Iron & Shield // Stony

feelings & jealousies

I was walking around the garden with no purpose - as usual. The sun was almost setting. This place I was staying in was like Earth except that everything here smelt fresh, the air, the various dishes and the cheeseburgers.

The was walking along the bank of the lake when I suddenly noticed him sitting beside the lake looking up at the sky. I paused and stared absorbing his good looks.
'Oh stop Tony!', my mind screamed at me but I turned a deaf ear to it.
I slowly walked up to him as he immediately wiped off his tears and looked up with a smile.

The saddest people smile the brightest.

I smiled back and sat down beside him.
"You're eyes are red. You've been shedding tears for your long lost friend?", I asked.
He looked at me with his signature smile, which could make anyone go weak on their knees
"Yeah, maybe you're right. I have indeed been shedding a lot of tears for you. ", He said as the same weird feeling surged through me.
"Thanks.", I stated.
"So, how did you die?", I asked finally changing the topic to prevent that sensation of extreme joy.
"After returning those infinity stones I had taken your advice of finally settling down. I returned to Peggy and then well, died with old age. That's my story.", He said as if heartbroken.

"So, you should be happy. Why do you think you are crying?", I asked, this time seriously.
"Because I think I was selfish. I shouldn't have gone and lead a happily ever after life after your sacrifice. I should have been there and taken care of everything but I managed to do everything except doing what I was supposed to do.", He said as his voice broke again. Fresh tears streamed down his eyes but he did not care.

I sat silently for a while and then said,
"Steve, we make a lot of decisions in life which are selfish but they don't make us selfish in the true sense. There was nothing wrong in choosing what you rightfully deserved. I had Pepper with me all these years while you had nothing. Not even a girlfriend to make out with. I mean that's insane. I am not gonna blame you for choosing a life.", I said like I was the Oracle himself, which most probably I was because I realised how well I had spoken.

"I'll never have a friend like you. I'm sorry for what I did.", He said as I nodded and said,
"Don't expect me to make you feel better by saying it's okay. You should be sorry. ", I said as I gave him a sideways glance. Of course he was smiling.

"Yeah. I am.", I said, now turning towards the setting sun.
"You miss them, don't you?"
"I think they must have learnt to live without me. I'm happy about that. And there's something weird about this place because it seems like my emotions are leaving me. I don't feel anything, anymore", I said as my mind immediately screamed,
'Except this weird feeling for you!'
I ignored it very graciously.

"You are right.", This time it was Natasha. She went and sat on the other side of Steve.
"This place has the rare but effective quality of wiping out your emotions for all those who are alive. You will soon stop feeling it even thinking about them.", She said. She was wearing her favourite black suit which she wore during every single time of the day.

"That's a little weird.", I said as she immediately replied,
"No. Not really. The truth is we are dead and the dead are not really supposed to feel. ", She said as I nodded taking in a deep breath and looking at Steve who now turned towards Natasha and started some conversation about this place.

Boring!
My mind said as I stood up, giving Natasha an irritable look. We were having such a nice conversation.

I was walking back into the palace when I heard.
"Jealous, are you?", I turned to my side to find the Queen standing and looking at me.
"And why would I be?"
"Steve Rogers.", She said like she knew absolutely everything.
"No. Never. I don't care about him. ", I said. Of course, why should I care? He had loved his friend Bucky more.

He did not care about me and here I was so bothered about him.
I also don't care!

"You do care, Anthony. And you cannot help yourself about it. You see, some things are meant to be.", She said as she turned and walked about graciously.
"Oh, we will see.", I said giving Steve and Natasha a last glance before going up to the room assigned to me.

I did not care about him!