The Soul Stones Protector 'Tony Stark AU'

◖Chapter Two◗

' You get hurt, hurt 'em back. You get killed... walk it off. '
-Captain America, Avengers: Age of Ultron

⚠ Angst⚠
.・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。..・✫・゜・。.

Tony found out why Soul wanted him to protect Stephen. He failed. Well he almost did.

His world and the others world worked differently. He didn't or rather shouldn't feel any sort of way with anyone. He saw it on the face of the last protector before they went into the garden's of Eve and lived a better and happier life. Soul explained to him on why he was so different and to be proud... But she never told him what these feelings mean.

-

Tony was sitting in the Soul Stone with his head in his hands with a huff. These feelings still kept him from doing excellent work and he needed to find out what causes him this... Pain? Well he knows but he wants to know how to stop it. The trailing thought left as something felt... Wrong. Really wrong.

Tony slowly got to his feet and looked around him at the many stone statues of the lost soul's but nothing came to him. It was something outside, and in a blink he was on the outer side of the stone and in front of an overturned car that was hanging on a wired fence and tilted into the water.

Tony only thought for a second on why he was needed here before it hit him and nearly knocked the breath out of him. Stephen. He flew down to the side of the car with panicked breaths and wide eyes. Stephen was there, thankfully breathing, but beaten to hell.

He grabbed the edge of the car windows and pulled making a large crater for him to fit through. His... Soul was beating fast as his sight got blurry. He reached out and touched Stephens cheek as gently as he could. Stephens soul was cracked and desperately trying to fix itself. That's when something fell down his cheek.

He ignored it.

He summoned his sword and cuts off the seatbelt and some metal that was folded around the doctors hands. Tony knew what this ment. The sword disappeared into thin air as he carefully lifts Stephen up and cradles him with his head on Tony's chest. The soft glow of his sets of wings only grew brighter at his strong emotion. He lifts his free hand up and slices the back end of the car open and fly's up softly and carefully.

Tony's thumb rubs at Stephens non-injured cheek as he floats over to the top of the road and lands. The world around him felt heavier as his soul felt as if he was holding the world- no- the universe on his shoulders. Well... Tony could only fathom at the thought on how Stephen became the center of his universe.

The fates must be laughing at him right now, as he sat down and curled his wings around Stephen protectively with his eyes shut tightly. A hurt sound came from his mouth. He felt guilty... So... So... Guilty. If he wasn't questioning his own feelings then maybe Stephen would've never been hurt.

He wasn't a healer but he soothes what he could to keep the one person that he.... Loves from pain. He caused this.

His eyes open as he pushes down his feelings to a blank slate. He won't let his feelings get in the way...

Never again.

-

His soul screams from inside of him as he was forced to let go of Stephen before the ambulance saw him. He drifted into the soul dimension, where the many lost souls that never finished what they wanted to do lingered, and followed the truck with it's fast pace.

He saw the way the lost souls looked at him in pity and some looked at him with envy. Tony could only hold his breath as he saw Christine's horrified look as other nurses and doctors rushed past her to Stephen. Tony only forced himself to retreat back to the soul Stone once he knew Stephen would live.

"Why? " Tony glared at the ground with fisted hands. He knew Soul was behind him. He could feel her sadness. "Why? Why would you make me like this? " Tony asks, turning his head.

"That's because I didn't. " Tony's eyes widen. He fully turned and expanded his wings just a bit. "You.... You didn't? Then... Then how the hell am I a protector?! " Tony snaps, tears reflected in his golden eyes. Soul only looked at him with deep regret and rooted sadness that grew deep into the past. "Tell me! " Soul held her head high at his words.

"You weren't my creation. You were created by a human, but, you died before you could ever take your first look into this world. Your soul had a set path in life to take like your many different alters in the multiverse. When your soul found its way to me... I could only do what I had to do, " Soul explains softly. Tony closed his eyes tightly. "What did you do? " he asked, opening his eyes that no longer held tears. He felt hopeless and lost. He questioned who he is... Or rather who he could've became... Would've he been allowed to love Stephen? Or would he have been just as lost as he was now?

"The only thing I could've done. "

-

Tony found himself in Stephens recovery room. The doctor was asleep with his hands up in the air.

Tony felt his wings lower and grow dimmer as he realized why he was where in the first place. A goodbye. He couldn't be around Stephen anymore in fear to lose his real true purpose. His feelings are absolute to what's coming and he needs to leave them behind.

He moves from the window, closer to Stephen's bed, with heavy feet. His hear- ... His soul heavier with tense bones and a slated face. He wasn't ready and he may never be. He reached out and touched the same cheek as he just did merely days ago with allowing himself to soften his face for the last time.

Their last night together... The last cuddle and the last hug was shared only a month ago. The memories started to core and become something that held dear and close to his own soul. If he could have the real thing then maybe his soul could have the fake one.

He let's go of Stephen and backs up with a stabbing pain in his soul. It was alike his own was cracking... It probably was. He turns around and froze. "Who? " Tony stood still as Stephen called out to him. The fates are just playing with him now. They didn't care and never will. He needed to be like them.

"I'm sorry Stephen. " Stephens eye's widen as he recognizes Tony's voice and couldn't call out as the golden angel vanished in sight.