Work Text:
Stephen wonders, sometimes, if he should have distanced himself from the Avengers after Tony had gently put an end to their relationship. They’d promised they’d still be friends, and they are, of a sort, but the ghost of their former intimacy lingers between them, and it makes having a friendly coffee together difficult. Or maybe it’s only difficult for Stephen. Tony seems at ease, but then, he always does. He’s an expert at that.
Still, there are times when he catches Stephen’s eye and his gaze softens and it seems like maybe he’s remembering, too. Tony smiles at those memories, and that’s why Stephen stays, why he maintains his place as the Avengers liaison even though there are others at Kamar-Taj who could do the job. Knowing that he’d brought light to Tony’s life, once upon a time, was a gift.