Chapter Text
Stephen Strange was an arrogant man, and rightly so, he was one of the best neurosurgeons that America, heck, the world could offer, he was a pioneer in the field, and his life revolved around the medical field. Collecting accolades, awards, and glory was what he strived for, what got him going.
That was until he met Tony Stark.
Tony was well, just as arrogant as he was, but goddamn was it justified. He was intelligent, charming, and attractive, naturally, Stephen gravitated toward the man, and in return the playboy genius was smitten from then on. He couldn't help it when his life collided with Tony's. A beautiful, exquisite, and life-altering collision.
Stephen smiled at himself in the mirror, tying his bowtie precisely and perfectly, and he couldn't help taking a moment to glance at the ring on his finger, a beautiful simple silver band, with an elegant diamond sitting on top. He was staring at it so intently that he didn't notice someone entering the room, he gasped in surprise when familiar arms snaked around his waist, but he gladly welcomed it. Stephen glanced back at the mirror, smiling back at the grinning face that greeted him.
"Hi." Stephen offered.
"Hey, gorgeous," Tony responded, standing on the tip of his toes and hooked his chin over the doctor's shoulder.
"So, what do you think?"
"Handsome as always. I'm afraid to let you go to your fancy party, maybe some guy is just waiting to pry you from me." He pouted petulantly but there was a teasing sparkle in his eyes.
"Oh please." Stephen rolled his eyes and turned to the man so he was now facing him. Even if they've been together for a while now, Stephen would always be in awe of Tony, and he could spend hours getting lost in Tony's eyes. "No one there is even half as handsome..." He gave Tony a peck on the cheek. "As smart," On the other cheek. "And as...mm."
He was interrupted by Tony's lips on his, demanding yet managing to stay soft and it drove Strange insane.
"You better stop, before you rumple my suit."
"Maybe you should just take it off then." Tony quipped.
"Tony..."
"Yeah, yeah, fancy doctor dinner, blah blah. I'm just gonna miss you so much."
"It'll be a two-hour event at best, well I plan to only stay for two anyway." He pulled away from Tony's arms and walked to his watch drawer. "Plus, I invited you, but alas, you chose to spend the evening alone, when you could spend it with your gorgeous fiancé."
"And watch you show off with your doctor friends? Those poor people, I don't want to see the carnage." Stephen chuckled and shook his head. "And, it's not really my scene anymore."
"I know."
Tony stands beside him and picks up a watch and clasps it on his wrist, he rubbed his thumb over it before pulling away.
" Plus, it's boring Stephen."
"Hey, watch your mouth, this is my job, are you saying I'm boring?"
"Far from it dear," Stark says as he straightened his jacket. "God, you're gorgeous. How'd I get so lucky?"
"I'm the lucky one." He leaned in to kiss Tony. "I love you, Tones."
"I love you too."
"I gotta go, I'll be late." Stephen gives a last peck on the man's lips before walking out of the room. "Tony!"
"On the coffee table!" The man hollered before coming into the room and Stephen snatched his keys from the table. "What will you do without me, Stephen Strange?" He shook his head and caught Stephen's hand before he could walk out. "Hey. Hurry back?"
"Two hours."
"Two hours." Tony parroted in agreement. "I love you."
"I love you too." He said before closing the door behind him.
Stephen's head was foggy, and it hurt like a bitch, and he was very well aware that he was not right side up, he could feel his hands stinging, which was an understatement, his hands feel like it was crushed, being stabbed again and again and scorched at the same time.
He let his mind dwell, is this where he dies? He didn't want to, he shut his eyes, thinking about Tony, how he wouldn't be able to fully live the life he was building with Tony, and for some reason, that hurt more than his hands or his whole body really.
A single word came out if Stephen's lips
"Tony."
And then everything turned black for Stephen Strange.
Tony was humming under his breath as washed the dishes, such a thing was strange for the genius once upon a time, if younger Tony knew that he would be content doing chores, he would have laughed, or been disgusted with the prospect of such an ordinary future, but Tony loved the quiet life, well as quiet as it gets for a billionaire who also happens to be the fiancé of a world-renowned neurosurgeon.
His fiancé, Tony never imagined he would be this in love, he fell and keeps falling ever since, every time Tony thinks he can't possibly love Stephen anymore than he does, his doctor smiles at him or holds his hand while Stephen is reading and Tony is working beside him, every day, he falls in love with Stephen Strange even more.
A piercing sound breaks Tony from his thoughts. He dries his hands before picking up his phone from the counter, his smile falters a little when he saw Christine's number. Why would Christine call him at this time? He picked up though, not really thinking much of it.
"Hello?"
"Tony? You have to come here, to the hospital now.
Tony was worried, Christine sounded upset and she was blabbing a minute per second.
"Hold on, slow down, what's wrong?"
"Stephen."
"What happened?"
"I got a call, they're transporting him here."
Tony didn't have to hear more, he was out of there in a heartbeat, every second not having Stephen in his sights was another second where he could feel his heart breaking.
Tony burst through the doors, spotting Christine who was waiting by the doors where they transport patients. She was fidgety, checking her phone again and again, her eyes were filled with unshed tears. "Christine." She seemed to snap out of her thoughts and turned in Tony's direction, and he approached her. "Christine, please tell me what happened." He pleaded.
"I don't know much, just that he was in a car crash. It's bad Tony." It felt like the air was knocked out of Tony's body, it felt hard to breathe, and he swallowed a painful lump in his throat and suppressed the urge to vomit. "They're gonna be here any minute now, you should go somewhere else."
"No." He said sternly.
"Tony-
"I donate millions to this hospital, and if you kick me out of here I swear to god you will get nothing." Tony said, and he knew it was a bit harsh but he really didn't give a damn at the moment, and Christine saw the determination in her friend's eyes and knew this was a fight she wouldn't win.
"Okay, you can stay, but please promise me you'll stay out of our way, we have the same goals here Tony, to make sure he's okay."
The man reluctantly nodded. "Okay."
"Prepare yourself."
At that exact moment, the doors flew open, and Christine and other nurses crowded around the stretcher rolling in then he saw it, saw him, saw the blood, there was a lot of blood. Tony got closer, and his tears start falling, his beautiful face was close to unrecognizable, with an eye swollen shut, multiple cuts, and a split lip, he tries to grasp his hand but then he noticed that it was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, he was then ushered in a room, and a hand was on his chest stopping him from following Stephen.
"No, let me go!" He screamed.
"Sir."
"LET ME GO! STEPHEN!" Tony tried to break free from the hold, but whoever was holding him was too strong. "Stephen..."He said brokenly as he fell to his knees and let out body wreaking sobs. He stared at his hands, smeared with blood, he got up as quickly as he could and ran towards the nearest bathroom and emptied the contents in his stomach.
Tony really hated hospitals, the plastic chairs and the buzzing of fluorescent lights seemed to mock him. Everything felt eerily familiar, but the last time he was here he didn't even have the chance to wait, he just showed up and was told they were gone, it fucked Tony up, but this? This was another level of pain, the waiting for god knows how long it's been, offered a slither of comfort yet felt like agonizing torture. He really didn't know why the universe enjoyed hurting him so much, and it dared to be consistent with its ways.
Losing his parents in that crash was painful, but he got through it, but if he lost Stephen? That would be something he wouldn't survive, nor would he want to.
A life without his Stephen was not a life at all.
His train of thought was interrupted by the doors opening and Christine walking towards him, her face was unreadable and Tony gulped, not really knowing if he wanted to hear what she had to say.
"Please tell me he's okay."
"H-he's okay, in recovery now."
"Oh thank god."
"Tony." From her tone, he knew something was wrong, and he dared not to breathe. "His hands, it's severely damaged, I- we couldn't save it."
"Can I see him?"
"You should go home and sleep, it's been twelve hours." Tony blinked, he didn't know it had been that long.
"N-no, please Christine."
She sighed and nodded. "Okay, follow me." So he did, he followed him to a spacious room, probably the best the hospital could offer, as per his request. What greeted him on the bed though was something he was not prepared to see. There lay a paler-than-usual man, and if there was no heart monitor beeping Tony would have assumed him dead. Despite being significantly taller than Tony, the man before him looked small and weak. His hands were raised but gone were the blood-soaked bandages, instead, there were pins poking his hands and multiple stitches.
"His hands..."
"Multiple torn ligaments." She supplied.
"Nerve damage." Tony finished,
"He was there for a long time, his hands were crushed." Christine lets out a shuddering breath and looked up to calm herself down. "Eleven stainless steel pins in the bones.
Christine went in more detail as he then ran a delicate finger on the side of his hand careful not to touch the pins or disturb the stitches. Instead of the soft ones he grew accustomed to, ones that held him, touched him and made him feel loved, his hands now were swollen and rougher. "This is going to destroy him."
"I know."
"He won't be able to..."
"I know." She said solemnly. "Oh, and before I forget." Christine reaches for the pocket of her scrubs, it was Stephen's watch, and a piece of cloth. Tony took the watch first, his finger on the cracked glass. He turned the watch, running his thumb on the engraved words.
In every moment, of every second, of every hour, I think of you, and I love you. Forever yours, Tony.
He let out a shuddering breath, as he places the watch on the table beside the bed, then he took the cloth from Christine, delicately unfolding it and letting out a whimper when he saw the small object. "Stephen's ring." The band was bent and there was a cut on the metal itself, the only thing that remained intact was the diamond.
"I'm sorry, Tony, we had to cut it..." He didn't trust himself to speak. "I'm going to leave you two alone. Call if you need something." Tony could only nod, as he tore his eyes from the ring and stared at his battered lover. And as soon as the door clicked close, Tony sat on the nearby chair, bowed his head, and let his tears cascade down.
Stephen could feel nothing but pain, his body hurt, and everything felt broken. As he opened his eyes he hissed as the pain grew worse the more conscious he was, he let out a shuddering breath as he opened his eyes, yet one seemed not to open, swollen he concluded. There was a warm hand on his shoulder and so he coaxed his head to see the man he loved.
"Hey."
He tried to speak but what came out was a whimper of pain.
"It's okay. You're okay."
Stephens's eyes traveled and grew in horror at the view of his hands. "What did they do?"
"They rushed you in a chopper, took a while to find you... nerve damage." Tony said, fully knowing that wasn't what he meant.
"What did they do?" He repeated, the other man took a shaky breath, and looked up at the ceiling before back at Stephen.
"Eleven stainless steel pins in the bones," Tony repeated what Christine said to him. "Multiple torn ligaments, severe nerve damage in both hands."
Stephen lets out a pained sound that made Tony flinch.
"Look at these fixators."
"No one could have done better." Even though Tony had limited knowledge of medicine, however, he understood how it would be near impossible to fix, and from the scans he saw, he knew that this was the best they could do. Maybe one person could've salvaged it somehow, but it so happened that someone was the one on the table. Stephen turns to Tony his eyes filled with pain, anger, and hatred.
"I could've done better."
"Definitely." Tony tried to give a light-hearted smile but failed, he sighed and blinked his tears back. "I'm so sorry this happened to you, Stephen."
Stephen didn't bother responding, he turned the other way, staring at the wall, cursing the world and everything in it.