a thing i will name later

When Tony carved out this little slice for himself and Bruce, he never in a million years thought he would be desperately searching for it in an alternate timeline, but here he is. Googling himself had never been so utterly dissatisfying, especially for him. As he's trudging up to the cottage, he's already working up to a way he can get back at Strange for this blip, which he's already decided is definitely that guy's fault. But as usual, he has no idea how to find him in any universe, so complaining to his greenest friend will have to do.

He's wearing a thick hoodie even for the beach and dark sunglasses, but it doesn't hide his signature beard or general appearance of you know, a dead man. He raises his hand nervously, trying to think of how exactly to explain this to Bruce when he doesn't get it himself, that is, when someone who is decidedly not Bruce flings the door open and very nearly crushes him.

"Well, this is awkward. Or it might be, depending on who you are... Who are you?" It's asked brightly to hide his own anxiety as he shrinks back from the door and tries to will himself into a less Tony Stark-shaped man. Cue the freak-out in 3...2...

one of these things isn't like the other✨

Tony had actually done pretty well tracking down the totem-bearers and convincing at least some of them to help him put down Thanos for good. Without ever meeting him, he somehow already knows Behrad will be the glue for this operation, and after everything Zari told him he desperately wants this to go well. Behrad is visiting his family because their superhero group actually gets vacation time, as Sara explains to Tony. Being able to harness time itself does have its perks, or so he would assume. Strange always looks miserable, but there's a lot to unpack there aside from the time stone.

Anyway, that's how he ends up being dropped off in a really nice neighborhood sometime in the 2030s and wondering how long he's been dead in the present. Hopefully, they won't find him as recognizable as Zari had. He buzzes at the gate of their McMansion, remembering all too vividly that portion of his life where he lived in a gated community. It doesn't seem to jive with totem girl, but she did say the family changed completely after her sacrifice.

"Singing telegram for Behrad Tarazi," he deadpans, waving at the security camera and holding up the bouquet of flowers in his hands to show whoever is watching he isn't a threat.