Nothing without all the railroads
Tony waited patiently in the living room until Stephen returned. He let the man have his alone time. It was needed. Stark knew exactly what he was doing. He had the doctor exactly where he wanted to have him. And it was good for Stephen. To be taken by the hand now. To be led instead of trying to lead everything.
"You're back", Stark said without looking up.
It was weird but he could almost feel his partner by now. And he took pride in it. How well he knew him already.The billionaire turned around and winked at the other.
"And you look very nice."
"Thank you."
Stephen still got the goosebumps whenever Tony did things like that. All this predicting. And all this raspy voice shit.
"Stop that", he said lovingly.
"What? Turning you on?"
"Stop", the doctor chuckled as Stark put his arms around him and kissed his neck with a smile.
"Careful, Stephanie. One day I will listen to those stops."
"As you should."
"If you don't give consent, you just gotta say it."
"Idiot."
"What? What did you just say?"
He pushed Stephen against the wall and looked deep into his eyes.
"I might be an idiot but according to your pupils, you are definitely falling for idiocy then. Look at you. Look at how you melt. Even as you are pushed against the wall, you're not even trying to struggle or get the upper hand. That tells me a lot about your stops and idiots."
"What are you? Detective?"
"Consulting detective."
"Christ. Don't."
"Don't act like that isn't turning you on."
"That you are quoting Sherlock Holmes?"
"Yes. You get all flirty when I sound intelligent and shit."
"You sound intelligent just being a fantastic engineer. I don't need you to quote other geniuses. Wasn't Sherlock Holmes asexual?"
"Only doctor Watson can know."
"He was asexual, Tony. The man was married to his work."
"And the Watson was basically part of his work."
"You just want them to have this thing, right?"
"I want everyone to have this thing."
Just as Stephen wanted to answer, the doorbell rang.
"Oh, he is polite for once."
"What do you mean?"
"Peter. He usually just uses his spider-powers to basically break in. You make him behave."
"Oh- Of course."
Stark sighed and walked over to the door, opening it just to be jumped with a hug.
"I missed you so much, Mister Stark!"
"Yeah-", Tony hugged him back.
"It's only been two weeks or so, kid."
"Two weeks is so long. Why were you so busy?"
"Come in first of all."
The boy quickly obeyed, holding the strings of his backpack. He smiled at Stephen as soon as he saw him.
"Hell, doctor Strange!"
"Hello, Peter. It's good seeing you."
"You obviously are already aware of him. But our good doctor joined the Avengers. That's a reason to celebrate."
"Yes! Mister Stark already told me about your magic powers and that you were in Hogwarts and know Gandalf. Is he nice?"
Stephen looked at Tony who was biting his lip shrugging.
"I had to make the boy happy", he said dramatically.
"What does he mean?", Peter asked the other man with big sparkly eyes.
"He means that he had to tell you my secrets. Because no one knows these things. Now you have to be quiet about it."
"Oh, of course! Yes. I will tell no one."
Stark had filled two glasses with wine and one with juice. He walked over to the others with an innocent smile.
"Ready for the family fun?"
"Y-yeah", the kid said.
"Good."
Tony led him to the table they were usually playing games on. Fridays were game days. After school, the boy was allowed to spend his day and night at Tony's place. They had made it a tradition and traditions were dear to Stark. The kid had it hard enough, he shouldn't have to be deprived of his childhood.
"Fine, what games? And if you say Twister, I will hit you. Because we did that once and I have never felt so damn old before."
"We could play hide and seek."
"In that case I'll hide in my lab and secure the door. You won't be able to find me, kiddo."
"How about Monopoly?"
"Strange is way too responsible with money to lose that. I hope you are aware."
"Then it is doctor Strange and I against you."
"Wait a minute, are you two already teaming up against me? I thought I was the coolest one, Peter."
"Don't be so jealous of the boy's good taste", Stephen interfered.
"We will break you, Tony."
"I am a billionaire!"
"No, in Monopoly you are nothing without all four railroads."
"I will win."
"The only thing you will do is go to jail and pay us. Come on, Peter."
The boy had to laugh at the competitive but calm talk the two men had. He was curious. Normally when a new hero joined the Avengers, he'd meet them at an official meeting after they signed the contract and the original six gave their blessings. But here, in Mister Stark's mansion while playing board games- that was new but welcome. He immediately liked doctor Strange a lot.
"I wanna start!"
"Why?", Tony crossed his arms and looked seriously at Peter.
"Because I'm the youngest!"
"You are just supporting Strange's team!"
"I am younger than you too, Tony. Like- a lot."
"Fine", the billionaire sighed and gave Peter the dices as Stephen gave him the starting budget.
"Enjoy it while you have it. Come on, boy. Let's dominate this game."
The kid eagerly started and from that moment on they just had fun. Without thinking much. Without being serious or on edge or basically ready for every attack or emergency. Peter felt such a different vibe from his- dad. He liked to call Tony that in his head. And occasionally in real life. But the man always told him that he couldn't be a real dad. That he'd just mess it up. And yet he wasn't. He was awesome. Amazing. And brilliant. But that didn't change the fact that he had no chance against the doctor and him in Monopoly.
"And we're buying that hotel, Peter."
"How are you so damn lucky?"
"I'm not lucky, I'm awesome", Stephen disagreed as he put the red little building onto one of their streets.
"Oh, come on!"
As soon as it was Tony's turn again, he landed exactly on the same spot.
"That's a big number to pay, Mister Stark."
"Yeah, Peter. And what you see in his face is utter frustration because he can't pay us anymore. He couldn't even refill his car to get onto the next field of the board. That's the moment where you say Victory is ours."
The kid got up and put his right hand onto his chest all patriotic.
"Victory is ours, Mister Stark."
Tony leaned back and couldn't help but smile.
"Now go and play Twister with him", he gestured towards Stephen.
"No way. I'm not gonna do that."
"Yeah, I'd beat you both so damn hard. But you could play against each other. I spin the wheel."
"Jesus. I have to agree with the boy", the billionaire said, crossing his arms.
"Are you seriously challenging me to a round of Twister?"
"Yes."
"I'm gonna get the mat!", Peter said excitedly as he ran to the shelf with the games.
"He likes you."
"I hate you."
"What?", Stark chuckled.
"Twister."
"It's a treat for me."
"Not in front of the boy, no, that's not a treat."
"You scared of getting a boner?"
"I got it!", Peter came back and immediately set up the game.
He sat down next to the mat and nodded at the two men.
"Okay, first- left hand on green. We are starting with hands!"
"It's so unfair. He has a much smaller distance between his hands and the floor. Damn the short people playing Twister."
"Ey, giant. It has to be good at least in one situation."
Tony leaned down instantly and put his hand down. Stephen joined him with a sigh.
"Right foot on red!"
"That's already a bad start", Tony chuckled and did as Peter said with Stephen following his movements.
"Left hand on yellow now!"
The two men felt incredibly stupid but the boy was so damn happy.
"Left foot on blue!"
"I can feel my back aching already", Stark said.
"Oh, tell me about it", Stephen breathed out with his face looking the other way.
"Left hand on red!"
"Move", Stephen chuckled as Tony blocked two of the dots.
"No way. I'm swaying."
"You're cheating. Move."
The older one laughed and tried to put his hand further up. He just about made it.
"Happy?"
"Yes."
"Left foot on green!"
Tony was swaying a lot.
"Fall already."
"Not without a fight!", Tony quickly moved his foot, just as the other did.
"Right hand green!"
Both men had to laugh as they desperately tried to move their hands now. They felt how they blocked each other's ways of movement and when Tony lifted his hand up, he stumbled a bit and then fell, crashing the doctor down with him. The two were laying on the floor in a fit of laughter, all entangled. The boy joined them and helped them up.
"That was awesome!", he immediately said.
"I wanna do that every Friday now!"
"Not a chance, kid", Stark said with both hands raised.
"Yeah, no. I have to agree with the old man."
"My ego is getting smaller by the second. Could you two not put me down for height and age?"
"How are we going to put you even further down?"
"Okay, you get that back", he poked Stephen into the side of his belly to which the doctor moved away quickly.
"You know that I'm ticklish there."
"Yes. Peter, help me!"
The kid didn't hesitate to support his dad and chased Stephen through the mansion with him. Tony caught him and held him tightly, so Peter had all the access to tickle the sorcerer. He was struggling in the engineer's arms and already short of breath from all the laughing. He honestly hadn't had this much fun in- all his life really.
"Alright, Spidey. That's enough. He got it back", Tony said as he playfully lifted Stephen up and carried him to the couch. Peter was looking at him with big questioning eyes but the billionaire just casually said
"Come on, we have to talk to you."
The kid walked after them and sat down with a shy smile.
"So. The reason why I wanted you to meet Stephen here is because you two are going to see each other a lot."
"Like aunt Nat and uncle Bruce?"
"A bit more often than that. I met up with Stephen again after the award party. You know, that event you helped me with."
"Ah, yes! Of course, I remember."
"Yeah. Well, we talked and got closer and got to know each other and- basically that whole thing happened after the party. What I want to say is that the doc and I are seeing each other. Like- I don't know how you young people call it. We Netflix and chill."
Stephen put his head into his hands and shook it slightly.
"Oh god. That's how you decided to phrase it?"
"I don't understand", the boy said calmly.
"Okay. Uhm. We're dating. We are living together. Here. We're going out with each other."
"Oh. OH!", Peter excitedly exclaimed.
"That's awesome! I'm so happy! That- It's a long thing, right? He'll stay."
"I don't know. Will you?", Tony turned to his partner.
"Yes. Yeah, Peter. But only if you want that too. You are important and I don't want you to-"
"YES! Stay. Please."
The boy couldn't help but pull Strange into a hug. He was just so happy for Tony and also that he had another dad now. Stephen was so likable and he was so happy right now.
"Will you be family now?"
"I-"
The doctor looked at Tony with questioning eyes.
"Of course. Of course you will be family. Stop doubting it."
Stark intervened his finger's with the other one's.
"We are a family now."
They continued with watching movies. Movie after movie, Stephen leaning against Tony while Peter, clearly being an excited little bean, fidgeted next to them in happiness. After a few hours though, the boy fell asleep finally. Stark turned off the TV and put a blanket over him. He put another pillow under the kid's head and pulled Stephen up, leading him to the bedroom.
"Come on. Let's sleep."
He nodded and followed. Tony kissed him several times on the way to their room and when they reached it, they were all over one another. The older smiled widely as he broke the kiss.
"Get ready. It's been quite a day. I want you to rest."
"I-"
"Need sleep. Yes. You do."
"But-"
"You're all excited and confused and happy and all of the emotions. I see that."
He cupped Stephen's face.
"But you need to rest. Still. And you will always have to give your mind and body that. Do you understand? You jumped around in time. You survived a car crash apparently. You- something with magic happened. And until I know that that isn't damaging, to you in the long terms, I will not, never, under no circumstances let you play around with your health. We always have these talks and I always make you understand that I know what's best for you and then you are grateful because the old man knows how to handle you. Come on, be good and listen."
The doctor nodded and changed. He truly felt the effects on his body still. They were there. It was like magic was calling for him but on the other hand it was also just a draining feeling. Tony was right. As always. Once he lay down, he was relieved to feel the strong arms of his partner all wrapped around him.
"Goodnight, darling. I am here, yeah? Wake me up in case something is wrong. I am always here."
The man kept pressing kisses onto the back of Stephen's head as he spooned him tightly. The doctor closed his eyes and just enjoyed the feeling of being held protectively. Of being loved and valued this much.
"Goodnight. I love you."
"I love you too."