Narrator's POV

"Hm..." Tony groaned as he tossed in bed, reaching to bring Stephen closer, only to feel nothing. His eyes shot open, Stephen wasn't there. "Steph..." He yawned, hearing the beautiful sound of a violin coming from downstairs. He pulled the covers off of him and put on his sliders before going downstairs, where he found himself to Stephen's back as the wizard played such wonderful music.

Stephen had his eyes closed, listening to every note that he played carefully. His hands working on the stringed instrument.

Tony leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed, smiling. He was enjoying the pleasing tune. He watched as Stephen swayed to the rhythm of the music, some times bobbing his head.

Stephen turned to Tony, still with his eyes closed and eyebrows furrowed, so into the moment; playing the most intense parts of the song.

il barbiere di siviglia overture

A classic.

Stephen's fingers danced up and across the strings, playing delightful sounds at he pulled the bow up and down.

Notes escalated as he came closer to the end of the song.

Stephen played the last final notes with a little bit of a hop at the end.

Tony clapped for him. "Wow. Just. W o w. Now where, did you learn to play like that?"

Stephen turned to him, a little surprised. "Tony." He said. "I didn't hear you come in."

"And I didn't know you played." Tony said.

"Surprise?" Stephen said.

"You're amazing." Tony said.

Stephen blushed.

"When did you learn to play?" Tony asked.

"While I was at Kamar-Taj." Stephen said. "Wong said that I needed to pick up a new hobby once I had finished reading all the books in the library. So I picked up the violin and began to play." Stephen laughed. "But then Wong told me to pick another hobby because he said I would stay up too late playing. So I decided to learn piano, which was a little more calming, but you don't have a piano."

"Would you like me to get you one?" Tony asked.

"No, no. It's fine." Stephen said. "I prefer playing the violin, anyway."

Tony smiled. "What was the occasion upon this delightful performance?"

"My hands hurt." Stephen said, showing them to Tony, his hand shaking quite more than usual.

"Aww, Stephen." Tony said, walking up to him, taking his hands in his.

"Ow, Tony." Stephen groaned.

"Sorry." Tony apologized and proceeded to look at Stephen's hands. "Why didn't you wake me? I could've have helped you."

"I didn't want to interrupt the sleep you were getting. Knowing you, you could really use the sleep." Stephen said.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"That you need more sleep." Stephen said.

Tony laughed. He looked down at Stephen's hands, feeling the even worse tremors.

"An!" Stephen hissed, flinching in pain.

"Sorry." Tony apologized. "You know, I am developing this new technology with nanobots to help heal and support unreversible damage in the body." Tony said.

"And be one of your guinea pigs?" Stephen asked. "There's no way in hell you'll get me onto that operating table."

"They're the things keeping me alive right now." Tony said. "They're in no way harmful."

"I don't know." Stephen said, looking down at his hands painfully. "I... I like my hands. I'm proud of my scars. Shows what I've been through. My struggles and battles." He smiled down at his trembling hands. "I like them just the way they are."

Tony smiled at Stephen. "I understand." He said. "You're perfect just the way you are." He bent down and kissed Stephen's hands.

Stephen smiled at Tony. "I love you." He said, drawing Tony in for a hug.

"That's gay." Tony said.

"Tony, we're gay." Stephen told him.

"I know." Tony responded, holding Stephen closer and kissing his cheek.

///0///0

"I forgot to tell you..." Stephen said as he sat across Tony in a cafe nearby.

The two decided to go eat out for breakfast.

"I'm gonna be leaving in a couple of days to Kamar-Taj." Stephen said.

"What?" Tony chocked in his coffee. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I don't schedule these things. I'm just needed in places." Stephen said.

"I can't have you just running out and about like that." Tony said. "I want a divorce."

"We're not even married?" Stephen took a sip of his tea.

"Oh." Tony said. "Strange, marry me."

Stephen chocked on his tea. "Um, ah!" He gasped. "I'm sorry." He said. "I don't think that how it works. That's not the question."

"No, the question is yee-ha or yee-nah?" Tony said, cocking his eyebrows.

Stephen let his face drop into one of disappointment, pouring his tea in Tony's coffee and standing up. He walked out the door.

///0///0

"Wait, Stephennnn!" Tony said, rushing out of the cafe, after his wizard. "Stephen! Stephen!" He called.

Stephen only kept walked.

Tony finally caught up to him. "It was a joke. It was only a joke." He said.

"Don't say another word or I will strangle you in front of all these people." Stephen said.

"Oh, come on Stephen." Tony said. "It was just a joke."

Stephen was quiet.

"Babe, you're like a really cool dude, you know?" Tony asked.

"Did you just call me babe and dude in the same sentence?" Stephen asked, looking at Tony.

"What can I do to make it up to you?" Tony asked Stephen.

"Hm." Stephen thought. He saw a man on a motorcycle at a stop light. "Beat that motorcycle to the next stop sign."

Tony looked at the dog. "Psh. Piece of cake."

"Without your suit." Stephen said.

Tony gulped, but tried this best to not show any fear. "Alright." He said, popping his neck. He looked back at Stephen. "Any words of encouragement?"

"If you don't win, I'll leave you."

"Tough love." Tony said. He waited for the light to turn green.

Then it did.

Tony took off running as fast as he could across the crosswalk.

Stephen laughed. "He's an idiot." He said, opening a portal to that stop sign.

The motorcycle zoomed by, but Tony was nowhere to be seen.

Stephen waited, tapping his foot.

"Stephen!"

He heard his name in the distance.

"Stephen!"

He heard it again. He looked around.

"Stephen!"

It sounded like Tony.

"Stephen! Stephen! Stephen, help!"

Stephen finally noticed Tony running toward him with a pack of dogs chasing him.

"Stephen!" Tony jumped on Stephen.

The dogs surrounded them.

A girl came up to them, gasping for air. "Oh, thank goodness." She said. "I thought they'd never stop." She reached down and grabbed all the dogs' leashes.

"Sorry." Stephen said. "I'm sure he didn't mean to startle them-"

"Are you kidding?" The girl asked. "He ran past like crazy, the stopped the pet one of them, then got them all hyped up."

Stephen looked down at Tony.

"The chihuahua started it." Tony hissed.

The tiny rat looking dog barked at him.

"See? He admitted it!" Tony said.

"Excuse me." Stephe said.

"Sure." The girl said, everything around her slowing down.

"What the fuck were you thinking!?" Stephen asked, strangling Tony's astral form.

"It wasn't my fault." Tony yelped. "That rat was looking at me weird. ACK!"