They had been together long enough that they knew their roles without much thought.
If the computers were on the fritz, the cars needed maintenance, or light bulbs needed changing, Tony was your man. When it came to cooking or anything that might be considered caretaking, Stephen was the one who did the patching up, and had learned over time how to soothe Tony's ego, when it got bruised; but every once in a while, Tony would sense when Stephen needed something more from him, but couldn't ask.
"Sunshine?"
Stephen pulled the covers back over his head and rolled away from Tony's voice.
Tony undressed, then climbed into their bed, and wrapped his arms around the man who had stolen his heart at first glance, so many years ago. He felt him tremble in his arms and he breathed a kiss over the spot between Stephen's shoulder blades that usually helped to ease whatever it was that was troubling him. Today, as Stephen turned in his arms and kissed him within an inch of his life, he knew it would be one of those days when all Tony could do was hold him while he slept.
Later, Tony would make rice pudding with raisins, it was something Jarvis made for him as a child on the bad days, and it was the only thing Stephen wanted to eat on days when he couldn't speak or move on his own. They would put on an old Hitchcock movie and Stephen would stretch out and rest his head in Tony's lap, and sigh as he felt the strong fingers play with his hair. Some nights he could tell Tony what he was feeling, or thinking about, but most of the time, the only words he could offer him were a whispered, "thank you, love," as he drifted off to sleep again.
The next morning, nothing would be said about the previous day, but Stephen would always make Tony something special for breakfast, and sit with him while he ate, and give Tony his full attention as he babbled about whatever nonsense he was thinking about at that moment. Tony would pause and grin at him, then put his fork down and reach for Stephen's hand, then press a kiss to his wrist, and look at him in a way that he hoped told him everything he could never say in words.
Stephen would nod, then stand up and ruffle his hair as he removed the emptied plate, and place a kiss to the top of his head, and life would go on, as it always had before.