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Stephen had a mixed relationship with the Sanctum. Some days he felt very grateful to be the caretaker of such a large, fascinating home. Other days he found the Sanctum to be a burden especially when he was having to exorcise parts of it or rooms just came and went as they pleased. One time he opened the door to the coat closet and was met with a Victorian sitting room, complete with a dull-eyed woman sitting on a couch doing needle-point, who smiled up at him, saying, “I’ve been waiting for you, Stephen.” Stephen had slammed the door and spent two days trying different spells before eventually getting his coat closet back.
He had to admit though, the balconies were nice. There were a few that lined the roof, next to the Anomaly Rue. They were meant for decoration and there was no access to them, but Stephen simply portaled onto one whenever he wished.
And this is where Stephen Strange currently was, leaning against the iron railing, looking out over New York slowly coming to life. It was Sunday morning so there was less crushing traffic and many storefronts remained closed. Stephen was only wearing his pajama bottoms and a robe and he sipped a cup of tea as he watched the sunrise over his city.
It was a calm, warm Spring morning and Stephen had learned to savor these quiet, introspective moments before his duties as a master of the mystic arts caught up to him. Before his peace was broken.
It was good way to live, considering his peace in this moment was suddenly shattered.
Stephen had just magicked his tea cup to the sink in the Sanctum’s kitchen and was about to go back in himself when he was snatched off of the balcony with a yelp and was suddenly flying up into the air.
He hadn’t heard the distinctive charging noise of the Iron Man suit, and it disturbed Stephen that he could be so taken by surprise. He’d have to work on being more aware of his surroundings, but in his defense, his boyfriend did know his routine and when he was most vulnerable.
“Tony! What the hell are you doing?” yelled Stephen has they climbed up into the atmosphere. Tony had an arm looped around Stephen’s waist and the sorcerer held on with an arm around Tony’s back.
“Hi to you too, baby!” yelled back Tony from behind the Iron Man mask as they continued to climb.
Finally, Tony stilled as they came to levitate far over the city. The early morning sun was glinting off the Hudson and the Bay, the buildings looked tiny and Central Park was just a small green rectangle.
Once they were settled Tony put both arms around Stephen, bringing the sorcerer around to face him. Stephen put his arms around Tony’s neck, still giving him an annoyed look.
Tony retracted the visor and returned the sorcerer’s irritation with a smile. “Hey I just made a few updates on this model, thought I’d take it for a spin. And in the middle of that I thought I’d come and say good morning to my guy. Because I know he stands on his balcony watching the sunrise like a pretty princess.”
“You mean, you thought you would come and interrupt my morning,” said Stephen with a raised eyebrow.
“Well, okay yes you got me, now how about a kiss,” Tony tried to lean forward to kiss his boyfriend but Stephen turned his face away. Tony looked hurt but kissed Stephen on the cheek instead with a loud smack.
“Tony have you slept yet? Or have you been working all night?” asked Stephen.
Tony hummed and looked around, avoiding Stephen’s eyes, “Maybeeeeee. But I’ve made a lot of valuable improvements. I’ll sleep when I’m dead, babe.”
“And that will be here a lot quicker if you don’t maintain some type of regular sleeping schedule.”
Tony laughed, “And what? You do?”
“I certainly moderate my health better than you. And you know what? I don’t think being held hundreds of feet in the air by a sleep deprived man is good for my health. So, let’s change that.”
In a flash, Stephen phased through Tony’s arms and the sorcerer was plummeting back to Earth. Tony activated his blasters and was about to follow Stephen and catch him, but then he saw Stephen stop his descent when he met the Cloak of Levitation, which must have busted out of a window the minute its master was airborne. Stephen turned and looked back up at Tony, and though the sorcerer was pretty far away he could still see his mischievous smile. It was rare when his boyfriend was in a playful mood, and Tony decided to exploit it. He dived back down towards the city and blasted off in a flash. Stephen followed, the Cloak propelling him.
In an instant Tony was flying among of the skyscrapers of Manhattan, trying to shake the sorcerer who was following him. The screen in front of his eyes showed him his boyfriend’s location.
Tony’s flight was halted with a jerk suddenly though and he looked down and saw a red glowing magical whip wrapped around his leg. Stephen was floating about 30 feet from him, the energy rope wrapped around his hands. The few people below stopped to gape up at the heroes above them, some scattering for cover thinking a fight might be taking place.
“So I’ve been caught,” said Tony behind his helmet.
“Looks like it,” said Stephen.
“”Hmmmm,” said Tony, “I was wondering about these magical ropes. They are made of fire right? So would they hurt someone who touched them with their bare skin?”
“A regular mortal person, yes.”
“Which I am, so let’s test that theory,” said Tony, the plating on his leg starting to retract.
“Tony!” said Stephen in shock, and spread out his hands in front of him, the rope disappearing in a rain of sparks. Tony was now free and zoomed off away from Stephen, who followed.
They flew around Central Park, surprising joggers and families. Tony smiled when he heard young children exclaim “Mommy look! It’s Iron Man!” excitedly as he flew by.
Their flying was less of a chase now and they circled around each other as they flew over the Lake in the Park. Tony had never realized how nice it was to share the joys of flight with someone else. He had flown with Rhodey of course, but it was different when he had created the technology. He would spend the whole time worrying for his loved one’s safety, stressing that something could wrong. He knew that Stephen would have no problem taking care of his own safety.
Tony took a turn for the South and flew out of the Park, Stephen in pursuit. He approached the Chrysler Building and flew up the building from the bottom in a spiral. Tony was admiring how smoothly the new adjustments made his flying. He was making his tenth or so rotation though when a portal appeared front of him and before he could change direction he had flown into the portal and was grabbed by the Cloak on the other side.
Stephen was standing in front of him on one of the iconic metal eagles that jutted out from the building, looking smug with his arms crossed. Tony half-heartedly fought against the fabric that was wrapped around him. He could probably blast through the magical artifact, but he wouldn’t dream of damaging his boyfriend’s second best defender (he was first , thank you very much, even without magic).
“Looks like I caught you, Tony,” said Stephen.
Tony sighed loudly, going limp, “Yes, I admit defeat, now what are you going to do with me?”
“I’m going to take you to bed.”
“Oh really? Well, please go gentle on me,” said Tony flirtatiously.
“Oh trust me, I will, since all I am going to do is tuck in you in my bed and let you sleep.”
“What? Stephen you’re no fun! That sentence would be so much better if that one word started with an ‘f’ instead of a ‘t’” said Tony forlornly.
“I’ll be fun once you have slept, Tony.”
“Ugh, alright, but can we get donuts first?” asked Tony.
“Sure, as long as you don’t try and escape,” said Stephen, waving his hand and releasing him from the Cloak’s hold. The Cloak returned to Stephen and settled on his shoulders. Stephen brought up his legs in a folded position as he floated above the metal Eagle. “Well? Go on then.”
“I guess I’m treating?” asked Tony.
“You are the one with money . And need I remind you, you are the one that is dressed.”
“Oh trust me, you don’t have to remind me that you don’t have a shirt on.”
Tony flew off and returned with a box of donuts and two coffees shortly and they both straddled the Eagle, Tony’s back against Stephen.
“Where did get these donuts? How much did they cost?” asked Stephen, inspecting the donut in his hand. “Is that real gold flecks in the icing?”
“I am a man of taste who likes to treat my boyfriend, sue me,” said Tony happily munching on a jelly-filled donuts.
Stephen brought a hand up to Tony’s mouth and wiped away some excess jelly, sucking it off his finger. “Well, even when I was wealthy I wasn’t a donut snob.”
“That’s because you never had good donuts!”
“I certainly won’t turn them down,” said Stephen, leaning forward to kiss Tony on the side of the head. The genius threw an arm behind Stephen’s shoulders, turning so he could face the sorcerer.
“You know, I never got that kiss,” said Tony.
“Well, I guess I do deserve a reward for catching you,” said Stephen.
“And I deserve one for getting the donuts,” said Tony, bringing their mouths together. They kissed lazily, each of their mouths tasting sugary. Tony threaded his fingers through Stephen’s hair, while Stephen had his arms wrapped around Tony’s chest.
They didn’t often get to show such public displays of affection, worried they’d end up smeared all over the tabloids or they’d make each other a target for their respective enemies. So the privacy their current position provided them was nice.
But it wasn’t completely private, at least not from other heroes. In particular, one Spider-Man.
Peter had been up early having breakfast with Aunt May when he saw the news make a breaking report about Iron Man flying through the city being pursued by another flying being. Peter hadn’t wasted time excusing himself, throwing on his suit, slinging himself over to Manhattan. He had had Karen locate Mr. Stark and he had flung himself up to land behind the couple, who jumped away in surprise.
“Oh!” said Peter, immediately realizing how awkward his intrusion was, “Ohhhh, I uh--I’m sorry. I thought uh, I thought you were in trouble Mr. Stark. And uh, hi Doctor Strange! I guess you are okay, I’ll just be going--”
“Peter,” said Stephen, stopping the flustered teen currently dying of embarrassment.
“Yes, doc?”
“Catch,” and the sorcerer threw the half eaten box of donuts at the kid who peeked in. His mechanic spider-eyes widened, “Oh, donuts! Thanks guys!”
“Don’t mention it kid,” said Tony as Stephen made a portal under them and both men slid off the metal structure, landing safely on Stephen’s bed. Stephen closed the portal above him.
“Now, where were we?” said Tony, leaning forward to continue kissing his boyfriend, but Stephen slithered out of his hold, getting up and gathering some clothes from his nightstand. “You were just about to go to bed, and I was going to get dressed and practice some spells.”
Tony laid back in the pillows in defeat, “Okay, just one more kiss good night?”
“It’s 9:30 am, Tony.”
“Well just one more kiss then?”
Stephen rolled his eyes, and came over to the bed, leaning over and kissing his boyfriend before heading off to the bathroom.
Tony snuggled down in his boyfriend’s familiar bed and smiled contentedly. Not a bad way to spend his Sunday morning at all.