He’s God now
Stephen was amazed by Tony’s sudden wish to have both young men under his wings. For how scared he’d been to keep Peter close he was actually very open to be a father figure for both boys now. Harley was so thankful for Tony to actually take care of him that he offered to never leave the mansion again. It was nice for the doctor to see his boyfriend have such a big smile on his face. It seemed like Tony was truly happy for the first time in ages.
”Drama queen.“
”What?”, Tony asked fake offended.
”What happened with I’m scared of being seen as something more than a boss?”
”Oh, I am the boss.”
Stephen frowned.
”No, you’re not.”
”No I’m not”, the billionaire shook his head.
”You came to Ikea even though you didn’t want to.”
”Yeah, yeah. Alright.”
”No, no, no. Listen to this. You came to Ikea even though you didn’t want to . Do you know why?”
”Because you said so”, the other mumbled.
”And?”, the doctor added.
”You’re the boss.”
”Beautiful. That isn’t even what I wanted to hear but damn, tell me anytime.”
Tony smiled.
”What did you want to hear then?”
”That you’re softer than you say you are. That you love the kid as exactly that. A kid. Well- the kids.”
”Harley isn’t a kid anymore, Stephen.”
”Yes, to you he is. You see that little boy you met him as because you choose to see him as it. Because your heart is choosing that for you.”
”And what is my heart choosing to see you as?”
Strange's features softened. He smiled sincerely at his partner.
”I don’t know.”
Stark nodded.
”You will know”, he whispered as he kissed the doctor’s hand.
Eventually both men got up and brought their plates to the dishwasher. While Tony cleaned the rest, Stephen brought some spaghetti and meatballs to the boys' room. The man had to keep looking for them until he found them all entangled on the Twister mat.
”Jesus Christ.”
Both young men didn’t expect anyone to come in and as a result fell down onto one another once the sorcerer had walked through the door. They giggled hysterically.
”I repeat myself but Jesus Christ.”
”His name is Tony Stark”, Harley corrected.
”No, he’s actually God now”, the younger proudly announced.
”Finally. He worked hard on it.”
”What does that make me then?”, Stephen asked.
”I would say the Virgin Mary but I highly doubt that”, the older boy answered with a smirk.
”Oh god, no. You’re just like him”, the adult sighed.
”I take pride in that.”
”What?”, Peter looked at them with a clueless face to which Stephen couldn’t say anything but
”Peter, you’re so pure. God, you’re an angel. Don’t destroy that, Harley. I have enough troubles keeping your guys' father figure from doing so.”
”He’s not destroying him. He's shaping him into a real Stark.”
”Yes. As I said. He’s completely destroying the boy.”
Harley had to laugh so much. Stephen was cool. He liked him from the first second in.
”Alright. If you guys prefer warm meals, you should eat now. It’s getting cold and heavy to carry around.”
He handed each boy a plate with spaghetti and meatballs and the reaction couldn’t have been more enjoyable.
”My meatballs! Finally!”
”Oh no. Everything but meatballs. Do you have any idea how many meatballs I had to serve in my time working in- oh, fuck meatballs.”
”You two work great together I see”, doctor Strange observed.
”That’s what you get for almost damaging my pure little angel, Harley.”
The boys laughed once again as Stephen left to return to the kitchen. Tony was already waiting with two glasses of wine.
”Friend of mine once said that the only way to survive parenthood is this.”
He handed one of the glasses to his lover.
”And that friend was so right.”
The sorcerer accepted it and took a sip.
”That’s good.”
”With these two glasses, some people could pay rent. It’s expensive, it better taste good.”
“Rent? Al-right. Yes. That’s a typical Stark move.”
”Can I say something?”
”Since when do you need my allowance for that?”
”I don’t but I want you to know that I respect you.”
Strange smiled.
”I know that.”
”You look gorgeous”, the billionaire breathed out with so much love and sincerity that Stephen could have burst out into tears.
”What?”
”You’re lighting up every room you come into. I love absolutely everything about you. The way you make me be. The way you’re there for the boys. You don’t even know Harley yet you’re already his dad it seems like.”
”His dad?”, he chuckled.
”Yes, Stephen. The way you care for everyone is beyond me. Please just do one thing for me.”
”Of course, Tony. What?”
”Never leave again.”