"Stay away from me." Tony lamented, scrambling away from Edward. They couldn't be the same person. He was ugly, alcoholic and vile from the very root. Tony felt the oncoming of a panic attack.

"I am sorry I startled you. " Edward, or for god sake whoever he was, said. Tony could hear his cogs turning. Sly. "But whoever went with me didn't survive. "

He took a deep breath. His eyes glazed over.

"There was a kid younger than you."

Tony gaped angrily at him. He wasn't a loon and would not fall for this.

"He died." And his breath hitched their.

"I don't want more people falling in this business. I don't want more people to die. The only life I am ready to give, is mine. But I. can't. do it alone."

So Edward wanted him to risk his life. For some unforenseen danger. Great. One more reason not to do this. Tony was a teenager. He wanted to see life. Experience the thrill of it. Not die in a fight, no matter how noble it sounded.

"I am begging you."

"Why did you survive?" He asked him instead. He didn't want to sound rude, and yet , when his words did, he didn't care.

Edward seemed to ponder the question.

"I don't know."

And in his heart, Toy knew this was honest.

" I was spared by the snap. There was a person...robot their with me. We got into a ship and began sailing towards Earth. But then , our resources got low..."

He smiled.

" My Pepper came to save me."

Tony choked. 'Excuse me?"

"Uh sorry. I meant, like you have P"In space. I had given her a suit. The rescue suit. More advanced than you made for Pepper."

"Oh yeah. What happens to Pepper, Rhodey in the future? Surely you must know."

"Rhodey became a colonel. Pepper got ...ermm...to work for a billionaire."

Tony nodded.

"What happens if I die?" He asked in a small voice. He still hadn't agreed to work with Edward, but curiousity...

"If you die, I will disappear."

Tony smiled.