Random IronStrange one-shots

Just Close Your Eyes

Summary: just two short stories on how Tony and Stephen get each other to fall asleep when it's hard to.

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Tony was a fairly energetic person when he wasn't drained from spending days on end, doing nothing but working, fighting, and attending meetings.

However, with him being as creative and as smart as he was, he often found it hard to shut his thoughts off at night and just go to sleep.

That resulted in him spending hours just sprawled out under the covers of his bed, cuddled up to his lover, Stephen, thinking of new projects and work he had to do the next day.

He new he had insomnia, however, some nights it affected him more than others.

Stephen was used to Tony's overactive brain however.

As a way to attempt to dull out all the thoughts soaring by in Tony's stressed mind, Stephen would often play soft music, or calming nature sounds at night, as a way to ease tension.

Stephen also found it very affective if he were to give Tony a massage.
The genius was a sucker for shoulder rubs, and sometimes that's all he needed for him to let go and relax. Stephen was more then happy to oblige to this of course.

And if all else failed, like tonight, then Stephen would simply join Tony in lying awake in bed.

He would let Tony speak all of his thoughts out to him, so that they could both share the burden, and then when Tony was done listing out his stresses, he would curl into Stephen and finally shut his eyes.

"Thanks, Stephie," Tony muttered half awake, his head on Stephen's chest, and his arms wrapped around the sorcerer's neck.

"I really needed this."

Stephen smiled softly and wrapped his arms around the shorter man, gently kissing his dark locks.

"Anytime sweetheart, anytime...."

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Stephen wouldn't admit it to most people. In fact, he could barely admit it to himself.

As a sorcerer, former sorcerer supreme, and master of the mystic arts, Stephen has seen some things during his adventures. And some things were a little more disturbing than normal.

And after years and years of fighting enemies from who knows where— some with large spikes jutting everywhere from their body, and some with the power to turn the whole universe into nothing more than a huge orb of acid—Stephen was bound to get some disturbing memories from them.

However, one fear above all others, was what often kept the man awake at night.

It was the fear of being watched.

Every night before he went to bed, Stephen would have this sensation, as if there was someone lurking in the shadows of the room, staring at him.

Some days were fine, he would simply use his magic to cast a small protective barrier around him and Tony.

However, other nights the sensation would be so bad that Stephen couldn't so much as close his eyes. Every time he blinked, he felt like something was going to jump out and attack him.

And don't even get him started on his fear of dolls and eyes.

When he meant eyes, he didn't mean that every time he looked someone in the face, he would freak out. Not at all, In fact it was only at night where eye balls truly freaked him out.

He hated the surprisingly realistic eyes that dolls had, or the jet black eyes that monsters he fought often sported. It was yet another thing that kept him from closing his eyes at night, because the second he shut them, his photographic memory would show him images of creepy dolls, or blank and expressionless eyes. These images kept him from sleeping most nights.

Funny enough, it took Tony a little over a year to discover Stephen's fear. Mainly because the few times Tony actually went to bed with Stephen instead of staying up in the lab, Stephen was so occupied with making sure that Tony got his sleep, that he wouldn't even mention what was keeping him awake at night.

However, eventually Tony discovered Stephen's night terror, and he made it his mission to help the man overcome it.

Whether it was cuddling the man to death, or forcing him to stand up and go walk in the shadows of the room to prove to him that nothing was there, Tony tried his best to console the man.

Tonight was another one of Stephen's bad days.

Stephen had lied down with Tony, and was about to shut his tired eyes, when he could've sworn he saw a shadow move along the room's wall in front of them.

Stephen tensed, and Tony, who had been sprawled out on top of the man, took notice of this.

"Stephen?" Tony spoke softly, lifting his head so that he could face Stephen.

When he saw that the sorcerer was staring out onto the room's darkness, he sighed softly and reached up to grab Stephen's chin, making the man face him.

"Baby, it's okay," Tony spoke softly, gently brushing his hand through Stephen's hair.

"Nothings there, I promise. JARVIS would never let anyone sneak in here."

Stephen sighed and leaned into Tony's touch, moving his attention from the room's wall, to his lover.

"I know, I know," Stephen muttered softly.

"It's just—I just...I can't help thinking like something's there."

Tony smiled softly and pressed his lips to Stephen's forehead.

"What am I gonna do with you," he spoke teasingly, making Stephen smile a little.

Tony shifted around in the bed so that he was laying down and cradling Stephen's head in his armpit.

"Do you trust me?" He spoke and Stephen nodded instantly.

"Of course."

Tony smiled.

"Good."

The sorcerer was confused as to why he would ask that, but before he could question it, something was pressed against his eyes, making the room go dark.

Stephen tensed harshly and reached up to remove whatever was on his face, but something stopped him.

"It's okay love," Tony spoke softly.

"It's just my hand, you're okay."

Stephen lowered his hand, but continued to lay stiff as a board on Tony.

He felt like something was about to pounce on him and Tony, and it was making him anxious.

"It's okay my love," Tony spoke, using the hand that wasn't covering Stephen's face, to gently brush through his hair.

Stephen honestly didn't remember much more of that night. All he knew was that once Tony started hiking and speaking softly to him, he was lulled into an amazing night's sleep.