Say it Back - [ironstrange]

"I love you, Tony."

"..."

"Say it back." Stephen smiled, knowing his friend would break his stern gaze and return the favor.

Nothing happens.

"Tony?"

"I can't," he finally says after what felt like minutes of silence. When Stephen stood in shock he spoke again. "Because this time, I might mean it."

&&&&&&&&&

Being best friends for years has its perks. You know all their secrets, their behaviors, when they lie to you, what they're most likely to eat for breakfast - until one day that changes.

Suddenly it's like you forget certain things. How you perceive them, how they perceive you. And add the confusion with being thrust into the void of the universe, sorry, multiverse, and you'll get the life of Stephen Strange and Tony Stark. Two young boys who aren't ready for multi universal threats, yet face them anyway all the while one of them struggles with how he perceives the other.

And 'the other' has to conceal a secret for a long time, to protect his one friend.

(Started around June)