airas-story

[airas-story]

wish you a happy and safe vacation!

Thanks!!! I’ve been looking forward to this. So I hope it goes well!

[airas-story]

Is it okay to request angst? Maybe Avengers saving Stephen (as a civilian doctor) and then finding out he's dating Tony.

While I do totally accept angst, I have to admit that I couldn't quite think of an angsty angle for this one. Stephen being saved and Avenger realization felt a little more lighthearted.

“What was that, Tony?” Steve asked, tone a little sharper than he’d planned, but unable to stop himself. “You were all over the place that fight.” Tony was one of their more versatile fighters. A heavy hitter with the maneuverability of flight. They depended on him. But today he’d been almost erratic. And not the erratic nature Steve had eventually learned was a mask meant to cause people to underestimate him.

No, genuinely erratic.

“Did we get the event evacuated?” Tony asked, completely ignoring his question as he not quite pushed past Steve to the area where they’d evacuated the medical gala that had been in the path of the villain of the week. “Do we have a head count?”

“Tony!” Steve pressed, catching his arm gently. “What is going on with you?” Tony seemed almost frantic. He glanced over him, double checking Tony hadn’t gotten injured. At least there were plenty of doctors on hand if he had.

“Did we get a head count, Steve?” Tony snapped. “Was everyone evacuated?”

“We don’t know,” Steve said. “The gala director is doing a head count now. Tony, are you—”

“Stephen!” Tony called loudly, cutting Steve off. He tugged free and crossed to where one of the gala attendees had pushed through the crowd toward them. “Thank god.” Tony’s hands found the man’s shoulders. Steve stared as Tony ran his hands all over the stranger.

Though Steve assumed that this man was very much not a stranger to Tony. A person didn’t touch a complete stranger the way Tony touched the man.

“I’m fine, Tony,” the man said, voice soothing. “I’m completely fine. Everyone got out. A few injuries, but given the number of doctors around, everyone has been stabilized for transport to the hospital.” A quirk of a smile crossed his lips. “For some reason, no one was eager for me to be the one to take care of them. Apparently word of my bedside manner has spread beyond Metro General.”

“It’s the absolute worst,” Tony muttered, but he didn’t seem to have much heart in the words, because the next second he was pulling the man—Stephen, Tony had called him—down into a kiss.

Steve gaped. 

“Huh.” 

Steve turned to see Natasha had joined him. “Did you know?”

Natasha shook her head. “That there was someone? Yes. Who? No.” She hummed. “A doctor. Can’t say I called that one.”

[airas-story]

On the plane right now. It's been a long 24 hours of traveling (and I've still got 5 plus hours to go until final destination). But, I've gotten about an hour of plane sleep in (I'm very proud of myself), figured I could manage a snippet before I try to sleep again. Hopefully I can manage enough so the jet lag isn't too bad... but I'm not feeling optimistic based on how the last 24 hours have gone.

This is the start of my not-quite vacation of the next two weeks. Some days are going to be almost 'normal' in that my hosts will be busy and I'll be working and what not, same as I would do at home. On those days, I'll still probably post a snippet, because I'll be following something close to my normal schedule. On other days I'll actually be taking advantage of this opportunity I have to go be 'tourist' and 'vacation goer'. Those days will be no-snippet days. Just so you know why things are going to be inconsistent for the next two weeks!

At this point, I have no idea which days will be which. All part of the adventure...

[airas-story]

prompts again huh? hmmm... choices choices... pen pal?

Sequel to parts one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven.

“I have known you for less than a week, and I am already a terrible influence,” Tony noted, sounding delighted as they slipped out the door. “When I said we should get burgers, I didn’t mean we should leave early.”

To be perfectly honest, Stephen was a little shocked Stephen’d suggested it. The first public acknowledgment of his potential and Stephen was slipping out right after the speeches? Something odd had gotten into Stephen. It was definitely an effect of having met Tony. Not that he was going acknowledge that. Stephen arched an eyebrow. “That’s revisionist history if I’ve ever heard it,” Stephen said. “You met me a week ago, you’ve known me—and I’ve known you—all our lives.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Oh, you know what I meant.”

Stephen shrugged. “The important part is done. My team won the award, speeches were given, everyone very politely clapped.” His name, his reputation, would start to grow from here. He didn’t really need to be around to have people tell him as much. He shrugged. “And you’re right. The hors d’oeuvres were good, but really not sufficient. I’m starving.”

“I’m always right about this sort of thing,” Tony acknowledged.

They officially made it out of the building and Stephen directed them down the street. They were a few blocks away from a little hold in the wall he suspected Tony would like. This wasn’t, after all, the first he knew of Tony’s love of burgers. He and Tony had both purveyed each other’s favorite foods. Tony, who’d lived in New York before, had provided Stephen a list of places to try out. Stephen thought this hole in the wall was better than all of them.

Stephen had never quite been able to return the favor before, but it felt like now he finally got to.

“Just saying,” Tony continued. “I don’t think I finished talking you up. I had depths, yet, to uncover.”

A flush crossed Stephen’s cheeks. “That was excessive,” he muttered, even if he was pleased. Tony hadn’t had a single conversation he hadn’t found a way to work in a compliment or two for Stephen. If it weren’t Tony, someone might think Stephen’d paid for it. “But I don’t know when I’ll see you next,” he said. Would they see each other again? Neither of them had said. “So I want to make the most of it.”

[airas-story]

omg! i just received the notif!

first time prompting, kinda nervous but can we have silly magical adventures ironstrange please? if possible with wong or rhodey being forced to babysit?

So glad you felt comfortable enough to prompt! So glad to have you!

“There is a perfectly good explanation for this,” Stephen said. He and Stark were frozen in the act of luring a baby dragon back into its proper dimension. Wong suspected if he’d been five minutes later he wouldn’t have caught them, but they hadn’t taken into account that Wong might come back early.

“And what is this ‘perfectly good’ explanation?” Wong said. “It looks like you’re trying to tame a dragon.”

Stephen wrinkled his nose. “I don’t think dragons do tame,” he corrected.

Wong arched an eyebrow.

“Okay, so maybe we were trying to befriend,” Stark allowed. “Did you know that baby dragons like hot dogs?” He wrinkled his nose. “I expected them to like the steak or the lamb. You know, real meat and not… whatever hot dogs are made of.”

Wong didn’t know that, because he’d never tried to befriend a baby dragon. Most of the time the parent dragons got a bit terse about humans around their babies. And how had Stephen and Stark managed that? Wong knew Stephen would never have done anything to hurt the parent and would know better than to just kidnap a baby dragon.

…at least he better know better than to kidnap a baby dragon.

It was times like these that Wong wondered how he could have ever looked at Stephen and considered him a mature, responsible adult—ignoring all those times when he was—when in truth, he was a menace of before unseen magnitudes.

To Stephen’s credit—or perhaps to his shame—the side of him that was a menace of hitherto undreamt of proportions was very clearly brought out by his husband.

Wong rued the day he’d met Tony Stark.

And if, just maybe, a part of him could admit that it was good to see Stephen so truly, genuinely happy, the way Stark made him, then Wong was never going to admit it to anyone else. So he supposed Stark had his uses.

“Please stop feeding the baby dragons hot dogs,” he said. “In fact, please stop kidnapping baby dragons.”

“We didn’t kidnap him!” Stephen and Stark protested in unison. “He followed us,” Stephen continued.

Wong arched an eyebrow. “And how did he find you in order to follow you?” Gallivanting about in different dimensions wasn’t exactly much better.

Stephen and Stark exchanged glances.

“I think I’m going to plead the fifth on this one,” Stephen decided.

[airas-story]

Ironwongstrange where Stephen starts falling for Wong and Tony realizes that he loves both of his magic men 👀

Didn't feel like I quite hit Tony's own realization, more the beginning of it... But hopefully still satisfying.

“Do you know if I… did anything?” Wong asked, tone strangely hesitant—Wong didn’t do hesitant—as they both drank their morning stimulant of choice. “Stephen has been avoiding me.”

Tony frowned. “Not that I’m aware of,” he said. “Stephe hasn’t been complaining.” Though he had been slightly odd the last week or so.

Wong pursed his lips, but nodded. 

“If you had done something, Stephen would have said something,” Tony reassured him. “Whatever is going on isn’t your fault.” Tony’d been waiting for Stephen to talk, but maybe he should push. He finished his coffee, putting the cup in the sink and nudging Wong gently in an attempt at comfort before he headed out for the day.

He got the chance to talk to Stephen during lunch. “So,” Tony said as he dipped his quesadilla in ranch. “What’s up with you and Wong?”

Stephen froze. Tony was surprised when genuine guilt crossed Stephen’s face. “Nothing.”

Tony arched an eyebrow. “Pretty sure it’s something,” Tony said. “Wong brought it up today.”

“I’d never cheat on you,” Stephen blurted.

…what? Tony stared at Stephen, mind parsing through the words. “I didn’t think you would,” Tony said slowly. He leaned back in his chair, examining Stephen. “You like Wong.” The obvious conclusion. “So you thought you needed to put distance between you and him.” Not to avoid temptation, because Stephen wouldn’t cheat, which meant this wasn’t a physical attraction—or not just a physical attraction. Stephen wouldn’t be so unnerved if it was just very good friendship. “You were worried about emotional infidelity.”

“Tony, I wouldn’t—”

Tony held up a hand to stop him. “I know,” he said gently. “I trust you with everything Stephen.” He arched an eyebrow. “But whatever you’re feeling for Wong is serious.”

A confused sort of guilt crossed Stephen’s face. “I don’t know,” he admitted. 

Serious enough.

Did Wong feel something for Stephen? If Tony were honest, he didn’t think Wong would have ever considered it. Tony and Stephen had been together for as long as Wong had known Stephen. Stephen had always been ‘off limits’. But would Wong be interested if Stephen was ‘on the market’?

Huh.

It wasn’t an entirely terrible thought. Not that Tony wanted Stephen to be ‘on the market’, but… Well, Tony had never thought about Wong that way, but now that the thought was there…

This might end up very interesting.

[airas-story]

feel better soon

Thanks! I'm starting to feel better! Enough to actually get out of the house today. Which is good, because I'm traveling next week and need to be feel better to get through that.

[airas-story]

Love your stories/drabbles/prompt responses. Prompt for the pen pal series

Thank you! Sequel to parts one, two, three, four, five, and six.

Tony was no stranger to either scandal or intrigue. He’d go so far as to say that he courted both on a regular basis. Tonight though, Tony hoped to avoid the first, while well aware the second was probably inevitable.

He was pleased it took until their third conversation for someone to actually recognize him. He had to admit the confused shift of their eyes from Tony to Stephen and back, clearly trying to figure out why in the world Tony Stark was Stephen’s plus one.

Which, of course, meant Tony got to wax rhapsodic about how he’d noticed Stephen’s brilliance and had just had to get to know him. He’d noted immediately that Stephen was attractive. Tony’d been somewhat too anxious to dwell on that knowledge—in that moment of meeting Stephen, he had been in danger of losing it all—but he’d definitely noticed.

Having said that, the faint flush that crossed Stephen’s cheeks as Tony heaped praise on him was entirely fetching. It was a weird thought. A week ago he hadn’t had a clue what Stephen looked like, and now here he was, admiring the sharpness of his cheekbones, the glint of amusement in his blue eyes, the warmth of his voice.

Tony had absolutely no idea what to do with that. He and Stephen hadn’t talked about what would happen after tonight. Would they ever see each other again? Would they go back solely to penned words? 

Tony couldn’t think about that right now.

They separated from their conversational partners and kept moving. Stephen sent him an amused but exasperated look. “Well, you laid that on thick,” Stephen said dryly.

“And they lapped it up,” Tony pointed out. “So I’d say I laid it on just thick enough.” He paused. “And I meant it,” he added. “You really are brilliant. And sure that wasn’t actually the reason I wanted to get to know you, since we were six when we started writing and I was just ecstatic I had a friend. But I picked up on it pretty quick and I did like that about you.”

“Well,” Stephen said, flush on his face again. “I like that about you, too.”

“Of course you do,” Tony said. “You’ve got a thing for competence and I’m very competent.”

“Tell yourself that.”

“I will,” Tony said. “Now, let’s go. I need to talk you up to more people.”

[airas-story]

hi yes hello my favorite funky ironstrange author. im currently having a huge problem with inspiration/motivation and was wondering if you'd be willing to share how you get your ideas? bc honestly, the one to bet on and fused at the soul are absolutely tied with one precise point (not yours, no, but that's the one that threw me into this pit for, like, context). that and i read your stuff so often that safari, opera, and chrome autofill to your dash when i type in the AO3 url

Thank you! I'm so glad you've enjoyed my writing!

As for ideas... I wish I could give you better advice than what I have. But I'll be honest, I don't know that I could say where my ideas come from. Or at least that I don't have any sort of consistent "if I do this, I'll have an idea to work with". I have a lot of projects that have been 'started' and gone no where (and I'm not talking about my wealth of WIPs, but projects that are just on writing documents). So part of it is that I have so many ideas that go nowhere that it only makes sense that some of them go somewhere. So, where that's concerned, I'd say don't be afraid to start writing ideas that go nowhere, eventually you'll get to one that wants to go somewhere. And, as a bonus, at some point you might come back to one of those old ideas and realize you have somewhere to go with it, now that it's had time to mull in the background.

The One to Bet On did come a bit just because I was like "time travel, that sounds fun!" And I remember thinking "what was the lowest point of Tony's life?" (There are, as I'm sure you know, a LOT of options for that. But something about the palladium arc has always hit me hard.)

I admit, some of it is as simple as "I love IronStrange and I want to know how this specific thing would change if they were a part of each other's life during that point." (Someone on Your Side is one such example.)

Sometimes I do events (like IronStrange week) where I get a prompt and I mull on that for a bit.

Other times I'll think about a common trope and wonder "huh, how would I want to tackle that?" Flower shop AU, fake married AU, soulmate AU, I've done all of them. I'm not sure I'd say I've done any of them in any way that's "special", but I did it in a way that felt fun. Specifically, fun for ME. That's another note. It is IMPOSSIBLE (at least for me) to know what people are going to "like", the only person I can write for IS me.

I'm also a part of a few discord servers where people talk about some mix of IronStrange, Tony, or Stephen (depending on the server) and sometimes other people say things that spark an idea. Talking to other people gets me out of my own internal vacuum.

Also, the more I write (and during normal times, I write a decent amount), the more opportunities I have to come up with an idea. Sometimes I'm writing and I get an idea that I realize won't fit in the story I'm writing and then I get to use elsewhere.

Finally... I admit I have a daydream problem, so... there's that. I think a lot while I walk or while I drive. And thinking about stories is better than thinking about the many stresses of life.

Sorry I don't have anything super specific. But good luck! I hope the inspiration bug bites you!

[airas-story]

just wanted to drop by and say how awesome your writing is :)

Thank you so much! I cherish hearing it!

[airas-story]

hope you are doing well :) /lh

I am doing well, yes! Except for the fact that I gave myself food poisoning! (Or at least I'm pretty sure it was food poisoning...) It kind of knocked me out the last two days. Which was not great timing... BUT I'm doing better!

[airas-story]

You have no idea how invested I am in this snippet, maybe a continuation: https://www.tumblr.com/ironstrangehaven/791994595331522560/httpswwwtumblrcomairas-story7842160827162624?source=share

So glad you're enjoying! I admit, I'm invested too. Sequel to one, two, and three.

“You can go home, Pepper,” Tony said as they arrived at his mansion. Pepper was one of his best friends, but he just… couldn’t deal with the anxious looks, the simmering frustration—mixed with her guilt at being frustrated—the pity.

Getting home had taken every ounce of Tony’s strength, even if he did everything in his power to ensure no one realized. He couldn’t allow anyone to see him weak. Not after what he’d been through. Not with what he had to do now.

“Tony, you shouldn’t be alone—”

“That’s all right, Miss Potts,” came Stephen’s voice from further in the room. “I’ve got Tony from here.”

Tony looked up. Relief coursed through him. He’d been wrong before. There was one person he could trust to see him weak and keep him safe.

“Doctor Strange,” Pepper started to protest. 

“Pepper,” Tony said. “Please go home.”

Pepper didn’t look happy, but she left. 

Stephen crossed to him, pulling him into an embrace.

Tony shuddered and fell into the embrace. He hadn’t really let Stephen hold him there in the desert—if he had, he’d have given in, would have let Stephen whisk him away to New York and take care of him, regardless of how difficult it would be to explain—and he needed it now.

For three months he’d prayed Stephen would find him—though he hadn’t stopped planning to save himself—and then Stephen had.

If he’d found Tony earlier would they have been able to save Yinsen?

But Tony couldn’t think like that. Stephen had found him as soon as he could.

It was an eternity later that he pulled away. He’d had vague thoughts, ideas, of what he needed to do. How he he could fix everything he’d broken. “All I know is how to destroy,” Tony whispered.

He saw Stephen’s confusion—at the words themselves and why Tony was saying them. “Tony, that’s not—”

“Teach me how to save people,” Tony demanded. “It’s what you do. It’s who you are.” Tony had always loved that, admired it. Now he needed it. “Teach me.”

Compassion entered Stephen’s eyes—never pity—understanding mixed in. “I don’t have to teach you that, Tony.” Tony opened his mouth to protest. “It’s already in you. I’ve seen it.” Stephen smiled gently. “I won’t show you how I save people. But I’ll be here as you figure out how you will.”

[airas-story]

https://www.tumblr.com/airas-story/790732144331882496/httpswwwtumblrcomironstrangehaven77867128971?source=share

I always wait for prompts to open so I can request continuation of this 😍

I admit, I'm not quite sure where to go with this one going forward. If you have anything specific you're hoping to see, you'll have to let me know. Sequel to one, two, and three.

It was before their morning alarm when Stephen found himself watching Tony sleep. The ambient sound of waves—recorded by JARVIS in Malibu and sent direct to New York—were gentle and soothing in the early morning light. Tony’s sleep seemed dreamless, right now, which Stephen suspected was a mercy. Tony had been fighting aliens less than 24 hours ago after all. Which no doubt provided plenty of nightmare fodder. Tony had, for just a minute, died—don’t think about that, don’t think about that. 

He reached out, found Tony’s hand where it loosely clenched the sheets between them. He pressed his fingers to Tony’s pulse and counted a comforting 43 beats per minute, completely normal for someone deep in sleep. Asleep and alive.

Stephen wondered if that would ever stop feeling like a miracle.

But then, it’d only been a day, it was probably a little early to be guessing what Stephen’s new normal would look like. Right now, in the aftermath of an alien invasion was probably not the best time to be defining normal.

Their alarm went off, an almost soothing transition from Malibu waves to JARVIS’ voice laying out the weather patterns and day’s schedule.

Tony stirred slowly and Stephen noted a slow uptick in his heartbeat as Tony woke up.

“Hmm,” Tony hummed. “You already awake?”

“Unfortunately.”

Tony cracked his eyes open. “Did you sleep last night? Or did you spend the whole night counting my heartbeats.”

Stephen laughed, because of course Tony had realized. “I did sleep, actually. I’ve only been counting your heartbeats for the last few minutes. You’re now up to a reliable 48 beats per minute.” He was, after all, perfectly capable of counting heartbeats while maintaining a conversation and having mini internal crises.

“It’s not going to stop beating.”

Stephen knew that. Conceptually. Emotionally… not so much. He had never really considered himself an emotional man before now, but he would have to reconsider that.

Later.

Reconfiguring his perception of himself could wait for a good long while.

“Good,” Stephen said. “And, for the record, it’s not allowed to stop beating until you are at least 90.”

“90?” Tony asked, a little incredulous. “You think I’m getting to 90?”

Stephen hummed. “You’re right. At least 91.”

Tony laughed, soft and amused. “Well, all right, then. 91. As long as you make it that far with me.”

“I’m planning on it.”

[airas-story]

Can we have another follow up for the pen pals AU? :D I'm loving it, and I can't wait until they meet! Okay, I can wait, because I want it done properly, but I shall keep requesting until we get there. LOL.

They have, ironically, already met. But I shall provide more, regardless! Follow up to parts one, two, three, four, and five.

Stephen wouldn’t admit it, but he was a little nervous about showing up to the reward ceremony with Tony. People were definitely going to have questions about how Stephen had ended up with Tony Stark on his arm. Though, not enough to even entertain changing his mind. Tony might be Tony Stark, but he was also just Tony. 

 Tony who had read tear-stained letters about Donna. Tony who would argue for months about whatever book they’d chosen. Tony who had included doodles on the margins of their letters. Tony who spent letter after letter talking about medical matters he researched purely because Stephen cared. 

Tony who was… Tony.

So, no, Stephen had no actual reservations.

Which meant when Tony met him outside the event center dressed exquisitely in a tailored suit, Stephen didn’t need to think twice when Tony asked if he wanted to back out.

“No,” Stephen said. “But I’m starting to think you’re trying to get out of going.” He arched an eyebrow. “Are you ashamed of me, Tony?”

Tony laughed. “Not in the slightest.”

“Well then.” Stephen held out his arm with exaggerated gallantry. “Come along.”

That earned him a second, brighter laugh. “It’ll be my honor.” 

The best thing? Stephen knew he meant it. Any reservations Tony had weren’t about Stephen.

Stephen doubted anyone would believe him if he told them Tony Stark was insecure. But then, not all their letters were about science and medicine, the letter version of a book club, or cultural phenomena that ranged from in-depth discussions to vague gossip… sometimes it was about them. Stephen didn’t know all Tony’s pains intimately, but he did know the sketches and shades of them.

They entered the hotel ballroom together. Tony had teasingly suggested being fashionably late and Stephen had put an end to that idea immediately and no one was paying much attention to the average incomer.

“You know,” Tony mused. “These events have expensive food, but it’s never filling. What do you say, after everyone recognizes your genius and you show off properly, we go get burgers?”

Stephen snorted. “I appreciate that, but you do remember this is a group endeavor?” They weren’t even the only ones being awarded.

“Eh. Maybe.” Tony grinned at him. “But I’m allowed to play favorites.”

This time Stephen laughed. “As long as that favorite is me, keep playing.”

[airas-story]

Prompts, yay! Fake amnesia, the big meeting or after? Much love!

Parts one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten.

Stephen was starting to doubt his conviction that he was an absolute catch.

Pepper and Rhodey clearly didn’t think so.

Things would be easier if Pepper and Rhodey realized Tony had—after that first day in the hospital—never actually been Stephen’s patient. The amnesia hadn’t been real; it was genuinely impossible for Stephen to have taken advantage of Tony’s ‘amnesiac state’.

Stephen didn’t know why Tony hadn’t told them he’d faked the amnesia. The way Tony talked about them, it felt like they were important and trusted enough for that secret. Then they could stop looking at Stephen like he was at fault. He had helped Tony. One could even argue he’d protected Tony.

Admittedly, it did something to Stephen, to realize he was the only one who knew the truth. It wasn’t some sign Tony trusted him above anyone else—Stephen had called Tony on his bullshit amnesia act, which was the only reason why he knew—but Tony was now dating him, so it meant something.

Next to him Tony looked like he was starting to get irritated, too. “Hey, Pep,” Tony said, tone a little pointed. “Do you remember that meeting with that jerk who asked if it was your past as a model that got you hired?”

Pepper blinked. “What?” A moment later, she nodded. “Yes, of course. It was a good thing that partnership hadn’t been in our best interests, because you’d have blown it when you walked out.”

Stephen snorted, because Tony would do something like that. He reached for his glass of wine, needing the fortification.

“Good. So you realize there’s precedent for when I walk out of this dinner because you can’t be bothered to even pretend to give Stephen a chance.”

Stephen nearly choked on his wine. “Tony—” He wasn’t going to ask Tony to do that. And if he felt guiltily grateful…

Tony reached out and caught his hand, squeezing lightly. “It’s the exact same thing I've done when people disrespected Pepper in front of me. When they’ve disrespected Rhodey.” He sent a sharp look at Rhodey. “Or have you forgotten what really started Justin Hammer’s complex?” 

Rhodey grimaced.

“I would hate for Pepper and Rhodey to join the group of people I’ve walked out on. But I want this to be clear, you are that important to me. Just like they are.”

[airas-story]

You know how Benedict's eyes change colour depending on the lighting? Would you mind writing about Tony noticing it (and finding out Stephen's Sectoral Heterochromia) 😊

A bit late. I was at the renaissance faire today and thoroughly enjoyed myself. (I'm pretty sure I'm going tomorrow, as well, as the ticket included both days.) But it has left me quite worn out.

“Huh.”

Huh? That was… not quite the response Stephen was looking for post kiss hello.

Stephen waited a moment—huh normally precipitated further response—but gave in after an extended moment of silence. “Is there anything following that?” he asked. “Or are you going to leave me in suspense on what has you so confused.”

“Not confused,” Tony retorted immediately. “I save confusion for things like the intricacies of the written word and disentangling human emotions.”

Stephen rolled his eyes. “Poetry is not that confusing, Tony.”

“Rose is a rose is a rose is a rose,” Tony quoted. “What is that even supposed to mean?”

Sacred Emily should probably not have been the first poem Stephen had shown Tony—who was perilously unacquainted with art that manifested in the form of written word. Stephen was fixing that. As for the poem, in Stephen’s defense, Tony had sprawled against him and made himself at home in Stephen’s personal space so he could read over Stephen’s shoulder.

Tony was lucky Stephen liked having a partner that physically affectionate.

“That’s beside the point,” Stephen said. “What was the cause of your ‘huh’?”

“Your eyes are green,” Tony said promptly.

Stephen stared at him for a long moment, entirely confused. “…yes?” Was this new information? At this point in their relationship it should really not be new information.

“I’ve just always thought of them as blue,” Tony said. “But they’re not. Or not just blue.”

“I’m trying to decide if I should be offended,” Stephen mused after a moment of taking that in. “My eyes are one of the things I like most about myself. You clearly haven’t appreciated me properly.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “I appreciate you plenty. And the things you like most about yourself have nothing to do with your looks.”

True. On both counts. “It’s called sectoral heterochromia, It’s a fairly rare condition.”

“I know what it’s called,” Tony protested. “I just hadn’t noticed.” He leaned in for another kiss, before pulling back, gaze scrutinizing as though he was taking in Stephen’s appearance all over again.

“They’re beautiful,” Tony said. “But everything about you is.”

Stephen didn’t flush, even if he was pleased. Not everyone thought that about his appearance—peculiar had been one of the nicer critiques—but there was no missing the genuine appreciation from Tony.

And really, Tony was the only one whose opinion mattered.

[airas-story]

well, i finaly finished this one, i thought i never would, but i did, and i'm quite happy about it!

it's inspired from one of @airas-story's fics, A Long Death and a Lonely Tower, which i deeply loved.