Lessons In Love: Chapter Eighty-Two: Seven Nation Army (Part 2)


Otherworld was growing on the older Tony. He liked looking around at all the whimsical cottages. Tony seriously wondered when a jousting match would occur.

It wasn't all fun and games , however, because something familiar occurred to his right. Up above his head, he saw someone flying toward the Starlight Citadel.

Tony ran a scan of the person that he saw. He saw him in his dream, and the brunette knew that the whole senario that happened was getting close to playing out.

He was looking at all the information that he had on the "Moon Knight". Tony watched him fly off toward the Citadel, but he knew that they would not interact. Maybe one day?

But until then, someone else was coming for him. Tony took in a slow breath. He kept looking up at Roma's home. The same exact scene was out in front of him. Tony stared at the orange hue that was in the sky.

He glanced at a screen that popped up on the left side of his face. It was a simple coded message. It was sent from Steve's suit to his, and it simply said that he missed Tony. Steve wrote:

[I miss you Tony.]

The brunette almost died. Steve killed him with all of his love, and Tony didn't know how to snap out of it. He warmed up from the message and he quickly thought of a response.

He told the blonde that he missed him too, and he asked if Steve was on his way. The soldier replied and said that it wasn't the right time, but he would be there soon.

Tony just closed his eyes for a moment and he processed what it all meant. Tony had been hiding something for a very long time, and now it was time to face the music.

Steve was the only one that knew the truth. They weren't completely sure what it all meant, or how to break the news to the ever assertive Dr. Stephen Douchebag Wizard Pizza Supreme.

The situation could go in so many different ways, but Tony's dream was very clear. He dreamt that he was being physically deconstructed. Tony was in pieces in the dream and Roma was watching.

Steve confronted her about it, but the rest of the dream was blank. Tony tried to draw out the rest of the dream. He tried to suck it out of his own head, but he didn't want to attract that much attention toward himself.

The brunette looked up at the Citadel again, and waited for his escort to arrive to take him away. Steve and Tony decided to embrace the dream, and face the situation as it developed.

~~~—-~~~

Another situation was developing, because the younger Stephen was stepping up some very large porch steps. He stood in front of his childhood home, and his eyes wandered toward the quiet lake.

Stephen forced himself to look at the first window that was toward his right. His father's reading light was on, and Stephen knew that he was sitting in his chair.

Eugene Strange was very stubborn. He had his reading habits, and that was that. They had no television, and in that home you either studied, or died.

Ok, that was dramatic. But, his father was very strict. Stephen thought about that as he gently knocked on the front door. A chill filled his bones, and Stephen tried to warm up as he waited.

He heard his father get up from his chair. Eugene walked to the door and he quickly unlocked the deadbolt. Stephen watched the door open and he looked directly at his father.

Their eyes were almost aligned. Stephen's father was taller, and his posture was just as strong. Eugene didn't hear a car pull up. He looked around Stephen and he inspected the driveway.

"I walked, from town. Can we talk?"

Stephen wasn't sure if he wanted to enter the house. He was comfortable right there on the porch. His mother approached the door, but Eugene slowly put his hand up to keep her from getting close.

"I've already said all that I needed to say to you. You're not welcome here, Stephen."

His father meant every single word. He held an angry expression on his face, and Stephen took in a few slow breaths. He already said? Stephen didn't remember his father saying anything.

That comment aggravated Stephen. His own angry expression began to surface.

"That's just wonderful, well I don't want to be here anyway. I'm just letting you know that Victor plans to stay with me. He's not coming back here ever again."

"We've already mourned his death. Victor is dead to us. You've taken him, just like you took Donna."

Those eyes became even angrier, and Stephen felt a cold stab shoot straight through the core of his soul. His father blamed him for Donna's death.

He always blamed him, and something within Stephen got to work. His father's words hurt him more than anything, and his emotions started slipping away.

Stephen stopped a few tears before they fell. He stopped them right at the source and he continued to stare at his father's face.

"I didn't take Donna. I didn't kill Victor. You've lost your friggen mind."

Stephen didn't step closer, but his voice began to fill the space. He didn't like what was said, but Eugene wasn't backing down at all. The porch door opened further, and Stephen took a small step back. His father intimidated him, and Eugene's voice towered over the porch.

"I saw what you did in that lake. You held her underneath the water. You are EVIL, Stephen. We've seen it all your life. Now get off my porch, or I'll break your head in."

Eugene walked away from his son. He walked into the home and he loudly slammed the door in his face.

Stephen couldn't believe what he heard. He kept staring at the door. So much anger and pain began to sink into his mind and chest.

The would-be-sorcerer was in disbelief. He felt paralyzed from all the grief. He kept telling himself that his father was wrong. He didn't hold Donna underneath the water. Stephen remembered trying to revive her.

He remembered her cold body in his arms. Stephen looked down at the porch and he struggled a little to catch his breath.

He was, evil? Stephen didn't know what to make of what he heard. He was in shock. The sorcerer-in-training didn't know what to do, or where to go. He took a step and formed a portal.

It had no destination. Stephen just watched the orange ring as it spun around in place. He started feeling very sick and overwhelmed.

Something calming came to his mind, but he didn't know how to get there. Stephen didn't know how to travel to the Dark Dimension.

He thought about it, and wondered if that made him even more, evil? Why did he want to go toward darkness? He started getting very confused. Stephen decided on a destination. He was almost in tears as he placed a location.

He completely stepped away from his family's home. Stephen remained lost in thought as he looked up at another house. He stood in Tony's driveway and he stared at all of the beautiful lights. It was pretty late, but Stephen decided to ring the door bell.

He needed help. It took a little while, but Tony was eventually the one that answered the door. The brunette had his jaw locked open when he answered, and he just blankly stared at Stephen. It was pretty obvious that Tony was asleep.

He was half dressed, and Stephen asked him if he could stay over. Say WHAT? Stay over? Tony was red. He freaked out for half a second. The brunette stepped backward into the house, and he let Stephen in.

He heard Tony mention that his mother was asleep. Stephen just gave him a nod and he quietly followed Tony through the house.

They both stopped in Tony's bedroom. The door was closed, and he noticed Tony's behavior change. He thought that Tony seemed nervous. Stephen kept staring at him, and he realized that it didn't help the situation.

He asked to use Tony's phone. He decided to call Victor, and tell him not to wait up for him.


Chapter: END

Thanks for reading.