Say it Back - [ironstrange]

13: Atmosphere

May 7th

Something was definitely wrong. Things were too... quiet. These thoughts were imprinted in Stephen every night when he lie awake, listening to the silence and trying to analyze it.

It even overpowered his excitement. He managed to create a portal with his own sling ring! Of course he nearly froze to death when Ancient One sent Stephen to the top of Mount Everest to pressure him to 'surrender to its current'. But finally Stephen had his own sling ring, and yet he couldn't seem to give it a single thought.

Why would the Ancient One put Stephen on house arrest for one man, only for nothing else to happen? Why would the zealot attack Tony, an innocent, just to never return again? Something was wrong. Or something was going to be.

Stephen found it hard to relax and got out of bed, putting on a pair of socks since the floors were constantly cold as ice.

Still not used to owning a sling ring he left it on his bedside table. Every other sorcerer who'd possessed a sling ring for a longer time saw it as a habit to put theirs on, something Stephen had to learn to do as well.

The cloak felt lonely and it took the freedom to hang itself over Stephen's shoulders, frightening him at first until he sighed heavily but let it stay there.

"I don't get why you like me so much," Stephen whispered, turning his head slightly to look at the cloak's collar which he could see in his periphery as well.

He forgot he shouldn't expect an answer and just kept wandering around. The stairs were creaky and he didn't want Ancient One to hear him, he was tired of lectures today and didn't want to hear that his fear was irrational.

What was it Tony said the man told him before stabbing him? You're not the right one. Who is the right one? And what made Kaecilius realize Tony wasn't who he was looking for? Well, it was pretty obvious Tony wasn't, but the right one must be someone so distinctly different from him that Kaecilius could realize he was wrong by just one spoken word.

But at the same time it confused Stephen because he said he wouldn't let the ancient one see him coming, and it was obvious Tony wasn't the Ancient One since he looks like any douchy teen ever.

Was Tony a distraction? No, Kaecilius only put Ancient One on her toes by doing that. She took precautions after the attack so he couldn't have been doing that.

Everything seemed so deliciously complicated. Either way, Stephen hoped he'd never have to find out. At least not the hard way. Kaecilius was obviously out to harm... someone, and Stephen hoped that could be avoided. It had to be avoided.

Come on, Stephen, it's making you shake. Think about something else, like... Christine.

Oh, yes. Christine. She who left her friends to sit on a terrace with him, with Stephen. Someone who she barely know. And just like Tony when they were younger she made an effort to get to know him, basically fought to find something out about him.

Of course he appreciated that, look where him and Tony are. Perhaps she had the same goal as Tony? To be a friend.

He recalled Ancient One's words from when he was eight, worrying if Tony had different motives and didn't really want to be his friend.
If someone is friendly and seems interested in you and your life I'd say someone might want to be your friend.

She seemed interested, all right. And so was Stephen. He wanted to get to know her better too. Should've asked for her number, he thought.

Pfft, as if he had the courage to do that. Christine was popular and beautiful, of course she'd be nice. But why to him? Either way they didn't have a lot in common but one thing they were good at was listening to each other and their stories.