Archive of Our Own

Ensorcelled

'Hurry up already, Strange! You'd think with wizard powers he'd be faster with the popcorn, but no,' Tony told the room, throwing the remote down on the cushion beside him. Shoving aside the blanket Strange had dumped on his head earlier, Tony swung his legs off the couch, padding off in search.

This had become a biweekly event for them, evolving from the aftermath of a battle they'd fought together one day. Both exhausted, Strange had opened a portal back to the Sanctum where they’d collapsed in a bruised and battered heap. Once they'd showered and eaten, Strange had put a film on in the background, stating mindless noise helped him relax.

Noticing that Strange's hands shook more than usual after their fight against another megalomaniac (who thought their entitled ass meant they could rule the world) Tony had sought to distract him in the only way he knew how.

Sarcasm.

Ripping into Strange's choice of film on Netflix, they'd become locked in a challenge to show classic films the other had missed out on, and here they were, months later.

'Can't you zap it with your hands or something?' Tony called into the kitchen as he wandered past, pausing to admire Strange's back as he stood at the stove. While he quite liked his robes or whatever his superhero costume was, Tony preferred him in civilian clothes. The crimson cotton t-shirt was grubby from multiple washes, but Tony could imagine it was worn soft to the touch.

And the way it clung to the contours of Strange's sculpted back was quite lovely too.

'It doesn't taste the same if I use magic, you already know that,' Strange shouted back, the sound of popping kernels puncturing his words.

Tony wandered up the stairs as he waited, mindlessly looking at the books in the library without reading the titles on the spines. The Sanctum defied all mechanics of logic to his absolute horror, but, begrudgingly, Tony admitted there was a sense of order and harmony. He liked the peace and quiet, a place to take a short break between inventing and his meetings.

He stopped at the Sanctum window, hands in his pockets as he looked out over the streets of New York.

What a difference from years ago.

With Thanos defeated and the lives lost brought back, the streets bustled with life again, a harsh contrast to the world outside Tony had looked upon after the snap. He felt his mouth curve into a smile as a pair of children rushed past, a frantic parent chasing after them.

That might have been his future had things worked out with Pepper. Instead of the bittersweet twinge he usually got in his chest at the thought of her, Tony found himself reminded of the good times they had, glad they were still friends after everything.

He didn't blame her. Tony couldn't give up Iron man, would never stop wanting to save the world. Now that he knew entire worlds were out there, countless threats to those he held dear…it had only added kindling to the desire to keep his planet safe.

Pepper deserved the world. Deserved someone who made her their priority. She shouldn't have to share. Tony understood the appeal, but that wasn't who he was.  His attention would always be split between home and the stars above them, a sentinel to protect them all.

'You better not be touching anything! I mean it Stark, I've only just managed to neutralize the spell of the artefact you accidentally touched last time!'

'I think you mean Peter! Kids these days, don't do anything their elders tell them,' Tony shook his head, pulling his glasses off and folding them.

'I believe you edged Peter on, boss,' FRIDAY spoke.

'Whose side are you on?' he hissed, shoving his glasses into the breast pocket of his shirt.

'Mine!' Strange answered, his laugh louder than the popcorn.

Stressful situations formed relationships where perhaps one wouldn't have flourished in the first place. Saving the world created bonds between people, shared understanding. There wasn't time for a gradual friendship, the building of trust. You had to make a snap decision there and then if the person fighting along beside you was morally sound.

Even after defeating Thanos, where many of the heroes had parted ways to carry on with their lives or some semblance of them, Tony continued to see Strange for their movie sessions, which perplexed and pleased the former doctor in equal measure.

At least Tony thought it did. He hadn't always been that great on reading people's emotions, intentions yes, emotions, not so much.

Tony liked the complexities that made up Stephen Strange. Bruce offered him the same intellectual stimulation, but didn't provoke the same responses in Tony, the want to tease and challenge the man, to have Strange focus all his attention on him.

He could feel his mind trying to associate another image with the name Stephen, and he tried to wrench his mind away from following that path. Steven Rogers had paid the ultimate sacrifice for their victory with Thanos. Even though Tony had tried to appease his guilt by making nice with Bucky and ensuring the new generation of Avengers were taken care of, he'd always feel awful.

They had their differences, their fights and camaraderie, and now Tony had nothing of the man but their memories.

Turning away from the window, Tony walked around the artefacts he wasn't allowed to touch, hands still in his pocket to stop temptation.

Everything was different now. They had a new batch of Avengers, new blood to bolster the ranks, and Tony could feel himself slipping out of the limelight. He had become a name that was breathed in reverence, an idea rather than a living human. Years ago, that would have terrified him, his attention-seeking self balking at what he'd become.

That might be why he liked coming here. Even though Strange was a hero himself, he had different threats to fight, unique constraints on him, and he wasn't in awe of Tony. He understood what it felt like to have a foot in each world. The mundane and the superhero.

Tony knew that he cared for Strange, even trusting the man enough to voice his concerns that maybe they were becoming too close too fast, having not known each other all that long. It wasn't like him to brazenly admit his insecurities like that, and all Strange had done was offer an enigmatic smile and a pearl of wisdom.

'The length of the relationship between two people doesn't matter. The trust between them matters. It doesn't matter what others think. It only matters what we think.'

That was it.

Tony had become smitten.

His head snapped up as he heard an undercurrent of sound, almost like a muffled song. Tony leant down to peer down the stairway, staring at Strange through the kitchen doorway. He wasn't singing or listening to music.

'FRIDAY? Was that you just now? Oh God, was it a ghost? Am I hearing ghosts in this creepy place now?'

'I didn't say anything, boss. I am, however picking up an increase in energy nearby.'

'Oh yeah?' Tony put his glasses back on, scanning over the artefacts. Strange had tried to explain to him several times that even though it was energy Tony could detect from the artefacts, they were from other dimensions and too dangerous for him to study. He assumed it was like Asgardian magic, science he hadn't decoded yet.

Yet.

He'd get there one day.

'It's coming from that box over there.' FRIDAY's scans pinpointed it to a corner of the library, the readings of the energy displaying over the lens of his glasses. 'Should we alert Doctor Strange?'

'Not yet, let's give him a chance to actually make my popcorn without burning it this time.' He found the artefact in question, a harmless looking chrome box about the width of his hand, smaller than the tesseract. Looking around and biting the inside of his cheek, Tony rocked back and forth on his heels, considering.

He lasted a minute before poking the box with his index finger, hand on his arc reactor in case things went south.

Nothing.

Picking it up, he brought it in front of his face.

'Are you Pandora's box or something?' There weren't any symbols or etchings on the surface, he could feel a groove around the edge, a lid or an opening of sorts.

He heard the song again, louder now, almost tangible in the air as he stared down at the small thing. Tony saw his eyes reflecting back at him, pupils growing the longer he looked at the artefact. Without meaning to, his thumbnail pried the groove open a fraction, wanting to hear more of the song, recognizing it instinctively. 

Where had he heard that before? It felt like a fragment of a memory, a wash of nostalgia he couldn't grab, the idea too slippery, his thoughts scattering.

'Stark. Put it down.'

'I wasn't-'

'Yes, you were. Listen to me. Put it down. Now. Carefully.'

Tony couldn't tear his gaze away from it, wanting to know what was inside, the overwhelming desire eradicating his thoughts.

'Look at me, Tony.'

The use of his name caught his attention. Glancing up, he saw Strange had a hand stretched out towards him. Strange’s pulse leapt in the column of his throat, rapid with his fear, his breathing quickening the longer they stood there. The sizzle of flesh and the rancid smell of burning meat made him drop eye contact.

'No. No, Tony. Listen to my voice. I need you to put it back down and step away.'

'There's a song inside,' Tony said, not sure why Strange didn't understand. Droplets of silver melody ensnared him, cajoling him to pry back the lid a little more, not feeling the scalding welt forming on his hand.

'No! Wait, I know it's beautiful. I have a recording of it that I can give you later, but for now, I need you to put that down.' He took a shuffling step forward, his tone pleading.

Tony managed to look up again, feeling his heart lurch in his chest, his lungs aching, like he was trying to breathe through a cloth.

Why did Strange look scared?

He fumbled with the box, trying to place it back on the podium it'd been resting on, not looking at what he was doing in favour of watching Strange.

The clink of metal hitting the wooden podium made him look down, seeing Strange lunge for him on the edge of his peripheral vision. A whisp of crimson smoke curled in the air, ruby sparks glimmering behind it, miniature fireworks bursting in the space between them. It settled in his lungs, infusing him with warmth, drenching the fibres of his muscles with bliss.

Strange's hand slammed it shut.

Swearing, he seized Tony by the back of his shirt, picking him up with no effort and flinging him forward. As he fell, he caught sight of the Mirror Dimension's crystalline fragments encasing him.

'What the-'  

His voice felt smothered as his body temperature spiked, his skin tingling and feeling taut across his limbs.

Oh no.

Falling to his knees, air hissed between his teeth as lust coursed through his body, the gentle heat of earlier building into a pyre. It shot straight down to his cock, making him cry out as he became ridiculously hard, trapped in the confines of his slacks.

He had the reputation of a playboy for a reason. Tony had been to some wild parties, been with some remarkable people, was used to his body reacting fast to erotic stimuli.

This felt like a freight train had smashed into him.

Without thinking about it, the heel of his hand ground against the building pressure in his crotch. No. He couldn't do this here. Not with Strange watching him. He tumbled back onto his ass, his shirt catching on the…mirror bubble he leant against, plucking at his fevered skin, adding a small amount of friction, a small fizzle of pleasure.

'What's happening to me?' he panted out.

'You mean, aside from the fact you didn't listen to me again about the artefacts?' Strange snarled.

'What is this? Some sort of sex spell?'

'In essence, yes.' Strange frantically tore books down from his library shelves, his hair curling at the nape of his sweaty neck.

'Strange-'

'Damn it, would you shut up!'

Alright. He probably deserved that.

How many times had he been told? Countless. How many times had he disregarded the warnings made by the wizard...no, sorry, the Sorcerer Supreme? Again, countless. It was in his nature, he supposed, unable to listen to others, problems with authority and all that.

Undoing his shirt buttons, Tony ripped it away from his chest. He splayed his legs out in front of him, bending his knee up as he fought the urge to ram his hand down his pants.

'Is that why you've thrown me in-'

'The Mirror Dimension. Yes. Please, stop talking,' Strange begged as he caught himself against the bookcase, panting.

Tony's fingers clawed on his legs, leaving pinpricks of pain as he bunched up the fabric of his slacks.

His yearning for Strange eclipsed any feeling of propriety, the spitfire burn of lust scorching away his common sense as he watched Strange scrabble through his books. Why? They were both consenting adults, both unattached. Tony didn't want to fix the spell, he wanted Strange, wanted those crooked, beautiful fingers on his body.

 'Let me out,' his voice broke, a moan escaping as heat flushed through him. His longing for Strange had blossomed into a rapacious, ravenous creature, screaming at him to submit to the man, to fulfil the unspoken desire he'd been hiding.

'No.'

'Why not?' Sweat beaded on his forehead, his bangs sticking to his feverish skin.

'If I let you out, we'll both do something we regret.'

That tone of voice shot straight to his cock. The unwavering confidence, the strength of his refusal.

It didn't seem fair. Here he was, trying to breathe and think through the vortex of hazy lust that saturated his mind, and Strange could form whole sentences.

'I'm not going to jump you. I'm sure I can maintain some control.' Tony tried for the same even tone Strange spoke with. He tried to rub away the throb of agony beneath his sternum, his body crying out to Strange, begging him to fuck him.

'I'm not worried about you maintaining control.'

Tony didn't stifle his whimper, pulling his zipper down, the infinitesimal contact of his fingers on his skin excruciating.

'Don't you find me attractive?'

'That's beside the point, Stark. Now shut up and let me concentrate.'

'You're a doctor, aren't you? How do you know I'm not having adverse effects here? I could be haemorrhaging blood.'

'I'm not a doctor anymore,' Strange refused to look over.

'How do you know? You won't even look at me.' He watched one of Strange's hands fist on a shelf, his head hanging low as he sucked in a lungful of air.

Tony shifted his body to lay down on the gleaming hardwood floor, wishing the cold surface would dissipate the delirium licking over his body. Copying Strange's lead, he breathed in, the musty dampness of lignin from the thousands of books clogging his nose.

He wondered if Strange had one beside his bed. Knowing the man, he probably had a collection of half-read books strewn over his bedroom floor.

Thinking of Strange's bedroom gave him ample fodder for his desire addled brain to traipse through. Strange pinning him to a four-poster bed, Tony riding him on an old leather chair, the same hardwood floor under his knees as he gave Strange a blowjob.

'If you won't look at me, how about I tell you what's happening to me?'

'Stark,' Strange warned.

'My heartbeat is elevated, blood pressure seems a little high. I'm flushed all over, and I've got the insatiable urge to bend over for the Sorcerer Supreme.'

Books tumbled from the shelves as Strange slumped into it. Tony could hear the curse hissed under his breath, the way it was wrecked by a moan.

'God it's hot...' Tony whined. 'Do you have some sort of wizard magic making you immune to the spell, meditative breathing perhaps?

'I'm hot,' Strange puffed out.

Tony wriggled out of his pants, ignoring the flash of pain from the burn in his palm, whimpering as frigid air brushed over his skin.

'What are you doing?' Strange's voice sounded strangled, like someone stood on his throat. 

'Sorting out my own problem as you insist on keeping me here, alone.' His hands slid up his stomach, over his chest to trace his nipples, gasping as if he'd been shocked. The touch on his oversensitive body blurred the boundaries between pleasure and pain.

Craning his head around on the floor, he could see that Strange had stopped looking for a book, his gaze following the path of Tony's wandering hands.

'Stark, please,' he begged. Tony didn't know if it was a plea to continue or stop.

'Let me out. Let me touch you. Please.'

'It… it doesn't matter that it's me.' Strange's gaze met his, those magnificent blue eyes shining as he watched. 'It could be Wong or Thor, and you'd still want to fuck them.'

'I prefer to be fucked.'

Even with his body thrumming with pleasure, his want climbing higher and higher in its demand for satisfaction, Tony took a moment to think about Strange's words.

Were all these feelings because of the spell?

'You're right, I think in this state I wouldn't care who was here with me…' his voice trailed off at Strange's smug laugh. 'But I hadn't been thinking of Thor and Wong before we were infected with whatever voodoo this is.'

He was a hero, and part of being a hero was knowing when to press the advantage.

Even though he'd broken eye contact with Tony, reaching back to his books after his laugh, Strange tumbled forward onto his hands and knees at that confession.

'Funny isn't it. I've haven't known you all that long really, a year? yet you've managed to work your way into my dreams and fantasies.'

Closing his eyes, he could hear Strange's breath hitch.

'Such as?' It was a mere hint of a whisper.

Insecurities about destroying their friendship seemed insignificant now.

'Where do I start?' Tony chuckled, a husky rasp to his voice as he finally succumbed to temptation, hand wrapping around his cock with a groan.

He heard the thump of a belt hitting the ground.

'One of my favourites is the fantasy of you opening a portal into my office. You stand there, not saying anything… God, you remember when we fought against those interdimensional creatures a few months ago?'

'You were injured.'

There was something funny in Strange's tone, something that Tony should have been able to identify, but he was too distracted by recreating his fantasy, his thumb gliding through the precome beading from his cock, tossing his head back at the sweet tease.

'You flew straight over to me on the battlefield, stood over me and dared them to attack again. I'd never been so turned on in my life.'

Strange's answering moan was stifled, like he'd shoved something in his mouth. Opening his eyes, he looked over to see. Strange was sat down, leaning back against he shelves. He was biting into his knuckles, naked now apart from his boxers.

Tony’s tongue was thick and tacky in his mouth as he tried to move it, wanting to taste the sweat he could see on Strange's skin. He wanted to run his fingers over the dark dusting of hair over his toned stomach, feel the way his muscles quivered in his desire.

'Anyway, that's the expression you have on your face when you portal into my office. You order me to sit back down so you can suck me off.' His hand continued its lazy stroke over his cock, daring Strange to look away from him.

'Giving you pleasure, what a surprise. Do I get anything out of it?'

'Let me out, and I'll show you what I give you,' Tony demanded.

'Tempting, but I'll make do with the images you're giving me.'

Tony writhed on the floor as Strange palmed the front of his boxers. He felt pinned to the floor by the hunger in the wizard's gaze.  His panting breath transformed into whimpers as Strange's hand slid beneath to grip his cock, the lewd sound of his skin rubbing music to Tony's ears.

'How about my fantasy of you bending me over my desk? Or maybe letting everyone in Stark industries watch you screw their boss in his office?' 

Strange groaned, drawing one of his knees up, giving Tony an unobstructed view to his clothed crotch, the way he frantically stroked himself to the images Tony painted.

'Is it the same for you… what you said earlier? That it doesn't matter who is here?' Tony whispered.

Even tangled in a potent sex spell his fear of rejection managed to claw its way through.

'The spell isn't picky about who you copulate with. Anyone trapped with me would be sexually arousing.'

He could hear it in Strange's voice, the lingering fear of giving away a secret.

Tony’s hand sped up, his hips thrusting up into the air, frantic in his search for friction. He wasn't going to last much longer, needed a little bit more, something to tip him over the edge. 

'But... I'm glad it's you.' The answer was lame, but Tony's toes curled in rapture at hearing it, flinging him into orgasm…

Stifled at the last moment.

The back of his head collided with the floor in frustration, tears flooding his eyes as sparks from the impact flared before his retinas.

What the fuck?

'Strange. I think something is wrong.'

'Despite the obvious?'

Damn even after coming dry, or not coming, or whatever just happened, Strange's tone wrapped around him, velvety smooth and intoxicating. He wanted that voice to whisper in his ear, to explain in agonizing detail how he was going to pleasure Tony, to hear the wizard come, for his name to cross Strange's lips as he lost his composure.

'I can't come.'

'Performance issues are common in older men.'

Irritation tainted the edge of his arousal. This wasn't the time for teasing. Not in this way, anyway. Why the hell wasn't Strange affected like he was? Why was he the only one losing his mind? He refused to say anything else, flinging his arm over his eyes as he tried not to scream or cry.

'Stark?'

He didn't answer, scrubbing his hand over his face to rid it of his tears.

'Sorry. That was in bad taste.'

'Why? Why won't you let me out?'

'Because I don't want to ruin things!' Strange barked, wrenching his hand out of his boxers and slamming it onto the floor.

'Ruin things how?'

'Tony…'

'Our friendship? My innocence? Cause I can tell you now, Doc-'

'You've never even hinted you like guys. No scandalous stories, no rumours. Tony Stark, the ladies man.' Strange's voice rushed out in a rush.

'Come on, Doc, don't tell me you listen to that shit. Here I thought you were one of the few people that saw me for me.' It was a little maudlin of him, more self-retrospective than he'd like to admit, but the sharp stab of pain was there.

'I do see you for who you are, Tony. But I've never seen any hint that you might be interested in me.' 

'All those fantasies I've just told you about mean nothing then do they?'

'You're incredibly horny and you want me to let you out. You're going to say anything you can,' Strange groaned. 'I'd be taking advantage of you, you can't consent to wanting this, wanting me!'

Tony didn't answer, knowing there was nothing he could say to change his mind. Stephen Strange was a stubborn bastard when he made his mind up.

'Hurry up and find a counterspell or an antidote, or whatever,' Tony waved him away, his hips twisting on the floor as another onslaught of lust rippled over his body. 'Hurry it up.'

'Tony?'

He could feel his breath catching on every exhale, aggravated by the situation and the fact that Strange didn't believe his feelings might be genuine, that he'd lost his mind.

'He's infuriating!'

His disjointed voice broke into his self-pity. Looking up, he could see the blue tinge of a holographic projection from his glasses, FRIDAY deciding enough was enough.

'Who, boss?'

The wavering image of himself in the lab walked through his pathetic body on the floor, the hologram throwing a pen across the room before folding his arms over his chest.

'The wizard. Who else?'

'Stop it FRIDAY,' Tony grumbled, kicking his foot through the projection.

'Oh, it's another one of our weekly rants about Doctor Strange.' The recording kept playing.

'God, I'm like a teenager with a crush, aren't I? Notice me cute, doctor man.' The projection flung himself into a chair.

'I think you've gone past the crush stage now, boss. Shall I show you the figures of how often you bring his name up in a day? How you keep reminding me to keep your movie evenings free? Or do you think we can just skip ahead to the admittance stage now?'

'FRIDAY,' Tony warned, patting over the floor for his shirt, crying out as his cock swelled to hardness, the spell not finished with him yet.

'Alright fine. I have a huge fucking crush on the wizard. You tell anyone and I'll replace you with Siri,' his hologram admitted with a goofy grin.

He tried to force his scrambled brain into coherence, to think of a way to explain himself now that FRIDAY had taken it upon herself to bare his secret. He wanted it to be poetic, lyrical, all that flowery shit about how he saw Strange as more than a friend, how he'd not felt like this towards anyone in years. None of it came out as something slammed into him.

His protest was drowned out by a strangled moan as a shaking hand wrapped around his erection, fingers aided by some sort of lube that Tony didn't have the brainpower to work out where it came from. Strange pinned him down to the floor, his naked body covered in a sheen of sweat, the scent of tea leaves and parchment settling over Tony like a shroud.

Tony wrapped his arms around Strange's broad back, arching up into his body in offering, burrowing his head into his long neck as sensations engulfed him. One, two strokes and he shattered, chest smacking into Strange's, biting into the tendons between neck and shoulder.

Nothing happened.

Strange held him tight to his chest as he sobbed in frustration, body trembling in agony, his muscles tightly strung.

'What's happening?' he gasped out, leaning back into the touch of fingers on his scalp.

'Judging by the fact neither of us can release, I'm assuming the spell calls for a conjoined act of completion.'

'A conjoined -'

'Sex, Stark, we need to have penetrative sex.'

Strange kissed him, or what Tony guessed he thought was a kiss. It was more a clashing of mouths, frantic biting of lips as the spell urged them on. A maelstrom of repressed feelings, longing, and magic writhing between them.

'Hands and knees,' Strange breathed the words across his lips, tugging on Tony's hips.

He wanted to argue, to offer a quip about things moving too quickly, but the words were quelled by the sternness of Strange's gaze. The wizard was at his breaking point, a flush of lust painting his chest and the base of his neck.

Tony's limbs didn't cooperate at first, and he leant on Strange as the man tried to help him, both getting distracted as their mouths met again. Getting onto his hands and knees without any sort of finesse, Tony spread his legs wide and rocked his hips back.

Hands stroked over his flank as lips trailed over his spine. 'Jesus, Stark, you could make a man come in that pose,' Strange murmured into the dip of his lower back.

'Hurry up,' he snapped, head swimming in the miasma of his lust, struggling to balance his weight.

'Impatient, are we?' There was a sharp sting of teeth in his ass cheek and a muttered spell against his skin.

'Says the man who uses magic to prep me, real romantic,' he gasped, not sure how he felt about his body suddenly feeling relaxed and slick inside. Any objections died on his tongue as Strange entered his body in a slow, confident glide, finally taking the edge off the agony plaguing his body. Even through the haze of the spell, Tony knew he was being careful, waiting until he was certain before he began to rock forward.

'I intend to take my time later. For now, let's get rid of the spell.'

He drowned in the onslaught of feeling, the constant chatter of his mind silenced as he focused on the drag of Strange's cock, the way the head of it caught on the rim of his body, how fingers dug into the jut of his hips. The sensations evoked by the act were too much and not enough.

Tony tried to beg for more, unable to form coherent words. Understanding his frenzied garble, a slick hand reach around and grasped his cock, sparks igniting up his spine as Strange changed the angle of his hips, slamming into his prostate over and over.

'If I knew all it took for you to be quiet was a good fucking, I would've tried it a long time ago,' the words rasped into his ear. A sinful twist of Strange's hand over the head of his cock made his hands slip, throwing his body forward. Grinding his forehead into his arms, he held his legs firm as all of Strange's weight rested on his hips.

'M' gonna,' he managed, squeezing his eyes shut as Strange picked up the pace.

'Come on, sweetheart, let go.'

Tony exploded, the very atoms of his being charged with sexual energy, of completion as he soared, lost in ecstasy. He had the vague sense of his name said by Strange, hands catching him and holding him close, stroking his hair, kissing his sweaty forehead, his jaw.

'It's okay, you're okay, I'm here.'

The whispers followed him down into his unconsciousness.

***

Embarrassment prickled him, shame following the scrub of the sponge, soap bubbles sliding down his skin. He refused to linger in the smell of it, how it reminded him of Strange, the idea that he was showering in his personal ensuite bathroom.

He'd been rejected before, by friends, lovers, friends with benefits. It wasn't a big deal, he was used to moving on, but he didn't think he could bounce back from this, couldn't bounce back if Stephen wanted to pretend nothing happened.

If he wanted to blame everything on the spell.

Tony looked at the hand he held out of the water, the imprint of the box a furious wound across his palm.

Could they have more than this? Could they build on what had happened? Or had it all been the effects of the spell?

'Don't push him. It was probably the spell, nothing else.' He repeated it under his breath, turning the water off, reaching past the shower curtain for a towel. Giving himself a cursory pat down with his uninjured hand, he wrapped it around his waist before he went looking for his clothes.

Padding into Strange's bedroom, he turned in a circle to take in the modest room. He hadn't the chance earlier as he'd been hounded through it and into the shower, Strange snapping at him that he needed to take care of the artefact. It had the same gloomy air as the rest of the Sanctum, low lighting from an overhead light, rustic brick interior walls. There wasn't much more than a bed and a desk in the room, a pile of books heaped on one side of the bed, a mug with stains of coffee around the rim.

'You liar Strange, telling me you don't have coffee in the Sanctum just to make me drink your disgusting tea, probably trying to poison me or something…'

He didn't flinch as the Cloak flew in through the crack beneath the door, watching him.

Ignoring it, he walked over to the bed in search of his clothes, ignoring the way he wanted to burrow into the plush looking navy blankets and pillows, exhaustion teasing at the back of his eyelids.

'Did he send you in to throw me out when I was done? Is this the wizard way of leaving a note on the pillow saying thanks for a great time?'

'No, it's the wizard way of keeping an eye on you while he clears up the remains of a dangerous spell. Out with you,' Strange ordered as he stepped out from a portal behind Tony.

Tony looked over his shoulder, raising his eyebrow when he saw Strange's gaze was on his towel-clad ass.

'How are you feeling?'

'Considering everything, not too bad.' Tony shrugged his shoulders up and down, stretching his neck from side to side. 'Nothing a hot bath won't fix later. You?'

'Good. Give me your hand,' he demanded, stretching his own out.

Tony did so without hesitation, taking a half step back as Strange's fingers glowed orange.

'It'll banish the residual effects of the spell, it's okay,' Strange reassured him, no trace of teasing as he watched Tony. Swallowing, Tony nodded, chewing the inside of his cheek as the burn receded, the pain leaving alongside it.

'Thank you.' He yanked his hand free as soon as it was healed.

'No problem. I'm going to take a shower.' Reaching behind his neck to tug his t-shirt off, Strange threw it on his desk with the comfortable ease someone had in their own space. It did have that feel, Tony guessed, a sanctuary within a sanctuary, a good place to be alone with your thoughts without any distractions.

Snatching his shirt from the bed, he'd barely got one arm in it before he was stopped, Strange towering over him with a hand circling his wrist.

'What are you doing?' Strange whispered, eyes narrowed in disbelief.

'You said you were going to shower,' Tony gestured towards the ensuite door.

'I didn't say anything about you leaving,' Strange rumbled, letting his fingers glide down Tony's arm, making all the fine hairs rise in their wake. Tony glanced up at his face, noticing the slight blush smattering over high cheekbones, a matching one flaring up in the hollow of Strange's throat.

The spell.

Tony might have been feeling better, but he wasn't a wizard, didn't have whatever… magical energy Strange had. What if the effects were stronger for him? Or it hadn't run its course with Strange yet?

'I think we need to go find Wong. Cloak! Get back in here!' he called, stilling the exploring hands on his forearms and dancing out of Strange's reach.

'Tony?'

You're still infected. Come on, we need to go get you some help.'

Strange's brows pinched together in the middle for a moment before he shook his head. 'What are you talking about?'

'Your pupils are dilated, you're flushing, and your breathing deepened when you started touching me. The spell hasn't gone.'

'Douchebag,' Strange said with affection, tilting his head back to the ceiling and closing his eyes. 'The spell has run its course.'

Taking another step back, Tony assessed Strange's body with a critical eye. Did Strange not realize what was happening to his body? Was Tony wrong about what he was seeing? No, that was definitely an erection tenting Strange's pants.

'Tony.' Strange smiled, stepping forward to chase him, reaching out for him. 'You're standing there, half-naked and your lips are still swollen from where I kissed you.'

Grasping Tony's elbows, he tugged him closer.

'I don't need to spell to be turned on.'

Wait. What?

'You've literally been on the cover of magazines, have won awards for being New York's sexiest billionaire. Every time we go out for a drink someone gives you their number… how could you possibly be insecure about yourself?' He said it in jest, a smirking as he looked down at Tony in his grasp.

The humour left Strange's eyes the longer Tony stayed silent, his mouth parting as he bent his head to catch Tony's downcast gaze.

'Tony…'

'You get betrayed one too many times, Doc. So, the spell is all gone, good.' Tony grinned, clapping Strange's side and gently disentangling them to reach for his clothes.

'How much of what you said was you?' Strange blurted, anguish threaded in the timbre of his voice.

'Everything I said was true,' Tony said, the words simple, the feeling behind it not.

Shaking fingers twined with his own, dragging him towards the edge of the bed. Yelping, he found himself perching on top Strange's gangly legs, his head burrowed into Strange's neck. Tony could feel a pulse beneath the bridge of his nose, heard the slow swallow as Strange prepared whatever it was he was going to say.

'How long?' he asked eventually.

'I dunno, I always thought you were attractive, and I wasn't kidding when I said your dangerous pissed off sorcerer look gives me an instant hard on, but...the sappy stuff? A few months?'

Strange didn't say anything else, hand stroking down from the base of Tony's skull to the small of his back before he trailed it back up, tickling along his ribcage as they went.

'You?' Tony encouraged, still not sure Strange wasn't affected by the spell.

'Since the doughnut spaceship. I'm a sucker for arrogant billionaires. The sappy stuff?' He leant back on the bed, waiting for Tony to look up, 'that was where I looked through the countless futures. My interest was piqued. It…grew from there, I guess.'

'You never said anything.'

'Neither did you. Although, I'm beginning to understand why.' Strange muttered the last part. 'God, this isn't the way I wanted this to go.'

'I dunno, it was pretty awesome,' Tony’s confidence returned.

Strange's lips stretched in a wide grin. 'Still, I would have preferred to at least have taken you out first, take my time with you.'

'What is this, the nineteenth century? Hate to break it to you, but things have changed since then, you don't need to wine and dine me to get me into your bed, Strange.'

Strange knocked their foreheads together. 'Stephen. Not Strange.' He leant down again, pausing a mere breath away from Tony's mouth. 'I really like you…douchebag.'

Tony touched his lips to Stephen's first, leading the way for their first proper kiss. Not the aggressive tongue fighting, teeth clashing battle of earlier, but a tender, soothing one of gliding tongues and soft teasing.

Squirming in Stephen's lap, Tony twisted so he could straddle Stephen, not missing the sharp inhale as his towel slipped down over his hips, barely covering his crotch. 'So, this taking your time you mentioned earlier? Does that only apply to dates?' He nuzzled at Stephen's jawbone, not really kissing it, dragging his lower lip across it, pausing to suck a mark under the hinge.

'You want me to take me time with you?' Stephen's hands grasped Tony's ass through the towel, squeezing hard once before dragging him further into the cradle of his hips.

Tony swept his hands over Stephen's stomach, biting the corner of his lip as he explored. Stephen's breath ruffled through his hair as he dragged his hands up, teasing with the edge of his thumbnails, circling dusky pink nipples.

He needed to unravel the man below him into a begging mess.

Gripping harder with his knees, Tony splayed his fingers over Stephen's pectorals, toppling the taller man backwards onto the bed.

'Last chance to back out. We could go get that dinner you mentioned earlier,' Tony teased.

'Not a chance, sweetheart.'

Caging Stephen in with his hands and knees on either side of his body, Tony bent down to kiss over the curve of Stephen's ribs, paying extra attention to the scars puckered into the pale skin, marks of battle, remembrances of his car accident. The bedsheets bunched up in Stephen's fists, his hips slowly starting to grind up into Tony's ass.

He ran the flat of his tongue over Stephen's nipple, teasing with a few strokes before concentrating his attention to the nub, smiling as he felt fingers weave into his hair at the back of his head, holding him close. He clamped his mouth over the nipple, sucking enough to add a sting of pain, groaning himself when he heard Stephen moan, the vibration of it felt beneath Tony's lips.

Tony could feel his skin warming, and unlike earlier when he'd wanted to claw his skin off, it built into a pleasant feeling, the heat of anticipation, the lure of not only the carnal, but affectionate bonding with someone you had feelings for.

Cool air caressed his skin as his towel peeled away from him, hands stroking over his sides, up the backs of his thighs, nails leaving a gentle, lingering mark.

'All those fantasies you talked about earlier,' Stephen asked, his voice husky as his touch teased over the curve of where ass met thigh. He stopped short of touching Tony anywhere important, making Tony shudder and smack his forehead into Stephen's sternum.

'As much as earlier was one of my wet dreams come to life, a part of me hated it.' The words washed over him, fingers ghosting over the cleft of his ass. 'I hated the idea you were aroused because of a spell.'

'Why?' Tony gasped.

'All your reactions, all your moans… I want to be because of me and me alone.'

Tony shoved himself up, sitting on Stephen's stomach, forcefully placing Stephen's hands on his hips.

'Show me then,' he challenged.

Stephen didn't move, carnality staining his gaze as he looked at Tony. Tony preened at the attention, the tip of his tongue moistening his lower lip as he stared straight back. Stephen's grip tightened, hauling Tony up his body, positioning Tony's knees either side of his head.

'Hands on the wall, sweetheart.'

'What are…oh fuck,' Tony cried out, hands slamming on the wall above the headboard of the bed as Stephen grabbed an ass cheek in each hand, exposing him and yanking him down at the same time, fucking him with his tongue.

He sensed somehow that Stephen was laughing as him, but he couldn't focus on that, curving his back even as his hands gripped the wall. He drove Tony into a frenzied fervour, taunting him with tiny little flicks with the edge of his tongue, tracing around the rim before wiggling into the heat of Tony's body, coaxing the ring of muscle into relaxing.

Tony thighs shook with the effort it took to lock his muscles into place, head thrown back, sweat stinging his eyes as Stephen tormented him. He could feel pressure on his hips, an encouragement to thrust down. He managed to look down, a feeling lodging in his throat as scorching blue eyes seared into his.

'I don't…I don't wanna-'

He shouted as Stephen used magic enhanced strength to pull Tony flush against his face, his enthusiastic moan driving Tony towards the edge of his sanity.

'Stephen… I'm gonna, fuck,' he called out, hands scrabbling against the wall, fragments of brick flaking off from his nails to dust the pillows below. The heat left his body, and he floundered, only calming when he felt hands on his back, grounding him.

'Easy, I'm here. Stay like that,’ Strange reassured, fumbling with his pants as he got up.

Hair swept away from the nape of his neck, and he felt the burn of lips on his skin in a kiss, distracting him from the blunt pain of Stephen entering his body. He was still relaxed enough from the sex magic Stephen used earlier, the discomfort minimal as he inched his way in, worshiping the skin at Tony's neck.

'Fucking hell, sweetheart, you feel so good,' he praised.

'Stephen,' Tony whined, far past the point of caring if he sounded demanding, or petulant.

When their hips were pressed together, Stephen didn't move, running his nose over Tony's neck, the jut of his shoulders, inhaling deeply as he committed Tony's scent to memory. Hands reached round to cradle his stomach, one trailing up to map out his scars surrounding his arc reactor, palm covering it, protecting him.

‘Let me do this,' he said, a hint of a plea in his tone.

'What is it with you and making me wait?' Tony insisted, trying to move his hips back, growling when nothing happened.

'Savouring the experience,' Stephen breathed into his ear, withdrawing slowly before snapping his hips forward, making Tony groan.

It felt glorious, euphoric, their skin rubbing together as Stephen plastered himself to the curve of Tony's back, clasping their bodies close as he moved. He changed the angle of his hips every couple of minutes, scraping his teeth over the nape of Tony's neck as he found what he was looking for.

'Just there, sweetheart?' he asked after a particularly loud moan from Tony, leaning further over so their temples touched. Tony leant into the contact, grateful for the support, an anchor to tether his spiralling feelings.

'Honey, stop,' Tony gasped, reaching back to pluck at the fingers clamped on his hipbones.

Stephen stopped immediately, forehead thumping between Tony's shoulder blades as he tried to catch his breath.

'What's wrong? Are you okay?'

'Can we move?' He wanted to see Stephen's face this time.

Long fingers cupped his jaw, cradling his face.

'Yeah… yeah, we can stop,' Stephen sputtered as Tony moved away, separating them. He wasn't prepared for the shove Tony gave him into the mattress, or the way he climbed on top of him a second later.  He couldn't help but laugh at Stephen's bewilderment, patting his side in affection.

He glanced down at the man he had pinned between his thighs, taking his time, committing it all to memory. Stephen coughed low in his throat as Tony's attention snagged on his cock, stroking his fingers along the length. He was long, slender, mirroring the rest of his body. Tony ran his index finger through Stephen's precome, bringing it to his mouth and sucking it off.

'Tony.' The muscles of his thighs flexed under Tony's ass.

'No way in hell am I stopping now. It's taken months for me to get you where I want you.' Tony smirked down at the wizard, grabbing hold of his cock and sinking back down on it, heady with arousal as Stephen's head tipped back onto the covers, mouth parted on a silent cry.

Setting a slow pace, Tony let his hands roam again, stroking over clavicles, the column of Stephen’s throat, his heart swelling at the trust he showed. Moving his touch away, he stroked down Stephen's arms to link fingers, supporting his weight against them.

'This okay?' he asked, emphasizing his question with a squeeze to scarred fingers.

'More than,' Stephen answered, eyes squeezed shut, tightening his hold to encourage Tony to lean on him more.

'You're not looking at me,' Tony whined with a laugh, rearing up onto his knees to slam himself down with force, shuddering at Stephen's long moan.

'Considering you're meant to be some sort of super genius, you really are dense.' Stephen tugged Tony forward and off-balance. He flopped onto Stephen's chest, unable to get up as Stephen shook one of his hands free, planting it on the middle of Tony's back. Planting his feet on the bed, he rocked his hips up, and Tony felt his body sing with rapture at the new angle.

'Not looking at you? Tony Stark I'm always looking at you,' he whispered, increasing the tempo of his thrusts, wrecking Tony. He couldn't respond, couldn't move, vulnerable to Stephen's mercy and loving every second of it. 

'I see the stupid high fives you give Peter after a successful mission,' Stephen continued, moving his hand to Tony's hip, tugging him down as he thrust up. 'I see the selfless, reckless, noble acts you perform to save as many civilians as possible.'

'Stephen, I'm not going to…there! God!' Tony cried out, nails digging into Stephen's chest.

'I watch you fall asleep during our movies, think about wrapping you in my arms, holding you close.' Stephen didn't let up, nailing his prostate on every thrust, his voice wavering as he drew close.

'I see the way others depend on you and wish that you could depend on me, that I could be someone special to you,' Stephen admitted, kissing the shell of his ear.

'You are!' Tony swore, feeling his orgasm building, helpless to stop it.

'I saw the way you looked at me, and like an idiot, I thought it was just a frivolous thing for you. Now I know, I won't let you go,' Stephen promised with a powerful thrust, snaking a hand between them to wrap over Tony's cock. That was it. Tony was gone, tumbling down off the precipice of his sanity and into the delicious release of orgasm, Stephen's echoing climax following him.

***

Fingers toyed with his shower damp hair, curling one of the strands around a finger before letting it slide free. Opening his eyes, Tony turned on the pillow to watch Stephen watch him.

'You dozed off. How are you feeling?' Stephen's voice was hoarse, destroyed from two bouts of sex and exhaustion.

'Probably should have left the shower blowjobs,' Tony answered, his voice no better.

'Probably, but it was worth it,' Stephen chuckled, letting his finger stroke over Tony's forehead, the bridge of his nose.

'I need to get back to the compound. I've got a million things to do.' Tony sighed, closing his eyes against the thought of Avenger meetings, Stark Industry paperwork, PA work.

'Are you seeing Peter today?'

'No, kid's got a study session with MJ.'

'You think he'll finally ask her out?' Stephen's wandering fingers stopped, raising himself up onto his elbow to look down at Tony. Looking up at him, at his mess of black and gray hair, Tony felt an uncontrolled burst of fondness in his heart, seeping into his soul. The man beside him cared just as much for Peter Parker as he did.

'Here's hoping, Doc.' Despite needing to leave, Tony inched closer, relaxing against Stephen's torso.

'Is there anything…you can't put off till tomorrow?' Stephen sounded hesitant.

'I've always got things that can't be put off, never stops me doing it.' Tony grinned as Stephen encouraged him closer with an arm, stroking his fingertips over Tony's back.

'I'm really in the mood for pizza and a beer,' Stephen whispered, kissing Tony's forehead. 'I could be persuaded to let you join me, maybe even let you pick the movie if you play your cards right.'

'Stephen Strange, are you asking me on a date? Because I'll have you know, Netflix and chill isn't going to-' he laughed into Stephen's kiss.

'You can take me out somewhere expensive next time. Go to sleep, douchebag, I'll be here when you wake up.'

Tony hummed in agreement, nestling his nose into Stephen's chest.

'Sorry. For not listening to you about the artefacts,' he yawned.

‘That box and spell is dangerous, you’re lucky it was me here and not Wong. But, truth be told…I'm kind of glad you didn't listen to me if this is the result.'

'I'll touch more of them later then…' Tony trailed off, almost purring as nails scratched at his scalp.

'Touch anything again and I'll cut your fingers off,' Stephen promised.

The End

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