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Tony poured himself a drink and eased down onto the penthouse couch with a long sigh. Damn it, he hated coming into the city these days. Home was the cabin, with Pepper and Morgan and the bots. The cabin might have had a couple of tables that could be used for work, but they weren’t made for work, and it didn’t have a dedicated lab. He’d done his time and then some, he was supposed to be able to rest now… but there was always another crisis looming.
Today’s crisis hadn’t demanded he get into the armor again, at least. Instead he’d spent the last two days in the Tower’s lab, pulling an all-nighter for the first time in weeks to help the Avengers take down an idiot with a portal generator. The team had done all right in their first couple of encounters—Stephen gave them plenty of practice with portals when they were training—but then the idiot had gotten sloppy and desperate and the portals had started interacting with each other. Tony knew a little too much about the space-time continuum to let that go; he’d already been on the way to the Tower when the Avengers called him.
They’d won, of course. Steve had said they couldn't have done it without him. Tony said thank you, instead of what he was thinking, which was, I wish you could. He knew they tried not to call, but in the end… there was no one quite like Tony.
The only upside to coming into the city was that it was a chance to see friends, but even that was a mixed bag. Rhodey was always glad to see him, but in the city he was always much more work focused; when he made the time to come out to the cabin, he did it with the intention of being away from work. And then there was Stephen…
Tony took another long sip of his drink. He’d barely given a thought to unrequired soulmarks before Thanos. He knew they happened, but they were so rare, they almost didn’t seem real. Not until Stephen came to him in the aftermath and revealed his mark.
He hadn’t asked for anything. Hadn’t expected anything. Already knew that, in addition to the soulmark Tony shared with Pepper, Tony was entirely straight. Apparently, during the 14 million futures Stephen had viewed, Tony had never once returned his feelings. “But it felt wrong that you didn’t know,” Stephen had said, tracing a trembling finger over the Anthony Edward Stark inscribed on his skin. It was still stubbornly black, despite all the times they’d touched.
They’d become friends. Stephen hadn’t asked, and Tony wondered sometimes if it would be kinder to stay away from him, but he did like the man. Soulmark aside, Tony had always liked brilliant people, and Stephen was brilliant both medically and magically. He also had a quick wit for banter and snark, and he… he understood where Tony’s limits were, better than basically anyone else. Tony supposed 14 million futures worth of experience would do that.
Still, it was easier to be friends by text. As much as Tony enjoyed hanging out with Stephen in person, it was a lot easier to forget about the longing that never quite left Stephen when he wasn’t seeing it in person.
One more night, Tony tells himself. And then you can go home.
Of course, that was the moment when a silvery arch shimmered into existence in his living room.
Tony leaped to his feet, already calling for an armor. By the time the arch fully solidified and a bright glow filled the space beneath it, Tony was fully armored, two repulsors pointed at the gateway. A figure stepped through, all details washed out by the bright light.
“Who are you?” Tony demanded.
The light winked out, leaving behind… himself.
A second Tony Stark.
Other!Tony took one look at the Iron Man armor and said, “Well, shit.”
“Who are you?” Tony repeated, because he’d learned long ago never to make assumptions. “And why are you here?”
“I’m Tony Stark,” Other!Tony said. “And I’m guessing you’re also Tony Stark. Which means I’m going to have to move on, but the gate takes twenty four hours to recharge. Sorry. You’re stuck with me until then.”
“You don’t seem worried. Does Iron Man not exist where you’re from?”
Other!Tony shook his head. “Oh, no, I’m Iron Man, same as you. But I designed the gate to find landing points that aren’t potentially lethal to me. If you were likely to kill me, I wouldn’t have exited here.”
“That’s some awfully specific targeting,” Tony said, thinking of the day’s villain. Portals were not so easy as Stephen made them look.
“Eh, not so much,” Other!Tony said, waffling a hand. “It’s all about multiversal resonances. Do you mind if I sit?” He pointed at the couch.
Still armored, Tony had to appreciate his other self’s confidence. “Tell me why you’re here first.”
Other!Tony let out a soft breath. “I’m looking for a place to stay,” he said. “My world… doesn’t need me. I made Iron Man to protect the world, but the more dangerous things became, the more heroes emerged. These days there are hundreds, most of them more powerful than Iron Man, and half a dozen scientists and engineers on my level or above it. Maybe it’s arrogant, but I thought, maybe there was some other place that still needed a Tony Stark. So I went looking.” He waved at Tony, still armored. “But this world obviously already has one. I’ll be one my way as soon as the gate recharges.”
He only had Other!Tony’s word for any of that, but Tony’s instincts said he was telling the truth. There was something about the disappointment in his voice when he said that this world already had a Tony Stark. Tony let the armor melt away.
“Oh!” Other!Tony’s eyebrows went up. “You’re older.”
“I’m fifty-five,” Tony said sharply. Fifty-five wasn’t that old.
“Older than me,” Other!Tony said, and okay, it was true. Other!Tony was at least forty, but he hadn’t even started to go gray yet. “And still rocking the suit,” he said, smiling.
“Yeah,” Tony said, and suppressed a wince at how tired it came out.
“Come on, you can’t tell me you’d give it up?” Other!Tony asked.
“For Pep and my kid? Hell yeah I would,” Tony shot back.
Other!Tony looked stunned. “You have a kid? And who’s Pep?”
Even if Other!Tony was ten years younger than Tony, that still put him four years pre-Snap and one year post-arc removal. He and Pepper had been very much on at the time. “Pepper Potts? Former PA, then Stark Industries CEO, then my wife, Pepper Potts?”
“Wife?” Other!Tony was staring at him. “You’re straight?”
That was not the part Tony would have expected to trip him up. “You’re not?”
“Hell no.” Other!Tony went to the bar and made himself a drink, knocking it back in one shot. “I’m as gay as a barrel of monkeys on nitrous oxide,” he said. He poured another drink and turned back to Tony, leaning back against the bar. “I always thought being gay was kind of fundamental to my personality. And yet there you are,” he gestured at Tony with the glass, “straight and still Tony Stark.”
“For my sins,” Tony said dryly. He studied Other!Tony for a moment. Ten years younger. Still invested in being Iron Man. And gay.
Of course he thought of Stephen.
Was that wrong? Was he treating both himself and Other!Tony like they were interchangeable? But then there was Stephen’s soulmark, which had never flared gold even though unrequited marks were supposed to activate just the same as requited ones. Unless, maybe, Tony wasn’t the right Anthony Edward Stark.
There was no guarantee that this Tony Stark was the right one, either. Hell, there was no guarantee that he came from a universe that had soulmarks; Stephen had said that there were some that didn’t. Either way, Tony couldn’t just ask. “I guess I should have known you didn’t have a Pepper equivalent,” he said. “Or you wouldn’t be universe hopping, looking for a place to settle down.”
“Maybe,” Other!Tony said. “Or maybe I’d just have brought him with me. It’s harder than you’d think, living in a world that’s moved past you.”
Tony laughed. “It’s harder than you’d think, living in a world that won’t let go of you.” He sighed deeply. “I tried to retire, you know? Moved out of the city. Put away the armor. Told myself I was done. But apparently, there’s only one Tony Stark.” The words slipped out without thought, he’d said it so many times before.
“Well,” Other!Tony said slowly. “Not anymore.”
Tony froze.
He’d thought of Stephen, but he hadn’t thought of himself.
What if there was another Tony Stark? A younger Tony Stark, still eager for the fight and so desperate to be useful that he’d invented multiversal travel just to find somewhere that needed him?
Other!Tony caught his gaze. “What if I stayed?” he asked. “You could retire. Be with your wife and kid. And I could be Iron Man.”
“You’d have to handle the tech, too,” Tony said, mind racing. It could work. They wouldn’t want to out multiversal travel to the masses, he was sure of that, but magic was a thing. It wouldn’t be hard to convince people that some mystical whoopsie had more or less duplicated Tony.
“Of course,” Other!Tony said. “Although, if you wanted to keep—”
“No,” Tony broke in. “No, I’ve got personal projects to satisfy the tinkering urge. You can keep the crises.”
Other!Tony looked pleased. “It won’t cause a problem with your family? There being two of you, I mean.”
“It might have been tricky if you fell in love with Pepper,” Tony said. “But I’m assuming we’re safe on that front.”
“Definitely,” Other!Tony said wryly. “There was a time when I really tried to play it straight. Our military contacts weren’t always thrilled about negotiating with a fag. But it never worked, not even when I genuinely liked the woman.”
Stephen, Stephen, Stephen. Fuck propriety, Tony decided suddenly. If he was going to encourage Other!Tony to stay, Tony needed to know. “Do you have a soulmark?”
Other!Tony set down his glass with a click and gave Tony a sharp look. “He died before we ever met,” Other!Tony said shortly. “Car accident.”
Okay, that was generic, but Stephen had injured his hands in a car accident, right? The timing was wrong, but still… “And the mark faded?”
“No,” Other!Tony said slowly. “Which confused the hell out of a lot of people. What are you getting at?”
“What’s your soulmate’s name?” Tony asked, heart pounding.
Other!Tony stared at him for a long minute. Really, there was only one reason Tony would ask. Other!Tony snatched up his glass and tossed back his drink. “Stephen Vincent Strange.”
Yes! It was all Tony could do not to cheer. The excitement had to be showing: there was a fragile, uncertain hope growing on Other!Tony’s face. “The timing is different,” Tony began, just in case, “but in this universe, Stephen Strange survived his car accident and went on to become a sorcerer. Half the time I’m out there fighting, he’s with me.”
“And you mention this because—” Other!Tony broke off.
But Tony wasn’t too afraid to finish the thought. “Because he has an unrequited soulmark for Anthony Edward Stark,” Tony finished. “A mark that never went gold even though it had every opportunity to activate.”
“And you think—”
“It fits, doesn’t it?” Tony said. “Your mark never faded because the Stephen Strange in your world was never the one you were meant for. Stephen’s mark never activated because it was never meant for me. You’re supposed to be here.”
“What if—” Other Tony’s voice cracked and he swallowed hard before trying again. “What if he’s disappointed? He thought it was you.”
Tony gentled his voice. “I’m the one who disappointed him,” he said. “I was supposed to be his perfect match, and all he got was a friendship. You’re the right Tony Stark.”
Other!Tony blew out a harsh breath. “I should meet him before we decide if I’m going to stay. Just in case.”
“Right.” Tony got out of his phone.
“Now??” Other!Tony demanded.
“No time like the present,” Tony said cheerfully.
The call rang through before Other!Tony could protest again. “Strange.”
“Do you ever confuse people, answering that way?” Tony said, feeling playful.
“Often,” Stephen said dryly. “Is everything okay? No repercussions from the battle earlier?”
Oh, right. “No, no, everything’s fine, this is unrelated. I have a visitor from another universe here in my penthouse and I thought you should meet him.”
“Tony!”
“He’s safe!” Tony protested. “Come on, I’m not new to this shit.”
“Neither are you the most qualified judge of these things.” Stephen hung up, but the orange crackle of an incoming portal was already forming.
Not the ideal frame of mind for Stephen to visit in, but oh well.
Other!Tony was on his feet by the time the portal finished opening and Stephen stepped through, decked out in full Sorcerer regalia. Other!Tony looked a little stunned. Surely they had magic users in his world, if they had hundreds of heroes. Tony looked at Stephen, then back to Other!Tony, who was looking at Stephen like… like… Oh.
Stephen was attractive, wasn’t he?
Stephen was staring at Other!Tony, too, although not for the same reason. Well, hopefully not only for the same reason. “You didn’t say your visitor was yourself.”
Tony shrugged. “How else would I be sure he was safe?”
Stephen shot him a dry look. “You, Tony Stark, are the furthest thing from safe.” After a moment, his gaze drifted back to Other!Tony like it was magnetized.
“Not the point,” Tony said. “Tony here is looking for a universe to settle down in. I figure we’ve got an opening for a Tony Stark, if I’m looking to retire, which I am. Thoughts?”
“Multiversal travel risks incursions,” Stephen said, never looking away from Other!Tony.
“Incursions happen when universes collide,” Other!Tony jumped in. He would know about this stuff, wouldn’t he? “Most methods of multiversal travel rely on proximity to work, which increases the risk, because hopping between them increases their momentum towards each other. The gate,” he waved at the silvery arch still occupying part of the living room, “is designed to avoid universes that are inside the minimum safe distance.”
“Besides,” Tony jumped in. “I think he’s meant to be here.”
Stephen glanced between the two of them. “And you think that because?”
Other!Tony licked his lips nervously. “Because neither of our soulmarks changed when they should have.”
Stephen’s gaze snapped back to Other!Tony. “You have my name?” It was almost a whisper, the question heart-rendingly fragile.
Instead of answering, Other!Tony rolled up his sleep to display his mark. Tony hadn’t expected the messy, expansive scrawl that covered Other!Tony’s arm, but when Stephen reached out with one scarred, trembling hand, the dots connected. Tony tried not to hold his breath as Stephen hesitated. Other!Tony held still, and eventually Stephen let his fingers come to rest delicately on the marked skin.
The mark flared gold all at once, like it had barely been holding back.
Stephen let out a bark of near-hysterical laughter, looking up to meet Other!Tony’s bright, teary gaze. “I thought my mark was unrequited,” Stephen said. “I thought that I was so— I thought the best the universe could do for me was a friend.”
Tony’s heart broke. Stephen had told Tony a hundred times that it wasn’t his fault he wasn’t Stephen’s match. Had Tony ever told Stephen the same?
“I thought I lost you before I could even meet you,” Other!Tony said. He curled one hand around Stephen’s forearm. “Can I see it?”
“Yes, of course.” Stephen fumbled at the ties wrapped around his wrists. Even between the two of them, it took a couple of minutes to loosen Stephen’s sleeve enough that it could be pushed up. The light caught the gold of his mark. It almost seemed to sparkle.
Relief washed through Tony. It wasn’t his fault that Stephen didn’t have a match. That longing in Stephen’s eyes was going to go away now. They could both have their happy ending.
Maybe he made a noise, but suddenly Stephen turned to look at him. “Tony…” he said uncertainly, as if he thought there was a chance Tony would be anything but thrilled for him.
“Told you so,” Tony said, grinning, and mostly he meant I think he’s meant to be here, but also, he’d told Stephen a few times Just because I’m not your match doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there for you.
Stephen laughed, brighter and harder than Tony had ever seen him do before. “I know we have practical details to sort out,” he said, “but… later?” He gave Other!Tony a soft smile. “We have some getting to know each other to do.”
“You know where to find me when you’re ready,” Tony said, smiling.
Stephen cast a portal. When he turned to Other!Tony, the man linked their arms. Stephen looked surprised, and delighted. They stepped through the portal together and it closed behind them, leaving Tony alone in the Tower. Maybe, he realized suddenly, for the last time.
Tony made a call. “Pep? I have the best news…”