on something."
"When was the last time you actually slept."
"I...don't remember."
Rhodey opens his eyes, looking up at the ceiling through the darkness. "Listen to me. After you hang up, you go to bed. Sleep - and stay asleep for more than a couple of hours."
"I can't. I'm busy."
"Really. Because I can call Dylan too, you know. Does he know when you last slept? Because he might be interested to find out, too."
Tony grumbles something under his breath, the music in the background going silent, and at once Rhodey can't help but smirk. "You cheat."
"No, Tony, I'm concerned. Go to sleep. And please go to sleep at a reasonable hour; I think after these many years you are finally due for it."
"...what time is 'reasonable'? What time is your bedtime?"
"Not past midnight." Tony scoffs, and Rhodey rolls his eyes. "Yes, I know. Go to sleep."
Now it's Tony the one that sighs. "Rhodey," Tony begins, his tone lowering into a pitch that makes Rhodey frown slightly. "Rhodey, I..." Silence follows for a few seconds, but at once it changes. "Good night."
"Tony--"
"Night, honeybear."
The call ends the second Tony stops speaking, and Rhodey just sighs as he sets his phone aside, already planning a visit to go see his friend in New York.
Now, he can barely grasp the fact that it's the middle of the night as he tries to fully wake up, and he immediately opens the phone to answer. "What is it? Jarvis?"
"Jarvis?" Tony asks on the other end of the line, sounding so awake that Rhodey groans internally. "I didn't know you and my AI had late night conversations."
"Tony, it's... Goddamn it, it's three in the morning. What are you doing up?"
"What am I doing up? What are you doing asleep? It's still early."
"Tony--"
"I mean, seriously, Rhodey. You aren't that old."
Rhodey lays back down in bed, that internal groan from earlier suddenly very loud as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Let me guess. You can't sleep."
"I've slept already."
"How long ago?" Silence is his only answer, until it's followed by the sound of a wrench falling and Tony letting out a string of curses that make Rhodey sigh. "What did you do."
"Nothing."
"Tony."
"I'm working on something."
"When was the last time you actually slept."
"I...don't remember."
Rhodey opens his eyes, looking up at the ceiling through the darkness. "Listen to me. After you hang up, you go to bed. Sleep - and stay asleep for more than a couple of hours."
"I can't. I'm busy."
"Really. Because I can call Dylan too, you know. Does he know when you last slept? Because he might be interested to find out, too."
Tony grumbles something under his breath, the music in the background going silent, and at once Rhodey can't help but smirk. "You cheat."
"No, Tony, I'm concerned. Go to sleep. And please go to sleep at a reasonable hour; I think after these many years you are finally due for it."
"...what time is 'reasonable'? What time is your bedtime?"
"Not past midnight." Tony scoffs, and Rhodey rolls his eyes. "Yes, I know. Go to sleep."
Now it's Tony the one that sighs. "Rhodey," Tony begins, his tone lowering into a pitch that makes Rhodey frown slightly. "Rhodey, I..." Silence follows for a few seconds, but at once it changes. "Good night."
"Tony--"
"Night, honeybear."
The call ends the second Tony stops speaking, and Rhodey just sighs as he sets his phone aside, already planning a visit to go see his friend in New York.