Chapter Text
Late July, 2007
“What do you think, Mr. Stark?”
“What do I think, Ms. Potts?” Tony asked without looking up from his phone.
“It’s great” Pepper replied to the eager manager who had been showing them the facilities for the past thirty minutes “This seems like the right venue for Stark Industries project for next year”
“Well, you heard her” Tony said with a smile and putting his phone in his pocket “Send the contract to legal and they’ll get back to you”
“Right away, Mr. Stark” the manager said, visibly excited “You won’t regret it”
Tony nodded absentmindedly as the manager left.
“What am I doing here again?”
Pepper sighed but kept a smile on her face as she led them out of the building.
“The Stark Expo, sir. The thing your father did annually and we’re bringing back next year?”
“Right” Tony took a look around “And why am I doing that?”
“To support scientific innovation around the globe, offer a platform for inventors to find sponsors and improve people’s lives”
“Sounds time consuming. How much time am I going to have to spend away from my lab?”
“Hard to tell right now, sir. There’s a lot of it that you can probably deal with from Malibu but since everything’s gonna take place here, you might need to come back once a month or so.”
Tony didn’t feel too annoyed at that. Happy was waiting for them at the lobby.
“And when is this Expo scheduled for?”
Pepper checked her notes.
“Mid March”
“Ugh” That was almost a whole year away. Why did these things need to be planned so soon?
“Ready to go, sir?” Happy asked.
“I don’t know” Tony turned to Pepper once again “Am I free?”
“For the next few hours, yes. There’s a gala at the MoMA at nine”
“A gala? Why am I going to a gala?”
“It’s an annual thing, Stark Industries is always invited. Obadiah typically attends them but remember the board asked for you to participate more often in events that” she checked her notes again “do not include strippers, drugs or explosives”
“That was a good weekend” he said mostly to himself “Alright then, I guess we go back to the hotel”
“You’re not gonna go out?” Pepper asked, a little surprised.
“I’m feeling like getting pampered at the spa before you drag me to a museum filled with old people that will wanna make me gouge my eyes out from boredom”
“Excellent” Pepper replied.
Stephen wanted to gouge his eyes out. He hated events like the one he was currently participating in. He had strategically avoided them for a couple of years since he had been hired as an attending in the New York Presbyterian but he had also strategically volunteered to attend that one. He was beginning to regret his decision as the old man in front of him kept talking about his grandson’s baseball game.
The gala was supposed to help doctors get funding for their research and their hospitals, use a percentage of the donations for pro bono surgeries and meet other professionals. Stephen however, didn’t care for any of it. The extra money for his research would come in handy, but he knew the hospital’s board would keep funding him without issue. He was the most published doctor in the department and he had won an award two months before. The pro bono surgeries were mostly for treating cataracts, harelip or diabetes complications, so again, nothing that would spark his interest. The social aspect of it all was probably his least favorite thing. He was surprised some of the doctors he had talked to so far were even allowed to graduate from med school. Not to mention the old people, the filthy rich old people, most of whom already had a foot on the grave. Having to try to get a check from them was torture.
But it was a torture he was willing to endure. At least for a while longer. Dr. Lowell, the head of neurosurgery, was going to retire by the end of the year and everyone knew the race for the job was between Dr. Joyce and himself. Dr Joyce was seven years his elder and had the experience to his advantage, but that was it, if Stephen played his cards right, he would become the youngest chief of neurosurgery in the history of the hospital and that sounded nice.
So there he was, enduring an endless conversation in hopes to get a check. He already had four others in his pocket, but he was nothing but an overachiever and Dr. Joyce was also there trying to impress Dr. Carson, the actual chief of surgery who would name Dr. Lowell’s successor. Stephen took a look around the room, as the old man went on and on. He had been at the party for an hour and he figured if he hanged around for another that would be enough. He was definitely heading straight for the bar after he got the money.
Suddenly, a few heads near the entrance turned to look outside. Stephen thought maybe someone famous had passed by, but then a couple of photographers who were going around the room asking for pictures, dashed across the room. The whispers began and while Stephen was mildly curious because he appreciated the distraction, he didn’t care to try to listen or get closer. When the flashes started going off outside, the old man who was completely unaware of what was going on around him, pulled out his checkbook.
“Here you go, son” the old man said as he handed him a twenty five thousand dollars check. Stephen had hoped for a bit more, but he still smiled politely as he took it.
As he was making his way towards the bar, the whispers from different people around him reached his ears.
“Oh my god, it really is him”
“What is he even doing here? Isn’t this thing for the medical industry? What does he have to do with it?”
“Who cares? He’s the richest person in the room, we should try to get closer”
“Oh, he’s so handsome”
“Do you think he’s going to take someone home tonight?”
“I hope it’s me”
“I’m so glad I came here tonight, I could’ve missed my chance to meet Tony Stark”
Stephen stopped short. His head turned towards the door. He couldn’t see him, there was a crowd around him, photographers, doctors and pretty much everyone else trying to get closer. Stephen’s first instinct was to get as far away as possible, although he didn’t know why. It had been so many years, there was no anger or sadness at the memories, only a certainty that he had been happy, like when you think back on a particular Christmas, school trip or some other thing.
He shook his head and reached the bar. He asked for a drink and just stared at where he guessed Tony was. The crowd was dissipating slowly and the doctor pondered if he should walk by and say hello. Given the time that had passed and Tony Stark’s reputation in the media there was a chance Tony might not even remember him or that he would try to brush him off, as he was famous for doing. But Stephen knew deep down that wouldn’t happen.
“Of course Tony Stark would show up an hour late. Someone should tell him this is not a Hollywood party” Dr. Lowell said next to him.
“Doesn’t seem to me like most of the guests mind it”
“Well of course not, even the rich old men want to be in his good graces” Dr. Lowell carried on “He’s got enough money to fund everyone’s researches, hospitals and foundations for years”
A thought entered Stephen’s mind, but he let it slide quickly.
“Why are you not there with the rest of them? Getting a check from him would help your chances with Carson, wouldn’t it?”
Stephen had always appreciated Dr. Lowell’s candor, it saved a lot of time.
“Probably, but I think I’ll wait until he has less people around him asking for money. Let the man get a drink first or something”
“Huh. How thoughtful of you”
“Oh you know me, sir. Always putting other people’s well being before mine”
They shared a laugh.
“If I were you I wouldn’t wait too long though. Joyce might not be as kind as you”
Stephen spotted the other doctor making his way towards the genius. And not just him, Dr. Carson was next to him. Joyce was a people’s person, which was not a quality Stephen normally cared for or envied, but Dr. Carson already liked Joyce better, he had known him for longer.
Youngest chief of neurosurgery in the hospital’s history.
His competitive side won the battle against his judgement. He downed the rest of his drink.
“Good luck” Dr. Lowell said.
Stephen thanked him and he got on his feet. He took a few steps towards the genius, who he still couldn’t see properly, and thought about his options. Option one was joining Dr. Joyce and Dr. Carson, getting in the middle of them and hopefully, greet Tony like an old friend. Option two was sprinting and getting there before them, introduce them to Tony and not the other way around. However, sprinting like an eager photographer would draw way too much attention from the people currently around the man. Option three it was, the most insane option really, but also the one where he would come out as the victor in the race against Joyce… if it worked.
He started walking in the opposite direction. He reached the piano that was near one of the corners. The pianist finished her song and looked at him. He pulled out his wallet and put a fifty in the tip jar.
“Hello. I’m Dr. Stephen Strange, would you mind if I played a song real quick?”
“Be my guest, I have to go to the bathroom anyway”
“Great, thank you”
Joyce and Carson had probably reached Tony by the time Stephen took a seat in front of the piano. He tried to think of a song that would guarantee Tony noticed it. He smiled to himself as he started playing. It certainly was different from anything the pianist had been playing, and sure enough people turned to look at him when they recognised the song. He carried on, vaguely aware that the room had grown more quiet. He kept his eyes on the keyboard, but he was almost positive his plan had worked.
When the music was over, applause filled the room. Stephen, for once, didn’t care for it. An odd feeling took hold of him. He knew Tony was behind him.
“You’ve got some talented hands there, doc.”
Stephen turned and there he was. Becoming a neurosurgeon was a very effective way to stay unaware of what happened in the world. Long hours, little sleep, little energy left to care about anything that went on outside the hospital. Especially for someone like Stephen, whose entire life revolved around the operating rooms. But even so, Stephen was aware Tony had grown more famous. He had seen pictures throughout the city, fragments of interviews on tv passing by, people talking about him in the street. None of that prepared him for having Tony in front of him again. His face was almost exactly as he remembered, except for the goatee, still breathtaking. But he had to remain focused, so he smirked.
“But you already knew that, didn’t you?”
Tony’s eyebrows went up for a moment before he threw his head back and laughed loudly.
“Well, I also remember you were not a fan of Foreigner”
“I’m not” Stephen replied, finally standing up. They looked at each other and he was about to say something else when Dr. Carson materialized out of nowhere next to the engineer.
“Mr. Stark, it’s clear you have an eye for talent” the older man said “Let me introduce you to another one of our finest surgeons, Dr. Stephen Strange”
“Dr. Stephen Strange” Tony repeated with a smile. “Sounds even better now that it’s true”
“Excuse me?” he asked, when Tony ignored him he turned to Stephen “Do you know Mr. Stark?”
“Oh he knows me alright, doctor” Tony began. Stephen worried about what he could say. Tony had always been a bit unpredictable in that area, and Stephen definitely did not want his boss to know he was his ex. “We were in Columbia in the early 90’s, even had a class together, didn’t we?”
Stephen nodded, relieved.
“That’s great. Stephen is–”
“Hey, doc. I think I wanna catch up with my old buddy here for a minute” Tony said and without waiting for a response he signaled Stephen to walk away with him.
“Oh, yeah. Of course, Mr. Stark. We will–”
Not exactly what he had been aiming for, but Stephen did enjoy the look on doctor Carson’s face as they left. People moved out of their way as if Tony was Moses commanding the red sea. They stopped at an empty table near the window. Stephen was aware half the room was looking at them.
“Dr. Stephen Strange” Tony said once again. “Sounds really good, I gotta tell you”
“Thank you” Stephen replied “Not quite the same ring as the Da Vinci of our time, but I like it.”
Tony smiled. He called on a waiter and they ordered more drinks.
“And what are you doing here?” Tony asked “I can totally picture you in a thousand ceremony awards, but this? No one but the old men who want someone to talk to come here voluntarily”
“And who forced you?” Stephen asked, amused but unable to correct the genius.
“Assisstant, Obie, the board. Not really sure, but one of them is the answer, or at least they all agreed I need to show my face in more… boring events” Tony replied.
The doctor smiled. Tony looked at him until Stephen sighed.
“I’m here because the head of neurosurgery in my hospital will retire in a few months”
“Oh, so you’re playing nice, coming to these things so Clayton over there gives you the job?”
“Carson, and yes, pretty much”
“Mmm, do you have any competition?”
Stephen looked around the room and spotted Dr. Joyce with a group of people. Tony followed the direction of his gaze.
“Oh yeah, I think I met—” Tony stopped and turned to Stephen with an accusatory look on his face. “Wait a minute. Is that why you played that song? To lure me out so he couldn’t talk to me?”
Stephen didn’t reply immediately, he realised his plan could be interpreted as a rude gesture, which happened to him very often. He was about to mumble an apology, which he didn’t do as regularly, when he realised Tony had the biggest shit eating grin on his face. It gave him a flashback and he did what he had done the previous times he had seen that smug smile, he rolled his eyes.
“You wanted me all to yourself, didn’t you? Take advantage?” Tony said in a cheeky tone.
“That is not how I would phrase it” Stephen replied casually. “But my job tonight is to get as many checks for my research as I can from the rich men in the room, you just happened to be–”
“The best looking?” Tony tried to finish for him.
Stephen eyed him up and down and shrugged, clearly not very impressed with what he was seeing. It was a good thing he was not connected to a heart rate monitor.
“You do realize you’re supposed to be charming to get a check, right? And I’m not feeling very charmed” Tony said, amused, as he crossed his arms “Here, let me show you”
He leaned in a little closer and looked him in the eyes.
“You look amazing”
Dear Universe, his eyes.
“I think your brain, rather than your looks, would appreciate a little more attention right now, Mr. Stark”
Tony had a different kind of smile on his face. They stared at each other quietly before the genius spoke again.
“Alright, Dr. Strange. I’m intrigued, what’s your research about?”
Stephen proceeded to explain in simple terms but with a few more details the same thing he had to the other investors. It took Tony a couple of questions to understand the implications of what he was trying to achieve. They kept talking, their interest in the other growing as time went by. They were completely oblivious to the outside world. The doctor felt excited as he explained possible future researches he already had in mind when a woman in a suit came to stand next to the engineer.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mr. Stark” she said, offering Tony a small device “Mr. Stane is on the phone for you”
“Huh, give me a minute, doc. I’ll be right back” Tony said quickly before stepping away.
“Pepper Potts” the woman introduced herself “I’m Mr. Stark’s assistant”
“Dr. Stephen Strange” Stephen said “I’m… an old friend”
“Oh. That explains it” she said with a small smile.
“Explains what?” he asked curiously.
“He’s been talking to you for more than half an hour, in this type of events he usually doesn’t spend more than five minutes with anyone”
We’ve been talking for thirty minutes? It felt like five. Stephen was truly surprised, not only for the amount of time that had passed but also because he had felt very comfortable the whole time, it had been so easy to talk to Tony, almost like–
Pepper looked at him with curiosity. Stephen did not like it but didn’t let it show. There was a silence that would’ve become awkward if Tony hadn’t come back seconds later.
“Alright, hope you were not bored out of your mind without my brilliant conversation” Tony said looking at Stephen, who didn’t bother to reply. “Have you met each other?”
Both of them nodded.
“Good, good. Ms. Potts, could you make sure the jet is ready for tomorrow morning? There’s something I need to solve in London as soon as possible”
“Absolutely, Mr. Stark. Anything else?”
“Yes, please hand me the checkbook”
Stephen had forgotten about that. He stood there feeling a little awkward. Tony took a card out of his pocket and handed it along with the check to the doctor. 50K.
“Sorry to cut our conversation short, doc, my brain definitely appreciated it. Wouldn’t mind an update on your research sometime in the future.”
“Of course”
They shook hands and looked into each other’s eyes. Stephen felt like electricity rather than blood was pouring through his veins.
“It was great to see you, Stephen”
“You too, Tony”
“Feel free to take advantage of me again, anytime”
Stephen was caught off guard, mainly because Tony’s assistant was right there. But she had an impressive poker face. He smiled at the genius.
“I’ll think about it”
Tony kept talking to his assistant as he made his way to the entrance. He was stopped a couple of times by different people. Stephen put the check in his pocket along with the others and stared at the card Tony had given him. It only had a phone number printed on it. The doctor assumed it was a privacy thing.
He walked back to the bar.The sight of Tony, their conversation, the tension, it had been a lot for the doctor in one night. Was he going to call him? That was the main question in his mind when a couple of old men addressed him.
“Hey, young man. You’re Dr. Strange, right?”
“That’s right”
“Well here you go” said the other one, handing him a check.
The confusion must’ve been obvious in his face because the men laughed.
“Tony says you’re the safest bet this place has to offer. And he always knows what he’s talking bout”
Other men might have been offended, but Stephen understood Tony’s intention. And while he appreciated it, Stephen felt the need to prove that he was not in the same situation as he had been many years ago. Far from it.
Three more men approached him soon after, one with whom he had already talked, to offer more money. Had Tony talked to all these people on his way out or was the word spreading out? All the attention reminded him of a similar night almost sixteen years before.
“So, college buddies?” Dr. Carson asked when he was finally alone again “You were college buddies with Tony Stark?”
Stephen made a vague sound that sounded like confirmation as he took a sip of his drink.
“You’re full of surprises, Strange” the doctor continued “It’s not about the amount of people you know, it about knowing the right people, or even just the right person”
Stephen nodded and waited for his boss to keep going. He liked to give out sermons and share his wisdom every now and then.
“That’s a good quality. For a chief, I mean” Carson looked at the smaller crowd. People had started to leave.
Stephen smiled. He considered the goal of the night completely achieved.
“Dr. Carson?” Pepper Potts asked as she approached them.
“Yes? Oh, Ms. Potts, what can I do for you?”
“Mr. Stark is sorry for not giving you this himself, but something popped up and he had to leave early” she explained as she handed the doctor a piece of paper identical to the one Stephen had in his pocket along with a card. A Stark Industries card with the official logo and contact information. “He was impressed with the direction you’re taking the NY Presbyterian according to Dr. Strange. His schedule is busy for the time being but he would like to visit your hospital sometime to see the results of his investment”
The check was for two hundred thousand dollars.
“Absolutely, Ms. Potts” Carson replied, looking at the amount of zeros with wide eyes “We will make good use of Mr. Stark’s trust. It would be an honor to show him our hospital whenever he is able to visit”
Pepper nodded politely, clearly used to hearing similar words on a regular basis.
“Doctors” she said as a goodbye.
“Well, Strange. Nothing official can be said until December, but I see a bright future for both of us”
Youngest chief of neurosurgery.
Stephen felt like celebrating. He said his goodbyes minutes later. As he waited for the valet to bring his car, Stephen dialed the number on the card.
“Took you long enough” the engineer said.
“Where are you?”
Tony laughed.
Twenty minutes later Tony opened the door of his suite and dragged Stephen in by the tie he was wearing. They kissed eagerly, stumbling around the room until they reached the king size bed. Their clothes were gone in the blink of an eye.
“My God, have we gotten hotter” Tony said, as he admired Stephen’s physique.
“Can’t disagree”
After the first time, they stayed in bed going back to the conversation that Pepper had interrupted earlier. They talked about Stephen’s residency and Stark Industries projects before going back at it. They could not get enough.
But everything had to end at some point. Before the break of dawn they were just laying there, with Stephen’s head on Tony’s lap as he tried to explain a tricky procedure he had done last month without falling asleep when someone knocked on the door.
“Everything’s ready to go, sir.” a man announced.
“I’ll be down in five!”
Stephen sat up on the bed. Tony kissed him deeply.
“Do you have to go to the hospital?”
“Not until noon”
“Good. Get some sleep then”
Stephen would have protested if the sheets did not feel so good and soft against his skin.
“Alright”
He pulled the covers on top of him and fell asleep almost instantly. Everything had been a little too perfect and Stephen would’ve thought it had all been a dream , if not for the fact he was not in his own bed when he woke up and that the pillows smelled like Tony. Stephen would later wonder how different things could’ve played out if he had not made that call. But at the time he just got ready, got a nice shower and headed to the hospital. Although the card remained in his pocket, after a few weeks the whole night did begin to feel like a distant dream.