Tony leans back in his chair, watching the projection in front of him. He reminds himself that it was better this way. The world was better without the Avengers. The team acted as one great, big flag to the want-to-be villains of the world, as if to say 'take us on'. And just as he predicted, the world still turned just fine without them.
He hated being right sometimes.
The mansion was so quiet and empty without the team. He didn't think he'd ever miss all the noise and destruction, but he did. He missed the antics and pranks, the silly fights the team had. The team really had brought life back into the old building. Now it just felt like a dusty old relic again; cold and deserted. It was lonely without them.
Without the team, he finds himself listlessly moving between STARKIndusties meetings and working down in the lab. It wasn't the same spark that being an Avenger gave him, everything else kind of paled in comparison. He had taken on a protégé, Sam Wilson, but even then… it didn't quite feel the same. And he would find himself here again, watching his old teammates fight the world's evils on their own. Fighting back the longing, knowing it was better this way.
But more than just the team, he missed Steve.
Tony watches the man fight in the projection, taking down some of AIM's goons. Form perfect as always. He misses watching the man fight in the gym, instead of through a screen. He misses the man coming down to the lab. He misses the way he would smile at him for doing the smallest things.
In the privacy of his lab, he can admit to himself that had loved the man. But it was not to be. Now that the Avengers were gone, Steve had no reason to visit anymore. When Steve realises that Tony is never going to agree to bring the Avengers back again he will stop coming around. Steve will move on with his life and leave Tony behind. His heart stutters in his chest at the thought. The armrests of his chair creak warningly as his grip tightens. The thought hurts, but there was no point hiding from it. There never was any point hiding from the inevitable. One day Steve will leave for good.
It was scary to think he had become so dependent on Steve, that he would ever feel this lost without someone being by his side. But he would survive, he would move past this.
But until then, he will sit here in the lab and watch over the team. He would watch over Steve.
The End
Notes: For the Avengers Assemble Stony Server Bingo; Tony Card prompt "Lost Without You" [A4]
