Chapter 2
“Tony, we need to talk.”
“Et tu, Rhodus?” Tony gasped in fake shock. Tony then melted into the couch with exhaustion. “Is this an intervention? This feels like an extended intervention. I’m having flashbacks to when the Jarvis’ were trying to get me to go clean. That was traumatizing. Don’t traumatize me further Rhodey!”
Rhodey’s eyebrow rose as Tony kept talking. “Intervention? What are Pepper and Stephen talking to you about?”
“Closing the portal to my universe.”
Rhodey blinked. “Oh. Yeah, I wasn’t going to talk to you about that. But, speaking of your universe. . .”
“You think I should stay in this universe too?”
“Well, yes. I don’t think you should go as far as to close the portal. I think it’s noble that you still want to help over there even if they don’t want you. I just think you should minimize your time spent there. It’s not good for you, and you’re so much happier here!”
Tony closed his eyes. “Stephan and Pepper said similar things. . . Same sentiment.”
“Well, when the three people closest to you all agree on something, we’re probably right.”
A corner of Tony’s lips quirked. “Maybe. I’ll consider it.”
Stepping through the portal brought an immediate and visible change to Tony’s demeanor - to Stephen, at least. Tony’s smile lengthened, but his eyes grew duller. His spine straightened slightly, and his hands started twitching more.
They stood in the middle of the Sanctum’s Library, waiting for one of the few people willing to interact with them on this world. Soon enough, Wong appeared, looking incredibly guilty. “It appears we have much to apologize for, Stark.”
Tony froze. “What do you mean?”
Wong looked away. “I think it’s better explained if you go outside.”
A short walk through Central Park quickly revealed the answers they were looking for. Within what felt like minutes, they were swarmed by reporters. They made a cacophony of sounds, and at last Stephen and Tony were able to make out a question. “Mr. Stark, Mr. Stark, do you finally have a response to the public apology?”
Tony looked bewildered. “I haven’t watched the news in a while, could you elaborate?”
While it was only because he had been in another dimension, the statement wasn’t inaccurate. “With the downfall of S.H.I.E.L.D., and the leakage of H.Y.D.R.A.’s files exposing that you did not, in fact, bring in the nuke, many people have been clamoring to right the wrongs they’ve done by you. Are you going to accept the apology?”
Before Tony could answer, Stephen stepped in, physically shielding the other man from the cameras. “Absolutely not! After years of not bothering to do even the most basic fact checking, you do not get to act like you did nothing wrong. You didn’t want him? Well, I did. Your loss and my gain!”
Silence descended upon the crowd. “Do you agree with that sentiment?” One brave soul dared to ask.
Tony straightened up, gaining confidence he hadn’t experienced in his home dimension in quite some time. “Yes, yes, I do.”
“Do you not think it’s selfish of you to walk away from helping clean up the mess the intelligence world is in when you’re needed the most? When anyone would help you out favor-free?”
Tony scowled. “For years, I have been harassed, had nothing but hate thrown at me, and told to go die in some of the most brutal ways possible. Why would I want to repay them when I could go to a dimension that has treated me better than this one ever has - even before the nuke landed! At home, I have a loving boyfriend who makes sure I’m fed and hydrated during my invention binges, makes sure I rest when I need it, soothes me after nightmares, and lets me return the favor! So no, I will not accept these half assed apologies and I will not play maid to your messes.”
And with that, the two walked away hand in hand.