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"And who are we supposed to defer to in matters like this?" Secretary Ross' voice dripped sarcasm.
"Me." Stephen's answer was immediate and the tone of his voice didn't allow any dissent. Tony smirked and didn't even try to hide it. When Ross looked to him for help he just shook his head, leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms.
No help from me, buddy.
Tony only hoped that this tedious meeting would be ending soon, he wanted to drag Stephen away for a quiet chat between friends. And to check if he was really as okay as he claimed to be, of course.
He smiled and waved back when the Cloak waved at him. Its posture promised some fun in the immediate future and Tony was looking forwards to it.
Thankfully Stephen had annoyed Ross into submission and the man left with a huff and a dirty glance at Tony.
"Great!" Tony got up and made an inviting gesture to the elevator. "Do you have time for a little chat?"
The Cloak was already dragging Stephen towards Tony and the open door before he could even open his mouth.
"I guess I do," he eventually said with a rueful smile and Tony felt all the mythical butterflies he'd never believed in before.
Stephen's smile was stunning. Just like the whole man, actually.
*
The 'fight' continued as soon as they had reached Tony's sanctuary inside the compound. He didn't spend a lot of time here, preferring to do his tinkering at home these days, but he'd made sure to make it as secure and impenetrable as possible. Stephen had even helped with a subtle touch of magic.
It was always amusing to watch Stephen fight against his clothing, it really was. Tony watched with barely contained glee as Stephen tried to go into one direction but the Cloak pulled him into the opposite one.
Directly towards Tony.
By the time the Cloak had dragged Stephen in front of Tony he was grinning like a lunatic. "If I didn't know better I'd think that you want to escape from me while your cape tries its best to keep you near me." The 'cape' in question swatted at him but Tony evaded it with the ease of long practice. But he didn't resist the impulse to caress the soft fabric for a moment in greeting. It preened in return.
"I..."
Tony lov... liked the flustered, speechless version of the usually self-assured sorcerer and softened his grin to a smile. "It's nice that at least one of you wants to be near me." Stephen's continued tries to escape from his company would have been hurtful if he hadn't figured out the reason for them a while ago. So had the Cloak, apparently. Now it was just funny seeing him struggle against himself and his Cloak. "Don't tell me you have to go; you've barely arrived after all." He allowed a note of begging into his voice and tried to look as innocent as possible.
Judging by the filthy look he got in return he'd failed miserably. It didn't matter. Stephen's body had relaxed and the danger of him fleeing anytime soon was minimal now.
"Come on," Tony said and barely resisted the urge to put an arm around Stephen to steer him towards the couch. The Cloak did it for him instead. Good clothing. He didn't like how pale Stephen was and up close he was shaking all over, not just his hands. The loud and clear "hands off!" signals Stephen sent out where harder and harder to ignore when Tony just wanted to reach out and help. Maybe even comfort, he had to admit to himself.
For now it was enough that Stephen followed him willingly even if he was still frowning. "I really should go back...," he started but Tony shook his head.
"Not before you tell me what happened over there."
Predictably, Stephen bristled at that. "I just gave you and all your colleagues a full account of..."
"Yes, yes, I know," Tony interrupted. "I was there, remember? Congratulations on a verbal report that was drier than any written combat report I've ever laid eyes on. Quite a feat, actually. But I don't want to hear about what happened; I want to know about you."
"Me?" The earnest confusion was heartbreaking and strengthened Tony's resolve to finally go through to the man.
"You," Tony confirmed. "How are you? Everything okay?" Obviously not and Tony wasn't crazy enough to think that the direct approach would work on Stephen but he also didn't know what else might get through to him.
Stephen seemed to somehow get smaller and the Cloak enveloped him fully as if to comfort him. Or maybe hold him together, Tony really wasn't sure about that. He tried his most disarming smile and nodded towards the couch before them.
Sit down before you fall down. Or the Cloak sits you down forcefully.
"I'll bring you something to drink?" he offered and Stephen looked up, surprised.
"I don't..."
"Nothing alcoholic," he reassured. "It's too early, even for me. DUMM-E?" The short beep was the confirmation that his unspoken request had been received. It would be half an eternity before they got their drinks but that was okay. "It's good that I didn't turn him into a wine rack," he murmured and a slight smile from Stephen was his reward. He gestured and watched in awe as Stephen folded himself gracefully down onto the couch; his hands hidden as almost always. Tony longed to see and maybe even touch them but his chance to do that was in the far-off future if ever, he knew. He settled down with a healthy amount of space between them. There was no need to spook Stephen even more, after all.
"You don't have to do that, you know?!
"Do what?"
"Keep me company. I'm used to be alone." The Cloak swatted him, affronted. "Sorry." Stephen stroked the fabric softly to soothe it. "I didn't forget about you. Never. I just meant..."
The softly spoken words proved to be Tony's undoing. He had found Stephen attractive from the first moment he'd laid eyes on him, end of the world and all that, but as soon as he got to know the personality behind the pretty package and beautiful eyes he didn't have a chance.
There had been no choice but to fall in love with the gentle soul and razor-sharp intelligence hidden behind a wall of sarcasm. The way Stephen spoke and played with his sentient cape was just another bullet point in a long list of things that were adorable about the man.
Tony didn't even try to hide the way he looked at Stephen and when Stephen was finished petting his clothing he looked up and caught Tony right in the act of devouring him with his eyes.
His slight smile became a little bit more insecure and a light blush stole over his face. Good, the wizard wasn't as aloof as he claimed to be. His open, almost vulnerable, expression and the blush made him even prettier, Tony had to admit.
He still tried to decide if scooting closer might be welcomed when the Cloak took things into its own... fabric... again. There was a sudden shift and Stephen was almost in Tony's lap.
Well, that cleared things up nicely in Tony's opinion. "Hi," he said softly and they both watched as the Cloak gently wound itself around his wrist and dragged it over to lie on top of Stephen's. He instinctively wrapped his fingers lightly around Stephen's wrist. He didn't even flinch at the contact - there couldn't have been a greater show of trust on his part.
"Hi," Stephen whispered back and that shy smile was back on his face. Somehow, he was even prettier now. It was downright unfair, really, in Tony's opinion.
"Stop me if I'm misreading the situation." He leaned forwards, his intentions clear.
Stephen met him halfway but shied back a little at the last moment. "Really? Me?"
"You," Tony confirmed and smiled when the Cloak wrapped itself around his shoulders and gently pushed them together for their first kiss.