Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

4 years later

A year ago today I proposed to Tony. We had just moved in to his Malibu house, once the refurbishment was finished. The first two years we dated we were okay with bouncing between the tower, sanctum and compound but we grew to find home in each other and felt we needed to cultivate those feelings in our own space. Of course I'd still have to spend a lot of time at the sanctum and he couldn't ever put his feet up but there was nothing better than coming to the place I quickly started to see as a home to just exist with Tony, eating with him, lounging around, watching movies, watching him work. It's our world.  

And so, since I look the knee, we decided I should be the one to stand at the altar and he should be the one to walk down the aisle. We did a lot of research on the wedding process since neither of us knew anything about it, and typically I'm to walk behind parents and grandparents but in front of the officiant, wedding party and the flower girl. But there's no one in front of me when I walk past everybody taking their seats, and when we're all in place it's just a nerve racking wait for Tony to emerge from within the temple.

It's incredible” I tell Tony, looking up at the brilliant rounded architecture of the Malibu mansion as it gleams under the sun, fresh out of the box. We take a moment just to look at the building, accompanied only by each other and the sounds of the ocean behind us and the moving truck pulling away to search for new ventures. 

I chew at my bottom lip wondering if now is the time. The box in my pocket burns like hot coal and weighs an elephant. 

“Are you sure about the jungle gym?” Tony says, cutting the peace. 

“Positive. We are not building one” I cross my arms and push the thought back just one more time. This is the perfect moment, we've just moved in together, we're standing on the broken circular slab before the cliff where Tony realised he could never give Iron man up, where we learned eachothers middle names, where he told me loved me. 

“Peter would love it!” he argues in shallow frustration. 

I give him a funny look, wondering if he knows Peter at all. “He's 18 Tony. Not 6”

“this space is prime for a pop up park though” he argues, gesturing at the untouched yet broken floor beneath us. We both felt that this should be our reminder of the past, that it's shouldn't be dug up and trashed to be replaced by something shiny and new. 

“No it's prime to stay as it is” Peter will find fun somewhere else, like Tony's workshop downstairs. About 10 months ago the snap got Tony give in to and arranged with Peter and May to become the boys second legal guardian, as he likes to call it. We call him father. Tony's argument to denying the title was that if he was Peter's dad he couldn't score with his hot Aunt. Peter, Happy and I weren't happy about the comment. But he isn't all snark and quips and cold heart, in the privacy of my bed at the sanctum I asked him why become a legal guardian to somebody who was on the brink of legal adulthood and he simply told me that no one deserves to inherit his life's work more than Peter. 

“is that because you want it to be exactly the same as it was when I first told you I loved you?” Tony wiggles his brows, smiling broadly. After three years you'd think you'd get used to someone but Tony's beauty still pummels me in the chest like Thor's hit me with Stormbreaker. 

“yes” I say taking Tony's hands and turning him to face me completely. It's now. Now is the time. “and I want it to be exactly the same as the time I asked you to spend the rest of your life with me” 

He frowns. “what?” when I let go of his hands and lower myself to one knee his expression does quick work of becoming shocked instead. 

“Tony. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?” each word burns the lining of my stomach. I mean them all with my entire heart but they're terrifying, exciting, dangerous, make or break. I dig for the ring box and flick it open before holding it before him. The reaction I see isn't positive or negative, it's a man who looks like he can't breathe and doesn't recall how to blink.

Time stretches, and stretches, until he breathes out a word. It's so quiet I almost don't hear it, his lips almost don't move. But it's a yes. “Yes Stephen” He breathes louder. His legs seem to crumble beneath him and he falls to his knees before throwing his arms around me and hugging me till my bones click. I can feel his hands shaking against my back.

“come on let me put this on” I tell him softly, feeling fireworks dance within me as we lean away from each other. He said yes. 

The ring is a polished silver, with a bright blue line running around its centre. It's one of a kind in a way one of a kinds have never been. It was a collaborative project between Thor, Carol and I. He knew where to go to get a metal forged by the energy of a dying star and at his offer I'd be a fool to say no. Carol’s visited many planets, and she took me to one that mined a blue stone, known to be the bluest blue in the universe. Tony told me what blue meant to him so I always knew I wanted to incorporate the colour to the ring but again, she offered and I jumped at it.

“oh Stephen” water gathers in the corners of Tony's eyes as he plucks the ring out and observes it in the light. The crystals so blue it looks like it's glowing. 

The truth is not just Thor and Carol knew about my plans to propose, everybody does. It started with Rhodey and Pete, who I sat down in the sanctum and essentially asked permission to do this. Tony loves them both, wholeheartedly, and if they had any objections to this I wanted to know, because their problem is Tony's problem and Tony's problem is my problem, and I told them so. Rhodes smiled and gave me one nod. Peter spilled his OJ all over the carpet in his excitement and rattled wedding plans at the speed of light. And of course he couldn't keep it to himself so all the Avengers found out.

I gently take the ring from Tony with one hand and hold his hand with the other, slipping the band on his fourth finger.  It's perfect, the silver appeals to his mechanic side and the blue to his science, to the small device that saved his life and created iron man. 

“This is beautiful” he breathes, holding his hand up and acclimatising to the look of it with a decoration. It looks much better. “The wedding rings are on me”

He doesn't stop looking at his hand for at least a month.

“You look like you're defocating bricks” Wong murmurs to me. He walked behind me to the altar as he's the officiate of the wedding. Tony and I are convinced he jumped to the opportunity for an excuse not to wear a suit, instead wearing flowing burgundy robes with a high neck and wide sleeves. 

“As a matter of fact I am” I hiss back at him. Further along Rhodey, the best man, grins and gives me a thumbs up. It doesn't help the twisting I'm my stomach. We planned so much, I want this so much, but I'm still afraid to see Tony because I know he's beauty itself, I know he's going to be the death of me.

The music gets a little louder and, filling the Kamar Taj courtyard, and from the dark entryway ahead emerges DUM-E. The stairs almost cause his demise but he makes it down with only a little beep of complaint. He's carrying a host of orange flowers, -as per my request- in his little claw and the white flower crown Shuri made him is now lopsided from his stumble. At first I didn't understand why Tony talked about the robot like a long time friend rather than what he was, but then I met him and fell for his charming idiocy, especially his interactions with Tony, which mostly involved creative threats of termination, I came to love him. I watch with a smile the way he slowly zips forward, rotating his claw from left to right so a couple of flowers fall out onto the red carpet Tony insisted upon. 

DUM-E’s a distant memory when Tony emerges. He's arm in arm with Peter, the brilliant white of his suit standing out against the boys black. He looks like an angel, like a prince, like a god, like the man I love above everything else. He looks so happy, so bright that he's glowing, I'm sure of it. I don't ever want took at anything else. 

Soon he and Peter get to the altar and up close he's even more devastatingly stunning, so much so my brows draw in and I feel like I might cry in appreciation, in thanks, that it's me who gets him. 

Peter squeezes Tony's hand before leading it into mine. For a moment all three of our hands touch and I feel family. Peter smiles at me and steps off to stand beside the only ‘bridesmaid’, Natasha. As far as I care it's just him and me, holding each others hands like we did the moment before I proposed. I even miss Wong's words of welcoming to all the guests, but manage to tune in to his speech.

“Marriage is a foolish concept,” he starts. Tony and I shoot each other worried looks and I regret not pressing him harder to see his speech, “it has no effect on the love between two people, only exists for validation and image. But for people like Tony and Stephen, with a love so vivid- ” the pause he takes to glance at me is so small but I catch it, knowing he's jabbing for us breaking a bookcase in the library, for being woken by the sounds of us in the throes of pleasure. But by his smile afterward I think that he might be recalling the way I speak about Tony, the way he's awoken the happiness asleep deep within me. “-Marriage seems like nature, like a way to build a casing over the roaring flames of their love” I find myself staring at Wong while he addresses us all and see that he really can see, he really does believe in us.

“When I was preparing this introduction I asked Stephen what he had to thank for meeting Tony. He simply told me it was a tomato” I have to burst out laughing at his delivery, and it gets laughs out of everyone else too, even though frowns come with them. Except Christine, I catch her sitting between Thor and Helen Cho with an expression clear and a smile wide. 

“Stephens cloak was actually thoughtful enough to bring one” he points at my cloak where it sits at the front between DUM-E and Groot. Indeed it's holding a tomato. I laugh more and realise it's the only object I'll love more than DUM-E. It's always had my back and it's a pure soul. 

“I asked Tony the same question and he told me Stephen charmed him through his writing. Apparently he's actually funny and subtly embedded many great jokes in his research papers, which made him not only be impressed by his intelligence but his charismatic spark.” Tony had never told me that and when I look to him he squeezes my hands, smiling without a single wall between it and I. “So, I wish that in your marriage you have many tomatoes in your fruit basket and you keep making each other laugh with your unique and compatible knowledge” we both thank him, me with words and Tony with gesture. “Now, would anyone like to share a few words before we move on to the vows?” 

Natasha's the first volunteer, coming forward in her beautiful orange square scooped dress. It covers up to her knees and hugs her wonderfully. “I just want to say, I met Tony when he was in a dark place and I saw him struggle to find something to hold on to, to keep him going. Stephen, of all the things Tony's grabbed on to, you're the one that'll keep him afloat, that was always destined to. Thank you Tony, for being strong, and thank you Stephen, for loving Tony like he deserves” she finishes, looking to us instead of the guests. Tony ropes her in for a hug and I'm pulled into it too. 

When she returns to her spot Peter replaces her, “Um hi, thank you for coming, I just wanna say this is one of the happiest days of my life, and not just because Elon Musk and Oprah are here.”

I first met Elon three years ago. Of course I figured he and Tony would be friends, they're close competitors and are often paired as true futurists of this world. What I didn't expect when he came over to the compound shortly after we returned from our one year anniversary in India is that he and Tony would get along so well. For the first half hour the three of us sat around on the couches they spoke about science, about Space X and nanotech. I was happy to listen, Elon's plans for Mars are very interesting and I could watch for years how bright Tony gets when he speaks about those things. After that they slipped into casual chatter and jokes about all things from drowned dears to crazy MIT stories. Elon is one of those friends Tony doesn't speak to or meet up with often for the obvious reasons that they’re busy but when they do unite they are quite literally two peas in a pod. 

Oprah however is a much deeper story.

“So who are you taking suit shopping?” I ask Tony while we sit on the floor in the living room of his house with the guestlist of the wedding on a Starkpad between us. We’ve covered all of our mutual friends, those who must come, like the Avengers, Guardians and other strays such as Carol and Nick. After that we moved on to our respective friends. I only had Wong and Christine to add to the list so its over to Tony. 

“Shuri, Peter and Natasha” He says, typing Tom Cruise's name before considering and deleting it. It brings about many questions. 

“Oh?” It’s an interesting line-up, I had thought he’d take Rhodey at least. 

“Yea well Natasha and Shuri know a hell of a lot about looking good and the latter asked if we could bring Pete along. What about you?” He scratches under the top of his black socks. They read ‘I am Iron Man’ in white block. I’m sad to say it's not the only thing he owns with the phrase on it. As a whole I can't complain about his outfit, he’s wearing one of my plain white t shirts that falls loose on him and denim shorts extending half way down his things with frays at the hem. They make his ass look glorious, more so than it always is. 

“Christine of course. I like Peter and Shuri's relationship” I reply. 

“It’s great isn't it? She’s taught him, and me to be honest, so much. And they cant stop laughing about their young person references” He rolls his eyes but the fond smiles there, he approves of his sons new playmate. “Do you think Oprah could make it?”

I stare at him until he frowns like something's up with me. “I'm sorry what?” Maybe I misheard. 

“I’m obviously going to invite her but it’d suck if she’s too busy to come” He leans back to the pad and types her name in with his lip between his teeth. I’d stop longer to admire if it wasn't for the endless questions careering through my head. 

“Why and how do you know Oprah?” 

“I haven't told you? Well back when my parents died and I was tasked with becoming the CEO of SI everybody wanted to take me down, because I had a drug and drinking problem and was arrested once for drunk driving. The death of my parents changed me though, I wanted to stop with the drugs and put my past behind me. People didn't see that, they just saw me as a sure fire way for SI to fail, all the media was against me, except her. She believed that I shouldn't be defined by those things and instead should be helped. She was the only one willing to give me a voice to assure that I planned to change and she even helped me a lot with giving up the drugs. I owe her a lot”   

Oprah got back a week later and said she would make it to the ceremony.

“It’s not just that,” Peter continues, “Mr Stark has given me so much. Yes when we first met it’s because you needed a favour but after that you could have forgotten me, yet you didn't, you’ve been helping May and I so much and I’ve learned more than I could wish from you. I look up to you and you're like a father to me, no, you are a father to me. I love you” After that I wonder if anyone in the room isn't crying. My smile wobbles and Peter wells up and a tear runs down Tony’s caramel skin. Peter takes hold of his shoulder comfortingly before continuing, “And Stephen, well he’s awesome. I wouldn't want to see Mr Stark with anybody else. He’s kind, and fun, and smart, and perfect for him”  

Tony and I practically ambush Peter into another hug, this one much more charged with emotion and accompanied by a melody of sniffles.

"Alright I think that's a good closing speech. If anybody else would like to say some words please do at the reception,” Wong instructs, he looks a little glassy too. “Now it’s time for the exchange of vows, promises for the long journey ahead. Who would like to go first?” I nod to Wong as soon as he asks and find I’m excited to share the promises I accumulated and curated for months.

We decided to take to the religious flare a little and have the same opening statement, so I start with that; “I, Stephen Strange, take you Tony Stark to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life.” The rest is in my hands, “I vow always to protect you, even though you don't need it. I promise to always see you as the most valuable thing in my life, because you mean everything. And you can always trust me, I’ll never let you down. I vow to make sure Peter always does his homework when you're not around to tell him to. I won't go on any suicide missions without consulting you first. I swear to never give up an infinity stone for you again, unless I have to. I won't lie to you. I’ll always be there, for anything. I’ll try not to make anymore short jokes and most importantly I promise that it’ll always be you, only you” Tony and I decided not to show each other our vows and I’m glad for it, I get to watch him smile, laugh, and feel my words in his core as he hears them. He blinks and water clings to his lashes already stuck together from dampness.

While I remembered all my vows Tony produces a peace of neatly folded paper from his pocket. It’s understandable, he has a lot more information to retain and his memory isn't quite as photographic as mine, “I,Tony Stark, take you Stephen Strange to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honour you all the days of my life,” He looks to the paper, which shakes a little in his grip, “I promise to remind you how beautiful you are every day until the end of time. I swear to get sleep when you ask me to. I promise not to set myself on fire in the workshop. I won't ever lean on the cauldron of the cosmos. I won't ever let you feel like you're not worthy, because you always will be. I promise never to disrespect you. I’ll always tell you if I’m not okay. I promise to cut your tomatoes for you.  And I won't ever leave your side Stephen, because it’s always you” Halfway through he forgot his paper and spoke the words eye to eye. The sight of him swims in my vision as the emotion starts to pill over.

“James” Wong addresses. Promptly Rhodey comes up to us and produces a rectangular box from the breast pocket of his impeccable suit. As he said he would, Tony took care of the rings, and I haven't seen them yet so I wipe my eyes and blink the tears away in preparation. Rather than offering the box Rhodey opens it and hands me a band himself before skirting to the side. My first observation is that it isn't the usual gold, instead a white gold shade. And it isn't just a wedding band, instead edges are lined with a small series of diamonds on both ends. I like it, it’s elegant and different, like the man who picked it.

“Tony, let this ring be a symbol to my devotion. Like it wraps your finger my love surrounds you” I improvise, then taking his left hand, now freed up since he’s moved the engagement ring to the right. I take my time to line the shining ring up, not wanting to mess this up, then slip the ring on. It suits him beautifully. 

Rhodes comes back and hands the second ring to Tony before snapping the box shut and returning to his spot. The design is the same but there's a glaring black geometric pattern on the inside of the one Tony’s holding. I hold back a frown. 

He clears his throat, “With this ring, I thee wed, and with it, I bestow upon thee all the treasures of my mind, heart, and hands” I have to hold back an eye roll too at his theatrics. 

His fingers, always hot to the touch, hold my left hand and just like I did, carefully slip the ring on. He looks up at me with an expectant smile and I’m not sure what he’s expectant of until I feel a little electric shock in my hand and it suddenly becomes very still. The tremor, its dialed from 10 to 1. 

“You are now officially husband, and husband. You may n-”

I don’t let Wong finish, throwing myself at Tony and catching his lips with all my happiness and passion as it bursts within me. In this very moment he’s given me two of the greatest gifts I could ever dream of; a fix to my tremor and his hand in marriage. Moments like now, when I realise how much I love him, my heart bursts into flames.

“Do you like it?” He whispers once we separate, sounding as if I’ve stolen all the air from him. “I know it's only your left hand and it hasn't gone away completely but I can improve it, and I have glov-”

“Shh, I love it, its beautiful” My last words come out in a whine when it gets too much and I just have to let go, gathering Tony in my arms and dipping my face into his neck to cry. He whispers sweet words to me, lacing his hand into my hair and wrapping his other arm around my waist. It only makes me squeeze him harder. 

I’m so happy. I’m so happy. 

Wong, and all the guests, wait patiently for me to get it together before he speaks; “Please Welcome Tony and Stephen Stark” 

We were stuck on the surname game. Giving him my name was off the table immediately, Tony Strange sounds like a nightmare, and his brand relies on his surname. We considered then that we keep our same names, and it was close to being our final decision until somebody changed things.

Tony sticks out a hand to me, “Hello I’m Mr Strange, Tony Strange” 

“Okay we’re definitely not doing that” I shake my head, leaning on the back of May’s couch. The smell of salmon floats around the small appartement and Peters sat on the armchair on his DS playing a game called Spirit Tracks with a mildly sour look on his face. I recall him saying that it’s too easy in comparison to its predecessor and he hates that.  

“From the top,” He takes three steps back, then approaches again, hand out and tv smile on, “Hi I’m Mr Stark - Strange” 

Peter makes puking sound. 

“Strange Stark?” He offers. Another puke sound from the kid. 

“My turn. Hey I’m Mr Stark” 

Tony makes a high pitched hum. “I don't buy it. You're too… lanky”A convoluted way to say he’s short. 

“Thank you I love you too. Maybe I could pull off Stark Strange?” I let go of his calloused hand and rub my collar bone under my shirt. 

“You’d have to say it all every time, is that commitment you’re willing to make?” He asks while signalling for me to come with him to set the table.

“No, you're enough work as it is” I murmur, taking a pile of red square mats from him and setting them around the rectangular table. He stabs me in the arm with a fork. 

“I think Mr Stark might grow to fit you Stephen” May says when I come over to collect glasses from her. I agree really, it’s a strong surname and it might be out of place at first but we’d all get used to it.

“No, no. What will Peter ever do? We won't ever know who he’s calling” Tony argues once he’s done with the cutlery. 

Peter stops blowing at his console to speak, “I can continue calling you Mr Strange”

“You can just call us Tony and Stephen” I tell him. I know Tony has countless times and nothings changed, but now things with us are going to change.

Peter considers this for a moment. “Nah” 

“Pete get off that and help me put the food on the table” Peter does as she says and soon we’re sitting at her small table, Tony and I facing her and her nephew, with salmon and chips in front of us. 

“I'm thinking we should stick to the not changing our names idea” Tony says as we start to eat. 

“Probably. The salmons perfect May” She smiles in gratitude as she serves herself from the bowl of salad in the centre of the table. 

“Peter how's it going convincing MJ?” Tony asks after a sip of his water. I always think of her science project all those years ago and wonder how she hasn’t murdered Peter with a sultan's sword or something yet. 

“Difficult. She keeps saying marriage is incarceration of the female and I keep telling her that there are no females in your marriage. And then she says that one of you will inevitably fall into the traditional female role and be shackled to the point of divorce” He explains, jabbing a chip forcefully.

“Don't divorce me Stephen please”

I turn to give him an unimpressed look. “Are you telling me you think I’d become the traditional woman?” with some thought technically he would be right. My position at SI has been reduced to consultant since the Sanctum takes priority and Tony’s insistence on buying anything I even show mild interest in before I can means I don’t need the money I earned, and the sanctum is house sitting. 

“So she would never marry you Pete?” May asks Peter when Tony opens his mouth to answer me. Probably a good call.  

Except Peter looks at her like she just slapped him. “Aunt May! We’ve barely been together for a year!”

“If I might interject it took me much less than a year to realise I wanted to spend the rest of my days with this one” I ruffle Tony’s hair with a silly smile. He captures my wrist and brings my hand to his lips, placing a kiss there. 

“Can we talk about anything else?” Pete insists, he’s going pink. 

Tony nods as he swallows, “Yea, have you done the devil's tango? Because if you have I hope you’re both being very cautious. You know theres a male pill n-”

“Mr Stark!” He yells. 

Tony raises his hands defensively, trying and failing to disguise a smile. "You said anything” 

Peter suddenly freezes and all the embarrassment vanishes in place of a man with an idea. I’ve seen the face on Tony many times. “Oh my god. We’re all idiots”

“Um actually I’m a genius. Not just self proclaimed” Tony says, reaching for the salad. 

“Mr Stark and Dr Stark” Peter declares, pointing at Tony then me with a growing smile. 

“Oh… That works” Dr Stark. I can picture myself introducing myself with the name. It fits well.  

“I like it yea” Tony nods slowly with an inspired smile. “Why do I never get to be Dr though?”

I lean close and cover my mouth from the others view to whisper quietly in Tony’s ear, “Do something impressive with me tonight and I’ll call you doctor as many times as you like” Tony's mouth falls open and turns up at the corners, no doubt many delicious methods conjuring in that brain of his. I sit back with a satisfied smile and wink in response to Peter's dubious look. 

“Tony you’ll have to accept that Stephen has an MD and you don't” May says calmly. Peter finds that quite amusing, as do I. 

“So? Mr Strange will you be Dr Stark?” Peter looks at me expectantly. I relay the gaze onto Tony and he nods, showing he’s happy with it, so I nod too. 

We continue discussion, deciding that my superhero name, as Peter likes to call it, should stay as Dr Strange, as it’s apparently seamlessly appropriate to my profession, but that in my surname there will be Stark. It feels like a loss, giving Strange up, but I find that what I’m replacing it with brings so much to the table, allows me to express who I love unconditionally through a means as simple as a title.

Tony goes down the three steps first, then offers a hand to me, which I take. We hook arms to walk down the isle followed by our party as rice is thrown at us from every direction. This is it, this is Tony and I tying the knot. It feels liberating. 

When we dip into the dim temple I talk to a man about portal arrangements to get the guests to the reception at the compound and once he’s gone it’s just Tony and I. Lovely Tony who glows even in the dimmest of lights. 

“Hi husband” He says softly, a smile consuming him as he picks rice out of my hair and brushes it off my shoulders. 

“Hi wife” I say back, ridding him of rice too. 

“C’mon love we discussed this, you're the woman in the relationship” Tony breathes, mirth in his endless eyes. 

“No. I’m the Stephen and you’re the Tony. We’re…” the Starks? That sounds too cringey Facebook couple to use as a title. 

“Stephen and Tony?” Tony supplies. 

“Exactly” as a reward I kiss him, or maybe I do it because I’m star struck by him and can’t help it.

We don't stop, endlessly pressing together for lingering kisses. Tony pops the button on my blazer and slips his arms around to my back and when his nose bumps against my lips I nip at it and chuckle at the way it wrinkles.

“You're incredible” I breathe, speaking it before giving a single thought. It's nature that he's amazing, there is no debate. 

“I know” he grins. I tighten the fingers in his hair and tug at them in reprimand. It's changed since we first met, it's brown is lighter and he has greys peppered within it and his goatee, that which has never changed. My goatee too remains unchanged in design but bright greys texture it. 4 years change a lot, but Tony's eyes are just as beautiful as they were the first time I saw them, so they also change nothing. 

“hey now leave that for tonight” Tony says, smirking playfully. Before I can quip anything back Rhodey emerges. 

“look at you two, so in love, what a disgrace” He throws his hands up.

Tony chuckles. “You're just mad Beth couldn't make it” 

Bethany Cabe, Rhodey's current girlfriend, is someone they knew before Tony became Iron Man. She's a bodyguard and at the time was guarding somebody Tony was in business with. Apparently they dated for a short time but his alcoholism drove her away. About two years ago her and Rhodey were reunited the same way, by work, and they've been together for about a year and a half.

“I am. She’d be the most beautiful person in the room” I can't help but smile at how candidly he compliments his partner. However if Tony's in the room that statement is automatically false.

“you mean in a room Stephens not in?” Tony clarifies. I plant a hard kiss on his temple. 

“Whatever. Come on Mr and Dr Stank the reception awaits” we follow Rhodey to the courtyard, were all seats lay unoccupied. There's a scatter of rice and orange petals down the aisle and the arrangement of yellow and orange flowers behind the platform Wong stood on.

Back when we were looking at ordering flowers and I insisted on Orange Tony asked me why. I told him the story of my happy place, of the flower that Tony’s spectre gave me, why the plant reminds me so vividly of him. He ordered so many because of that and as a result there isn't anywhere you look where you can't see orange petals. 

I take a moment to look at everything and remember it. Soon it'll be cleared away and disciples will be attempting to make portals or fighting with magic sticks. As if reading my mind Tony gets his phone out and takes a picture. 

I take his hand and step through the portal after Rhodey. We've come a long way, Tony can handle portals and I can handle car rides as long as they're with him behind the wheel. 

Our reception is as personal in location as the wedding itself, the compound. The compound where we realised we could be more than friends, the compound where I first met a lot of the Avengers.

In the vast field we've had a white gazebo set up, under it there are several round white tables with an arrangement of orange flowers at their centres, a DJ table and bar and food instalments. 

Killing me softly plays through the surround speakers and I have to shoot a thumbs up to Shuri behind the DJ setup with Quill next to her playing with the Zune he refuses to let Tony replace. She looks great in her white tube dress with a bright orange diamond pattern on it and white headphones hung around her neck. It really wasn't a question that those two would handle the music. 

As I hold the thumbs up I realise it's so easy. I don't struggle to curl my fingers in or make my thumb straight, it just happens. I pull Tony close by the hand and press kisses all over the side of his face with joy fluttering in my heart. 

“you good?” He asks me. Wong's closing the portal behind him. 

“I love the ring. I love you” Tony really did that for me, and I know it must have taken a long time to harness that kind of tech and compact it into a ring, especially one that works so well. 

He bumps my shoulder with a sweet smile on his face. “Stephen stop embarrassing me at my wedding”

We make our way to our table, it's not difficult to find considering it's surrounded by chairs with gold framing. We decided that on our table we should have Tony's bridesmaid, Natasha, and her partner Bucky, Wong the officiator, with his unlikely yet totally predictable girlfriend, Helen, Rhodey the best man, Peter the son, and his date MJ. Which means we also have the largest table. 

“Could all the guests find seats for the speeches” Shuri instructs through a Mic. As per her order all the people milling about chatting start to amble around in search for their seats. 

“Excited?” Nat asks Rhodey, pulling out Bucky's chair for him before sitting in her own one. 

“Very much. My speech is gonna make at least one person cry” Rhodey says as he settles into his seat, looking very confident. 

“Probably just Tony if what I've learned about best man speeches is true” Bucky comments. He and Natasha look great, she's radiant, her red hair vivid, and he looks sharp in his tux and low bun. 

“oh no you're not gonna tell an embarrassing story are you?” Tony looks to Rhodey pleadingly. I'm not sure what he expected. 

“what do you think?” he smirks. Tony bumps his forehead onto the spotless table cloth and keeps it there. 

“Stories are only embarrassing if you're embarrassed by them” MJ points out. She's chosen to wear a white shirt and slacks with an orange tie and it's a very elegant look. 

Tony lifts his head and looks her dead in the eye. “listen kid I've done some stuff”

“He certainly has” Rhodey says smugly. Tony has told me a lot of crazy stories but I'm sure they were only the tip of the iceberg, I'm curious what he'll pull out his sleeve.

Soon everyone's settled, Quill brings Rhodey a Mic, and the music dims for him. He stands almost in a flourish, grinning. “Hello all thank you for coming today. As you know I'm Tony's best friend in the whole wide world, and as his best friend I think I get a pass to tell you about the time he discovered he was bisexual” Tony stops breathing and I have to pinch his arm to get him to. I couldn't pinch before. 

“So this kid comes to MIT, he's this afro American guy with dark eyes and stupidly good facial structure who's really quiet and while people invite him to sit with them he never contributes to conversation. Anyway one day he sets his dorm on fire because he left something on the cooker so him and his roommate have to stay somewhere for the night. I tell the guy he can stay with us, because you know, brothers gotta stick together” He nods to Sam, who nods back with a smirk, “when I go to sleep Tony's on the floor and the guys in his bed. When I wake up they're both in his bed naked. Unfortunately Tony's never told me how that happened.

Any who he majorly crushed on him and they actually got close, in fact Tony was the only person he spoke to. But guess what? Two weeks passed and Tony found out he was a spy trying to find out about some secret SI project. He was too proud to call authorities so we tailed him and had this intense brawl in a Wendy's parking lot at 2 am. We managed to knock him out and called enforcement and Tony cried the whole time he was getting arrested apparently because he was mourning the loss of someone so beautiful ” Rhodeys in stitches by the time he's done, holding his chest. Everyone, like myself, just looks shocked and confused. I have so many questions; did he set the fire on purpose? Who did he work for? How did he and Tony agree to do the deed? How didn't they wake Rhodey up? How did Tony find out the guy was a spy? Why did the spy go to Wendy’s at 2 am?

“It's really only funny if you're there and the point of the story is that Tony discovering men wasn't perfect, but it was the start of him finding the perfect man. Stephen, half of what Tony rambles about is you and he always speaks the world. No one has ever compared and no one ever will. Tony loves you a lot and you love him just as much. Because if you don't you'll die a highly mysterious death. To the newly wed!” he raises his champagne flute and we all follow suit before knocking back the drink, Tony and I and the under 21’s drinking down sparkling water. 

“anyone got a few words?” Rhodey asks, holding up the microphone. Interestingly it's Bucky that takes it from him.

He stands. His real hand rests on Natasha's shoulder while the metal one holds the Mic. “the past 4 years have been, well, a lot, and I've never gotten the chance to properly thank Tony. All of you know what I did, and for that Tony had all the right to so much as kill me. But he held back, and eventually he even accepted me. Tony your friendship shows you have a strength and kindness unmatched by anybody in the universe and I'm thankful everyday for it. I'll always wish you the best, in life and in your marriage” he smiles at Tony and in his eyes I can see he meant every word. Tony looks very placid when he smiles back, nodding in acknowledgement. The memory still hurts him, it's a wound that'll never truly heal, but Barnes is right, he's so strong. 

Once Bucky sits Tony reaches over to take the Mic from him, standing up. “hey kids thanks for coming to the celebration of the best day of my life. Before I get in to anything could we take a moment for Steve Rogers, Gamora and Vision. They were all amazing people who didn't deserve the fate they were handed and it isn't the same without them” The silence that stretches is something tangible and I’m ripped back to the one time Tony truly let himself mourn.

“So what happened? While we were gone?” I ask Tony while he neatens my goatee with a blade. It became his job long before the snap, and now, four days have passed since we’ve returned. 

He frowns, shuffling for a new angle. “Don’t you know?”

“Well yes, you all took down Thanos with Carols help, Nebula hacked his head off, and Steve used the gauntlet to reverse the snap. But you see I had to watch it in super speed so I got none of the details” I tell him as he tips my chin up. 

“Did you know… about Steve?” He asks the question so quietly and I wonder how exactly he feels about it. Unfortunately I have to keep my eyes up so I don't get my neck slit open. 

“Yes. How are you handling it?”

He doesn't answer for a while, instead wiping foam off his hand with the pink towel hung next to us. “I’m fine” He sounds hollow.

“I know you were there, so if you want to talk about it-”

“Done. I’m done” He interrupts, tossing me a wet flannel and circling behind my stool to the sink. I thoroughly wipe my face down and turn to look in the mirror. It’s perfect, of course, but that doesn't matter because I meet Tony’s eyes in the mirror and they're rimmed red. The white sink is also red, with drops of dark blood running down the bowl and into the sink. He’s holding the blade so tightly in his shaking grip and its slicing into his fingers. He doesn't seem to notice, too caught up clearly trying not to fall apart. 

“Tony!” I grab his wrist tightly and manage to pry his hand open until the metal object falls into the sink with a loud clatter. He didn't help or resist me and when I look into his eyes again they swim. They swim not like they did when we were reunited four days ago, they swim like they’re in black waters.  

“I… I couldn't have done it without him. He was supposed to trust me” Tony whispers, like he’s talking to himself. His gaze locks on to middle distance and my fears almost reached breaking point. When Tony starts to breakdown he does this, causes himself pain and doesn't feel even a little of it, his lip quivers and his eyes shine red and fractured. I never knew Steve was like this to him, close enough to cause him to react the way he only has due to deep rooted trauma and loss.  

He starts to sink and grabs onto the edge of the bath, except his hands wet with blood and slips along the white porcelain and he falls onto his butt. In a second I shove the stool into the corner of the bathroom and take the patch of floor next to him. “Tony take a deep breath you’re shaking” I tell him while pulling his hand to me and wiping the blood away with the flannel I forgot on the floor. The wound on his index is deep though and it only supplies his skin with more blood. 

“There was a plan” He gasps, ignoring my instructions for a breath completely. His physical injury however is fixable, so I stretch up to rummage for gauze, disinfectant and cotton wool from the cupboard under the sink.

“What was the plan Tony? Tell me, slowly” Hopefully a slow pace will regulate his breaths and calm him a little. I focus on disinfecting his cuts and the only reaction he has to a sting that should have him hissing is a slight eye twitch. This is bad.

By the time his fingers wrapped he starts the story. “We… we didn't exactly become friends, but Thanos pushed us together out of need. We made a plan, use the stones to fix everything. Carol was supposed to wear the gauntlet, she could handle the stones. But she was out of commission from draining all her power to give Nebula her kill. I was going to do it, I asked him-” a terrible sob rips through him and he collapses into my chest, bunching my hoodie in his fists like it’ll save him from the edge. Hoping it will, I gather him in my arms and hold him tight, letting him hide his face in my neck. He’s still shaking like a leaf. “I asked him to trust me, and- and he said he did, but he didn't, he really didn't! Because I went for the gauntlet and he snatched it first. The last thing he said to me… he told me he owed it to me. Then he snapped and it was over”  

“I didn't see… that you were going to do it” I shouldn't be surprised, near on all of the futures I saw involved Tony making a sacrifice, in some he lost an arm, or his legs, in others he lost his life. If it wasn't for Steve that would have happened. I cast a look up and thank him silently, for saving my Tony, my happiness. 

“He didn't deserve to die” He whispers so quietly, so brokenly. 

I kiss his hair and grab at him harder, so he couldn't slip away. “No one does. No one does”

“Now, I'm not going to tell you how I accidentally seduced Mr Spy or about the time Rhodey grinded on me at a party thinking I was a chick” Tony continues, to break the sad air.

Rhodeys fist curls. “it was dark!” He hisses through gritted teeth. Clearly it's a sensitive spot. 

“No I’m going to tell you about the first time I spoke to Stephen; He was in his office nose deep in papers like the little nerd he is and I was looking forward to meeting him, being a fan of his work. What kinda blew me away when we first met eyes is how stunning he is, I mean, look at those cheekbones,” He pokes my cheek and I poke his thigh in return, smiling broadly at the story. “And the moment I realised I was whipped; he was standing out on a balcony in Montreal. He looked so magical I vomited out a whole Shakespeare verse I didn't’ even know I knew. You see I hate night skies, they remind me of things I don’t wanna think about, but with him there it was fine, I actually enjoyed the view” He never told me that. I swallow back more tears. “Finally I want to tell you about the moment I realised I loved him, it was in that second of eye contact we made when you were bleeding out onto the floor four years ago. I don't think you could see me but when you collapsed it hurt so much more than getting stabbed by Thanos. From there, from that moment on, the only way was up, and now you’re my husband and I’ve never felt so accomplished, thank you. I love you” He practically yanks me out of my chair to kiss him and I don’t mind it even a bit. While everybody cheers I get a tight hug in, to illustrate how much I thank and love him too, and swipe the mic. 

“Hey, I’m not as good as Tony at this, and certainly not as good as Peter, but I can't let him say all of that and not follow up. First… I want to talk about Tony not being human. Tony’s a force, he takes you with him, he’s the sun, you’ll never see anything brighter, he’s the key, to everything, he’s intelligence and wit and beauty and passion. Funnily enough he’s also an idiot; his socks end up under his pillow, he has some questionable clothes in his wardrobe, too many shoes for one lifetime, he charges at death every day, whether it’s an alien invasion or coffee strong enough to kill a rodent and often uses my toothbrush instead of his. When you love someone through the things that make them an idiot are so beautiful. Pete I’m sure MJ uses you to test mild poisons, Helen I bet Wong's forgotten a date more than once and Nat maybe Bucky sticks his arm in plug sockets sometimes.” That gets huge laughs from anyone that was there for the joke four years ago. “But It makes them shine so brightly. So thank you Tony, for taking me as your bride. I love you too” His grin is so wide my heart surrenders to him when he punches at my leg playfully before yanking me down to press our lips together.  

“Alright everybody food and drink is ready to be served and the music is hot fire so don’t you dare stay in your seats” Shuri announces over her mic once Tony gives her a signal. People start to shift and the music dials right back up, playing Kendrick Lamar Pray For Me. Shuri and I spent an enjoyable evening where she introduced me to his music. The beat on this song particularly is excellent. 

In the heaps of people that want to speak to us Tony and I get separated and I eventually end up with Helen and Wong. Tony introduced them at a party 6 months ago and before long he started coming to the sanctum with the smile of a man hooked. They're a great match, vastly intelligent in starkly different fields, meaning they can learn a lot from each other and never grow bored. 

“So Wong tells me the honeymoons in Italy” Helen says, hooking her arm in Wong's. With her in a business cut white dress and him in dark robes they look like they've been plucked from two very different parties and put together. 

“Yes, We’re going to the town Tony’s mom comes from, it looks beautiful” The towns modest, not a lot there other than crops and a tight community of neighbours according to Tony, but I’m happy for it, for a calm stay in a place that means something important to him. 

“Look the queues short” Wong points to the food table, “lets go” I watch him drag Helen away and huff a laugh. Good old Wong. 

“Dr Stark” 

I pause mid sip of my water and spin on my heel to face Natasha and Bucky, arms linked like Wong and Helen. Love really is all around. “You respond to it already” She observes, smirking. 

“Well since we decided on it I’ve been anticipating this moment. You're the first to call me by my official new name. It sounds great doesn't it?”

“Yea suits you. I’ll miss Strange though” Bucky says. 

I’ll miss it too, but I’m surprised I don’t miss it more. Maybe it’s because reputation doesn't mean what it used to and my egos gone flat with age. “I’m still Dr Strange with my cloak on” I raise my glass to that. 

“Can I see the ring?” Nat asks, her eye catching the band as I hold the glass. It makes me so happy that it doesn't shake. I nod and let her lean in to look close. “Oh it has little diamonds in it, that is clever design” She straightens, “How’d you think I would look with a ring?” 

I bring the glass up to my mouth in a poor attempt to hide the smile I can't help but shoot Bucky's way. To my pleasant surprise rather than freaking out he rolls his eyes comically and presses a smile to Natasha's temple.  

“Really good. I reckon maybe a round or square diamond?” I inform. She looks down at her ringless hand and contemplates. I wonder if this is even a hint or if she’s genuinely curious, most likely both. 

“I wouldn't want anything flashy, maybe a small square one?” she decides. Bucky looks up as if thanking the lord he won't have to spend too much money. That makes me smile even wider, it means he wants to marry her at some point. I can imagine that being from the old days means Bucky still highly values matrimony.

“Hey has anyone seen Madonna?” The three of us open to welcome Tony and Peter into the fray. 

“Who?” Bucky frowns. He hasn't gotten there yet apparently.  

“Madonna's here?” Natasha raises a brow and looks around. 

“Yea I saw her like 10 minutes ago. I want Peter to meet her, he’s a good dancer, they could dance together”

“Dad seriously I’ll pass. I was in a play like once I’m not that good” Peter insists. We all smile knowingly at each other without them noticing.  

He sighs, “Alright alright. I saw MJ talking to Barack and Michele, why don't you join them?”

I almost hear the ball drop for all of us. “The Obamas are here?” Pete asks in a high voice. 

“Yea down back” He points to the back of the gazebo and we crane our necks to indeed lay eyes on the former president and his wife. They're hands are laced together over the table as they listen to MJ ramble about god knows what.

“Oh my god!” Peter practically screeches, pushing past us all and to the goal. 

“Only President I’ve ever liked” Tony sighs, smiling fondly as he watches Peter fumble to introduce himself to them. Interestingly it was Rhodey that invited them, apparently they worked closely from time to time while one was in office and the other in the army. 

“Hey hey I’ve seen Get Out, don't try it Tones” Rhodey himself wags his finger at his friend, edging in to take Peters space.

“No no, unlike the people in that movie I’m more than happy to stay dead when my time comes” He assures with a smile.

“It must be you that Pete gets all his death jokes from” Bruce says, joining our growing circle next to Natasha

“Bruce!” Tony tackles the poor guy into a hug, “Haven't seen you all day”

Tony actually asked Bruce to be a groomsman. He insisted however that he doesn't do well with attention. Tony loves him, his science bro as he likes to call him, he was so sad when Bruce disappeared shortly after our fight against the Enchantress. 

I still remember when he returned to earth, making quite the entrance.

“Seriously? You don't have any money” I make my way down the stairs to the sanctum lobby with Wong close behind, who, as usual, is hungry. 

“Attachment to the material is detachment from the spiritual” He argues. Poor excuse, spirits won't save anyone from starvation or electric bills. 

“I’ll tell the guys at the Deli, maybe they’ll make you a metaphysical ham and rye”  

“Wait wait wait wait, I think I have 200” 

I stop and turn at his words. “Dollars?”

“Rupees” He smiles innocently. 

“Which is?” I’m shaking my head even before he answers. 

“Hm, a buck and a half?”

“What do you want?” I sigh, continuing to trot down the stairs and feeling for notes in my pockets. There was a time Wong was against me working at SI. If I had listened to him he would have certainly regretted it. 

“I wouldn't say no to a tuna melt”

There's a bright flash and noise and splinters of wood fly past us both. I squat and cover my face. We turn to a beacon of rainbow light I’d recognise anywhere, Thors bifrost. To be safe as we run toward it I grab my cloak and transform into the black costume I can never quite get used to wearing.  

There's a gaping hole right in the middle of the stairs and when we look down it, Wong's enchantments at the ready, we find Bruce. His skin goes from green to brown, the look in his eyes is haunted in a way I’ve only ever seen once. When Tony almost killed himself. “Thanos is coming. He’s coming” He gasps. 

Wong and I look to each other, then back down at him. “Who?” I ask. 

I send my cloak down to retrieve him and with two quick spells have him clean and dressed. He sits on one of the few intact steps shakingly, seemingly not even having noticed the changes I’ve made. “Tony. We need Tony. Thanos is gonna destroy the universe” He breathes. The look in his eye suggests no exaggeration, this is serious. 

I know where Tony is right around this time, jogging in Central Park. I join him at times, when I’m not training in Kamar Taj. So with the nature of the situation I don't think twice before opening a portal and stepping out by the Reservoir. I spot Tony immediately, walking beside the water and speaking on the phone through his earphones. He’s wearing his dark tracksuit with the orange highlights, the jacket tied over his shoulders exposing the reactors brilliance.  He spots me too, I’m hard to miss in this outfit with a portal glowing behind me. 

“I’ll call you back Pep” I hear him say as he approaches. “Stephen what the hell are you doing?” He looks around at all the people staring. Based on Bruce’s state there's no time to worry about that. 

“Tony you need to come with me. We need you. It's not overselling it to say the fate of the universe is at stake” 

He frowns. “Who’s we?”

Bruce steps out of the portal behind me. “Hey Tony”

“Bruce” Tony says like he cant believe what he’s seeing. He looks taken aback, scared, at the look on his friends face as he approaches him. 

“Are you okay?” He asks softly when Bruce hugs him, putting his hands on the man's back and looking over his shoulder at me, searching for an explanation. 

Bruce came back. Then everything changed.

“I was babysitting your children. The cloak kept trying to dip itself in the chocolate fountain and DUM - E kept reading the orange bouquets as flames. I had to shove a napkin in his extinguisher” Bruce says grudgingly, looking truly like a tired dad. 

“We should have gone for sunflowers” Tony tells me, returning to my side and lacing his fingers with mine. It’s Tony's favourite flower, but he forgot about them as soon as I told him why I chose orange.

“You could always fix it” Bucky suggests. 

Tony mock gasps, slapping a palm to his heart. “Don't ever say that to me again Barnes” 

Tony would never change a thing about that robot, something proved to me by the Clea incident. She came to attack us for my love, as usual, and while she blasted us with her flames no one had noticed DUM - E come to the rescue with his little extinguisher. He did well, getting foam in Cleas eye and managing to distract her so Thor could pummel her in the face. However she attacked him with more flames and it would have been the end of our little guy if Tony had not swooped in and literally taken the fire to save him. It was a good day. Peter got his ass set on fire somehow.

Soon it’s time for our first dance. The floor clears and slow music starts to play. I don’t know it, but that doesn't matter, because Tony takes my hand, and takes my shoulder, and I hold his waist and he’s the only thing. We fall into step easily, both great dancers thanks to galas. 

The two of us turn a certain way and suddenly Tony’s washed with the light of the setting sun. I feel like I’m sinking into a bed of roses looking at him, at his eye brightened to hazel, golden hair, brilliant skin. “You are so whipped aren't you?” He smiles up at me. All the ways his skin folds in the action pull at my heartstrings. 

“You do realise this is our wedding?” I tell him, smiling widely regardless. 

He makes a mock shocked face. “What? It isn't Home Depot?”

I pull by our joined hands and wrap my arm all the way around his waist to delete any space between us. “Shut up” When I dip my head our foreheads pressed together and my smiling lips brush his ever so slightly. 

“I love you too” He whispers back, hooking his arm around my neck and pulling me in for the softest kiss, softer than any bed of roses. 

Years ago I would have thought it was a myth to be this happy. But it’s not, it’s very real.