No-One But You (The Zephyr Endeavor) - Part 2
Chapter 57: Extra Dry, Extra Olives (Part 7)
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"And… I wanted to talk to you, about Steve Rogers? I know you must have intercepted my thoughts, when I last used the Mind Stone."
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Tony Stark heard what Ezekiel Stane was saying to him, but he didn't look up from his screen or into the cryo-tube at all. The brunette was currently staring at a chart of his own vitals, and he was monitoring his own reactions.
So far, Tony could see that an anxiety was building, but it wasn't based on fear. It was… based on, what exactly? Mistrust? Perhaps an unspoken jealousy was somehow in the mix.
Tony realized that he felt bitter, angry, and…
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"Also…I've wanted to tell you that you were correct when we spoke to one another at Seagate. You called me a copycat, and you assumed that I wanted to experience what I found, in Brooklyn…"
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Ezekiel just kept talking. He truly wanted to begin a conversation with the other inventor, and he wanted the two of them to finally remedy their terrible connection.
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"I've never forgotten that conversation Tony, and I'm beginning to feel as if I've accomplished that goal with Wade Wilson. It's been… difficult, but I care for him… a lot."
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Ezekiel was also alluding to the fact that he didn't harbor any feelings for Steve Rogers, despite the information that he shared with Wade. He was mainly giving the goofy mercenary an explanation for his behavior, but that didn't mean he wanted Steve…
Surely Tony could understand that, right?
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The brunette silently processed the next tidbit of information that Obadiah's baby boy decided to share with him, and Tony continued to monitor the way his body was reacting.
Ezekiel was clearly trying to gaslight him into responding, but Tony was more focused on how the words affected his soul. Perhaps the anxiety was coming from hearing Ezekiel's voice? His voice was low, soothing, monotone, and very similar to his father's…
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"Sir, Captain Rogers has accessed your data stream, and he has asked me to deliver a message to you."
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The voice of Jarvis broke through the void, and Tony's body reacted to those words with ease. Ezekiel watched him look away from his screen, then he absentmindedly began tapping his fingers over another.
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"What's the message, Jarv.."
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"Sir, Captain Rogers wants to know if your double date has started without us."
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Hmmmm… now, that message didn't make as much sense as it should have. Without us? And whyyyyy was Steve digging around in his data stream? The blonde was clearly snooping, and HE was also trying to gaslight Tony into giving him some sort of reaction too…
How funny. Hmmm, so… the fiery brunette decided to engage with them both. He glanced over in Ezekiel's direction for half a millisecond, then his eyes returned to the screen that displayed what was happening with his mind, body, and soul.
Just that tiny glimpse of the Devil's son was enough to cause his anxiety to spike… so… hmmm.. Tony did his best to understand his own behavior.
The trigger was most likely Ezekiel's appearance. He had his father's good qualities, and that meant a number of things…
Tony's trust issues felt pretty exposed at the moment too, and he wasn't necessarily ready to speak on anything that Ezekiel Stane said to him up in that cryo-tube.
He heard the baby Jackal loud and clear tho, and Tony understood everything he was trying to say.
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"Explain his use of the word us. Who's he with Jarvis?…"
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Tony was in a patient mood. He gave Jarvis his task, and he refrained from looking up in Ezekiel's direction until he absolutely had to. The forever somber "quiet coyote" was curious to know who Steve Rogers was with as well, but… the double date comment made the situation a bit obvious.
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"Sir, Captain Rogers is currently with an individual named Wade W. Wilson. Code name, Deadpool. Shall I alert Captain Rogers of your inquiry?"
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lol. Tony's mouth formed an amused looking smile, but then it dropped down to neutral one when he thought about "alerting" Steve about his inquiry. Tony just shook his head no, then he gave another look in Ezekiel's direction.
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"Do you want to see your boyfriend Ezekiel? He's requested a double date, and we're happy to oblige."
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Tony spoke on Steve's behalf, because they operated as a unit and nobody was fucking with that unit ever again. And I'm talking nobody….
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Not Bucky fucking Barnes, Stephen fucking Strange, Wade fucking Wilson, or Ezekiel fucking Stane.
Chapter: END
Thanks for reading.