Chapter Text
As the lords and ladies of the First Class got settled in their cabins, gossip of Anthony Stark’s arrival aboard the ship that morning had already started to spread like wildfire. Ladies whispered to their mothers behind silk fans and men grumbled while sipping brandy, all talking about the reclusive billionaire, seemingly come out of hiding with his new omega husband on his arm. While some of the First Class had arrived with pure bred animals or scores of trunks, Stephen and Tony Stark had boarded in quite a modest fashion, with only two large trunks and a cheery maid in tow.
Stark’s new husband was himself rather modest, the only peculiar thing about him physically was his height. Stark may have been small for an alpha, but he wouldn’t have been hard pressed to find an omega to tower over, and yet this was the second omega he had wed who was of unusual height. But other than his height, the omega was slim and had striking cheekbones and full lips. Some had gotten a good look at his eyes and remarked that they were a pale blue, which had almost looked colorless in the light reflected off the grand ship. He wore a simple suit, tailored to fit an omega man with bits of lace around the cuffs and wider pant legs than his alpha husband’s. A wide brimmed hat sat on his short wavy brown hair.
Tony had looped his arm with Stephen’s and hadn’t even stopped to greet his fellow elite. He had been far too engaged with explaining every fascinating bit of engineering to the quiet omega on his arm. Stephen had listened intently to his ramblings and even answered with questions or observations of his own, pointing out certain parts of the ship with an elegant gloved hand.
The Starks had departed to their own grand suite shortly after boarding, not waiting on deck to see the ship off like many of the other passengers. And they hadn’t joined in on the welcome luncheon with a commencement speech by the Captain. Their absence had only increased the gossip as the aristocrats sat for tea and cigars.
The last big social event Anthony Stark had been at had been almost two years before the Titanic pulled away from Southampton harbor that April morning. And anyone who could read body language could tell that his first marriage was on the rocks during that night. Steve Rogers Stark had looked impeccable as ever that evening, a towering Adonis with gelled back golden hair, but his bright blue eyes had looked tired and he and Stark had barely glanced at each other. Steve had even retired early that night, excusing himself to their room at the hotel that was hosting the event long before his husband joined him. Tony had been uncharacteristically quiet for the rest of the evening and had been all too eager to accept glasses of brandy offered to him. In a month’s time the New York social world would be rocked with the news that he and his husband would be divorcing, and the rumors exploded. There was talk of infidelity on both sides, of Stark wanting a child from Rogers that he couldn’t give him. The stories got as wild as people’s imaginations would take them, but one common character was a man named James Buchanan Barnes.
Steve Rogers had been a revolutionary figure and inspiration for omegas in his younger years when he had served in the military, as much as a he could as an omega, before meeting Tony at an Army function and being swept off his feet. Prior to meeting Stark though, a beta who went by the name of Bucky Barnes had been Rogers’ closest friend and there were whispers about the two running off when the marriage to one of the world’s richest men became unbearable. Since then, Stark had seemingly only left his regal New York home to attend to his energy business and the rumors over him and Rogers had quickly became old news when a young omega daughter of a renowned Baron had run off with the family’s alpha female butler.
Then the wedding announcement had been placed in the New York Post without much fanfare. Anthony Stark had managed to snag another omega, despite his seclusive ways. This meant that he had once again married someone below his station and everyone had been curious of his new husband. But the wedding had been brief, just a meeting before a Justice at City Hall and then they had sped away from New York on a small ocean liner to an Italian honeymoon. The elite were hungry to meet this newcomer into their world, this Stephen Strange, now Stephen Stark. And they knew that the Starks could not hide away in their suite the entire journey. It was only a matter of time before they would be forced to mingle and hopefully then, people get their answers.
****
Stephen Stark meanwhile was resting on the bed in one of the grandest suites on the Titanic, trying to convince his husband that he was far too seasick and couldn’t possibly join him for dinner.
Tony Stark meanwhile, searched through his trunk for his cufflinks and scoffed at his pathetic looking husband strewn on their bed. “Don’t be ridiculous, you felt fine on the sad little excuse for a ship that we crossed over the Atlantic on. This ship is about 50 times bigger than that one, there is no detectable rocking whatsoever, seasickness is nigh impossible.”
Stephen suddenly sat up, propped up on his forearms, “Are you saying I am a liar?” He grabbed a plush pillow and threw it at his husband, smug when it bounced off his head.
Tony abandoned the search for his cufflinks and turned to the omega on the bed, letting on a growl as he grabbed Stephen by his ankles and dragged the other man down, Stephen letting out a squeak of surprise. Tony climbed up to lay on his side next to his husband and took the omega’s jaw in hand, laying a kiss on his smiling lips. “No Stephen, I don’t think you are lying, but I think your very real nausea may have something to do with the people who are going to do be at dinner. And quite frankly all those worries are ridiculous, they like to bite sure, but they have no teeth. Some of them so ancient they literally have no teeth. They can talk all they want, but it’ll do no harm.”
Tony’s hand settled down on Stephen’s stomach and the alpha glanced down at the flat expanse of the omega’s body. “Unless you think the nausea may be because of something else? Barring seasickness of course, which need I remind you, is an impossibility.” Tony’s thumb stroked Stephen’s belly.
Stephen grabbed up Tony’s hand with his and he held it tightly. He was an unusual omega in many ways, and it was especially out of the ordinary for him to make it to the age of 40 without having a baby, but omegas were able to conceive and carry well into their 40s without too much complication, unlike beta females. Stephen may have had a little grey in his hair, but one of the best doctors whose focus was omega biology had given Stephen a clean bill of health and saw no reason why his heats shouldn’t yield a conception. Tony wanted a child, that much was true, someone to pass his knowledge on to, not to mention the family business. But they had been clear on the matter, they had spent a marvelous heat together on their honeymoon in a private villa in Italy but they would be content if they remained childless. Tony joked that if push came to shove, he’d have Jarvis, the loyal Stark butler, pick up a New York street urchin and dust him off and stick the last name of Stark on him.
“We have to wait and see, love. It is early yet,” said Stephen and Tony smiled assuredly at him, turning their clasped hands over so Tony could kiss the top of Stephen’s hand, his lips separated from Stephen’s skin by a white silk glove. “Are you planning to wear them the entire journey?”
“Don’t be absurd,” said Stephen with a scoff, “I have more than pair.”
Tony giggled and sighed, “You know you’re only going to attract more attention to your hands that way right?”
“The way you talk about this crowd, I doubt they would notice I never go without gloves. Maybe they’ll think me fashionable. All the omegas could start copying me.”
Tony make a mock shocked face, putting his hand on his chest, “What is this? Stephen Strange Stark acting all superior? How out of character.”
Stephen gave his husband a playful little shove saying, “Like you’re one to talk, you self-proclaimed genius.”
“Self-proclaimed? There were a team of professors who proclaimed me a genius! You take that back—wait no the only option is for me to fight for my honor!”
Tony leaned over and started tickling the omega who started thrashing back and forth laughing. Tony started kissing up Stephen’s long neck and was thinking maybe they could have dinner brought down to them but then their maid politely knocked on the door and the alpha rolled off the bed onto to his feet calling her in.
“Excuse me kind sirs, but I have Mr. Stephen’s outfit all laid out in the parlor for him to put on,” said Friday in her pleasant Irish accent. The maid’s real name was Bridget, but she had insisted on going by Friday explaining that her first employer in New York was an old lady who had different maids come in on different days, saying that a change in faces at least gave her the illusion of going out, but she never bothered to learn their names, just calling them by the day they came in. When Stephen had first met her after marrying Tony he had tried to insist on calling her by her Christian name but she had waved him off, saying she barely answered to the name anymore.
“Well, Mr. Stark,” said Tony to his husband, “What do you say? You want to make an entrance they’ll remember?” Stephen looked at him skeptically before sighing and taking his hand, “I don’t think I have a choice do I?”
****
Of course they had made the room fall silent when they walked in, Tony in his coat and tails and Stephen in an evening gown and long white gloves. Stephen hoped he wasn’t blushing too hard as they were led to their table by a steward. Tony took the attention in great stride and looked around the room with an indifferent cheerful look on his face as he strode up and pulled a chair out for his husband.
Tony knew quite a few many people in the room and he was sure they would make their way over to speak to him in due time, but for the moment they had sat with a nervous young alpha banker and his beta wife and an older French omega female actress who was proud to say that she was unbonded and was traveling alone. She didn’t seem overly impressed with the Starks and Stephen was relieved to strike up polite conversation with her on the latest pieces of literature that were in fashion.
The Starks were able to get through a course of their meal before various characters started making their way towards the newlyweds’ table. There came business associates and old friends of Tony’s father, Howard. They all kissed Stephen on his hand and asked for information on how the two met and Tony merely waved them off by saying it was through his charity work. Stephen found all the introductions quite dull and repetitive, but he agreed for a short time on the dance floor, spinning around in waltz after waltz along with the soft keen of the violins. The men and the occasional alpha female asked their pleasantries and Stephen gushed about their time in Italy and how impressed he was by the ship. Many a partner walked off disappointed that his past was still a mystery in their eyes and they collected no new tidbits for fresh gossip. He wasn’t a known figure in their social circles, but he carried himself well enough amongst them, so who was he?
They would get nothing more out of them when Stephen whispered to Tony something and Tony turned back to those gathered among them and said that he would like to get his husband some fresh air and then retire. They departed briskly and let speculation about the omega being in a “delicate condition” in their wake.
Stephen and Tony didn’t care though as they walked along the deck arm and arm, Stephen wearing a thick fur coat and Tony with his top hat on. They stopped to look out at the stars and quizzed each other on constellations and other astronomical trivia before the cold drove them inside.
They expected to find Friday back in their suite but found it empty, but it was no matter, they simply rang for a steward to bring them a tea set. Stephen had told her she would be free to explore the ship when they were at dinner, and she had said she knew someone staying in steerage. They rid themselves of their coats and hats and sat at the table with their reading material, enjoying each other’s quiet company, only broken by the two of them reading passages that they found of interest to each other.
The tranquility was broken though when the door banged open and Friday came running in, her curly black hair having fallen out of her bun and was hanging around her face, “Sirs! Please come quickly there’s been an attack down in Third Class!”
Stephen was on his feet before Tony and throwing on a modest overcoat and lacing up his boots. He told Friday to lead the way and Tony was scrambling to make himself look presentable before following after them.
The party strode down hallways and stairwells and started to get more and more odd looks as they journeyed deeper into the belly of the ship.
Finally Friday diverted into a hallway, slipping past families speaking all kinds of languages and ducked her way into a cabin. Stephen and Tony followed her in and were met with the image of Friday leaning down to a speak to a young woman sitting on the bottom bunk. Friday looked back at them to say that the young woman had grown up a county over from Friday in Ireland and their families had known each other.
“Don’t worry Kathy, I’ve brought a doctor,” assured Friday.
Stephen blushed a little at that, because he had not been considered a doctor in a while. To be honest, many had never considered him a doctor, just an omega playing at being a doctor. Nonetheless he walked further in the and asked what was amiss with the young lady.
“Oh no, it’s not me you need to be seeing to, Doc, it’s young Peter here,” said the young woman who gestured to a young man that the Starks had not noticed at first, laying against the wall on the bottom bunk.
Stephen traded places with Kathy and sat down next to the boy, looking him over. He was holding his left arm tenderly to his chest and the other arm was holding a blooded handkerchief to his cheek. “What happened here?” asked Stephen as he removed the handkerchief and observed the wound, gesturing for the young man to inch a little into the light. He was cute and slim, with floppy brown hair and big wide brown eyes.
“I got cornered by a couple of alphas,” grumbled the boy in an English accent. “They didn’t like it when I rebuked their advances and we had a bit of a scuffle before Misses Kathy and Friday came to my aid.”
“Well good on you and the young ladies,” said Tony, “Now do I need to go and get the authorities to deal with these ruffians?”
Peter shook his head, “No one’s going to care about us down in steerage, they expect fights to break out and any omega caught up in something just wasn’t being careful enough.” Tony wanted to protest, say that they might listen to him, but he just shut his mouth in a grim line.
Stephen looked over the young man as Tony sat on the opposite bunk next to Friday and felt completely useless as Stephen got to work. Stephen declared that the arm was just sprained and not broken and he would need a shirt or a sheet he could tear about apart to fashion a sling. Kathy ran off to see who would be willing to part with one. He asked Tony to fashion some disinfectant together out of water, salt and vinegar and Tony was happy to have a mission. He found that the steerage passengers were happy to let the charming, handsome alpha borrow their items.
After the alpha had returned, Stephen prepared the mixture in a bowl and dabbed a cloth into it and cleaned Peter’s wound thoroughly.
The omega patient stared up at the other omega nervously with wide brown eyes, “You know what you’re doing right? You’re really a doctor?”
“I used to be, or the powers that be used to entertain me and let me call myself a doctor, despite being a feeble omega.”
“Yes, he’s a doctor,” said Tony before he bent forward with a flask that Stephen didn’t recognize and handed it over to Peter telling him, “Drink up kid, it’ll numb the pain.” Stephen arched an eyebrow at Tony, “Where did you get that?”
Tony answered him with a shrug, “What I’m funny, handsome and charming, people like me, they give me stuff.” Stephen grumbled back that “all those things are debatable.”
Tony looked mock offended, “Didn’t you marry me because of those attributes?”
“Don’t be ridiculous dear, I married you for your money,” said Stephen, making Peter laugh.
Stephen manufactured a bandage out of the remaining scraps of the shirt Kathy had brought him after he had assembled a sling and finally declared Peter doctored, “Viola, finished! By the time we push past the Statue of Liberty you’ll be right as rain.”
“Thank you Doctor…huh what did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t,” said Stephen, “But it’s Mr. Stark these days, or just Stephen.”
“Stark?” said the boy, “Do you know Tony Stark?”
Stephen laughed and said, “All too well.” Tony leaned down and waved at Peter saying “Hi there.”
Peter was starstruck, not having gotten a good look at the alpha’s face, not that he could recognize Tony immediately anyway, he’d only seen his picture a few times in the paper. He brought a hand up to his mouth and said, “Oh my goodness, sir, I love reading about your work! It’s amazing, I want to be an engineer so badly.”
“Lofty goals for an omega,” said Stephen but Tony just replied, “So’s being a doctor, and look at you. Anyway it’s 1912, it’s time to stop making omegas hide away just so they can have babies.”
Peter started to ramble at Tony about some design for a power plant that Tony had been behind and Tony had been taken slightly aback at how knowledgeable the boy was. They talked enthusiastically about new advances in science, while Stephen sat down on the opposite bunk, content to just listen.
But then a cough from the door drew their attention. It was Friday, looking sheepish, “So sorry sirs, but the others in this cabin would like to get ready for bed.”
“Ah,” said Stephen, “Your family?”
Peter shook his head, “No, I’m traveling alone. Going to join my aunt in New York.”
“Alone? An omega shouldn’t travel alone, especially in such tight quarters,” said Stephen. “I know you are a smart boy who can handle himself, but it makes me sick to think you could be hurt again without anyone looking out for you.”
“Yeah, I agree with my husband,” said Tony as he stood there thinking before coming up with a solution. “Why don’t you come up and stay in our suite? You can take the couch, it’s probably just as comfortable as this bunk.”
“Oh no I couldn’t inconvenience you!”
“You wouldn’t be at all,” said Stephen. “You could distract my husband with your science talk when I want a moment’s peace.”
Tony gave Peter a shrewd look, “Did you hear that? It’s supposed to be my honeymoon and he already wants to shove me off on others.”
“And as a doctor,” said Stephen ignoring Tony’s remark, “It would make me such more comfortable to know you aren’t in danger. So please accept our invitation.”
The boy looked conflicted, obviously not wanting to burden himself onto this kind couple, but an upgrade from Third to First Class was almost irresistible, especially now that he had an injured arm. And getting to spend more time around his idol was also very appealing. “Okay,” he weakly agreed.
“Excellent! Now let’s get back up the suite before something else can drag us away. It is far past my bedtime” said Tony, slinging an arm around Stephen’s back and pulling him towards the door.
“Come on, Pete, I’ll help you get settled in,” said Friday, grabbing Peter’s bag and the few possessions, “You’re going to like Mr. Stephen and Tony, I’ve never seen rich married folk quite like them.”
“How so?”
“Well they are very much in love, highly unusual for people of their station.”
****
Having Peter with them made the next couple of days much more enjoyable, especially because humoring the teenage omega gave them an excuse not to be social. The downside was when they did go out, Stephen laid out on a deck chair while Tony and Peter poured over some new journals in engineering, they of course sparked new rumors about the omega’s identity. The most popular was that he was a bastard son of Tony’s that he had spirited away to some British boarding school and the billionaire was now fetching him to train him up to be his heir. The trio took great delight in hearing the latest drivel they came up with.
The night after they had invited Peter to stay, Tony watched Stephen butter a scone for the boy, since his left arm still ached. The omegas were chatting and laughing over seeing a particularly sour faced aristocratic lady who had stuck up her nose at them trip over a deck chair and go sprawling earlier that evening. Tony couldn’t help but feel very content, the first time in a long time, and he desperately didn’t want their time together to end. So, like always, his mind started to plan.
But despite all his genius, Tony Stark couldn’t plan for what would happen next.