As the aftermath of their encounter with Vidar settled in, Tony Stark found himself grappling with a storm of emotions. The sight of Vidar's power had left an indelible imprint, stirring up old wounds and deepening his distrust. His usual sarcasm and bravado were replaced by a steely resolve, a coldness that even his closest allies couldn't breach.

Steve Rogers approached Tony cautiously, aware of the rift growing between them. "Tony, we need to talk about what happened back there."

Tony turned sharply, his expression guarded. "What's there to talk about, Cap? We faced a new threat, did what we had to do. End of story."

Steve frowned, sensing Tony's withdrawal. "It's more than that, Tony. Vidar's anger... we need to understand—"

Tony cut him off with a bitter laugh. "Understand? Steve, we don't understand half of what's out there. All I know is that we're sitting ducks if Thanos decides to come back."

Steve's voice softened. "We can't do this alone, Tony. We're stronger together."

Tony's gaze turned distant. "Are we, though? After everything that's happened..."

Steve's plea fell on deaf ears as Tony turned away, the distance between them widening. "I've got work to do, Steve. Thanos isn't going to wait around for us to sort out our feelings."

With that, Tony walked away, leaving Steve standing alone with the weight of their fractured team on his shoulders. He knew Tony was hurting, his armor of indifference a shield against the pain of betrayal and loss. But Steve also knew they couldn't afford to lose each other, not now.

As Tony disappeared into the depths of his workshop, his mind raced with plans and contingencies. Vidar's power had shown him just how vulnerable they truly were. The Avengers, once a team forged in battle and camaraderie, now felt like strangers bound together by necessity.

Tony's disconnection from the team grew more pronounced with each passing day. His interactions with Natasha, Bruce, Clint, and even Thor became strained, his focus solely on fortifying their defenses against the looming threat of Thanos. He poured himself into his work, building new suits, upgrading weapons, and developing strategies to counteract any future attacks.

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Natasha tried to reach out, her concern evident in her voice. "Tony, we need to talk about what happened with Vidar. We can't ignore—"

Tony's response was curt. "There's nothing to talk about, Natasha. We have bigger problems to deal with."

Bruce attempted to reason with him, hoping to break through his armor of indifference. "Tony, shutting us out won't make things better. We're a team—"

Tony's tone was harsh. "A team? Look around, Bruce. We're barely holding it together. We were blindsided by Vidar, and we can't afford to be blindsided again."

Clint, ever pragmatic, tried a different approach. "Tony, I get it. We all do. But shutting down won't help anyone."

Tony's jaw tightened, the weight of responsibility heavy on his shoulders. "I'm not shutting down, Clint. I'm preparing. Thanos is out there, and he's not finished with us."

With each passing day, Tony withdrew further into himself, his interactions with the Avengers becoming more distant and transactional. The sting of betrayal and the memory of Vidar's power fueled his determination to protect Earth at any cost.

Steve watched from a distance, his heart heavy with concern for his friend and for the team they had fought so hard to build. He knew they needed Tony's brilliance and leadership now more than ever, but he also knew that Tony needed time to heal, time to come to terms with the new threats they faced.

As the Avengers regrouped and prepared for the inevitable return of Thanos, Steve held onto hope that they would find a way to bridge the divide, to heal the wounds that threatened to tear them apart. But for now, Tony Stark, the consultant, was focused on one thing: ensuring that Earth was ready for whatever darkness awaited them in the stars.