Chapter 21

Sorry for the delay! I'm using scrivener to write and I cannot use it in other computers besides my own without dropbox (which I didn't know at the time), so while living in my sister's house, I couldn't write or post, so yeah, sorry about that. I will update 3 chapters because of it.

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The room had settled into a calm quiet after the heavy discussion about this universe's Stephen Strange. Tony leaned back against the workbench, absently fiddling with a loose tool in his hands, while Stephen stood nearby, gazing distantly at one of the holographic displays. The Cloak of Levitation hovered slightly behind him, as if unwilling to let him carry his burdens alone.

Tony, ever the one to fill silences with words, tilted his head and asked casually, "So, Strange… how old are you, exactly?"

Stephen's gaze flicked toward him, an eyebrow arching faintly. "Why do you want to know?"

Tony shrugged, smirking. "I'm curious. You've got that whole 'ancient mystic' vibe going on, but you don't look a day over forty. So, what's the deal?"

Stephen sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned slightly against the workbench. "I started losing track after the first two centuries passed," he said dryly.

Tony's eyes widened slightly, though the grin that spread across his face betrayed his amusement. "Two centuries? Damn, and here I thought you were just a regular old man. Turns out you're an extra old man."

Stephen rolled his eyes, standing straighter and crossing his arms tightly over his chest. He leaned toward Tony, his piercing blue eyes narrowing as he looked down at him. His voice dropped slightly, his tone sharp with mock annoyance. "Careful, Anthony, or this 'old man' might—"

But Stephen froze mid-sentence, his gaze flicking over Tony as if seeing him for the first time. He blinked, straightening abruptly, his brow furrowing.

"What?" Tony asked, his grin fading slightly as he shifted under Stephen's sudden scrutiny. "Do I have something on my face?"

"No," Stephen murmured, his voice distant. He tilted his head, studying Tony with a faint hint of confusion. "It's just… you're shorter than I expected."

Tony's eyebrows shot up, his hands gesturing dramatically. "Excuse me? Shorter? I'm six-foot-one, pal. That's plenty tall. Are you seriously height-shaming me right now?"

Stephen ignored his indignation, his expression thoughtful as he added, "The Tony Stark in my universe… he was taller than you."

Tony blinked, momentarily caught off guard. "Wait. Hold on. You're telling me you knew me—well, another me—in your world?"

Stephen's expression shifted, his confident demeanor faltering slightly as he glanced away. His jaw tightened, his gaze lowering to the floor as guilt flickered across his face. "Not well," he said quietly. "We… only knew each other for less than a day."

The admission hung heavily in the air, its weight palpable.

Tony leaned forward slightly, his voice softening. "Less than a day? What happened?"

Stephen's hands dropped to his sides, his fingers curling into loose fists as he stared at the floor. "He died," he said simply, his voice low and steady, though the emotion beneath it was unmistakable.

Tony frowned, his smirk long gone. "How?"

Stephen hesitated, his shoulders tensing as if bracing himself against the memory. "He sacrificed himself. To save the universe. He… wielded something no mortal man should have been able to survive. And he didn't."

Tony stared at him, his expression unreadable. "Sounds like he went out with a bang."

Stephen nodded slightly, his blue eyes flicking to Tony, then quickly away again. "He did. But it was too soon. He had so much more to give. To create. To live for. And I—" He cut himself off, exhaling sharply. "I barely knew him. I didn't have the chance to… to thank him. Or to understand him."

The guilt in his voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet like a blade.

Tony let out a slow breath, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back against the workbench. "Well," he said after a moment, his tone lighter but still gentle, "sounds like he was a hell of a guy."

Stephen's lips twitched into the faintest of smiles. "He was. Arrogant, brilliant, infuriating… but also selfless in a way that caught everyone off guard."

Tony smirked faintly, crossing his arms. "Yeah, that tracks. Sounds like me."

Stephen's smile faded slightly as he glanced at Tony, his blue eyes filled with something unreadable. "In some ways, you remind me of him. But in others… you're completely different."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "Different how?"

Stephen shook his head, his expression guarded. "It's not something I can explain easily. But perhaps that's for the best. You're not him, Anthony. You're… you. And that's enough."

Tony studied him for a moment before grinning. "Damn right it's enough. And for the record, I think you're doing pretty well for a guy who's been lugging around a few centuries' worth of baggage."

Stephen huffed softly, the faintest trace of amusement flickering in his eyes. "I'll take that as a compliment."

"You should," Tony said, clapping him lightly on the shoulder. "And hey, maybe stick around for a while. You'll get to know this Tony Stark a lot better. I'm way more fun, trust me."

Stephen tilted his head, his gaze softening. "I'll consider it."

Tony's grin widened. "Good. And just so we're clear—six-foot-one is not short."

Stephen rolled his eyes, the tension in the room easing slightly. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Anthony."

Tony rolled his eyes before a teasing grin lit up his face. "So, about that whole 'centuries-old' thing. What's the deal? Were you immortal? Still are? Because that's kind of a big deal, Doc. You should've led with that."

Stephen sighed, tilting his head slightly. "I was once, yes. It wasn't exactly by choice."

That caught Tony's full attention. He gestured for Stephen to continue, his grin fading into a look of genuine curiosity. "Alright, now you've got me. Spill. How does someone just… accidentally become immortal?"

Stephen hesitated for a moment, his gaze distant as he considered how much to share. Finally, he let out a slow breath and began. "It happened because of a powerful artifact—an artifact tied to time itself. The Time Stone."

Tony's eyebrows shot up. "The Time Stone? Sounds fancy."

"It was," Stephen replied, his tone calm but weighted. "The Stone is one of six powerful artifacts called the Infinity Stones, each tied to a fundamental force of the universe. Time, space, reality, and so on. The Time Stone chose me as its guardian. At first, I didn't realize the extent of its influence. I used it sparingly—to undo mistakes, to study the flow of time itself. But…"

He trailed off, his lips pressing into a thin line as his fingers brushed absently against the edge of his cloak.

"But what?" Tony prompted, leaning forward slightly.

"But the more I used it, the more it changed me," Stephen whispered. "Time… stopped for me. My body ceased to age. Wounds that should have killed me healed. It was as though I'd been locked in this moment, this version of myself, forever."

Tony let out a low whistle, leaning back in his chair. "Sounds like a sweet deal. Immortality, healing powers—you basically became a superhero."

Stephen's gaze flicked to Tony, his expression darkening. "It wasn't a 'sweet deal,' Anthony. It was a curse. Imagine watching everyone you've ever cared about grow old and die while you remain the same. Imagine centuries of responsibility, of sacrifice, with no end in sight. It's not a life. It's a prison."

Tony's grin faded as he processed Stephen's words. "Damn," he breathed. "I didn't think about it like that."

Stephen nodded slightly, his gaze lowering to the floor. "It took me a long time to find a way to rid myself of it. The artifact's influence was… insidious. It clung to me even after I stopped using it. Eventually, I had to turn to… unconventional methods."

Tony tilted his head, his curiosity returning. "Unconventional how?"

Stephen hesitated, his tone softening. "Let's just say it involved a creature whose abilities defy explanation. It… absorbed the residual energy from the Stone, removing its hold on me. After centuries of being frozen in time, I began to age again."

Tony studied him for a moment before a faint grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "So you finally got what you wanted. A nice, normal life."

Stephen snorted softly. "Normal isn't exactly the word I'd use. But yes, I was ready to age. To live. To die."

Tony raised an eyebrow, gesturing to Stephen. "So, what about now? Are you still mortal, or did crossing over into this universe mess that up?"

Stephen frowned slightly, his gaze thoughtful. "I'm mortal. Though crossing into this universe may have… complicated things."

Tony smirked faintly, leaning back. "Well, if you ever feel like testing it, let me know. I've got some dumb ideas that might help."

Stephen rolled his eyes, the faintest hint of a smirk tugging at his lips. "I think I'll pass, Anthony."

Tony grinned, his eyes flicking to the arc reactor in his chest. "Hey, at least you've got me beat in the longevity department. Two centuries and counting? Not bad for an old man."

Stephen raised an eyebrow, his smirk sharpening. "Careful, Stark. You're not too young yourself."

Tony laughed, shaking his head. "Touché."

As Stephen and Tony's conversation wound down, JARVIS's smooth voice interrupted them.

"Sir, the components for the new arc reactor design have been fabricated and are ready for assembly."

Tony's face immediately lit up, his earlier tension evaporating as his eyes sparkled with excitement. "Perfect timing, JARVIS! I've been waiting for this."

Stephen raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as he watched Tony straighten and gesture for him to follow. "New arc reactor design?"

Tony grinned, already walking toward a side of the lab where a sleek glass workbench had been cleared for the new project. "Yep. The old reactor in my chest? Great for keeping me alive, but let's just say I've got some ideas for an upgrade. Come on, I'll show you."

Stephen followed, his cloak fluttering faintly behind him as he stepped up to the workbench. On it, several small, neatly arranged components glowed faintly under the overhead light. The pieces were beautiful—sleek metal and crystalline designs that practically radiated efficiency and innovation.

Tony gestured proudly to the layout, his grin widening. "Behold! The future of arc reactor technology. This baby's going to make the old one look like a glorified nightlight."

Stephen tilted his head, his blue eyes narrowing slightly as he studied the components. "And this is meant to replace the arc reactor… in your chest?"

"Exactly," Tony said, tapping his chest lightly. "The Mark I reactor—what I built in the cave—was great for keeping me alive and powering the suit. But this? This is going to take things to a whole new level. Lighter, more efficient, better energy output. And I won't have to haul around an outdated piece of junk in my chest anymore."

Stephen's gaze shifted to the faint glow emanating from Tony's chest, visible through the slightly unbuttoned top of his shirt. He frowned, his expression turning thoughtful as he stepped closer. "May I?"

Tony blinked, glancing down at his chest. "Uh, sure? I mean, go ahead, Doc. Knock yourself out."

Stephen stepped closer, leaning in slightly as he inspected the arc reactor embedded in Tony's chest. His fingers hovered just above the edge of the device, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as he studied it.

He glanced back at the components on the workbench, then back at Tony's chest. "You're using palladium," he said, his tone low and measured.

Tony's smile faltered, his confident demeanor dimming slightly. "Yeah. Why?"

Stephen straightened, crossing his arms as his expression grew darker. "Palladium is toxic, Anthony. And you've placed it inches away from your heart."

Tony shrugged, his grin returning but weaker this time. "Toxic, sure, but it's stable. And it's keeping me alive, so I'm not exactly complaining."

Stephen's gaze hardened, his voice taking on a sharper edge. "It's a short-term solution at best. The longer you use palladium, the more damage it will do to your body. You can't keep this thing in your chest forever."

Tony waved him off, his tone casual but defensive. "Relax, Steph. That's why I'm working on the upgrade. The new reactor's got better materials—way less toxic."

Stephen didn't look convinced. "And what happens in the meantime? You're not exactly known for taking it easy, Anthony. You push yourself constantly, and you're exposing your body to a material that's slowly poisoning you. That's not sustainable."

Tony's grin faded completely, his jaw tightening as he turned back to the workbench, busying himself with the components. "I know what I'm doing, okay? I've got it under control."

Stephen's voice softened slightly, though the concern in his tone remained. "That's what people say right before they lose control."

Tony didn't respond immediately, his hands pausing over the components before he finally sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Look, Doc," he said, his voice quieter now, "I get it. You're worried. But I don't have a lot of options here. It's not like I can just take this thing out and go back to normal. This reactor is the only thing keeping me alive."

Stephen studied him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he nodded, stepping back slightly to give Tony some space. "I understand that. But if you're serious about this new reactor, then finish it. Soon. Don't let this become another problem you ignore until it's too late."

Tony glanced at him, his expression softening slightly. "You really know how to make a guy feel warm and fuzzy inside, you know that?"

Stephen huffed, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips. "Consider it my specialty."

Tony's grin returned, though it was smaller this time. "Noted. Now, if you don't mind, I've got a shiny new arc reactor to build."

Stephen stepped back, his arms crossing as he watched Tony get to work. The faint hum of tools filled the air as Tony began assembling the components with practiced precision, his focus sharpening like a laser.

For a moment, Stephen allowed himself to relax, though the concern lingering in his gaze remained. He knew Tony was brilliant—capable of solving problems most people couldn't even comprehend. But he also knew Tony's greatest weakness: his own stubbornness.

And Stephen couldn't shake the feeling that the palladium reactor in Tony's chest was a ticking time bomb, one that even Tony Stark might not be able to defuse in time.

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