Marvel OneShots

🚫 Sorry (IronStrange) 🚫

((Warning: this oneshot contains heavy topics that may not be suitable to some readers. If you think you may be triggered by reading it, please do not read! Thank you))

The New York sky was painted with pink, orange and gold.

A lone figure was watching the lights of the city turn on as the bright burning sun was setting in the background.

It was a comfortably warm September evening, and a light breeze ruffled the dark brown hair of the man sitting at the top of the tower. He breathes in a deep breath, letting his eyes slip shut as he savors the beauty of the big city night. When they open again, he glances down at the street so far below him, at all the moving silhouettes of people moving about their lives on the sidewalks.

So blissfully unaware of his current situation.

Tony Stark turns his head, hearing the soft squealing from the kids playing on a rooftop several buildings over, a little below him. His eyes soften sadly, images of his own children—Peter and Morgan—flickering into his mind.

"Do this, and they won't be touched, Stark." The thick Russian accent rang in his head.

"Dad! Dad no!" Peter's voice in the background of the phone call had cried. A sharp smack! And a snarled shut up, boy! From the Russian voice had made Tony flinch.

Morgan had been crying. Every quiet sob had broken Tony's heart more.

So now here he sat, his legs dangling over the edge of the building. A bitter roll of laughter rings from his mouth, as he clenches the unforgiving surface with his hands. Oh, it was laughable, how many times he'd sat right in this spot, debating on whether or not death was better than life.

But every time, he'd been talked down, by Rhodey or Happy, Pepper or Steve. Natasha. Clint, once.

And now? He hadn't come up here with darkness in his mind for several years, since he met Peter. Doubled when he met Stephen. Tripled when he found Morgan.

I'll keep you safe, whatever it takes. His own words he'd uttered so many times over rang in his mind.

His silver ring shone on his finger, the carved words I've Loved You Through All of Time around the outside. Tears brimmed in his eyes as started to fall as he heard a portal open behind him.
"Tony?" Stephen's voice is choked. "Hey."

"Hey." Tony whispers, staring at the ground far below again. His legs were trembling slightly, and his vision was blurred, tears falling freely down his cheeks, falling to the pavement.

"Can I sit with you?" Stephen asks quietly, and Tony could tell he was weighing his words carefully.

"Stephen..." Tony turns, looking at his husband, and he inhales sharper when he sees how destroyed the taller man looks. He's standing several yards behind Tony, his face pale with fear and dark rings obvious under his eyes. "Please, I..."

"I'm not going to let you do this." Stephen says firmly. "I can't. You know I can't lose you, baby." Stephen is edging closer. Tony bites his lip, feeling the soft ache of pain as he does so.

"I have to," Tony's breathing shakes. "Stephen, they'll kill Peter and Morgan."

"No! No, Tony, please," Stephen shakes his head firmly. "Please, we can figure this out, we still have time."

"Honey," Tony whispers, heart clenching. "We are out of time." The taller man shakes his head desperately, his eyes glowing with fear.

"Tony, just come with me, we can figure this out together if you just come back," Stephen reaches out a hand, even though he's still out of reach. "Please, please, Tones." Tony wanted nothing more than to leap into Stephen's arms and cry his heart out, be held by him now and forever. But he knew, he knew if he stepped back, Stephen would portal them away, far away from this ledge, and Tony would never get the courage to come back.