Day 18.
After yesterday's events, Tony was placed on watch. When Peter had walked into the lab with a leftover slice of cake from Otto's baking and saw his mentor with a chair in his hands and a rope tied to something above, well, there was no other reaction than tackling him. Why the fuck had he tried to do that?? They got Quentin back, right? So what the hell was that?!
Peter was so angry with Tony but the sobs and constant streams of "I'm sorry" that left his mouth had, well, not made him any less mad, but it made him feel bad. When the kid noticed the unopened cube on the floor and the scattered tools along with the injuries on the adult, he had pieced together what happened quite quickly. Yup, that would do it.
The teenager had decided to separate him from the realm. Taking Tony out into the living room and leaving it in the lab in the case. To not cause another panic, Peter only decided to tell Ned and MJ, who agreed to shut down anyone who asked about Quentin's whereabouts.
To keep Stark from doing anything stupid, Spider-Man did have to place webs on the man's figure. Mental health isn't easy nor is it a joke, so to prevent laughing from the obvious webbing, Peter had done the favor of having his mentor wear a face mask to cover the real reason why he was quiet. When asked, they lied and said that he was feeling under the weather. Seemed to do the trick.
Gloves were placed on the playboy's hands to hide the webs that stuck them together. And lastly, Peter wasn't taking his eye off him. Tony was good at hiding his depression and though Peter had never seen him attempt until today, he had heard about it from other people. How, years ago, Stark would take the Arc Reactor out and debate if it was worth putting it back in.
Parker should have taken offense. Be seen as nothing to Tony if the man had considered suicide rather than staying for his sake. But he didn't. He had lived through what he was feeling and not to compare, but his situation had been way worse, but it all hurts the same. Even if Tony had other people… Beck was his person. His everything. His missing half. The kid would have considered the exact same thing if it were MJ, Ned, or anyone else that he cared deeply for.
Poor thing...
Tony only felt worse when he was surrounded by people continuing to celebrate. Quentin's children shot him confused glances. Their eyes and expressions being worry but confusion. Where was their father figure? MJ had quickly blocked them from the man, but it still made its way into his brain. He had failed all these people and they didn't know it. He couldn't sit here any longer, he had been surrounded by false celebration for too long, and he couldn't put up with it any longer.
Peter immediately sensed when Tony stood up and left. Even if it wasn't for how long he had been hoping for Stark to stay, he was still proud of him. Although, he couldn't let him off the hook for earlier, so he followed him closely. What Peter didn't catch was the third person who had made her way into the destination.
Tony collapsed on the guest couch in the way back. He needed a break, but he didn't deserve one. Maybe this was his karma, to suffer like this. At the end of the day... perhaps he didn't deserve this.
"Somebody looks down in the dumps." A familiar voice spoke, causing Tony's eyes to widen.
It couldn't be- it was impossible for it to be- he hadn't gotten him out of the realm-
When he turned his head, he saw him. The six-foot white male with brown hair and those beautiful blue eyes. His eyes surely must have been playing tricks on him. Instantly, Stark removed the face mask as he tried to tear the webbing off his mouth. His muffled complaints and desperate name-calling. Parker instantly went ahead and dissolved his webbing, and instantly Tony wrapped his arms around the man.
The other man hugged back, resting his head in the man's hair.
"I know, I missed you too."
Tony opened his mouth to speak... but that's when he realized some obvious key features, missing from the man. For starters, his glove was on the opposite hand and the most obvious one that he had noticed was the lack of scent. This was not Quentin.
"...Hi Bubble." He said softly.
The fake Quentin frowned before transforming back into her blue and gooey self. "How did you know it was me?" She asked sadly, "I thought my act was pretty convincing..."
"It was... there were just a few things you were missing."
"Like what?"
"Quentin's glove is on the other hand, and I'm not sure if you're even to portray smells, but you were missing his Cologne."
"Oh..." She replied sadly, "I'm sorry... It was Peter's idea, I thought it would help you cheer up. I can leave you alone. Thank you for the feedback.."
As Bubble got up to leave, a ringing idea entered the Avenger. It was so strong he couldn't ignore it, and it caused his eyes to widen once more as he stuck his arm out to stop her from walking away.
"Are you okay?" She asked?
"How does your alien-ness work?"
"My shapeshifting?"
"Yes. How does it work? Does it have to be someone you've met or can you do it based off of can you do it off of wording??" Tony's voice was desperate, as if his life depended on her answer.
"Both, why?"
"Do you think you could play Fury?"
"Look... I know you're upset, and I look as if violence wouldn't hurt me, but I'd much rather you not use me as a punching bag-"
"Can you play Fury?!" He repeated louder.
Bubble stared at him in confusion before her cells began to transform into the Director of SHIELD himself. If this idea didn't work, nothing would.
"Is this what you wanted?" She asked with uncertainty. The Glamapod couldn't think of a single reason why out of everything and everyone that Tony would request someone that had caused him so much emotional distress.
Tony quickly sprinted across the room to grab the Prison Realm before running back to where he was. He placed it gently down on the floor and backed up. The silence was loud as he took a breath and made eye contact with the imposter director.
"Bubble, can you please say this sentence?" The playboy asked while snapping to have Friday project the phrase in holograms.
She looked at him with confusion shown by an eyebrow raise and crossed her arms. The fake trench coat a little longer than the real thing. She still had no idea what Tony was thinking. Maybe he lost his mind for good, but it didn't hurt to do it if it would make him happy.
"Gate open."
The glow of green began to dampen as the box started to shake.
Please.
Suddenly, the shaking grew more intense as the box began to open, it was disgusting and almost seemed alive. Its white shade turning to a fleshy red before, eventually, it had fully folded open and in the center of the floor was him. The long term prisoner was sitting in the center of the floor, his hands shaking and dry tear stains clear on his face. He hadn't even been able to register what happened as he was instantly tackled down into the ground.
All Bubble could do was stare. She had done that?? But how? And how did Tony know it was going to work? She returned to her original film and watched as the two men instantly became attached.
"QUENTIN!!" Tony shouted. The scent of his one and only's cologne instantly hit his nose as the material of his sweater rubbed against his skin. FINALLY. ALL THAT WORK. IT WAS FOR THIS. HE HAD BROUGHT MYSTERIO BACK.
Once Quentin's eyes were able to adjust to the light, he was able to see his other half on top of him. His happy tears falling onto his face, but he didn't care as he melted that very minute. Smiling from ear to ear as he instantly started to cry as well and hugged the man as if his life depended on it. "Tony," He had cried out, "Tony- Tony oh my- Tony!! I thought I'd never see you again!" He sobbed.
"I thought I'd never see you again too!!"
"You look like shit." Quentin joked with a stiffled laugh.
"Me?? Have you seen you??" Tony joked back but to be fair... he hadn't,
The two grown adults were crying messes on the lab floor. Their hold so strong on each other that not even the Hulk would be able to pull them apart at this time. Stark sobbed into his chest as Quentin placed his face in the shorter one's hair. He had no idea what day or what time it was. He had lost all concept of reality. It was horrible. An endless time loop of just him and nothing but his thoughts. It was torture.
He had screamed as loud as he could from inside. Hoping that by some miracle somebody would hear him, but nobody had. He banged on the fleshy walls, looked for anyway out, but he was met with the same result each time. He thought about giving up several times, ending the torment. But he didn't. Because he knew that Tony would take him away from that hell. And he had.
Their foreheads touching, and their eyes closed as they just embraced each other. Taking in each other's cologne, feeling the other's body heat. Anything. They stayed this way for what probably felt as hours, but was only a few minutes. Tony was the one to break free first, lifting his husband's chin to look at him with a smile. That was Quentin's opportunity.
"How long was I gone?" He asked.
"Eighteen days." Tony responded softly.
Quentin took a breath before laughing nervously. "Jesus. "
"How um- how was it in-"
"Awful. It was terrible. I'm sorry, I don't really want to talk about it. That's how bad it was, okay?"
"It's alright," Tony reassured him before helping him to his feet. "How about you go and reunite with your children, okay?"
"Oh my God- are they okay?? Have they been fed?? Sleeping?? Have they-"
Tony slapped his hand over the other's mouth to stop his rambling. He was impressed how Quentin didn't deny it, no witty remark of 'they aren't my kids' or anything along the lines. His point was just becoming more and more clear. "They're fine, promise. I think they would be a lot better, though, knowing you're back. What do you say?"
The man blinked before nodding, allowing Tony to let go. "Alright, lead the way."
On the walk from the lab to the living room, Quentin was able to reunite with Dexter, who had come running down the hallways once he smelled his owner. Tony told Quentin the events that had unfolded while he was gone and to be totally honest, it changed his view on his importance quite a lot. Maybe he did matter to these people... he must have. And maybe he was important to have around.
"I heard you guys were looking for me!" The fishbowl shouted from the hallway.
It was like a group of sharks to a single drop of blood. One by one they booked it over to the man they all so desperately missed. Almost like a hive mind as they all had shouted one of Quentin's nicknames at the same time. It didn't take long for Beck to instantly be back on the floor as the flood of adopted children rained over him.
"I missed you too, I missed you too!" He shouted from the waves causing Tony to laugh.
Quentin's genuine happiness could brighten even the dullest room. He had finally fucking did it. He saved this household. He saved his other half. Maybe he wasn't as big of a failure as he had thought.
One thing was for certain though; He was never letting Quentin go outside by himself again. Well... at least not for a while.
Quentin Beck was free. After a little over two weeks. eighteen days in total. 456 hours.
He was *finally* back.