Second Chance

Tony knew better than to play with alien toys. He really did. But there was just something so tempting about otherworldly objects. It turned out that he wasn't the only Tony Stark that felt that way. One explosion later, there's a brand new Tony in town. But there's something not quite right about this Tony and how he reacts to the team. The way he flinches away from Bucky or shakes when Steve picks up the shield or won't turn his back to Clint and Natasha. He carries a profound trauma. It turns out that not every Tony Stark is as lucky as Tony, but damned if the "prime" Tony, Steve, and Bucky aren't going to fix that. When two Tony Starks meet, a love of self-redemption will blossom in the cracks of the multiverse. Can they collectively mend the traumas of this broken parallel universe and find solace in each other? How will this unique connection reshape their understanding of love and courage?

Second Chance

Tony knew better than to play with alien toys. He really did. But there was just something so tempting about otherworldly objects. It turned out that he wasn't the only Tony Stark that felt that way. One explosion later, there's a brand new Tony in town. But there's something not quite right about this Tony and how he reacts to the team. The way he flinches away from Bucky or shakes when Steve picks up the shield or won't turn his back to Clint and Natasha. He carries a profound trauma. It turns out that not every Tony Stark is as lucky as Tony, but damned if the "prime" Tony, Steve, and Bucky aren't going to fix that. When two Tony Starks meet, a love of self-redemption will blossom in the cracks of the multiverse. Can they collectively mend the traumas of this broken parallel universe and find solace in each other? How will this unique connection reshape their understanding of love and courage?

The explosion tore through the lab like a thunderclap, shattering glass and sending shockwaves through the reinforced floor. When the smoke cleared, Tony Stark wasn’t alone. Another man stood in the center of the debris—same face, same arc reactor glow—but eyes hollow, posture coiled like a trapped animal. He raised scorched hands, voice raw: "Don't move."\n\nAlarms blared. Security protocols activated. But Tony didn’t see the threat assessment; he saw himself, aged by horrors he’d never faced. The man backed away from the approaching figures—Steve stepping forward, shield in hand, Bucky at his side. At the sight of the vibranium disc, the other Tony flinched violently, stumbling into a console.\n\n"He's not attacking," Natasha said, low and calm.\n\nBut the damage was done. The man panted, fingers clawing at his chest plate as if it could stop a memory. Tony took a step forward. "Hey. Look at me. You're safe here."\n\nThe other Tony met his gaze—and for the first time, something flickered beneath the fear. Recognition. Then pain.\n\nThe system beeped: life signs destabilizing. Medical team incoming. But the real crisis wasn’t physiological. It was the unspoken question hanging in the air: What kind of world made Tony Stark afraid of coming home?