Work Text:
The door to the Sanctum swung open when Tony was still three steps away. He patted the door frame on his way in, assuming he would have to hunt for his boyfriend in one of the upper rooms if the Sanctum was letting him in this easy.
He was surprised when Wong opened the door of a back parlor as he walked passed. Tony had once accused Wong of playing the most half assed game of hide and seek with Tony. Wong didn't hide but he always made Tony seek him out.
"Oh, it's you."
"Is Stephen around? His bracelet is giving some weird readings."
"His…of course that thing is Stark tech. Does he know you're tracking him?"
"Sure does, I showed him all the specs. He thought the base model could be great for distance monitoring for patients after surgery."
Wong looked at the ceiling. "You'd better join us."
Tony followed him into a very Victorian parlor. Two other sorcerers were sitting on a couple antique couches. Judging the cups and glasses on the coffee table they had been there awhile.
"Hi."
"Hello." From the short haired woman on the couch.
"Welcome." From the taller woman.
"Master Fry and Master Healer Astor." Wong nodded to the women in turn. He sat and gestured to Tony to sit too.
Tony dropped into a ridiculous wing back chair facing a thing in the corner of the room. Whatever it was, it was large, shiny, and green with very organic lines. A bit like a seashell, but without the opening for the seafood to come out.
Tony pointed at Wong. “So, boyfriend, bracelet, weird readings. Go.”
Wong glanced at Astor then leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Stephen is going through some things. Some big life changing things.”
“Unless it’s the literal end of the universe, he’s going to have to break up with me himself.” Tony joked, but a feeling was starting in the pit of his stomach. Tony’s eyes followed Wong’s as he looked at Astor.
She uncurled from her place on the couch and assumed a calm open expression that made that feeling in Tony’s stomach sharper.
“Master Strange is experiencing a very special, and sacred, time in a sorcerer's life.”
“Are the walls going to start bleeding, scratch that. Is Stephen going to start bleeding? Out of any orifice?”
“No.” Astor said serenely.
Fry and Ng both glanced at the brownish fluid on the bottom of the green not-shelfish.
“Is Stephen in the shell?”
Wony gave a sideways nod.
Tony stood, calmly powered up his gauntlet, and calmly pointed it at the shell. Wong and Fry started forward to block his shot. The Cloak of Levitation came out of nowhere to wrap around Tony’s arm.
“Mr. Stark, that’s a chrysalis of pure magic.”
“This gauntlet can blast through steel.”
Wong stepped forward so Tony’s cloak wrapped palm touched his chest. “Which means it will also cut through Stephen. Calm down.”
“Calm down? Some evil crustation dragged him into its shell and you’re telling me to calm down?”
Astor sat back down on the couch. “It’s not a shell, and there’s no man-eating crab. It’s a chrysalis. Master Strange’s magic is growing and he needs to grow with it.”
“Is Stephen going to turn into a moth?”
“No.” Wong said.
“Certainly not.” Said Fry.
“Unlikely.” Said Astor while moving her hand in a so-so gesture.
Tony sat back down. The Cloak of Levitation sprawled half on his lap. Tony took a few breaths to center himself.
“So,” He swept his finger around the group. “All of you have gone through this magical lifetime event?”
“Yes,” Wong said. “I grew two inches.”
“I got a tail.” Fry said. Tony reflexively looked to see it but she scooted back into the couch.
“Yes.” Astor said with the same serene smile.
Tony started to rub his temples. “Ok, how long is he going to be in there?”
“Not too much longer. Two days at most.”
“What’s he going to need when he comes out?”
“Your unconditional love and support.” Wong said.
Tony made a rolling motion with his fingers. “He’s got that, what else?”
“The Sanctum will take care of the rest.”
Tony watched the chrysalis for a few minutes before turning to his phone. He tried a few searches then turned to Wong.
“You guys got any books on the lifecycle of butterflies?”
“Sure.” Fry said and got up.
Wong reached an arm over to stop her. “Why?”
“Friday has blocked the search on my phone. Apparently someone” he glanced at the chrysalis, “has augmented her mental health protocol.”
“No books for you.”
-----------
It took twenty two hours. Various masters filtered in and out during that time. Wong stayed the longest before telling Tony he was heading to bed and Tony should do the same. Tony stretched out on one of the couches watching for any sign of life from the chrysalis.
Then morning came and Tony could see the chrysalis less opaque but darker. A few hours later the side plate started to pulse, as though someone was pushing it from the outside.
“Do we help?”
“No. Give it time. The hard part’s over.”
Eventually the gummy seal between the plates broke and each push after that widened the gap until it lifted enough to see iridescent blues and inky blacks. Then with one, two, three pushes the plate popped loose. The blacks and blues stretched themselves out into wings, one swiping an end table over and the other hitting the hanging lamp. Stephen landed naked ass first on the carpet.
Tony rushed forward to steady him. Stephen’s eyes were a solid glittering blue for a moment then the whites of his eyes seemed to bleed in from the sides giving him a more normal expression. One of his wings twitched again, bumping into the couch and forcing a few inches backward. He stared at his wing, then at the empty chrysalis. “What the fuck just happened?”
Tony laughed.
After Stephen was cleaned up, Astor explained to Stephen what had happened. After the Cloak had carefully stroked and poked Stephen’s new wings, and somehow given itself slits so it could comfortably rest on Stephen’s back again. After that Tony and Stephen were left alone to lean against each other and rest.
“How you feel about superhero names?”
Stephen snorted. “I was told Dr Strange is catchy enough.”
Tony could feel the tired suspicion radiating from Stephen. Tony smiled into Stephen’s hair. “We have a Spider-Man, and an Ant-Man.” He paused. “You could be our Moth-man.”