“Tony I need you to wake up. Please Tony, I can’t do this without you. I love you,” Stephen says and runs his hands down Tony’s heaving chest. The body beneath them is shuddering with Tony’s last breaths and Stephen can’t help but want to take the pain away.
They had been stranded in another dimension, Stephen’s sling ring eaten by a beast with more hands than should really be necessary. While Stephen had been fighting the breasts and trying to get his ring back there had been a number of beasts waiting to ambush Tony and they had slowly peeled the suit off until it was simply a hunk of useless metal and while they had been doing that they managed to cut Tony’s stomach open and he had begun bleeding out heavily. It had taken all of Stephen’s strength to and magic to get Tony into the cave where they are currently hiding and to get a fire burning to help keep them warm.
Levi has settled over Tony to keep him warm and the corner of the cloak brushes up and down Tony’s cheek making him smile softly.
“P...promise me that you will take care of them,” Tony says hands shaking as he grips Stephen’s hands.
Stephen doesn’t need to know who Tony is talking about. Stephen knows that his boyfriend wants him to look after Peter, Harley, Rhodey, Happy, and Pepper. He knows that Tony cared more about the six of them than he cares about himself.
“I promise,” Stephen says gripping his hands tightly and he watches Tony’s chest rise and fall.
He’s watching so closely that he sees the exact minute Tony’s breathing becomes too labored and Stephen feels tears slip down his face.
Stephen sits vigil by Tony’s side the entire night.
But as the first signs of morning come Stephen knows that it’s time and he leans down close to Tony’s face.
I love you Tony. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you,” Stephen says and in the light of morning he presses a kiss to Tony’s lips.
Tony breathes his last breath against Stephen’s lips.
Stephen holds the love of his life in his arms close to his body and runs his fingers through his hair sobbing into the now still chest with everything in his souls and he does't stop for hours.