The Perfect Illusion

We're Teaming up

Narrator's POV

Tony helped Stephen into another room. "Jarvis, lock the door."

Yes, sir

-click-

Tony gently sat Stephen on a couch near by. "Are you okay, do you need anything?" He asked.

"No, no." Stephen said.

"What happened out there?" Tony asked.

"Dormmamu, the ruler of the Dark Dimension attacked the temple not long ago." Stephen said. "He brought the Zealots with him, killing many of the sorcerers." He went on. "Wong and I and the Ancient One tried to defend it with everything we could, but there were too many of them. They were too powerful."

Tony listened.

"They..." Stephen sucked a breath. "...they killed her Tony." He looked up, tears forming in his eyes. "They killed my mother." Stephen cried.

Tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Stephen..." Tony sat next to him. "I'm so sorry."

"They didn't stop there." Stephen said. "They went on, attacking the temple. Wong and I tried to hold them back as long as we could, but even they were too powerful for us. They beat us." He said. "Dormmamu wounded Wong, but he trapped me."

"Why?"

"He uswd to tell everyone of his plan." Stephen said. "He let me run away, but he had poisoned me." He said. "He travels within me, doing as he wishes with me. Treating me like his personal puppet. His dark magic is too strong for me to fight against." He looked up at Tony. "I have done awful things, Tony. Things no man should ever do..." He gasped for air. "...and everyday, his magic grows stronger in me. I find myself wanting to do these awful things. I can't control myself."

"Oh, Stephen." Tony placed a hand on Stephen's shoulder.

Despite the long time they had gone without seeing each other, Tony still had endless tenderness for Stephen. They had been lovers after all.

"Ah!" Stephen gasped, putting his hands to his head.

Tony moved his hand quickly. "I'm sorry. I..."

"I-It's not you..." Stephen said. "The light that lives within me is constantly battling Dormmamu." He said.

This was true.

The powers the Ancient One has gifted him before she passed, we're constantly battling the darkness Stephen had surrendered himself to. As much as Stephen wanted to submit himself to the darkness, the light was not giving up on him.

"You must be in..." Tony paused, looking at Stephen.

His hands still shook.

"...excruciating pain." He finished.

"My body feels like it's being torn apart and put back together over and over again." Stephen said. "No magic is strong enough to make this stop."

"Hold on." Tony said, standing up and going over to one of the shelves in the room. He looked around in it before he pulled out a white box. He went to sit next to Stephen again, opening the box.

Stephen felt something on his hand. He looked up and looked at the back of his hand.

A white daisy bandaid.

He gasped quietly, eyes widening in surprise. He looked over at Tony, who was still smiling. "You..." He said. "...you remembered."

"Of course I did." Tony said. "I know it's a silly thing to do, but maybe it'll distract you from the pain."