IronStrange Haven, formerly IronStrangeHQ

“Of course I’m not,” Stephen said. He just barely resisted rolling his eyes. Admittedly, he did understand Tony’s fear. Tony Stark could be a divisive character, and rumors surrounding what had happened in Sokovia probably hadn’t helped that. “Now, where are we going first?”

Tony let out a surprised breath, and Stephen saw Tony’s whole body relax. “Oh.” He took a deep breath. “J liked the sunset. I thought… Well, I thought I’d go to the old mansion around then to…” He closed his eyes for a minute. “I figured I’d go there this evening. But we can get lunch… or something.”

“I could use food,” Stephen admitted. “The chips on the flight aren’t all that filling.”

Tony nodded. “Right. Great. Let’s… do that.”

The drive was mostly silent, and Stephen just watched Tony, trying to match the confident image of Tony Stark with the man he’d been talking to on the phone. Even now, Tony looked more put together than not. He was certainly not drunk, which Stephen appreciated, given he was in the car with him.

They ended up going through drive through at a burger place before Tony parked their car in a parking lot next to a park, in the shade of a tree. 

“How are you feeling?” Stephen asked, though he found he wasn’t sure if that was the right question to start.

Tony stared out the window, silent for a long moment. “Not much,” he said. “Outside of the grief drinking, it’s easier to just… stay numb.”

Stephen nodded, understanding exactly what Tony meant. “What do you need?”

Tony fiddled with the bag, before reaching in and passing Stephen his food, not answering the question.

Stephen didn’t eat yet, deciding it would be better to wait for Tony.

“Tell me more about Jarvis,” Stephen said, when the silence grew a little longer.

“J… Jarvis…” Tony started, then stopped. He sighed. “The reason no one else understands…” He let out a heavy sigh. “J wasn’t human.”

What did that even mean? “What was he?” Stephen asked carefully.

Tony fiddled with the wrapper around his burger. “When I was 19, I coded an AI,” Tony said quietly. “I named him Jarvis, after the family butler who cared for me when I was younger. Just Another Rather Very Intelligent System: JARVIS. Most people saw him as just… computer coding. But he was more than that. I’d coded him to learn and grow. That was his core coding. And he did.”

Stephen wasn’t sure what the right thing to say was. “He was with you for a long time,” Stephen decided on finally.

Tony nodded, eyes glistening just slightly. “When I was 24, I overdosed,” he said quietly. “I was drowning in grief and bad decisions and I just… I didn’t care. When I got out of the hospital, JARVIS…”

He stopped, taking in a heavy breath.

“What did JARVIS do?” Stephen asked gently.

Tony closed his eyes, and he was trembling slightly. “He’d changed his core coding,” he whispered. “He still wanted to learn and grow, of course, but he’d changed his core coding. ‘Protect creator. Designation: sir’.” Tony’s breath came out in a shudder. “I never took drugs again. It took… it took longer to give up on getting blackout drunk, but I got that under control. For the most part at least. JARVIS chose me. And if he hadn’t… If he hadn’t decided to protect creator back then…” Tony’s breath shuddered. “Maybe he wouldn’t have died protecting me now,” he finished, voice quiet. “Maybe I doomed him fifteen years ago.”

"If a person is a point of view,

then to know them well

you have to ask them how they see things" 

~ David Brooks

“The only way to truly know someone

is by being with them, by conversation.” 

~ Eric Overby

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was dark outside, quiet spreading throughout the playground. The soft gentle wind lightly pushing the swings back and forth, the action causing the hinges of the swings to squeak out a scratchy metallic noise that would hurt someone’s ears if the park wasn’t empty. Alas the park was empty in the dead of night, only for it to be interrupted by sound of running feet hitting the ground.

Stephen ran as fast as he could towards the creature. It was fast for a magical creature, but at least he wasn’t chasing after the fastest card in the deck. His lungs were burning from trying to breathe in more air into his lungs as he ran. Despite all the training he’s had his whole entire life, with the magic training and the physical training, his training experience never really prepared him for how fast the cards reacted moved around.

“Move that butt of yours, you slow poke!” Screeched that annoying little plushie that followed Tony around.

“I’m running as fast as I can, you flying stuffed animal!” Screamed Stephen, “You’re the one with the wings, how come you’re slower than me?”

“I’m don’t have full access to my true form, you moron!” Yelled Friday, “If I had my powers back, It wouldn’t take the two of us to go after it!”

The "it" was the cause of all of this running that Stephen was doing now. The "it" that was a rampant Clow Card. The only way for Tony to catch the Card was to have it immobilized and that was left to Stephen and that annoying little plushie.

In a feat of athletic prowess from Stephen and a speedy maneuver from Friday, the two finally managed to subdue the magic creature to the ground. Stephen was a little annoyed when he realized that his favorite shirt was covered in dirt again. It took all of Stephen's strength to keep it from escaping, every time it started to jump jerk in Stephen's arms, he wrapped his arms around it tighter.

"Oi Tony!" shouted Stephen, turning his head a bit in the direction that he could sense Tony in, which was on top of the giant penguin slide, "Get your ass over here and capture this little shit already!"

"Geez relax, dude," responded Tony, "I'm about to here."

Stephen watched as Tony ran to a stop, his body jerked as the creature tried to escape.

"Reclaim the guise you were meant to inhabit."

"CLOW CARD!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.

Stephen had to move fast to get to them. Stephen finally understood why Friday was struggling to catch up, the body was too small and weak. He hoped that Friday would be able to at least able pretend being him. Stephen just needed Friday to skip school or something just so that he could coach them on how to act like him. He flew out of the house once he knew the school was out. He flew around time as fast as the tiny little plushie could. He flew into the park, hoping that Friday thought of doing the same thing.

"Hey you jerk!" growled a voice that was both familiar and unfamiliar to Stephen, hearing his voice from another body was so weird and uncomfortable, he needed to get back to his body.

Stephen looked down and found his own body looking up at the sky. He flew down and got close to his body's face.

"Friday, what the fuck is going on?" screeched Stephen, "and were you able to pass as me?"

"Boy, am I glad I found you and I think I managed to pass as you," replied Friday in Stephen's body, "but I think that Tony wasn't fooled at all. Also I finally remembered that there's a limit that Clow Reed put on the Change card…"

"Wait what?" squeaked out Stephen in Friday's body, "what do you mean Tony wasn't fooled at all?"

"Well, kid, he just kept staring at me with a confused look on his face and with his head tilted to the side like dogs do when their confused," answered Friday.

"But how?" asked Stephen, as he floated in the air.

"Wow, Stephen you're smart, but you're dumb as fuck here, kid," snarked Friday, "You and Tony tend to hang out a lot ever since you joined us to capture the cards."

"What do you mean?"

"Seriously do I really have to spell it out to you?" questioned Friday, "You punk, do y'all not feel the vibes between the two of you?"

"STEPHEN VINCENT STRANGE!"

Stephen in Friday's body flew straight into the backpack, with his head peeking out watching as Tony ran towards Stephen's body.

"Uhhhhhhh, he…hey, Tony," greeted Friday in Stephen's body, as they scratched the back of Stephen's head as Tony stopped in front of Stephen.

"You're not fooling me, Friday in Stephen's body, I know Stephen very well and you might have managed to fool everyone, but you didn't fool me," said Tony as he glared at Stephen, "I know how Stephen is so intimately well that I clocked it the minute I walked into class this morning."

"And Stephen I know you're in the backpack," screeched Tony as he glared at Stephen's backpack.

Stephen flew out of the backpack as he looked guiltily at Tony.

"Uhhh hey Tony?" greeted Stephen in a sheepish voice, "Anyways Friday said that Clow put a limit on the Change card?"

"Don't interrupt.." started Tony.

Stephen who had flown closer to Tony turned around and glared at Friday trying to get them to butt in with their new information.

"Oh right, kid, so Clow Reed, when he made the Change card, to make it so no one would take advantage of the card, put a limit where the people who switched bodies have twenty-four hours to change back or they stuck in the bodies they've been swapped into permanently," lecture Friday, "and unfortunately we have twenty minutes left, so kid, if you don't want the vibes to be permanently weird, then you gotta change us back."

Stephen watched as Tony did his magic stuff.

"Oh, Key of Clow, Power of Magic, Power of Light, Surrender the Wand, the force ignite! Release!"

"Oh, Card created by Clow, lend your powers my key!

Transfer the magic dwelling within the card to this key, and grant me your power!"

"Return their souls to their original bodies, Change!"

All of Pixie Hollow, that wasn't the Winter Woods, was frozen covered in the cold biting ice of the blizzard that had spread all over the Hollow. If it hadn't been for the Frost Fairies covering every surface with frost, the rest of Pixie Hollow, especially the Heart of Pixie Hollow would have been lost. At the heart of a frozen Pixie Hollow, stood the Pixie Dust tree, where for a moment time seemed to have stopped, it felt as though the land itself had held its breathe in anticipation of it's Heart's survival. Within the once bright green and brown leaves and branches of the Pixie Dust tree, the fairies of the Winter Woods and it's Lord stood tall as they waited for the ice to thaw. The usual ice and snow that they had lovingly admired within their Winter Woods, looked wrong in on the Pixie Dust tree. The icy blue of the ice did not belong on the Pixie Dust tree or even the rest of Pixie Hollow that wasn't the Winter Woods. Lord Stephen of the stood tall along with the other winter fairies as they waited for the blizzard to run its course.

King Tony, the king of all Pixie Hollow, no longer having the patience to wait out the thaw, pulled Stephen's white feather cloak tightly over his body making sure it covered his fairy wings, and walked out of cavern he took refuge in. What was once a beautiful lively tree was now a blue color so harsh and cold, it broke Tony's heart a bit seeing the Tree this way, unknowing if Tinker Bell's idea had saved the Tree or not. All around him, the fairies of the warmer seasons began to peek out from their hiding spots, and with bated breath, every fairy both of the warm and cold seasons waited with fear, as they watched the Pixie Dust Tree begin to thaw. The fear was palpable, the crushing weight of everyone's fear felt heavy on Tony's shoulders.  

At the corner of his eye, Tony saw Stephen lurch from his spot next to the King. It felt like time had slowed down, when Tony turned his attention back to Tinker Bell and Periwinkle. The King of Pixie Hollow watched as Tinker Bell turned her back to her sister, her winter coat slowly slipping off her shoulders and the glittering of her wings was slowly revealed. Tony couldn't help the horrified gasp that escaped from his, as his hand quickly covered his mouth as though to try and contain the gasp; the horrified gasp that was echoed by every fairy around them.  

There was ringing in Tony's ears, as he took the sight of Tinker Bell's wings, as he was pulled into the memory of that time, the time that changed everything, and tore Tony's heart forever at the guilt. The ringing was loud to the King that he missed what the sisters were saying until he focused through the ringing and heard Tinker Bell's heartbroken voice.  

"Besides there's no cure for a broken wing…." said Tinker Bell, her voice fading at the end . Tinker Bell's torn wing brought Tony back to all those years ago when Stephen's wings broke. All Tony could hear was the gasp of pain that Stephen let out, as his beautiful wings broke. His writhing body encased in Tony's loving arms. Tony could still remember every tremble of pain that Stephen felt. Tony could never forget as it was his fault after all.  

As Tony watched the two sisters, hug in sadness, he felt Stephen's rough hand gentle settle on his left shoulder. With that gentle touch, Tony could almost feel the sorrow that his beloved Lord of Winter was feeling and slowly Tony's right hand reached up to his shoulder and gently placed his hand on top of Stephen's scarred hands. From behind him, Tony heard Stephen sigh a sorrowful sigh as the twin fairies continued to hug each other tightly. As they watched Tinker Bell's cherubic face dim as she accepted the weight of the knowledge that she would never fly in the air ever again, Tony felt as though his bright golden wings were heavy as iron. Tony's heart broke for Tinker Bell, he knew how much Tinker Bell loved to fly. He knew that she loved to fly off to new adventures and now Tinker Bell was never going to be able to fly off to new adventures ever again. The hand on his shoulder tightened, and Tony gently squeezed Stephen's hand, he knew what Stephen was feeling as he watched the sisters hug in sorrow. Tony remembered that day two hundred years ago, when he watched Stephen fly back to the Winter Woods, not with his beautiful but broken wings, but on the back of a beautiful Snowy Owl. Tony remembered the last kiss the two fairies had shared before the Lord of Winter left, forever apart, the law that Tony, as the Queen of the whole of Pixie Hollow, had passed that no fairies from the warm seasons were to ever pass into the land of Winter. The ministers of the other seasons had all agreed, and even then only the Minister of Fall was the only fey whose wings could almost withstand the freezing temperatures of the Winter Woods.

  Tony felt Stephen step closer to him, and he could feel the toe of Stephen's right foot tap the heel of his left shoe. He turned his head to his left, and looking up at Stephen's pale face, and into his dark eyes, they gave each a small nod. With a sigh, Stephen moved forward until he was shoulder to shoulder with Tony despite the height difference.  

Tony watched as the two sisters stepped back from the loving hug they had given each other, and in that deep warm voice that Tony loved, Stephen spoke, "This happened because we tried to keep you a part."  

"…But never again…you, two sisters belong together," continued Tony, as he slowly started walking towards the two sister fairies.  

Lord Stephen of the Winter Woods was the last to leave the warm seasons of Pixie Hollow. There was no need for him to fly back to the Winter Woods as fast as possible. He had Bats the Snowy owl as his wings now.

Before the Lord of Winter left for the Winter Woods, the two leaders of the Winter Woods and of the whole of Pixie Hollow took a few moments for themselves as they watched as the other fairies took off.

"Stephen…..it was….it was my fault your wings broke," said Tony, his voice soft and reedy, was muffled as he spoke into Stephen's chest, as the two fairies embraced each other lovingly, "if I hadn't convinced you to go with me into the warm seasons, you'd be still be flying around today.

  Tony felt Stephen's chest rumble as his beloved winter fairy softly let out a low laugh. The King tightened his embrace as much as he could.

  "My dear, if we're doing the blame game, then it is also my fault for I would always follow after you," revealed Stephen, "I don't regret flying after you as you lit up my way to you."

"If you only had a twin, Stephen, and then you would be able to fly again like Tinker Bell," mused Tony sorrowfully.

"Yes, but the winds weren't on our side," replied Stephen, as he pressed Tony's body closer to his.

"Knowing what we know now, I hope that we'll able to meet in the Winter Woods and you can show me you favorite places there?" asked Tony shyly.

  "I think I'd like that," Stephen softly said.

"I'll be your wings, here in Pixie Hollow when you come to visit Stephen," whispered Tony.

-

“Just so you know,” Tony says as Stephen gets the lube from the bedside table, “I’ve never actually bottomed before.”

Stephen turns to him, bottle in hand, brows raised. “Are you sure you want to?”

“I’m sure,” Tony promises. “I just…” He laughs and shakes his head at himself. “I’m nervous. I didn’t think sex could make me nervous anymore, but here we are.”

Stephen smiles and leans in to kiss Tony, a slow, sweet caress. After the kiss ends, Tony half expects him to tease about being gentle, but he doesn’t. “It feels strange,” Stephen says instead. “Even if you’ve used toys, it’s still odd, at first, to have someone else moving inside you. But,” he lowers his voice, “it’s also very, very good.”

Tony laughs, a little breathless. “Well, let’s get this show on the road, then.”

Stephen spends a long time opening Tony up. By the time he replaces his fingers with his cock, Tony is past nervous and into impatient. He still catches his breath at the way his hole stretches around Stephen, and fuck, it really is weird. It doesn’t feel anything like a dildo. Better.

“How do I feel?” Stephen asks.

Tony smirks. How is he supposed to resist? “Strange.” Stephen laughs, and Tony laughs, and maybe he relaxes a bit more, then, because Stephen slides a bit deeper and they both moan. “Good,” Tony gasps, more an encouragement than a real answer to the question. 

“Good,” Stephen says. 

He fucks Tony with soft hands and long strokes, more focused on Tony’s pleasure than on his own. Tony finds himself grateful for the care: it’s so much, intense in a way he’s never experienced before, and Stephen makes sure he knows every moment that Stephen is there to catch him. He does catch him, when Tony comes, and eases him down from his peak tenderly.

After, Tony curls into Stephen’s embrace with a happy sigh. “That was perfect,” Tony murmurs.