Stringless (IronStrange)

Stringless

'Yoo-hoo, any wizards or magical entities about?' Tony called, spinning on his heel at the bottom of the staircase. He took a few moments to look around the Sanctum, breathing in the serenity, imagining the stillness of the place seeping into his bones. He'd never admit it to Strange, but the place had charm. It was relaxing, secluded, and it felt safe.

He sipped from his Starbucks takeout cup as he waited, slowly sauntering up the stairs. Strange would have known about his presence from the second he stepped foot over the threshold.

If he wanted the wizard's attention...

'Don't you dare,' Strange hissed from behind him.

'If you don't want people to touch, then don't put relics on display. Coffee?' He held up the Starbucks bag.

'I didn't ask for-'

'Coffee? But Wong's been going on at me to get him one of those pumpkin lattes, you should try one, very moreish, and I got some of those cinnamon buns we all know you like but pretend to hate, into the kitchen?' Tony turned and led the way. 'Wong?' he called. 'Come get your drink before Strange drinks it.'

He heard the suffering sigh, but the footsteps followed, the Cloak whizzing in to join them.

'Coffee, black,' Tony told the stern wizard, placing it on the table. 'Here you go, Cloak.' Tony handed the sentient fabric an empty takeout cup with the lid on. The Cloak shivered in delight, picking up the Styrofoam cup with one of its edges and settling down in a seat, pretending to sip from it.

'Remind me why you keep darkening our doors with your presence?' Strange sat drinking his coffee, eyebrow raised.

'Because we're building a relationship, team building, remember? The Avengers to protect the Earth from physical dangers and you guys to protect it from...' Tony waved his hand in the air.

'Magical ones-'

'Interdimensional ones-' they answered at the same time.

'Good afternoon, Tony.' Wong's stern demeanour relaxed a little as he saw what waited for him.

'Ah, Wong! You said you wanted to try it?'

'I made no such assumption. You badgered me when you were last here...but thank you.' Wong smiled, sitting down with his drink, eyeing up the cinnamon bun they all knew was Strange's.

'Now see, isn't this nice?' Tony stretched back in his chair, crossing his ankles under the table.

'Stark, the answer is still no.'

'We both want the same thing, to keep Earth safe. Makes no sense to be doing it alone. Told ya the pumpkin lattes were good,' he winked at Wong who nodded in agreement.

'We're not joining the Avengers. We're not,' Strange hissed at Wong's crestfallen face.

Tony wasn't going to lie, it was what he was hoping for. They had the same argument every time before they'd trail off into other discussions, their topics usually surface ones such as what was happening in the world, any tidbits of information on enemies that needed watching.

Ever since that day they first meet, Stephen Strange had evoked feelings in Tony, a fascination, like the wizard was a puzzle Tony need to unravel. It wasn't like when he met Bruce and his scientific curiosity to understand the man, nor was it like meeting Thor, awe at meeting an alien. These feelings were akin to what he felt for Pepper, Rhodey, friendship, acceptance.

In the weeks he'd been coming here he still hadn't asked Strange what he truly wanted to ask, keeping his curiosity under wraps. The creator inside Tony was desperate to find out how Strange's magic worked, but that trust needed to be earnt. He'd have to edge his way in slowly with this one, Stephen Strange was stubborn.