Chapter 2
POV: Tony Stark
“Do you really have to go?” I ask, looking up at Stephen from where I lay on the bed.
He chuckles in that low tone as he fastens his cloak around his neck.
“Unfortunately, I do.” He answers. “But I’ll be back here as soon as I can, if that’s what you want.”
He shoots me a sideways glance.
“Obviously.” I answer, sitting up and swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
He smiles as he steps closer, putting his hands on the sides of my face and pressing a soft kiss against my lips.
“Hurry though.” I groan, and he laughs against my lips as he kisses me again. “I’m serious.”
He nods as he brushes his nose against mine.
“I will.” He answers softly.
He steps away from me, reaching into his pocket and sliding his ring onto his fingers.
“You text right, Wizard?” I ask, standing up and smirking at him.
He rolls his eyes as he reaches into his pocket again, pulling out his phone and waving it at me.
I step forward taking it from his hand and opening it, finding it to not be password protected.
“You’re a mystical magic man and you don’t have a password on your phone?” I ask, laughing as I click on his contacts, realizing he doesn’t have many numbers saved.
I see his smile out of the corner of my eye as I add my number into his phone.
I lock his phone again, reaching forward and sliding it back into his pocket for him.
“Text me, or whatever.” I mumble, resting my hands against his hips as I look up into his eyes.
“I will.” He answers, kissing my forehead.
I step back towards the bed, giving him room to open a portal in the center of my bedroom.
“I’ll see you soon, Tony.” He says with a soft smile as he steps through the bright orange circle.
I smile back as he fades into the portal, sighing and flopping back onto the bed as the circle disappears.
I decide to take a shower, procrastinating on having to face Steve or the rest of the group for as long as possible.
The warm water washes over me, rinsing the scent of Stephen Strange from my body.
My mind wanders to the night before; the lingering touches from his trembling, yet capable hands, the way his lips pressed softly against mine, against my neck—
I turn the water to cold, pressing the palms of my hands against the marble wall of the shower as it pours over my face and drips down my body.
What is it about him that makes me feel like this?
I’ve only talked to him once before last night, and suddenly I’m in this deep?
This has never happened to me before.
I’ve done hookups before without feeling anything, but this felt… different.
I turn the water off, stepping out and drying off with a towel.
“FRIDAY where is everyone?” I ask as I put new clothes on.
“Captain Rogers, Sargent Barnes, Agent Wilson, Agent Romanoff, and Agent Barton are in the training facility. Peter Parker is in his bedroom. Everyone else is away from the compound, would you like their locations?” She reports.
I shake my head as I slide my glasses onto my face.
“No that’s fine.” I answer. “Thanks.”
I walk to the kitchen first, practically dragging my feet as I get the biggest mug I can find, hold it below the coffee maker, and click the espresso button five times.
The dark brown liquid spills into the mug, and I bring it to my lips the second it’s done, not caring if it burns as I swallow it while I walk to the training facility.
I push the door open, hearing the hush fall over the room as I step in.
“Hey old man.” Natasha says with a small smile as she turns to look at me. “Feeling better?”
I look at her with a puzzled expression as I bring the mug to my lips again.
“Steve said you were sick yesterday during the meeting?” Clint says, looking at me through narrowed eyes.
I risk a glance at Steve, only to find his eyes trained on the floor.
“Yep.” I answer, swirling the coffee in my cup. “Feeling much better now though. What’re you guys doing?”
“Just discussing training plans.” Sam says, gesturing to a clipboard in his hand. “We talked about it at the meeting yesterday, we’re just taking inventory of what we have and what we need to replace.”
I nod at him.
Steve still doesn’t look up.
“Well let me know what we need, I’ll write the check.” I answer, my voice coming out flatter than I expected. “What else did you guys talk about yesterday?”
“Tighter surveillance.” Nat says as she tightens her glove. “Steve mentioned that we should check in on some of the people we haven’t heard from in a while.”
Steve shifts his weight out of the corner of my eye.
“Like who?” I ask.
Nat pulls out her tablet, tapping a couple times on the screen before reading off a list of names.
“Loki, though I’m sure we can ask Thor about him the next time he checks in, Stephen Strange—"
She continues talking, but I tune her out after she says Stephen’s name.
I stare over to Steve, but he finds himself suddenly fascinated with polishing a spot on the front of his shield.
“Yeah.” I answer, returning my gaze to Nat as she sets her tablet back down. “Sounds like a great idea.”
I down the rest of the coffee, setting the mug on a counter beside me.
“Rogers are you ready for our meeting?” I ask, and Steve’s head shoots up.
He walks over to me slowly.
“Yeah.” He answers. “I’ll find you when we’re done Buck and we’ll go for that run.”
Bucky nods, clapping a hand on Steve’s shoulder as he passes.
I turn on my heels, leaving the training room and walking out into the hall, listening to Steve’s quiet footsteps behind me.
I lead him into a side room, shutting the door behind us.
“What the hell is your problem?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
Steve does the same, leaning back against the wall.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He answers, finally meeting my gaze.
I choke out a laugh, rolling my eyes.
“Oh cut the shit.” I shoot back. “You and I both know what you saw yesterday, and now you’re running random security screenings on him? And why lie to everyone, why not just out me and get it over with?”
He flexes his arms against his chest.
“The surveillance has nothing to do with your—personal decisions.” Steve says in a quiet voice. “We have to keep better tabs on supernatural or powerful entities around us, and he’s been unsupervised for too long.”
“Bullshit.” I answer. “He wasn’t a concern until last night.”
He shrugs.
“Maybe it just jogged my memory.” He answers.
I step closer to him.
“Why lie to them?” I ask again.
He rolls his eyes.
“Because it’s none of my business.” He says. “I don’t care what you do.”
I rake my hands through my hair.
“Fine.” I answer. “Then keep it that way, leave him alone.”
I check my phone, no notifications.
“Just—stay out of it, okay?” I tell Steve, looking back at his face. “Please.”
He sighs, rolling his eyes again.
“Whatever.” He answers flatly, turning and swinging the door open.
I watch him walk out, flopping into a chair behind me as he lets the door shut behind him.
I exhale slowly, stretching my body as I do.
This is becoming more complicated than I anticipated.
I check my phone again, still nothing.
Jesus, I’ve gotten desperate.
I’ve never sat around waiting for someone to text me before.
“Come on Tony.” I mutter to the empty room, pushing myself up out of the chair.
I walk to the elevator, pushing the button that leads to my lab.
My fingers drum along the seams of my jeans as the elevator moves.
“FRIDAY, turn on my work playlist please.” I say as the doors open and I step into the lab.
The music clicks on a second later, and I turn the volume up as loud as I can stand it as I pull up the screens around the room.
My mind numbs as I work on the suit on the workbench, my hands going on autopilot as I work on a damaged blaster.
I almost jump out of my skin as my phone buzzes in my back pocket, sending the tool in my hand clattering to the floor.
A text from an unknown number flashes across the screen, and I unlock the phone quickly, clicking on the message.
I can’t seem to get you out of my mind.
I hope to see you again soon.
-S. Strange
I smile to myself as I read and reread the message, turning the music down.
Same here Wizard, my door is always open.
I reply, pressing send and sliding the phone back into my pocket, a sense of calm washing over me at the idea of him stepping back through his portal, back into my bedroom.
Stephen Strange seems to really have gotten into my head.
And for some reason, I don’t mind.