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Stringless	By : Becky Category: Marvel Verse Movies > Avengers, The Views: 4010 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own The Avengers, Iron Man or Doctor Strange, nor any of the characters, and I am making no money from this Fanfiction.

Chapter List
- 1-Stringless
- 1
‘Yoo-hoo, any wizards or magical entities about?’ Tony called, spinning on his heel at the bottom of the staircase. He took a few moments to look around the Sanctum, breathing in the serenity, imagining the stillness of the place seeping into his bones. He’d never admit it to Strange, but the place had charm. It was relaxing, secluded and it felt safe.
He sipped from his Starbucks takeout cup as he waited, slowly sauntering up the stairs. Strange would have known of his presence from the second he stepped foot over the threshold.
If he wanted the wizard’s attention…
‘Don’t you dare,’ Strange hissed from behind him.
‘If you don’t want people to touch, then don’t put relics on display. Coffee?’ He held up the Starbucks bag.
‘I didn’t ask for-’
‘Coffee? But Wong’s been going on at me to get him one of those pumpkin lattes, you should try one, very moreish, and I got some of those cinnamon buns we all know you like but pretend to hate, into the kitchen?’ Tony turned and led the way. ‘Wong?’ he called. ‘Come get your drink before Strange drinks it.’
He heard the suffering sigh, but the footsteps followed, the Cloak whizzing in to join them.
‘Coffee, black,’ Tony told the stern wizard, placing it on the table. ‘Here you go, Cloak.’ Tony handed the sentient fabric an empty takeout cup with the lid on. The Cloak shivered in delight, picking up the Styrofoam cup with one of its edges and settling down in a seat, pretending to sip from it.
‘Remind me why you keep darkening our doors with your presence?’ Strange sat drinking his coffee, eyebrow raised.
‘Because we’re building a relationship, team building, remember? The Avengers to protect the Earth from physical dangers and you guys to protect it from…’ Tony waved his hand in the air.
‘Magical ones-’
‘Interdimensional ones-’ they answered at the same time.
‘Good afternoon, Tony.’ Wong’s stern demeanour relaxed a little as he saw what waited for him.
‘Ah, Wong! You said you wanted to try it?’
‘I made no such assumption. You badgered me when you were last here…but thank you,’ he smiled, sitting down with his drink, eyeing up the cinnamon bun they all knew was Strange’s.
‘Now see, isn’t this nice?’ Tony stretched back in his chair, crossing his ankles under the table.
‘Stark, the answer is still no.’
‘We both want the same thing, to keep Earth safe. Makes no sense to be doing it alone. Told ya the pumpkin lattes were good,’ he winked at Wong who nodded in agreement.
‘We’re not joining the Avengers. We’re not,’ Strange hissed at Wong’s crestfallen face.
Tony wasn’t gonna lie, it was what he was hoping for. They had the same argument every time before they’d trail off into other discussions, their topics usually just surface ones such as what was happening in the world, any titbits of information on enemies that needed watching.
Ever since that day they first meet, Stephen Strange had evoked feelings in Tony, a fascination, like the wizard was a puzzle Tony need to unravel. It wasn’t like when he met Bruce and his scientific curiosity to understand the man, nor was it like meeting Thor, awe at meeting an alien. These feelings were akin to what he felt for Pepper, Rhodey, friendship, acceptance.
In the weeks he’d been coming here he still hadn’t asked Strange what he truly wanted to ask, keeping his curiosity under wraps. The creator inside Tony was desperate to find out how Strange’s magic worked, but that trust needed to be earned. He’d have to edge his way in slowly with this one, Stephen Strange was stubborn.
Unlike what had driven a wedge between him and Pepper, resulting in the end of their relationship, a lack of understanding on both sides, unequal footing, Stephen Strange could stand toe to toe with him, calling him out on his bullshit like Pepper and Rhodey did. He understood Tony, knew what he had to do to save the world. His sense of humour and defensiveness a mirror match for Tony’s.
They could be friends, great friends and with those in short supply, he wasn’t going to let this one slip away.
As he watched Strange drink from his coffee, locked in silent communication with Wong, he took a moment to marvel at the twist of fate that had become his life. Thanos had been defeated, the universe restored, the Avengers were still in tatters… Tony wrenched his mind from even wandering down that path.
So many losses. Yet, many gains.
Old friends lost, new friends found. Old team members gone, new team members…mulishly unwilling to cooperate.
Today, after weeks of dancing around the subject, Tony felt the time was right to give things a little nudge. He had a favour he needed to ask of Strange and he needed to set the groundwork now.
‘Alright, a compromise. What if you didn’t join the Avengers? No Accords, no meetings, but a working relationship. You help us, we help you? That kinda thing.’
‘I really don’t see what your brawn is going to achieve defending us from mystic threats,’ Strange was quick to scoff.
‘That’s funny considering I saved half the universe, if anything it should be me that doesn’t need you,’ Tony sipped from his drink, smirking behind it.
Strange took a while to answer back, his index finger tapping the cup in thought, his gaze straying to the Cloak which was still drinking, it’s collar shrugging.
‘What do you want exactly? A symbol you shine into the night sky and the wizards come running?’
‘Note that he called you wizards that time, not me,’ Tony leant forward to whisper to Wong.
Strange glared.
‘Oh, lighten up, all I want to know is that we’ve got each other’s backs if we need it. That if either of us needs the other we’ll be there.’
Tony could see Strange considering it.
‘That is… acceptable.’
He held back on the sigh of relief, trying to figure out how to ask Strange about the next part. He didn’t want to ask with Wong here and he couldn’t come up with a way to ask him to talk alone. A stray thought hit him.
‘Fabulous, now, can I come see you guys train at the sacred holy place? I’m dying to see what it is you guys do.’
‘Sure… and when is it I’m coming to see the secret laboratory of Stark Industries?’
‘FRIDAY? Grant access to Doctor Strange to my personal lab of the Avengers compound.’
‘Granted, boss.’
Tony spread out his hands in a gesture meaning your turn.
‘Alright Stark, you can come see what it is we do, who knows, you might even learn something.’ Strange stood.
‘See, no-can-do Doc, I’ve got to be somewhere in about, five minutes ago, so I’ll take a rain check. Thank you for your offer though.’ Tony wasn’t sure how he kept his laugh contained, but by God it was hard. Strange was incredulous, his mouth opening and closing a few times. There was just something about the man that made Tony want to push his buttons.
‘You are such a pain in the-’
‘If you want to stop by my lab at say eight tomorrow night then I can show you around?’
‘What makes you think I’ll be free then?’
‘Hot date with a lady wizard?’ Tony smirked, feeling his stomach lurch as Strange took a while to answer.
Huh, that was weird.
They’d been flirtatious, teasing and getting on each other’s nerves, but that’s what it meant to be friends with Tony Stark. He’d never stopped to consider he might be taking up Strange’s time away from a significant other.
Did that mean he had a girlfriend?
‘Tomorrow at eight,’ Strange confirmed, getting up from his seat.
‘Wonderful, it’s a date then!’ Tony beamed, getting to his feet. ‘And I have it on good authority I’m rather good at those.’
‘Is that so? Well then, I expect to be impressed,’ Strange gave him a slow smile.
Tony felt his mouth dry, the way Strange stared at him made his breathing hitch. He recognised that look, had been the one to give that look back in the day.
‘Do you need a map or something?’
‘A visual would be helpful,’ Strange nodded, reaching out for the cinnamon bun and licking the side of it, swiping the cream cheese off.
Tony felt wrong-footed for his moment, his gaze zeroed in on the curved tongue, Strange’s little groan of delight.
Time to be going.
‘Show him a visual, Fri.’ Tony watched as Strange took a moment to examine it, his gaze darting over the details. He couldn’t get a clear idea on what colour the man’s eyes were, they shifted from blue to green and sometimes Tony thought they might be aqua in colour.
Not that he cared.
‘Tomorrow then,’ Tony promised. ‘Bye Wong, same next time?’
Wong nodded, humming in content, lifting his Styrofoam cup up in salute.
‘Bye Cloak,’ Tony held out his hand, shaking the edge of the fabric it offered. ‘You can come with the wizard when he drops by, I’m sure you wanna get out of this place for a bit?’ The Cloak’s collar straightened in interest.
‘Look forward to working with you all!’ Tony beamed as he sauntered out, and if he added a little sashay to his hips as he went, well, no one needed to know.
***
Stephen shut the book with a worn sigh, placing it back on his shelf.
‘You’ve been doing that all day, picking books, reading for about twenty seconds and then sighing. What’s going on?’ Wong questioned.
‘Nothing is going on, I just can’t focus today.’
‘Because of our visitor this morning?’
Stephen didn’t need to look over to Wong to know the smile on his face.
‘It has nothing to do with Stark, I’m just distracted. I’ll meditate for the afternoon, rid myself of these distractions.’
‘I’m sure you’ll be right back where you started once he drops by again,’ Wong muttered, waving him off.
Stephen said nothing as he walked down the hall, allowing the Cloak to enter his bedroom first, following just after. Despite what he said, he did not meditate, sitting instead on the edge of his bed and looking down at his trembling hands.
Tony Stark was first becoming the bane of his life.
It was impossible to watch someone die countless million times and not feel anything, understanding, compassion. Without seeing all those brief glimpses of how Tony sacrificed himself, the man proved himself to be remarkably heroic when facing Thanos. If he closed his eyes he could remember Tony standing against the Titan with only a sword in hand, knowing his death was only a matter of time but still willing to fight.
Stephen rubbed his hands over his legs.
He was honest enough to say he’d prejudged the man based on media outlets. He knew about Stark Industries and their weapons deals from the past, heard about Tony Stark’s capture, read eagerly about how the man kept himself alive with shrapnel in his chest (from a medical perceptive it was fascinating) and had watched him form the Avengers and save the world.
He initial thoughts on meeting Stark was that it was like looking into his past to view himself, arrogance, narcissistic, self-absorbed.
He’d misjudged him.
They were cut from the same cloth, both arrogant, rich assholes who had found redemption. Yet there was so much more to Stark then that.
Stark had pleaded with him not to exchange the Time Stone for his life knowing his life was inconsequential compared to the millions he could save. That wasn’t the act of an arrogant man. In his visions of the future he’d watched several times how Stark would mourn the life of a child he viewed as his own, witnessing the heartbreak over and over.
He leant his head back, stretching his neck from side to side. The Cloak fluttered over in concern.
‘I’m alright, just thinking,’ he smiled up at it.
It made sense, the Sorcerers should work with the Avengers to keep the planet safe, his personal feelings had nothing to do with the issue. They were all working towards the same goal, with different strengths and weaknesses. Things were different now, times had changed. They couldn’t hide away and conceal the nature of their existence.
Interdimensional threats had been bleeding into the world and both Sorcerers and Avengers had a duty to keep it safe.
‘Trouble is those damn Accords,’ Stephen told the Cloak. ‘If we start helping them, then how long will it be until we are subjected to the same rules and restrictions they are.’ He thought of the Ancient one, how she had drawn power from the dark dimension.
‘Bend the rules indeed,’ he muttered.
Stephen lay back on his bed, arms folded over his stomach.
His thoughts drifted to Stark the man, rather than Iron Man, leader of the Avengers. He wore his humour and snarkiness like armour, refusing to let anyone close, Stephen recognised it because he himself wore it. Thinking past Thanos and the fight, his thoughts lingered on the times Stark spent in the Sanctum with him.
Back when he had been a surgeon, when he had been in a relationship with Christine, he’d seen people as beneath him, unworthy of his time. He was the brilliant Stephen Strange, none could come close, none had been his equal. He’d push away anyone who came too close, lashing them with his quick-witted tongue, tearing their self-esteem to ribbons.
Tony Stark… could have been his equal. Their quips passed easily from their lips, both recognising instinctively an intellectual identical. Stephen found himself looking forward to their meetings, if only to watch the man relax in increments as they sat across from each other.
Their flirtations continued. At the beginning it had been harmless, he’d seen the way Stark’s eyes had roamed over him after the Cloak had slapped him away from the Cauldron of the Cosmos, he knew Stark’s over dramatic eye roll to his wink was self-preservation.
Until they were back home safe, until Stark had broken off his engagement and then the flirtations became enticing.
‘This could be…a problem,’ he whispered to the ceiling.
***
‘Jesus holy mother of-’ Tony spat out when he entered his lab, humming under his breath. ‘Strange what are you doing here? FRIDAY why didn’t you-’
‘I did inform you of Doctor’s Strange’s arrival and you told me not to disturb you,’ FRIDAY responded.
Strange unfolded his legs from where he’d been hovering cross-legged not moments before. ‘Punctuality isn’t something you are renown for, Stark, although I have to say, this is bad even for you.’
Tony found himself floundering for a few moments, recovering quickly.
‘Yeah, sorry about that, I got distracted. Do you want a drink or anything? Alcohol? Tea? Coffee?’
‘No thank you. So, what had you so distracted that you wasted my time?’
‘A lot of political red tape.’ Tony sat on his swivel chair, stretching his arms out along the metal table. ‘Now that the celebratory parties have all died down and gratitude about being saved an all is over, the UN is squabbling over what to do with the other Avengers.’
‘The other Avengers?’ Strange walked over to him, halting to let DUM-E roll past, watching the robot work. ‘You mean team Captain America? The ones you fought at the airport, your friends?’
‘Those would be the ones, yup,’ Tony popped the p.
‘And you wonder why I haven’t joined your merry band yet?’ Strange stood beside him, leaning his hip into the table.
‘Partnership I said.’ Tony watched as the Cloak flew off to examine DUM-E, both circling each other. ‘How do you do what you do?’ Tony blurted.
‘The Cloak? It’s a relic-’
‘No, no, no, the hocus pocus.’
‘It’s energy, harnessed from other dimensions.’
‘Can FRIDAY scan it?’
‘Stark-’
‘Just think of all the practical applications we can have for it, cleaner energy, better suits, better Earth defence,’ Tony was on a roll, his exhaustion from the past few days making his tongue looser than he would have liked.
‘Stark, listen to me. Others have tried this before, using energy from the Dark Dimension. You start tampering with this and it’ll consume you.’
‘What if you’re there to watch over it, to act as my moral compass, you’ve got a good one of those as I remember correctly?’
Tony was back on the ship, with only centimetres of space between them as they argued about what to do with Thanos, hardly breathing as Strange stared down at him. The tension between them was palpable and not just because of what they were about to face.
He’d found other men attractive before, but never an attraction to them, and tiny pinpricks of guilt flared as his gaze held Strange’s.
He was with Pepper, loved Pepper, yet the quickening of his pulse, the ache he felt, that he hadn’t felt in years. He’d shrugged it off, concentrated at the task at hand. When he got home he and Pepper tried to make it work, tried to ignore that things hadn’t been right for years, tried to rekindle the embers of their relationship.
It hadn’t worked. It was amicable, they still worked together, still cared, Tony would always hold a special place in his heart for her, but it just wasn’t enough.
He wasn’t enough.
‘I’ve fought against people who thought like you.’ Strange’s words jarred him back into the here and now.
‘I’ll just take a little energy from the Dark Dimension. It sounds good, a little extra power, more magic, until Dormammu starts whispering in your ear, offering more in exchange for your life, for you to fight with him. Even the best intentions become corrupt.’
Tony wanted to fight him, to argue with him, to get Strange to see his way of thinking. They didn’t understand enough about it, he didn’t understand enough about it. What if it could be used to save the Earth? His gaze met Strange’s. The sorcerer’s plan had helped saved the universe, by giving up the Time Stone he’d put events into motion that had helped Tony save everyone.
Tony trusted him.
‘Alright, I believe you. If there’s no practical use for it, I’ll leave it for the wizards.’
‘That’s it?’ Strange asked with a raised eyebrow.
‘Is what it?’
‘You’re not going to fight me on it, try and convince me to change my mind?’
‘Nope, I trust you, if you think it’s dangerous then that’s that.’ Tony felt proud of himself. Delegating, trusting others.
He was making progress.
‘I was under the impression that you didn’t work well with others, that you only trusted your own judgement.’
Tony felt his shoulders hunch, his hands tightening on the edge of the table.
It didn’t matter. He couldn’t shake the perceptions people had of him.
‘Yeah, Doc, that’s me. If you could see yourself out? I’ve got work to do.’ He pushed his seat out and got up, only making it a few steps before Strange caught his wrist.
‘Wait, that was cruel of me. I saw you on Titan, despite my initial judgement of you being an arrogant bastard-’
‘Unlike everyone else I don’t work for you,’ Tony quipped, his tone flat.
‘You are selfless, and you are far from an arrogant bastard. I’m sorry for my earlier words, I know you are trying to foster a working relationship with us, it’s my own doubts that are pushing you away not you.’
Tony sat back down, waving to his table. ‘Explain.’
‘The Masters of the Mystic Arts have been secluded for centuries, Stark, we keep to ourselves, defending the Earth from mystical threats. Thanos changed all that, dragged us into a fight. I haven’t been Sorcerer Supreme for very long, I am…afraid my actions will have lasting repercussions.’
Strange looked down at the floor, crossing his arms a frown creasing his forehead. As hard as it was for Tony to do, for him to expose any vulnerabilities, he offered the olive branch.
‘I understand where you’re coming from. Cap…Steve he oversaw the team, called the shots before the Accords and all that. After Leipzig happened, I was left to call the shots, I’m left now trying to figure out what the right thing to do is. I still don’t know what I’m doing.’ He mirrored Strange’s position of head down, staring at his hands in his lap.
‘Perhaps working together we’ll be able to figure out how to do our jobs,’ Strange joked.
‘Small steps,’ Tony looked up with a smile.
The wizard stole his breath from him with another one of those infuriatingly sexy winks of his. ‘Slow steps indeed.’
Tony took his time looking over the man so close to him, feeling the same magnetic pull he did when he was stuck in a spaceship with him. Strange’s gaze didn’t waver, didn’t pull away from his own, he knew exactly what Tony was doing and he made no move to stop him, if anything he stretched his legs out further, showing off for him.
‘Your hands,’ Tony began, looking at them clutching the table.
‘What of them?’
‘I looked you up, after the dust settled months ago. To even the playing field a bit.’
‘That suggests you must think I knew who you were.’
‘Course you did, everyone knows who I am,’ Tony stated. He held his hand out. ‘May I?’
Strange put his hand in Tony’s, doing nothing as he flipped his hand over looking at the back, flexing the fingers, staring at the palm and then stroking at the skin between his fingers.
‘Do you want me to make you something that could help?’ He asked, genuine in his question.
‘No,’ Strange flexed his hand in Tony’s grip, but made no indication he was going to pull it away. ‘Apart from shaking and occasional pain I’m alright.’
‘Still, fine motor skills must be a bitch,’ Tony looked down, swiping his thumb over Strange’s palm.
He froze as he heard Strange’s breathing hitch. ‘They can be,’ he whispered, the words husky.
‘Huh, your hands are sensitive?’ Tony increased the pressure, looking up into Strange’s eyes, scooting his chair over closer, closer still when Strange let his legs fall apart, inviting Tony into his space.
‘That’s…one word for it.’
‘I get it, it’s the same where my reactor used to be.’
Tony sat there, suspended in longing, desperate for…well he didn’t know. What the hell was this feeling, what the hell was he doing?
***
Being linked to the Sanctum, he always knew when someone set foot inside, and he rolled his eyes as he felt the familiar tingle. He felt a clench in his stomach, his lips twitching in a smile as he recognised it as excitement. If he didn’t hurry, prying fingers were likely to be torn off.
‘Can you please behave yourself?’ he growled at Stark, glaring as the man snatched his hand back from a relic, shoving it in his pocket.
‘I only broke one thing, once, I’m being more careful, I swear,’ Stark grinned at him, eyes mischievous as his gaze flicked up and down the length of Stephen’s body quick. ‘Besides, I’m wondering if you might like it if I misbehave.’
Stephen took a step forward, arms falling from where they were folded, his gaze caught by Stark’s swallowing throat.
‘I might, try it and see what happens,’ Stephen purred, coming to stand scant inches away from the smaller man. He could see the moment Stark’s mouth dried, the way he moved his tongue inside to try and moisten it.
Stark had been avoiding him since his visit to his lab. It had been a long time since Stephen had felt anticipation at seeing another person again. It was akin to what he used to feel for Christina when they used to date, the anticipation of seeing another person, of spending time with them. This was intoxicating compared to what he had with her.
He could recall with perfect precision the look on Stark’s face as he’d looked up at him, Stephen’s hand in his grasp, such raw desperation. For what? Just to be touched? Those damn alluring brown eyes of his, saturated in desire, in want.
He’d heard of Stark’s playboy reputation, but he wondered.
Stark must have been the giver in the bedroom, always taking the lead and Stephen was starting to get a sense of the man. He already knew Stark would give everything he had to the people he loved, his perceived family, his friends. It was not a far stretch to see how that would extend to the bedroom, how he’d be expected to do all the work. He was confident, suave and seductive, of course people would expect to be taken care of.
Tony Stark was a delicious temptation.
‘I er, I forgot to ask the other night, but…’ Stark cleared his throat and tried again. ‘I need a favour.’
This aspect of him was new, the smaller man tried to hide it, but he was anxious. Fearful of rejection? Or struggling to ask for help?
‘A favour?’ Stephen folded his arms, schooling his expression.
‘The kid needs to learn how to fight. As much as it pains me to admit it, he can’t spar with any of us he’s in too much awe of the remaining Avengers and they’re all gonna take it easy on a kid.’
‘Kid? You mean-’
‘Peter Parker, Spider-Man. You’ve got to have some wizards in training, right? Start him off with some of the younger ones, teach him the ropes.’
‘Yes, we have students.’
‘Excellent, start him off with some of them.’
Stephen said nothing, his disapproval evident if Stark’s eyes narrowing gave any indication. Not wanting to pussyfoot around, Stephen voiced his thoughts.
‘Have you even thought about this?’
‘About what?’
Stark knew better than that. Stephen knew the engineer was a genius, that he could predict with precision just how a person was going to react to what he spoke about. It wasn’t manipulation, just a case of superior intellect, a way of perceiving things. His obtuseness only irritated Stephen, and it was that annoyance that made him speak without thinking.
‘Have you considered his safety? Considered not dragging a child into this world?’
‘What are you suggesting, Strange?’ The tone was frigid, dangerous.
A parent protecting it’s young.
‘Is your ego really in desperate need of stoking that you have to bring Parker onboard, a desperate need to bolster the ranks of the Avengers? Guilt because your actions destroyed them, perhaps?’ He reacted as he always did to confrontation, by lashing out.
He regretted it within seconds of saying it, watching as the jovial smile slid from Stark’s face, his jaw tightening. Stephen was being vicious, again, his words deliberate and cutting because he had ammo in which to fuel them. Stark had opened up to Stephen last time they spoke, and he knew that Stark was feeling guilt, shouldering the burden. His stomach clenched as Tony Stark’s public mask came onto his face, his fake media smile now in place.
It hurt.
‘Peter is going to fight whether I agree or not, the kid already proved that, and he was lucky I was able to mentor him.’
‘Your arrogance really does know no bounds, able to mentor him,’ Stephen scoffed. The Cloak slapped the side of his neck for that one. What was wrong with him? He was undoing all the groundwork they’d created, falling into lies and half-truths because of what? He was scared?
Sweet Vishanti.
That was it. He was scared.
Terrified of how the man was beginning to make him feel.
Oblivious to his inner torment, Stark carried on.
‘The point is, we either give him the tools to fight, to survive, or we just leave him to it. You want his death on your hands, again?’
Oh. Pulling out the big guns.
‘Alright, Stark.’
‘Good, he’ll be over after school.’ Stark began walking back down the stairs, his back ramrod straight.
Stephen was tempted to open a portal right in front of him, or to lasso him with magic, anything to stop the man walking away.
He, of course, did nothing.
***
Tony flung the paperwork away from him in disgust, loosening the tie around his neck. He hated being in his office, loathed reading through political bullshit. He brought his fingers up to his closed eyes, pressing them against his eyelids, trying to will away the exhaustion, his headache.
‘Still causing you trouble?’
He smiled at Pepper’s voice, craning his head over his shoulder to smile at her.
‘You didn’t have to bring me coffee, Pepper, pretty sure that’s way below CEO.’
‘Course it is, but I can’t get you to come to the company’s meetings if you’re not functioning, can I?’ She held it out with a smile which he took, gratefully. ‘Can I help?’
‘You’d think after all we’d done, they would roll out the red carpet. The UN is split pretty down the middle, those calling for their arrest, those saying their crimes should be abolished.’ Tony took a long sip of his coffee, ignoring the way it scalded his tongue, he needed the boost.
‘Plus they take months for anything to get pushed through,’ Pepper sighed, sitting next to him and crossing her legs.
‘I’m pulling strings where I can, subtly of course.’ Tony scratched a hand through his hair.
‘For which outcome?’
Tony froze, looking over at Pepper poised in her chair, blowing at her coffee.
‘Excuse me?’
‘Tony, what Steve did…regardless of what happened in Siberia, of what Barnes did even when brainwashed, Steve still broke people out of prison, went on the run. I know you wanted to be accepted by them, that you saw them as your family but you’re being narrow-minded here.’
Tony folded his arms.
‘Listen I get it, they understand a part of you that I, that no one else can, but I also remember how upset you were after the meetings, how you felt like an outsider looking in, how distraught you were after you came home with your chest plate dented.’
‘What are you trying to say, Pepper?’
‘Things went wrong on both sides, Tony. I’m saying you don’t have to stick your neck out to help them, that you don’t have to forgive them just because you’re still craving that acceptance. They made their own decisions and you made yours, right or wrong you all need to move on.’
‘I can’t.’ Tony felt a part of him crack, pain splintering in his chest.
‘Tony, it wasn’t your fault. One hundred and seventeen countries signed the Accords and for good reason, putting people at risk even with good intentions is dangerous. They knew the risks when they refused to sign, stop breaking your back over it, you look exhausted.’
‘You got the proposal for the Stark Expo?’ He changed the subject.
Pepper took a deep breath, closing her eyes and drinking her coffee. ‘Yeah Tony, it’s upstairs, I just need you to look over the final details.’
‘Great, thanks, Pepper.’
There was silence as both drank from their respective coffees, lost in thoughts.
‘I’ll…take what you said on board, ok? I promise.’
‘I’m glad, I’m just worried about you.’
He slid his hand across the table, knowing without looking she would do the same. Their fingers interlaced, and she squeezed once.
‘Tony? There’s something I’ve been wanting to discuss with you.’
‘Always, go ahead.’
‘I dunno how to do this…I love you, I always will Tony but I’ve…well…I’ve-’
‘Started seeing someone else? Happy maybe?’ Tony smiled, squeezing her fingers and turning to look at her. ‘I’m not stupid, Pepper.’
‘Are you mad?’ Her eyes filled with tears, red blotches creeping up her neck.
Tony waited for a moment before answering, searching his own feelings candidly. Pepper always deserved his honesty.
‘No, I’m not mad. Pepper,’ he scooted closer, taking both her hands, rubbing his thumb across the knuckles on the back of them. ‘I know what we had, that we couldn’t work it out, and I’m sorry for that, but you’ll always be one of the most important people in my life. I want you to be happy, I really do, not literally, of course, you’re smoking hot, Happy’s well…seriously? Happy?’ He grunted at her punch to his arm.
‘God, I feel like a weight’s been lifted from my chest. I’ve been so afraid how you’d take it, that we couldn’t be friends anymore.’
‘Nah, come ‘ere,’ Tony stretched his arms out, making grabby motions with his hands and Pepper went easy, neck cradled under his neck in old familiarity. ‘He hurts you and I’ll blow him to bits though, me and FRIDAY, probably Rhodey too.’
Pepper laughed, snuggling closer.
***
Despite only knowing Parker for a handful of hours, Stephen did harbour something that could have only been described as a fondness for the teen. Yes, he was annoying as teenagers often were, his mouth running faster than what Stephen could compute, but there was a childlike innocence in his questions, and there was no doubting the kid was gifted.
Probably why Stark had his eye on him.
It left Stephen with an odd feeling, akin to the want of impressing a new partner’s kid, wanting their acceptance. He wasn’t anywhere near the dating stage yet, despite his unsubtle hints. Unsure of what it was he wanted, but acknowledging there were stirrings of emotion there, Stephen filed it away for examination later, focusing on Parker.
He’d set Parker up on some drills, basic movements with the beginners. He’d taken to it with ease, eyes wide with wonder at some of the more advanced students beginning to harness magic with their movements. Stephen was glad the kid was easy to instruct, an adept pupil despite his tendency to chatter like his not-quite-father figure.
It was when they practised fighting with others that they ran into problems. The spiderling’s motions were stiff, hesitant, not unlike Stephen’s when he’d first come to Kamar-Taj. He knew the kid could fight, had fought with him against Thanos and this was…well, it was pathetic.
After another pin to the floor, Stephen called time, tapping Parker’s shoulder and telling him to sit the rest of the session out. The kid said nothing, his head hung low, hands balled up into fists. Concerned he’d somehow injured himself, Stephen touched his elbow, stumbling as Parker shoved him away and ran off.
The students stared gobsmacked at each other.
‘Did he just…push the Sorcerer Supreme?’ Stephen heard the whispers.
‘Alright, we’re done for today.’ He waved his arm and the students bowed and left, still whispering among them.
He found Parker hours later, stuck in the corner of the ceiling in the library of the New York sanctum, looking out of the window lost in thought.
How did he get back here?
‘You want to come down?’
Parker ignored him, crossing his arms over his chest and frowning.
Stephen sighed, whistling for the Cloak. This is precisely why he didn’t want the kid here, he wasn’t any good with them, couldn’t relate to them. This was when he needed Christine, she was the one who consoled the patient’s families, not Stephen. He shook his head. No. That was his old life. Things had changed since then, he had changed since then.
‘What’s going on?’ he grumped, floating beside the teen stuck against the wall.
‘Nothing, you wouldn’t get it,’ Parker whispered.
‘Try me,’ Stephen countered, crossing his legs and placing his elbows on them.
‘I know being a hero and all, you need to learn how to fight, how to stop the bad guy, saving the world etcetera. I just…I dunno, fighting people, hurting them, I can’t bring myself to do it.’ He exhaled loudly, his breath shaky. The boy had been crying. ‘Mr Stark is gonna be so disappointed in me.’
‘Why’s that?’
‘I don’t think I can do this. I can’t hurt people, it doesn’t feel right.’
Stephen felt stirrings of emotion in his chest. He understood.
‘You know that doctors take an oath, right? To do no harm?’
‘Yeah.’
‘When I fought my first bad guy, first killed, I was disgusted with myself. The people that trained me, didn’t understand it. My mentor believed I became a doctor because of my own ego, my desire to control death itself, my friend said I didn’t have the backbone to do what needed to be done.’
Parker shifted, his gaze burning with intent as he listened.
‘I stated that there must be other ways to defeat our enemies, which I proved right.’ Stephen shuddered at the memory of Dormammu killing him over and over.
‘But, Doctor Strange, you’re really strong, you don’t hesitate to fight.’
Stephen stretched his neck back and forth as he thought about his response.
‘Parker…Peter, there are ways to protect the world without having to kill, fighting doesn’t lead to death, but defending the world comes with some sacrifice, sometimes there isn’t going to be another way.’
‘Sacrifice the few to save the many huh?’
‘Are you quoting Star Trek at me?’
The kid laughed.
‘Listen, Peter. Stark… Tony feels many things towards you, pride, affection, fear that you might surpass him,’ they shared a laugh at that, ‘disappointment isn’t something I see when he looks at you.’
Stephen knew it, he’d seen Stark die countless times protecting the child in all those glimpses of future timelines. Stark saw the kid as his and he was fiercely protective.
A longing surged inside him, but he brushed it aside.
‘He wants you to able to defend yourself. I know that many of our skirmishes don’t involve fistfights and you’ve got quick reflexes and you’re a long-distance fighter like myself. You need to know how to fight close combat though. Sometimes just looking the part, having the knowledge that you can go toe to toe with a foe is enough to stop a fight in its tracks.’
He reached out, placing a trembling hand on Peter’s shoulder. There was no reluctance from Peter, the kid’s hand reaching up, squeezing in gratitude.
‘I understand, I just…get scared.’ He shifted, and Stephen let go of him, allowing Peter to let himself down to the floor with a thread. ‘I wanted this more than anything, I wanted to stand by Mr Stark’s side I wanted to protect people and then…’ he trailed off, sitting on the floor.
‘And then Titan happened?’ Stephen floated down beside him, sitting beside him.
‘Yeah. Dying…that wasn’t fun. Being stuck…whenever I was. But it was just knowing that I was responsible for all those people, that my failure to stop him, being unable to help you guys resulted in all those deaths.’
Stephen stopped the words that were automatically on his tongue, finally understanding why Stark had sent the boy to him.
You came to be healed, as did we all. Kamar-Taj is a place that collects broken things.
Stark had wanted Peter to confront his fears, to make his own decision without his awe and respect for his mentor and the Avengers clouding him.
He’d placed trust in Stephen.
Shame bubbled in his gut, the feeling making him want to pace, but he held himself still. No wonder Stark had gotten angry, defensive. The man kept trying and Stephen kept rebuffing him.
‘Maybe this life isn’t for you, Peter.’
He was expecting an adamant refusal, not the silent sullen stare.
‘How do you do it? How do you keep going? Mr Stark, the Avengers, you. You all put your life on the line, even though you died, you’re still fighting.’
‘Even my mentor, who I thought was the strongest person in the universe, feared death. She suspended time, dragging out the inevitable, not having to face death. It comes for us all, Peter, regardless of what we do to avoid it. What matters is how we chose to meet it, our choices. Your death on Titan, while painful, was because you believed it was for the greater good.’
‘That’s because I have something I need to protect, people I need to protect.’
Unable to help himself, Stephen reached out, patting his head.
‘I understand. Come, let me teach you something else, something that isn’t just fighting.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Meditation. Understanding oneself is the first step to overcoming your fears.’
***
Tony read over the proposal for the Stark Expo, highlighting a few issues he needed to go through with Pepper before he approved it. Throwing down his pen with a clatter, he leaned back in his chair, exhaling. With that done, he walked over to the window of the office, bracing himself with a forearm against the pane and looking out over New York.
Pepper was right, all he’d wanted was to belong to others that understood him, a group of talented individuals that understood saving the Earth took some pretty big risks and rule-bending on occasion. He was always the outsider, not wanted in the first place. Iron Man was, not Tony.
Captain America. Just hearing that name could make anger flair in Tony’s stomach, reminders of why Howard couldn’t be bothered, reminder after reminder he wasn’t as important, couldn’t measure up and then when he’d finally met the man, his self-righteous attitude only pissed Tony off.
Was he fighting so hard for them because he still wanted Steve’s acceptance and by extension his dad’s? He ran a hand over his chest, fingers drumming on his arc reactor. Tony was still of mixed minds about the Accords but one thing he did know was that Captain America had come through for him when he needed it. He had fought against the Black Order, had fought against Thanos, despite calls for his incarceration Steve had every right just to walk away, to tell humanity to screw themselves but his morals hadn’t let him.
Every time Tony spoke to him about what was happening with the UN they ended up arguing, falling back into their routine of petty jibes and condescending quips. His anger, his hurt meant that he couldn’t work with Steve, couldn’t help him with the mess he found himself in over the Accords. Instead Tony had been trying to fix things behind the scene, with SHIELD, with Ross with just about everyone.
If trying to help Steve Rogers was a headache then Wanda Maximoff was a migraine.
Just thinking about her made his mind flick to Strange, another magic user. Unlike the fear that climbed up his spine when he thought of Wanda or Loki, Strange didn’t elicit that reaction.
Tony hadn’t been with a guy before and as much as he found their flirting and innuendos tantalising it was still intimating.
Steve Rogers was someone Tony had considered on even footing with himself. Steve pushed him, harder than anyone, forcing Tony to examine what he was made of. They were equals, not always friends, occasional rivals, but equals.
What was Strange to him? If Steve had forced him to examine his morals, pushing Tony to be better than he was, then what was Strange doing to him? He trusted to man to an extent, but the fear of the unknown tugged him back. Was it just friendship? Understanding? Or did Strange want more?
‘Well, I’ll be damned, Strange. You’re the first guy to intrigue me. Gotta count for something, right?’
***
‘Stark?’ His voice echoed around the lab, the hum of machines and computers the only thing he could hear in response.
‘Hello? Any mad scientists home?’ Stephen walked forward a few paces, the doctor in him marvelling at everything he saw, the advancement of technology at this man’s fingertips. Who knew how it could help the medical profession?
The only words Stephen could think of to describe Stark’s lab was ordered chaos. Paper littered the desks, faintly lit tablets peeking out from underneath. There were countless coffee mugs, probably in various stages of fungal growth dotted around.
Stephen wasn’t sure how Stark worked in here, but it suited him. He might not have been an inventor, but you could feel the creative energy of the place, the idea that creation was at your very fingertips all you needed was an imagination and a will to set you off.
He nearly tripped, and he looked down, tilting his head at the robot at knee height. It beeped at him, claw opening and closing. Stephen hunched down, looking at the robot.
‘Hello…’
‘Don’t talk to him, we’re not on speaking terms right now, are we?’ Stark sauntered over, giving the robot a dark look. The robot sagged, it’s arm drooping as it wheeled off. ‘Was I expecting you?’ The tone was light, courteous. He was holding documents in his hand, which Stephen could see had the UN symbol on.
‘No, but I was under the impression I could stop by?’
‘Ah, right, well, poke away. FRIDAY will stop you from accessing any restrictive stuff.’ Stark threw the documents on his desk, sitting down in his chair and pulling over his mug. Brown eyes watched him initially before the billionaire turned to his work, his humming faint.
Stephen took his time, fiddling with items, various part of armour, pieces of paper. He found the schematics for Peter’s spider suit, both holographic and paper.
‘Isn’t this a bit expensive?’ He poked at the designs.
Stark looked over the top of the documents, taking the pencil out of his mouth. ‘Yeah, course.’
‘He’s only a student, Stark, how do you-’
‘Why would Peter be paying for them?
‘Why wouldn’t he be paying for them?’
‘Erm…cause he’s a kid? He’s also an Avenger?’ Stark snorted, putting the pencil back in his mouth.
‘So, who pays for it?’
‘My mother, well, the Maria Stark foundation technically. It’s a non-profit charity, one of the subsidiaries from Stark Industries, it pays for, well this,’ Stark gestured with his hand. ‘Paychecks, the compound, suits, whatever they need.’
Stephen didn’t say anything, coming back to Stark’s side, leaning against the desk beside him.
‘Wha’s matter?’ Tony mumbled around the pencil.
‘Nothing, I’m just surprised, that’s all.’
‘Hero’s still need to eat, need a place to eat, and they need their equipment to work.’ Stark pulled the pencil out again, smiling as he scribbled something down, clearly having a eureka moment.
‘That wasn’t what I was surprised about.’
‘Then…what?’ Stark placed the documents down, twiddling the pencil in his hands as he swivelled in his chair to face Stephen.
‘It’s very generous.’
Stark shrugged. ‘We’re all in this together right? I know Iron Man was a given for the Avengers team, Tony Stark, well I was just meant to be a consultant, figured I’d do my bit, learn how to be a team player and all.’
‘Going a bit above and beyond, aren’t you?’
‘That’s what heroes do, Doc,’ Stark huffed a laugh.
‘I…owe you an apology.’
The pencil fell from Stark’s hand. Stephen bent to pick it up, offering it back. The man held his gaze for a long moment.
‘Just stick it on the desk. What do you mean, apology?’ As soon as Stephen placed it down, Stark snatched it back up again, finishing his earlier scribbles.
‘You sent Peter to me because you wanted him to make a decision by himself. You care about him, I apologise for implying you were only doing it for selfish reasons.’
Stark stopped, pencil tapping at his paper, refusing to look at him. ‘Is…he alright?’
‘He will be, his mind is clearer, his will stronger. I’ve offered him some meditation lessons.’
‘What was his decision?’
Stephen would have to be an idiot not to see how Stark was terrified of the answer, he was still looking down at the documents, his free hand clenched into a fist, teeth biting into this lower lip.
‘Does the answer affect your relationship? Regardless of if he continues as Spider-Man, he’s still Peter Parker, a brilliantly gifted young individual who values your input very much both as a mentor and father figure.’
‘You think?’ Stark’s head whipped around, pencil clattering on the desk.
‘It’s obvious to everyone, Stark.’
‘I’ll be damned.’ A huge smile split his face, luminous and piercing Stephen directly in his chest.
‘So, will I ever see you again at the Sanctum? Or am I just babysitting for you now?’ Stephen teased, leaning back on the desk.
‘I could spare you some time in a couple of days. I’ve got some work-related stuff to take care of here,’ his eyes slid to the documents. Stephen waited for anything, an indication of what was on the man’s mind, but nothing was forthcoming.
‘Alright, some sort of time frame? I don’t want to be waiting hours like last time.’ Stephen said, only half in jest.
‘Ah you know what they say Doc, absence makes the heart grow fonder,’ Stark teased.
Back to this game then, the flirtation, sexual innuendos.
‘It’s also another way of saying you don’t give a shit about someone,’ Stephen volleyed back.
‘Yup, another reason why Pepper wouldn’t put up with me,’ the man sighed.
‘Do you miss her?’ Stephen suddenly blurted, worried he was misreading the signs, that Stark was just playing with him, that Stephen was seeing things that weren’t there, desperately lonely and creating false feelings to project onto Stark.
‘Course I do, I always will do, she’s my best friend, the better part of me, but we couldn’t make it work. You got anyone like that Doc? Someone you wish you make yourself be happy with, to know it’s good but still there’s this little niggling feeling that it’s just not right.’
Stephen thought of Christine. He loved her, she was his best friend, but they couldn’t make it work, he had been cruel and now he was a different person and couldn’t see himself back in that old life, couldn’t see her in this world.
‘Yeah, yeah I do.’
‘Pepper’s moved on. I thought it would hurt, but I’m alright. I want her to have all the things she couldn’t with me, to not have to worry, to be upset when I’m late, guess I’ve got you now for that,’ Stark laughed. ‘I’ll try and stop by in a few days.’
***
Tony opened the Sanctum door, narrowly missing being mowed down by Peter in his haste. Rolling his eyes, he shut the door behind him, hearing footfalls flying up the stairs.
‘He might not be ready yet you know, we are early,’ Tony called, the words echoing around him. ‘Damn kids.’
It’d been a few weeks since Strange had come unannounced to his lab to apologise and hadn’t returned. He’d been to the Sanctum once since then, only to meet with Wong who informed him Strange was busy in a different dimension and would return shortly.
Realising he had no other way of contacting the wizard had led to a few all-nighters and it was the reason he was escorting Peter to his mediation lesson.
He waited on the stairwell, if he couldn’t see the relics then he wasn’t tempted to touch them. Sitting down, he took off his sunglasses and fiddled with the arm of them.
‘FRIDAY? How long till my next meeting?’
‘Thirty minutes, boss.’
‘Right, right,’ he ran a hand through his shaggy hair, scratching at his scalp. His meetings with the UN, the work he’d been doing seemed to have taken a turn for the worse. Captain America’s pardon looked like it would have a positive outcome but Wanda’s?
Tony slapped the glasses on his knee, tapping away. She wasn’t an American citizen, she was dangerous and the last time he’d tried to do the right thing, or what he thought was right, he’d only aggravated the situation more.
He recalled Pepper’s words, that he shouldn’t be busting his hump so much for these guys, that he should be focused on finding new members. It made sense, Pepper always did, but he couldn’t shift the guilt, the responsibility.
Wanda’s eyes as she looked at him bound and with a collar on, Steve’s desperation as he slammed his shield down on his chest.
His heart stuttered as something came flying down the stairs at him, his armour forming instinctively before he recognised what it was. ‘Hey, cape, your master home?’ The Cloak nodded, well, its collar did, leaning back as if it were looking upstairs.
‘I’m just here to drop Peter off, oh and to give Strange something.’
‘And what would that be?’ A deep voice asked.
‘Ah ah, don’t be greedy. Aren’t you gonna invite me in?’ Tony got to his feet.
‘Please, come in,’ Strange drawled, motioning with his hand for Tony to come join him at the top of the stairs. ‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’
‘As I was just explaining to the cape here, I’m just dropping Peter off for his mediation lesson-’
‘He’s made you something Doctor Strange!’ Peter leant round one of the displays, beaming at them as they both looked.
‘And I’ve made you something.’
Making a show of patting his pockets down, he wrapped his fingers around the device and handed it over.
‘A phone?’
‘It’s not just any phone!’ Peter stood beside them, brimming with excitement. ‘Mr Stark has spent ages on-’
‘Ah ah ah,’ Tony interrupted, putting a hand over Peter’s mouth. ‘Run along Spidey, go annoy Wong for a minute alright?’
‘Oh, sorry. I’ll see you in a minute Doctor Strange, see you Saturday, Mr Stark.’
‘Right, where was I? Oh, the phone? You mentioned having a way to contact each other, a call to arms, shining a beacon in the night sky you called it? There you go.’ Tony reached over and tapped it.
‘I already have a phone.’ Strange stared down at it.
‘And I bet with your hands the way they are it’s a pain to use right?’
‘Not really, have you considered maybe I didn’t feel the need to contact you?’
Tony recognised the sarcasm for what it was, defence.
‘Maybe, but I’m sure there are other people you want to talk to? Maybe not have to wait for a day where your hands aren’t hurting as much? It’s got vocal recognition, not the crappy stuff that’s on the market, but one that works. Ask it to send a message.’
Strange looked down at the phone, up at Tony and then back down again.
‘Or use as it as doorstop then.’ Tony jammed his hands in his pockets.
‘Send a message,’ Strange asked, glancing up at the holographic screen that lit up above the phone. ‘Impressive,’ he admitted.
‘Say a sentence.’
‘Tony Stark is the bane of my life.’ The words printed across the screen, word for word with pinpoint accuracy.
‘Now say, send to Tony Stark.’
Strange did so, watching as the hologram turned into an envelope and a few seconds later, Tony’s phone buzzed. He swiped the screen and showed Strange the message. His thumbs flew over the phone and he smiled, looking up, waiting. The phone chimed, a tiny orange projection of an envelope hovering over the phone.
‘Read message?’ Strange asked, presented with the holographic screen again. ‘Stephen Strange is smoking hot?’ He read aloud, raising his eyebrow at the end.
‘Don’t I know it,’ Tony chuckled. ‘There you are, a way to keep in contact. Keep Pete outta trouble for me, kay? Send him home at a reasonable time.’
‘Wait a moment,’ Strange jogged down the stairs after Tony. ‘Thank you for this, it’s, I er… thank you.’
Tony felt a little flutter under his sternum at that, Strange’s gratitude, while not as exuberant as Peter’s was no less heartfelt. The man looked flustered, his gaze stuck on the floor.
‘No problem.’
He felt content, pleased he’d done something right.
Strange looked up, his gaze trailing over Tony, taking a few steps to close the distance between them.
‘You make it hard to resist, Stark, when you look at me like that.’ Strange’s free hand came up, loosely cupping the side of Tony’s neck.
‘Like what?’ Tony felt himself seize up, Strange must have felt his rapid pulse against his hand. An ache built in his stomach, want, longing building inside him. The world shrunk to just the two of them. It was an obsession, his focus and attention unwavering.
He wanted him.
‘For all your swagger and bluster, all you want is for someone to take care of you.’
Panic reared its ugly head inside him. ‘I don’t need taking care of,’ Tony growled, slapping Strange’s hand away.
‘It’s not weak, or dependant,’ Strange reassured, his gaze penetrating, making him feel vulnerable.
‘Just pathetic,’ Tony spat.
‘On the contrary, it’s a huge fucking turn on.’
***
Stephen watched Stark leave the Sanctum, wondering once again if he’d taken things too far. It’d been unusual not seeing Stark moving around the relics, his excitement and curiosity barely contained, murmuring under his breath as he questioned how things worked or asking his AI to scan them for any clues.
It was adorable, and it endeared him to Stephen.
Finding the man sat dejectedly on the stairs, his shoulders hunched as though the weight of the world was on his shoulders made Stephen want to draw him into a hug, to ease the tension from his brow with kisses and gentle touches.
He was attracted to Stark, he’d known that from day one, yet these tender feelings bubbling beside his lust was new. Stephen voiced his thoughts after he’d been gifted the phone, Stark watching him again with such longing for affection, for acceptance it’d been impossible not to.
The reaction had been surprising. Stark feared weakness. No, not weakness, he was afraid of appearing weak. Stephen’s words had been the truth, for a powerful man such as Tony Stark to expose such a vulnerable aspect of himself, wanting someone to care about him was a massive turn on. The idea that it could be Stephen to fulfil that part for him…
Why couldn’t he just be honest and confess his feelings for the man? He’d had his confirmation that Stark wasn’t interested in getting back together with his ex, the man had just admitted, albeit playfully, that he found him attractive.
Physical attraction wasn’t enough though. They were friends, forced together through circumstances and they enjoyed each other’s company, but that didn’t indicate Stark wanted any sort of romantic relationship from him though. Those looks Stark gave him made him think otherwise, yet what if he was wrong? If he told Stark of his feelings, then there was still a chance he could be rejected, and Stephen found that idea physically hurt him.
He wanted Tony Stark, more than he could even admit to himself. His dreams and waking fantasies were plagued by the billionaire, what he’d look like under Stephen in the throes of pleasure, his name tumbling from Stark’s lips as he begged for more.
His desires weren’t all carnal in nature. He wanted coffee in bed with the man, wanting to watch sleepy brown eyes filled with love as they curled around each other before they faced the day. Images of him and Stark working together in his lab, Stephen able to help with his burdens, to bring back that spark of inquisitiveness back into his eyes rather than the exhaustion he was becoming used to seeing.
‘Doctor Strange?’ Peter called softly, perching on an armchair.
‘Sorry, I was distracted.’
‘You guys are friends, aren’t you?’
‘Yes, why? Has Stark said something to suggest otherwise?’ Stephen walked over to sit in the armchair across from the kid.
‘No, of course not, otherwise he wouldn’t have worked so hard making that phone for you,’ Peter smiled.
Stephen felt for it in his pocket, suppressing his own smile.
‘I’m just worried about him, that’s all. He’s super busy at the moment, and not Tony Stark busy, but crazy he’s not sleeping busy. He’s had to cancel our Saturday pizza night three times in a row!’
‘Is there a new threat he’s become aware of? Does he need help?’ Stephen leant forward, berating himself for not noticing something sooner.
‘I don’t think so, things have been pretty quiet on that front. It’s got to be all those UN meetings, I think he’s been trying to help the old Avengers.’
‘What happened at the Airport? You were there weren’t you?’
‘I don’t really know why they were fighting. Mr Stark only told me that Captain America was wrong, and I needed to get his shield from him.’
Either Stark was trying to protect the boy from getting in to deep, or he was brainwashing him to only see his side of the argument. Stephen knew it had to be the former, otherwise, he wouldn’t be trying to help.
‘You never questioned why?’ Stephen raised an eyebrow.
‘It was Tony Stark! Tony Stark, Iron Man asking me, me for help. Of course, I didn’t!’
Stephen chuckled despite himself. ‘The Accords…everyone managed to put aside their differences to fight Thanos and yet when the dust settles the government are right back where they started. Hasn’t Tony asked you to sign them yet? You’re an Avenger, aren’t you?’
‘No, he hasn’t. I’m not sure what’s going on, neither does Happy. I think he’s shouldering it all alone. I want to help, but I dunno what to do.’ Peter looked down at his hands, scowling.
‘Kid, I think just being yourself helps him in more ways than you know. But I’ll have a word with him if it helps, blowing off your Saturday dates isn’t cool,’ Stephen joked.
‘It’s not like that!’ Peter shouted, the blush on his cheeks adorable. ‘But yeah, I miss him ya know.’
‘He made the time to drive you here himself today, I’d say he’s trying.’ Stephen laced his fingers together, looking over at Peter.
‘I don’t want to bother him if he’s busy,’ Peter whispered, ‘but yeah, that was pretty cool of him.’
‘I get the impression that no matter how busy Stark gets, if he cares about someone, he’ll make the time for them.’
Stephen knew that Stark had a bit of a perfectionist personality and that could potentially lead to him forgetting other matters, which was why he’d been late that time for their meeting in his lab. He could see why that’d be irritating to others and hurtful to some because it could appear Stark didn’t care, but Stephen was the same if he was studying or practising new spells.
‘Just like he made that phone for you, so you could contact him,’ Peter responded.
Ah, the innocence of youth.
He had a point. Despite whatever was bothering him he’d taken the time to create the phone for him.
‘Let’s work on your mediation, shall we?
***
Tony hadn’t expected Strange to text him, but he had a few hours after he’d left, inviting him to the Sanctum on Thursday to show him around Kamar-Taj.
He’d agreed, wanting to see the place Peter hadn’t shut up about, part of him annoyed the kid had seen it first and a small part of him jealous. He just wasn’t sure of which one of them he was jealous of.
‘For all your swagger and bluster, all you want is for someone to take care of you.’
The idea just didn’t mesh in his head. He was the one who seduced his partners, who take of them in the bedroom, that was just the way it was. With Pepper, their exploits in the bedroom had been more give and take, with love guiding their actions but even then, he’d taken the lead, it was just the way things were.
He couldn’t show weakness.
‘On the country, it’s a huge fucking turn on.’
Strange’s words haunted him. There was an opportunity here, Tony just wasn’t sure if he should take it. There was a little bit of guilt about Pepper despite their breakup being mutual, leaving a sour taste in his mouth, like he was betraying her in some way.
What to do, what to do.
His hand rested on the doorknob of the Sanctum, lingering.
It jerked open, magic tugging him the last few steps inside.
‘Funny looking Thursday, Stark!’ Strange barked at him.
‘Genuinely not my fault, the bureaucrats had me stuck in meetings, today was the only day I could get away.’ Tony held his hands out in front of him in surrender. Strange floated down the stairs, cloak billowing behind him. His face thunderous.
‘Have you not heard of common courtesy? Or considered the idea that I might have been concerned something had happened to you?’
Strange had been…worried about him?
‘Aww, did ya worry about me Doc? I’m touched I really am. Was he beside himself?’ Tony asked the Cloak which had come to hover next to him, it’s collar turning to look between them both. It nodded once, and Tony laughed, his arms wrapping around his stomach. ‘Sorry, I’m sorry, I just didn’t know you cared.’
‘Arrogant douchebag,’ Strange muttered under his breath.
‘Being serious, I’m sorry, I get caught up in my work sometimes, people demanding my time, my projects…it’s not that I don’t…it’s not that I forget about you-’
‘I get it,’ Strange interrupted.
Tony felt himself stumbling, his brain trying to scrabble together some words. People usually raged at him if he blew them off, if he forgot. It’d led to many cold nights in his bed alone when he was dating Pepper, a cold shoulder from Rhodey more than once.
‘Come on, before I change my mind and portal you elsewhere.’
‘If its Malibu I’m all for that,’ Tony laughed, tugging on the Cloak, ‘you coming too?’
Strange rolled his eyes as they followed him, stepping through the portal he created at the top of the stairs. Tony halted, looking at it before walking to the other side. ‘Interdimensional energy? A rift in space time?’ he mused. ‘FRIDAY?’
‘Already on it, boss.’
The Cloak followed him around, twisting as it observed him, the equivalent of tilting its head.
‘You got any idea?’ He asked it, huffing at the shrug he got in return. The Cloak settled on his shoulders and just as Tony turned to look down and ask it what it was doing it dragged him through the portal.
‘Alright, alright, sorry, curiosity and all that.’
‘Just as well you’re not a cat, you’d be dead several times over. Welcome to Kamar-Taj.’
Tony was impressed. Tongue tied he walked over to the old stone balcony, looking off into the mountains. The air was fresher, cooler. They descended into the courtyard, Tony’s fingers trailing over the crumbling walls, feet scuffing through leaves littering the floor. Incense wafted into the air in smoky plumes, sandalwood, Aloeswood, subtle smells with a haunting bitterness, scent’s he’d subconsciously been associating with Strange.
The place screamed tranquillity and relaxation. It should have sent Tony screaming for the hills. He couldn’t sit still for a moment, meditation, yoga, charkas, a lot of mystic rubbish, new age hippy crap. He was a city boy, born and bred, this place should have made him uncomfortable.
It didn’t.
‘This place…’
‘It’s amazing. I had the same reaction, Peter did too…until he noticed the ancient bell.’
‘Oh wow, it’s huge! Can I-’
‘And the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.’
‘Where are all the students?’
‘There aren’t any lessons today.’
Tony could see a few people milling in the distance, but the courtyard was eerily silent apart from their footfalls. His gaze kept lifting to the mountains in the distance, never having been this close.
‘And here I thought you’d jet-setted around the world,’ Strange teased, his chin almost hooking over Tony’s shoulder as he followed his gaze.
‘I have, and I’ve just…not somewhere like here, where are we?’ Tony didn’t move, knowing if he leant back just the slightest bit, he’d be pressed up against Strange’s chest.
‘Nepal,’ Strange answered, not moving.
Tony’s tongue felt thick in his mouth, his throat having difficulty swallowing. Testing the waters, a little, he turned his head, tilting it back so his ear pressed against Strange’s shoulder. He held himself stiff, refusing to breathe, waiting.
Strange closed his eyes for a long moment.
‘Are… we alone?’ Tony’s voice broke.
‘I didn’t think you’d want anyone to witness me kicking your ass,’ Strange chuckled and Tony could feel it through his back.
‘Why are you kicking my ass?’
‘I thought you wanted to see what it is we do? You don’t strike me as the meditating type, nor do you desire to learn how to harness magic. Is it because you can’t fight without your suit on? No high-powered gadgets or lasers to save you.’
Oh, his interest was piqued.
‘Hey! I’ll have you know that when I first became Iron Man, I taught myself how to fight. High powered gadgets will only get you so far, hand to hand combat has saved me a few times. What about you, how are you without magic?’
‘I highly doubt a billionaire playboy learnt how to fight, don’t you have bodyguards for that?’
‘I did, yes, but when I became a superhero, I taught myself, Wikipedia and Youtube are a beautiful thing. Then we formed this little team, I dunno if you’ve heard of it? The Avengers, some of them might have taught me a thing or two. So, come at me Doc.’
Tony’s blood was pumping at the thrill, Strange’s boyish smile only adding to the excitement.
Strange rubbed a hand over his clothes and they melted into loose trousers and a tunic top, a far cry from the layers of robes he wore.
‘Hey, no fair! I’m wearing jeans. If you’d warned me, I would have worn something suitable,’ Tony sulked, folding his arms over his chest, refusing to look at those muscled arms, the broad looking chest.
Holy fuck it’d been a long time since he’d been turned on just be looking at someone semi-dressed.
He stretched out his arms and legs, loosening his muscles, keeping one eye on Strange doing the same.
‘Do you want to get rid of the glowly thing?’
‘I’d feel better with it on, but don’t punch it.’
‘How are we going to spar if I’m only allowed to hit you in certain areas? Although I admit, kicking you in the balls has its merits.’
‘How safe is this place?’ Tony asked, looking around.
‘Completely, I assure you, Stark you’re under my protection, nothing can harm you here.’
Tony drummed his fingers over it, considering.
‘You can leave it on.’ Strange’s voice was soothing, understanding.
Tony reached up and unclipped the arc reactor, taking off his hoodie and placing them both on the stone steps.
‘If we get into trouble for any reason, magic it onto my chest.’
‘I promise.’
They seized each other up for a few moments, neither moving, poised on the balls of their feet. Tony moved first, trying to capture Strange in a lock which the man easily side-stepped.
They went at it for a while, both getting a few easy jabs in, neither getting any good hits in. Strange was solid muscle, leaner than Tony, but hard muscle beneath his punches. He didn’t hold back either, which Tony appreciated. It was when Strange started breathing heavily, sweat a sheen on those pale muscles that Tony’s concentration began to slip.
Heat coiled in his stomach, thick and scorching.
Tony managed a feint, Strange stumbling behind him and with a triumphant cry he sprung forward, a punch aimed for the chest. Strange was quick to defend, immediately going for the offensive once again, a smirk playing on his lips.
Damn, the wizard was quick.
They were evenly matched, but Tony was battling with raging hormones, wanting Strange to overpower him, to subdue him, to see if he was all talk or if their flirtations were ever going to amount to anything. Strange was relentless in his attacks, poised, powerful and utterly breathtaking. He fell into blocking rather than attacking, his forearms taking the brunt of it, sending jarring pains up his arms into his shoulders.
His left arm was still giving him grief even after all these months, Thanos had really done a number on it. Turning to his side to protect it, he was unprepared for hands to snatch his wrist, yanking him forward. Flinching away from the perceived attack, Tony felt his legs kicked out from under him, his face breaking his fall on the stone ground.
‘Easy on the foreplay, wizard,’ Tony grumbled, attempting to push himself up, grunting as his arm was twisted behind his back, his body tugged up onto his knees. His spine arched in an attempt to take the pressure off, his other arm reaching behind to swipe weakly at Strange who caught it and held it.
‘Seems I have the mighty Iron Man at my mercy.
‘We said no magic!’ Tony growled, thrashing in his hold, panting.
‘I didn’t, this is my own strength,’ Strange bent his head to whisper in his ear, a breathy laugh following it.
Tony went limp, the voice pouring over him, rich and sensual.
‘Now what are you going to do with me?’ Tony breathed out, a hint of a challenge lingering in his words.
Hands holding him trembled, the weight shifting as he moved Tony’s wrists, so he could restrain them with one hand. Strange’s mouth didn’t move from beside his ear, he felt the man shifted his head, the tip of his nose pressing into the tender skin below Tony’s ear.
Tony found himself struck with yearning, his body arching even further, moaning as a hand curled into his hip, gripping hard. That’s when he felt it.
Stephen Strange was hard.
He was flung from the sorcerer’s body, crumpling to the floor with a jarring thud. He lifted his head off the floor just in time to watch Strange storming across the courtyard, anger radiating from his tense body.
Rubbing his knees while swearing, Tony got to his feet slowly, rubbing his wrists as he did so.
Angry at Tony or…angry at himself?
A portal opened before him, showing the streets of New York.
A dismissal.
His mind rapidly whirling with possibilities, what he knew of the man Tony put his finger on what he thought was the pulse point of the problem.
‘He’s embarrassed?’ Tony asked the Cloak which had come to hover next to him.
It nodded using the edge of its fabric to indicate a ‘go on,’ hand motion.
‘He’s scared?’
Another nod.
Stephen Strange held his cards very close to his chest and Tony had stumbled on a vulnerability, his desire lay bare. It was all very well flirting with innuendos, winks, banter, sexual suggestions, but now Tony had clear proof.
So.
What to do now?
Tony knew this was a bad idea. His playboy days were over, he was useless at relationships, both romantic and friendship. He should walk away, ignore it, move on. If Strange was uncomfortable then he should have left it well alone. Tony wasn’t even sure what he wanted. He knew he didn’t want to hurt Strange though, or to lead him on just because he was excited about the prospect of something new and enticing.
He sidestepped the portal, grabbing his hoodie and slapping the arc reactor back on his chest. Tony walked, footfalls silent against the floor, following Strange’s furious path. Strange was in a side room of sorts, an office, hands planted on a litter free desk, his breathing ragged. Tony moulded himself to Strange’s back, forehead nestled in-between the wizard’s shoulder blades, arms wrapping around his slim waist.
Tony had always been a seize the day type of guy. After losing half the universe, he’d held to that ideal even more. Life was too short.
So, he seized the day.
Literally.
With Strange’s cock under his hand, Tony gave his offer.
‘You wanna carry on, come to the compound later tonight. You don’t show, I’ll never speak of this again. Just to make my intentions clear though, I want you, I can’t stop thinking about you.’
He leant round to see Strange swallow heavily, his eyes screwed shut. Tony rubbed his thumb firmly over what he knew to be the head of Strange’s cock, faltering when eyes snapped open. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity before Tony let go, walking back through the courtyard to step through the portal.
***
Stephen hid in the room for hours, Kamar-Taj offering him no peace in the place he’d often found solace in.
The memory of Stark stretched out, trapped in his hold was sharp in his mind, his overwhelming craving for the man pulsing in his body. He’d been fighting the urge to simply take care of himself for a few hours now, wondering if the memory of Stark was enough to appease his lust.
It wouldn’t be, he knew it wouldn’t be. Stephen was drowning, and Stark’s offer was a lifeline, a breath of desperately craved air, one he wanted but was left feeling uncertain.
This wouldn’t be serious for Stark. Knowing what he knew of that man, Stephen surmised that their sexual encounters would be a distraction from whatever was tormenting the man at the present time.
Movement in the doorway made him look up, groaning at Wong’s crossed arms and knowing look.
‘Don’t start.’
‘We both knew this was where you were going to end up.’
‘I don’t know what to do.’ Stephen looked at his hands.
‘You’re good together, you and Tony.’
‘I don’t think he wants anything more from me than sex,’ Stephen whispered sadly.
‘Did he tell you that?’
‘No, I know. He’s curious, enamoured by the unknown.’
‘Then give it to him, court him slowly.’
‘And when I lose my heart to him like so many others? Just to be discarded in the cold light of day?’
‘Oh Stephen, you’ve already lost it.’ Wong stepped forward.
Stephen was expecting to be surprised, to have a refusal on his lips, but nothing came forward. He’d lost his heart in increments, the fourteen million outcomes staring his feet along that path and Stark had grabbed his hand and tugged him down the rest of it.
A hand rested on his shoulder.
‘Handle it whichever way you think is best, but don’t deny yourself this.’
‘What of my duty? My responsibilities? What if I can’t do my job, protect the Earth? What if my…infatuation blindsides me?’
‘Do you believe that to be the case? This is from the man who allowed himself to die over and over in the Dark Dimension, who knew he had to protect the Time Stone regardless of who he lost.’
‘I didn’t care about them then.’
That did make Stephen startle, Wong too, his mouth dropping open.
‘Them?’ his voice cracked.
‘It’s impossible not to get attached to Peter, it’s infuriating,’ Stephen muttered.
‘I don’t recall there being any restrictions on the Sorcerer Supreme having a lover, or a family.’
‘I will…consider it.’ Stephen answered after a long pause.
***
Humming along to the music playing in the background, Tony spun the holographic schematic around with his finger, leaning back in his seat and chewing his lip in thought. He rubbed a hand over his eyes while rolling his shoulders and sat up.
Looks like it should work,’ he muttered, pushing the chair away from him and pacing around the hologram in thought.
His body jerked backwards, hand caught by something. Muttering under his breath at DUM-E he tugged at it, only turning to look when he couldn’t move.
‘What the?’
He yelped as his hand yanked upwards into the air, the other joining it, his wrists caught in familiar amber circles.
‘No strings attached?’ came the voice.
Strange circled around him, his fingers trailing around his midsection, over his lower back and then back to his stomach. Tony tugged on his hands, the energy refusing to budge, leaving him exposed to Strange’s heated gaze which raked over his body without shame. Standing this close, Tony could smell the lignin from the books he read, the tantalising tease of incense smokiness lingering on him. He wanted to feel Strange’s mouth on his, wanted to be kissed senseless, wanted to lose control.
No one had ever, ever tried to seize control from Tony, at least not in the bedroom. If anyone tried to wrangle it from any aspect of his life, he’d fight tooth and nail for it, the root of so many of his problems, of not getting on with people.
He never lost control.
Fear should grab him by its frigid fingers, anxiety, panic, these were the emotions he waited for as he watched Strange look at him. The feelings didn’t come. Compliance, aching desperation, wonderment. He was smothered by it, willingly giving himself up to Strange.
It was exhilarating, his body arching towards Strange’s touch, trembling with the yearning he felt.
‘Consider yourself stringless.’
‘You really think you can handle me, Stark? Look at you… practically begging for me to take you in hand, as you have done for weeks now. You’re already quivering, and I’ve not done anything to you…yet.’ Strange purred, fingers toying with the edge of Tony’s T-shirt, dragging it up and off his body with agonising slowness.
‘Bring it, wizard,’ Tony growled.
‘Firstly,’ he reached out, fingers splaying across Tony’s stomach, his muscles twitching in response. He sucked air through his teeth as Strange just skimmed his hands over his skin, sweeping up to his ribcage. Arousal ignited in Tony, his blood becoming heated, breathing heavy.
He hadn’t been touched in months.
‘No kissing,’ Strange told him, fingers coming back down to toy with the edge of his jeans, curling around his back, wiggling underneath just enough so Tony could feel the tips of Strange’s fingers beneath his boxers.
‘Gotcha,’ he ground out, rubbing his wrists together, pleading Strange to carry on. Instead, Strange dragged his fingers away, dancing across Tony’s skin, touch unfaltering even when they reached the old scars that swept outwards from Tony’s first arc reactor.
‘Secondly, if we do this, then that’s it. No sleeping around.’
‘Territorial of your lovers?’ Tony joked, gasping at the brush across his nipples, feather light.
‘Very. You want this, you stay loyal to me.’ Strange’s eyes met his, intense and dangerous.
Possessive.
He went down on his knees, unbuttoning Tony’s jeans, dragging them over his hips and legs, only pausing to pull off his shoes and socks, the jeans yanked off after. Hands gripped his upper thighs, squeezing with strength, and Tony let out a small moan, his body straining as Strange’s touch crept up, dangerously close before the wizard stepped back.
‘Do you have any conditions?’
Tony could barely think, let alone speak.
‘Are you really so addled just from my touch, Stark?’ Strange moved closer, rubbing his nose along Tony’s jaw.
‘Name,’ Tony rasped out, swallowing thickly. ‘Not Stark.’
‘Alright, Anthony,’ Strange purred, biting his earlobe.
‘Wait, wait,’ Tony wrenched himself back, fighting against his all-consuming lust, refusing to succumb fully until he’d spoken. ‘I don’t mind this,’ Strange’s eyes flicked up to the binds holding him. ‘Hell, I’m up for some kinky magic, just one condition.’
‘Which is?’ Strange asked, his lips and tongue scalding against the column of Tony’s neck.
‘Promise me…’ Tony’s voice broke, and he cleared his throat a few times. Strange stopped what he was doing to pull back and look at him, really look at him. ‘Just, don’t use your magic to go inside my head, alright?’
Strange closed his eyes for a long moment. He leant up, placing his forehead tenderly against Tony’s, cupping his jaw cupped in those huge scarred hands, the gentle touch making his heart pound.
‘I promise,’ Strange swore, his voice rough.
Tony pulled his legs up, impressed his chin-ups were paying off, wrapping them around Strange’s waist. The wizard closed his eyes for a moment and then his own robes disappeared, leaving Tony to feel his very naked erection rub against his ass.
There was a moment of trepidation fluttering inside him, but it was swept away by hands gripping his hips.
‘I can’t touch you like this, Strange,’ Tony teased, pulling him closer with the heels of his feet, marvelling at the muscles he could feel flexing.
‘Stephen,’ he growled, hands sweeping around to coax Tony’s back into a curve, his tongue licking a stripe across his sternum. Tony moaned, hips bucking as that tongue meandered, teasing a nipple to hardness. ‘I think I prefer you bound with my magic, exposed, vulnerable.’
Tony wasn’t going to complain, not when hands tugged on his hips, grinding his ass against Strange’s, no, Stephen’s erection.
‘Have you ever been with a man before?’ Stephen whispered, eyes dark.
He thought about it, the lie on the tip of his tongue, but a raised eyebrow from Stephen made him stop. If nothing else they needed a working relationship and Tony wanted that to work, lying would get him nowhere.
‘You’re the first Doc, care to pop my proverbial cherry?’ Tony teased, gasping as he felt nails bite into the flesh above his hips.
Faster than he could blink, Stephen waved his hand and Tony was bent over his desk, boxers ripped from him, his hands free to clutch at the edge of the table. The cool metal of the desk stung against the fevered skin of his chest. He heard a muttering and Tony squirmed against the table. Weeks of verbal foreplay had left him wanting, his body frantically rubbing against the table.
‘You’re familiar with colour safewords I presume? Say red at any time and I’ll stop, no questions asked. Understand?’
‘Got it, green, green, green,’ Tony begged. He turned his head when he felt nothing, just in time to see Stephen finishing a hand gesture, gasping as he felt slickness run down his thighs. Magical lube, interesting. He shifted his hips, impatient, confused to hear a rip of foil from the condom. His body flinched away as he felt the blunt head of Stephen’s cock pushing against his body.
‘Hang on, hang on,’ Tony spluttered out, a splinter of clarity in his passion haze. He might not have been with a man before, but he knew how this worked, fingers, stretching.
‘Remember, I was a doctor before I became a sorcerer, I know how the body works.’ Tony yelped at the bite on his ass cheek. ‘I know how to relax and stretch the body with magic. I thought you were alright with kinky magic,’ Stephen laughed against his spine.
‘I am, you caught me off guard there.’
‘I’m not going to hurt you, Anthony. I’ll take you to your limits and beyond,’ Stephen promised as he filled Tony’s body inch by agonising inch. He stilled as soon as he was sheathed, probably to let Tony adjust.
It was exquisite pain, intense and almost too much. Stephen pulled out, the drag of his cock burning against his muscles, before pushing slowly back in, waiting. He gave a few more slow thrusts, teasing Tony, denying him the pleasure he frantically sought. Tony cried out in desperation, sweaty hands screeching against the table.
‘Please,’ he pleaded, not sure what he was asking for. His eyes opened as he sensed something near his head, Stephen’s hand, bearing his weight as the man began to move with purpose this time. He could feel the scratch of Stephen’s beard on his back, sharp stinging nips from teeth, soothed with a tongue.
Stephen shifted, his hips moving, his cock brushing against something in his body that made elastic snap down Tony’s spine, making him fling his head back in a howl, his toes curling.
‘There huh? Fuck, you look good like this, the great Tony Stark, a begging mess in my hands.’
‘Please- oh God,’ Tony begged, giving himself over to Stephen’s mercy, lightheaded at the loss of control.
‘I’m a cruel man, Anthony. I should make you work for it.’ His thrusts stopped, and Tony whimpered, his hand reaching for Stephen’s forearm. His nails dug into flesh, tugging at his torturer. Stephen allowed it before moving his arm away, leaving Tony alone on the desk. His mouth brushed against the side of Tony’s neck. It wasn’t a kiss, or a gesture of affection or intimacy, it was to suck a bruise into his skin, to brand him.
‘Maybe I should make you suck me off before I allow you to come, I think you’d look good on your knees,’ Stephen teased against his ear, licking his tongue around the shell of it.
Tony garbled out an answer, shuddering as Stephen snapped his hips in sharp.
‘I pictured this so often… my imagination pales to the real thing.’
Heat coiled in his stomach, surging up to his heart. Stephen had thought of him like this, had imagined what sex between them would be like. His ego swelled.
Hands tugged him down the desk, planting Tony’s feet on the floor, allowing his cock to fall free, the cool air caressing it. It was only for a moment before a hand wrapped around it, a thumb swiping over his head.
‘Are you close?’
Tony nodded, his head frantic, feeling the muscles in his back flex as he tried to get up and thrust his hips back against Stephen’s.
Finally taking mercy on him, Stephen’s thrusts grew hard, purposeful, hitting that spot inside him with deadly accuracy. The hand stroking over his cock grew in speed, the movements sloppy and within seconds Tony was exploding over his hand, coming with a guttural scream.
Tony could feel his skin sticking to the table beneath him, sweat and cum thick and cloying. Stephen hadn’t let go of his hips, his fingers welded to them, harsh pants running over Tony’s back. When he pulled out, Tony gave a small pained cry, and Stephen ran a fingertip over the dip in his lower back.
His hand remained on Tony’s body until his breath had caught and then he moved away. Tony felt his loss acutely, his body exposed in a way that no longer felt good. Looking over his shoulder, he saw Stephen was back in his robes, his hair perfect, no indication he’d been ruffled at all.
‘Are you alright? Do you need anything? A shower? Bed?’
No strings.
‘Wash, I’m gross.’
There was a flash of orange light and then Tony’s feet were touching down on the linoleum of his bathroom floor. He heard the shower turning on before he was lifted into the shower, groaning as the spray hit him.
‘Call me anytime, if you think you can handle me that is.’
Tony could hear the smirk in his voice, and he swatted behind him half-heartedly, just wanting to wash and sleep for days. There was a request burning on his tongue, a question, but Tony couldn’t bring himself to ask it, knowing this was sex and nothing more.
‘Yeah, yeah, next time I’m in the mood I’ll give you a booty call, night wizard.’
He only gave himself a quick wash, wanting sleep, wishing he was at home at his penthouse rather than his room at the compound, but his exhaustion was making his vision blurry. Stumbling into the bedroom, he noticed the bottle of painkillers on his side table that wasn’t there this morning.
‘What? No painkiller spells?’ Tony grumbled, but shook two out of the bottle and swallowed them down with the thoughtfully added bottle of water.
Collapsing in his bed, sleep was quick to claim him, his dreams filled with a certain dark-haired wizard.
***
When he stumbled into his bedroom at the Sanctum, portal closing behind him, he crashed to his knees, the pain agony. The Cloak was beside him in an instant, coming down to his eye level and then flying out the door.
‘Stephen?’ Wong called from down the hall.
Stephen felt hands helping him to his feet, pulling him upright. ‘What happened? Are we under attack? Are you injured?’
‘Hands,’ Stephen choked out.
There was a noise of understanding before Wong was sliding Stephen into his bed. He created a portal, reaching his hand in and pulling out the painkillers they only used on bad days. After making sure Stephen swallowed some, he sighed.
‘Your body needs to rest, Stephen.’
Not needing to be told twice, Stephen fell into a meditative state, forcing his body to sleep, his astral projection escaping moments after.
‘What happened? I haven’t seen your hands plague you like that before,’ Wong asked, waiting for Stephen’s form to show itself.
‘It’s the first time I’ve channelled dimensional energy into my hands to keep them steady. It was a vain attempt to stop Stark from noticing them. I overdid it.’
‘I see. That was rather foolish.’ Wong crossed his arms, glaring down at Stephen’s physical body.
‘I know, I should have accounted for repercussions, should have channelled the energy slower, perhaps in just the fingers-’
‘No, you idiot,’ Wong interrupted. ‘You were foolish for thinking you needed to hide them from Tony. You really think so little of yourself that he’d be bothered by your hands?’
‘I…er…’ Stephen floundered. ‘I wanted him to enjoy himself, I wanted it to be a pleasurable encounter.’
‘You don’t give either of you any credit. I think Tony Stark knows exactly what he’s getting into. Rest, Stephen.’ Wong shook his head as he left, directing the Cloak to watch over Stephen’s body.
Stephen floated in his bedroom for a few minutes, before going downstairs to grab a book from the library. His attention on the book lasted all of five minutes and then he was placing it down, folding his arms deep in thought.
Did he regret the toll on his body?
Not in the slightest.
He only wished he could have prepared Stark’s…no Tony’s body himself. That he could have teased his prostate, turned him into a mewling mess with just his fingers alone. He’d need to work up to that, learn how to direct his magic better. If they had another session that was. It was safer for both if Stephen limited the use of his hands, he didn’t want to hurt Tony by the man not being adequately prepared.
Memories of tonight plagued him, and he knew if he’d been in his body, he’d have a painful erection. He hadn’t been with anyone since his accident, hadn’t been with a man for years. Something about Tony drew him in, enticed him, teased him.
He felt the phantom feeling of heat warming his cheeks despite having no corporal body. Stephen could recall with perfect detail the way Tony strained under his touch, bound and stretched before him, like an offering. His breath hissed out through his teeth, beginning to pace around his room. All that strength, power had laid before him, his body shuddering under Stephen’s fingers.
It’d been a while since he’d felt that kind of pleasure, and he’d restrained himself, not wanting to give too much of himself away, a vain attempt at trying to keep his feelings away. Stephen could only imagine how amazing it would have been if he dived fully, succumbing to the feelings Tony’s body wrung from him. If only he’d leant down and covered those plush lips with his own.
He pulled his mind from the physical reactions, going over Tony’s expressions. The hooded eyes, the tentative trust. Then there was that look, exposed desire in those warm honey brown eyes. Stephen paused, looking down at his hands, remembering the feel of Tony’s jaw in his palm, the stubbled jaw, the way he’d ever so carefully leaned into it, as though afraid Stephen would reject him.
His hand clenched as he remembered Tony’s request not to betray him with magic, to control him. Had someone done such a thing? Toyed with his mind, taken his will from him? Stephen felt sick to his stomach. Yet, still he chose to trust Stephen.
He knew they’d fought with Loki and that particular God was full of trickery, perhaps that was it? A fear that Stephen might push him to do something he didn’t want?
Stephen wanted to go back to Tony, to demand answers to find out just who had hurt him in such a way, but he had no right to. Stringless, that meant no feelings, no demands. His soul physically ached, wanting nothing more than to be with Tony to have him wrapped in his arms, to whisper words of affection as they drifted to sleep.
He wanted it so much it hurt, his head bowing under the crushing despair.
Being intimate with Tony, it was beyond everything he could have imagined and yet he felt hollow. The sex while amazing, was meaningless without intimacy, love. The sounds Tony made, the begging, the moans, even the memory of Tony’s body clenching around him would be burnt into his mind for years to come.
Yet, it meant nothing if he couldn’t capture Tony Stark’s heart.
***
Tony’s high hadn’t lasted long, another meeting with SHIELD regarding the other Avengers made any happiness he’d felt the other night dissipate in seconds. He ignored Bruce’s motions for him to come over and talk, preferring to walk down to his lab and lock himself in for the evening. He knew Bruce would respect his need for space.
Allowing a gauntlet to form over his hand, Tony let off some steam blasting shots into the wall, resisting the urge to rip the Nanobots off his hand and punch out his frustrations instead.
‘I’m glad you decided to strengthen that wall, boss, but might I suggest another way to release your anger?’ FRIDAY asked.
‘Like what?’ Tony spat, hoping his AI had managed to somehow bring Steve to the compound so he could smash his head in instead.
‘I have a list of other activities you can partake in to relieve your anger, with the facilities here at the Avenger’s compound-’
‘I don’t wanna see anyone, Fri,’ Tony snarled.
‘How about seeing Doctor Strange instead then?’
Tony hesitated, bringing his arm down.
‘For what? Sex?’
‘I was thinking perhaps a mediation session at Kamar-Taj or a spar, but intercourse will work just as well.’
He considered it for about twenty seconds before shaking his head.
‘No, he doesn’t need to see me like this, doesn’t need to see what a fucking mess this all is!’ Tony growled.
Pepper’s words from weeks ago rung in his ears, playing over and over in his mind in a damn psychotic loop.
Tony, it wasn’t your fault. One hundred and seventeen countries signed the Accords and for good reason, putting people at risk even with good intentions is dangerous. They knew the risks when they refused to sign, stop breaking your back over it, you look exhausted.
‘It is my fault though, I should have been able to fix the Accords, I should be able to fix this,’ Tony whispered, the silence of his lab pressing on him.
Things went wrong on both sides, Tony. I’m saying you don’t have to stick your neck out to help them, that you don’t have to forgive them just because you’re still desperately craving that acceptance. They made their own decisions and you made yours, right or wrong you all need to move on.
Move on to what? Tony looked around the room. Where it once was a haven of creation of tinkering and design, now it seemed to swallow his thoughts, his voice, loneliness poisoning his soul leaving behind an empty carcass.
He sat down where he stood, smiling as DUM-E rolled over to sit next to him.
‘I save the world, the universe and yet they still don’t trust me. They want Captain America, not Tony Stark,’ he told the robot. ‘They want me to fix this, want them all back and I want it too, but I don’t know what else to do.’ He watched the robot open and shut its claw a few times, nodding along with it.
‘Years of being a playboy, of being an arrogant dickhead, it’s nothing something you can undo or atone for. I think even SHIELD have forgotten they were the ones who agreed to the Accords. Guess we need to get back to work huh boy?’ Tony got off the floor, dragging himself over to his desk. He took a few moments to look at it, remembering himself spread over it and with a small smile, he pulled the files over.
***
Stephen stepped through the portal into Tony’s lab, freezing as he saw Tony wasn’t alone on the couch in his lab. His mind took a moment to catch up with what he was seeing. Tony was asleep. On Pepper Potts. Head in her lap. Asleep.
Pepper looked up, hand in Tony’s hair stilling and she pressed a finger to her lips. Gentle she tried to manoeuvre Tony’s head off and onto the couch, trying not to wake him. Tony shifted as he was moved, a low moan escaping him. They froze, neither breathing or moving, waiting.
Crooking her finger, she led Stephen up the stairs hidden away at the back of the lab, into a living room of sorts.
Stephen hesitated on the threshold. Tony had given him permission to enter his lab, but not to wander around the rest of the Avenger compound.
‘It’s fine, they’re attached to Tony’s lab, no one can come or go without his permission. You’re Doctor Stephen Strange, aren’t you? Was Tony expecting you?’
‘No, I just stopped by to discuss something with him, it can wait…’ he trailed off, feeling embarrassment creep across his cheeks in a blush. He hadn’t even stopped to consider that at this time of night Tony might not be alone, single-minded in his desire to see Tony again.
‘Is Tony… is he alright?’ He noticed Tony had looked a little haggard lately but had chalked it up to work, Avengers meetings.
‘FRIDAY? What clearance does Doctor Strange have?’
‘Level thirty-four,’ The ceiling answered.
‘Wow, you must have impressed Tony. Good, I’m glad he can make friends again. Do you want a drink?’
‘I should probably be going, I don’t want to impose.’
‘It’s not a problem, honestly,’ she walked to the coffee machine in the corner of the room, heels clacking.
‘Then yes please, tea.’
Stephen took the time to look around the room, greedily devouring any information he could about Tony’s personal space. It was a mixture of a living room and kitchen, one blending seamlessly into the other. The walls were a creamy yellow, warm against the gorgeous deep mahogany floor. Furniture was minimal, a two-seater couch and an armchair crowded around a low coffee table littered with magazines. He moved closer, picking one up and smiling. Comic books, not magazines.
‘I’d like to say they’re Peter’s, but they’re all jumbled in there, so I don’t know which are Tony’s and which are Peter’s.’ Pepper sighed affectionately.
‘In answer to your question, no, no he’s not doing alright. He’s masking it well, throwing himself in his work but that isn’t unusual.’
Stephen watched her bustle in the cupboards, looking for a kettle, head cocked in thought.
‘Honestly, whoever suggested to him that he should try and shoulder the burdens of the old Avengers is going to face my wrath.’ Pepper slammed mugs down, her shoulders hunching.
‘Burdens?’
‘For some reason, Tony’s got it in his head that he needs to try and help them, that he has to shoulder the responsibility for their decisions because they used to work together.’
‘I don’t really know what happened between them, but isn’t that a good thing if he’s trying to help them? Stephen asked. ‘We are all working towards the same goal, defending the Earth.’
‘Steve Rogers made his choice and Tony shouldn’t still have to be paying for it, and why he’s even giving Wanda the time of day after…wait…you don’t know.’ She turned glaring at him. ‘It’s not my place to talk about it if he hasn’t told you.’
Pepper clamped up, not willing to share anymore, her loyalty to Tony admirable. She dropped tea bags into mugs, pouring boiling water over them, angry at herself for revealing information about Tony.
‘Is he suffering from stress?’ The doctor in him was always quick to take over in events like this.
‘When isn’t he?’ She passed him a mug, leaning back against the counter and blowing steam from her own.
‘Is he sleeping? Eating well? Exercising?’ Stephen rattled off a list. Stephen didn’t know what was going on behind the scenes as it were, another aspect of himself Tony hid from him, another reminder of the distance he kept between them.
‘I don’t know,’ she answered. ‘He’s not very good at sharing emotional baggage and this is destroying him.’
Tony didn’t trust anyone. He drank his tea, thinking back to a few minutes before, Tony’s head on her lap, his vulnerability. The image needled at him.
‘How many clearance levels are there?’ Stephen asked. ‘Thirty-four doesn’t sound like he trusts me at all.’
‘Oh, there aren’t any, thirty-four is just a code word me and FRIDAY invented,’ Pepper smirked behind her mug. ‘Me and Rhodey also have level thirty-four clearance. I’ve known he’s been interested in someone for a while, he’s started smiling again, laughing… when he isn’t working on the pardons.’
The implication of that statement made hope leap in his chest, too painful to bear.
‘Are you?’
‘Mad? No, Stephen, I love him, I always will but I can’t be with him. I was too selfish to share him with Iron Man, it’s the most important thing in his life. Not that it’s a bad thing,’ she held a hand up to stop his comment. ‘If he hadn’t created another arc reactor with the nanobots half the universe would be gone.’ She drank from her mug, sighing as she held it in both hands.
‘Tony Stark is just as much Iron Man as Iron Man is Tony Stark, you cannot separate the two.’
‘I know, and I couldn’t see that, but I think, Stephen that you might be one of the first to do so.’
‘Does…does he know?’ He placed the mug on the coffee table, trying to hide his reactions to her words. His knew his fear was showing on his face, the trembling in his hands growing more pronounced.
‘Course he doesn’t, Tony doesn’t believe anyone could love him.’
‘Could you not love him again? You have a history together, he clearly trusts you.’ Stephen ignored the joy he felt at the idea he was having a positive effect on Tony, more concerned that his feelings would be exposed, and Tony would flee.
‘No,’ the word was said with sadness but with conviction. ‘I think both of us came together out of familiarity, mistaking things for romantic love when that wasn’t it. When I’m with Happy, even the mundane things seem exciting. I don’t have to worry about him being called on a mission or dying or fighting. I wasn’t strong enough to…keep worrying about him, I couldn’t live like that anymore. I’m content now,’ she told him.
Stephen nodded, once in understanding. He could see it from both sides, but being part of Tony’s community, he understood what it meant to put yourself on the line, to sacrifice yourself and the bond to those you held dear, so others could survive.
He could remember her speaking to Tony when they were aboard the Q-Ship, Pepper begging him to get off the ship and come back to Earth. He’d refused, knowing what the right thing to do was. His own moral compass.
It set them apart from others and it was lonely.
‘W’cha ‘oing?’ Came the sleepy mumble, and they turned to see Tony leaning against the doorframe.
‘Drinking tea,’ Pepper answered. ‘You need to go to bed, Tony, you’ve not had enough sleep. FRIDAY told me how long you’ve been awake for, we talked about this.’
‘Traitor,’ Tony hissed up at the ceiling, swaying a little as he walked, his gaze flicking between them. ‘Did I forget again?’ He asked Stephen, a small smile lifting his lips.
‘No, I came to speak with you, but it will hold.’
Tony kept his gaze on him for a few moments before nodding, walking to Pepper and holding his hand out. Rolling her eyes, she pressed her drink into his hands, smiling at his exaggerated moan.
Stephen watched it all, his chest growing tight. He was ridiculous, they’d known each other for years of course they’d be comfortable with each other. He’d found out about Tony’s aversion to being handed things weeks ago when they’d been talking about Peter in the lab, had looked it up on the internet not long after, the billionaire’s idiosyncrasies
‘I need to be going, thank you for the tea.’
‘Wait,’ it was Tony who asked, his eyes going wide at Stephen’s sudden cold dismissal. Pepper’s gaze was on the mug in Tony’s hand, her mouth in an o of understanding.
Stephen didn’t wait around, opening a portal and stepping through it. When it sealed behind of him, he squeezed his eyes shut, bringing the heel of his hand up to press against his eyelids.
***
Tony had sent a few text messages to Stephen since that night, all of them ignored. He wasn’t sure what he’d done, but he’d caught the look of hurt on the usually stoic man’s face as he left. He’d turned to Pepper, pleading with her, but she hadn’t helped him, only telling him to talk to him.
That’s what he’d been trying to do!
He even went to the Sanctum just for Wong to tell him Stephen was busy, again in another dimension and wouldn’t be back for a few hours.
He’d waited a few more days after that and still nothing.
Tony had the horrible sensation of feeling what his past one-night stands must have felt like and he wondered if Stephen’s silence was some sort of lesson. If he delved too much further, he felt something akin to a panic attack, the idea that Stephen might not speak to him again horrifying.
Had he messed up and lost someone again?
Putting pen to paper and trying to ignore the sting of rejection, Tony stared at the document in front of him. He’d just formulated a response when an alarm shrieked through the lab, startling him.
‘FRIDAY?’ he asked, his hands going clammy, a tightening forming in his chest making it hard to breathe, ‘is that?’
‘Yes, boss, the Iron Spider Armor distress alarm. The kid must be in trouble.’
Tony’s suit formed without a thought, the documents on his desk scattered under his repulsors as he flew off.
‘How long till we get there FRIDAY?’ Tony shouted from his suit, feeling his blood pressure spike. What the hell was Peter up to now?
‘About four minutes.’
‘Damn it, FRIDAY call Stephen,’ Tony barked. He weaved through the trees, pushing himself faster, faster.
He couldn’t lose Peter again.
‘No response.’
‘Keep ringing him until he picks up!’ Tony shouted.
‘Stark?’ Stephen’s voice sounded cautious. ‘Sorry, I know I’ve been-’
‘I haven’t got time for this! I need your help, FRIDAY make this suit go faster!’
‘Tony? What’s wrong?’ Stephen’s voice changed immediately and at any other time the concern in his voice would have made Tony feel happy, but right now he needed to get to Peter.
‘Peter’s in trouble, use your portal magic and go to him, now! FRIDAY can you control his suit from here? Get him out of trouble?’
Stephen ended the call.
Helplessness rose in his body, his fear of being abandoned of being alone suffocating him. Strange had agreed to help him when he needed it, hadn’t he?
‘FRIDAY?’
‘Doctor Strange’s energy signature has appeared next to Peter’s.’
Tony felt his body sag with relief inside his suit, the worry that Stephen wouldn’t help him dissolving.
***
Stephen hadn’t felt true panic grip him like that since they’d been on Titan. He’d concentrated on Peter’s energy signature, picturing him firmly in mind without having to think too hard and opening to the portal to him. He’d arrived just in time to throw a shield around Peter and turn to the danger facing him.
Except…
There wasn’t any danger.
They were in a warehouse of some description, one not in use if the broken windows and garbage strewn about was any indication. Stephen only had a few seconds to look at Peter in confusion before hearing the familiar sound.
‘I hope your explanation is good,’ he snapped, shooing the shield away, and taking a step back.
Iron Man crashed through the ceiling landing next to him, hands outstretched.
‘What’s going on? Your suit sent out a distress signal!’ Tony shouted.
Stephen suppressed a laugh at the situation. Iron Man ready to tear the building apart and Spider-Man, his eyes comically wide.
‘I was practising with the suit, getting used to fighting again, these new bracers pack a punch and well…when I was using them against the wall to test the strength of the webbing, you’ve put over five hundred web settings in here Mr Stark! Including-’
‘Venom web.’ The faceplate from Tony’s suit melted away, revealing a terrified man.
Stephen reached a hand out without thinking, seeking to comfort him. Just as quick as the vulnerability appeared it was gone, leaving the stern mentor in place.
‘The bio-electrical shock from the webbing would have messed with the suit, sending off the distress signal. Jesus Christ kid, you gave me a heart attack. You’re an Avenger now! If you want to practice then do it at the compound, that’s what we have it for!’
Tony brought his fist down on Peter’s head. ‘Look! You even made the wizard come out to rescue you.’
‘Doctor Strange, I’m sorry, I didn’t think.’
‘It’s fine, Peter. I’m glad to see you’re practising again.’ Stephen breathed out, relieved above all that Peter was unharmed.
‘You can go help him as an apology. You need a cleaner or anything Doc?’
‘The Sanctum could do with a sweep, if not that then the floors of Kamar-Taj.’
‘WHAT!’ Peter wailed.
‘Hop to it. Once you’re done there you can come to the compound and we’ll go through the web settings one by one, alright kid?’
Stephen felt a flair of warmth making him smile just watching the two of them, Tony’s hidden concern and Peter’s ridiculous joy at the promise of Tony’s attention. He opened a portal back to the Sanctum, motioning the kid forward.
‘Thank you for coming,’ Tony told him in a whisper after Peter was out of earshot.
‘Of course, working relationship remember. Besides, I know how important Spiderling is to you.’ He went to step through the portal, but Tony’s expression held him back. ‘You didn’t think I was going to help you,’ he accused, shutting it behind him.
The colour drained from Tony’s face, his gaze dropping to the floor.
‘Tony…’
Iron Man’s faceplate came back up.
‘Don’t be stupid, Doc, I knew you’d come, that’s what teammates do. They also answer their phones when someone is trying to contact them.’
The sass was back.
Tony had a point, he had been avoiding the man until he felt like he had better control over his emotions, until he felt able to approach the man again without fear of revealing his feelings. Seeing Tony in protective parent mode had only made the fondness rise once again.
‘Did you feel neglected?’ Stephen let his voice fall a few octaves.
‘I’m high maintenance Doc, and as I recall, one of your conditions was that I stay loyal. Unless you want to consider sharing so I can take the edge off?’
Damn the man was quick.
‘Don’t you dare. I’ve got Peter cleaning as an apology, I’ll be by later to see what you offer as an apology.’ Stephen opened the portal again, stepping through it, laughing at Tony’s frustrated groan.
***
Thankfully, when he came to Tony’s lab it was just the billionaire waiting for him, laying back on his floor, half under his desk, reading something on his tablet.
‘You make him work hard?’ Tony asked, placing the tablet on the desk and pulling himself into a sitting position.
‘His shoulders might be aching for a while. It’s kind of hard to punish him when he’s so happy all the time.’ Stephen huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. ‘A little dressed up to be laying on the floor?’ He gestured to the crisp white shirt and navy-blue waistcoat, a silk tie loose around his neck.
‘I do my best thinking on the floor,’ Tony chuckled, stretching his legs out in front of him.
Stephen had been waiting all day for this, his body craving to have Tony underneath him again, however, there was something he needed to do first, before anything else. He walked over to the man, watching Tony watch him, brown eyes darting over his body.
He knelt, placing his hand on the side of Tony’s neck, feeling the man tense up but not pull away.
‘I’m sorry I didn’t answer any of your messages. It wasn’t through any fault of yours, I had some issues of my own I needed to work through.’
‘Ah Doc, you don’t have-’
Stephen raised his other hand up, placing a finger over his lips, halting the rambling at once.
‘If you need me, if either of you needs me, I will always do my best to help. Don’t ever think that I won’t come when you call.’
Tony’s eyes closed in a long blink, before meeting his gaze, his head nodding just a fraction. The tip of his tongue came out, swiping across the pad of his finger. Eyes sparkled with mischief as calloused hands came up to take Stephen’s hand, holding it steady as Tony pulled his finger into his mouth.
While Tony teased him to the edge of his sanity sucking on his finger, Stephen removed the hand from his neck, running his fingers down Tony’s shirt, the buttons parting before him. He leant down further, gently pushing the shirt and waistcoat off broad shoulders, pressing his nose in the junction of neck and shoulder, inhaling Tony’s scent, having missed it the past few days.
Hands flew to Stephen’s shoulders, trying to tug him closer. He only tilted his head in response, scraping his teeth over Tony’s collarbone, biting down lightly into the soft flesh above.
‘Stephen.’
Hearing his name with that breathless, begging lilt was enough to unravel him. Overwhelmed with the urge to claim, to devour, Stephen pulled himself back, otherwise, he’d lose himself in this man.
‘Show me how good you are on your knees and I’ll give you what you want,’ Stephen whispered into Tony’s ear, taking the lobe into his mouth. Tony pushed up with impatience, making Stephen stumble back onto the desk, his shirt sliding all the way off.
He fell to his knees in front of him, plucking at Stephen’s robes.
‘Wanna give me a hand, Doc? I don’t even know where to start.’
Tempted to ignore the request and insist Tony undress him, Stephen sighed, tapping at his clothes leaving him completely bare. They took a few minutes to devour each other with their eyes, Stephen feeling himself grow painfully hard at the sight of sculpted toned bronze skin, scars littered over back, shoulders and torso, the muscles that tightened as Tony stretched his arms out to skim his hands over Stephen’s calves.
He was glad of the meditative exercises, the ability to suppress his emotions and feelings. Stephen was also glad, very glad for his eidetic memory, you didn’t want to forget the image of the powerful Tony Stark, gorgeously half-naked, tongue outstretched ready to swipe at your cock.
Stephen ground his teeth together, reminding himself to breathe.
The velvetiness of Tony’s tongue lapped at him, his touch tentative, uncertain. Stephen kept himself still, refusing to move as Tony explored him.
This is his first, this is first, he chanted. His body felt like it might crumple forwards at Tony’s gentle, and it was Stephen’s arrogance that made him want to say, reverent touches of his tongue. He committed it all to memory, the way Tony lapped at him, relishing the taste of Stephen’s precome, his eyes burning with lust.
As he became more confident, Tony’s hands gripped his hips, fingertips brushing the side of Stephen’s ass, sending tinging sparks to shoot up Stephen’s spine.
‘That’s it, Anthony,’ he praised.
Deciding he’d had enough of exploring, Tony surged forward, mouth opened wide, engulfing him, sliding his hot mouth up and down Stephen’s cock, sucking at the head. Channelling magic into his hands, damning the repercussions to deal with later, he wound his fingers in Tony’s dark hair, guiding the movements, allowing himself to move within Tony’s slick mouth.
A heavy moan around his cock made Stephen gasp, his head tilting back to hide it. He expected Tony to fight against him, but the man didn’t, opening his mouth wider, submitting to Stephen. He felt teeth scrape against his cock, Tony’s tongue flattening around him. He bit the inside of his cheek as he felt his hips tugged forward, urging Stephen to move his hips. He gave a cautious thrust, unable to stop the stuttering moan tumbling from his lips as Tony groaned in encouragement, the tempo of his moans increasing as Stephen began to thrust harder, fucking his mouth.
Feeling close to the precipice, Stephen halted Tony’s head, pulling away, feeling his gut clench as Tony’s mouth chased after him.
‘Stop, Anthony, stop. Up you get.’ Glancing around the lab, he spied the couch from a few days prior, his baser instincts taking over as he led them over to it. He wanted Tony to remember him every time he sat here, he needed to erase the image of Tony and Pepper together on the couch, sharing in an intimacy he could only dream of, cruelly held out of his grasp.
He pushed him down on all fours, covering Tony’s back with his body, hands reaching down to undo the fly of Tony’s pants. ‘Is this what you wanted?’ he murmured against the back of Tony’s neck, pushing his pants out of the way, hands lingering on the muscled ass, giving in to temptation and squeezing. His eyes closed in a silent groan as Tony cried out when he magically prepared him once again.
‘Be better with your fingers,’ Tony panted, grinding himself back against Stephen regardless. He made a hand gesture, the condom from his pocket appearing in his hand. The feel of sliding it on made Stephen twitch, his body impatient as he gazed down at Tony Stark bared on his hands and knees before him.
Lining his cock up with Tony’s body, he pushed in, teeth biting into his lip as Tony’s body clenched around him. He made his thrusts slow, but deep, teasing him, his hands reaching around to tug at Tony’s nipples, rolling them between thumb and forefinger, listening to Tony’s panting moans like it was a symphony.
Shifting his hips, Stephen began to thrust harder, losing himself in the sweltering heat, swept away in the magnetic force that was Tony Stark. Unable to help himself he leant down, sweeping his tongue over Tony’s spine, sucking deep bruises into his skin, his need to possess consuming him.
He was getting in too deep.
Tearing himself away from those thoughts, he wrapped his hand around Tony’s leaking cock, twisting his fingers over the head, feeling how hot it was in his fingers, the length scalding in Stephen’s palm. He encouraged Tony’s body up, his back pressed to Stephen’s chest. Nudging Tony’s legs to open wider, he thrust harder into the new position, his ego soaring by Tony’s moans, his hoarse shouts to go harder, faster and his new personal favourite, his name.
‘There?’ Stephen growled, tongue lapping at the sweat covering Tony’s neck.
‘Please,’ Tony whimpered, his arms coming up to loop around Stephen’s neck, holding on for dear life. It was a little closer than Stephen would have liked, and he used magic to coax them back down, ignoring the disappointed pang he felt in his chest.
‘Please what? You want me to make you come?’
‘So, close,’ Tony managed to pant out, not noticing how Stephen manipulated him, keeping him close in some ways but distant in others.
Stephen nipped the back of his neck, increasing the strength of his thrusts, the speed of his hand gliding over Tony’s cock. He came with a shout, coating Stephen’s hand, resting boneless against him, head leaning back on Stephen’s chest. A few quick thrusts later and Stephen was coming, his climax quieter, but no less powerful.
For a moment they both just simply breathed in huge shuddering gasps. Realising he was slumping over Tony, Stephen reared back, wincing at the pained grunt from Tony as he pulled out too fast.
‘Where’s the fire, Doc?’ Tony looked over his shoulder, sweat making his hair stick to his forehead, a beautiful darkened blush spread over his neck and down his chest.
‘No fire,’ he clicked his fingers and his robes were back on, Tony clean as well.
‘Well, that’s…clinical.’ Tony sat back down, leaning against the sofa armrest, unashamed by his nudity, chest still heaving. Stephen remained for a few minutes, watching Tony come down from his high and then stood.
‘You need a hand getting anywhere?’ he offered.
Dark eyes watched him before they closed, Tony shaking his head.
Ask me to stay. Stephen begged in his mind. Ask me, please.
Tony remained silent.
Chapter Management
***
Tony hadn’t forgotten about his promise to help Peter train in the compound, his time just became…misplaced. The work, the expectations building, forcing him to stay up a little longer, work a little harder. It wasn’t surprising he fell ill, but he’d never let it stop him before.
It had never stopped him from fighting either.
Standing on the remains of the latest battle from some wannabe alien dictator, Iron Man bent forward, hands on his knees as he coughed. His vision swam, not just from his injuries or a possible concussion but from illness. Waving the clean-up crew forward, he asked FRIDAY to do a scan for any lingering hostiles, any possible threats before he took to the night sky.
‘FRIDAY, time?’
‘Twelve minutes past two, sir.’
‘What day is it?’
‘The fifth.’
‘Shit…didn’t I have a-’
‘Yup, a date with the wizard.’
Tony reached his hand up to rub his face, forgetting he was in the suit.
‘Only seven hours late then, can you pilot the suit to the Sanctum for me?’
‘Boss, your heart rate is elevated, your left arm is fractured, and you are extremely fatigued. I strongly suggest you return to the tower before the suit gives out on you and you’re left stranded. Safety protocols demand I bring you back to the compound.’
‘No damn it, Sanctum, now.’
‘Boss-’
‘Take me or I’ll override your control and pilot myself there, then you can explain to Peter why you let me die in a heap somewhere.’
The AI was silent for a moment, contemplating. Tony wasn’t sure what this thing between him and Stephen was, they were friends, they trusted each other, and the sex was outstanding. Even if he couldn’t put words to his feelings, even if Stephen didn’t want anything more than friends with benefits, Stephen deserved more than this. He was already letting Peter down by being an absent mentor, he couldn’t fail in this too.
‘I promised myself it wasn’t going to be like this again, that I wasn’t going to be like this again. I’ve fucked up enough for at least a million lifetimes, please FRIDAY.’
‘ETA five minutes,’ FRIDAY told him.
‘Atta girl,’ Tony smiled, grimacing as it stretched the wound in his cheek.
It wasn’t the cleanest landing, showy or impressive. With his limited power and injuries, FRIDAY managed to get him to the Sanctum, but not to the front door, they smashed through the window, showering glass all over the floor.
‘Stephen is gonna kill you for the mess, Fri.’
‘I think he’s going to be more concerned with you, boss, after all… you forced my hand in this.’
‘Stark?’
Tony looked up, the image of Stephen rushing into the main room with orange disks glowing around his hands almost making him laugh. The world lurched sideways, the momentum making Tony sink to the floor. He was going to throw up…why was it suddenly so hot?
‘I know I’m late, I’m sorry, but at least I made it right? Hey, we agreed to first names!’ He snapped, pointing at Stephen accusingly and then groaning, cradling his arm to his chest.
‘Late?’ Stephen shook his hands to dispel the orange glow, looking confused. ‘Late for…you mean our?’ He swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing, an eyebrow raising. ‘You came here from a fight because you missed our rendezvous?’
‘Well, when you put it like that, it does sound a little ridiculous,’ Tony laughed, falling forward onto his hands, the last of his adrenaline burning out, leaving him weak and shaking.
He was safe here.
Before Stephen even reached him his nanobots were retreating into his arc reactor.
***
Stephen managed to catch the bleeding, beat up hero before he hit the ground, his Cloak flying in to assist. ‘What the hell happened?’ Stephen snapped, turning Tony over in his arms. The smaller man was mumbling, trying to hold his arm to his chest, his eyes unfocused.
Instinctively his fingers went to Tony’s wrist to measure his pulse, startling as Tony whimpered in pain, snatching his hand back. He pressed his hand to Tony’s forehead instead.
‘Tony, you’re running a fever, you shouldn’t have fought in this condition,’ Stephen reprimanded.
‘He was injured in battle, boss was insistent I bring him.’
Stephen looked up at his ceiling and then berated himself knowing the AI wasn’t up there.
‘FRIDAY?’
‘Yes, doctor.’
‘I made it, I promised!’ Tony suddenly spoke, sweat-soaked hand gripping into Stephan’s robes.
‘Sir? Put the glasses on.’
Stephen did as asked, the AI’s voice becoming clearer.
‘He has a fracture to his left arm; multiple wounds and he is showing elevated cortisol levels.’
‘How long has he been unwell?’ Stephen held Tony’s chin in his hand, tilting his head to gauge the severity of the gash on his cheek.
‘About three days, sir.’
‘Damn it, Tony! Why didn’t you call me?’
‘I made it, I’m here,’ Tony mumbled, going heavy in his arms.
‘You’re alright,’ Stephen paused for a moment, whispering the words into messy hair.
‘Boss would have been unable to contact you, he has been in meetings with Secretary Ross.
‘So, he’s been working himself to collapse and then the fight came out of nowhere?’
‘That is correct.’
‘Come on Tony, up we go.’ Careful of his injuries, Stephen got an arm under his legs and one around his back, lifting him easily. The Cloak lingered close by, hovering by Tony’s back in case Stephen needed any assistance.
‘FRIDAY?’
‘Yes, doctor?’
‘Why was Tony so insistent in coming here, has he been in contact with magic?’
‘He didn’t want to miss your meeting tonight, sir. You have clearance level thirty-four.’
Frowning, Stephen lay Tony back on his bed, stripping the grey under suit off him. ‘I’m not even sure what that means.’ He waved the Cloak away, ignoring its sulk as it went to wait in the corner of the room.
‘I was under the impression Miss Potts explained it adequately. It is a code word for those boss trusts the most, people he cares about.’
Stephen couldn’t deal with those implications right now, too concerned with Tony’s wounds.
‘Thankfully a lot of this seems superficial, but I’ll have to fix the arm.’ He moved his hands, murmuring out spells and moving the disks over Tony’s arm. ‘The fracture will be easy to fix, but he’s got some lingering nerve damage and muscle injury, has he had problems with this arm before?’
‘Yes, doctor. He has pain and regular stiff muscles concerning this arm, it has been wounded in previous fights.’
‘With Thanos?’ Stephen remembered.
‘And fights prior to that. I wasn’t in use with the Iron Man suit prior to the creation of Ultron, but I have accessed files of my predecessor, of JARVIS.’
‘Alright, I’m going to put you down while I work.’ He placed Tony’s sunglasses on the bedside table, looking over Tony’s body and wondering where to start.
The damage was simple enough to fix, leaving Stephen a little unsteady on his feet with the drain on his magic. Not wanting to pass out alongside Tony, he retreated to his bathroom, returning with a bowl of warm water and cloth. His touch gentle, he wiped much of the sweat and grime and blood away, applying dressings to his wounds and binding them carefully with bandages.
Tony was lost in his fever dreams the whole time, tossing his head, half-formed words on his lips. He sat carefully next to the injured man on the bed, taking his head into his lap as he set to cleaning the gash on his cheek.
Tony’s eyes snapped open, his pupils huge.
‘Stephen?’
‘One and only.’
Tony’s hands shot out, gripping his arm painfully. ‘I’m sorry, I was late, I tried to make it, I had to save them, I had to go, I’m sorry-’
‘Hey, hey shush, it’s alright. If duty calls, then duty calls we can reschedule.’ Stephen whispered, leaving the wound to stroke his hand through Tony’s hair, lightly scratching the scalp.
‘Leaving.’ The word lilted at the ending, Tony asking a question.
‘No, I’m here.’ It was like talking to a drunk, Stephen had no uncertainties that Tony wouldn’t remember this in the morning, his pupils still wide, still trapped in delusions because of his pain. He stroked his trembling hands over Tony’s shoulders and upper arms, willing Tony to calm. ‘I’m not mad, I’m still here,’ he kept reassuring.
When Tony stilled, Stephen went back to the wound in his cheek. ‘It needs stitches,’ he mused to himself. Bringing magic into his fingertips, curing amber sparks flowing from him to Tony, he concentrated, willing the muscle and skin to knit back together.
A strangled yell jolted him, his body flung to the floor. By the time he scrambled up, Tony was out of the bed and crouched on the floor, a half-formed gauntlet on his hand.
‘Get away from me,’ he hissed, his breathing laboured.
‘Tony,’ Stephen got to his feet carefully, hands held palm up. ‘I’m just healing your wounds.’
Brown eyes were murky, his body unwilling to concede. Stephen could see Tony’s pulse leaping in the skin of his throat, sweat staining the gray of his undersuit, turning it black. He knew it wasn’t only the fever making him perspire.
Taking a tentative step forwards, he flung a shield up as he heard the whirring of a repulsor. Not a shot to harm but a warning. With a pained grunt, Tony fell to one knee, his hand still outstretched, cheeks burning red.
‘Stay…outta… head,’ he rasped.
‘Tony, it’s me, I swore I wouldn’t do that you. I was only healing your cheek, I swear it.’ Stephen made his voice as soothing and as steady as he could. He’d dealt with confused and potentially dangerous patients before. Saturday nights in ER were rife with them, but he’d never felt concern for them, never felt his heart ache because they didn’t trust him.
‘FRIDAY?’ Tony called.
‘Doctor Strange’s magic was biological in nature, he’s telling you the truth. There were no malignant or subconscious elements to the energy that I could sense.’
‘How does it compare to-’
‘There were no similarities to Miss Maximoff’s energy.’
Tony shook his hand, the bots flowing away. ‘Sorry,’ he gasped out before his eyes rolled back and his body succumbed to exhaustion. Stephen darted forward, catching him a second time. He held Tony against him for a few minutes, ignoring the sweaty forehead pressed into his neck.
‘Maximoff,’ he whispered under his breath, the name ringing a bell, but remembrance just out of reach. His arms tensed as he felt Tony move, magic surging to his hands again, as Tony grabbed Stephen’s T-shirt. Closing his eyes and exhaling, Stephen covered it with his palm, gripping it tightly.
‘You’re safe with me, I promise.’
Waiting for a reaction and finding none, Stephen leant down, lightly pressing his lips to Tony’s, brushing the barest hint of a kiss to them. Pulling Tony to his chest, one hand pressing against the back of Tony’s head to cradle it closer, the other loose on his hip, he lifted him with the help of the Cloak, bringing him back into bed.
‘No using magic, huh,’ he murmured, pulling the covers up. ‘Guess we’ll have to look after you the old-fashioned way.’ Struggling with himself for a few moments, Stephen looked at his bed and then at the corner of his room. It hadn’t been a condition of theirs not to share a bed, but it was a line of intimacy he was unsure if he wanted to cross.
Grabbing his courage, he slid into bed beside Tony, propping himself up on one arm, fingers touching Tony’s neck to measure his pulse.
‘Still rapid,’ he muttered. He watched Tony breathe in and out for a few moments, the occasional whimper and tightening of his hand in Stephen’s shirt making his protectiveness over the man reach new, insane levels. Carefully, he stretched out for the glasses he’d put aside earlier, smiling his thanks as the Cloak picked them up and carried them into his hand.
‘FRIDAY?’
‘Yes, doctor?’
‘Can you continue to monitor Tony through the night? Alert me if anything changes?’
‘You don’t need to ask that of me.’ She sounded insulted which struck Stephen as amusing for some reason. It was a piece of technology, yet it thought for itself, not unlike the Cloak in that respect.
‘FRIDAY?’
‘His vitals haven’t changed.’
‘No… who is Maximoff?’
‘Wanda Maximoff is one of the Avengers from the past team.’
Stephen hesitated, recalling Pepper’s words from that night.
Steve Rogers made his choice and Tony shouldn’t still have to be paying for it, and why he’s even giving Wanda the time of day after…wait…you don’t know.
He wanted Tony to explain what had happened himself, wanted to keep the trust they’d started building to last.
Stephen didn’t want to go behind Tony’s back on this.
‘What are her abilities?’ he asked, unable to help himself.
‘Wanda Maximoff specialises in psionic energy manipulation.’
‘Psionic…psychic energy. Is she a sorcerer?’ Stephen sat up a little in bed, excitement building.
‘No, Miss Maximoff’s powers are a result of experimentation by HYDRA.’
The excitement he felt shrivelled up and died. He knew that name.
‘What are Maximoff’s strengths?’
‘Neuro-electric interfacing, telekinesis and mental manipulation. Although, after the events of Ultron, Miss Maximoff has been relying on these abilities less and taking on a more combative role.’
Stephen pried Tony’s hand from his shirt, closing his eyes against the way Tony cried out, reaching for him again. It cleaved his soul in two, but he needed space, needed to think.
He didn’t know what had happened at the Avengers fight in the airport, but he knew Tony was afraid of his mind being manipulated. Not only was it one of their conditions regarding their benefits but Tony’s reaction when he’d seen Stephen using magic near his head had led to his frenzied panic, unable to think straight whilst ill.
‘Do you wish to know more, doctor?’
The word burned the edge of his tongue, the knowledge just within his grasp.
‘No,’ he answered, turning to look at Tony in his bed. ‘I think I know enough to take an educated guess. I’ll wait for Tony to tell me if he wishes to discuss it.’ His hands were gripped into fists, nails biting into palm, little fiery crescents branding him.
Taking a few minutes to quell the rage threatening to boil over, Stephen paced in a circle, using breathing techniques he’d learnt in medication to calm himself. He found himself standing back at the head of the bed when he finished, watching over Tony again. The bags under his eyes looked like bruises.
Without thinking about it too hard, he got back into bed, encouraging Tony back into his arms, tucking his head under his chin, the man half laying on Stephen. He pressed his face into Tony’s wild hair, inhaling deep.
‘Jesus fucking Christ, Tony.’
***
Tony drifted in and out of sleep, his body feeling leaden when he woke up, his limbs aching and his head cracking under the pain. He was aware of cool hands on his face and neck, stroking over his chest, but there was a blurring between wakefulness and his dreamscape.
There were fuzzy, half-remembered reassurances, feeling safe, feeling treasured by someone. Then there were remnants of nightmares clogging his brain, his body frantically trying to fight off his attackers, his limbs weak as a newborn.
He thought he was awake now, his eyes glued shut, his nose blocked, and head stuffed of barbed wire. There were voices whispering above him.
‘His fever has broken, the illness needs to run its course.’
‘Doctor Strange, you look tired, let me help look after Mr Stark! My abilities let me heal faster and I don’t really get sick, I don’t want you to be ill too!’
Tony recognised those voices, his body sunk into the comfort of the bed.
‘You have my respect, Stark. When I’m done, half of humanity will still be alive.’
No, no, no he needed to get up to fight. Thanos was still here, was threatening the world.
‘Doctor Strange!’ The voice sounded panicked.
‘I hope they remember you.’
He felt himself claw at his head, nails scrabbling at the hold Thanos had on him, fighting fragments of his memory.
‘Tony? It’s alright, it’s not real. Peter, grab me the medicine off the table, would you?’
That was Stephen.
He shook himself from the vestiges of the past, peering up into aqua eyes.
‘Stephen?’ he croaked.
‘Oh, thank God,’ Stephen said in a rush, threading his hand through Tony’s hair and pressing lips to his forehead.
This wasn’t real. No kissing. No affection. Stephen wouldn’t act like that.
Tony fought against the hold lifting him up, wanting to scream and curl up in a ball. The images from his past assaulted him, flickering snapshots imprinted on his closed eyelids. Thanos. His parents dying. Steve leaving.
‘It wasn't him, Tony! Hydra had control of his mind!’
‘Open your mouth, Tony, it’s me, come on.’ Stephen sounded devasted.
He messed up, he always messed up.
‘Oh God, Tony! Every time. Every time I think you're seeing things the right way...’
‘That’s it, come on, swallow the medicine, that’s it.’
‘Don’t…tear us…apart,’ he gasped at Steve, trying to make him understand.
‘I'm trying to keep you from tearing the Avengers apart.’
‘Is he going to be alright?’ The voice was small, scared.
‘He’s delirious.’
‘I don’t want you to go,’ Tony pleaded to Steve, wanting to fix it, to mend the mistakes, to bring the team back together.
‘You did that when you signed.’
‘We’re not going anywhere, Tony.’
‘We promise, Mr Stark.’
***
Tony woke feeling too hot. Struggling out of the many layers, he cracked open his eyes, yawning deep enough to hurt his jaw. Wait…where was he? He sat up in bed, looking down at the many patches of gauze sticking to his skin.
‘You remember much of the last few days?’ A rumbling voice asked.
He looked towards the source of it, relieved to see Stephen floating crossed legged, regarding him over a mug of what Tony presumed to be tea.
‘A fight,’ Tony rasped out. He tried to run his dry tongue over his mouth, shuddering at the feel.
‘Is there any?’
Stephen lifted a mug from the table beside him, levitating himself down to his feet and holding it out to Tony. After only a second of Tony hesitating, Stephen made a noise in the back of his throat in remembrance and set it down on the bedside table next to him.
‘You broke your arm, which you’re welcome for me fixing by the way. You had old lingering injuries, I did the best I could. You also, as you can probably see, had a few scrapes and wounds.’ Tony reached out for his drink, scrunching his nose up at the smell of tea, but downing most of it in one go.
‘And I’m in your bed why?’
‘After you shattered glass all over my floor and collapsed in an incoherent mess, I brought you in here to heal you. That might have been easier if you weren’t ridiculously ill. You’ve been in and out of consciousness. What were you thinking?’ Stephen growled.
Hands gripped his elbows, setting him back down on the bed. ‘You’re exhausted and still injured from the fight. I healed the worst of your wounds, but I didn’t want to tamper with your body for the minor things, the less exposure to magic the better. Come on, lay down.’
‘Doc, I’ll be fine, I’ve got like a million things to do and I can rest in my own bed.’ Tony wanted to go home. Not to the compound, but home. He felt vulnerable under that stare, exposed.
‘Why didn’t you call me if you were ill? I could have helped you.’
The upset in Stephen’s voice made his fears about his vulnerabilities stop dead in their tracks. Stephen sat down next to him in the bed, not close enough to crowd, but there was no mistaking it was meant to comfort.
Tony didn’t want to do this, didn’t want to examine these feelings he had.
‘I’m fine, Doc, it was just a cold, I can handle things.’
He looked down at the trembling hand on his knee, frowning at it, confused by it. It was just sex between them, Stephen had made that clear, stringless. Tony wasn’t even entirely sure the wizard was getting much out of their arrangement if his lack of a reaction was anything to go by. He knew Stephen came when they were intimate, but he knew Stephen limited his touch of Tony’s body, only giving them both enough to satisfy their erotic urges.
‘I told you, if you need me then I’m here. Next time for heaven’s sake call me.’
‘Gotcha, you can be my personal on-call doctor, I’ll let you take my temperature anytime,’ he flirted, smiling fading a bit as Stephen said nothing, looking nervous.
That was a new look for the unflappable sorcerer.
‘Listen, Tony, would you let me place a charm on you?’
‘Like a bracelet?’
‘No, a magical one, a protection mark, it will alert me if you’re in any danger, if you need my help.’
‘A tracking beacon?’ he folded his arms in thought.
‘Sort of.’
‘Will other wizards be able to tell where I am?’
‘No, only me, unless I include others into the spell.’
‘Are there any adverse effects? Can you control me with it? Harm me with it?’
Stephen bristled at that, the very idea of Tony suggesting it offending him.
‘I promise you, all it will do is tell me if you’re in danger, if you need my assistance. That’s all.’
Tony took a few minutes to consider it. Stephen had looked after him, for days if the wizard was to believe, and he wasn’t asking Tony for compensation, wasn’t annoyed at him.
Stephen had looked after him while he’d been defenceless.
‘Alright,’ Tony held up his hand in offering.
‘Are you certain? I’m aware of how you felt about-’
‘Doc, the fact that you’re even asking, that you’re explaining it is good enough for me. We have to trust our teammates, so, here’s my trust, don’t fuck me over.’
Stephen grasped his wrist, mumbling under his breath and despite his words, Tony recoiled a little from the flash of orange flaring around his wrist, seeping into his skin.
‘I don’t…feel any different.’
‘You won’t, as I said, it’ll just alert me if you need my aid.’ Stephen didn’t let go of his hand, thumb sweeping over his wrist.
Tony was struck with the irresistible urge to lean forward, to kiss him, or hug him or something. As he stretched forward, pretty certain Stephen moved to meet him, he coughed, painful enough for him to lean over and feel hands rubbing down his back.
‘You need to rest, Tony.’
‘Can I go home? Not to the compound, take me home, my apartment in New York I mean.’
‘I thought the compound was your main place of residence.’
‘Usually, it is, but I want to be-’
‘I understand. Where is it?’ Stephen stood, helping Tony to stand, one arm braced around his shoulders as he reached into his pocket for his sling ring.
‘FRIDAY? Can you show Stephen visuals of home please?’ Tony cracked out through another coughing fit, holding one hand to forehead as he swayed. Stephen tightened his grip.
***
‘Bedroom?’ Stephen asked, not bothering to look around the lavish penthouse suite, his only concern getting Tony into bed.
‘Bathroom first, I smell. Down the hall, second door on the right,’ Tony waved his arm vaguely, trembles starting to set in.
Ignoring any protests, Stephen swept him up into a hold, feet padding against gleaming floors as he went. When he was in the bathroom, he turned the shower on, leaving Tony to sit on the floor as he bustled about picking up fluffy towels.
‘Get washed and warmed up,’ Stephen whispered, holding Tony’s jaw in his palm and pressing a kiss to his cheek. ‘I’m gonna make you a hot drink, not coffee,’ he interrupted Tony’s mouth opening. ‘Come sit in the living room when you’re dressed.’
He expected a quip, some sort of sarcasm but all he got was a nod.
Feeling his heart clench a little at the sight of Tony standing in his bathroom, back in his torn suit, Stephen felt it then pound at the murmured words.
‘Sorry, this isn’t…this isn’t usually me. You can leave if you want.’
‘I’m not going anywhere,’ Stephen whispered, smiling as brown eyes looked up at him in surprise.
Reluctant, Stephen left the bathroom, leaving the door ajar just in case Tony needed anything. Walking into the living space, he felt his feet stop, his breath leaving him in a rush.
And here he’d been proud of his own penthouse apartment.
This was astounding.
It was hard not to feel inadequate as he moved around the beautiful place, wealth and opulence dripping from the very walls. The decor was done in dark tones, rich earthy browns, gleaming black and silver. He investigated the sunken couch pit, looking at a discarded t-shirt of Tony’s laying over one of the seats. There was a fireplace against one wall, immediately conjuring ideas of what Tony’s skin would look like with firelight flickering across it.
As Stephen moved around the living space, he could see some personal items littering the bookcases. Pictures of Tony and a man Stephen presumed to be Rhodes, both at college, Stephen smiled and pulled the frame down, having a closer look. He had more personal touches then Stephen ever had at his own place.
There were pictures of Tony and Pepper, Tony and his robots and, with a fond smile, Stephen found one of Tony and Peter, both pulling a ridiculous face for the selfie. He also founds some loose screws, a half-drawn picture of something Stephen had no idea what it was. Brushing them aside he faltered at seeing a picture frame hidden at the back.
The Avengers team.
It must have been taken before Maximoff had joined as Stephen recognised all the members of the team from the news.
Tony looked, happy, content.
Placing the frame down, he headed towards the kitchen, taking in the island in the middle, the expensive coffee machine on the counter, the polished cupboards. Finding only coffee, Stephen sighed and opened a portal, reaching into the kitchen at the Sanctum and pulling out his own tea blend.
Finding a kettle stashed away, he filled it with water plugged it in, flipping it on and going hunting for two mugs.
He heard movement in the living area. Taking a deep breath to centre himself and not get carried away, he picked up the mugs and headed back. Tony was squashed in-between cushions in his couch, wearing soft PJ pants and a ratty old t-shirt. His feet were bare, and his hair was tufty and messy.
Stephen felt himself fall in love all over again.
‘I’ve made you something that will help,’ Stephen told him.
Tony rolled his head lazily to one side, holding one arm out and making grabby motions with his hand.
He couldn’t…
Could he?
Stephen tried to limit the trembles nerves now inflicted upon his hands, extending the tea slowly, giving Tony the chance to back out. The man didn’t, accepting the tea with a smile.
‘Smells like weeds,’ he commented, oblivious to Stephen’s inner turmoil, his elation.
‘It’s calming and good for you. Stop being a baby and drink it.’
Tony grinned at that and took a sip with a grimace.
Walking down the few short steps, Stephen took a seat in the right angle of seats opposite Tony, crossing his leg so his ankle rested on his knee, sipping from his own mug.
‘You don’t want to ask me?’ Tony didn’t look at him, his gaze at the floor, but Stephen had the sense he was watching out of the corner of his eye.
‘About what you have nightmares about?’ he didn’t beat around the bush.
Tony laughed, sad and self-deprecating, ‘It’s pathetic.’
‘Tony, considering everything you’ve been though…you’re…’ Stephen took a deep breath, ‘You’re one of the strongest people I know.’
‘Yeah? Then how come I keep letting everyone down, Doc?’ He shifted forward, placing his tea on the floor beside him, leaning his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands together.
‘You want to talk about what’s going on? I’ve seen the news Tony, I know you’ve been having meetings with the UN, that you’re fighting on behalf of your old teammates. I know something is wrong with this scenario, that there is a reason Peter is worried about you, why you’re looking so exhausted.’
‘Just go for the jugular why don’t you, Strange? You witness me having some bad dreams while ill and now you want me to bare my thoughts, you don’t even care,’ Tony spat.
Stephen didn’t react, waiting. ‘You don’t have to tell me, but the option to talk is here. If not, we can continue sitting here drinking our tea and then I’ll go home.’ He carried on drinking, keeping his outward persona calm, waiting and hoping, hiding the turmoil he felt inside, his hurt that Tony didn’t trust him.
‘I’ve made bad decisions, horrible decisions,’ Tony began in a tentative, whispering voice. ‘People died because I tried to do the right thing. I thought I knew better than everyone else. I’ll just make a new super suit, I’ll make Ultron, something to defend world peace. My arrogance got people killed, just like Stark weapons got people killed.’
Stephen could hear the disgust in Tony’s voice, could see the anger in his screwed-up face.
‘I thought the Accords were the right way to go. I know myself better than everyone thinks, I know I was out of control. PTSD, daddy issues, you name it I had it. I thought the Accords could give me the control I needed, a way to curb my more impulsive instincts.’
Tony’s hands clenched into fists and Stephen fought the urge to reach out and touch them, afraid Tony would stop speaking if he moved.
‘On that ship in space, you showed me your moral compass, Doc, well mine are Pepper and Rhodey, for my emotional wellbeing, to tell me when I'm being an ass, neither afraid to tell me when enough is enough. I thought the Accords would do that for the Avengers.’
‘And Rogers thought that he should be making the decisions, he didn’t want the government taking it away from him?’ Stephen found himself asking, frowning at the raw pain on Tony’s face.
‘He comes from a different time, corrupt governments, war. I didn’t agree with all the T’s and C’s but I couldn’t do anything being an outsider. I thought if I sign the Accords, I could amend them once I had my foot in the door that sorta thing. The Avengers were facing trouble. We weren’t loved by the people, they didn’t see us as heroes, oh, at first they did, then people started dying, casualties started mounting. If I hadn’t signed when I did it would have been through force, or they would have taken Iron Man from me.’
‘Protecting your toys huh?’ Stephen teased, hoping to drag Tony out from his misery.
‘I would have lost Iron Man. I have Stark Industries, I have money, Strange I would have survived. Banners with his whole Jekyll and Hyde thing going on? Maximoff with her powers, Rogers a relic from the past with super strength, what would have happened to them?’
Stephen wanted to ask what had happened with Maximoff, why Tony had the reaction he did to magic, but he wouldn’t find a transition from one to the other, Tony’s focus on the Avengers.
‘I understand the need for rules, Tony, but I can’t lie and say that I wouldn’t break them for the greater good. Is what Rogers did that bad that you can’t work past it? You were a team, you can be again.’
He recalled with perfect clarity Mordo’s face as he walked away from the Mystic Arts, the betrayal he felt.
‘I think we all would. People died because of our mistakes though, Stephen, people weren’t feeling safe.’
Stephen nodded in agreement. It was a grey area, with no clear-cut answer. Rather than debate the moral implications of rule breaking, he wanted to focus on what Tony wasn’t telling him.
‘Why are you hurting Tony? Why the animosity between you and Steve Rogers? I know there’s more going on here than just a difference in opinion.’
He was worried he’d pushed too hard too fast, Tony remaining silent for long minutes.
‘I loved my mom. Our relationship was normal, built on love, but my dad…he couldn’t stand me. Captain America though, now that was someone he could talk about for hours. I both hated and loved him, he was a superhero, but he was also the thing my dad loved more than me.’
Stephen knew that Tony had a flair for the dramatic and he wondered if part of the reason the Avengers had broken up was because of jealousy. Tony had just admitted to having father issues.
‘When I finally got to meet him, I didn’t know what to think. It was like having a link with my dad once again, terrifying and reassuring. The person dad would always go on about, his greatest achievement was right in front of me. We became friends, and I could see why. There’s just something…noble about Steve.’ Tony scuffed his toes across the floor.
‘When I started mentoring Peter, a kid who didn’t know what was happening to him, who didn’t know how to be a superhero, I finally understood what dad must have felt. If something happened to the kid, I would stop at nothing to find him. Steve and I, we had a difficult working relationship, but I think we needed each other, we pushed each other, striving to be better.’
‘I didn’t want to hurt him.’ Tony squeezed his eyes shut.
Stephen felt dread seep into the marrow of his bones, crystallising and settling there.
‘I didn’t act rationally. I destroyed the team.’ Tony let his head fall to his chest. ‘I let my emotions take over. I knew Barnes was brainwashed, that it was all HYDRA, but I watched him kill them, Strange, and I couldn’t think straight.’
‘Kill who, Tony?’ he asked.
‘Steve knew all along, and he never told me. I know they were friends but…’ Tony choked, his shoulders beginning to shake. Stephen couldn’t help himself then, getting up to sit beside him, linking their fingers together.
‘I watched Barnes smash dad’s head in while hearing mom call out for him. I had to…’ Tony stopped, rubbing at his eyes with the heel of his hand, ‘watch him strangle her.’
Stephen forgot how to breathe for a moment.
‘You had to stand there, with your parents’ murderer while the man you looked up to as a child, the man who your father searched for, the man you believed your father wished was his son lied to you,’ Stephen asked.
‘I know! I know ok because I’m thinking rationally now. I’d always been told they died in a car accident, but Steve knew they’d been murdered, and he lied to me. I wanted him to stand down. I wanted to kill Barnes, I wanted him to feel what I felt for years, for taking her away from me,’ Tony spat, hands clenching, accidentally hurting Stephen’s hand.
‘You were acting on vengeance, Tony. Human emotions are volatile, and you’re entitled to them.’ He pulled Tony forward, crushing him to his chest. ‘I understand that Barnes wasn’t himself and that Rogers was looking out for his friend, but fuck…no wonder you fought.’
‘I was wrong,’ Tony muttered into his chest.
‘No, Tony-’
‘He was my friend.’
Stephen suddenly understood. Tony feared being alone, was terrified of failure just as he himself had once been. It was that fear that made him strive to do amazing things, such as standing alone against Thanos, fighting despite not having FRIDAY to help him with the nanobot armour on Titan, his determination and brilliant mind allowing him to go toe to toe with the most powerful being in the universe.
Tony wanted to belong, to be accepted.
It was what now drove him to fight on the Avengers behalf despite all the pain he felt.
‘Tony, what you’re doing is admirable, but Steve Rogers is a grown ass man, you don’t need to fight all his battles for him. You made your decision, he made his. Everything you’ve done for him in court has more than made up for any grievance you feel on your behalf. Move forward with your own life.’
Stephen had accepted his own consequences for breaking the natural law, he knew the payment would be demanded of him one day. He wasn’t expecting anyone to fight on his behalf about it. He had made his decision regarding how to fight Dormammu, for better or wrong he had made it, and the cost was his to bear.
Steve Rogers needed to do the same.
He also needed to be shoved into a pocket dimension for hurting Tony like that, but that was a different matter.
Tony looked at him like he was speaking in tongues.
‘Have you been speaking to Pepper?’
Stephen shook his head sadly, pulling Tony up more so he could sit in Stephen’s lap.
‘You’re destroying yourself doing this.’
‘I have to help them,’ he whispered against Stephen’s neck. ‘It’s my fault we had to sign them in the first place, my reckless decisions.’ Stephen reached his hand up, embedding his fingers in silky brown hair, frowning at the heat of Tony’s head. He needed more sleep.
‘I don’t know what the right answer is. Secretary Ross… he’s a complete and utter dick. Another government bureaucrat fighting his own agenda, but the public is listening to him, they’re on board with his smear campaign against Captain America. They don’t know about the Raft, what happens to superheroes when they’re not wanted.’
Tony paused. ‘I have to help fix that, we’re not the enemy. I signed them, I pushed it, I forced them to fight against us, I should share the consequences.’
‘It’s not your fault for not seeing eye to eye with Rogers. I doubt it was just Iron Man’s actions that forced the UN’s hand.’
‘I’ve only ever fought for myself.’
The control he’d had on his temper since witnessing Tony’s fear that night, the implication of what Maximoff had done, the very idea that Tony had watched his parents being murdered, snapped at the thought of Tony shouldering all this alone.
‘Bullshit,’ Stephen’s grip on his Tony grew tight. ‘You were going to sacrifice yourself with a nuke, you saved half the universe! Whatever anyone’s told you, the utter shit Rogers has fed you, the issues you have, do not forget, Tony Stark that you are a hero. None of that was for your own gain. I saw you when you lost the kid, I saw the look in your eye. I saw you die fourteen million times, and not one of them was you trying to save your own skin. Stop there, before I actually do get mad.’
‘Pepper said I’m doing it because I still crave their acceptance.’
Smart woman.
‘I agree with her.’
Tony didn’t move, didn’t speak, only leaned into the hand in his hair more. ‘I’m no good at this, people…they always leave, or keep me at a distance, I make the wrong decisions, put importance on the wrong things. I did it with Pepper.’
Stephen could hear the unspoken.
What if I do it with you?
‘Tony, you shouldn’t have to choose between Iron Man and someone else. There isn’t a distinction between you. You’re a mechanic, a dreamer, a fixer, a billionaire douchebag, Tony Stark and Iron Man, those things are what make you, you.’
Those are the things that made me fall in love with you.
***
Tony sat up in his bed too quickly, holding his hands to his head as the room swam. Tony pulled a face as last night’s memories made themselves known, the baring of his soul, falling asleep on Stephen from emotional exhaustion.
How’d he get in here?
‘FRIDAY? When did Stephen leave?’
‘About three hours ago, boss.’
‘What’s the time?’
‘Ten past nine.’
Tony counted backwards on his fingers.
‘FRIDAY, how long did Stephen stay with me after I fell asleep?’
‘You fell asleep at eleven, sir, so seven hours.’
‘Shit…why?’ Tony flopped back on the bed. His chest felt filled with things he was too scared to put words to. Emotions he’d thought he’d never experience after things ended with Pepper. ‘Bring up the surveillance from the living room from last night, starting from eleven.’
A projected screen appeared before him, and Tony watched as Stephen stretched himself out on the couch, settling his sleeping self comfortably. He reached into a portal and pulled out a book, and with a wave of magic had it hovering above Tony’s head.
‘That’s it…he just read? Why?’
‘He also changed the gauze on your wounds while you slept. In times of emotional stress, sleep can be the best-’
‘Yeah, yeah I know. But still… fast forward to him doing anything other than reading.’
The time frame on the screen jumped about two hours, Stephen sending the book back through the portal and then just looking up at the ceiling, eyes narrowed in thought, letting Tony sleep on him.
It was impossible not to feel moved at the image, but it sent an ache in his chest. He wanted this, wanted Stephen, and he wasn’t allowed it. Tony wasn’t an idiot, he knew Stephen didn’t stay any longer than he needed too, that he wouldn’t use his hands to prepare him. In fact, Tony crossed his arms over his chest in thought, it didn’t always feel like Stephen was as into this as he was. Sure, he’d felt the man come, but his reactions were minimal.
He was over analysing things, he’d been sensitive last night, and Stephen was just being a decent human being. He probably felt responsible, he was a doctor beforehand after all and just as FRIDAY had said, he’d needed the sleep.
‘Start the coffee machine would you please, sweetheart?’
‘Already done.’
‘God you’re the best,’ Tony groaned.
‘Naturally,’ FRIDAY answered.
Padding into the kitchen while yawning, Tony noticed the note on his machine. Ignoring his heart skipping, he plucked it off, turning it over.
‘Try not to drink too much and call Peter, the kid misses you,’ Tony read out. ‘Well yes, sir.’ He placed a mug in the machine and pressed the button, tapping his finger with his lip in thought.
‘FRIDAY? Call Peter for me please?’
As he listened to the ringtones stretch on, Tony pulled his now full cup out, taking his first mouthful with a heavy moan.
‘Mr Stark? Everything alright? Are you feeling better? Do you need me right now?’
‘Whoa whoa, easy kid. No, nothing’s wrong, it’s just been brought to my attention that I’ve been neglecting you-’
‘No, no Mr Stark it’s totally fine, I mean of course, I know you’re busy working with the company and in meetings with the UN and the Avengers and-’
‘Stop Pete, just breathe alright?’ Tony pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘Listen, it’s not a Saturday but are you free a week Friday for the usual?’
‘Erm, yeah I think so, I mean yeah, of course!’
Tony couldn’t help but smile, feeling little tendrils of positive energy seep into him. God, it felt good just talking to him again.
‘Hey, Pete? How’d you feel about us extending the invite a little? Say to a wizard perhaps?’
‘Sure, sounds great!’ Peter sounded happy, but Tony could hear the slight deflation in his tone.
‘In the meantime, how about after school I come get you? You could show me what you’ve been working on? A little one to one with my favourite Spiderling?’
He winced at Peter’s excited yell.
Signing off the call with a laugh, Tony shuffled into the living room, his eyes drawn to the couch, knowing what had happened last night, how Stephen had stayed with him.
Since Titan he hadn’t wanted to be on his own, never wanting to feel that despair, that soul-crushing agony of failure and loss.
Obsessing about it over and over as he drifted through space.
Alone.
So, he’d done what he’d always done, buried himself in his work, in rebuilding the Avengers, fighting Steve and Wanda’s corner.
What if…what if Pepper and Stephen were right?
Last night had been a sort of catharsis for him. He hadn’t spoken about the Accords, about his parents in ages. Pepper and Rhodey already knew and he hadn’t wanted to rehash things out with them over and over. Stephen had been understanding, easy to talk to.
‘It’s only for a few more weeks,’ he spoke to himself. ‘Then it’ll all be over and Steve and Wanda will be pardoned and I can…move on. I can handle a few more weeks. FRIDAY? Call Stephen for me.’
He tapped his foot while he waited, thinking on what he was going to say.
‘Tony?’
‘Hey Doc, so it looks like I’ve got you to thank for babysitting Peter in the lab later when he gets out from school.’
There was a breathy huff of laughter down the phone and Tony could just picture Stephen smirking.
‘I think it might actually be Peter babysitting you.’
‘So, one other thing. You free a week Friday? Pizza and a movie? Help Peter babysit me?’
‘I might be around, depending on threats to the known universe. At the compound?’
‘No.’ Tony paced in a quick circle. ‘Here, at the penthouse.’
The moment seemed to stretch on and on, Tony trying to think of a way to backtrack when Stephen spoke.
‘I’ll be there. Tony, did you think about what I said?’
‘Yeah, I did,’ Tony answered only pausing for a few minutes. ‘I know, that Pepper is worried about me, that I don’t look my best right now, but it’s only for a few more weeks, then it’s out of my hands and I’ll know I did everything I could to help.’
‘Will that bring you the closure you need?’
Tony’s head hung forward, sighing deeply.
‘I don’t know,’ he responded, honest.
‘I see.’ Stephen didn’t push but Tony could almost hear his brain working from here. ‘Well, maybe after you’ll be able to focus on…other things.’
Oh, that was definitely a purr.
Clearing his throat and adjusting his pants, he smiled.
‘Thanks, Stephen.’
‘You’re welcome, Anthony.’
***
‘Think it might be time to send underoos home?’
Stephen glanced over from where he was resting his head in his palm, watching the end of the film, his legs curled underneath him. Peter was curled up in the corner of the couch, snoring.
He felt a sense of contentment rush over him, unable to stifle the fond smile he had as Tony tiptoed over to look at Peter, watching the boy sleep a moment.
‘It’s quite late,’ Stephen agreed, stretching his legs out with a yawn.
He’d been a bit nervous about the evening, worried he was making more out of it then it was. It’d been fun, bantering with both over pizza, listening to Peter talk about his week at school, joining in with Tony’s teasing about the girl Peter liked.
Aside from that, he’d caught the soft looks Tony passed his way, the almost shy smile he shot Stephen when they all sat down to watch a movie together.
‘FRIDAY?’ Tony called softly, ‘where are my keys?’
‘Wait, wait, gimme a minute,’ Stephen reached into his pocket for his sling ring, opening the portal for him. ‘There, now you don’t need to wake him, and you don’t have to drive anywhere.’
‘Do I even want to know how you know where he lives? Thanks, Doc, back in a minute.’
Tony effortlessly lifted Peter from the couch, a hand behind his back and one under his legs. The feelings he had, for both of them, tore at him with a fondness that bordered on painful. Tony stepped through the portal without hesitation, putting Peter down in bed and pulling the covers over him.
He lingered for only a second, placing his hand on Peter’s forehead before coming back, stretching as he went.
‘You want a hand tidying up?’ Stephen asked, looking back over his shoulder at the pizza boxes strewn everywhere.
‘Yeah, in a sec.’ Tony sat himself down in his lap, twisting so he was straddling it.
‘Comfortable?’ Stephen raised a brow, his hands settling on Tony’s hips, reaching down to squeeze his ass.
‘Come on, haven’t you missed me?’ Tony flirted, giving his best come hither eyes.
‘Always.’
Tony gasped as Stephen’s fingers untucked his shirt, his fingertips wriggling under the top of his pants, teasing at his boxers. He moved them away as Tony squirmed, slipping them under crisp cotton, warm with Tony’s body heat. He leaned up, nose pressing into the small patch of skin in the v of his neck, inhaling Tony’s scent, tongue darting out to flick at the hollow of his throat, smiling at the strong pulse he could feel.
‘One thing keeps haunting me, over and over,’ Tony teased.
‘What’s that?’ he murmured.
‘When we were fighting on Titan, when you made all those copies of yourself, are they like mirror images, phantom projections or can you feel yourself in both?’
‘They’re copies, almost holograms…’ Stephen halted his exploration, pulling back to meet Tony’s gaze. Their faces were too close, sharing the same breathing space. He could see Tony’s eyes flicker down, focus on his lips. Against his will, Stephen felt his tongue wet them. Tony watched the movement, his own mouth parting, his gaze coming back to meet Stephen’s.
Tony shifted on his lap, bringing his hand up to curl around the side of Stephen’s neck, tugging him gently.
Stephen couldn’t move, paralysed, trapped in yearning. He pleaded with Tony to close the remaining distance, to feel those lips on his, not just because he was stealing a kiss when Tony was asleep, but because Tony wanted it, wanted that intimacy between them.
Bitter disappointment made him close his eyes when he felt that mouth come close to his ear.
‘How’d you feel about two on one? I’ve been reading, doing research and I want to have two of you, one in my mouth and the other in my ass.’
Just a passing fancy for Tony, a delve into the new and exciting.
Stringless.
‘That is something we can explore when my magic isn’t depleted after looking after a sick billionaire,’ he chuckled at Tony’s pout. ‘For now, though, let me have you here.’
***
Despite the closeness Tony felt towards Stephen, sex was the same setup. Tony facing away from Stephen, the wizard’s hands on his hips holding him in place. They were side by side on the couch, meaning Tony could turn his head back and look up at the man if he wanted.
As he often was with Stephen, he was a babbling incoherent mess, face forced into the cushions, his hips thrusting his cock into Stephen’s free hand and then pushing back to further impale himself. The tempo was slow, almost lazy and if he dared to admit, loving.
It was fear that stopped him from looking up into Stephen’s face, fear at the dispassionate expression he’d see on the man’s face, possible distant eyes if he thought of someone else.
His eyes snapped open as he felt something move under his face, a hand encouraging his face to turn, to do just what he was fearing.
‘Anthony,’ he heard the whisper, saw the piercing eyes fix on him. His thumb swept over his lips and despite the rules, Tony found himself, begging, pleading for Stephen to lean down. He’d nearly fucked up earlier sitting on his lap, had forgotten himself and gone into kiss Stephen, only pulling away at the last moment when he felt Stephen’s tensing body beneath his.
Their gazes locked, Stephen’s thumb still dragging over his lips, his hips snapping when Tony grazed it with his tongue.
He did nothing though and Tony turned his head away, trying to hide the sting, the rejection. Stephen dropped his hand, wringing an orgasm from him in seconds with that talented hand of his, but it left Tony feeling hollow.
***
Stephen stumbled in from the portal, tiredness dragging him down to the floor. He hadn’t had a moment to himself since he’d come back to the Sanctum. Granted, he owed Wong for taking over so many responsibilities when Tony had been ill.
‘Teaching is hard work isn’t it?’ Wong told him, holding out a hand to lift him up.
‘We need to recruit more sorcerer’s, have a work rota of some sort rather than just, “tag, Strange it’s your turn.”’
Wong laughed, tapping the Cloak on Stephen’s shoulders. ‘Are you hungry, thirsty?’
‘I’m alright, I ate at Kamar-Taj. Everything fine here?’
‘Apart from having to deal with your spider apprentice and fending off visits from a concerned billionaire all is well.’
That did make Stephen pause, rolling his shoulders to release some of the tension.
‘How long was I there?’
‘Just over a fortnight.’
‘Shit.’ While he had been teaching the students, he’d also been checking on the other realms and he forgot that time moved differently there. He felt guilty for giving Tony crap in the past about getting so involved in things that he forgot about others. ‘I need restoring.’
‘Mediate then?’
‘I didn’t mean that type, I’m going to see Tony,’ Stephen yawned.
‘Maybe you should sleep first? I can send Tony a message to let him know you’re fine…hey, wait!’
Stephen was already stepping through the portal, swaying a little on his feet as he closed it behind him. He was exhausted, right down to his bones exhausted but that didn’t extinguish the single burning desire he had to see Tony. He’d ignored it at Kamar-Taj, doing what needed to be done, thus answering an old question about if he could still be Sorcerer Supreme and have a lover, but that only meant his longing had crashed down on him when he came back to New York.
‘Stephen? You ok?’
He heard footsteps and then Tony came into his line of sight, arms streaked with what looked like grease, hair out of its usual careful styling. Stephen suppressed the urge to walk over and smooth it down.
‘Yeah…’ he swallowed. ‘Yeah, I’m alright.’
There was a thunk of metal hitting the table and then Stephen was being directed to sit down. Warm, calloused hands wrapped around his neck, a thumb brushing his jaw.
‘Stephen, you’re dead on your feet, you need to go sleep.’
‘‘m alright, just let me stay for a bit, get back to what you were doing,’ Stephen mumbled.
Tony lingered for a minute, his touch teasing Stephen’s skin before he was moving away, the wrench snatched up again. He explained to Stephen what he was doing, creating something or other, inventing, lighting Tony up with a passion that Stephen seldom saw.
He once again felt sorry for the fact they hadn’t met when he was a surgeon. He’d never considered anyone to live up to his own brilliance, but Tony shone in such a way that would have accented Stephen.
His hums of agreement were sparse and few between, feeling the stress and tension melt from his body, letting Tony’s voice wash over him, his familiarity, the sounds of him working, the occasional curse words, the triumphant little crows as something went according to plan.
It felt as though he was leeching Tony’s energy, his enthusiasm chasing away the remnants of his fatigue until his eyelids were no longer drooping, watching Tony move about the workshop, his muscles flexing as he worked, his bangs sticking to his forehead, sweat rolling down his neck.
As though he’d called Tony over with the intensity of his thoughts, the mechanic looked up, rubbing his forearm over his face, doe brown eyes widening. Stephen didn’t move as Tony walked over, tilting his head back as Tony stood in front of him. He held still as hands came up to his face, almost afraid. He could feel the heat from Tony’s fingertips. He didn’t invite the touch, but he didn’t avoid it either. Fingers trailed over his face, lingering at his lips.
‘You should go home, go rest.’
‘I will, c’mere,’ Stephen tugged Tony down into his lap, hooking his chin over a tanned, muscled shoulder, slumping against him.
‘You need to talk?’ Tony rubbed his hands over Stephen’s back, probing at the tight muscles.
‘No, just wanted to see you,’ Stephen mumbled, tiredness making him honest. Tony didn’t say anything, wrapping Stephen in a hug, holding him close.
In a way, it was more intimate than anything else they’d done, sharing warmth, simple affection. Stephen half expected Tony to turn sitting on his lap into a sexual encounter, yet there was nothing in his posture that suggested anything other than his contentment.
‘Hey, Doc?’
Maybe he’d thought too soon.
‘Hmm?’ Stephen felt his eyes drift shut, leaning his head sideways against Tony’s.
‘I’ve got a shindig for work coming up, schmoozing with clients as it were, you wanna come?’
‘Why would I want to do that?’ Stephen asked without thinking.
‘Free food, booze, plus you’ll be with me.’
Stephen’s eyes snapped open. ‘You mean…like a date?’
‘A date, helping another pal out from dying of boredom, it’s up to you.’ Tony’s hands moved from his back, but he didn’t move his head, letting Stephen lean against it.
‘Hmm, it’s been a while since I’ve been to a party, is it for the Avengers?’ Stephen wasn’t sure if he wanted to see Rogers or Maximoff. While he understood what had happened between Captain America, could see the logic on both sides, it didn’t mean he wanted to converse with someone who’d hurt Tony as he had.
It was difficult not to be protective of him.
‘If you’re asking if Steve’s gonna be there, then no. He and the rest of the old team are still in Wakanda until the mess is sorted out. Not gonna lie to you though, Doc, I’m hoping I can charm some people there into fighting on his behalf.’
‘I’ll come,’ Stephen answered. ‘Just tell me the time and day.’
He felt Tony sag a little, his relief evident.
They remained close for a little longer before Stephen pulled away.
‘I need to sleep, text me the details?’ He opened a portal beside them.
‘Sure, sweet dreams, Doc.’
***
Tony wandered through Kamar-Taj, watching the tail end of Peter’s sparring session with the students. Stephen had asked him, in that stifled polite way of his over the phone, to come speak to him and Wong about something of importance.
As Stephen was currently teaching the said sparring lesson, Tony was walking with the Cloak and Wong, debating science and magic as they went. Tony couldn’t stop his eyes drifting over to Stephen, the way he spoke with his students, his patience and humour as he worked, his affection for Peter.
‘He cares a great deal about your protégé,’ Wong nodded his head over.
‘Kid’s kinda annoying like that, he just…karate kicks his way into your heart.’
‘Stephen cares a great deal about you too.’ Tony stumbled over nothing, mouth agape as he looked at Wong. He looked at the Cloak which nodded.
‘Come on now, Wong, I know you know it’s not like that, we’re all adults here, not teenagers. What the wizard and I have, the whole benefits thing, it’s working for both of us.’
‘He’s only doing that because he thinks that’s what you want,’ Wong told him with a smile.
It wasn’t often Tony Stark found himself speechless, but here he was, no words coming out of his mouth.
‘Hey! Mr Stark!’ Tony felt himself take a step back as Peter jostled him.
‘You’re looking good there kid, I think it’s time you came back to training with the Avengers, we’ll get you fighting against Hulk in no time.’
He laughed at Peter’s pale face.
‘Don’t tease him, Tony,’ Stephen came to join the group. Tony couldn’t make eye contact, staring just off to the side.
‘Hang about here for a bit, Spiderling, I’ve got a summons to answer and then I’ll come back with you. No climbing the…buildings,’ he finished as Peter leapt up the wall.
‘We’re concealed here in the mountains, Tony, no one will see him.’
Tony still couldn’t look the man in the face, his head reeling with what Wong had told him. He felt his elbow being poked, looking down to see the Cloak pushing him towards Stephen’s office.
‘Alright, alright you pushy piece of fabric, I’m going.’
Sitting in the chair across from Wong and Stephen, the latter who was leaning against his desk, almost sitting on it with his arms folded, Tony felt like he was back at school.
‘Am I going to be suspended?’ Tony asked with a smile.
‘Tony, there’s something we need to discuss with you.’
‘Yeah I got that from the rather ominous, we need to talk phone call, so come on, spill.’
‘It’s about Wanda Maximoff.’
Out of all the scenarios running in his head that wasn’t one Tony had expected.
‘What is it with you surprising me today, Wong? What about her?’ He wasn’t surprised to feel a little overprotective over her, the image of her in that collar still plagued him.
‘She’s a magic user,’ Stephen said simply.
‘What of it?’ Tony refused to cross his arms, keeping his body language open.
‘It’s our job to monitor anything magical, and I have reason to suspect she has misused her powers.’
Tony said nothing, giving no reaction. Had Wanda done something he wasn’t aware of? She had been taking steps to control her powers, hadn’t used any mental manipulation since she joined the team.
‘Tony, we want to ask you what happened between Maximoff and your team, but rather than tell me, I want to use the Time Stone to examine what happened in the past.’
‘You’re concerned my view is gonna be biased?’ Tony’s teeth gritted together.
‘No,’ Stephen’s gaze was sharp his lips smiling in a wry twist. ‘Knowing you, you’ll underplay whatever role she had in the abuse of power, or you’ll shoulder all the blame yourself.’
‘She’s just a kid-’
‘Tony, this isn’t about you. I don’t want to send Maximoff back to the Raft, but I need to know what happened.’
‘Your watchlist need updating or something? Oh yeah, I speak to Thor, I know what happened with you guys,’ Tony snarked, gaze flitting around the room. ‘Why you even asking, Doc?’
‘Because you were a victim of her powers, I don’t want to go behind your back. The same reason I haven’t gone to Pepper or took FRIDAY up on her offer to explain things. I promise you, I will watch the events of her past with an unbiased eye, it’s my duty as Sorcerer Supreme.’
‘You’re going to do it, anyway, aren’t you?’ Tony looked at Wong who flushed and looked down.
‘Yup, but I’d rather have the ok from you.’
There wasn’t anything more he could do.
‘Fine. I’m gonna take Peter and go then, I don’t wanna stick around.’
‘It’ll only take a second to your perception, no running away,’ Stephen smiled at him, waving his hands around in that fancy way of his, green energy snaking out from his necklace.
Tony stood, ready to hightail it out of here.
He really, really didn’t want to be here for this.
‘Wong,’ Stephen’s voice had a hard edge to it.
Wow, he wasn’t kidding when he said a second.
‘Take Peter home. Now.’
‘Is it wrong to be turned on by you giving orders?’ Tony smiled, feeling it freeze on his face.
Stephen was incandescent with rage.
‘What the hell were you thinking!’ Stephen hissed out from clenched teeth, his hands opening and closing into fists.
‘I know…alright. I didn’t know they were going to put them all in the Raft, that they were going to do that to her. I know I didn’t make the right choices-’
‘Shut up!’ Stephen shouted, getting to his feet, flinging the books from his desk. Magic sparked in the air, not unlike electricity crackling. The Cloak flew to Tony, wrapping on his shoulders dragging him away from the carnage.
Tony didn’t fight it, his hand creeping up to his arc reactor.
Stephen noticed what he was doing, shoving the desk away from himself in a huff. He took a few deep breaths and the wayward magic stopped.
‘You stupid, idiotic douchebag!’
Instinctive, Tony’s arms flew up to protect his head as Stephen lunged at him.
‘How could you think any of this is your fault!’
He was pressed to a hard chest, hands on his head, holding him close.
‘Hold up…what just happened here?’
‘Tony, listen to me, you pig-headed, stubborn ass,’ Stephen spoke into his hair. ‘Ultron wasn’t your fault.’
Tony protested, listing all the reasons he was, the words halting as Stephen placed his finger over his lips with a melancholy smile.
‘You know damn well she mentally manipulated you, playing on your fears. You knew something was coming for Earth, you knew of the threat of Thanos even if you didn’t understand what it was. Wanda wanted you to self-destruct, wanted revenge, and before you start any bullshit that it was Stark weapons that started this, that wasn’t you. You stopped the weapons side, fuck Tony, you didn’t even begin it to start with.’
Stephen pulled his jaw up, forcing their gazes to meet.
‘Stop taking all of the responsibility for everyone. This…all of this, this isn’t your fault, Tony.’
To his sheer horror, Tony felt his eyes burning, a lump lodging in his throat as Stephen looked at him.
‘You’re a smart man, Tony Stark, think about it. If she hadn’t manipulated you into making Ultron none of this would have happened. Trust me, I’m a time wizard.’ The joke fell on deaf ears.
‘The Accords…’ Tony’s voice cracked.
‘I’m not going to lie, Tony, they might have come about in a few years, years that could have been spent better understanding each other as a team, but Wanda’s hand forced them. This isn’t all on you.’
‘What are you going to do with her?’ Tony jerked out of Stephen’s hold, ready to fight him.
‘I wish you’d be loyal to yourself,’ Stephen muttered. ‘I’m not going to do anything, yet. I do understand why she acted why she did. I’ll wait till the outcome of the UN and I’ll offer her training here. I cannot let magic like that… can’t let someone without control roam our world. I can remove it from her, if that’s what she wishes. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.’
Remove her magic. Was that something Wanda would even want? Maybe she would? Then she could live with Vision the way she wanted. Why hadn’t Tony thought of that?
‘You’re a remarkable man, Tony Stark, even after what she did, even though she still harbours hatred for you, you’re stood there thinking of ways to help her, to help Steve Rogers after his betrayal, I’m envious. I hope that when this is all over, you get the recognition you so desperately crave from them.’
It was too raw, too intense, Stephen ripping straight into the heart of the matter, exposing his fears, his desire so openly like that.

***

Tony’s willingness to fight him vanished, leaving in its stead a devastating vulnerability that hurt Stephen to look at.
‘I have to help them.’ Tony’s voice was whisper soft, the words wedging in Stephen’s chest like shards of glass.
‘They chose to break the law, Tony, please believe me. You’re not responsible for their actions.’ He was repeating himself, but he’d repeat the words until they sunk in. He’d brand them in Tony’s mind if needed.
Tony’s gaze went to the floor, hanging his head, not quite hiding his filmy wet eyes rimmed with red.
‘I’ll tell you, over and over if needed so you’ll believe me.’
Stephen reached out for the man again, cautious, uncertain if Tony wanted to be touched.
‘Stephen?’ Tony’s voice was broken, desperate and before Stephen could stop him, Tony had stretched up and pressed their lips together.
Kissing.
Tony was kissing him.
It was everything he’d ever wanted, and he found himself motionless, reeling from the shift in emotions, unsure what this meant, frightened that Tony had figured him out, too scared to react and reveal everything to him.
That he loved him.
Tony pulled back, waiting for a reaction, for words, a continuation… anything.
Stephen felt overwhelmed, disbelief making him numb.
‘I can’t do this anymore.’ Tony shoved Stephen away.
‘No, wait-’ he floundered.
‘No. This… this here,’ his finger flicked between them, ‘Is done. Fuck, it’s like you’re not even here. Even when we sleep together there’s no reaction from what we’re doing.’
Stephen countered, finally feeling sensation in his body.
Tony couldn’t be done with him.
‘You can see my reaction to the things we’ve been doing, you can feel it. I’ve seen you sitting gingerly after our nights, how is that not a reaction?’
‘That doesn’t matter if it’s me, does it, you barely even look at me, you don’t even feel anything!’ Tony ran shaky hands through his hair, his eyes panicked.
Stephen found himself mirroring the emotions, trying to understand what Tony was saying.
‘Tony, wait…’ He stood reaching for him.
‘No! I’m done!’
Stephen experienced soul-crushing horror as Tony’s tears finally fell.
Tony was crying…because of him.
He dodged out of Stephen’s grasp, tapping his reactor to activate his suit, flying from Kamar-Taj, avoiding every single one of Stephen’s portals he sent flaring after him to try and catch him.

***
Tony knew Stephen could come to him if he wanted, that he could open a portal directly into the compound, in his penthouse. Even if he tried to hide, the wizard would be able to find him after the spell he’d placed on him. He was respecting their boundaries and it only infuriated Tony.
He threw himself into his work, engineering, meetings about the company, meetings about the Avengers, anything, anything else than thinking about what had happened.
He’d fucked up.
Over-emotional, delusional with the hope Wong had planted in him, he’d overstepped the bounds Stephen had set for him, and he’d reacted…like a childish idiot, stamping his feet because he didn’t get what he wanted.
He’d had one night stands before, friends with benefits that he’d slept with on and off with for months at a time.
Stephen not appearing interested, the detached way in which they fucked.
It bothered him.
Like a hook under his skin, it snared and pulled, and Tony couldn’t dislodge it, couldn’t work out why he felt the way he did.
It must have been because of understanding. Stephen understood what it meant to be a superhero. Tony had never been intimate with anyone from that world, his previous encounters only being with civilians, with people he needed to protect. He’d tried to mix his old life with his new and it hadn’t worked, that was all.
It was the softer times he missed though. The banter, the talking, the waking up in Stephen’s bed when he’d been ill, the way Stephen relaxed when speaking to Peter. He missed it all and it was that which lead him to working hard, pushing the idea out of his mind, working himself to collapse just so he didn’t have to think about it.
When the night of the party arrived, and Stephen was still silent, Tony was left with two options. Going stag to the event or finding a date. Neither options were particularly appealing, but the vindictive side of him grew every time he went over Stephen not reacting to his kiss.
That’s what led him to where he was now.
It was ludicrous. The young woman standing across from him was gorgeous, luxurious blonde hair flowing down her back, sinful red lips, and a bubbling laugh that made Tony smile. He couldn’t recall her name, which only reminded him of his playboy days, where he’d call them sweetheart or sugar just to mask the fact he never remembered any of their names.
His nail tapped against the side of his wine glass, his body instantly falling into the actions of polite interest, the mindset he adopted at parties, suave and charismatic whilst thinking of a million other things at once.
The girl hadn’t noticed, still gushing about whatever it was she was talking about.
Tony looked over the event, people dressed in their finest, fake smiles, polite laughter, rubbing elbows with the elite. It was for a good cause, of course, it always was. He felt set apart from it all, like trying to force himself into a suit that no longer fit. You could wear it of course, but you were aware of how it tugged, how the collar strangled you.
He wished, not for the first time this evening, that Stephen had come, that he was beside him now, joking and ripping into these people. Tony would’ve like to see him relaxed with a drink in hand, would have liked to have taken him home for the night, to have danced with him and smiled at him and…
The wine glass slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor.
He loved him.
He loved the wizard.
Laughing away his clumsiness and looping his arm around his date’s waist to smile for the cameras, Tony squashed the thought deep inside, only to be examined when he was alone and safe. When the glass was all swept up and the party resumed, the chatter and laughter floating over their heads once more, Tony took her hand in his and led her out to the dancefloor, hand on her lower back, hers on his shoulders as they began to sway.
He could only think about what this would be like with Stephen, would the man lead as he often did? Or would Tony? Stephen was taller, so it made sense for him to, Tony’s head nestled against his shoulder, breathing in his scent, feeling his warmth seep into his clothes.
Tony closed his eyes against the pain. Stephen had been clear about his boundaries and he’d fucked up. Why did he have to over complicate things?
The sleeping together needed to stop. They’d go back to being friends, Tony could ignore his feelings, that was easy enough. They’d go back to messing around, pizza nights at his, training at the temple, coffee with Wong and the cape.
And
And…
‘Tony? Are you alright?’ The dancing had stopped and the girl in his arms was looking at him. She was blurry, and it took him a second to work out why.
‘Yeah, sorry, something in my eye. Can I get you another drink?’
‘Sounds good, I need to go to the ladies anyway, martini?’
‘I’ll have it waiting,’ Tony promised, pressing a kiss to her cheek before waving through the bodies on the dancefloor. He made his way to the bar after shaking a few hands and exchanging a few pleasantries.
It became suffocating and Tony felt his feet moving, taking him away from the party, down the corridors, past the lobbies and foyers and finally into seclusion in a small side room probably used for storage.
‘FRIDAY, send her a bunch of flowers in the morning, would you?’ he muttered, slumping against the door and resting his forehead on his bent knees.
What was he doing?
‘I don’t share, Stark.’
His heart lurched in pain at the voice, only having a few seconds to think about what this meant before his body was hoisted off the floor by magic. Floating through the air, he came to a halt in front of Stephen, the man’s eyes narrowed, and his arms crossed in disapproval.
‘I’m not a possession, Strange. Let me go.’
‘Playing hard to get? That’s not like you,’ Stephen leant down to bite at his neck.
‘Stop it, Strange, red, or whatever it is you fucking want me to tell you to make you stop.’
The magic released him instantly, making Tony stumble forward. ‘I meant what I said, this,’ he waved his hand between the two of them, ‘is over.’
‘I was under the impression you were enjoying our benefits.’
‘I was... until I realised you didn’t give a fuck about me, that you couldn’t care less about what we’re doing.’
‘Why on Earth would you think that?’
‘Er? Hello? No kissing? No obvious enjoyments coming from your end what so ever?’ Tony found himself shouting, pacing in a circle. ‘Why do I keep doing this to myself?’ He questioned, coming to a halt. ‘I brought a girl here to this stupid event just because I wanted you to see us. I wanted you to be jealous! Damn it! I’m better than this, I’m meant to have grown up.’
‘Tony?’
‘It’s stupid, right? No wonder you don’t want anything from me, no surprise I can’t make anything work,’ Tony hung his head, squeezing his eyes shut.
‘Come here,’ Strange asked.
‘No,’ Tony spat, petulant.
‘Anthony, come here.’
Tony folded his arms over his chest, refusing to budge.
‘Honestly, you’re one of the most stubborn people I know.’
Tony heard footsteps, and then pressure on his shoulders.
‘Look at me, please.’
Stephen’s tone was pleading but still Tony didn’t budge. A thumb pressed under the hinge of his jaw, encouraging his face up. The touch trailed over his neck as Stephen held him.
‘You think you’re the only one with fears? The only one who doubts you can do this?’
‘Do what?’ Tony dared to ask.
‘Listen to me, before my accident, I was an awful person. I was a doctor, meant to help people and to start with I did, before it twisted, and I was seeking fame and recognition more than I wanted to help. I refused surgeries I felt were beneath me because it wouldn’t help my standing.’
Tony bit down the sarcasm, not quite understanding why he was getting Stephen’s life story when he wanted him to get to the point.
‘There are still elements of that person that exist in me. I’ve only ever seriously cared for one person in my life, and I treated her like dirt, I saw her as beneath me. I want, no I need someone who’s my equal, who can put up with me, stand up to me.’
‘What are you getting at?’ He chanced a look into aqua eyes, his chest aching at the tenderness he could see.
‘You are more than my equal, Tony, and I think I’m what you need too. I’ve never wanted anything more than I do you.’
Tony tried to yank his head out of Stephen’s grip in annoyance.
‘It wasn’t I never had a reaction,’ Stephen spoke suddenly. ‘It was because I was foolishly trying to protect myself from you, so you wouldn’t know how much I adore you.’
‘What the hell?’ Tony snarled.
‘I’m an idiot.’ Stephen let go of his face, hands trailing over his shoulders and arms, reaching down to catch one of his hands, bringing it up and flipping it over so he could press a kiss to Tony’s palm.
‘So…why the hell did you agree to this?’ Tony jabbed Stephen in the chest, glaring.
Stephen’s eyes locked on his own. ‘I thought that perhaps having some of you was better than not having any of you. Yet, I couldn’t bear the idea of kissing you knowing you felt nothing for me.’
Trembling hands settled on Tony’s waist, tugging him closer. Tony allowed himself to be moved.
‘I wanted to protect myself from falling even further, for craving something I couldn’t have.’
Tony couldn’t swallow, couldn’t breathe even.
‘Why didn’t you think I wouldn’t want any more than this? I never asked you for anything more because I thought this was what you wanted,’ Tony pushed him away, needing the space, needing to process this.
‘I assumed I was just a passing fancy, a curiosity because you haven’t been with another man before.’
‘Another notch in Tony Stark’s bed?’ Tony growled.
‘You’ve not been long split up from Pepper, it’s only been a few months since Thanos-’
‘So, what! You just tarred me with the same brush everyone else does? Tony Stark the playboy! He can’t think about anyone else, couldn’t possibly love…’ Tony trailed off.
Stephen stepped forward at that, a helpless, begging look on his face.
‘No!’ Tony held his hand up. ‘You’re just like everyone else, wanting something from me, judging me based on past actions. Haven’t I fucking atoned yet?’ Tony felt all the anger bleed out of him, his empty soulless husk left behind.
‘The fault rests with me, Tony, not you. Everyone misjudges you, they don’t see the brilliant, kind, astounding man I’ve come to love. You are selfless, loyal and an incredible friend and had I not messed it up, you would have been someone I have longed to have by my side.’
Stephen leant forward, and Tony felt himself tense, eyes scrunching shut, but Stephen only brushed his lips against his forehead, the touch lingering.
‘I love you.’
Tony’s eyes flew open, the floor swaying underneath as he looked at Stephen’s face.
‘Have done for a while now.’
He couldn’t be serious.
‘I’ll give you some time to think. I hope you can forgive me.’
Then Tony was left alone, his fingers coming up to touch his head.
***
Stephen had laid all his cards on the table as it were, his fear of losing Tony forcing his hand. He’d been bewildered by the man’s reaction, his declaration everything was over. He’d spent long hours in meditation pondering the reason for the outburst, clarity eventually clearing his confusion.
Tony wanted him to care, wanted more from their arrangement.
He’d left him adorably confused at the party, and now he had to wait for Tony to come to a decision.
It wasn’t something he could force, but it was an agonising wait. He counted down the hours, minutes and seconds of each day, checking his phone more often then he’d like to admit. He’d had to restrain himself from sending out an astral projection of himself just to check on the man. Stephen was fretting, anxious, plaguing himself with replays of their conversation that night of the party over and over in his head, dissecting every intimate detail.
The days stretched on.
Stephen was making tea in the kitchen and speaking to the Cloak when he heard Wong’s frantic calls down the corridor.
‘Alright, alright I’m coming, but you probably forgot to charge the MP3 and that’s why you can’t hear anything,’ Stephen shook his head.
‘The Avengers… Captain America, he’s on TV. He’s been pardoned!’
Stephen opened a portal straight into the room, forgetting his tea, frowning down at the TV. ‘Well, I’ll be damned, Tony, you did it,’ Stephen grinned.
The smile soon faded, a scowl taking its place as Maximoff joined him, both giving their thank you speeches to SHIELD, their lawyers, the public.
Everyone except Tony Stark.
‘Is this the only footage?’ He asked Wong when the news program looped the footage, beginning from when they left the courtroom.
‘I think so, try another channel.’
Stephen waved his hand at the TV, and then again, again, every news channel showing the same interview, the same thank you speech.
‘I’ll watch the Sanctum for you,’ Wong whispered.
‘Thank you, my friend. Stay here with him,’ he directed to the Cloak, pulling out his sling ring.
The Cloak wilted as it looked at the TV, turning to look at Stephen and then back at the TV before nodding once.
‘I’ll make sure he’s alright, don’t worry,’ he reassured it.
He stepped into the living room of Tony’s penthouse. ‘FRIDAY?’ he called, ‘Is Tony alright?’
‘Boss is in his bedroom,’ the AI answered, not offering anything to make him stop nor to encourage him either. Hesitating for a few seconds, Stephen walked down the hallway, noticing Tony’s bedroom door was ajar.
Tony was sat on the edge of his bed, head in his hands.
He looked…broken.
Stephen sat beside him, their shoulders touching, not saying anything.
‘I’m sorry,’ Stephen whispered, stretching his hand, resting it in the small of Tony’s back.
Tony didn’t react, either in a negative or positive way, his gaze still locked on the carpet, posture deflated.
‘Come here… please, Tony.’ Stephen kicked his shoes off, shuffling back against the bed, back to the wall, tugging Tony to sit in between his outstretched legs, arms wrapped around his chest. Tony was pliant as he lay against him, the will to fight gone.
The bedroom was dark, a sanctuary of safety. No one existed except the two of them. No pressure, no villains, nothing but their breathing and the feel of their bodies pressed together. Stephen didn’t speak, too afraid that Tony would shatter under his fingers, not quite sure what to do.
He rubbed his jaw over Tony’s head, spreading one hand against Tony’s stomach, the other on his chest, willing comfort to flow from his body to Tony’s. After a while, Tony leant his head back against Stephen’s shoulder, turning his head so his nose was brushing Stephen’s neck, inhaling deeply.
Stephen felt his heart stutter in his chest as though Tony and reached in and squeezed it in his fist.
Tony’s breathing went deep, enough that Stephen thought he’d fallen asleep. He shifted his arms, not willing to relinquish his hold, keeping the man together. He pulled back his head a little as he felt Tony shift, looking down into a weary, vulnerable face.
‘They don’t deserve you,’ Stephen murmured.
Tony closed his eyes, accepting Stephen’s words. He stretched forward, nuzzling his nose against Stephen’s. It was so achingly tender that Stephen felt himself well up at it, at the feel of Tony pressed against him, the affection the man showed him, the affection he craved in return.
Cautious, Tony’s gaze flashed up to Stephen’s. Stephen leant down in encouragement, making an approving noise in the back of his throat.
Whatever comfort he could give Tony he would, without hesitation. He’d prove Tony was valued, that he was loved.
His lips moved against Tony’s, gentle, tender. Tony pushed back with an infinitesimal amount of pressure, still tentative. Stephen reached a hand up, cupping Tony’s cheek as he carried on the chaste kiss.
‘Stephen?’ Tony asked.
‘What, Tony?’ His fingers stroked Tony’s face, drinking in the sight of warm brown eyes looking at him, his teeth biting in his lower lip in thought. Stephen reached out with his thumb to free it of his teeth, smiling at Tony’s breath hitching.
‘Kiss me…properly,’ Tony begged.
Stephen claimed Tony’s mouth with fervour, an intense possessive heat, prying apart lips with his tongue to stroke inside Tony’s mouth, sliding slickly against Tony’s own. The man shuddered, hand wrapping around the back of Stephen’s neck as he allowed himself to be coaxed into twining his tongue with Stephen’s. He poured all his longing, all his pent-up emotions of love, desire, affection into it, hoping he could convey it all.
How much he wanted Tony.
‘I love you,’ he swore against Tony’s lips.
Tony acted as if he was drunk, despite Stephen knowing he was stone cold sober. He slumped, boneless against Stephen, trusting the man to take care of him.
‘Please.’ In that one solitary word there was a wealth of feeling. It was a testament to their relationship, to how well Stephen knew Tony that he knew what the man requested.
Help me.
Stephen pressed kisses along the column of Tony’s throat as he unbuttoned his shirt, pausing every few moments to whisper praises into his ear, how gorgeous he was, how’d he longed to do this. Tony’s head leant back on Stephen’s shoulder with a small whimper as Stephen rubbed his thumbs over his nipples. His hands were greedy on honey-hued skin, teasing along the defined v on his hips, his abdominal muscles, feeling the strength of Tony’s body.
‘The things I want to do to you now I don’t have to hold back,’ Stephen purred, rubbing a hand over Tony’s pants, sending them and his boxers to the corner of the room. He shifted one of his legs, hooking his foot under Tony’s knee and dragging his leg to the side, exposing Tony to his gaze. Tony reached his hands over his head, burying them in Stephen’s hair, dragging his nails across his scalp.
Stephen lazily thrust his erection against Tony’s back, not intending to do anything about it, but to reassure Tony how much he was wanted. Tony clung to him, his body bowing in a curve, a crimson flush staining his cheeks and chest.
‘Can I carry on? Green?’ Stephen spoke into Tony’s ear, dragging his thumbs up the inside of Tony’s thighs, feeling the muscles quiver underneath.
‘Green,’ Tony croaked, head turning to persuade Stephen into another kiss in which he happily obliged, hands sweeping up to hold onto hip bones, kneading at the malleable flesh just beneath. Stephen hadn’t ever taken his time with Tony’s body, all their past intimate encounters being frenzied, but he took his time now, alternating between kissing the man and looking over Tony’s shoulder as he caressed his body.
The pads of his fingers ran over past scars, the one on his side where Thanos had stabbed him, the ones around his reactor. He licked his thumb smearing the saliva over Tony’s nipple, alternating between smooth brushes and sharp pinches. A sharp cry wrenched itself from Tony’s throat, the grip in Stephen’s hair painful.
‘That’s it, Anthony. Fuck, I’m never going to get tired of those noises you make.’
Tony’s voice was rough with passion, pleading with Stephen, his gorgeous body writhing in front of him.
‘Please, please,’ he begged, his cock hard against his stomach.
‘There are so many things I’ve wanted to do to you, things that I’ve kept myself up with late at night, tormenting myself as I stroked my cock,’ Stephen murmured, lips tracing the shell of his ear.
‘Stephen, goddamn it touch me.’
‘Maybe I want you to come in my mouth instead.’
He chuckled a low laugh as Tony’s eyes snapped open in bewilderment, his body adorably shifting closer to Stephen in concern as a copy of himself lay between their legs. His chest swelled with fondness with how Tony instinctively sought his protection for the unknown.
‘I’ve got you. I’ll never let anything happen to you. I want to saturate you in pleasure.’ He wanted Tony to forget everything, if only for one night.
His clone trailed his hands carefully up and down Tony’s calves as he gazed at the man, leaning forward to kiss him as Stephen tilted his head to kiss Tony’s neck. It was a weakness of Tony’s, one that Stephen shamelessly exploited, gasps and moans tumbling from his lips, swallowed by the clone, adding fuel to the fire of Tony’s ecstasy.
Running his tongue over Tony’s sternum, the clone avoided the reactor, smirking as Tony unclipped it, tossing it onto the pillows. He allowed them complete access to his skin, his vulnerability making both Stephen’s moan aloud, one sinking his teeth into the join of neck and shoulder, the other placing tender kisses over the deep scars.
Stephen brought Tony’s face round to his for a messy kiss, nodding once to his clone, groaning at Tony’s whine as his clone engulfed Tony’s cock. It was a surreal, heady experience, feeling Tony’s tongue stroke at his own while having the phantom sensation of a heavy cock in his mouth, the taste of both teasing the edge of his sanity.
Tony didn’t last long, overwhelmed with sensations, crippled with pain from his emotional trauma, he tangled one hand in the hair of the clone’s head, the other still buried in the hair of Stephen, tapping insistently, trying to warn him, to get him to move.
‘Don’t deny me the chance to taste you, Anthony. It’s something I’ve been fantasying about for months, your come thick on my tongue, your cock pulsing in my mouth.’
Tony was incoherent, a low shout exploding from him as he arched his body against them both, a whip crack of pleasure surging through him. Stephen held him through it, while the clone swallowed his come, easing the motions of his mouth, wringing as much pleasure from Tony as he could.
Stephen murmured praises and reassurances against the sweat-slick skin of Tony’s neck, brushing kisses against his forehead, the skin next to his eye, his temple. Tony didn’t notice the clone merging back with Stephen’s body, only seeking comfort in his arms, burrowing closer to the warmth.
‘Stephen?’
‘Hmm?’
‘Fuck me…please.’ Tony’s hand reached up to his tunic, easing it apart, exposing his throat and part of his chest. His exploration halted, and Stephen realised, with aching despair, that Tony was waiting to be stopped in some way.
‘I wanted to give you comfort, to make you forget. I’m not saying no, Tony, but don’t feel as though you need to please me.’
‘I want you,’ Tony growled, falling backwards and tugging Stephen with him. Tony’s hands on his body were ravenous after being too long denied. Stephen went to remove his tunic, but Tony stopped him, tugging the cloth from his shoulders, teeth leaving bruising nips and mouth sucking marks into his skin, elated by the fact Stephen was allowing it. Stephen cupped the back of Tony’s head, not to dissuade, but to help steady him, encouraging the claims of his body, wanting to be owned by Tony.
Balancing himself on his knees over Tony’s body, he kept hold of his head with one hand, easing the other between Tony’s body and the mattress, teasing his hand down Tony’s spine, feeling every vertebrate with his index finger. As that blistering mouth latched onto a nipple, a begging whine rippling into Stephen’s skin, his hand grabbed a fistful of that pert behind, rolling their hips together.
Tony clung to him, his eyes begging.
Together they wrestled Stephen out of his robes, their mouths locking as Stephen’s weight pushed Tony down into the mattress, boxing the smaller man in, smothering him with his body.
As his fingers formed the spell they needed, a hand shot out, grip bruising on his wrist.
‘What’s wrong?’ Stephen whispered, leaning down to brush Tony’s hair back from his forehead.
‘Not with magic,’ Tony gasped out.
Stephen hesitated, his gaze sliding to the side, not certain how to tell Tony.
‘Please, Stephen, it’s too much like before,’ Tony begged, his eyes beseeching.
Damn the consequences.
He slid down Tony’s body, pausing to swipe his tongue over Tony’s stirring cock, persuading the flagging erection back into full stiffness. Stephen lifted Tony’s legs onto his shoulders, single-minded in his desire, already tasted his come he needed to taste the rest of Tony’s body.
Stephen tugged Tony’s hips up, meeting the half-lidded gaze.
‘You’re fucking gorgeous,’ was his only warning before his tongue was thrusting into Tony’s hole. His reaction was fierce, his hips bucking up into Stephen, his body writhing, curses and sobs tumbling from him as Stephen thrust in and out, moaning against Tony’s skin. His erection became excruciating as Tony chanted his name. Stephen rutted against the silken sheets, his tongue eager against Tony, drowning in the feel of him.
He opened a portal to his bedside table, rooting around in the draw before finding what he was looking for. Coating his fingers in lube, Stephen wasted no time in joining a finger to his tongue, beginning the slow process of getting Tony ready. The process was sweet agony, a knife edge of pleasure and suffering. He seduced Tony’s body into stretching for him, the process as satisfying as he’d imagined it to be.
Tony got impatient as Stephen knew he would, hands scrabbling at Stephen’s shoulders, demanding Stephen take him now.
Holding his weight on one forearm, he reached out for the condom, ripping the foil with his teeth, frowning as Tony took it from him and tossed it to the floor.
‘’m clean.’ Brown eyes blazed with passion, burning all the way down to Stephen’s core.
‘As am I, are you certain?’
‘Wanna feel you,’ Tony whined, thrusting his hips up, rubbing himself over Stephen, legs wrapping around his hips.
Stephen closed his eyes, swearing under his breath. ‘You make it impossible for me to ever want to let you go,’ he spoke the words into Tony’s chest, kissing the skin before, hoisting Tony’s legs on his waist up, positioning himself.
‘Then don’t,’ Tony breathed out.
Tony’s body was a vice around him as always and Stephen entered slowly in increments, watching carefully for any signs of pain from the man below him. Tony’s eyes were open, meeting his gaze as Stephen breeched his body.
‘I don’t plan on it, Tony.’
He could feel his chest heave with the intensity of that look, the intimacy binding them. This was different, this wasn’t a meaningless fuck. He halted halfway inside Tony’s body, ignoring the heel pushing into his ass, Tony’s wriggling as he whined.
Words failed him, he’d already told Tony he loved him, but it that moment he couldn’t express himself.
‘Stephen?’
He reached down to kiss the concern away, cradling Tony’s head in his hands.
‘Don’t stop,’ Tony pleaded.
The pleas made Stephen shiver, catching Tony’s bottom lip in his mouth as he sheathed himself. Tony’s hands timidly reached up, holding onto Stephen’s back, waiting. A distressed noise sounded in Stephen’s throat as he realised why Tony was timid.
He was still afraid of a reprimand from Stephen.
Stephen reached behind himself, urging Tony’s hands to grip tighter, moaning Tony’s name when the nails dug into his flesh.
‘Please don’t…’ his voice trembled with emotion. He shut his eyes to fight against the burning ache. ‘I want to belong to you too,’ Stephen whispered, ‘don’t hold back, not like before.’ He freed one of his hands, pressing it into Tony’s, lacing their fingers together and bringing to his mouth for a kiss.
Stephen made an undignified noise as Tony unhooked his legs, planting his feet on the mattress and pushed up, toppling Stephen off him and onto his ass. With lightning speed, he was straddling Stephen’s hips, sinking down on Stephen’s cock.
Tony’s head flung backwards, hands clawed on the back of Stephen’s neck, a man possessed as he rode him. Stephen helped where he could, thrusting his hips up, wrapping a hand around Tony’s cock and stroking it in time with Tony’s enthusiastic bouncing.
‘Not…gonna,’ Tony shouted, body trembling.
‘I’m here,’ Stephen brought Tony’s mouth down to his, thrusting his tongue inside, swirling his thumb over the leaking cock. ‘I’m here, Tony, come for me, let me take care of you.’
Nails drew blood on the back of his neck as Tony reached climax, his come spilling between the two of them, scalding Stephen’s skin. Stephen was seconds behind, Tony’s body jerking his orgasm from him as he clenched around him, the way he flopped forward helpless, trusting Stephen to catch him. It called to a primal part of him, the carnal part as he felt his cum go deep inside Tony’s body, claiming him.
He held Tony close to him, their heartbeats thundering together as he calmed him with tender words.
‘I love you,’ he promised him, over and over.
Tony was lost to slumber, wincing as Stephen pulled out from his body. Tugging down the bedcovers, Stephen manoeuvred them both into bed, clearing the mess with a spell.
‘FRIDAY?’ Stephen brought Tony’s head up to his chest, entangling their legs.
‘Yes, Doctor Strange?’
‘Can you make sure Tony’s not disturbed? Unless it’s an emergency.’
‘Of course, sleep well.’
Tony spoke in his sleep, shifting closer, pushing his head under Stephen’s neck.
‘Sleep, darling, I’ll be here,’ Stephen soothed.
***
Tony peered at his ceiling, his brain foggy as he tried to make sense of the last few hours. There was movement in the bed next to him and he held his breathing, trying not to wake Stephen. The wizard didn’t wake, wrapping his arm over Tony’s stomach and tugging him closer to his own body in sleep.
He knew it was too early to be awake and despite the warmth he felt from his partner, how easy it’d be to nestle back into his embrace he found himself wriggling free and swinging his feet over the edge of the bed.
Everything was too intense for him to handle.
He snatched up his boxers from the floor, shuffling around for an old t-shirt before taking a long, lingering look at Stephen stretched out in the bed. He reached down to pull the covers over him and crept out of the bedroom. Moving down the hallway he smiled his thanks at FRIDAY keeping the lights dim as she illuminated the way to the kitchen.
‘Thanks, sweetheart,’ he whispered, picking up his waiting coffee.
FRIDAY didn’t answer, knowing she didn’t need to.
He padded over to his couch, folding his legs under him and sitting.
It’d been a long time since he’d simply stopped like this.
Drinking from his mug, he looked up, imagining all his burdens being severed from him, free to escape like balloons with their strings cut. Leaving Tony…empty…but free.
Was it that easy to let all that emotional burden simply slide from his shoulders?
He’d kept that ridiculous thought of needing to help them in his head, ignoring Pepper, Rhodey and Stephen, their urges that he move on, that he let Steve and Wanda handle things themselves.
‘You did everything you could,’ a voice told him. Tony glanced up, spitting out his coffee and spilling the rest over himself.
‘Holy fuck! Are you dead?’
‘Hmm? Oh, you’ve not seen my astral body, apologies.’
‘Say what now?’ Tony shook his hands free of the scalding coffee, not paying attention to how it burnt his skin, used to minor burns.
‘My body,’ Stephen’s ghost tilted his head to the bedroom, ‘is in there, resting. This is my astral form, a projection of my consciousness.’
‘Right…’
‘You should be sleeping.’ Stephen’s astral ghost came to float beside him, rolling his eyes as Tony swiped a hand through him.
‘How come you’ve not shown me this before?’ Tony got up, heading back into the kitchen to retrieve a damp cloth, wiping the excess coffee off himself.
‘I haven’t needed to.’
‘How’d you know I was out here if your…if your body is still asleep?’
Stephen’s ghost looked sheepish, gaze averted.
‘When I went to sleep, I projected my consciousness, so I could keep an eye on you while you slept.’
Something ridiculously sappy unfurled in his chest and a huge smile broke out on his face, the giddy feeling only spreading as Stephen floated closer and put his hands on Tony’s face, peering down at him.
He knew, regardless of the agony of the day before, the confusion he felt on how to handle it, that Stephen was something he wanted. That this was something he needed.
He placed his hands over Stephen’s. ‘You think we can do this? You think you can do this?’
‘I’ve never wanted anything more, Tony.’ Stephen smiled at him.
‘I’m not boyfriend material. I loved Pepper, or I thought I did, she’s my best friend, my family, that hasn’t changed, but I couldn’t give up Iron Man for her, my obsessions. I’m gonna…I’m gonna fuck up.’
‘Then you fuck up,’ Stephen chuckled, ‘And you make it up to me and remember that at times I’m going to fuck up too.’
Tony’s gaze fell, uncertain. No one stuck around, he couldn’t make anyone happy. Every time he tried…
‘I know you’re going to get distracted by your tinkering. That you have meetings with the Stark Industries board, and the Avengers and about a billion other people. There are going to be fancy parties for you to attend, which are going to be insufferably boring. I know all this going in. I don’t want you to give up who you are for me.’
Tony’s head moved at that, lifting fractionally towards Stephen.
‘You did the right thing, now it’s time to move on. Rogers and Maximoff, they can’t give you what you want. Pepper, Peter, me, you belong with us, Tony.’
Tony felt some of the tendrils surrounding him beginning to fade, finally breathing a little easier. The hurt from not receiving any recognition from Steve, from still not getting the acceptance he so desperately craved, faded. He knew in time it would go, but for now it was still raw.
‘I think… I love you too, Doctor Strange.’
‘I can’t tell you how…ecstatic that makes me, Tony.’
The words finally made Tony look up, startling at the tears in Stephen’s eyes, making Tony’s water in response. Stephen leant down, pressing a kiss to his head and then resting his head on top of Tony’s.
‘I’m sorry I was such an ass,’ Stephen whispered into his hair.
‘Can you stay with me today?’ Tony brought his hands up to rest on Stephen’s chest.
The projection was silent, and Tony could feel his body grow stiff with anxiety and he quickly tried to save face.
‘You don’t have too, I understand if you need to get back, the Sanctum needs protecting.’
‘Tony,’ his head was encouraged to lift, a kiss pressed against his mouth. ‘It’s not that, I would like nothing more than to wake up with you.’
‘But?’ Tony prompted.
Stephen didn’t offer anything else, his gaze boring into Tony’s.
‘What’s going on?’
‘My hands,’ Stephen offered.
‘Are freaking magical, why haven’t you done that before? It felt fucking amazing,’ Tony smiled, feeling it slide from his face as Stephen wouldn’t meet his eyes. ‘Don’t you like doing it? Was that why?’
‘No,’ Stephen snapped. ‘You’re aware I was in an accident, well while they function for the most part the trembling isn’t something that will go away in the conceivable future.’
Tony frowned, feeling the not trembling hands stroke over his skin. He recalled all the times previous.
‘What have you done?’
‘I was fearful, perhaps foolishly that they would put you off, that I wouldn’t be able to bring you pleasure. I can divert energy into them to make them stop, but the payment is steep. It is magic I haven’t quite perfected yet and while I had been getting better after every time with you and practising in my spare time-’
‘Stephen, what happens?’ Tony demanded.
‘The pain is crippling,’ Stephen said with a resigned sigh.
‘Why the hell would you do that?’ Tony whispered.
‘I just explained.’
‘Yeah, yeah, yeah I got that. I don’t give a damn if your hands shake. Oh god,’ Tony felt his stomach lurch. ‘That’s why you used magic, not because you didn’t want to touch me.’
‘There’s nothing I’ve wanted more than to take you apart with my fingers inside you,’ Stephen purred, pulling Tony impossibly closer.
‘Stop it,’ Tony smacked his palm on Stephen’s chest. ‘Damn it, I don’t want you to do that if you hurt later, that’s not what this is about, we can do other things.’
Tony couldn’t believe what he was hearing, his mind revaluating everything he knew about Stephen, looking back over all their sexual encounters with the entire truth now.
Stephen was insecure. Past the confident façade he hadn’t been able to believe Tony Stark would want him, and then when he had a shot at being with him, if only in a sexual way, he’d taken it. Even then he’d still hid away.
They really were messed up. Both of them.
‘Tony, I wanted to do it, the pain will get easier to bear and one day I’ll be able to prepare you without needing any energy. I’ll be alright.’
‘Why do you have to be so stubborn about everything? Let me make something to help.’
Stephen huffed a laugh. ‘My gloves already help on really bad days. I’ll take painkillers when I get back and force my body to sleep.’
‘Oh, is that all? Right, come on, then.’ Tony pushed Stephen away.
‘Wait what?’
‘We’re going to sleep at the Sanctum, that way you can get your medicine and I can help you. I’ll help Wong guard it while you rest,’ Tony walked to the bedroom. ‘FRIDAY? Call Wong and tell him I need help moving a stubborn wizard.’
‘Tony, we don’t need to-’
‘Ah, ah, Wong? Can you open a portal to Stephen? Like, can you sense his energy or something? Open one straight into his bed, I’ll shove his naked ass through.’
‘You don’t need to do this, Tony,’ Stephen protested.
‘Are you my boyfriend or not?’
‘Well, in a manner of speaking.’
‘Shut up then and help me push you onto your bed, honestly… I might be shit at relationships but even I know you help the people you love. Let’s get your painkillers and then you can sleep it off, you can make it up to me later.’
Tony kind of liked it that he wasn’t the only one with issues.
***
Stephen leant against the doorframe of the Sanctum’s kitchen, watching as Tony and Peter designed, their fingers dancing over one of Tony’s tablets, throwing calculations at each other. The Cloak looked at the schematics from the top of Tony’s head, leaning up to meet Stephen’s gaze, looking back down and shrugging, wrapping itself on Tony’s back.
Tony reached back to stroke a palm over it absentmindedly as he listened to Peter’s proposed changes, nodding along as he bit into one of cinnamons buns he brought by earlier.
If you’d told Stephen this is where he would be, nearly a year after meeting Iron Man, he would have scoffed and then ripped you to shreds with a scathing verbal reprimand. He felt only what he could simply describe as happiness as he watched them.
The months following Captain America’s pardon hadn’t been easy, Tony had clung to him and had required reassurance almost daily.
I saw Stark’s fear, I knew it would control him, make him self-destruct.
Stephen had yet to decide what he was going to do with Maximoff, but it was an issue that needed addressing. He too had seen Tony’s fear manifest, the anguish Tony had undergone when the Avengers didn’t reform, Rogers not returning to the compound.
He’d been there to stop Tony’s pain from turning inward, helping him focus on building a new team, to carry on being a mentor to Peter and to take pleasure in being in a relationship again. As time passed and Tony’s interest in having Roger’s approval waned, Tony began to enjoy life again.
The enjoyment spread to a renewed vigour in their relationship, which Stephen was only too happy to indulge in.
He shifted against the frame, the pain in his lower back from their earlier activities making itself known.
‘Would you look at that. It appears the Sorcerer Supreme can have a family and still do his job,’ Wong teased as he breezed past, picking his latte up from the table and sitting across from the engineers.
‘It would appear so,’ Stephen whispered, winking as Tony glanced up at him, delighting at the faint blush covering Tony’s cheeks.
The End
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