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Tony is on the other side of the park when Stephen joins the battle, so while he notices there’s something different about the sorcerer’s silhouette under the familiar flare of the Cloak, he doesn’t think twice about it, too busy herding cats the size of horses away from civilians. When they’re done he remembers the difference and flies over to where Strange has touched down instead of signing off and heading home.
When he arrives, Tony damn near swallows his tongue. Gone are the thick, layered blue robes and plethora of belts and bindings. Instead, Stephen is decked out in a midnight black bodysuit that clings to every plane and curve of his body. A broad, white design emphasizes the breadth of his chest before arrowing down to point directly at his groin. He’s wearing some sort of groin protection, of course, but that particular curve is still… substantial.
Tony swallows hard and realizes he’s been silent too long. “New look, doc?” he says, and hopes that the suit’s voice translation hides how strangled he sounds.
Stephen brushes his hands delicately down his sides, as if he needed to call attention to the long, lean muscle of his body. Fuck, who knew the sorcerer was so nicely sculpted under all those robes? “Yes,” he says. “My old robes were perfectly serviceable, of course, but given the enemies we’ve encountered lately, something that could carry additional enchantments seemed appropriate.”
Tony’s not sure how the layered robes and accessories of the old outfit could carry fewer enchantments than this sleek, streamlined design, but he isn’t about to complain.
And then something about Stephen’s phrasing pings his memory.
Tony retracts his helmet just so that Stephen can see him smirk. “And this had nothing to do with being voted the least sexy costume two weeks ago?” The article, if Tony recalls correctly, had described Stephen’s outfit as “serviceable, and nothing more.”
Stephen lifts his chin a little. “Of course not. I’d never put my life in danger over tabloid journalism.”
“Of course not,” Tony repeats, grinning wider. “But if you can kill two birds with one stone…”
A tiny smile tugs at the corner of Strange’s mouth, but all he says is, “If you don’t have to rush off, we could do lunch?”
“I’d love to,” Tony says.
There’s no way he’s missing Stephen parading this outfit around to be noticed.