When they arrive at the Sanctum Sanctorum, it is, for a change, Stephen himself who lets them in.
He looks absolutely horrible: It is clear that he also didn't sleep last night. On top of that, he seems to be as hungover as Tony is.
"Honestly, I didn't expect you here so soon," is all he says while he leads them into the sitting room. It's the official one, reserved for clients, counseling with other masters, and formal meetings.
He sits down in his armchair by the fireplace and gestures towards the sofa on the other wall.
"Please, take a seat."
He has put on this neutral, cold mask he uses to hide his feelings.
Pepper hates it.
Refusing to sit down, she asks him, "Why do you think we are here?"
He looks up at her and smiles. It is a stiff and unnatural expression, that betrays the storm of emotion that rages inside of him.
"I think you are many things, Pepper, but I didn't expect you to be cruel."
"Please..."
"You really want me to spell it out loud, do you? As if the humiliation that you came here to tell me that you want to put an end to our friendship wasn't enough!" When he stands up in front of her, there is something cold and dangerous in his eyes.
Tony, who had remained in the back until now, steps beside Pepper, taking her hand in his and facing the sorcerer defiantly.
Their display of closeness breaks Stephen's resolve. The spark of cold raging anger in his eyes vanishes instantly.
"I think it would be better if you go now. I cannot imagine there is anything left we needed to talk about." His voice sounds small, and even if he tries his hardest not to show weakness, he looks so lost.
Tony grabs Pepper even harder, so she can feel him shaking with frustrated energy.
"You believe we are here to end our friendship?" Pepper asks sad.
"Why else would you be here?"
"You're an idiot, Strange," when Tony speaks for the first time since they arrived, he sounds bitter. "Pepper told me you're in love with me! Is this true?"
Stephen nods, eyes trained at the floor.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Now Stephen looks up, his inner turmoil clear on display. "What difference would that have made, except ending our friendship even sooner? I knew it wouldn't last forever, that it would turn awkward once you found out, so I decided to be greedy and take as much of it as I could. Even if–"
"Shut up, Doc! Just shut up!" Tony let go of Pepper's hand to pull the surprised Stephen into a bone-crushing hug. "I love you too, you stupid idiot!"
"But..." Uncertain, Stephen glances at Pepper.
Tony lets go of him, his eyes following Stephen's gaze.
"Oh, for fuck's sake! I'm so done!" Tony's unexpected outburst lets Stephen and Pepper flinch slightly. He paces through the room, throws his arms in the air. "I'm done with people telling me what I can or can't have! I'm done with compromises! Not this time! I died to protect this stupid universe. It owes me one! I want to have my cake, and want to eat the fucking thing too, 'cause I earned that, don't you think?"
Stephen stares at him, quizzically. "I don't understand. What are you telling me?"
Pepper tries to put Tony's behavior into words, "I think what he means is: You can be greedy. You can have it all, without feeling guilty."
"How? Why?"
Gently, she takes his face in her hands and pulls him in for a kiss. "We both love you and want you to be a part of our family," she whispers into his ear, caressing his cheek.
Stephen doesn't react. He just stands there, blinking.
"What's wrong? What did you do?" a worried Tony demands to know.
"I did nothing! It was just a kiss. I do that all the time with you, and you never freeze like that!"
"Hey, Stephen!" Tony takes his shoulder and shakes him lightly. "Answer me, Strange!"
The sorcerer remains unresponsive.
"You broke him!"
"Don't be ridiculous, Tony. He's not a machine." Turned to Stephen, she tenderly asks, "Stephen, what's going on there in your head?"
"Trying to wake up," Stephen mumbles, "though I appreciate this dream."
"You are awake, Love."
"Love? You mean that?"
She nods.
He looks at her with shiny eyes, a single tear rolling down his cheek. When Tony steps beside Pepper and takes Stephen's hand in his real one, the sorcerer asks in a small voice, "This is real? ...and I can..."
A trembling hand brushes hesitantly over Tony's cheek, while the other remains firmly in Tony's.
When a shy, hopeful smile softens Stephen's features, they both pull him into a tight embrace. It is an awkward position with all three of them, but when Stephen presses a kiss on her forehead, Pepper feels like they won a small victory. She vows to herself that she will do everything she can to make sure that this wonderful man finally believes how much he is wanted in their relationship.
Now that the rush of adrenaline slowly abates, she can feel the exhaustion of a night spent awake seeping back into her body.
A quick look tells her the two men don't fare any better.
"Come on, boys, let's go to bed."
"Isn't that a bit fast?" Tony asks with a cheeky grin.
"To sleep? No, certainly not. ...and let's be honest. None of us is up for anything else at the moment."
Tony shrugs. "True."
Stephen seems to be uncertain about what to do next, but Tony slings his arm around his waist. "Do you have a bed here in this museum of yours, or do we have to sleep on the floor?"
"Upstairs?"
"You should know! You live here!" Tony laughs.
Determinedly, Pepper takes her two men by the hand and leads them upstairs to Stephen's bedroom.
When they reach the door, all three of them pause, until Stephen finally gets up the courage to open it and step inside. Undecidedly what to do next, he stands in the room and watches them as if they were a fata morgana that could vanish anytime.
Pepper gives Tony a look, and he understands her without words. Being a couple as long as they have been, has its perks.
Simultaneously, they approach the sorcerer. They surround him from both sides, one after the other closing the distance to press long desired kisses on Stephen's lips.
"Listen, Doc. If you don't want this, you can tell us. I promise it won't hurt our friendship."
"No! I want this! Please don't go..."
Tony pulls the distraught man into another tight hug, while Pepper rubs his back soothingly.
"It's okay. No one is leaving you, Stephen." Tenderly she tugs Stephen away from Tony and gets to work on opening the belts of the sorcerer's robe. "We can't sleep fully clothed."
When Stephen realizes what she is trying to do, he helps eagerly, until he stands there, wearing only his underpants. Together, Pepper and Tony push him onto the bed, then they start to undress each other in front of Stephen. In between they kiss and caress each other, glimpsing over to Stephen, who seems to enjoy the show. Finally, when they are down to their underwear too, they join Stephen on the bed.
After a bit of shuffling and rearranging, the baffled sorcerer ends up in the middle between the Starks.
Pepper pulls the heavy duvet over the three of them before she snuggles onto Stephen's chest. Tony, who has made a habit of sleeping without his synthetic arm, is lying on Stephen's other side and puts his arm around them.
Stephen in the middle is practically glowing with happiness. He wants to say something, but Pepper stops him. "Not now. Let's sleep first. Tomorrow we have all the time in the world."
With a nod, he closes his eyes. A few seconds later, he is fast asleep. It's the most peaceful rest he had in ten thousand years.