Lessons In Love: Chapter Thirty-Nine: Nigdy Nie - Never No (Part 3)

The older Steve returned to the Kamar taj. He had an odd feeling when he arrived, because it was pretty quiet.

The soldier enjoyed his day off, but it was dark in Nepal, and his little red corvette did not go home.

He followed that energy. Steve glanced up at one of the roofs, and then he located Tony and Clea. They were in the library, and they filled him in on what happened.

Apparently, the younger Stephen was frozen in place, and they were unable to convince the Sorcerer Supreme to release him.

Bucky was almost banished to oblivion, and everyone dispersed back to their rooms. The younger Stephen was still stuck outside.

"Who spoke with him?"

Tony pointed at Clea, and Clea pointed toward Tony. Those two were unable to convince Stephen? Oh boy. Steve released a troubled sigh, and he glanced up toward the ceiling.

His hands were up on those hips, and he thought about the young Stephen that was frozen outside in the cold.

"I'll try again. I kinda only poked the bear, on the first round."

Round two was going to work out. Tony convinced himself of that, and he smiled at his lovely comrades.

"Good luck Tony. I'm going to check in with my younger self."

Steve intended to return, but he hadn't spoken to his younger self at all before he left. He wanted to see where he was at, and go from there.

Steve parted ways with the others, and he headed toward Baby Steve's room. Tony and Clea made plans for the roof.

She wanted Tony to talk to him. Clea had something on her mind, and it was best if Tony took over. They walked outside the library, and Clea watched him head up and over onto the roof.

Stephen's thinking spot was up there. Tony saw him, and he sat down on that familiar roof top. The mighty Dr. Douchebag-wizard-pizza-supreme did not look in Tony's direction.

He kept looking at the view of Kathmandu, and he continued to think things through.

Tony waved at that cloak. It quickly waved back to him, and Stephen gently rolled his eyes.

"...what."

"You can't leave him out there like that. Let him go."

"No."

A simple comment, and a simple response was all that Tony got. He scowled at that wizard prick, and edged closer to him. LISTEN PUNK...

"I saw something today that you obviously missed. Would you like to know what I saw?"

Tony changed his approach. His objective was to soften that wizard up like butter. It was a hard thing for most to accomplish, but Tony had done it more than a few times.

Stephen kept looking forward. He listened to all that noise, but then he slowly turned his head to his left.

He looked directly at Tony, and that clearly was a YES in the brunette's mind.

"I saw my very own mini-me drop everything to check in on Stephen. He was utilizing Agamotto's energy, and it drew my younger self in."

Tony didn't tell his younger self to look into what was going on. He did that on his own. Stephen kept looking at Tony as he continued explaining.

"When I got up to the surface, I saw Baby Steve doing the exact same thing. They both went right to him, and they knew that something was wrong."

All the "adults" knew that Agamotto would use that nineteen year old's body in a heart beat. He'd take over, and wreck some shit. Luckily, the older Stephen intervened.

But, Tony saw the day as a good thing. It meant that the other two could eventually intervene, once they knew what they were doing. Stephen kept looking at Tony for a little while. He heard what he said, and he turned back to the beautiful view.

"Why aren't you working with him? It seems like you are avoiding him.. or Victor?"

Tony wanted to get to the bottom of it. The three younglings were already aligned with the Vishanti. If they continued to coast around, something bad could happen.

Sooooo, what the shit? Tony kicked his stupid foot, and Stephen's sharp eyes looked in his direction. Those eyes softened a little, after he gave Tony's noise some thought.

He wasn't exactly sure what he was avoiding. It was getting clearer in his mind, but Stephen had mixed feelings. Tony could see it on his face. The core to the issue was exposing itself, and Stephen was starting to realize that it was something he didn't want to re-experience.

That re-experience was bound to happen, through his younger self. Stephen didn't want to witness it.

"It might be Victor, or something else."

"It's nothing you can't handle right? I saw that shirt, by the way."

The adorable Victor Strange was wearing the same exact t-shirt that was given to Tony as a gift. The older Stephen gave it to him years ago, right there on that rooftop.

"You caught me. I gave you something that belonged to my dead brother."

Happy? Stephen just spoke out his thought, and then Tony did the staring. He didn't know that the shirt was Victor's. Stephen left that part out, and Tony tried to decipher what it meant.

The Sorcerer Supreme turned back to his view, and he let his flooding thoughts subside. Tony mentioned him releasing the younger Stephen again, but the older one said no.

He did not want to release him, until he was done thinking. Tony gave a very hard sigh, and he left the roof in defeat. Steve had bad news to share. Tony had bad news as well, and Clea just took it all in.

The three of them deliberated the situation, while someone else quietly approached the younger Stephen.

It was dark at the Kamar taj, and friggen freezing. Baby Tony knew that he was still out there, so he brought Stephen a blanket.

The younger Stephen could only move his eyes. He received a visit from the younger Steve. Then, his brother stayed with him for a long while. After that, he saw the older Steve for a moment. Now, he was visited by the younger Tony.

Stephen just stared straight ahead, and he heard Tony saying something about protesting the situation. That blanket was wrapped around his shoulders, and Tony kept squawking about setting him free.

The younger Stephen was amused, but he couldn't smile.

"I'll sleep out here with you. What do you think?"

Tony even brought a pillow. He set it beside Stephen's feet. Stephen could not answer, so Tony tried a different approach.

"Blink twice for yes. Once for no. Got it?"

It was simple instructions. Tony had a large grin, and he fixed that blanket around those shoulders.

"Are you hungry?"

Stephen blinked once for NO. His entire body was cancelled, basically, so he did not feel any hunger. Ok, cool. Tony thought of another question.

He wanted to ask him something about showing up outside his door. But, Tony didn't think it was the best time for that. He looked around the area for a sec, and then almost asked his next question.

Almost. Baby Tony chickened out, and he just stared at the frozen Stephen. He wanted to ask him about something he said...

SHIT. Tony felt stupid. He closed his eyes, and set his own blanket down beside the pillow. He was about to just lay down and shut up forever, but the brunette changed his mind.

"Did you really say that I make you feel happier? I was spacing out when you were at the door. You could have said something else, I was just double checking."

Stephen completely lost track of the question. He retraced that noise, and understood what was asked. Did Tony make him feel happier?

Stephen blinked his eyes twice. Tony swallowed, then he quickly asked a follow up.

"Is that why you came by my room?"

Since Stephen was stuck there, Tony decided to take advantage of the situation. He was curious. Stephen slowly blinked his eyes twice again, but then he closed them for a long time.

He didn't want to answer anymore questions, or think about it any longer. Baby Tony caught the hint, and he sank down to his pillow and blanket. He bundled up on the ground, and decided to sleep out there with him.

That decision and commitment already had him shivering, but the brunette powered through and fixed the blanket over his legs.

Chapter: END

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