Chapter Text
'It's not enough to be against something. You have to be for something better.' -Tony Stark, Captain America: Civil War
⚠Horror(?)/Gore/Heavy descriptions of strangulation⚠
.・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。.
"Who the fuck are you? " Tony snaps, making the entity laugh. It was too deep and it made Tony's skin crawl in what he can only define as.... Fear? " S u c h language! We are the s a m e . " The thing's wings brush up against his and suddenly he couldn't move. Everything around him was pitch black. Stephen was no longer there and neither was the entity. Tony let's out a breath. His body wouldn't listen to him, he had to will himself past the fear and face the front. The entity was right there... They almost touched nose to nose. Tony held in a scream. His breathing weaves.
"W-we are not that same, " Tony mutters, not helping to stutter at the first word. The entity, if it could, only smiled more in response. " W e are more a l i k e than you t h i n k we are. There are m a n y of us all around. W e are just mere c o p i e s of the original, " The entity cups Tony's cheek, preventing him from shying away. "What do you want? " Tony asks, a glare now set on his features. The entity tilts it's head. "I think we b o t h know that a n s w e r, " it said with its wings expanding outwards. They were ripped up and dark black as the primaries are a dark blood red. The more Tony stared, the more he saw what the entity means. It's him. This entity is a Tony Stark. It seemed to see the realization as it's eyebrows rise in glee. They soon fall after Tony says, "You will never have the stone. "
The entity grabs him by the throat and raises him from the ground. Tony's sword crashes to the ground as his hands rise to the meet the ones that are perfectly squeezing his arteries. Its head twitched fastly side to side before it lowers Tony to eye level. "I think w e have a misunderstanding h e r e-" its hand grew tighter, and Tony could help but choke out and try to breathe. Was he going to die? How was that possible?! "- I'm n o t a s k i n g. " Tony's eyes water as they roll up, his feet thrashing but hitting nothing. He is starting to black out. He was going to get killed. He was going to fail. His mouth wide open. He couldn't think of anything else but his failure.
Then he was suddenly let go and hit the floor with a desperate gasp. He gulped the air around him and coughed out blood that came from his bitten tongue. His face smashed on the ground with a force that was produced by a foot on his back. His hair roughly grabbed and tilted up to the entities' terrifying features. Its blackened fingers scratch the side of his face, making Tony croak out a small yell. It looked like it was about to say something before it growled in obvious displeasure.
Golden whips lash out and grab Tony's darker version by its arms and drags it back with a stronger force. The being let's out a screech. Tony let's his head fall as he barely let's his eyes stay open. He saw.... he softly mutters, "S-Stephen? " Tony didn't think... Maybe... Tony saw Stephen run up with the being no longer there. Then... He saw darkness as Stephen fell to his knees and grabbed for him.
Stephen held onto Tony with panicked breaths. His hands hovering around the purple and black deep pressured bruises that was shaped as handprints around Tony's neck and held his other cheek that wasn't oozing blood from five long deep abrasions. "T-Tony! Hey, open your eyes. Come on! Damn it! " Stephen snapped as his vision blurred. He couldn't think and he could hardly breathe. Stephen couldn't heal... He didn't know how yet, and he hates himself for waiting so long to learn it. He hates himself for taking so long to breach the wall that the demonic creation had created around his Anthony. His breath caught. His? No. He couldn't even protect Tony and now his brain registers his worth?! Pathetic.
"Stay calm. While he is still breathing, he needs help Stephen. You know where to go. " Stephen looked up and all around him. He knew the voice belonged to the Soul Stone herself. He didn't even register that he had gotten up and lifted Tony into his arms with tears freely flowing down his face. The portal opens to his hospital. This felt.... Familiar.
-
Everything hurts. That was what first comes into Tony's brain. His throat felt as if it was crushed, his cheek was cut off, and his noise endlessly bleeding. Though... Logically he knew that wasn't the case as everything came back to him in a rush that made him groan with unnecessary pain. "Hey... Hey it's okay, you're safe. " Tony's pulse quickened at the voice. He felt hope.
He cracked open his eyes and through his blurred vision he found Stephen hovering over him with a soft relieved smile. Tony felt a small smile form. It must be the medicine they've gave him.... Right? "Stephen-? " Tony said, it was barely there but somehow the sorcerer heard it. Tony couldn't believe his eyes as Stephen's own eyes started to water. "Hey Anthony. It's okay, I'm here, " Stephen said, his voice strong despite what his eye's was showing.
Stephen must of saw the look on Tony's face and said, " Whatever that was got away. It knew about me and what I could do for some reason. It said, " Soul will know when it's time to intervene. ". It also said it was going after other protectors, but I thought there was only you. " Tony's good mood fell. His eyes look to the right and saw a note pad. He pointed to it. "Right, " Stephen wipes his eyes and grabs the note pad as he softly hands it over. Their fingers brush and keep still for a second. Tony grabs his hands softly as Stephen lets the pad fall on the bed spread. "Tony? " Stephen asks.
Tony pulls him down and before Stephen could refuse, Tony pulls him into a surprisingly strong hug. The sorcerer froze for a split second before he hugs back. They both sank in the feeling. Tony could feel his soul brighten with glee and strengthen in hope. It felt good. Tony knew and felt as Stephen's soul grew stronger but also at the same time sang despair. Tony felt the pain in his body slowly fade away as his soul grew brighter. "Stephen. It's okay. I forgive you. " Stephen tensed. "Are you high? " Stephen asks, making Tony hit him over the head with the note pad. Stephen shys away with a yelp. "Ow! I'm just wondering! -" he pauses. "- I don't want to do anything if you're not in control of your own actions and feelings. "
Tony smiles as he sits up. Stephen springs but froze for the third time as Tony's wings spread. "The brighter my soul is, the faster I heal. My throat isn't that g-good yet... But I'm okay, and... I'm sorry for leaving you that night-" Stephen pulled Tony into a kiss. The Soul Stone protector felt at home as he sank into the feeling. Stephen felt it too. He knew from his soul; the despair was slowly dying out.
"I leave you alone for 5 fucking minutes. " Tony and Stephen separate quickly as a female voice fills the room. Stephen cleared his throat," Christine! Uh... Hi." Christine gives him a 'no bullshit' look. Tony smiles softly with a real feeling of happiness for the first time in a long time.
"Hi. Want to explain what the fuck is going on? The last time I saw you, you almost died, " Christine said with crossed arms. Tony's happiness fades once more into horror. "YOU WHAT?! "
-
"So... You're a protector of a very powerful stone that is one of the six cosmic forces in the universe and now you're being threatened by another version of yourself? " Christine asks. Tony and Stephen look at each other before looking back. "Yeah, " Tony said softly, clearly struggling with the wraps around his throat that the female doctor made him wear. Christine rubs her temples before she sighs. "Look. I've known you from before and I know you now. Whatever that thing is, and it's you from what you're telling me, then there has to be some way to get rid of it, " Christine said.
"There is. I have to find the other protectors of the other stones from the other universes, " Tony wrote on the paper he was given. (He was only allowed to speak every five minutes. Even though he said he was healed but that woman is scary.) Stephen looks at it before looking up. "You want to travel the multiverse? " He asked with a warely look. "It's the only way. With the power of all six infinity Stones and their protectors we can stop him for good. " Stephen looked a bit worried but seemed to grasp the concept.
"But didn't the thing want the other protectors? Why would you bring them to it? " Christine asks. Tony tapped his pencil against the pad. "I... I have a feeling that I'm gaining memories from another me. The one from the main stream timeline. The one that was ment to be. I just... I have this pull to gather them and fight the demonic me on his turf, " Tony said.
Stephen looks down and thought before he nods. "It might work... But it also might cause a rift in the multiverse causing it to collapse. What you want to do is going to seriously effect the timeline, but if you think it's the best course of action then I can help you get started, " Stephen said, getting to his feet. Christine and Tony did the same (except Tony got help from Stephen of course).
"Look, whatever you too are going to do. I believe it'll be right, but just be careful. If what you told me is true then whatever is out there is way different than what's here. "
-
Tony felt his armour form around him and his sword fade into his hand for him to inspect. Soul herself was sitting in a soft chair in one of the santorum's many rooms. Though it did look a bit weird for her to be in the physical world as it is. "You're thinking too much. What's worrying you? " Soul asks.
Tony let's his sword fade. "Am I doing the right thing? " he asks. Soul took a second before smiling. "That's for you to decide my child, and only time will tell if you did. Though, in my personal opinion I think it'll be great for you to meet others that are like you. Just be mindful that they never had the same story as you, " Soul said, up just as Stephen opens the door to the room.
"I know who this other me is, " Tony said. Stephen pauses. "I didn't recognize him, but now I know. I've traveled the multiverse before and I got an area that was drenched in despair. It made me choke.... "
°-
Tony choked on the thick feelings that only belonged to one soul. His own soul reacted in turn. Tony walked closed to the man who was sitting on the floor with white wings.
When Tony got closer, the soul in front of him sharply turned around, and that made them both freeze in place. It was almost like looking into a mirror. They both have the same proportions and hair. Tony found another version of himself, but what this alternative version holds himself in is something that Tony has never seen before.
"Why... Why do you look like me? " the other asked. Tony let's his sword fade at the site of how the other looked. There was obviously a sharp object of some sort that has pierced through his reflections heart. "That's because I am you but from another reality, " Tony said, making his way over once the other has calmed down enough to let his guard down. They both now sat side by side. "Wait, really? How is that possible? "
From there started a wonderful relationship between the two realities. Everytime Tony had time, he would visit the other. Though everytime it only seemed to bring the reflection more wounds. It went from blue lines that decorated a puzzle around the others, next to torn up arms and legs, and then a wound in his left side that looked like it would forever bleed. "I keep getting sent back and dying.... Can you please help me stop this? Why can't I be left in peace? " Tony didn't know how to respond, but only to reassure the other that he's looking.
Though, Tony knew it was impossible to stop a fixed point in time.
The last time Tony saw the other was when another revival was about to happen. The other had a new wound that left blood flowing from his head. Tony walks up to see the other with a conflicted look. "You really couldn't find anything yet? " the other asked. Tony shook his head in response. "I'm sorry my friend. " The reflection's face scrunched up as tears ran down his face and he suddenly fades away once again.
Tony didn't bother to show up once again with another lie of false hope.
°-
"That's what he became. This is all my fault. If I just stayed with him then maybe he wouldn't have turned into that-" Stephen pulled Tony into a hug. "-Whatever this thing is, it isn't the one you used to know. He's been corrupted and no longer feels anything but hate, " Stephen said softly. Tony breathes out. They both part and look at each other.
"I have to go, " Tony said regretfully. Stephen smiled sadly. "I know. " They both leaned in and shared a kiss. Tony hopes it isn't their last one.
-
Tony looks back as Stephen sends his goodbye. "For now, come back, I still have a lot to show you, " Stephen winked. Tony rolls his eyes Halfheartly. "I will, " Tony said, taking his sword out to create a temporary rift. "You promise? " Stephen asked suddenly.
Tony paused. Everything in his soul and even Soul herself was telling him not to promise him something that they probably couldn't keep. Tony smiled to himself and created the rift.
"I promise. "
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Tony opens his eyes to the new area and looks around him. Other versions of himself surround him. "Let's get this over with.... Shall we? "
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The Soul Stones' Protector Will Return.
Thank you for reading, get ready for the other protectors story's! Up next is The Power Stone Protector, get ready for an Angsty Ride! I also want to thank everyone for their support! I really didn't expect this to get as much love as it has... Thank you.
-N. 67/ThatOneKidWhoWrites