"Oh, Tony..." | Ironstrange

Chapter 26

Tony's POV

"Tony... Tony come on it's 6:24, do you still want to go to Bruce's house?" I heard Stephens voice quietly speak and felt him gently shake me. I turned around and stretched my arms then got up and stretched my back. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "Not really. Sorry." 

"No no It's okay. I figured you wouldn't want to go. I'll stay home with you it's okay." 

"Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't mind if you went, it's fine really. I have Sophie." I responded.

Stephen nodded his head and smiled. "I'll stay here." Stephen. He does so much for me. I feel bad about it though. I don't really do anything but complain about how bad my life is and be sad. I'm always upset about something and for some reason he's still here with me. I wonder why. If I were him, I would have left before I even came in this house. "Tea?" Stephen asked with a mug of tea in his hands. 

I looked at him confused, taking the tea from his hands. "Sure... Could you-"

"Add honey? Already done." Stephen smiled, sliding his hand on my cheek. I stared up at him for a bit then smiled. I nodded my head and pulled my tea bag tab up and down, "Strange..."

"Stark." Stephen mumbled, patting me on the head before walking away. I nodded my head and sipped my tea. That wizard. He really is something else. Someone truly unique. I wonder why that wizard has so much interest in me. I'm not really that interesting. I rarely show any signs of happiness and I'm almost always sulking. I am always feeling guilty about something, I'm always feeling upset, sad, depressed, worried, anxious, and some emotion I can't even attach a name too. It sucks. I hate always being depressed and now that I have a boyfriend? It sucks he has to deal with me being upset all the time, it really does. 

I took another sip of my tea and looked over at Stephen. "Hey...babe...?"  What the hell is he doing? He had this green like aura surrounding him, not the usual orange. Maybe he's using that stone he told me about a while back, the time stone. What could he be using that for though. He looked super concentrated, but at the same time he was... crying? 

I quickly sat my tea down and walked over towards Stephen. I crouched down to his level and placed a hand on his cheek, wiping away a tear. He didn't react to it, but he started to cry more and sniff a lot. "Hey Stephen you doin' alright?" I shouted, still no response. What is he even looking at to make him so emotional? After a bit I gave up trying to "wake him up" and just sat down in front of him.

Peter... I know that was random, but I can't get over him and how he is actually gone. I can't help but get extremely depressed when I think about him. I was about to have a family. Me, Peter, Stephen, and Sophie, but... Don't blame yourself Tony. Don't. Stephen told you that there was no possible way to avoid Peter's death. I know he is the keeper of the time stone, but absolutely no way? How? We could have moved across the country. We could have kept him home that day. We could have locked up the kid in jail so he wouldn't touch Peter. But I know Stephen loved Peter too and if there were a way to save him, I know he would. I r-

I saw Stephen gently lower himself down onto the floor then the green aura disappear. "You alright Stephen?" I asked, placing my hand on his arm.

He didn't speak a word, just slowly nodded his head no and began to cry more. I put my hand on his cheek and sighed, "Hey Stephen, you can talk to me. I'm here. What did you see?" I spoke softly.

"There was a way to save Peter."

My eyes immediately widened. I moved my hand away from him in shock and my heart was beating quick. I can't even begin to describe how quick my mood changed. "What."

"I... I didn't look at all the possibilities. I missed one." Stephen shook. 

"What was it..." I trailed.

Stephen shakily sighed and kept his head down. "When Peter tried to take me back to your house, I refused to because he didn't want to give me a reason to come back home. If I hadn't felt guilty and stayed "home" Peter would have never gotten shot. Let me explain why." He took a deep breath, then continued. "If I hadn't come back to the house you wouldn't have gotten your eye site back, which means Peter would have stayed home the day of the shooting. Now that wouldn't have guaranteed he gotten shot. There were many other possibilities where he stayed home and still got killed... What didn't get him killed was since you were blind you were attempting to walk down the stairs by yourself to prove to Peter you didn't need help. You skipped a step and fell face flat on the floor. Peter called an ambulance and went to the hospital with you, therefore, avoiding the shooter and him getting arrested for owning a gun without a license." 

This. This is a lot to take in. I went all this time knowing there was no way to avoid Peter's death, when in reality there was. All this time. "Do I... Survive that fall?"

"Yes. You guys both survive. But you would have never begin to date me nor would you get your eye site back. But Peter would be alive." Stephen sighed.

I fell quiet. Only the sounds of Stephen crying in front of me. It hurt. It hurt hearing Stephen cry because he most likely thinks he was the cause of Peter's death, but he can reverse it. I'm no where near mad at Stephen. Not anymore. I know he loves Peter, I know he loves me, there is no way he would purposely not tell me that outcome. "I'm really sorry, Tony." 

My heart is shattering into so many pieces. Stephen's never sounded so hurt not even when he found out Peter died. He was hurt, he was upset, but now they he knows there was one possibility of Peter surviving and it requires him not meeting me and giving my eye site back to me. I cupped his face in my hands and brought my forehead to his. "Stephen it's not you're fault it's okay-"

"Not really, Tony. You know it isn't. You couldn't sleep for 4 days because of Peter's death. Your reaction when he was announced dead hurt me so bad I can't forgive myself. I didn't even know there was a way Peter could have survived-"

"Can't you just come to me after the shooter gets arrested?" 

I felt Stephen slowly nod his head no, "No... I can't. If I do, Peter would die. I didn't see how he did, but I know he would. There was only one way, Tony." 

I sighed and dropped my hands to his, holding them tightly. This. I can't do this. This is the most stress I'd probably have to go through in my whole entire lifetime. This includes becoming blind. I have to now choose to go back and not ever meet Stephen and not get my eye site back, or stay where I am now. With Stephen, having my eye site, but Peter is gone. 

Stephen lifted his head up and cupped my face with his hands. He smiled and ran his fingers through my hair. "Just in case you choose to go back." He sighed, and wiped away a tear. "I want to say. This has been the best 2 months of my life. Not much, I know, but any time with you is a blessing. You are a gorgeous man and just one look at you makes my body weak you're so precious. Your eyes are so beautiful and your hands are so soft. You're voice is like music to my ears and I could listen to you talk about absolutely anything for hours and hours, Tony. I love you so much. You have surely made me the absolute happiest man alive." Stephen softly spoke, wiping another tear off his face.

I was shaking. I tried so hard not to cry, but I didn't try hard enough because I just burst. "Tony don't cry. It's okay. I know it's hard to take in, but it's okay. Everything is alright." Stephen comforted, planting a small kiss on my lips. 

He's making it so difficult. As much as I love him I also love Peter. I did say I would give up anything to bring Peter back. But I didn't mean like this... I don't know. I don't know.

I don't know what I'm going to do.