Eva called Vision the moment her shift at the coffee shop ended, striding through Manhattan with her fists balled at her sides. "Eva!" he exclaimed, picking up almost immediately as he always did. "I didn't –"

"You come back," she ordered him. "You come back right now. You didn't tell Tony you were going to join Wanda, did you? You just ran away, you – you coward!"

"I could not leave Wanda –"

"HAVE YOU NEVER HEARD OF A LONG DISTANCE FREAKING RELATIONSHIP?!" Eva yelled, so loudly that several people turned around to look at her. She took a deep breath, counted to ten, and really wished that she still drank. "I don't mind that you left. I get it. But Tony doesn't have much left. You can't let him think that you're going to come back when you're not."

There was a long and heavy silence on the other end of the line. "I didn't want to hurt him," Vision said at last, in a very quiet voice.

Eva sighed. "I know," she said. "Very human of you." She took the steps down to the nearest subway, wincing at the wave of stuffy air that hit her. "There's something else too, isn't there? Something you're not telling me."

Another pause. "I keep getting headaches," he said. "I believe that it is something to do with the Mind Stone."

"What, that thing in your head? Why?"

"I don't know. These Stones are powerful, and I don't doubt that there are many people throughout the universe who would do terrible things to obtain them. This one is tied to Wanda's powers as much as it is my own. When I am with her, I think we have a better chance of controlling it. And when I go, the headaches… become nightmares. And I am not accustomed to dreaming."

For once there was a free seat on the carriage. Eva sank into it, dropping her bag at her feet and resting her elbows on her knees. "Why didn't you tell me?" she asked.

"I thought it might put you in danger."

"Then why are you telling me now?"

"Because I think you might be even more of a danger if I don't," he said wryly.

Eva nodded. "Makes sense. Does Wanda know you lied to Tony?"

"I haven't told her yet."

"Do it. And if she thinks you should still stay, then stay. But if she tells you to go, then you come back. If you won't listen to me then you might at least listen to her."

"I always listen to you, Eva."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Anything for a quiet life," she murmured to herself, and heard Vision laugh. "Look, I gotta go – I'm about to lose signal. Call me if you don't come back, at least. I'm not making myself look like an idiot in front of Stark again."

"Will do. Oh, and Eva –"

"What?" she asked, as the train began to slide out of the station.

"Thank you."

%

Three days later

"Look who's back," said Tony, waving a hand at his companion as Eva turned to the coffee machine to make his usual order. Next to him, Vision gave her an imploring look.

"How was the mission?" she said pointedly.

"Good," Vision replied, eyes now flicking up to the ceiling. This was actually kind of fun. She didn't usually get to take the moral high ground. "Wonderful, thank you."

"Got any more planned?"

"Maybe. Possibly."

"Well," she replied, "let me know if ya do. Anything else?"

"Five rainbow cookies," Stark replied. "I haven't had breakfast yet."

"It's seven o'clock in the evening," Vision said. "You haven't had anything yet today?"

"I'm about to have five rainbow cookies."

"See what happens when you leave him on his own?" Eva said to Vision. A look of hurt flashed across his face and she realized she had taken the joke too far. "Grab a table," she told Stark, handing him the tray. "This one can pay as apology."

"Eva," Vision said quietly as soon as Tony was out of earshot, "I really didn't mean to –"

"I know," she cut him off. "I'm sorry. I was being a dick. I know this can't be easy for you. I guess Wanda told you to come back, then?"

"She said I worry too much," he mumbled.

"You do. It's what makes you so nice." She leaned over the counter and took his hands in hers. "You had one screw up," she told him softly. "That doesn't make you a bad person. If anything, it makes you better. Now I know you're not perfect."

He smiled. "I'm glad you're reassured," he said.

"Look – I got Alvie to have a dig through Stark's personal calendar and he's in Seoul for a week and a half at the end of next month. Rhodey's got business in Washington then, too. There'll be no one at HQ to notice that you're missing."

A smile broke out on his face for the first time that day. "You are wonderful," he said. "Absolutely wonderful."

"I know."

He gave her a wad of money and kissed her cheek. "I owe you a favour," he said firmly. "Are there any of those terrible horror movies out at the moment that you like?"

"As it happens," Eva said, "there is. See you tonight at eight?"

"Tonight at eight," he confirmed.

"And you'll hold my hand when I get scared?"

"Always."

A/N me and my housemate have recently come to the unsettling realisation that the similarity between her/Rocket and me/Star-Lord is uncanny and can in particular be seen whenever we argue, so that's put a whole new spin on the Guardians films for us. In other news, my uni has a film talk a few times a month and this time round we did Infinity War, because obviously, and I nearly got into an actual physical fight because of how much I love and will defend Vision. So that's fun.