Expecto patronum
"Good morning."
Stephen opened his eyes. Incredibly enough, he saw Tony Stark with a tray in his hands.
"Good- morning?"
The billionaire looked at what he was carrying and chuckled.
"No. No, don't worry, I didn't make that. My landlady made it."
"Oh", he smiled.
"I didn't know what you like but I ordered a few things", Tony chuckled.
"I don't normally have time for breakfast."
"Yeah, doctor stuff, right?"
"Yes. Yeah, I mean- I usually get up very early and come home quite late."
"You need to look after yourself. You need to rest. This is something I will make you do. You won't come to work today or tomorrow or for the next two weeks."
"What?", Stephen sat up straight immediately.
"Relax. Stephen, relax. You need a break from time to time. You have to look after yourself if you don't want to die in five years. As a doctor you should be aware."
"I have responsibilities."
"Me too."
"Like?"
"You."
Stephen looked at Tony in disbelief.
"Stop", he whispered.
"With caring about my potential future husband? I don't think so."
"Your- Okay. Time out. We had one night. You are making plans about something that hardly exists."
"I don't care. About that night. I care about the things around that night. How I feel around you. I'm not a man who believes in all this nonsense about slowly and subtly making the other kind of sort of maybe know that you possibly like them a bit more. I am a straight forward asshole and I stay that in a relationship. I know what I want and as long as I want it, I won't let it go. And that it is you. I don't care about how little I know about you or what I might find out about you sometime in the future. I want to keep you and I will let you know that. I will let you feel that. I can't chain you to the bed and- well, actually I can. But metaphorically I won't force you to stay. You will just stay here out of your free will. You think that that is the case at least."
"Is that supposed to frighten me? You can't manipulate me into a relationship."
"You say that. And yet you sit in my bed that I call ours now and hold a cup of my favorite tea in your hands. I think I'm doing quite well."
Strange turned his eyes but nodded.
"You're vulnerable. And you are like a baby rediscovering yourself. You need help with that."
"Right", the doctor took a sip of his tea.
"Yes. And I need this too. I need someone to take care of who will appreciate it. I save a billion butts a week and no one even thanks me. I'm just playboy Tony. Or they just see Ironman. For most people it's only the suit. But that's just bullshit. They all don't know how much work this is. How much effort. All the risks. You're a doctor, you know how people are."
"I thought I did once. But no. People aren't- Most people do appreciate you. It's just the press that doesn't."
"And the press influences them. It's simple, Stephen."
"Why are you so negative?"
"Why are you so broken?"
That took Stephen off guard.
"Because my life is shit."
"And that's why I'm negative. I have every reason to be. I am- deep in the shit. Regarding work, regarding life, regarding reputation. I have a 24/7 job by just being me."
"I'm sorry."
Stephen looked sincerely touched. Even he himself still struggled to see Stark as anything but the picture the press painted him to be. Tony was this public figure of controversies. Stark industries was a bit not good, his countless affairs and narcissism. And here they were with it all being entirely different.
"What's- You said work was not good."
"I appreciate it, Stephen. I really do. But I like you too much to pull you into this shit. Superhero stuff is always a bloody mess. We are dealing with something right now that is not explanatory to us and we just are at a loss. We don't know what the hell is going on or even who our enemies are. Even doctor Banner is- he doesn't know what the hell they even are."
"What they are?"
"Some weird alien breed."
"What?"
"See? That's why I want to keep you out of this. You're too precious to end up as a hostage of some slimy blue wobbly out of space guy."
"No, wait. Hold on. Aliens? Why aliens? Like- what makes you call them that?"
"Because they are just able to use- Nah, I won't say it."
"Why?"
"Because I sound like we are all high on drugs, playing too many computer games."
"Because?"
"Because we are talking about MAGIC."
Tony made an over exaggerated hand gesture.
"Okay, then I might have to help you."
"No, Stephen. I'm not trying to be funny. I mean it. They call it fucking magic. Expecto patronum. That's it."
"Expecto patronum?"
"God, your childhood really was non-existent, wasn't it? Harry Potter?"
"Yes, I know what it is."
"But you haven't watched the movies?"
"I read books. I don't watch movies."
"We have to talk about this relationship thing again. Why do you read when they literally do the work for you?"
"Oh, no. Not this argument."
"Yes, I actually don't understand people like you. It's so much work."
"I'll read them to you then."
Stark smiled. That was actually a really nice idea. He enjoyed spending time with him. Just this conversation brought him down from his working high a lot.
"Tony, I have to tell you something."
"It was a joke. The breaking up."
"No, not that. I- I might know what this is. A bit. In a way."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean the magic. There is a place called Kamar-Taj. I was there for a bit after I had a pretty bad car accident. Well- accident. I drove off a cliff. Destroyed my hands, destroyed my body. Learned the mystic arts of magic."
"Excuse me, once again please. I couldn't hear you through all this bullshit."
"No, I actually mean it. I am someone they call Sorcerer Supreme. I studied this with help of the ancient one and a few sorcery teachers."
"What- You-"
"I got a second chance. I kind of- was set back to this. I don't have any scars from the accident but I still have a connection to Kamar-Taj."
"And you are telling me this why exactly?"
"Because I might know how to fight these creatures."
"No. And here is where I say NO. You are not a superhero and I will not put you into danger. You heal. You mentally and physically are just not the best. And you just told me all this mess and I'm struggling to understand whether this is real or you have some serious problems."
"Please, Tony. Please."
"No."
"Why?"
"Because I love you! I can't lose you like this."
The doctor looked at Stark with big eyes. Tony's reaction was sincere. He worried.
"I love you too. And I want to help you."
The billionaire looked at Stephen for a long time of silence before sighing and lowering his head.
"I will talk to the Avengers. Then we make a decision. It's not just my game."
"Since when?", he smiled and was glad when Tony did the same.
"Eat. You need to take care of yourself. Eat and then take some time in the bathroom relaxing. I want to spend time with you. Just getting to know you."
"Do you want to come to the bathroom with me then if you want to get to know me?"
Stark chuckled.
"Yes. Yeah, I will join you. How could I say no to such a wonderful offer?"
They ate their breakfast, Stephen had his cup of tea, Tony had his ten cups of coffee and then they went to the bathroom. Tony filled the bathtub while Stephen brushed his teeth. They already were a married couple. At least they looked like one. A few minutes later, Tony stepped into the water and patted his lap for his lover who followed the invitation happily. They cuddled up, Stark holding Stephen from behind. It wasn't sexual. It was more. It was caring. Peaceful. A connection beyond their bodies. It was so relaxing in fact, that Stephen's eyes got heavy again.
"Sleep. You deserve it. I told you you were in too much distress. Look at you. You need to give yourself time. I'll look after you. Don't fight it."
Tony's voice was so damn soothing. So wonderfully melodic. It almost was a lullaby to Stephen's ears. And then from one minute to the other, all he felt were the movements of Tony's chest and eventually two strong arms picking him up. He distantly felt a towel being wrapped around him and then everything was silent again.