Tether

Part 6

He stumbled forward, his arms now empty. Whispering Tony's name didn't bring him back to the present and Stephen swore, turning to take in his surroundings, hoping Tony was going to be alright after leaving him like that during a panic attack.

A neon white light shattered the dark of the night, the iconic A of the Avengers Tower glowing like a beacon. Walking to the edge of the tower, he gripped the railing, looking out into the city below, and then behind him into the rooms of the tower.

People were dressed for a party, not the black-tie events Stephen was used to back in the day, but not the frat party of before either. Smart, casual, a celebration. Not people, Avengers. The timeline was starting to catch up again and Stephen felt relieved and anxious in equal measure.

He still had no idea why this was happening.

Concentrating on the feel of the railing beneath his fingers, Stephen breathed out, watching as his breath fluttered in the air in a smokey exhale.

What had happened to Tony? He used to love magic, that curiosity, the willingness to learn was something he'd found endearing in the child. That trait had continued through to his adult years, the want to learn, to untangle the world's secrets.

Looking out over the New York skyline didn't distract him from the memory of Tony trying to shield Peter with his body, the way Stephen could physically see the war waging behind his eyes, horror making him tense and ready to fight.

Had he scared Tony at some point?

Stephen closed his eyes, concentrating on the memory of Tony saying his name for the first time on the ship, his soul crying out with anguish as he struggled against everything he was feeling.

Who the hell made him feel like that?

He could feel the power building in his hands, the energy oscillating down the metal railing, emitting a high-pitched whine as he struggled to control his anger.

I'm nothing without my suit.

'Supreme Magic Overlord?'

Shaken from his smoldering rage, Stephen shook the energy from his hands, suppressing it all, knowing this wasn't the time. Turning, he saw it was Rhodes, a drink in hand.

'James, good to see you again.'

'Just call me Rhodey, kind of feels weird you not doing that while the others do. How have you been? Do you want a drink?'

'I'm alright, thank you.'

'You sure? You look...well, furious.' Rhodes...Rhodey shifted his drink to his other hand, coming to stand next to him, resting his elbow on the railing.

'I'm alright, just...had a nasty dose of reality. Thank you for keeping my secret all these years.'

'Avengers huh? A God of Thunder, a dude who turns into a green monster and a relic woken from the ice. Not gonna lie, think I nearly gave your secret away with how chill I was with all of those. Hey, now that I know of other...special beings, what are you? Long lost cousin of Thor?'

'Please,' Stephen snorted, rising up onto his tiptoes, trying to find Tony inside the crowd. 'I'm the future Sorcerer Supreme. I...Tony and I, we're trying to save the Earth from a threat, and due to an accident-'

'What did Tony do?' Rhodey said in exasperation, the sound of it making Stephen laugh.

'We're bound together, hence I keep travelling back to the past. I still don't know why.' He spotted Tony then, well, his side profile, beaming as he spoke to Thor. 'I think this is one of the first times I've traveled back in time and seen him happy, or at least not in pain in some way.'