Work Text:
Warmth was the first thing he noticed, slicing across his body in bright waves, followed by a soft chilly wind. The absence of pain was the second, the part of his body and his hand that only minutes prior had been in agony, was blissfully gone. Then, the rise and fall of his chest, air whistling through his nose and mouth, as the scents of nature surrounded him. Solid earth, spongy from what he could only assume was grass, against his back.
Tony had never been one to waste time, so he opened his eyes slowly, blinking in the harsh sunlight, broken only by the leaves hanging above him. He didn’t move for a long moment, taking in his familiar surroundings, the lake house, the tree, the water, the lone figure standing at its edge, Cloak billowing lightly in the breeze.
Dread slithered through him before settling like a stone in his stomach, eyes burning with awareness as the images came rushing back. Peter’s tear-filled eyes, Rhodey’s gentle touch, Pepper…oh god Pepper.
His jaw clenched, forcing it from his mind for a little while longer. Tenderly he moved the fingers of his hand, found no pain and was quick to sit up, preparing to stand even as it felt like his world was spinning. He felt…ethereal in a way where he was aware of sensation but also very much apart from it.
His eyes settled on Dr. Stephen Strange’s back. One last conversation to be had, one more thing to deal with then…
We’ll be ok, you can rest now.
A shaky breath, unwilling to let it overwhelm him just yet. Standing, Tony looked down at his body for the first time, found none of the damage that he expected and for some reason it broke him a little, made things all the more real. Eyes falling closed, holding back tears he clenched his fist a few times before walking slowly toward Strange.
He stepped up beside him at the water’s edge, eyes taking it the serene sounds of the lake, of home. Tony swallowed thickly, he would miss this and so much more, this had been his sanctuary, hand made and hard won, he should have known it was but an illusion.
“I’m sorry.”
Tony turned to look up at Stephen Strange, whose eyes were trained on something before him, his deep voice holding a familiar sound. Defeat and guilt were difficult to hide, especially from someone who had been through it themselves.
He ignored the apology for the moment, it was unneeded for anyone but the tall sorcerer next to him, “why am I here?” he asked instead, voice thick.
Startling stormy eyes met his and he suddenly felt tethered, unmovable, “I wanted to give us a minute,” he fingered the Time Stone, back to hanging around his neck. “I kept a piece of you here, only for this moment.”
Tony nodded, strangely finding himself glad, “so, this was the one then?”
Stephen nodded slowly, “yes, I wish it were any other.”
Tony could feel the moisture fill his eyes, no longer capable being held back and he didn’t bother to try, not anymore. Still, he found his head shaking a little, “I think…I knew that. From the very beginning that it would end here.”
A hand, solid and warm landed on his shoulder and Tony found himself leaning into it. It felt…wrong to be here while everyone he loved was there, without him. He had saved them, he knew he had but it didn’t change the memories…five years of healing and living, and finally finding some semblance of a life worth living…. but then he supposed that was what made it worth saving.
He had no right to ask, to demand from Stephen this last favour, not after everything they had both been through, but he found the words slipping from his mouth anyway, even as he kept his head turned away to hide the tear tracks, “will you…watch over them? All of them? Morgan, Pepper, Peter, everyone?”
It wasn’t fair and he wouldn’t be surprised if Strange refused. He didn’t blame him for where they had ended up, had learned the hard way what resentment and anger could do to the soul and would not have his last moments be like that.
“I will, till my dying breath.”
Tony slumped, a weight he didn’t know had been there, disappearing from his shoulders as he let out a little gasp, “thank you.”
“One more thing,” Stephen murmured, and Tony found himself looking at the man unashamed of his emotion, his tone conveying something important. “I took the liberty of looking a little further into the future once I saw what would have to be done. I think you deserved to know all you won today.”
Tony’s breath caught, anticipation tinged with a wild kind of desperation surging forth inside him, as Stephen swallowed thickly and offered a tight smile, his own eyes going inexplicably glassy.
“Morgan is going to live a long and happy life. She is going to grow up, proud of her father and surrounded by friends and family who won’t let her forget you for one moment.”
Tony nodded, lips trembling with emotion, unable to express a thank you good enough for the gift he’d just been given, but he wasn’t done.
“Peter,” Stephen began, hand coming up to wipe at his tears and he didn’t bother trying to stop him. “Is going to spend every day for the rest of his life, trying to be the man you wanted him to be, to make you proud.”
“He already has,” Tony forced out.
Stephen nodded, “and I’ll tell him that.”
“Thank you,” he said on a sob. His hands came up to grip the sleeves of his tunic. “Thank you.”
Stephen went on, as though he too was struggling to get it all out, but Tony drank up every word like he was dying of thirst, “Pepper won’t ever love again, but its because she will spend every single day honouring your memory through Morgan and Peter. She always knew how things would end but she will never regret it, not for one second.”
Tony found himself being held in Stephen’s arms, something unspeakable passing between them. He only wished he could give Stephen the same kind of peace this man had so fervently given to him. But there was nothing more he could do, his time was over, yet, as he stepped back from the man, he knew he was leaving the world in good hands.
Tony wiped at his face and Stephen offered a shaky smile of his own, “its time for you to rest,” he murmured.
He nodded, breath coming quicker in anticipation of whatever was next. Stephen, however, motioned toward the lake house, eyes reassuring, “there’s someone waiting for you, don’t be afraid.”
Tony looked up and felt his breath catch a little at what he saw. Natasha was leaning on the banister, watching with a sad little smile and something in him eased further.
“You have a lot to tell her, don’t spare a single detail.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Tony approached the house, leaving behind Stephen Strange and the rest of the world. For some reason, each step felt lighter then the next. His soul was relaxed, at ease, as all his years of fighting and trying and preparing seeped away. For the first time since he stepped out of that cave in Afghanistan, he felt like he could rest.