Stringless (IronStrange)

Part 3

'How does it compare to-'

'There were no similarities to Miss Maximoff's energy.'

Tony shook his hand, the bots flowing away. 'Sorry,' he gasped out before his eyes rolled back and his body succumbed to exhaustion. Stephen darted forward, catching him a second time. He held Tony against him for a few minutes, ignoring the sweaty forehead pressed into his neck.

'Maximoff,' he whispered under his breath, the name ringing a bell, but remembrance just out of reach. His arms tensed as he felt Tony move, magic surging to his hands again, as Tony grabbed Stephen's T-shirt. Closing his eyes and exhaling, Stephen covered it with his palm, gripping it tightly.

'You're safe with me, I promise.'

Waiting for a reaction and finding none, Stephen leant down, lightly pressing his lips to Tony's, brushing the barest hint of a kiss to them. Pulling Tony to his chest, one hand pressing against the back of Tony's head to cradle it closer, the other loose on his hip, he lifted him with the help of the Cloak, bringing him back into bed.

'No using magic, huh,' he murmured, pulling the covers up. 'Guess we'll have to look after you the old-fashioned way.' Struggling with himself for a few moments, Stephen looked at his bed and then at the corner of his room. It hadn't been a condition of theirs not to share a bed, but it was a line of intimacy he was unsure if he wanted to cross.

Grabbing his courage, he slid into bed beside Tony, propping himself up on one arm, fingers touching Tony's neck to measure his pulse.

'Still rapid,' he muttered. He watched Tony breathe in and out for a few moments, the occasional whimper and tightening of his hand in Stephen's shirt making his protectiveness over the man reach new, insane levels. Carefully, he stretched out for the glasses he'd put aside earlier, smiling his thanks as the Cloak picked them up and carried them into his hand.

'FRIDAY?'

'Yes, doctor?'

'Can you continue to monitor Tony through the night? Alert me if anything changes?'

'You don't need to ask that of me.' She sounded insulted, which struck Stephen as amusing. It was technology, yet she thought for itself, not unlike the Cloak in that respect.

'FRIDAY?'

'His vitals haven't changed.'

'No... who is Maximoff?'

'Wanda Maximoff is one of the Avengers from the past team.'

Stephen hesitated, recalling Pepper's words from that night.

Steve Rogers made his choice, and Tony shouldn't still have to be paying for it, and why he's even giving Wanda the time of day after...wait...you don't know.

He wanted Tony to explain what had happened himself, wanted to keep the trust they'd started building to last.

Stephen didn't want to go behind Tony's back on this.

'What are her abilities?' he asked, unable to help himself.

'Wanda Maximoff specialises in psionic energy manipulation.'

'Psionic...psychic energy. Is she a sorcerer?' Stephen sat up a little in bed, excitement building.

'No, Miss Maximoff's powers are a result of experimentation by HYDRA.'

The excitement he felt shrivelled up and died. He knew that name.

'What are Maximoff's strengths?'

'Neuro-electric interfacing, telekinesis and mental manipulation. Although, after the events of Ultron, Miss Maximoff has been relying on these abilities less and taking on a more combative role.'