It had been a month since they heard from Stephen. No phone calls, Wong didn't have any information, and even trying to contact the doctor through Victor didn't work because apparently the man was not wearing his nanotech (they had found it in the master bedroom). To think they've had issues about not wearing the tech before for this exact reason.
Of course Tony was worried, but each day Stephen was gone, Peter spiralled farther into a state of depression, worry, and fear. It got so bad that against his better judgement, he asked the teen for help in a mission that came up and Peter froze. Something was a trigger and he froze in the middle of a building with a bomb planted in it. No matter who yelled at him to get out, he didn't leave his trance so Tony had to fly in to get him. Only there was no chance of getting out so he had to cover the teen with his own body.
He got hurt, even in the Iron Man suit. Peter thankfully got away with a few gashes but Tony was stuck in the med-bay for a couple of days. The moment he could walk though, he left, because Peter's depression only got worse with the guilt and he wasn't going to let his son drown in it. It didn't help much. Peter only worried more, always muttering about being a curse (as if that wasn't bad enough) and hovering as if he was scared that if he let Tony out of his sight for one second, he would disappear too. He was completely inconsolable.
Bruce tried to get Tony to rest but he always turned him down. He knew if he gave into the pain and showed any kind of weakness, Peter would break under the pressure of his guilt and he didn't want to know how the teen would handle that. The kid had already talked about getting out of their hair (his words, not Tony's) so they wouldn't get hurt anymore. Stephen's absence didn't help matters as Peter already came to the conclusion that the sorcerer was tired of him, and nobody could change his mind. Not even Tony.
After forty days, when Stephen finally came home, he came face to face with Rhodey's wrath. Tony and Peter were holed up in the lab, the colonel being the only one on the family floor, and the sorcerer had been confused at the rage directed toward him.
"Where the hell have you been Strange?!"
Stephen blinks owlishly. "Another dimension. I told Peter and Tony I would be gone for a couple of days."
"A couple of days?! You're joking right?" When the confusion remains on the doctor's features, the colonel frowns. "You're serious."
"Have I missed something?"
"Stephen...it's been over a month."
The sorcerer pales. "No...no. Victor would have said something or they would have called-" Stephen looks at his wrist and discovers the absence of his nanotech. "Shit."
"You left your bracelet in the master bedroom, Doctor. It makes keeping in contact with you a little more difficult." Victor's voice resounds through the floor.
Something Tony had done shortly before he left. So not only FRIDAY had control of the tower, but so did Victor.
Stephen hisses. "Shut up Victor."
Rhodey exhales slowly. "You better go apologize to Tony and Peter. Maybe swaddle your cub for a few days."
"Why? Did something happen?"
"Do you know how much you mean to that kid? Do I really need to tell you how he might take your disappearance and the fact that Tony got hurt protecting him?"
"Tony's-" Stephen starts but the colonel stops him.
"He's fine. For once he's being a stubborn asshole for a good reason. We're all afraid that something will cause Peter to break."
"Where are they?"
"Down in the lab. It's the only thing that helps keep them both distracted."
"I better go grovel then."
Rhodey's chuckle follows him to the elevator and Stephen takes it down to the lab, only to stop at the door and watch his family. Tony looked a little banged up but okay otherwise, Peter on the other hand looked to be on auto-pilot. He may have been working on some suit upgrades, but his focus was elsewhere. Stephen knew that faraway look in Peter's eyes. The teen was lost in his own mind and it was not a good place. If it were, there would be some sort of spark in his eye, but there was nothing. It was the same look he had the night he lost May.
This time Stephen was the cause.
With a heavy sigh, he punches in the code for the door and walks into the room when it slides open.
"For the last time Bruce, I'm fine." Tony says without looking.
"...I may have underestimated how long I would be gone."
Real smooth Stephen.
Both Tony and Peter snap their heads up and turn fully to look at him before the elder rushes over to him and pulls him into a kiss. Not exactly the reaction Stephen was expecting. He was actually preparing for a wrench or a screwdriver to be thrown at him, but he reciprocated anyway. When they pull away after a few moments, the sorcerer lays his head on his husband's shoulder and closes his eyes.
"I'm so sorry." Stephen whispers. "I had no idea time flowed differently there. I've never been to that dimension."
"Are you hurt?"
Stephen shakes his head and then slowly lifts his head back up to regard the youngest male in the room. A bit of that faraway look was gone but Peter looked apprehensive now, like he wasn't sure if he was intruding or not.
"Come here."
"...so you aren't sick of me?" Peter asks quietly.
"Why in the world would I get sick of you? If I get sick of anyone, it's going to be Tony and I'm going to take you with me and sue him for child support."
Peter's eyes brighten in amusement as he walks over to hug the doctor, and Tony scoffs.
"My lawyers would destroy you before you left the tower."
"I would teleport."
"The Sanctum isn't the greatest place to live."
"I would buy a penthouse with the money I get from the divorce."
"They wouldn't let him stay with someone who's constantly traveling to other dimensions and leaving him exposed to potential danger."
"Living with Tony Stark is much safer with Hydra and the occasional alien invasion. I forgot. My mistake." Stephen rolls his eyes.
Tony grins. "Fuck, I missed you."
"Maybe you'll be amiable and go lay down now then?"
"Nope." The engineer responds with a pop.
"It's a good thing I know you guys are flirting...gross by the way." Peter says into Stephen's shoulder and the man chuckles.
"Anyway, I really am sorry for being gone so long and worrying you. I'll make it up to you." The sorcerer mutters into soft hair before kissing the top of Peter's head. "What are you two working on?"
Tony claps his hands together. "Nanotech that attaches to skin! It may be the only way to keep the two of you from removing it!"
Stephen narrows his eyes. "Tony."
"I'm kidding. We're just tinkering. I was getting hungry though, so why don't we go out for some shawarma?"
Peter wrinkles his nose. "I'd rather have Thai. We haven't had it in a while."
Tony relents by throwing his hands up in the air and after shutting down the lab, they go upstairs to change into cleaner (or in Stephen's case; regular) clothes and then take a portal to Peter's favorite Thai restaurant. At least to a nearby alley. They didn't want to give the employees a heart attack.
They were seated, their order was taken (Stephen doubling their son's since he was looking a little thinner than usual), and Tony and Peter proceeded to keep themselves occupied with paper football. Peter of course sitting close enough to the sorcerer so at the very least, their legs were touching. A constant reassurance that Mom really was back.
Stephen grunts in surprise when the folded paper smacks against his forehead. "What is everyone's fascination with throwing things at my head?"
"The surprised look you make is adorable babe." Tony snickers in response as Peter takes the paper 'football' from the doctor.
"Blueberries, legos, paper footballs...menaces, the both of you."
"You deserve it for abandoning Peter."
It was meant as a joke, but Tony realized his error when Peter stiffened beside the sorcerer, and Stephen's eyes dimmed from the emotional pain.
"I would never..." The doctor whispers and Tony stops him by gently grabbing his hand.
"No. I know. It was a bad joke. I'm sorry."
Stephen nods and places a hand in the teens hair, effectively soothing the teen into relaxation again. "Never."
The trio settles back into their seats when their food arrives, and both Tony and Stephen watch in both amazement and concern when Peter nearly hoovers his first dish. When he realizes they're staring, the teen looks down sheepishly and slows down enough so his parents can eat their own meal without worry. Stephen had looked ready to perform the Heimlich.
"You're going to choke one of these days." The sorcerer says.
Tony smirks as he takes a bite of food. "Like you do?"
Stephen turns bright red and Peter exclaims his disgust. "Come on! I'm eating!"
The sorcerer retaliates by kicking his husband's shins under the table.
A/N: Someone said they imagined Victor being voiced by Martin Freeman, and because that is so deliciously ironic, it is now a thing.
Also, any stories featuring Diana will have at the beginning of the title. Alternate Timeline.