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29 May.
His birthday.
It has been a few months since the inevitable. The guilt still washed over him day by day. There was no other way. That Snap is still far worse than the Scarlet Witch shenanigans, well at least that is how he perceives the whole situation.
However, he felt what Wanda felt. Not having the person, you love in the universe same as you sucked. Knowing that the other you are living their best life. They have everything but you got nothing.
Nothing.
In contrast, that does not mean that switching places or stealing the other you’s belongings is a good idea. Wanda is lost in her Darkhold. But Stephen has another intention which is just to have a conversation with Tony that is still alive in another dimension. Wish him a happy birthday and confess his love or something. But Pepper will be there and Stephen will keep it brief and simple.
“They’ll understand,” Stephen reassures himself. Not the ‘confessing his love’ part but the ‘i miss him and I need closure’ part.
But first, he needs to ask Chavez to send him.
~~~
Stephen explains everything he wants for this date to America Chavez. 29 May.
After a long silence, “Alright I’ll send you there.”
“What? I thought you would say no.”
“I would never say no in this situation. I’ve seen you, Stephen. How you have been moping around because it is nearing his birthday. I felt the guilt you felt because I’ve been there Stephen. You look very rough and you are being hard on yourself. Remember how you told me that someday I’ll meet my moms? I still believe in that because of you Stephen, thank you forgot that.” Chavez explains herself.
“You know, you are too wise for a girl your age,” Stephen smirks. And fell silence for a while. “Thank you, America, for understanding.”
“So when are we going? His birthday is tomorrow isn’t it?”
“Yes, tomorrow morning we’ll go.”
This brings so much happiness to Stephen. He is seeing Tony again after months of not seeing him. He hopes Tony doesn’t freak out to see him.
He agreed with what Chavez said, he does look rough. He doesn’t take care of his body anymore because he doesn’t see the point of taking care of it. His job is to protect the mystical world and he does not need to look pretty while doing it.
Worst case scenario of meeting Tony would be him kicking Stephen out of the cabin he lives in. But whatever the situation, Stephen will handle it with peace.
~~~
He wears something appropriate for dimension traveling.
He has this good feeling about meeting Tony. Chavez had told him that she won’t be joining in because she doesn’t want to interrupt the moment.
‘Whatever she wants,’ Stephen thought to himself.
Stephen and Chavez are beside the grand staircase of the Sanctum. Chavez has been training in Kamar-Taj on how to use her power and she is good at it. She used to be frightened about her power because of how she almost killed both of her parents but she is now convinced that they are alive somewhere.
Chavez readied herself. She pressed her knuckle to her left hand and after that punched the air in front of her.
A blue star-shaped portal is formed.
Stephen looks forward into the portal to see a familiar cabin that belongs to none other than Tony Stark himself. He sees a teenager looking at him. Stephen does not know who is the kid but he is familiar.
Stephen steps forward to the portal.
“Good luck Stephen, I’ll be here,” Chavez said.
Stephen looks back to the portal and sees Chavez closing it.
This is it.
~~~
The teenager hurried himself to Stephen. ‘He looks so familiar; I've met him somewhere,’ Stephen thought to himself.
“Hey, Mr. Strange. I knew someday you will come to visit here. You come from another dimension, right?” The squeaky teenager asked.
“...Uhh, yeah. How do you know, kid?”
“Oh, Mr. Stark told me that someday you will come here. I’m assuming that you want to meet him.”
“Yes, and anyway, who are you? Is Tony here?”
“I am Peter Parker. Yeah, Mr. Stark is inside.”
“Nice to meet you, Peter. You look very familiar but I can’t point out from where we’ve met before, especially your voice.”
“I am sure Mr. Stark is going to explain everything to you, Mr. Strange.”
Stephen still cannot comprehend that there is a teenager in his cabin. Did Tony adopt this kid? Good for him. Tony settles down and Stephen thinks that it is time for Tony to do just that and leave Superheroing behind. Stephen can’t believe he is meeting Tony.
Peter brought Stephen over to the cabin. At the front doorstep, Stephen stood for a while to collect himself before asking Peter to call Tony over to come outside.
“You alright, Mr. Strange?” Peter asked.
“Yeah- I, I am good.”
He is not good. His eyes swell up with tears. Tony isn’t even out yet and he is already about to sob.
Stephen heard a heavy footstep coming his way.
“Peter! I called you so many times to come inside. Dad made something, he-” Tony stops speaking after he opened the door.
The silence.
Stephen stares at what is in front of him. Tony is alive and well and seems very happy. His brown eyes, fluffy hair, and smile start forming. Stephen misses him so much. A single tear falls from his eyes.
“Tony-”
“Stephen.”
Now, after hearing Tony’s voice, Stephen starts to cry uncontrollably.
Tony steps forward. “Aww, Stephen don’t cry.” Tony hugs Stephen. Stephen buried his head in Tony’s neck and let his tears out.
Stephen repeats ‘i am sorry so many times which breaks Tony’s heart.
Tony comforts Stephen with many comforting words which help little by little until Stephen stops crying.
Peter just stood there. Looking back and forth from Tony to Stephen and Stephen to Tony.
“Hey, kid can you get him?” Tony whispers. Without waiting Peter gets inside the cabin.
Stephen lets go of the hug and asked Tony who Peter is getting. But Tony just smiles.
“Honey, what do you need? Also, I heard someone crying, you alright sweetheart-” This particular voice is so familiar.
Stephen looks over to whoever is behind Tony and everything starts clicking in his brain when he sees himself.
Stephen falls to his knees and cries even harder this time.
~~~
The three of them settled on a couch in the living room. Tony and The Other Stephen sit in front of Stephen.
Stephen had stopped crying to not continue embarrassing himself in front of His Other Self and the love of his life, Tony Stark.
“Tony I just want to say I am sorry about what I did in my universe. I have no other way.” Stephen looked down to the floor, guilt washing all over him. He can’t face Tony.
“Hey hey, it’s alright. My Stephen told me about it. I know you have no other way.
Tony had to snap. It was so devastating that it was the only choice they have.
Tony told Stephen that Nebula is the one who snapped in this universe. Pepper died fighting. The Other Stephen comforts Tony after that event. He cares for him which Stephen can relate to. That relationship grew more and more until they got married.
Two months ago.
“If you dreamt about Tony and yourself getting married. That is real.” The Other Stephen stated.
Dreaming is something that the other you from other universes experience. So, whatever Stephen dreamt about, that might be happening to his other variants from another universe. As mind-boggling as it is, it is the truth.
“Remember Spider-man? That kid we brought to Titan?” Tony asked.
“Yeah.”
“That Spiderling, it is Peter.”
The realization hits him. Of course, Peter Parker is Spider-man.
“Wow, I have a feeling that he is Spider-man at some point.”
“We adopted Peter. Which is what we are so thankful for,” Tony said while holding The Other Stephen’s hand.
“I am so happy for you both,” trying to hold up his tears.
“Hey, Stephen, you don’t have to be so hard on yourself alright. You look very rough.” Stephen looked straight at Tony’s face, trying to not cry again.
“I love you in every universe, Stephen,” Tony said.
This is the moment when he can’t hold up his tears anymore. Tony moved to his side, hugging him again. Tears streaming down hard. It is hard to breathe.
Tony put both of his hands to Stephen’s cheek. Holding his head upright. Stephen opens his eyes to see Tony smiling. That somehow mend his broken, filled-with-guilt heart. That is everything.
Out of nowhere, a small body hugs his other side.
It was Peter.
That is comforting. He exhales all the heartbreaking, guilt, sadness, and all the negativity out of his body.
“Thank you for this closure. I felt so happy, knowing that my other self is happy and had everything.”
“Stephen, you can visit here anytime. I know it can be dangerous but it will be worth it for you. I know it has been hard without your Tony in your universe. I don’t see a problem with you visiting me here. Right sweetheart?” Tony turns to The Other Stephen.
“Yes Stephen, I am the one who told Chavez about the nature of Stephen’s. Which is seeking happiness. She agreed to be your universe hopping driver.” He laughed at that.
“Yes of course she would do that. I will bring her here sometime if she wants. By the way, Happy Birthday Tony.” Stephen held out a gift.
It was meaningful for him and Tony. At least.
“Aww, you don’t have to give me anything Stephen. You being here is a gift, a miracle even. Thank you.” Tony gets on with the gift with his appreciative demeanor.
This is everything. Knowing that Tony doesn’t blame him for what he did is what keeps him going.
~~~
It is nearing nighttime. Stephen has to go back to his universe.
At that, a star-shaped portal appears on the front lawn of the cabin.
“Hi guys, Stephen you ready to come back?”
“y- yeah.” He hesitated. “I just want to hug Tony again.”
Stephen went over to Tony and hug him again. This time, he didn’t cry. He is happy.
Stephen then went over to his other self to hug him.
“Hey, Stephen. Take care of Tony for me okay?”
“Yes, I will.”
He went to Peter to hug him as well.
“Be good to your dads okay, kid? Listen to them, don’t stress them out.”
“Okay, Mr. Strange.”
Stephen then steps forward to Chavez.
“Let’s go.”
He enters the portal and looks back when he is in his universe.
Looking back is surreal. Seeing his other self being happy makes him happy.
Stephen loves Tony so much.
A very well thought is tattooed to his brain. Which is,
‘Know that Tony will be loved.’