Title: On the Off Chance
Author: Kristen Sharpe
Date: January 2, 2019
Rating: G
Warnings: Spoilers for the second/December 2018 Avengers: Endgame trailer.
Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Marvel Comics/Studios, Disney, and various other parties.

Author's Note: This comes out of the immediate reaction texts I traded with Sage SK after seeing the December trailer for "Avengers: Endgame" with Tony adrift in space and was written as a Fandom Stocking gift fic for Snax0.

As his fingers found the switch inside, the light from his helmet guttered out and Tony Stark slumped against the nearest wall. That was it then. The end. He’d said what he had to say. He was out of words and out of time.

But, not out of regrets. Never out of regrets.

Someone coughed. Well, something coughed.

Expecting to find another ship system breaking down, Tony turned his head. And, screamed.

The big, rock alien thing that had somehow snuck up behind him screamed back. Then, held up huge hands.

“Sorry, sorry! Didn’t mean to startle you.”

The mild voice was such a mismatch with the huge body that Tony wondered if he was hallucinating. Lack of air and all that. Maybe that was why he managed to keep his voice steady as he asked, “Where--How long have you been there?”

“Uhm,” the alien lowered his hands, “since you started your little recording?” He flung his hands up again. “I know I should have said something, but it seemed wrong to interrupt. We thought it was very eloquent though, very touching. Didn’t we Miek?”

There was a second alien, Tony realized, some sort of robot bug thing.

And, he had to be hallucinating because Reindeer Games was there too, rolling his eyes.

He decided to address the familiar, if absolutely unwelcome, face. “What are these guys?”

“Proof that the universe hates me.”

Tony felt his lips twitch. “The universe has good taste then.”

That got him a sneer. “Droll. I’m having second thoughts about rescuing you, however necessary it might be.”

“But, you’ve gotta, right? Seeing as I’m necessary and all.”

Necessary? Whatever.

Maybe it was a hallucination. Maybe it was a trap. And, it was definitely insane.

But, it was a chance.

And, Tony was taking it.