Erosion of the Heart

We Lost

"Stark."
"You know me?" Tony stood only feet away from the mad titan.
"I do. You're not the only one cursed with knowledge."
"My only curse is you."

The last man standing against the titan, Tony fought with all his might against the alien. A single drop of blood was all he was able to draw before his own blade was buried into his abdomen making his breath catch in his throat as he held onto the thick plum colored arm that eased him down to sit on the ground. His mind raced, while his vision began to blur in a haze of white. What was his next move? How could he come back from this? Think Tony, think!

"You have my respect Stark." Thanos straightened up speaking sincerely looking as if he'd just set down a puppy with a broken leg, actual sympathy in his dark eyes. "When I'm done half of humanity will remain."
He'd lost? No. Not yet. He's fought whole armies. He saw him coming. He stayed awake for weeks, worried for days, dreamt of this happening! How could it have ended up this way? Parker, he's just a kid.
"I hope they remember you." Thanos stepped back to look at Tony crumpled in pain and shock.
How would the people of Earth remember him? Tony Stark billionaire, playboy, philanthropist, Iron Man. The man who tore apart the Avengers. The man who couldn't keep Pepper Pots, Peter Parker, or anyone safe. Would they remember him as guilty as he truly felt? What good was a golden apple of immortality from the God of Mischief if he was wasted by the purple monstrosity with a bedazzled dish glove? Come one Tony! GET UP!
The whirling noise of the golden gauntlet powering up hummed through the air. Tony's stomach felt heavy and weighing him to where he sat. Even though every part of him begged to move, the stab wound feeling hot and the pain beginning to radiate through his stomach and chest further anchored him down. He took a shaky breath almost ready to accept it being his last when Dr. Strange called for a bargain.
"Stop!" Strange staggered back up out of breath and holding his side, "Spare his life... and I will give you the stone."
Tony shook his head but for now the blade cut his words from reaching his mouth.
"No tricks?" Thanos halted his final blow turning to the master of the mystic arts.
Stephen shook his head holding Thanos' stare.
"Don't!" Tony fought with his body still trying to stand. If he could stand he could still fight. But as Thanos drew his hand out for the stone Tony realized there were no more moves left all he could do was bow his head disappointed and frustrated with himself. From Dr. Strange's trembling hand the stone was traded for Tony's life. No, half of humanity was traded for his life. Three billion nine hundred and forty-four million people if Thanos keeps his promise gone. And Tony get's to live. For however much longer that might be, the blade still stuck inside of him sticking out of his back. His breath was sporadic but he knew he had to keep it steady as he looked over at Stephen. Doctor Stephen Strange, the man who he'd almost seen every time a vision of this doomed future played in his head. He'd heard his voice call his name. Almost glimpse his face but never had a clear image. It was odd to describe but he knew what his presence felt like. So when Strange and Banner walked through that portal Tony knew what was happening. It had been but a short while but on the front line the two of them in away become close, even as Strange tried to deny his rescue should the stone be in jeopardy and either Tony's or Peter's life depended on it. Looks like Tony called his bluff. But he really wished he hadn't.
The time stone was added to the gauntlet and Thanos took a moment to adjust or savor the new power added to his hand only to be interrupted by Quill coming back to the fight too late. Thanos left with a flex of his fist into a portal just as the makeshift pieced together team began to come back around.
"Did we just lose?" Quills words sounded like a far off echo as Tony attempted to stop himself from bleeding out after the stone was just sacrificed to save his life. God what a shitty bargain. What was he thinking? Tony looked up to Strange looking bewildered himself and still recovering from the fight as he sat on the ground, "Why would you do that?"
Stephen turned to him after a few breaths replied, "We're in the Endgame now."