Forfeiture

Neverending nightmare

Tony was in full search mode, in his suits soaring all over the city for his love. Finally a signature matched and he landed outside a petite flower shop. He hopped out of his armor and smoothed his clothes and hair down; he hadn't been getting much sleep lately. He then stepped inside nervously and peered around through the foliage for Stephen. "Uh... hello?..."

Stephen was spraying water on some tulips when the mechanic stepped inside. He turned to face this potential customer and smiled. "Hello, and how may I help you today?" He asked while adjusting his yellow gloves. 

Tony stood there, gaping in shock. Tears sprang to his eyes and he let out a sob of relief, running to Stephen and throwing his arms around his neck. “Where the HELL have you been?!” he cried desperately, but happy to see him again.

Stephen felt confused, why was genius, billionaire, Playboy, philanthropist Tony Stark crying and hugging him? "Uh are you doing alright Mister Stark?" He didn't hug back on account that he was so lost right now.

Tony scowled and beat his chest with his small fists. “Don’t you DARE call me that you idiot!! I was so worried about you! Do you know what you’ve been doing to me hiding out here for so long?!” More tears fell and he looked sadder. “You broke my heart...”

"I-i don't understand.." Stephen felt somewhat bad for him but did not appreciate the treatment. "Look you may be famous and all but this is my store and if you're going to keep behaving like this I'm going to have to ask you to leave" he rubbed his chest a bit, feeling the slight pain from the punches.

Tony backed away slightly, his Bambi eyes widening in shock and dread. “W-What are you talking about Stephen?... don’t you remember that you belong to me, and I you? We’re lovers... I thought...” he sniffled, more tears threatening to come.

Stephen sighed. "I'm sorry Mister Stark but I don't know what you're talking about. I don't recall ever meeting you til now.."

Tony felt like his heart was malfunctioning again, but this time it broke into a million tiny pieces. “Y-You’re lying... you’re lying!” Tony cried out in anger and disbelief. He ran before Stephen could respond, wanting to get away from this nightmare. That stupid “sacrifice” just seemed to make everything endlessly WORSE! Now they weren’t even boyfriends anymore! Stephen didn’t even KNOW him!! Tony sobbed on his way out the door.

Tony didn't realize but he ran into a blue portal and was in Wiccans place of home/business. "So you decided to run away?" He asked calmly.

“How could he DO this to me?!” Tony roared, wanting to kill everything or just die himself. “To US?!” He fell to his knees and tried to keep himself together; but he was falling apart rapidly. Without Stephen there to hold him in place, he was completely collapsing.

"I told you before that this was your chance for you two to start over. I feel bad for you mister Stark but what's done cannot be undone" Wiccan sighed. "Just give it another try. You can't lose what's still there"

Tony faltered and looked up at him, quaking slightly with more tears pouring from his eyes. “I-It’s not fair... I- I don’t want this- I never wanted this!” He got shakily to his knees and didn’t know whether he could come back from this or not. “He’s just messed everything up..”

"All he wanted was for you to live, I can tell you two were meant for each other. There's still a chance on rekindling your relationship..." Wiccan put his hand on Tony's shoulder. "I know your relationship is strong, don't give up on it...",

Tony sniffled and wiped his eyes. “I-I guess maybe you’re right... I don’t want to lose him, it’s not worth it...” He looked back to the portal opening and sighed heavily. “I just don't know if I can handle this...”

"You're a very strong man mister Stark, but remember that for you to express love you must first love yourself and believe that you can do what feels to be impossible" Wiccan advised. "Billy! Are you finished over there? You promised you'd spend time with me and our daughter!" Teddy shouted. The sorcerer kept his eyes on the mechanic. "Trust me when I say this. Fight for your love no matter how hard it may seem because in the end it'll all be worth it" he gave Tony a hopeful smile. 

Tony nodded slightly and stumbled back out to the flower shop again, feeling his broken heart throb with sadness. He went to the door and hesitated outside it. What must Stephen think of him?... He cursed and opened it, shuffling inside and he looked at the flowers instead of the man who was giving him strange looks from the counter.

He seemed to have calmed down, Stephen thought as he kept glancing at Stark. He continued watering the flowers, hoping that if the mechanic does speak to him again that it was more respectable.

The mechanic finally came up to the counter with some flowers, the same kinds they had back at the beach house, hoping to jog his memory somehow. “Hey, sorry about all that... I guess I just mistook you for someone else...” he laughed nervously. 

"Oh, well I guess that's fine...an understandable mistake.." Stephen faced Tony and eyes the flowers he chose. "Beautiful choice, whoever you're giving these to must be very lucky" he smiled softly.

Tony sighed sadly and smiled. “Yeah, thanks.” He bought them and didn’t move for a moment. “So um... have you heard that there’s a new Italian cocktail house in town? I was wondering if you’d like to go with me...”

Stephen felt a blush creep on his cheeks. Not so long ago Tony Stark was yelling, crying and hurting him now he's asking him on a date. He should say no but part of him, for reasons he didn't know why, wanted to say yes. "Well um....sure. sounds like it should be fun" No it couldn't be a date...was it? Stephen wondered.

Tony smiled through his unearthly pain at him. “It’s a date then.” He winked, trying to feel like his old self, flirtatious and confident. He just felt broken and alone. He took the flowers and picked one, handing it to Stephen before he left. There was also a piece of parchment laying on the counter with his number and the set time for the date.

Perhaps this man is sweet after all, Strange sighed happily as he looked at the paper. He hoped he wouldn't embarrass himself, since it had been so long when he last dated someone.