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Tony was running around the park, trying to follow the doctor's orders to excise so that the rehabilitation of his limbs were quicker. The whole fight with Thanos really did take a toll on his body, especially his right arm, which was replaced by a prosthetic one, he was still getting used to it but it was working just like a normal arm nonetheless.
The park, which was surprisingly kind of deserted, also offered Tony a place to think peacefully, a place where he could think about the trauma he naturally sustained both physically and emotionally, without it being suffocating, unlike the compound or his own appartment, where the walls seemed to be closing in on him.
But also surprisingly it gave him the chance to think about someone, a person that he had in his life now that was one of the only good things that came out from the whole thing. While he ran, he basically debated with himself whether he should call and ask out the sorcerer that has gained his affections. His thoughts basically consumed his days, however the sorcerer related ones were more welcome than most, and most of the times the whole world was just background noise to him.
"On your left."
That made Tony stop abruptly at the sound of a familiar voice, but it sounded different at the same time. He turned to his left and saw an old man sitting on a bench, and then he gasped when he realized who it was.
"Hey, Tony."
"Rogers?" He said in disbelief.
"The one and only."
"You...look different."
Steve snorted a laugh. "Thanks."
"What happened to you? Did something mess up with the whole time travel thing?"
"No, no not at all, everything worked great, perfect even."
Then that's when Stark realized, he nodded in understanding and sat beside him on the bench.
"How's the arm?"
"Eh. Working on it, sure does beat your buddies arm though."
Steve laughed, but stopped himself abruptly, Tony and him never really had a proper talk about everything that happened before the mad titan, yes they had started to work together again but there was never a conversation between them two, and he knew there were still some underlying issues that need to be addressed.
"It's long overdue, but I am sorry Tony. And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness but I just wanted to let you know that I am sorry, for everything. "
He shrugged and looked away. "You protected your friend. I get it."
"But you were- are my friend too Tony." The aged captain America said. "I shouldn't have kept that from you, betrayed you like that."
"Not gonna lie cap, it hurt like a bitch, and a part of me is trying to understand and forgive, but I'm just not there yet."
"I understand."
"But I'm not angry anymore, it's just I don't even know."
"It's okay Tony, you don't need to explain. You don't owe me one."
"I will forgive you one day, just, not today."
"That's all I ask."
Tony just nodded slowly, giving no other response, so they just sit there, even through the world was hustling, it seemed quite, too quiet for Tony's liking.
"So, what was it like?"
Steve smiled. "It was beautiful."
"I'm happy for you cap, I really am." Tony said and returned a genuine smile. "God knows you deserved a life, a proper one."
"You do too, you know?"
"Nah, not for me. I'm far too selfish and being Ironman is too unpredictable, and I come with baggage." He sighed.
"Oh please, you risked yourself to save the universe, that doesn't seem selfish to me. Plus, you were basically ready to die for it, and I think you would have if it wasn't for that wizard."
"Wait, what?" Tony straightened up.
"You don't remember?" He shook his head. "Well were battered on the ground, and I do mean battered, your whole arm and part of your body was fried." Tony could remember that much, he could remember the smell of burning flesh, how it felt. "And then the wizard man flew in, and did something, I don't know what, and you're breaths came back stroger and you were rushed to the hospital. Even then, he was always lingering in the hospital, just watching you."
"Hm." Tony hummed and he couldn't stop the shit eating grin appearing in his face.
"You deserve a life, a proper one." He echoed his friend's words." And I think you should start with him."
Steve chuckled. "I saw, in the battle when you weren't preoccupied with something, your eyes would drift to him, and how every now and then, you would check if he was okay."
"Damn Tony, not subtle at all."
"I'd say the same thing if he wasn't also making worried heart eyes when you weren't looking."
"Huh?"
"Life's too short Tony, I got to live a life and even then, the time we had together, wasn't enough, but it does beat the last time. Don't waste your time, I'm not telling you to ignore your baggages, but I'm telling you that there are people out there who are willing to help you carry it."
They were silent for a while, Tony trying to digest Steve's words.
"You think he's one of them?"
"I don't know him well, but the way I saw him looking at you, I think it won't be so bad to give it a try."
"Yeah, you're right."
"Ha! Rare words from Tony Stark."
Tony laughed, he missed it, laughing with an old friend.
"So this means that this world never got a captain America then."
"Well, good thing the world has Iron Man."
"I couldn't agree more." He said in his signature smug, arrogant tonz but it was accompanied with a genuine smile.
-------------------
Tony knocked on the sanctum doors, his eyes widening when it opened suddenly. He took it as an invitation and stepped inside, there seemed to be no one there so he was just standing there bellow the steps.
"What brings you here?"
"Jesus, doc." Tony jumped and clutched his chest.
"What are you? A morman now?"
"Haha, very funny."
"I know, I'm thinking about doing stand up comedy." Stephen retorted rather dryly, and then floated down the steps to stand across Stark. He smiled at Tony when he got a chuckle from him. He then eyed him, no doubt doctoring away and evaluating his visible injuries. "How are you doing Tony?"
"Better than ever."
"That's good." Strange hummed, his hand flexed, as if wanting to reach out, but he stopped himself from doing so.
"You?"
"I'm good." He said with a smile. "So, what brings you here?"
"I dunno, just wanted to see you I guess."
Strange willed his face to stay neutral, but inside he was literally screeching like a teenager.
"And you so happen to see me on my day off. Coffee?"
"Please."
With a flick of his wrist, chairs that weren't there before appeared for them, alongside two cups of hot coffee.
"You know Steve Rogers is old now." Tony blurted, not knowing what else to talk about but he then had to internally face palm himself.
"Oh?"
"Yeah, he went to put the stones back. And he decided to stay, live a life."
"Good for him."
"Yeah."
"At least some of us got a happy ending it seems."
"Do you ever want that? A normal life."
"I'm the sorcerer supreme, a normal life isn't in the cards for me."
"But do you ever wish you weren't?"
"No, I love what I do, this." He gestured around the room. "Saved me."
"Yeah, I get that." He tapped his arc reactor. "This saved me too. How about sharing the crazy with someone?"
"Most sane people out there wouldn't, I tried once, with Christine, but it never worked out, she wanted Stephen Strange, without the Doctor Strange, sorcerer supreme. The problem is there's no distinction between the two. Most people don't get that."
"I know what you mean, some people just want either Tony Stark, or Ironman, never both. They never understand that the other comes with the other."
"Yeah."
"What if someone else wanted you? All of you? Would you give it a shot?"
"Probably not." Stephen shook his head, and Tony sat there crestfallen, he wanted to run away, to leave but something possessed him not to. So he sat there, his heart threatening to break at any moment. "I have issues and-
"Most of us do."
"I can't have someone dealing with all that. It wouldn't be fair."
"What if I want to?" Tony had nothing to lose now.
Stephen's eyes widened, he choked on his coffee, while looking at the man across him like he had two heads.
"W-what?"
"I like you Strange, like, like-like you. I have since the moment you stepped out that goddamn portal in the park. Well maybe not since then, since you were infuriating as hell, but I did think you were really hot."
Stephen laughed.
"I'm not gonna lie, I have issues too, but I really really would like to ask you out."
"What's stopping you?"
"You said you weren't going to give it a shot."
"No, I said probably not." Stephen snickered. "Plus you didn't let me finish. I was going to say, I have issues and I also liked someone, so someone else wouldn't suffice. I would try, for him, though, although I'm kinda imaging his arrogant smirk when he hears all this."
Stark laughed, making Strange's stomach feel all fluttery and shit.
"You mean it?"
"Yeah. I'm scared shitless, don't get me wrong, but I only get one chance." He smiles but it looked quite sad to Tony. "I watched you die over 14 million times you know, in one way or another, and this time, it's rare and I'm not going to waste it getting hung up on those fears."
"In titan, when I asked you if how many we won, you said one, was this it?"
Stephen shook his head. "You were meant to die as well, and I think the moment I gave you the answer you knew, but to answer your question, no, not in a traditional sense anyway, I uhm, I created a new outcome I guess, with me basically falling head over heals for you, and using magic to save you then."
Stephen looked upset, of course he was, he had to relive that moment once again, everytime he closed his eyes, he's almost transported there again, holding Tony's hand as the energy eats away Tony's suit and then his flesh, leaving half of his body charred. Then he felt the pain that shot through his fingers, how it felt like every bone on his hand was getting shattered, but it didn't matter, what mattered was that Tony was going to be okay, that he was going to survive.
"It hurt didn't it?" Tony asked, eying Strange's trembling hand.
"A little." He responded and clasped his hands together, trying to hid the shaking, but the genius knew it was bullshit, but he chose not to push.
"Doesn't that mess up anything? You creating a new path or whatever?"
The sorcerer supreme just shrugged. "Nothing has happened, so I'm not gonna question it, all I know is that you're here, that's what's important."
"My, my, you certainly have a way with words."
"Well, I speak while I can because you'll just start chatting away, and then I won't be able to put a word in."
"That is so not true."
Stephen quirks an eyebrow and shoots him a look that says; bitch please.
"Asshole." Tony mutters, but the other man just looked at him amused. "You really hurt my feelings." He said a mock upset tone, while pouting petulantly. In a surprising move, Strange stood up from his chair, striding towards Tony and straddled his lap.
"Woah, whatever happened to taking me out on a date first?" Tony teased. "No wining and dining? Or coffee atleast?"
"Well." Stephen began, he took the cup of coffee from the geniuses hand and placed it on the table that just appeared beside them. "Coffee, check. We're talking, so I think this counts as a date."
"But your only wearing sweatpants, shirt and your cape, so not first date look."
"It's a cloak, but your right." He sighed dramatically. "Is there something I can do to make it up to you?" Stephen asked with his head tilted and his eyes sparkling, Tony starred, getting lost in the ever changing hues of blue and green.
"I-I think you already know how, doc."
"Hm." Was the last thing that came out of Stephen's mouth before leaning in, crashing their lips together. It was everything that Tony imagined and more, no, it was better than what he imagined really, it was the perfect first kiss in Tony's opinion, it was soft, sweet but also passionate and bold, and it consumed his scenes. When air became necessary again, they pulled away, breathing heavily, lips swollen, and just starring at eachother in awe.
"I'm taking you out."
"That's more of a command than a question, Tony."
"Don't care, I'm taking you out."
"When?"
"Now."
"You're really taking this, not wasting time thing seriously huh?"
"Yup."
"Okay, let me change then." He says with chuckle, and got off Tony's lap, but before he could walk away, Tony grabbed his wrist. "Hey, by the way, I fell head over heels for you, too, and thank you, for saving me."
Stephen smiled and gave Tony another kiss both men melting in the sensation.
"For you Tony, I'd do it time and time again." Stephen said before walking away.
They both still had some things to recover from, but the universe was giving them a chance to do that together, giving them the chance to live and love, and to be loved. Offering them something that not everyone has the privilege of having; time.