Shine Through [IRONSTRANGE]

Chapter 6

Tony woke up, to see Strange beside him, staring.

"You don't remember anything do you?" Strange had a concerned look across his face.

"No. Why?" Tony lied. He remembered everything that happened, from him flirting with the doctor, to Stephen kissing him in front of everyone at the party. He wanted to forget so badly, he didn't want his first kiss to be an intoxicated one. As amazingly romantic as it was, he still didn't want to have a relationship quite as soon after Pepper.

"Did Stephen enjoy it? Did he actually love me? What the hell is going on?" The messages kept repeating in his mind.

"Oh good. It's fine Tony you just passed out. You shouldn't have too many drinks." Strange was not lying, but he wasn't telling the full truth either.

Tony debated whether he should tell the Mystical Artist he remembered, but he kept quiet, trying not to cause any drama.

"Tony I have to guard the sanctum today." Stephen sighed and looked down at the floor.

Stark said his goodbyes, and stayed in bed, thinking, waiting, for him to come home once again.

Every time he saw that man's face, he couldn't stop the romantic feelings he had towards him. Tony questioned if he had loved him at first sight. That one night where they had been in the same bed, Strange had cured his nightmares, he wondered if he just wanted the man to lay with him.

Tony so badly wanted to say "I love you" but his anxiety and stress always got in the way. Reminders of Pepper constantly creeped in on him. What would she say? After all, they were supposed to get married.

He had no phone calls from his friends or family, were they ashamed of him being with a man? All this thinking got to Tony's heart. He looked at the blue glow from his chest and started to tear up.

"Mr Stark?" Peter nervously walked into his room watching a sad Stark wipe his wet eyes. "Are you okay?"

"No kid. Don't tell Stephen but he kissed me at the party yesterday." Tony's head dropped low.

"What's wrong with that?" Peter seemed unsure of what was going on.

"Stephen thought I had forgotten. And well, with Pepper leaving me and-" Tony burst into tears this time and cried on the young boy's shoulder.

Peter hung his arms round stark, in an attempt to comfort him. "It's gonna be okay dad."

Tony smiled through his tears. He squeezed Peter right and kissed him on the forehead. "You are the sweetest Peter."

"I'll be here to support you Papa." They both laughed and smiled. Then words hit Stark hard, and showed him what love really is. He knew he couldn't change love, but he knew love could change him.

And he waited for Stephen to come home that day, but he didn't.