Anthony Edward Stark

When a guy had been missing for as long as Banner had been, Tony didn’t bother to ask any questions when mild mannered physicist with anger issues waltzed back into his life. Things with Pepper had gone down hill again pretty quickly. Peter Parker decided he wanted to just be a kid with super powers and a part time, after school crime fighting job. Rogers was in exile with half of the Avengers. Rhodey’s walking support system kept him active in the military. Romanoff was having fun being a spy or breaking the hearts of other scientists the world over and driving them away from their best friends. Thor-- Who knew. Vision was still around but mopey and so un-JARVIS sometimes that it hurt to be around him.

Which left DUM-E and DUM-E-er (affectionately known to most as Happy Hogan). And sure. They were great. And FRIDAY was great too now that Tony made sure she could never take over the world like Ultron had or get a physical body like the artist formerly known as JARVIS had. But as great as they were, they weren’t Banner.

Since his move into HQ, Tony had done some design work with Maria Hill. His workshop was bad-ass, all chrome and glass, and the sound system was killer. He’d been listening to some hardcore metal as he worked on repairing a shield he half-hoped and half-dreaded Rogers would decide to pick back up again when the shadow beyond the glass door made him look up over the safety glasses FRIDAY made him wear before she allowed the torch in his hand to light.

“Music off,” he said, tongue dry in his mouth. He clicked the torch off too. “Wow. Are you ever late,” he called.