Tony was gone.

It settled a hollow, aching space in his chest were in another life he might have an arc reactor of his own. He felt simultaneously numb and immersed in the deepest pit of agony he'd ever experienced, fire atop ice atop bone. He never had been good at understanding the logistics of emotional pain even though he suffered it almost constantly.

Hulk pressed forward insistently, hitching their chest with the force of their combined pain. Bruce felt the ghost of massive arms fold around him and swallowed around a sob, clenching his hands tight on the edge of the lab table.

Tony was gone.

why metal man leave what we do wrong why we not protect why we not gone too

Bruce managed to take a breath, pressing close to Hulk and absently wondering how they still existed without Tony because didn't the entire planet spin around his genius, his heart?

Well. Not too long now.

Hulk rumbled his agreement, baring his teeth.

Tony was gone.