Archive of Our Own

One day, Howard, who was a court scientist and inventor, finally could leave the service of the king. He getting from the king a small estate with adjacent lands somewhere on the outskirts of the kingdom and happily left the capital, taking his sons with him.

Then Tony’s life changed properly.

This chain of events was triggered by a big accident which happened when Tony still very young, at age bordering on the age when people didn’t know how to call him: either a child or already a young man. He was returning whit Maria, his mother, from her family nest to the capital. His father wasn’t with them. Howard, as usual busy with his service to the king, was unable to escape from his workshop to pay a visit his beloved wife's parents. Without fail Maria was upset about it, but she was a master at hiding her light resentment behind an unshakable mask. Maybe for these big patience and understanding Howard loved her so much.

So, on the day Tony and Maria were returning to the capital from a week-long trip when their crew was attacked. Tony didn’t remember much from that day. As a bright fragment in his memory still his chat with mom about some nonsense. Then he remembered how the carriage was shaking violently immediately falling onto its side and seemingly rolling down the small slope they were riding along. Then there were screams and a horrible pain in his chest.

And then he fell into the dark.

When he woke up in one of the chambers of the palace hospital, the court doctor who met him (in Tony's opinion he was a really nasty guy) in even tone said to him that his darling mother couldn’t be saved. And right after the doctor dumped such disgusting news on a thirteen-year-old child, he started to tell Tony in more enthusiastic voice about the poison that was slowly poisoning him. Tony didn't even have time to be scared, because the doctor immediately added, that by king’s order in his chest (right where Tony was injured), was implanted a magic stone like some kind of experiment. Then the doctor asked Tony about how he was feeling and started examine Tony in detail, studying how the stone taken root in his body. The doctor left only in evening and, and judging by his happy face, he was very pleased with the result

Finally left alone, Tony gave vent to his emotions. All these news were dropped on his shoulders completely unexpectedly. He didn’t want to believe the doctor’s words about his mother's death. He also didn’t want to think about that stupid stone in his chest that his good king had decided to gave him. And only when years passed, Tony realized that he was just king’s lab rat.

Fortunately, the stone took root in his body quite well. It was unnoticeable and didn’t interfere Tony's daily routine in any way (except that it produced a weak, bluish glow in the darkness). And everything would have been fine, but after Maria’s death, Tony’s life became completely unbearable.

This happened, because with Maria’s death that thin barrier between Tony and his hot-tempered father disappeared. Their relationship was already not very good: Tony was constantly trying to get Howard’s attention with different kinds of extravagant antics and dirty tricks. So, it never worked, because Howard, fascinated by science and his inventions, didn't want to find time for his son. All the time he set for Tony different goals that were raised faster than he could reach them.

Maria’s death broke Howard at all. He buried himself even more deeply in his work and now constantly gave Tony displeased glances deep down blamed him for the death of his dear wife. They started arguing very often and in one evening, after ruining another family dinner, Howard finally told Tony everything that was on his mind.

“It’s your fault that you stayed alive” Howard growled, pointing at his son, who was frozen by the emotions raging inside him, “Her beautiful life was ended by chance and yours pathetic and completely hopeless continued! You blamed for her death! She died protecting you! She is the one who should have survived, not you!”

Even after decades Tony will remember how desperately Howard shouted that. Then Howard slammed his hands on the table so hard that the poor dishes jumped up with a frightened click, and fell tiredly into a chair, running his fingers through his hair. That day Tony just ran away. All night he wandered around the capital, glad that the city was so big that its buzzing life didn’t stop even at night. In the noisy crowd no one cared about fifteen-year-old boy, wandering the streets and swallowing his tears.

Tony returned home near to lunch on the next day. He waited at least a reproach, but the servants were surprisingly calm and no one came after to send him to the Howard’s cabinet. Nobody cared and what was the reason of this strange calm Tony understood by the evening.

At the dinner Howard introduced him Steve Rogers. Well, Tony already knew Steve: he was the son of a knight of the king's personal guard who died doing his duty. As a sign of gratitude the king didn’t send Steve away and allowed him to stay at the palace. And how Tony later learns, it was done only for practical purposes. Like Tony, Steve was just another guinea pig. Rogers wasn’t implanted with any stones, no. Instead Steve was injected with some strange serum that, in theory, was supposed to make him the strongest knight in the kingdom. But apparently the experiment didn’t have any great success and that’s why the king so easily allowed Howard took Steve under his wing.

That evening Howard introduced Steve to Tony as his step-brother.

At first, Tony was neutral about it: he clearly understood that he would never be able to achieve his father’s love, so, he didn’t care how Howard tried to plug hole in his heart. But after a few month Rogers’ presence started to irritate him, because Howard didn’t miss a chance to rub Tony's face in Steve's perfection. Steve didn’t received any comments from tutors or servants, his behavior was excellent he often helped around the house, and generally did everything, that Tony wouldn’t be credited with, even if he tried very hard. Sometimes Tony thought that Howard brought Steve to the mansion just so Tony could have an example of the “perfect” man in front of his eyes every day.

Well, in about a six month after Steve became a part of Stark’s family, Howard finally got resign from the king and they moved to some unnamed village which was just another remote place.

At first Tony didn’t like his new home, but he quickly made friends around the locals, unlike Steve, who hardly left the manor. He just couldn’t bear within four walls (their new house turned out to be much smaller than the mansion in the capital), so every day Tony went to the village almost early in the morning and returned late in the evening. Each time Howard met Tony on the doorstep and made him listen to his scolding. Tony always wondered how Howard didn’t get tired of watching over his hopeless son every day.
Here, in the surroundings of Carbonell estate (of course Howard would want to leave a memory of his loved wife) Tony very quickly found his best friends - Rhodey and Pepper, who even years later remained his closest people. Against this background competition with Steve slowly began to fade away, and by the age of twenty they had become friends.

That's how they lived: Steve learned the science of house management in the manor and Tony constantly wandering either in the village or in the forest that surrounded the settlement. People here were very superstitious, so they had about a hundred horror stories about Forest’s depths, in which Tony, as man of science and facts, didn’t believe. But here was one strange thing: before moving here, he never thought about how beautiful nature could be. Or, maybe it was just the local forest that had this effect on him, and it really did have some kind of magic. Tony couldn't explain in any other why he was always so drawn to the forest’s depths.

There, in the forest, not far away from village, Tony found abandoned cabin, which quickly started to repair and equip as his personal lair. It didn’t take long time when Pepper and Rhodey found out about the cabin and then Steve did too. To Tony’s surprise, Steve didn’t tell Howard anything about this, and from that moment on, their conflict began to subside.

Years slowly passed away. Howard, tired of his age and mourning for his wife, had long ago handed over the home duties to Steve and now spent all his days either in the workshop or in the garden. Tony, in turn, finally restored the cabin and now practically settled in it, appearing at the estate extremely rarely. He apparently inherited this bad habit from Howard and could spent weeks in cabin without leaving it. So often Rhodey or Pepper, or them both, had to drag him out of the house by the scruff. But sometimes some big date, as someone’s birthday or festival in village come, and Tony still had to go out into the world.

Or, for example, it could be Howard’s death.

It happened when Tony was twenty nine. It was raining heavily that night and it seemed like there was even thunder. Rhodey came to him in the early morning and sadly reported that Howard was gone. That’s the irony, because Tony sincerely believed that he hated his father, but as soon as he heard this news, something dying inside him too and he felt empty. His heart sunk and all urgent tasks suddenly disappeared. Tony even didn’t say a word, silently following Rhodey to the manor

There Steve was already waiting for him. His face looked sad and it seemed that even his knightly composure had cracked today. Tony tried hard not to notice his stepbrother’s reddened eyes.

Finally Tony was free. There was nothing left that could keep him here, in this run-down village. There will be no more arguments with Howard. Tony no longer needed to listen to father’s reproaches and then wonder why he didn’t deserve his love. Now he could even imagine that his black streak that started when he was thirteen finally over. Finally he could flap his grown wings and fly away from the boring nest, which had long been too big for him, but then Tony sadly discovered that instead of beautiful wings, only pitiful stumps were sticking out of his back.

Up to funeral and for many days after Tony felt like the most miserable man in the entire kingdom.

…

Maybe, he should stay at the manor, rather than trail through the night forest to the cabin, but Tony could no longer bear the company of capital’s dicks, who had gathered today at the manor for the funeral. It’s Steve’s duty, as a Howard’s hair, to deal with them. Tony for many years had nothing in common with his family except his last name, so, calmly left all this stupid conversations on Steve.

Of course, Tony knew that Howard cut him out of his will long time ago, but it still hurt. Howard left him nothing. He even preferred to destroy all his projects and drafts, rather than give them to Tony. And all because of Howard was still mad at him for Maria’s death.

How stupid.

The manor’s walls was pressing him and all these sympathetic smiles and full of venom gazes from guests left no desire to spend the night here. Maybe this was the main reason, why Tony preferred to wander along the night paths in complete darkness. He never was afraid of probability to meet some animal in the forest, but for some reason today, when he heard a rustle in the bushes, Tony jumped in fright and almost dropped the lantern from his hands.

Shining a light to the side, where sound was going, Tony felt that he was a complete idiot. It was just a bird caught in a hunter's trap. Stupid hunters. Tony so many times had told them not to set traps in the woods at all, or at least not near the cabin. Firstly, it was very dangerous for Tony, and secondly it was so rude to the forest, which, in Tony's opinion was already so kind to the villagers.

Tony left the path, and went to the tree with a trap. The bird, as soon as it saw that someone came closer, started to beat against the net even more vigorously, fearing for its life.

“Chill. I’m not gonna hurt you” Tony sighed and placed a lantern on the grass. Tony didn’t expect that the bird understood him, but for a couple of seconds it stopped its attempts to get out, looking at him. The gaze of blue bird’s eyes that seemed to glow in the dark fascinated Tony. He even forgot for a few seconds why he was standing there. However, Tony quickly came to his senses and put his hand behind his back.

When he took out a small knife from his back, the bird started to beat against the net with new force, hoping to escape. Tony froze for a couple of seconds, watching this scene. In his tired head appeared a thought that he was like this bird: struggling in invisible bonds and still unable to escape.

Silently Tony cut the net and bird, flapping its powerful wings, flew away.

Maybe, if it weren’t so dark here and Tony wasn’t so tired, he would’ve noticed that the bird was much larger than all the birds he had seen before.

Sad sigh left his lips. Picking up the lantern from grass, Tony returned to the path he himself trod and trudges home.

…

From the day of the funeral more mystic tings started to happen in the forest. Firstly Tony noticed more animals that accompanied him in the forest: birds, squirrels, and hares. They sometimes peeked out from behind bushes or tree crowns, like his silent escorts. At first Tony didn't consider it as strange, thinking that animals just finally used to him.

Then, when Tony wanted to replenish his herbs supplies (he knew almost nothing about herbs and collected them only to give it to Pepper who was the local doctor), he got lost for the first time. The forest’s path literally twisted and turned, confusing him, in the end led Tony to the clearing where he had never been before. There were a lot of herbs there. If Pepper were here she would definitely be jumping for joy, like a girl. Tony, however, was restrained in his emotions. Of course, this generosity of forest impressed him, but he wasn’t so happy, because, firstly, he was incredibly tired while wandering through the forest and secondly he didn't know a damn thing about herbs. From all this riches Tony took only as much as he needed and left, throwing into the squirrels’ nest a few acorns that he found while collecting herbs.

Tony noticed that something mystic things were happening only when he found out that someone had put herbs outside his windows. Rhodey pointed him at that. He was married to Pepper and therefore knew about herbs as much as she did. So, Rhodey not only pointed Tony at herbs lying outside his windows, he also told him that these herbs usually used in protective rituals.

“Really, Tony, you should move back to the manor” Rhodey said to him, thoughtfully twirling a stalk of rosemary in his hands, “There's something really weird going on in this forest, no wonder everyone avoids it. This cabin was abandoned for many years for a reason.”

“It’s still better than live under one roof with a killer” Tony answered a quite sharply almost knocking some piece off the table.

A few months ago, when Tony dropped by the manor to visit Steve, he happily introduced to him a new occupant - Bucky Barnes. Bucky was a promising young knight of the king until he was accused of attempting to assassinate the family of a court inventor. So, Tony truly believed that Bucky had been dead for years, but it seemed the king didn't like losing his toys.

As Steve told him, the king was experimenting on Bucky too: he was injected with an early version of the serum that Rogers himself took. As a result Bucky’s mind was controlled by the king’s will. Tony guessed that the king was afraid of Howard and apparently in this way he decided to finally put him on a short leash. It's a pity, of course, that not all of the king's plans were successful and Tony, after all, survived. But this fact didn’t stop the king from completely breaking Howard.

At that day Steve told him all of this so enthusiastically, as if he was really going to lead a group of his guys to overthrow the king. Tony had no doubts that Steve would succeed. He was kind, honest and ad all the other qualities needed in a good ruler.

But Tony still couldn’t forgive Bucky, not now. Tony was very irritated by how quickly Steve changed sides and let Bucky into the house. Steve knew perfectly well how Howard grieved over Maria all these years, he perfectly knew how Tony missed his mother, and still easily opened the manor’s doors for the one who once killed her. Of course, Steve and Bucky were besties (their looks to each other clearly said that they were much more then besties) but Steve couldn’t be such a love-struck idiot, and Tony didn’t want to be a part of their love story.

So, that day Tony for the first time in a couple of years Steve and he had an argument. And he didn’t want to go back.

“Tony, I understand you” Rhodey said, looking with concern at the bottom of his kind eyes, “You don't have to go back to the manor, but stay with Peps and me”

“No, I can’t. You just got Morgan” Tony mumbled, crossing his arms, “Don’t worry, I will be okay. It’s not my first year living here.”

“It’s the first time, when someone putting herbs under your windows!” Rhodey jumped out of his seat, dropping rosemary on the floor, “What will you do, if next time it will be poppy or something worse?”

“How can poppy be dangerous? I'm not going to use seeds” Tony asked, couldn’t help but smile, when Rhodey rolled his eyes tiredly.

“Poppy usually used for curses. Listen, Tony, this forest is really dangerous. This is foreign territory, and you don't belong here.”

“Deliver me from these horror stories for kids about evil creature. I don’t belie it. I’ve lived here for years and everything is okay. Please, don’t start again.” Tony just needed to stamp his foot to complete the image of a capricious child. He liked this cabin and didn’t want to move somewhere just to feel out of place again. “I won’t move to the manor or to your house, or somewhere else. This is my home.”

Rhodey left him extremely upset and very worried. Tony stood on a porch for a long time, watching his friend leave and then just enjoying the silence of the forest. Maybe Rhodey was right and Tony didn’t need to become a hermit and live away from the village. Maybe these herbs under his windows really were a bad sign, but Tony seemed to be no longer able to leave this place. He liked his loneliness.

With a certain melancholy Tony understood that wouldn’t be able to found his place in this big world if one day he decided to leave the village. Maybe he was just a loser, as Howard loved to say. But the main thing he had difficulty understanding in the year pass from Howard's death was that Tony was completely satisfied with his current life. He lived in solitude and could work on his inventions as much as he wanted, without the fear that someone would disturb him. Sometimes villagers came to him with a request to fix something, but even this was a joy for Tony. He really liked to help people. But if he lived in the village permanently… he would go crazy from their gloomy faces!

Smiling for his thoughts, Tony returned to the cabin, completely unaware of the bird watching him from the branch of a nearby tree. The bird, as soon as the cabin’s door closed, flew away in a direction known only to itself.

…

Maybe Tony should’ve listened to Rhodey and returned to the village.

This thought flashed through his mind, returning from the blacksmith, Tony met a stranger at home.

It was a man in some strange, multi-layered clothes (Tony had occasionally seen such clothes in the capital on some weirdos), with red cloak on his shoulders, which was trembling very suspiciously, as if it were alive and impatient. The stranger had a very attractive Tony could say even beautiful, face and piercing blue gaze. He was no different from human, if didn’t look at his clothes and hands. His fingers were specifically different: skin smoothly darkened and instead of nails he had sharp claws which were carefully sliding over the drawings scattered on the table.

There wasn’t a single thought in Tony’s head, so he just froze at the doorstep, looking at the stranger with interest. In the depth of his soul Tony knew that all this signs were leading him to something like that.

“I came to say hello” the man finally raised his head and looked at Tony.

He looked like he was the owner of the house and Tony was just an uninvited guest. Like he could read a mind, the man lifted the corners of his lips in a laughing smile and stepped closer to Tony, offering him a hand, which now looked like a regular hand in a glove.

“My name is Stephen Strange and, as your friend said, the forest is my territory. I’m its keeper.”

“Anthony Stark,” Tony shook his hand without any embarrassment, which clearly surprised this creature (Tony had no doubts that Stephen wasn’t human), “But friends usually calls me Tony.”

“Forgive me for the intrusion. I didn’t want to scare you” Stephen held his hand a bit longer that needed. Tony ended handshake and then Stephen began to study the cabin again, « I just thought it was time to meet “

Tony didn’t notice the awkward silence that fell between them. In his head at the speed of light was going on an analysis of everything that had happened. Seemed that all those legends that villagers had scared him and the other kids weren’t just legends, and all those herbs left under his windows were still some kind of sign. Tony even dared to think that it was a good sign at all and he wasn’t in danger, because Stephen, despite his frightening image, looked completely harmless. His voice was calm and even friendly and his incredible blue eyes didn’t look angry. And anyway, since he introduced himself as the forest keeper, he wouldn’t have allowed Tony to live on his territory for so many years if he didn’t like Tony’s presence.

Of course this entire scene looked so awkward and strange, but Tony always considered himself a man of broad views.

A smile suddenly appeared on his lips, when Tony noticed how awkward Stephen looked because of long silence. The edges of his cloak waved excitedly, making Tony even more convinced that it’s alive. While Tony was thinking, Stephen returned to studying his drawings.

“What do you think about a cup of tea?” Tony offered. The surprised look in Stephen’s blue eyes seemed vaguely familiar to him.
“It would be great” Stephen agreed with a smile.
Returning a smile back, Tony headed to the kitchen. He heated up the water, clicked dishes and after a few minutes gave Stephen a cup of tea with herbs that Pepper had given him a couple of weeks ago. Offering Stephen a place at the table, Tony sat down opposite and prepared to listen.

But there was a silence at first. Stephen was enjoying his tea, and Tony got a better look at him. When their cups were empty, Stephen finally started to talk. At first their conversation didn’t go well, but soon the slight embarrassment disappeared, and Tony begun to ask Stephen questions without any embarrassment.

Strange named himself a forest keeper or, preferably, just a sorcerer. Tony still didn’t understand whether Stephen could be considered as human or not, but it wasn’t so important for him. Stephen also explained him to that it was his duty to protect the entire world, but also this forest, because it was his place of power. For a long time and in great detail he explained what exactly his duties included, but Tony barely grasped the essence. There was something about the world balance, energy flows and protection of reality. And other things that Tony found too complicated for person who had almost no experience with magic.

Magic, of course, existed in their world, but its practice wasn’t welcomed and was considered dissent. So, it was not surprising that in the forest, far from people, Tony met someone who was practice magic.

“So, the herbs under my windows are your doing?” Tony asked when it was already noticeably dark outside.

Stephen nodded, taking another sip of tea. Tony had already lost count of cups, but it seemed that Stephen liked his tea.

“Yes. This place isn’t safe. Many evil spirits roam the forest at night, and they can harm you. Herbs will repel them.”

“But why you worried about it only now? I’ve been living here for years.”

Strange reminded silent and hide his gaze in his cup. Tony’s instinct told his that Stephen just embarrassed to name the real reason for his visit. Really, “just getting to know each other” as a reason for visit sounded really stupid, knowing, how long Tony had lived here.

“Consider that you earned my trust only now.” Stephen said slowly and even a bit proudly.

In every another situation Tony would’ve been already irritated. From the first minutes of meeting he understood that Stephen and he had similar characters. Today, for some reason, it didn't repel him. On the contrary Tony was only touched by Stephen’s attempts to hide his embarrassment.

“May I ask what exactly I did to deserve this? Tony couldn’t hide his pleasure smile. He rested his head on his hand and looked straight at the sorcerer, who this time decided not to turn away.

The piercing gaze of blue eyes seemed vaguely familiar again

“You are quite a respectful to the forest and… to its habitants”
And suddenly something clicked in Tony’s head.

“A bird!” He exclaimed, making Stephen to flinch slightly in surprise, “The bird I released from the hunting net. It was you!”

Suddenly Stephen’s cheeks became red and he looked away, starting to nervously fiddle with his clawed fingers.

“So, you’re not a human, aren’t you? Are you the bird?” Tony continued questioning, very excited with his guess.

“No, I’m not a bird. I can take the form of any animal.” Stephen answered him, trying to overcome the overwhelming feeling of shame. That situation he got into due to excessive arrogance, still very embarrassing to him, “But yes, I was stuck in bird form that day and probably wouldn't have been able to help myself before the hunter arrived. So thank you.”

Tony felt, how a soft and warm smile appeared on his face. His soul felt just as warm. Getting up from his chair, Tony smoothly took the empty cup from Stephen and, wanting to give him a couple of minutes to come to his senses, asked:

“More tea?”

“I would be very grateful” Stephen responded with gratitude.

…

From that evening Tony’s friendship with the forest keeper started. Tony was happy with everything. He liked Stephen’s company and waited for his visits with slight impatience. Usually, Stephen came to him in the evenings, but there were also days when they accidentally ran into each other in the forest. How did Tony manage to understand, Stephen was a really busy creature, because all these times when they met at day, the sorcerer was often in hurry or simply looked so busy that Stark didn’t dare to distract him.

After their first met, Tony's life changed again. Firstly, there were more different herbs, lying on his underwindows and secondly, over his door appeared an amulet, making of fancy feathers and some stones that glittered in the light. Tony supposed that Stephen made this thing himself. Every time this realization brought unknown warmth to his soul and slight smile appeared on his lips. Also, there were small amulet bags with delicious-smelling herbs, scattering throughout the cabin. Tony didn’t draw attention to it. Otherwise it did Rhodey, who was slightly scared by these changes. When Rhodey saw the amulet on the cabin’s front door, he almost raised the alarm, trying to find out where Tony got it.

Also Rhodey didn’t left his tries to convince Tony to move, but Stark refused, every time arguing that he felt comfortable and safe in his house. One day even Pepper came to visit him. Tony didn’t see her for a very long time, because both of them were very busy. He with work, and she with the child. At that day Pepper looked around the cabin and then at Tony himself. Before speaking she looked at Tony’s face for a long time and finally just asked if he was happy here. Tony, after thinking for a moment, answered with a slight smile that yes, he was happy here. So, Pepper, for Rhodey’s disappointment, didn’t try to ask Tony to return to the village. Tony was sincerely grateful for this.

That same day, he asked Pepper for some tea recipes and from that day on, the number of different herbs that could be brewed in his house increased significantly. It was quite strange, because Tony never was a tea lover, but for some reasons he still studying various brewing methods and the herbs that he could add to the tea. Was he really that eager to impress Stephen? All his thoughts in last day were spinning only around mysterious forest keeper, who appeared in his cabin quite unexpectedly, but with whom Tony felt very comfortable. With Stephen Tony felt much more comfortable and calm than he had ever felt around people. Even in Pepper’s or Rhodey’s company he couldn't relax like that.

One day Tony realized that his behavior in Strange’ company became very… strange. He constantly felt a slight flutter in his chest, when their eyes met, and some really stupid things often came out of his mouth, as if he was a shy girl. And now, trying to calm the excitement in anticipation of Stephen arrival, Tony buried himself in drawings, trying to fix or replace something. But work didn’t progress and the pencil simply moved along the already drawn lines, making them thicker.

Suddenly Tony felt a slight breeze behind his back and after a few seconds Stephen’s clawed arm laid on the table, distracting Tony from his drawings.

“Good evening, Anthony” Stephen said with his velvety voice, but Tony still shuddered slightly at his full name.

“Evening…” Stark answered, turning his head to Stephen, “I told you, just Tony will be fine”

“Do you feel uncomfortable, when I use your full name?” Stephen asked worriedly, looking closely at Tony, who couldn’t take his eyes off this beautiful, but concerned face.

Then Tony asked himself. He really didn’t like his full name, because usually only Howard used it. Howard hardly had any good words for his son. So, his full name associated only with numerous reproaches and arguments. But at the same time from Stephen’s lips his name sounded completely different. Yes, Tony still flinched every time, but he really enjoyed hearing, how Stephen called him by name. Especially how tenderly he pronounced each letter and slightly stretched the vowels, just a delight for Tony’s ears.

“No,” Tony shook his head uncertainly, destructing from the thoughts that had engrossed him, “Only my father called me like that before. But from you it sounds completely different. So, call me whatever you like.”

“Thank you” The smile Stephen sent him made Tony's legs go weak. He really started afraid his reaction to sorcerer, but Tony decided to leave these thought for later.

Stephen, meanwhile, pulled a small vial from the folds of his robes and handed it to Tony. Stark looked at the bulbous bottle with purple liquid with slight interest.

“This is for your garden. I remember how you complaining that your plants looked not so good. I’ve made a research. They really don't have enough nutrition.”

“Oh…” Tony sighed, placing a bottle on table, “I thought you didn’t listen”

Life away from village had its cons, of course. For example it was easier to grow vegetables than brought them from village. Tony sincerely didn't like all this fuss with the garden, but it was necessary. In his first year living here, Pepper helped him set up the garden and even helped with the plants at first, but Tony just couldn't leave the responsibility of caring for his crops onto her. With years Tony eventually got the hang of growing and caring for various vegetables, but it was still tiring. And this year his crops were also quite weak. Disappointed, he didn't even notice, how spent the entire previous evening complaining Stephen about his vegetables. And it turned out that Stephen was listening to him very carefully. Now Tony felt a little awkward.

“Dilute ten drops in water and water the plants with this solution. Repeat every two days for a week” Stephen said, following Tony into the small kitchen.

“Thank you,” Tony smiled, taking cups out of the top cabinet, “Really. I can't imagine what I would do without you. I can’t hold all winter eating only meat. It’s unlikely that you won’t scold me for constantly hunting.

Stephen didn’t answer, but Tony clearly heard his chuckle, echoed behind his back. Pouring the tea into cup, Tony couldn’t resist the urge to roll his eyes. Stephen could laugh as much as he wanted, but Tony was right: the sorcerer won't pat him on the head for the uncontrolled extermination of animals. At the same moment Tony’s shoulders was suddenly enveloped in warmth. The Cloak of Levitation or as Tony affectionately called it Levi, sensed Stark's discontent and rushed to calm him down. The edges of the high collar began to touch his cheeks, wanting to palm, which caused a light smile on Tony’s lips.

When Stephen introduced Cloak to Tony, like his assistant, Stark, of course, was surprised, but not so much. He slowly began to get used to all this magic that was happening in the forest. So, Tony found common ground with Levi very quickly and now, when Stephen came to visit Tony, his Cloak spent more time with him than on its owner’s shoulders. Tony was fully satisfied with this, because Levi was a very good assistant when something (and for Tony this happened very often) fell out of his hands or off the table. He didn’t even try to count how much plates and cups were saved by caring Cloak.

When tea was brewed, Tony and Stephen moved to a small veranda, where recently there were two chairs and a small table. Tony put the cups on a table and Stephen put the teapot with a brewed tea that, thanks to magic, would never cool down. Near to teapot, at the behest of a simple hand gesture, appeared a plate with all sorts of delicacies: fruit slices, cookies and candies, the supply of which was also constantly replenished magically.

Having settled into their chairs, as was already customary, they enjoyed the silence of the forest and the view of the treetops swaying in the light breeze. Tony madly loved even just sitting with Stephen in silence. They could sit like that for a couple of hours and once their entire meeting consisted of silent tea drinking. And both, Tony was completely sure of this, were satisfied.

Today Stephen was the first, who broke the silence. Tony felt how the sorcerer had been looking not at the forest, but at him for about ten minutes, but he didn’t dare to say anything first. If Strange was so interested in something, let him speak for himself. Stephen quickly followed his mental advice (sometimes Tony was afraid that his new friend could read minds).

“Can I ask you a more personal question?” he asked, when Tony stole another cookie from the plate. At that moment their eyes met for a couple of moments and Stark felt calm and warm in his soul.

“Of course” Tony agreed, “But in return I also want to ask you a personal question”

”Accept” Stephen nodded and, after waiting a bit, asked the question that worried him so much, “Why did you decide to settle here, far away from the village? Please, don’t think that I’m so curious, but your friend can be quite loud. How does this relate to your father?”

Tony winced for a couple of moments, having kept the cookie in the tea longer than necessary. Every time when Tony dipped cookie in his tea, Stephen gave him one of his stern looks, but Tony couldn’t help himself (or, maybe he just enjoyed making sorcerer emotional).

“We had… a very complicated relationship” Tony said, looking at the night sky, “We often argued before my mum died, but after that we hardly ever talked normally, we just argued. I like living here because no one bothers me while I work. I can spend weeks crafting something, and no one will say a word to me. And in the manor Steve is always reproaches me: help me with household chores, organize a reception, this and that. He is a heir so let him figure it out himself. Now he even has an assistant… and lover in one face.”

“Steve not your biological brother, am I right?”

“You know that too?” Tony looked at Stephen in surprise, and Strange responded him with a slight and innocent smile.

“Birds sometimes are… very chatty. They also like to collect gossip more than people”

A light chuckle escaped Tony's chest and then he rolled his eyes in his favorite manner.

“Yes. My father brought him into the house, when I was fifteen. The old man was so offended at me that decided to have a new son, who would be better than the previous one in every way. He rubbed my nose in every Steve's achievement. It drove me crazy. Maybe that was one of the reasons why I ran away here. There was no place in the manor which wouldn’t remind me of another family fight”

There was silence on the veranda. Tony saw that Stephen was very interested in why Tony’s father treated him this way, but he didn’t dare ask, apparently thinking that he had already stirred up enough of the hive of old memories. Tony didn't mind telling him his whole uninteresting story, but looking down at his cup, he noticed how his hands were shaking. And then Tony realized that he wasn’t yet ready to talk to someone about the day when Maria died. It was a little stupid because a lot of time passed since that day, but every year on the day of her death, Tony felt as if he were still thirteen-year-old boy who had just woken up in the royal hospital.

Putting the cup down on the table with a loud clang, Tony climbed into the chair with his legs and hugged his knees tightly. Sorcerer‘s sadly look was burning his side and Tony thought that he didn’t want to look so pathetic in front of Stephen. But there was too late. He couldn’t put the mask of carelessness back on and had to work with what he had. Overcoming a moment of weakness, Tony made his face simpler and sat up straight again.

Taking the newly filled cup of tea in his hands, he finished outlining his story with rough strokes, until his voice began to tremble.

“And… Steve brought in the manor a man I could never get along with. They turn manor into their love nest. Don’t know why father hasn't sent heaven punishment upon them yet, but okay. And I don’t want to bother my friends too. I like this forest and this cabin, but human society, apparently, not so much”

“What about me and my company?” Stephen asked with a slight smile “Do you like it?”

“Firstly, I still don’t know who you are, and secondly, yes, I like your company. Even if you turn to be human” Tony immediately took the opportunity and cleverly changed the subject “So, this is my question: Who are you? And what happened to your hands?”

“Actually, these are two questions,” Stephen said with a slight squint, looking at a satisfied Tony.

“Don’t be a nerd. You asked two questions too”

Stephen had nothing to answer. He didn’t want to argue with Tony. For him Strange didn’t feel sorry for anything at all, not even questions. So, while Tony was making another sip of warm tea, Stephen looked down at his trembling arms and sighed softly.

“Once upon a time I was just a human” he said, “Even now it’s difficult to classify me as any kind of god or demon. I’m just an immortal sorcerer, keeper of the forest and the whole world sometimes. What about my hands… I hurt them badly even before I started studying magic. There were left a lot of scars on them that reminded me of a painful past. I just don’t want to see them, so I hide it behind this form. And it scares various curious strangers, who like to poke their noses in further than they should”

“I don’t see any scary in your hands” Tony said, carefully touching Stephen’s fingers, just reaching for the cup, “They’re very beautiful. And those sharp claws are so attractive that I could admire them for days. Plus, I think they're probably very useful, too.”

Goosebumps ran down Stephen’s spine from Tony’s words and a stupid smile creped across his face.

“What a flatterer you are!” Stephen chuckled, allowing Tony to explore his palm. He took a breath when Tony started to slide his fingers along the barely visible lines of life.

“But I’m telling you the truth” Tony responded with a resentment.

They didn’t talk about anything too personal anymore that evening. Tony slowly steers the conversation, starting to talk about his garden. He tried to get more advice from Stephen, who, without hiding his smile willingly shared his experience with Stark. They drank more cups of tea, and somewhere closer to midnight Stephen got up from his chair with a sadly sigh. The Cloak left Tony’s shoulders and returned to its owner. With sadness, Tony realized that it was time to say goodbye.
It was a strange too. With each new meeting Tony found it more and more difficult to part with Stephen.

…

On the next time they met when Tony was returning to his cabin from the cemetery on the early morning. It was a seventeenth anniversary from Maria’s death. Tony had been feeling especially lousy since yesterday, and coupled with the lack of sleep, his general condition was simply disgusting. Usually insomnia had begun to treat him a week before this date, so Tony easily stayed up all night, and a couple of hours before dawn he went to the cemetery to leave flowers on the grave and talk a little.

On a day like this, Tony didn’t want to see anyone, so he always visited a cemetery on the early morning, because only in this way there was no fear of meeting someone. Today was no exception and when sun finally climbed above the horizon, Tony rose from the wet grass and, taking one last look at the stone monument, trudged home.

As soon as Tony crossed the forest line, he heard quiet, but confident steps near from him. Tony clearly knew who it was, but if he even hadn’t known about any forest keeper, he still wouldn’t have flinched from fear, because he simply didn’t have the strength.

Stephen walked silently alongside and didn’t dare to say anything. Tony didn’t want to talk too, but it was better than continuing to torment himself with various thoughts, in which, for some reason, Tony was clearly heard Howard's voice.

“When I was thirteen we were returning to the capital from mum’s family. On the way our carriage was attacked. I’m survived, but she didn’t. Father couldn’t forgive me for this. He loved mum very much. Only she could get him out of the workshop and only for her sake he always returned to spend the night in the mansion”

“It's not your fault you stayed alive, Tony,” The Cloak enveloped his frozen body with a slight rustle, and a trembling palm gently rests on his shoulder. Tony suddenly felt the longing in his chest ease a little, “I’m sure that your mum would be very happy if she knew that you survived. And sure that she wouldn’t change anything even if she could”

“It’s too big reward” Tony said still not raising his head, “I didn't do anything to deserve to survive that attack. I'm just wasting my life. But Mom...”

“You shouldn't believe what your father told you,” Stephen’s voice was so strictly that Tony even feels uneasy, “You are a genius inventor, Anthony, and you have a big and kind heart. You always strive to help your friends, villagers and even the inhabitants of the forest. How can you say that you don’t deserve your life? This is complete nonsense that has been placed into your head for decades”

“Maybe I’m just tired” Tony surrendered, “That's why I'm talking all sorts of nonsense”

“I will always listen to you, Tony. And now you needed it” his hand gripped Tony’s shoulder a little tighter, and Stephen finally catch up with him, “When was the last time you sleep?”

“The day before yesterday”
A tired sigh came from the side, and The Cloak hit Tony's cheeks in displeasure.

“Let’s go” Stephen suddenly pulled Tony away from the common path, “This way is shorter. I’ll put you to bed”

Tony wanted to object and even be indignant, but he couldn’t. Instead of he stared on at their clasped hands the whole way and for the first time in a week thought of something good. Suddenly he thought that he didn’t want to end this touch.

There were a whole mess in the cabin, and Stephen seeing this, clicked his tongue in displeasure. Tony felt embarrassing for this, but he didn't even have time to say anything in defense, pulled by the cloak towards the bed. Stephen appeared in the bedroom after a couple of minutes with a cup of calming tea. He sat on the edge of bed and gave Tony a cup. Tony sat up and took a sip. He was already dressed in pajamas and wrapped in a blanket.

“I added a few drops of the calming potion to the tea” Stephen warned Tony, “So don't be scared when you feel something wrong”

Stephen’s slight smile became a wider when he saw Tony’s scared look.

“What is this, for example?”

“Weakness and drowsiness. You may sleep until tomorrow morning”

“I know that I shouldn’t have trusted the wizard who showed up on my doorstep,” Tony snorts, finishing his tea in a couple of sips.

At that moment, it was as if some kinds of devils were dancing in Stephen’s blue eyes, but Tony didn’t notice it. Soon he lied down on the bed again and wrapped himself in a blanket.

“Don’t go, please” Tony asked, looking at Stephen, “At least until I fall asleep.”

“Of course, Anthony” Stephen answered, awkwardly stroking Tony's forearm over the blanket, “Do you want to talk about something?”

“Mgm. Why are you so kind to me, for example?”

“Because you totally deserve it” Stephen smiled, “I’ve said it already. You have very big and very kind heart”

“I really don't understand why you decided that” Tony said with a long yawn, “I seem to be the most ordinary person”

“Oh, trust me, not everyone will leave acorns for squirrels and break hunters' traps. And even more so, not everyone will decide to help a captured bird. And I'm not even mentioning everything you've done for the village: the renovation of old houses, new farming equipment and dams to keep the river from flooding the land in the spring. These villagers should owe you their lives by now”
“What a flatterer you are” Tony said the same thing that Stephen said him recently.

Sleep gradually took over Tony. His eyelids felt heavy, and his consciousness drifted away.

“Actually, I'm extremely honest,” Stephen watched with affection as Tony tried s to fight off the sleep. But then sleep finally overwhelms him and then the sorcerer speaks quietly, “You’re a wonderful person. And you deserve all the best”

The Cloak left the blankets that were warming Tony and returned to Stephen's shoulders as he rose from the bed. For a couple of minutes Stephen admired the sleeping Tony and, before leaving, left a weightless kiss on his forehead.

“Good night, Anthony”

…

“I always feel a light magical trail from you” Stephen told him one evening, which they again spent over a cup of tea on the cabin’s veranda, “Do you have any idea what could be?”

“Oh…” Tony made a face and then returned his cup to the table. Pulling back the collar of his shirt, he showed Stephen a stone embedded in his skin, emitting a bluish glow, “It's probably because of this thing”

Stephen frowned and leaned closer. He made a couple of hand gestures, looked at the runes that appeared and then nodded.

“Yes, the trail comes from here. What is this? Such a rough work”

“Honestly, I don’t really know what this is. But my life depends on this thing, sort of”

Then Stephen raised his neat eyebrow and Tony, admiring sorcerer’s stern face didn’t answer right away.

“On the day, when my mom and I was attacked I was also wounded. The sword’s blade was poisoned. The poison quickly started to creep up on my heart and the king ordered the healer to test this artifact on me. He implanted this stone into me to ward off poison from my heart”

“Well, your king is very strange. And the one who ‘healed’ you” Stephen didn’t even bother to make quotation marks with his fingers, “Just a quack. This stone is almost a dud. Maybe it performs its function but it also causes no less harm to your body.

It was the first time when Tony saw Stephen so emotional. Therefore, as if enchanted, Tony began to follow his facial expressions and gestures, coming to his senses only when Stephen looked him straight in the eyes and asked in his velvety, worried voice:

“May I look closer?”

Almost without thinking, Tony nodded at Stephen, inviting him into the cabin.

And just a few moments later Tony was sitting on the bed, allowing Stephen’s slightly trembling fingers to slide over his naked skin. It was the first time when Stephen allowed Tony to see his hands. Now Stark couldn't take his eyes off the long, scarred fingers. They were even more beautiful than that clawed form behind which Strange hid them. Admiring Stephen’s fingers, exploring his body, Tony completely forgot why they were in his bedroom.

His head was filled with thoughts only about the sorcerer and his hands. Tony didn't even have time to think about how quickly he opened up to Stephen. He hated this stone in his chest and even tried not to look at it any more than necessary. For Tony, the stone was like an eternal reminder of that tragic day and all the consequences that followed from it. That’s why Tony didn’t like to show his wound and didn’t study this issue in any way. He didn't even get checked by a doctor, which was actually recommended to him. And all because showing this part of him to someone was too intimate for Tony. It felt like he was laying his soul on display and he didn't want anyone's hands to be digging around in his metaphorical insides.

But with Stephen it felt completely different.

Not for a second Tony didn’t doubt in his answer, easily pulling off his shirt and allowing Stephen to examine his weakest spot. Now Tony didn’t even care about the outcome of the check. Only those beautiful hands and Stephen's thoughtful gaze, in which Stark was literally drowning.

“Such a rough work…” Stephen said thoughtfully, sliding his fingers over the scarred skin around the stone.

“You seem to have said this already” Tony chuckled softly, feeling goosebumps run down his skin.

“And I will never tire of repeating. You’re lucky that this stone hasn’t killed you yet. It has a very aggressive effect on your life flows”

“So, what’s your suggestion?” Tony raised a worried look at the sorcerer who had stepped back, “Remove it? What about the poison?”

“There is no poison in your body for a long time” Stephen said in the same thoughtful voice, “At least that poison which you were poisoned in the childhood. But this stone…” a sharp claw poked right into the center of the artifact, causing a light ringing sound to echo throughout the bedroom, “It produces its own toxin, which, of course neutralizes itself, but extremely poorly”

“And can you help me?” The room suddenly became quite chilly, so Tony hurried to put his shirt back on.

Levi left shoulders of the thoughtful sorcerer and began to cuddle up to Tony as if trying to cheer him up. Sometimes The Cloak reminded Tony a lot of a puppy. Or a kitty.

Stephen doesn't answer right away. Putting his hand to his mouth he started to slowly walk around the cabin, apparently thinking hard about something. Was that stone in Tony's chest really that problematic?

“Yes, I can remove the stone” Stephen said after a few minutes of silence, stopping right in front of Tony and The Cloak, who was nestled in his lap, “But…”

Of course, there was always that stupid ‘but’! Tony didn’t even try to stop himself from the eye rolling.

“This is a very long process and will take a several days, one week, at least. Also this is a very painful process, and I’ll tell you right away, I’m not sure that this week won’t be… agony for you”

“Yes… it doesn’t sound very rosy” Tony answered, running his fingers through soft Cloak’s tissue, “But that’s not the main problem, am I right?”

Stephen nodded slightly, not hiding his sad sigh.

“I, firstly, can’t leave the forest without its Keeper for a whole week. And secondly your cabin is on the border between human territory and my territory. I can’t stay here for a long. And the removing process requires my constant presence”

Silence reigned in the bedroom. Tony carefully considered the sorcerer’s words, not even knowing what to say. However, after a few minutes of reflection, Stephen added.

“But I can “move” the cabin and surrounding lands to my territory for the entire time of your treatment. But if someone suddenly decides to pay a visit to you, the forest will simply confused them. So, it would be better if you warn you friends”

“They'll probably just twirl their fingers at their temples and sound the alarm, but... I'll think of something” Tony said, smiling to Stephen. It was so unbearable to look at his too serious, worried face, “Thank you for doing all this for me. When we can start?”

“I need to make some preparations and ask someone to look after the forest. I think we can start in two weeks. Will you have time to talk to your friends?”

Tony nodded, getting out of bed.

“Of course. Now, maybe we should go back to the veranda? The tea is getting cold there. Actually, I went to collect herbs specifically to try a new recipe. You didn’t even say anything!”

In the moment Stephen caught himself on the thought that Tony’s mumble didn’t irritate him, in any way, but on the contrary, only touched him. In an impulse, his hand reached out to Tony, wanting to touch his tense shoulders - behind his mumble about an abstract topic, Tony was clearly trying to hide his excitement about the upcoming adventure - but in the end, the touch didn’t happen. Stephen’s hand hesitated halfway, and while he was thinking, Tony had already reached the front door.

“Are you coming, Steph?”
From such a gentle nickname the goosebumps running down on Stephen’s back and he couldn’t contain the emotion of surprise that appeared on his face. Then his lips spread into a warm smile and Stephen finally surrender to his feelings, which he had been struggling with for a long time.

“I’m coming, Anthony”

…

The silence that hung in the sun-drenched kitchen was getting on Stephen's nerves. Just like the sound of a teaspoon stirring sugar in a cup and a searching Wong’s gaze.

“You fell in love” Wong stated, causing Stephen to roll his eyes and let out a tired groan.

“How does this even relate to my question?”

Before answering, Wong took a very slow sip of tea from his cup and gave his friend an extremely sly smile, which pissed Stephen off even more. He didn’t like to talk about his feelings and all this personal stuff. Stephen didn’t want to talk about his feelings for Tony with double force. And he also didn’t want to sort out why he avoided these thoughts.

“I need to know for which reason our esteemed Supreme suddenly decided to take a break”

“This isn’t a break at all, but a very serious job” Stephen grumbled, using his claw to pick up a cookie from plate by the empty center. It was very convenient, by the way, “I won’t be able to distract on anything else. So, I need your help. Will you look after the forest while I’m gone?”

“As if I have a choice”

Stephen made a glad chuckle on these words, hiding his smile behind the cup of tea. His thoughts drifted back to Tony. Again. Stephen wondered if Tony would like here. What his reaction will be if Stephen offers him to move in?

Stop.

“By the way, maybe you could tell me more about that human you allowed to settle down on the border and to whom you now run almost every day?” Wong asked, watching with interest how the emotions on his friend’s face changed with the speed of light.

“He’s just a common inventor, that’s all. His family owns a settlement nearby”

“Well, I’d argue that he’s common. It’s the first time when you started communicating with human since you became The Keeper”

“You like tormenting me with these questions, don’t you?” Stephen frowned, feeling that if he waited a little longer, he would start blushing in front of Wong like a girl. And then his image of collected and serious sorcerer will disappear completely.

“You learned to read minds? Really?” Wong quipped, making a very surprised face.

“Shut up” Stephen couldn’t hide another tired sigh.

For the rest of the morning, Stephen listened to Wong's endless observations about his changed behavior and tried to ignore questions about Tony. It turned out disgusting, because Stephen clearly knew that all his answers were writing on his face.

He hopelessly fell in love firstly for the first time in hundreds of years. And Stephen didn’t know what to do with it.

…

Tony sincerely regretted his stupid idea to go to the manor to visit Steve. Initially he went to the village to warn Rhodey and Pepper that he would be working on a very important project for the whole week and he really didn’t want to be distracted by anyone. Rhodey, of course, was skeptical about this, but Pepper, who always understood, stopped him from asking clarifying questions and making further attempts to convince Stark to move. Tony came to them in the morning and ended up staying until lunch. They had good time sharing news from the past weeks. And then Tony got ready to go home. Walking along the streets of the settlement he suddenly decided to turn off the main road towards to the manor.

So, it turned out the big mistake.

Steve met him with open arms, but their friendly conversation quickly became unpleasant for Tony. Steve suddenly touched the topic of Tony’s hermit life, making attempts to convince him to return. He also started to tell him about unrest in the capital caused by the strange actions of the aging king. The idea that Rogers and his friend were planning a coup became stronger and stronger. Tony didn’t want to deal with it.

And then Bucky joined their conversation and then Tony became completely uncomfortable. He tried all his best to restrain himself from making rude comments towards Barnes, but his look alone spoke louder than words. Steve offered him to stay for dinner, but Tony politely declined and then ran away shamefully with the clear feeling that he had long since ceased to feel like the walls of this house were his home. All the servants had been replaced with new ones for several years now, the house had been renovated, and Tony hadn’t had a personal room here for a long time. It was no longer Starks manor. And there was definitely nothing holding Tony here.

In recent years, Tony even found it difficult to call Steve his brother. After Howard’s death they hardly communicated and Steve’s attempts to return him were most likely motivated by the desire to get himself a good inventor. Tony certainly didn't intend to create a weapon for some kind of coup.

Now, walking along familiar forest path, Tony kicked small stones that came under his feet and sincerely regretted that he had decided to go to the manor at all. Tony was upset by what was happening to Steve: he was clearly losing his mind from love. But Steve was a adult and Tony didn’t intend to poke his nose into Steve’s life.

Tony didn’t notice how someone light footsteps began to be heard nearby, and warmth enveloped his shoulders and back.

“I didn’t notice you… again” Tony grinned sadly, looking behind his back to meet Stephen’s gaze.

“You looked thoughtful, so I decided to not disturb you” Stephen answered, coming closer to keep pace, “Did something upset you?”

Tony drove his eyebrows together and made an unknown gesture with his hand.

“Lately I have had less and less desire to appear in the settlement. And today I only more convinced that I don’t feel comfortable in the manor. This house is now completely different and alien to me. Just like the people who live there”

“I’m sorry to hear that” Stephen answered, really not knowing what he should say in this kind of situations, “What about tour friends? Are you even uncomfortable with them?”

“No, absolutely not” Tony shook his head and even got a little inspired when he remembered Rhodey and Pepper, but after a couple of seconds he became sad again, “I love them, but they have their own life and sometimes I feel like a third wheel with them, because I bring them nothing useful, only worries about me. But I'm still glad I have them”

The pleasant silence fell between them, during which neither of them noticed how their hands are lightly touching.

“Do you want to see a sunset?” Stephen suddenly offered, pulling Tony out of his heavy thoughts.

“Of course” Tony readily agreed.

Then Stephen confidently took his hand and pulled him away from the familiar path. Just like the last time Tony returned from the cemetery, the road again winded beneath their feet as they walk through the forest. Tony didn’t remember that they went uphill, so his eyes widen in surprise when Stephen led him to a cliff with a beautiful view of the sunset sky and the lake spreading out below them.

“Wow I didn’t even know there was a lake here” Tony said, studying the view spread out before him with interest.

“It’s hidden from human eyes. You won't get to it, it’s on my territory”

When Tony turned around, Stephen was already sitting on the blanket, taking all sorts of goodies out of the picnic basket that has appeared.

“You must be hungry,” Stephen answered Tony's questioning look, feeling warmth spreading in his chest. He really liked taking care of Tony and didn’t feel like it was a burden, “My suggestion: we have a delicious meal and enjoy the sunset”

“Good” Without a thought Tony sat down near to Stephen on a soft blanket, accepting from his hands a plate of sandwiches that even look like a work of art. Soon a cup of tea began to float in the air nearby.

The Cloak left Stephen’s shoulders and flew off to admire the view and had a little fun in nature. Just like a puppy. Or a kitty.

“Thank you,” Tony gave Stephen one of his bright smiles, feeling how his mood rapidly creeping up, “You’re very caring as always”

Perhaps it was Tony's imagination, but he seemed to see that at that moment the eternally collected wizard's cheeks flushed slightly. Tony didn’t say anything else, feeling how a slight embarrassment gradually took over. Wanting a distraction, Tony returned to his meal and a comfortable silence fell between them again.

Which Tony broke, tired of watching the sun slowly creeping over the horizon.

“By the way, you said that there is a human territory and one where you live. Can I, for example, drop in to visit you? Or is this forbidden to me, as a human being?”

“Of course, you can,” Some bad light appeared in Stephen’s eyes for a couple of seconds, “But I’m afraid that if you once decide to visit me, you will have to stay there forever. This is the law: you must clearly belong to one side”

“But I live on the border” Tony said thoughtfully. It was strange, but he was almost not bothered by the thought of leaving the village forever and staying with Stephen.

“That's what a border is for” Stephen smiled, carefully touching Tony’s hand lying on the blanket. Tony didn’t show any discontent and then Stephen confidently covered Tony’s hand with his palm. Even though I allowed you to live on the border, you still belong to human territory”

“And what about that spell that will move my house then? Wouldn't that make me a permanent resident of your lands?”

Stephen barely hold back the “I'd love that” that's threatening to spill out, stroking his thumb over Tony's wrist.

“No. These are temporary charms” Stephen answered with some sadness, “And don’t try to ask me, I won’t be able to perform this spell on you so that you come to visit me, no matter how much I would like to”

“Would you like me to come to visit you?” Tony asked in surprise, seeming to have caught only this from the sorcerer’s entire speech.

They both clearly felt how they had approached the edge of invisible cliff, around which they had been dancing for a very long time. The silence that fell between them suddenly became awkward and Stephen was the first who looked away, breaking the touch.

“Of course, I would. I would be very glad to see you in my house”

“What else?..” Tony asked with a sly smile, leaning right towards Stephen’s face, now clearly s noticing how red his ears have become.

Tony's fingers gently touched Stephen’s, returning the much-desired touch.

“Are you sure, you want to hear my answer?” Stephen suddenly looked straight at Tony, and in his blue eyes Tony saw only a cold confidence. His fingertips tingled with anticipation, and Tony felt his insides clenched with fear.

“Yes, I’m sure” Tony exhaled, with his tongue slightly slurred.

Stephen kissed him instead of answering. Confidently and even slightly assertively. As it always happened when it came to this impossible sorcerer, Tony didn’t think for a second before parting his lips and responding to the kiss. Then Stephen, without hesitation, placed a hand on Tony’s waist and pulled him towards him, while his other hand continuing to squeeze Tony’s palm tightly.

After the kiss, Tony moved closer to Stephen, closing his eyes and enjoying Stephen’s warm hugs. They reminded silence because everything was clear: over these months they had both became bogged down in each other. Pressed against Stephen’s chest, Tony listened to his heart, while Stephen, in turn, with fingers trembling more than usual, ran through the strands of Tony's grown-out hair.

By the end of the evening, while they were going to the cabin, Tony asked Stephen to stay, but in response he heard a sad reminder that Stephen could stay on the border only for a certain time. After receiving a long kiss goodbye, Tony was forced to let Stephen go.

The only thing that calmed him was the knowledge that they would meet again very soon.

…

“Are you ready?” Stephen asked Tony who was sitting on the bed.

The spell was done and for several hours now the cabin had been located beyond the border dividing the human territory from the magical lands.

Tony's look was worried, which only confirmed Stephen's suspicions that Stark was very worried.

“Of course” Tony answered despite his inner feelings, reaching out to Stephen for a kiss, which the sorcerer simply couldn’t refuse, even if it broke his concentration.

“I trust you completely” Tony said afterward, taking his previous position.

Stephen couldn’t say the same about himself. He didn’t trust himself, because knew how painful this process would be. And that’s why he was afraid to start, not wanting to hurt Tony.

“Fine” Stephen nodded, trying to stop the increasing trembling in his hands, “It will be painful, I’m so sorry”

“It’s okay, Steph” Tony smiled, while Strange was drawing a rune in the air, preparing a spell.

“Then I'll begin”

Tony closed eyes and Stephen directed a small stream of energy flowing from the drawn rune into Tony’s chest. Within seconds, his body was overcome by incredible pain.

And then Tony fell into the darkness.

Stephen was right: it was pure agony. Tony was constantly hot and cold as he felt the magic twisting his insides and breaking his bones. Mostly he just floated in some kind of darkness, but sometimes he saw dreams. Of course, it was difficult to call these dreams. These were nightmares, painting pictures of the most terrible moments of his life, either a quarrel with his father, or the day of the attack. Tony must have muttered often in sleep and probably even screamed, because when the pain became unbearable, he felt the caring touch of trembling hands and even light kisses.

A couple of time Tony came to consciousness, but his wakefulness lasted only a couple of minutes, during which Stephen managed to give him another potion and say a few words. Tony couldn’t even answer his tongue and whole his body simply didn’t obey him. Tony didn’t count how much time he spent in that darkness alone with the pain, and even if he wanted to, he probably wouldn't have been able to keep track of the time.

But at some point, when there was almost no strength left to endure, the agony finally ended. There was no more cold or heat. No one broke his bones or twisted entrails anymore. Tony finally could fall asleep, and he even had normal, calm dreams that didn’t give him goosebumps or make him shiver.

And almost a week later Tony finally woke up.

He was immediately met by Stephen and The Cloak, which lifted its collar as it flew closer. It turned out it lying on Tony this whole time, as if trying to take away at least a drop of his pain.

Tony felt exhausted, but he still managed to give Stephen a small smile and squeeze his ugly shaking hand. That evening, laying in his bed and watching Stephen circling around sometimes checking his condition, sometimes giving him some medicine or food, Tony felt that a bad streak in his life was finally over.

The recovering process took several days, during which Stephen didn’t leave Tony’s side for a single step. He even fed Tony by hand, no matter how much Stark complained and rolled his eyes. Tony’s body was still very weak and it was really difficult for him to even hold a spoon in hands.

But on the third day Tony was able to get back on his feet. Stephen allowed him to go for a short walk, keeping a close eye on Stark while Levi swam alongside, ready to catch Tony at any moment. Such care was touching but also very embarrassing.

In the end the walk ended on the veranda, where Tony fell not very carefully into his favorite chair. Levi immediately wrapped his shoulders carefully (Tony absolutely couldn’t get sick now), and Stephen sat down next to Tony, waving his hand to summon a teapot with tea and all the other attributes of their usual tea party to the small table. When Tony took a porcelain cup in hands (he couldn’t remember exactly when this set appeared in the cabin), Stephen watched him closely, ready at any moment to cast a spell to prevent Tony from spilling the hot liquid on himself.

Of course, Tony noticed this and couldn’t help but chuckles a little.

“Relax, Steph. I’m not that bad” Tony said, making a sip and handing the cup back.

“I'm just worried” came a barely audible voice from the sorcerer’s side. Looking at Stephen, Tony noticed a slight blush on his cheeks.

“You know…” Tony said a little bit suddenly even for himself, “I’d like to stay with you. Well, in that other part of the forest”

Stephen didn’t answer him right away. At first he looked at Tony for a very long, long time with light-blue eyes widened in shock, and then he suddenly frowned slightly, lowering his head and, apparently, examining his reflection in the cup. Tony watched Stephen closely, realizing that he needed a little time to think things over. But inside everything was squeezed from the long wait anyway. What if Stephen said that he didn’t ready yet? Or he would even say that he didn’t think their relationship should get that serious. Still, they didn’t even really discuss what was going between them.

“I’m really glad to hear that, Anthony, but you still need to think carefully. Remember that once you cross the border you won’t be able to go anywhere. And you won’t be able to communicate with your friends. I don’t let humans cross the border, and I only did it for your friends as an exception. But as soon as you stop being part of the ‘human world’ I’ll stop doing this”

It was the first time, when Tony had heard Stephen sound so serious. And even now he couldn’t fully concentrate on Stephen’s words. Thoughts were running in different directions, and Tony ended up thinking about something completely different from what he needed to.

“I understand” Tony said, looking at Stephen, who in turn didn’t take his eyes off Tony, as if searching for even a drop of doubt on his face, “And I have no doubt in my decision. I think I'm ready”

Before answering Stephen sighed tiredly. He clasped his hands and looked at Tony as if he was a little child.

“And yet, I am setting you up to think again. Right now I won’t be able to perform the ritual, because you need to recover” Stephen carefully raised his index finger, “One month. Live with this thought for one month, think, talk with your friends. And then, if you decision doesn’t change I’ll be happy to take you”

Tony noticed how an evil light flashed in the end of Stephen’s eyes by the end of his speech. Something inside told Tony that Stephen really wouldn’t mind taking him right now, but as a respectful partner, he gave him the right to choose. This brought a slight smile on Tony’s lips.

“Deal” Tony answered, extending his hand to Stephen for a handshake, “But today… you will stay, right?”

“Right”

Instead of handshake Stephen carefully brought Tony’s palm to his lips to touch it in a light kiss. Tony, in his turn, blushed deeply, covering his burning face with his free hand.

“I’ll stay with you for a couple more days,” Stephen continued, smoothly letting go of Tony’s hand, “Can’t stay longer, unfortunately. Wong is already sending me his angry messages. I’ve been avoiding my duties for a very long time”

“Being The Keeper is a real hassle” Tony said, still embarrassed. Looking away he didn’t noticed how Stephen, propping his head up with his hand, openly admired him.

“Only sometimes”

This time Stephen didn’t even try to hide how loving his voice sounded.

…

“What do you think…” Tony said, sitting with Rhodey in the backyard of his and Pepper’s house, watching little Morgan play on the grass.

“If, purely theoretically, I met someone with whom I felt extremely comfortable and, well, fell in love with them” with these words Tony nervously bended the stem of the straw, which he had been twirling in his hands all this time, “Should I stay here, or… move, if he or she, for example, lives somewhere very far from here?”

“Sometimes I don’t understand you at all, Tony” Rhodey sighed, “Do you have someone?”

“No,” Tony lied with ease, “I’m just thinking”

Today ended the month that Stephen had given him for thinking. All this time Tony was really thinking hard. He had no doubts, well, almost. The only thing that slightly worried Tony was the connection with Rhodey and Pepper, who, after all, were hi close friends. And Tony would be glad to tell them everything in all honestly: about the sorcerer who living in the forest and protect their world, about the boundaries between worlds, about how much Tony love and how Stephen love him in return, about how he want to cross the border and stay next to Stephen forever. But his friends are unlikely to understand him. After Tony’s story even the eternally calm and understanding Pepper will probably twirl her finger at her temple and sound the alarm. That's why Tony got by with these "what ifs" but these metaphors didn't help at all.

Tony felt an incredible sense of guilty at the realization that he would leave without telling his friends. For a whole month he was tormented by an incredible dilemma: on the one hand, leaving like that, without any warning, was very rude, but on the other hand, Rhodey and Pepper had each other. They were obviously happily married, but Tony had no one. Why, when he found his happiness, should he stay only with his friends? Everything would be easier if he could see Rhodey and Pepper at least sometimes, but, unfortunately, he couldn’t have his cake and eat it too. It's unlikely that Pepper and Rhodey won't be able to cope with his leaving. After a couple of years they will be remember their eccentric hermit friend with warmth, and in ten years they will have forgotten him completely, as if he had never existed.

“This has nothing to do with those forest oddities, does it?” Rhodey asked with slight anxiety, when the silence dragged on.

“Of course not” Tony smiled completely carefree

“I don’t understand how you live there. There’s always some king of devilry going on there: either these herbs around your house, or the amulet on the door. Where did it even come from?”

“I told you: I made it” Tony muttered, noticing from Rhodey’s eyes that he didn’t believe him at all, “Okay, I need to go. Dinner won’t cook itself”

Tony ruffled Morgan’s hair, who ran up to the adults, and then getting up from the bench, got ready to leave. But Rhodey suddenly called him out right at the exit from the yard.

“Tony” Rhodey called, stopping nearby, “About yours ‘only theoretical’ question. I think that if you love that person very much and feel that he love you back, than you should move without hesitation. Here you would still be wasting your talent”

Tony looked at Rhodey in shock for a couple of seconds. He didn’t expect that Rhodey understood all this incoherent gibberish Tony had been spewing at him for the last hour, but apparently Rhodey actually understood it.

“Thank you” Tony smiled, reaching out to Rhodey for a hug. This time, it was much tighter than usual, as if they were truly saying goodbye forever, “Say hello to Pepper for me”

“Of course” Rhodey nodded, looking at Tony with a lurking longing in his eyes, “Take care of yourself, Tones”

“Absolutely”

So Tony left the village, feeling how the heavy stone fell from his shoulders. He wandered along familiar streets a little longer, wanting to say goodbye. Often his gaze stopped at the manor, towering above the village, where Tony once lived. It’s unlikely he’ll miss this place.

Tony ended up in the forest, when the September sun started to slowly move to the horizon. Today the forest was feeling a little bit different and his way to the cabin seemed much shorter than usual. Tony didn’t doubt for a second that magic was involved here, because as soon as Tony got to the cabin he saw Stephen, waiting for him on the veranda. A slight smile immediately appeared on Tony’s face and he hurried to say hello.

“Hi, Steph” Tony almost purred, leaning towards the sorcerer for a kiss, which Stephen didn’t refuse, pulling Tony onto his lap.

The spent a few minutes slowly kissing, and then enjoyed silent embrace for about the same amount of time.

“Do you remember what day it’s today?” Stephen asked, slowly running his trembling fingers in Tony’s hair. All this month, Stephen had tried to convince himself that he would accept any answer, but now he suddenly felt very scared. What if Tony decided to stay?

“I remember” Tony nodded, raising a gaze full of warmth and love to the sorcerer, “I want to go with you, Steph”

Stephen immediately broke into a tender smile, reaching out to kiss Tony again.

“I have something for you” Stephen whispered, when they finally manage to break away from each other.

Tony looked with interest, how Stephen waved his wrist and a small box appeared in his hand, which Stephen immediately gave to his lover. As soon as the box was in Tony’s hands, he felt excitement rising in his chest. Many guesses appeared in Tony’s brilliant head, but the brightest one turned out to be the most cherished one. It was confirmed when Tony lifted the lid.

A silver ring with a blue stone looked at him from the box. Stephen's eyes were about the same color.

“With its help you will be able to cross the border” Stephen said quietly, while Tony admired the ring without taking it out of the box, “It will also bind us, and you will be able to share eternity with me. People call something like this marriage”

“Just like that?” Tony didn’t hide his sly smile clutching the box to his chest.

“Are you against it?” Stephen raised an eyebrow, sending shiver down Tony’s spine. How handsome was this sorcerer.

“No” Smiling slightly, Tony took the ring out of the box and placed it on the ring finger of his left hand.

Firstly the ring seemed Tony a little big and he was worried that it would fall off his finger, but the ring, of course, turned out to be magical, so as soon as Tony put it on his finger, it changed size on its own. Tony raised his hand and admired the stone glittering in the rays of the setting sun for a moment, before turning back to Stephen.

“Do you have a ring too? Do you?” Tony asked seriously, watching as a mischievous smile adorned the Stephen’s lips.

“Yes” Stephen answered, carefully taking Tony’s hand to admire the ring, “I was afraid to put it on. But if you want…

Stephen’s voice sounded confused to Tony. The sorcerer carefully lowered Tony’s hand, waved his wrist again and another velvet box appeared in front of them, which carefully floated towards Tony.

“You can do it yourself… if you want it, of course” Raising his gaze, Tony saw Stephen blushed charmingly. The blush had reached his ears and even managed to spread to his cheeks.

“With a big pleasure, Steph”

After a few moments the slightly trembling hand, covered with scars, appeared in front of Tony. Stark only recently noticed that at some point Stephen stopped hiding his hands from him. Gently stroked a couple of particularly large scars, Tony opened the box and took out a ring: Stephen's was slightly thicker, but otherwise identical to Tony's. After placing the ring on Stephen’s ring finger, Tony brought his hand to lips to place a quick kiss on the back of it.

“Now you can’t get away from me” Tony smiled, letting go Stephen’s hand.

“These are my words, Anthony”

A comfortable silence fell between them again, but Tony still felt a little uneasy. He felt how a small warm of anxiety was swirling inside, making Tony think that they hadn't said the most important words to each other.

“I love you” Tony said suddenly, looking right into Stephen eyes, watching how his face turned surprised and then happy and relaxed.

“I love you too, Anthony” Stephen answered, this time didn’t try to hide his embarrassment.

Then Tony's soul became calm and warm. They drank tea on the veranda one last time and then went inside. Tony pointed out the things he wanted to take with him and after Stephen casted a simple spell, all his junk apparently migrated to its new home. Then Tony walked through the suddenly empty house one last time and, taking Stephen by the hand, left the cabin.

That night he left the human world forever.

…

Tony really liked life on the other side of the forest. He was crazy about all the creatures he now encountered on a regular basis. And also Tony madly liked his new house. As it turned out Stephen lived in an old and a very wayward mansion. As Tony realized the moment he stepped inside, Stephen’s house, as Levi, was sentient and, apparently, had a temper. They didn’t become friends right away, because at first mansion constantly confused him, preventing Tony from reaching the right room for a long time. But as soon as Tony repaired the stairs on the porch, the mansion immediately changed its attitude towards him. Tony no longer stumbled on the stairs, got tangled in the carpets that covered almost every floor in the house, or got lost in the hallways. Stephen, of course, was very happy about this.

But life in the mansion was much calmer than in village. If only because everything here worked according to the laws of magic: the rooms cleaned themselves, food was replenished automatically and, in general, there was nothing to worry about at all.

Tony was happy here. His feelings for Stephen were sincere, and the sorcerer in return loved Tony just as strongly and purely. Tony enjoyed working on his mechanisms, and sometimes he even helped Stephen with forestry work while he was busy with more important problems for the world. Lately, Tony had become completely fascinated with magic, and now in the evenings Stephen taught him the basics so that later Tony could try to cross magic and his mechanisms. But sometimes the sadness still washed over Tony. For example it happened on one special day of the year, when Tony got used to go to Maria’s grave in the mornings. Tony clearly knew that cemetery was located right on the forest border, and during the first year of his life with Stephen, he was very worried that his husband wouldn’t let him go. But Stephen understood. He always accompanied Tony, but usually didn’t go to the border itself, giving his husband time alone with the memory of his mother and waiting for him in the forest thicket.

But then, a few years later, when Tony left the flowers at the grave (he had grown these lilies himself) and told all his news over the past year, he was about to leave, someone suddenly called him out.

“Tony?” stranger’s hand fell on his shoulder and a vaguely familiar voice sent a whole herd of goosebumps down Tony’s spine, “Is it really you?”

Turning back, he saw Steve. He, however, hadn’t change at all over the past years: only a few deeper wrinkles had appeared on his face.

“Oh my god, Tony, it's really you” Steve immediately hugged him tightly, continuing to talk, “We all thought you were dead. That year, lightning struck your cabin and it burned down. What happened? Where have you been all these years?”

Tony could only shake his head, carefully extricating himself from the Steve’s hug.

“It’s hard to say… but now I live in a different place”

“You won’t return home?” Steve asked in surprise, looking straight into the sad eyes of his named brother.

“No, Steve” Tony replied, making one small step back, “The manor you speak of has long ceased to be my home”

“I don’t understand” Steve shook his head, “Nonsense. You really better go back to the village”

Then Rogers took a step towards Tony and was already reaching out his hands to him, when Stephen appeared between them completely unexpectedly and unnoticed. He casted a stern, cold glance in Steve’s direction and then turned to Tony, his expression immediately changing to calm and caring.

“Anthony” Stephen said softly, taking Tony’s hand, “I've looked everywhere for you”

“I was just about to come back to you, Steph” Tony smiled with relief, squeezing his husband’s hand a little tighter.

They were ready to go, when Tony suddenly turned around, looked at a stunned Steve.

“You really should forget about me, Steve. I'm doing well, and hope you are too. And you should forget about this meeting, too. Goodbye”

And, with a sense of duty accomplished, he turned away from Steve, disappearing into the forest with Stephen.

There were still many things to do at home.