Lessons In Love: Chapter Fourty: Nigdy Nie - Never No (Part 4)
The older Stephen went home. He left his younger self exactly like he was, and he joined Clea in their apartment.
He was working something out, and she was inwardly doing the same exact thing. Stephen explained what he was realizing, and it all had to do with that stupid Pink Floyd shirt.
He told his wife that it symbolized his youth. He gave it to Tony, because he wore it back when he used to just live his life, and not deal with so much death.
Stephen loved music. He attended a concert, a long time ago, with his younger brother. So, Victor had one, and so did Stephen.
Why did any of that matter?
It mattered to Stephen, because he gave it Tony. It symbolized something that felt lost. His emotions were always being subdued, but he really cared about Tony.
So, now you have his frozen younger self. Emotions subdued, unable to move or speak. It's how his older self translated the lock on what he really felt, and it's why he did not let his younger self free.
Clea listened to what Stephen was telling her. In a way, he was finally grieving, because the older Stephen got rid of the dilution to his emotions. He felt everything now, and the sorcerer was always going to be processing what really happened to his loved ones.
He focused on so much death, and Clea asked him something as they picked the situation apart. She was lying on the bed beside him, and said that she wanted him to focus on life.
Clea was holding onto one of his arms as she asked him a question. Stephen gave her a simple response, and turned closer to her.
~~~—-~~~
That evening disappeared, and the sunshine seemed to burn a hole directly into Baby Tony's sleeping face. That beautiful sun rose up, and the young brunette rolled around on the uncomfortable ground.
His friggen spine felt broken, and he immediately jumped up when he heard a familiar voice.
The younger Steve showed his face. He wanted to check on Stephen, and he was surprised to see Tony laying all over the cold ground.
Baby Steve looked pretty puzzled. Tony awkwardly pried his foot out of his blanket, and he tried to fix his disheveled clothes.
Stephen just glanced between them. His body was still on lockdown, so he could only observe the encounter.
Steve Rogers said good morning, as Tony messed around with his hair. Uhhhmahhhh, good morning? He thought that Steve looked so put together, and handsome.
Tony looked down at his untied shoes, and then he glanced over at the frozen Stephen. He wondered why Steve was being so distant. Tony felt like he hadn't seen him in weeks.
He thought about the alarm at the hotel, and it made Tony draw his bottom lip under his teeth.
The truth was, Steve wanted to spend some more time with Bucky. He wasn't really ready to face Tony like before, so he kept his distance. Steve spent another night with Bucky in his room.
He was getting used to being intimate with someone, and the blonde's skin became pretty warm as he thought of that. Tony stared and awkwardly picked up his stuff. He was acting like he needed to "clean up" now that Steve had arrived on the scene.
Stephen wished that he could have looked away. He closed his eyes instead and did his best to ignore them.
"How's Bucky?"
Tony hadn't seen him either. He saw the whole encounter between Stephen and Bucky, but the two brunettes never actually spoke to one another. Tony was hoping to change that? Maybe? But whatever he had going with Steve felt very up in the air.
Stephen's eyes opened back up when he heard that shit. How was Bucky? Fuck him..
The younger Stephen wanted to roll his eyes, or leave. That action was denied for some reason, and he just remained where he was. He felt like he was stuck in an invisible stone.
"He's fine."
Too fine. Bucky had no remorse for what he did to Tony, or Stephen. Steve knew that he couldn't smooth things over, or apologize for Bucky's behavior.
It didn't seem like Bucky was going to make amends either. He intended to leave that morning.
A thick silence dominated the scene that Stephen Strange was forced to watch. Tony dropped the pillow four times, and he fumbled around as he tried to get it underneath his arm.
"Shower. That's what I'm gunna go do. Yeah."
Tony wanted to take off to the hills. It felt so strange to be where he stood. I mean, he had all that super kitty energy, confusion, awkward feels, and a terrible night of sleep going on. So, Tony wanted to run.
THE SILENCE WAS TORTURE. Steve was thinking about what to say, while Tony was thinking about when to run.
"I could carry that for you?"
Steve offered to help him carry the blankets. Tony stepped around where he stood, and almost responded. Both of their budding and youthful thoughts were interrupted, because they looked at the silent Stephen.
They couldn't exactly fix what was going on with him, but neither of them wanted to leave him there.
"Steve can you just, sit here with me? I planned to protest, until he is set free."
PROTEST THAT SHIT. Tony didn't plan to do a damn thing at that dojo until Stephen was released. Steve watched Tony sit back down on the ground.
The would-be-soldier smiled at Tony's silly behavior. He glanced at the frozen Stephen for a moment, and then he slowly took a seat. Steve Rogers was new to the concept of protesting, but it was intriguing him.
Chapter : END
Thanks for reading.