No-One But You (The Mystic Consultant) - Part 2

Chapter 44: Emberkreiss (Part4)

Tony Stark was super-focused on smoothing out the third component to Victor's amulet when he heard some yummy and very familiar footsteps toward his right.

He didn't pry his focus away from his task at all when Steve entered his space once again, and his behavior was had more than a couple things with him as he entered Tony's work space.

The food he ordered for the two of them was his first priority, so Steve just walked on in and he behaved as if he was making himself at home. Tony could hear Steve move a few things around. He even set a chair down beside the left side of the work table. Everything within and around the forge was prehistorically old and SUPER dated, but Tony was a pro and he made it work.

He was reminded of how old the chairs actually were when Steve Rogers helped himself and took a seat. The chair creaked and made a noise as if it was about to snap in half. The soldier boy looked a little spooked about it after he sat down, and Tony slowly closed his eyes. He was holding in his reaction, because the brunette was about to laugh…

Tony slowly swallowed down his reaction, then he carried on with what he was doing for Victor.

"Have you eaten anything?"

That golden thing spoke to Tony, and the brunette kept his eyes glued to the amulet that was pretty close to his face. Steve was acting all cute when he spoke to him and unpacked the food that he picked up. He ordered a couple sandwiches, and the hot one was ready and waiting for Tony. Steve slowly unwrapped his sandwich, and he did his best to hide his grin.

He took exactly four steps in Tony's direction, and the brunette just about choked. Steve was right there beside him for just a moment, because he set Tony's food down beside his arm.

The blonde was in a good mood. Steve sat back down, and he watched those sharp eyes across the table too. He could tell that Tony was playing games with him and acting coy. He watched as Tony said a simple thank you to him, then he carried on with the work that was set before him.

Steve studied Tony's face, then he directed his attention toward his own food. Steve realized in that moment that he asked for way too many ingredients in his sandwich. The sub was packed full, and some of it was spilling out around his hands. Tony gave Steve's situation a quick glance, and he was caught pretty quickly.

The soldier boy caught Tony looking at him, so Steve flashed him a friendly smile. The blonde figured that his Little Red Corvette was allllllmmmmooooosssstttt there. He was just about to break out of the mood he was in, and Steve was more than ready for it. He began to wonder what Tony would say first. Something about Victor? Or, perhaps something about Bucky?

No…Steve could see that he had his work cut out for him. The two of them co-existed in the room for a few more minutes. Steve ate his food, while Tony returned his focus back toward the amulet.

"Do you have a pen?"

A pen? Come on Steveeeee. Tony's face reacted first. His bottom lip migrated up beneath his pretty white teeth. Steve watched him as he slowly started chewing. Tony was trying everything not to react or smile, and the soldier was beyond amused. He needed a pen because he also brought one of his notebooks with him. OH, and he also brought an overnight bag just for the two of them.

He had a feeling that Tony didn't intend to head home. Well, Steve had no intention of sleeping alone that evening, so he packed them up some, stuff, just in case.

Tony drew in a slow breath, then he pointed toward the west side of the room. Steve had his mouth full when he noticed Tony's movement. Steve looked west and he saw a pile of pencils, pens, and notes. It was a make-shift space for designing and it was where Tony sketched out his plans for Victor's amulet.

The brunette watched that golden thing as he stood up again. Steve brushed some of his meal off his hands, then he stepped over toward the pile of pens.

Tony kept looking at the summer boy as he picked out what he wanted. Steve started looking over the sketches as well, and Tony could tell he was stalling. The brunette also noticed that his soul started speeding up beneath his skin, or something. It felt like his nerves were going haywire.

That happened a lot when he stared at Steve. Tony forced his focus back to the amulet, and he tried to mellow out the stir in his soul.

"Do you mind if I sketch you Tony? I've been wanting to, while you're working."

Steve sat back down in the creaky chair. He moved his food and he got his notebook all ready for a brand new sketch. The blonde loved sketching out things he's observed, and he felt like he had to document Tony's current work space. The brunette broke his focus. He looked at Steve pretty quickly, after that. He didn't expect to hear Steve's request.

"I remember the work space you had, back at the X-Mansion when we first met. I kick myself sometimes, because I didn't finish my sketch of you working in it."

Things happened so fast between them back then, so Steve lost his chance to finish his sketch of Tony while he was working. He wanted to, but he didn't. Tony froze up a little where he stood, because there was a lot more going on behind what Steve was saying.

"I thought about sketching this work space, back when you first worked in here… but I missed the opportunity to do that too."

Steve lost out on a lot of things after he was introduced to the Kamar taj. The details on all of that were blurring, but Steve had an agenda behind what he was saying. He could tell that Tony was catching onto it, so he proceeded with caution.

"I've also THOUGHT about sketching you in your workspace, back in Brooklyn. That's where you've been making your music, and where you built that translucent suit. I'll never forget the moment I saw you in that suit for the first time, but …. I haven't sketched you working in that space either. Something's always getting in the way."

Steve remembered the glowing suit like it happened yesterday. But, the truth of the matter was…. the inventor of that suit has lived in his apartment for years.

Steve did the math in his head right there in that moment, and he could see Tony's expression change several times. Steve's behavior was pretty unexpected, so Tony started feeling a little overwhelmed.

"I'm sorry, Tony, about what was going on with Bucky. I hate what happened this evening, before we came here."

Steve Rogers felt like he was blind, and it felt like he still hadn't learned his lesson from years ago with Stephen. He almost put Tony through the same behavior again, and he felt pretty horrible. Steve thought to himself that he really was blind, because Tony was doing everything he could to communicate how he's always felt..

He remembered his music. Steve remembered what Tony was doing just a few hours ago, but Bucky's needs came first.

Tony just kept his eyes closed at that point. He didn't want to talk about Bucky fucking Barnes, or hear about what was happening at the apartment before he was saved by the bell. Stephen Strange picked the perfect moment to send Steve a text message, and Tony began to think that Stephen did it on purpose…

The wizard always had his back, especially when it came down to things going on with Bucky and Steve…

Tony just stopped everything. He stopped focusing on the amulet for a moment, then he started slowly rubbing his hands together. Steve really hit the nail on the head with his words, and Tony was beyond affected as a result. He had a feeling that things about them would finally surface, and he wasn't sure at all about responding. There were obvious flaws going on in their relationship, but Steve was ready and willing to work it out.

The blonde stopped everything too. He pushed his precious notebook and sandwich order aside. Steve stood up from all of that distraction, then he took exactly four steps in Tony's direction. Tony kept his eyes closed when Steve approached him, then he pressed his face against Steve's shoulder. He didn't want to say anything. He really friggen couldn't.

He just wanted Steve to love him, and stop with all of that other shit. Tony felt really overwhelmed about it, and the floodgates were just about to crash open all over Steve's comfortable shoulder. Steve spoke softly about being sorry again. He told Tony that he hated himself for being blind. Steve said he hated himself even more, because it took him too long to see what he was doing.

The brunette heard Steve's confession. He finally heard that golden thing tell him that he didn't intend to share Tony with anyone. Steve said if he was thinking straight, then he should have knocked Bucky's face through the wall years ago.

Steve's adorable, yet violent… confession about Bucky caused Tony's quiet composure to finally crack. The brunette gently laughed against Steve's broad shoulder, then his body settled more up against his.

Chapter: END

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