No-One But You (The Zephyr Endeavor) - Part 2
Chapter 51: Extra Dry, Extra Olives (Part 1)
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Well well well… what a friggen mess.
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Stephen Strange witnessed the door being slammed in the face of Steve Rogers, and boy did that blonde look distraught and upset. Talk about a curveball. Good grief.
So, the former Sorcerer Supreme remained silent in the hallway, and he said nothing to Steve until the man eventually approached. He decided to give him a piece of advice too, and test the waters of Steve's mood.
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"I think it's best to leave that tiger in his cage for a while….don't you think?"
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Stephen looked over his sunglasses and smiled, then he took a moment to finally look around Tony's magnificent beach-front property. The sorcerer had only been there a handful of times, but he mainly occupied one area…
Tony's bedroom was the go-to destination when they all were.. "together" and that was located down… which hallway? Stephen wasn't really sure. Oh well. He stopped looking around and he gave that blonde all his attention.
Steve Rogers needed help for sure, and Doctor Strange happened to have the answer he was looking for. He did his homework on Tony's past ages ago because of the Infinity Stones, remember? So, it's safe to say he understood the issue more than most.
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"You know, I can cure all of this by simply showing you one interaction between Tony and Obadiah Stane. There's just one piece to this that you've been overlooking… I can show you. Just say the word…"
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It's time to cut down to the chase, because now Tony's soul and Ezekiel's mind were on the chopping block. They're both being put to the test, or placed on the auction block for slaughter.
Meddling with the Mind Stone and Soul Stone is no joke, and Stephen was discovering that there was sooooo much more going on beneath the surface. Darkness always wants to dominate and snuff out the light, so…
Stephen absolutely had to drop a careful hint, and Steve Rogers absolutely hated to hear what Stephen Strange said to him. He hated it, because the blonde never wanted to lose his cool and yell at Tony. He also never wanted to leave things between them like that.
What a mess. The blonde was beyond angry with himself and the situation. His arms were crossed up just above his stomach too, and the soldier kept glaring off toward Stephen's super cool smile….
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"Stephen, you're swooping again."
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"Well, I can't help it. Sorry Steve… but I swoop. If you want the upper hand here and if you want to understand what's going on, then break the fucking rules. Go swooping. Dig deeper and figure out what he's hiding… because he's not going to tell you, and it's clouding up his soul."
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There was no time for games either, or precious sentiments about getting Tony Stark to open up and come out of his shell. That "shell" was made of a metal that was farrrrr stronger than any sort of iron, and right now that shit was locked up tight.
Steve Rogers heard what Stephen was saying, loud and clear.
Hearing that made the blonde let out a slow sigh, then he rubbed the side of his face for quite some time. Sure, it was easy to "go swooping" and dig into Tony's thoughts, past, and memories… but that wasn't the way Steve wanted to do things.
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"I just… I know what you're suggesting, but I don't want to do things that way. I can't do that to him, and I want Tony to tell me what's going on."
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Steve was always grateful for the insight, and he was grateful to have Stephen there as some sort of confidant, and friend. The two men exchanged a couple interesting glances, but ultimately, the former Sorcerer Supreme could see where the conversation was going.
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"Well, slow and steady does often win the race… or so they say."
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If Steve Rogers wasn't going to take the easy way out, then Doctor Strange needed to watch from a distance and bid him adiue. That means the sorcerer had to say goodbye, and take leave from the situation for now.
So, Stephen Strange left Steve Rogers standing all on his lonesome in that multi-million dollar mansion… and guess which action the soldier decided to take first...
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The blonde glanced down at the front pocket of his crisp blue jeans, then he quickly fished out his cellphone. He recently set up a "date" with someone, remember?
Well, Captain America decided to make it a lunch date… so he looked through his contact list and he placed a call through to Wade W. Wilson.
The mercenary answered Steve's call after only one ring, and he immediately started blurting out an ocean of words that sounded chaotic and incoherent…
Apparently… Ezekiel ditched Wade at the S.H.I.E.L.D. base?… Oh boy. Steve processed the noise as best he could, and he did his best to arrange an in-person conversation with the infamous mercenary.
Chapter: END
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