Chapter Text
"Stephen?" Wong tried to keep his voice as low and calm as possible but Stephen still flinched. He caught himself after a moment and by the time he'd turned around to face Wong he was as composed as ever since he'd returned from his bargaining with Dormammu.
Wong, who usually prided himself on his emotional detachment, could feel his serenity take another hit. He still didn't know what exactly it was about Stephen that made him want to help and protect the man at all costs. Still, it was hard to find the words to communicate that desire.
"How do you feel?" he finally said and wanted to turn around and leave the moment the words left his mouth.
But the haunted half-smile, half-grimace Stephen gifted him with let the impulse die immediately. Don't leave him alone, some instinct warned him and instead of doing what he would have done normally he took a step closer. Stephen, predictably, took one back.
"Wong," he warned but there was a vulnerability in his voice and eyes that clashed horrible with the arrogance he tried to project. "What..."
Talk to me, Wong wanted to scream at him. You're not alone. Let me help. "I'll make some tea," was what came out instead. Maybe Stephen would be more talkative with something warm inside of him.
Stephen nodded thankfully; already lost again in his dark thoughts by the time Wong had turned around.
But his smile seemed sincere when Wong offered him a cup of tea and patiently held it steady until Stephen had slowly and carefully folded his shaking fingers around it. He made sure that their hands touched before he withdrew and hoped that that small show of affection made a dent in Stephen's nearly impenetrable walls.
"Thank you," he whispered and Wong smiled without even thinking about it.