A background of nightmares

I don't understand

Tony

I watch as Y/N, Eddie, and Eddie's mother Jasmine, sit in the living room, talking with each other. I Stephen standing next to me and I jump at his sudden presence. "Fuck, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"I hope to god that you're joking. Because if your not, I'm taking you to Med-bay right now." Stephen says and I take a moment to breath.

"I'm joking, you just spooked me. That's all Wizard."

"Okay." He says and looks over at his brother and I can see a bit of sadness in his eyes.

"Stephen, are you alright?" He nods and the elevator opens and Peter walks out and heads over to the table to work on his homework. "Stephen."

"Huh?" He says and looks at me confused.

"Come on." I start to walk towards the elevator and he follows behind me. When we get in Fri starts to head up and I look over at Stephen to see him tapping his fingers agains his legs. When we get out and I walk over to the edge of the tower and look out at the city below.

"Tony, what are we doing out here?" He asks and I look back over at him.

"Talk to me. What's on your mind right now?" He walks over and stands next to me.

"I don' t know what you're talking about." He says and I roll my eyes and look over at him.

"Stephen, I'm not blind. There's something on your mind, and if you force me to talk about my problems, then you need to as well." 

"I never force you to do anything. I'm just good at getting you to open up." He says and I sigh. 

"Stephen, what's going on with you? You're not acting like yourself." 

"It's nothing Tony." He says and looks up at the sky. 

"Come on, you know that I don't buy that."

"I don't need you to. It's just how it is." He says and and I stand up to talk with him better. 

"Stephen, please?" He closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath, before looking down at the city below us. 

"Have you ever had the random urge to throw yourself off a building, or into traffic? Maybe just shoot yourself in the head, or slit your wrists? Hell, maybe even just stab yourself?" He asks and I pull away from the ledge and stare at him. 

"No, god no. Why the fuck would I?"

"I didn't think so. Whenever I look at my brother I see all of that, because I remember what that he would practically reset the clock to join me at the dinning table the next morning. I've never seen him this calm and relaxed." He says and I continue to look at him confused.

"What does this have to do with why you're acting so weird?"

"Have you ever loved someone who doesn't love you back, or will never love you back?" He asks and I nod.

"If you count all the people that only were with me for my money, then yes. But I still don't see how this has to do with you." He laughs and continues to look out at everything below us. 

"It's okay. You don't have to see the connection." He says and moves to sit on the ledge. I look at him uneasily, and look around to see if Cloaky is anywhere nearby. I don't see Cloaky anywhere and it honestly worries me. 

"Stephen what are you doing?"

"Sitting." He says and I catch his eyes just a bit. They seem lost and empty, with little to nothing to show the tiniest bit of life behind them. "Sit next to me Tony." He says and holds a hand out to me.