The Perfect Illusion

Bitter Daisies

Narrator's POV

"Hah..." Stephen sighed in relief as sat in the ivory tub in the middle of a large bathroom, blowing out a cloud of smoke. He leaned his head against the edge of the tub, closing his eyes. He let his arm hang from the tub with the cigarette in his fingertips.

His whole body ached, but the warm water brought him some comfort.

"Stephen. I got Chi-"

"ARGH!" Stephen quickly pointed his palm toward the door that had propped open, slamming it closed, pushing Tony out. His whole face was flustered red. "Jesus Christ!" Stephen said. "Don't you know how to fucking knock?"

"Sorry." Tony said on the other side of the door, laughing. He knocked.

"Go away." Stephen said, bathing himself before standing up, water dripping from his naked body. He put the cigarette on his lips as he reached for a towel.

"Are smoking in there?" Tony asked.

"That's none of your business." Stephen said.

"Hold up. Ben has a strict rule against smoking indoors. He has kids and cares about their lungs." Tony said.

"Christ. Another candy ass." Stephen said, flicking the cigarette in the tub. He wrapped the towel around his waist before going over to the door and opening it.

"Hello there." Tony said, standing at the door with two plastic bags with food in them. His eyes slowly drifting away from Stephen's face to his neck, oh how those veins popped out.

Then to his chest, which was well sculpted and muscular. Then lower to his abdomen, damn. The bumps of muscle that popped from Stephen's stomach were very sexy. An eight pack, wow. And just imagine what was under that white towel. Mmmmmmm~

A bright red blush settled on Tony's cheeks.

"What?" Stephen said.

"Huh?" Tony shook his head and looked up at Stephen again.

Stephen was raising a brow at him.

"Oh, um..." Tony swallowed. "I ordered Chinese." He said.

"Okay?" Stephen said.

"Uh..." Tony had a huge knot in his throat. "...I'm just gonna wait down stairs. Yeah." He quickly walked away, turning the corner, hiding.

Stephen watched him. "Weirdo." He said, walking the opposite direction in his towel to his room to change.

"Holy fuck." Tony squeaked.

///0///0

Tony looked up at Stephen as he slurped up some noodles with chopsticks from a white box.

Stephen was using a fork.

It was quiet in the entire house.

"Say..." Tony swallowed. "What you did back there fighting all those people..." He started. "...was uh, pretty badass."

Stephen didn't say anything.

"Very brave." Tony nodded.

"Ah, yes. Bravery. The nicest way to say stupidity." Stephen said.

Damn

Tony was blown back a little.

Stephen surely seemed colder and more hardcore than Tony remembered. He was more extreme.

"Any idea when your Dormmamu guy will strike?" Tony asked.

"Haven't heard a word." Stephen said.