It was hard for the Vision to sleep after Wanda had been imprisoned. And although he didn't biologically need sleep, exactly, he found that it helped his emotional health. He knew that Tony could see right through his facade of contentment. But it was Vision's fault she was gone. If only I had let her leave. If only I had accompanied her, she would not have left me.
Wanda was an independent person. She could take care of herself, but Vision wanted to protect her. He had gotten used to it, after her brother's passing. She had been so emotionally vulnerable. She had cried into Vision's shoulder, trusted him with her heart. And I betrayed that trust, Vision reminded himself.
It would be so easy to blame Tony and Steve for everything that had happened. They were the ones who had been petty. They were the ones who had started the fight. Tony had asked Vision to watch Wanda, prevent her from leaving, but Vision was the one who had listened. So it was his fault.
Tony entered the bedroom without knocking. "Vision," he said.
"Yes, Tony?"
"Please stop wallowing in self-hatred. I'm lonely."
Always about you. "What can I do for you?"
"We should do something. Go to an amusement park, a bar. You can be my wingman."
"I do not believe you need a wingman, sir," commented Vision with a touch of sarcasm.
"You're so right," replied Tony bitterly. It had been six months, and he was still torn up by his breakup with Pepper. "I'll be yours."
That was a shift. Some interest in the well-being of Vision. "I do not desire a romantic relationship. But thank you for the offer." Sincere this time. If one was not sincere with Tony after he had been thoughtful, he would never do it again. Must reinforce positive behavior.
"I think you're lying," accused Tony, a sparkle in his eye.
Vision was not interested in playing. "We will not find her in a bar."
Tony grimaced. "So you're admitting it now."
What is the point in hiding? She is gone. "The one who needs to move on is you."
He winced. "Ouch. You know that I can't, right? Not while there's a chance…"
"There is no chance. There was never a chance. She said that it was over, and she meant forever. Tony, you must move on." It was cruel, but subtlety had not worked for the past six months. It was time to put down the crippled dog.
There were tears in Tony's eyes because he knew it was true, he had always known it was true, even when he told Steve that he and Pepper were 'taking a break' he had known that their break was for ever. But maybe now he would face it, instead of each time drinking away the memories of the realization that the happiest time of his life was over. And Vision knew that Tony believed that without Pepper, he would never get married, he would never have a son or daughter to whom to pass his company. Vision felt as though he should make some attempt to comfort Tony, but he didn't know how.
And that was the issue, he realized. Vision did not know how to interact with humanity. That was why he had failed Wanda so badly. Even though he had known her for his entire life, knew her eyes better than his own, he did not know how to act because he was not human, would never be human. He had told Ultron it was a privilege to be among them, but he hadn't known how true that statement was. And he had gone and fallen in love with one of that doomed race. It almost broke his heart.
Obviously Tony recognized the look in his eyes. "She's not gone, Vis. Wanda's not here right now, but she'll come back." His unspoken words were as clear as the audible ones: Unlike Pepper.
Vision placed his hand on Tony's shoulder. "That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."
"Thank you… for that, that really clears up this whole situation." But Tony was brightening, just a little.
Vision smiled slightly. "You are most welcome."
"Do I have a chance, Vision? Am I too old to be happy?"
Vision paused, thinking. "Tony, if you define your happiness by whether or not you are with Pepper, then I do not believe you can be. But there are other women in the world."
"I don't want them," protested Tony quietly.
"I will help you, if you would like."
"You have needs too, Vision. I didn't realize that, but now I do."
Vision smiled again. "Yes, and I appreciate you realizing that. But my needs are not the same as those of humans. Helping you would make me feel better than I do now."
Tony hesitated, then leaned in and kissed VisioIt was hard for the Vision to sleep after Wanda had been imprisoned. And although he didn't biologically need sleep, exactly, he found that it helped his emotional health. He knew that Tony could see right through his facade of contentment. But it was Vision's fault she was gone. If only I had let her leave. If only I had accompanied her, she would not have left me.
Wanda was an independent person. She could take care of herself, but Vision wanted to protect her. He had gotten used to it, after her brother's passing. She had been so emotionally vulnerable. She had cried into Vision's shoulder, trusted him with her heart. And I betrayed that trust, Vision reminded himself.
It would be so easy to blame Tony and Steve for everything that had happened. They were the ones who had been petty. They were the ones who had started the fight. Tony had asked Vision to watch Wanda, prevent her from leaving, but Vision was the one who had listened. So it was his fault.
Tony entered the bedroom without knocking. "Vision," he said.
"Yes, Tony?"
"Please stop wallowing in self-hatred. I'm lonely."
Always about you. "What can I do for you?"
"We should do something. Go to an amusement park, a bar. You can be my wingman."
"I do not believe you need a wingman, sir," commented Vision with a touch of sarcasm.
"You're so right," replied Tony bitterly. It had been six months, and he was still torn up by his breakup with Pepper. "I'll be yours."
That was a shift. Some interest in the well-being of Vision. "I do not desire a romantic relationship. But thank you for the offer." Sincere this time. If one was not sincere with Tony after he had been thoughtful, he would never do it again. Must reinforce positive behavior.
"I think you're lying," accused Tony, a sparkle in his eye.
Vision was not interested in playing. "We will not find her in a bar."
Tony grimaced. "So you're admitting it now."
What is the point in hiding? She is gone. "The one who needs to move on is you."
He winced. "Ouch. You know that I can't, right? Not while there's a chance…"
"There is no chance. There was never a chance. She said that it was over, and she meant forever. Tony, you must move on." It was cruel, but subtlety had not worked for the past six months. It was time to put down the crippled dog.
There were tears in Tony's eyes because he knew it was true, he had always known it was true, even when he told Steve that he and Pepper were 'taking a break' he had known that their break was for ever. But maybe now he would face it, instead of each time drinking away the memories of the realization that the happiest time of his life was over. And Vision knew that Tony believed that without Pepper, he would never get married, he would never have a son or daughter to whom to pass his company. Vision felt as though he should make some attempt to comfort Tony, but he didn't know how.
And that was the issue, he realized. Vision did not know how to interact with humanity. That was why he had failed Wanda so badly. Even though he had known her for his entire life, knew her eyes better than his own, he did not know how to act because he was not human, would never be human. He had told Ultron it was a privilege to be among them, but he hadn't known how true that statement was. And he had gone and fallen in love with one of that doomed race. It almost broke his heart.
Obviously Tony recognized the look in his eyes. "She's not gone, Vis. Wanda's not here right now, but she'll come back." His unspoken words were as clear as the audible ones: Unlike Pepper.
Vision placed his hand on Tony's shoulder. "That which has been is what will be, that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."
"Thank you… for that, that really clears up this whole situation." But Tony was brightening, just a little.
Vision smiled slightly. "You are most welcome."
"Do I have a chance, Vision? Am I too old to be happy?"
Vision paused, thinking. "Tony, if you define your happiness by whether or not you are with Pepper, then I do not believe you can be. But there are other women in the world."
"I don't want them," protested Tony quietly.
"I will help you, if you would like."
"You have needs too, Vision. I didn't realize that, but now I do."
Vision smiled again. "Yes, and I appreciate you realizing that. But my needs are not the same as those of humans. Helping you would make me feel better than I do now."
Tony hesitated, then leaned in, closing his brown eyes, and pressed Vision's lips to his.
