Chapter 5
“Those are usually words said before someone gets hurt,” Stephen says as he is led towards a house across the street from the school.
“Uh...I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t be going to a secondary location,” Stephen says dryly but he follows them up the steps and into the house to find a man he’s never seen before standing at a stove cooking something.
“Hey Bruce,” Clint says and Stephen stares at the man who position he is substituting for.
“Hello Clint, who’s this?” Bruce asks looking at Stephen.
“This is Stephen, he’s been substituting for you. Apparently he’s also into Tony,” Clint says and Bruce smiles.
“Welcome to the club,” Bruce says then eyes the damage from his attempts to ask Tony out.
“You tried to ask Tony out, didn't you?” Bruce says and Stephen finds himself nodding.
“Yeah...that doesn't work out well,” Bruce says and holds up his bandaged arm.
“I said I was sorry,” Bucky and Steve say at the same time and Bruce rolls his eyes at them but his smile stays in place.
“Why am I here?” Stephen asks, the uncertainty grating on his nerves.
“Okay. We all admit to having an interest in Tony, right?” Clint asks and they all share a look and nod, including Bruce.
“Okay. Therefore, we all care about his safety, right?” Clint asks and they all nod.
“Okay, so to catch up the people who weren't there when shit went down... Tiberius Stone paid our favorite Kindergarten teacher a visit today. I don't know who the guy is, but I have Tasha asking her friends in the FBI about him,” Clint says and Stephen watches as Steve and Thor both tense.
“Wait...you know this man?” Loki asks.
“Know is a strong word. We were here originally along with Tony when he first started here. Anyway his first day here this guy Stone shows up demanding to talk to Tony. They go off to the school yard and they start arguing. Stone leaves in a huff and still comes sometimes. None of us have any idea what he wants but Tony sends him leaving every time,” Clint says and his phone chimes and he pulls it out.
“It says here that Stone is the owner of a tech company. What would he want with Tony?” Clint says.
“One of his degrees is in mechanical engineering,” Bruce says and they all stare at him.
“How do you know that?”
“We decided to compare,” Bruce says with a shrug before plating the food and passing plates of food to each of them.
“Okay, so he's probably trying to get Tony to work for him,” Cint says and he leaves the relief of knowing his isn't an ex unsaid.
“Yes...but what do we do?” Steve asks.
“We play keep away. If Stone is at the desk we pretend Tony stepped out or went to a meeting or something. We don't let Stone near him,” Clint says.
“And what about the elephant in the room?” Stephen asks.
“Elephant?” Thor asks.
“The fact that all of us would do anything to be with Tony?” Stephen asks.
“We put that on the back burner. His safety is our main priority,” Clint says and they nod and when their food is done they go to their homes.
The next day, Saturday thank God, Stephen goes to the grocery store. His cupboards are unbearably bare.
“Rhodey, Pep, enough with the veggies. You'll turn me into a rabbit at this rate,” Stephen hears a familiar voice say and he peeks around the corner into the next aisle and sees Tony standing there with Rhodes and a redhead in heels that could stab a man in the heart.
“Tony, smoothies and coffee are not a proper diet. You need vegetables and proteins and all that good stuff,” Rhodes says.
“As a doctor I am inclined to agree with them,” Stephen says deciding to make himself known. Unfortunately, Tony jumps nearly a foot in the air, dropping the boxes of cereal he was holding.
“I'm so sorry! Let me pick that up,” Stephen says and narrowly avoids smacking their heads together when they both lunge to get the boxes.
“Here,” Stephen says and puts the boxes in the cart.
“Thanks Stephen,” Tony says with a smile and says, “this is Pepper.”
“A pleasure,” she says with a smile. Stephen smiles and then they say they have to go. Stephen nods sad to see Tony go.
“I'll see you around Strange,” Tony says with a grin.