the introduction
When Tony first slowly opened his eyes, he suspected he had a hangover but noticing that he’s not in his MIT dorm room, he suddenly remembers that he was only getting ready to go to that party. He remembers choosing between two shirts to the sound of Rhodey convincing him that maybe they should skip that one social gathering.
That’s when Tony notices that his parents are present, just coming to, and he lets them wake up in peace as he looks around the room.
His first thought is that they were kidnapped but when he sees the room they are in, he dismisses that thought quickly. The room isn’t big but it isn’t small either, it has two comfortable-looking couches turned towards a bare wall where he kinda expects to see a TV because that reminds him of the theater room they have in Stark Mansion, except this one looks more modest. And there actually isn’t any TV hanging on the wall where it would be expected. The room also doesn’t have any windows but it’s as light as if the sun was shining and coming through the non-existent curtains.
“Anthony!” he hears his father and here it comes. “What are you doing here?”
“That’s a great question!” he answers, looking at his father with a smile but makes sure that it’s visibly fake. “I was supposed to be getting drunk right now.” he groans to himself.
But before his father can get red as a tomato and yell at him, his mom speaks up. “Dear, are you alright?” she asks, scanning him but looking at their surroundings as well.
“I’m fine, mom.” he smiles genuinely looking at the woman. “When I woke up I thought I’m in the movie theater but then I noticed him.” Tony nods to his father. “And I know I’ll be dead before he ever takes me to watch a movie with him.”
“Anthony, can you–“ his father starts with a sharp voice.
“Oh god, did I die?” he asks, and noticing that it made his mom pale, he punches himself in his mind.
“Hello, Starks.” sounds a voice from everywhere and nowhere.
“Who are you?!” his father yells, looking around.
“I am the Watcher, and I’ve gathered you here today to show you your future.” the voice sounds weirdly divine, considering Tony never actually listened to anything divine (if you insist on not counting Black Sabbath and AC/DC).
“Sure, give me a tarot reading,” Tony answers half-interested and sees that the corner of his mom’s lips goes up in a silent smile.
“What do you mean, ‘ your future’ ?” his father asks, only shooting him a glare but ignoring him otherwise. Why is his father so chill about some possibly-divine creature showing them their future? What the fuck?
“Space, time, reality - it’s more than a linear path, it’s a prism of endless possibility.” sounds from the ceiling and the walls and from directly behind Tony as well.
“Wait, are you saying what I think you’re saying?” Tony almost jumps in excitement. “What about the Multiverse? 'Cause I thought that was just theoretical. That completely changes how we understand the initial singularity. We're talking about an eternal inflation system and how does that even work with all the quantum--? It's insane--“ he cuts himself off when he notices his father’s glare because he really doesn’t feel like an argument right now.
“Never stop being curious.” the voice tells him. And if that doesn’t sound at least slightly ominous.
“Howard, why doesn’t the prospect of watching the future worry you?” Maria speaks up.
“I’ve worked on the Zero Matter, Maria. There isn’t much that can surprise me,” he answers and Tony’s eyes narrow but he decides to stay silent.
“I will not harm you.” the voice, or rather the Watcher as they introduced themselves answers. And weirdly, Tony believes in those words. “I simply need you to watch this future, because my plan requires that you know it, for me to create a new timeline.” the voice ends, and across from the two couches, where Tony expected to find a TV before, something light up, as if there was a screen this entire time.
“All right, let’s sit down and get this over with,” Howard says, gesturing for his wife to take a seat on one of the couches but Tony can see the excitement in his eyes. He can’t blame the man, they are going to watch the future! Tony’s excited too, that’s why he almost jumps on the couch on the left and lies down on it, taking up the entire space.