The Perfect Illusion

This Charming Man

Narrator's POV

"Okay, we need to go out." Tony said, clapping his hands as he walked into the living area, where Stephen sat on the couch, reading his book.

"No. I don't think so." Stephen said, not taking his eyes from the book.

"Oh, come on Stephen." Tony said. "We've been in here for three days now. There hasn't been any signs of the Zealots, and all you've been doing is reading that book." Tony said. "You need a hobby."

"I do have a hobby." Stephen replied.

Tony took the book from him.

"Hey." Stephen gave him a glare.

"Being dark and brooding isn't a hobby." Tony said, closing the book and putting it aside. "Let's go out and take a look at London."

"What if I go all dark again and attack you?" Stephen asked.

"You won't." Tony said. "Trust me."

Stephen raised a brow.

"And if you do, I'll be ready. I know how to bring you back from the dark." Tony said.

Stephen didn't say anything.

"What do you say? Let's go on an adventure." Tony said. "Let's make my fortune cookie come true. Hm?"

Stephen sighed, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

///0///0

"Where are we going?" Stephen asked.

"Let's go see Big Ben." Tony said. "I've always wanted to see it."

The two were walking down the streets of London.

"Oh, a big clock." Stephen said. "Like we don't have that in America." He sighed with a long face.

"Try to be a little more cheerful. Relax." Tony smiled at him. "Loosen up. Have some fun while we're still here."

Stephen put on a bright smile, putting his hands together. "Yay!" He cheered sarcastically.

"That's the spirit!" Tony said. "Come on." He walked ahead.

"Urgh..." Stephen dropped his act and followed Tony.

///0///0

"Wow." Tony whistled as he finally reached the top, looking up at all the pullie systems and levers and wedges in the giant clock.

"Okay, we looked at it. Let's go back before the Zealots find out we left the manor." Stephen said.

"Oh come on." Tony said. "Let's stay a while. We might find something interesting." He walked around.

Stephen sighed, putting his hands in his pockets and kicking a screw.

"Oh look." Tony went over to the face of the clock, seeing a small hatch. He opened it.

It offered a view of London.

"Stephen come look at this!" Tony said. "You can see everything from here."

"I wouldn't lean so much on that." Stephen said. "This clock is one hundred and sixty years old." Stephen said.

Tony turned to him, leaning against the window he'd open. "You worry too much." He pointed a finger gun at Stephen.

Stephen stared at him with a blank expression.

>crack<

"AAAAHHH!" Tony fell backward as the window collapsed, causing him to be falling hundreds of feet a second.

Stephen pinched the bridge of his eyebrows. "Out of all the people on the planet, I got stuck with you." Stephen said. He raised his hands and opened a portal in the air.

"AAAHHH-UH!" Tony fell through, landing with a hard thud. He looked around. "Ah! Hah!" He turned over on his back and laid on the ground, grasping his chest. "That was.... Oh god." He groaned, closing his eyes tightly. "Jesus!" He gasped.

"Had enough excitement for today?" Stephen asked.

"Yeah...yeah." Tony nodded, still on the ground.

///0///0

"We should get the rest of the gang something from here, don't you think?" Tony asked. "Where are all the gift shops?"

"Don't know. Don't care." Stephen said walking next to him, reading his book.

A car drove by, driving over puddle. Water splashed toward Stephen, but he raised his palm and made some sort of invisible force to keep the water from touching him.

"You know who you look like?" Tony asked.

"Hm?" Stephen said, keeping his eyes on his book.

"Belle." Tony said. "From the "Beauty in the Beast"."

Stephen didn't say anything.

"You know that part where she went to the book store and got that book." Tony said. "Then she starts signing when she leaves the store throughout the streets..."

Stephen blocked Tony out and continued reading the book, when he felt a sudden presence.

More sorcerers.

He looked up, seeing two of them walking toward them. "Shit." He said, looking around for somewhere to hide.

"...and everyone is singing about how she's always readi-"

"This way. Quickly." Stephen took Tony by the hand and drug him into a small empty alley way in between two buildings.

His and Tony's body pressed together. Chest to chest. Their faces only inches apart, feeling each other's breaths.

"Why are we in-"

"Quiet." Stephen hushed him.

Tony tried to sink farther into the wall to keep himself as distant from Stephen as he could. He knew how much Stephen valued his personal space.

Each of Stephen's hands were on each side of Tony, pinning him against the wall.

Tony could feel Stephen's warm breath on him. He looked up to see Stephen's face.

Stephen was looking out, exposing only one side of his face.

Tony looked closely, observing Stephen's sexy jawline and those sexy focused eyes. Oh, and his hair still had that little white streak on the side of his head.

A big goofy grin settled on Tony's face, his cheeks warming up.

Oh, how he was still head over heels for his wizard. He had never lost feelings for him even when he was with someone else. The feeling always remained there.

A fuzzy feeling spreading all throughout his body.

Stephen's head perked up when he felt something poking at his leg. He looked at Tony. "Tony, did you bring a gun with you?" He asked.

Tony still had that goofy grin. "A what?" He asked, dazed.

"Urgh!" Stephen stepped out of the alley. "I can't believe you." His said, flustered; cheeks red.

"What?" Tony said. "I can't help it. It comes naturally."

"Idiot." Stephen rolled his eyes.

"What was all that about anyway?"

"The Zealots were coming straight for us." Stephen said. "We should go back to the manor. We can't risk getting caught."

"Alright." Tony said, walking up next to Stephen.

"Don't stand too close."

"Okay."