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After considerable discussion, Stephen and Tony ultimately decide to tell their closest friends about the baby all at the same time instead of piecemeal. Under the circumstances, there are going to be a lot of questions, mostly the same questions, and answering them over and over again just sounds exhausting.
Which is how they end up sitting side by side on the penthouse couch with Rhodey, Wong, Pepper, Christine, and Happy gathered around. Despite the fact that they’d called the meeting, it feels uncomfortably like an intervention. The worried and suspicious looks on everyone’s faces when they take in the others present doesn’t help with that. “Look, this is a good announcement, I promise,” Tony says. “We just didn’t want to have to repeat it a bunch of times.”
“You say that,” Rhodey said dryly, “but—”
“I’m pregnant.”
The room is very effectively silenced by Stephen’s bald statement.
Wong is the first to recover. “The twenty-seventh dimension?” he asks Stephen.
“Yes,” Stephen says. “And I did take precautions, but…” He trails off and shrugged.
“Who knew dimensional travel had so much in common with safe sex?” Happy offers, bemused, and everyone breaks down laughing.
Tony feels the tension easing out of his own shoulders. Stephen relaxes, too, smiling at Tony and taking his hand. “As you probably gathered,” Stephen says when the laughter dies down, “this wasn’t planned, but we are happy about it.”
“And it’s safe?” Christine asks, her smile fading slightly. “I mean, I don’t know anything about magic, but pregnancy is very hard even on bodies that are designed for it…”
“The magic provides some safeguards,” Stephen says, “but I would be grateful if you could consult with Wong.” He shoots the other sorcerer a look.
“Of course.” Wong nods to Christine.
“I can’t wait to see you as a dad,” Rhodey tells Tony, grinning. “So much karma coming home to roost. So much.”
Tony laughs. “Come on, you don’t think Uncle Rhodey is going to catch some of that?”
Pepper is the one who catches Tony’s eye and says, softly, “Congratulations, Tony.”
He beams at her, and then he turns and beams at Stephen. The inquisition will still come, they both know it, but for now, they have the best friends.