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Please, Stephen, come back down. Don't leave us. Please. Whatever it is, I'll help you in any way I can. Just don't do it.
“What are you doing here?”
Strong arms wrapped around him from behind and Tony smiled as trembling hands came to rest low on his stomach. Almost by instinct he reached up and placed his right hand over Stephen’s. He could feel the warm metal of Stephen's bracelets and wrist supports under his fingers and began to trace their shape.
“Reminiscing. About…"
"Don't," Stephen interrupted him. "It's the ancient past. I'm here, I'm good, I'm happy. And so are you. Don't hurt yourself by looking into the past."
"I've almost lost you that day. Before I ever had you for real."
Stephen carefully moved them away from the ledge and pressed a kiss against the top of Tony's head before finally letting go of him.
"You saved me. Brought me back from the darkness. Concentrate on what happened after you got me down from here and into your arms. How you told me over and over again who much I mean to you and that I'll get through this. That's the part I prefer to remember about that day."
Stephen smiled, really smiled, and that sight was still rare enough to finally shake Tony out of his dark recollections. "I love you," he said and put a hand on the back of Stephen's neck to guide him down into a kiss. "I'm so glad I found you in time."
"So am I," Stephen whispered before their lips met.
What a difference a year can make, Tony thought and let Stephen lead him back inside their penthouse apartment where the rest of their family was gathered for Stephen's 46th birthday party.