[He's the same asshole that he's always been because that's his go-to reaction whenever something happens. That was his own way of dealing with feelings and vulnerabilities that he would rather not have a spotlight on. And people were less likely to pursue a subject when you're being obnoxious about it.
But that's not the only reason. Elena has been running around without her humanity, which has made the last four months feel like he was dealing with an evil twin from an alternate universe that was trying to take her place, and had the real Elena stuffed somewhere. Tony wasn't even a moral goodie-two-shoes like Steve was, but the real Elena wouldn't have such an effortless time killing people or digging into their weaknesses, which made it hard to watch and deal with. She wasn't gone like Bruce, but he still felt like he'd lost her. And it's more painful than he let anyone--even Jack or Steve--know.
Maybe it helped him to understand Steve and Bucky better because he couldn't abandon her. He still tried to get through to her (because a switch could be turned on if it could be turned off). He put himself between her and Jack when she targeted him and his dead boyfriend. And he went to battle with the rest of them.
And just like Steve, his feelings ended up almost getting him killed. But he believes the Elena sitting by his hospital bed is still the same soulless Elena that has been occupying her body. Even if he couldn't quite figure out what she'd be doing there or what she'd have to gain.
Point is, he isn't expecting tears.
He watches Elena's resolve crumble, curling up into a tiny ball of convulsive sobbing. The pain is there, obviously, most of all in the muscles binding his sternum, where the arc reactor had exploded. But he pushes that and whatever feelings he's had about the last four months into the back of his head because Elena needs him to be present.
He finds some way to stack his spine and once he's pulled himself upright on the bed, reaches out for her.]
no subject
But that's not the only reason. Elena has been running around without her humanity, which has made the last four months feel like he was dealing with an evil twin from an alternate universe that was trying to take her place, and had the real Elena stuffed somewhere. Tony wasn't even a moral goodie-two-shoes like Steve was, but the real Elena wouldn't have such an effortless time killing people or digging into their weaknesses, which made it hard to watch and deal with. She wasn't gone like Bruce, but he still felt like he'd lost her. And it's more painful than he let anyone--even Jack or Steve--know.
Maybe it helped him to understand Steve and Bucky better because he couldn't abandon her. He still tried to get through to her (because a switch could be turned on if it could be turned off). He put himself between her and Jack when she targeted him and his dead boyfriend. And he went to battle with the rest of them.
And just like Steve, his feelings ended up almost getting him killed. But he believes the Elena sitting by his hospital bed is still the same soulless Elena that has been occupying her body. Even if he couldn't quite figure out what she'd be doing there or what she'd have to gain.
Point is, he isn't expecting tears.
He watches Elena's resolve crumble, curling up into a tiny ball of convulsive sobbing. The pain is there, obviously, most of all in the muscles binding his sternum, where the arc reactor had exploded. But he pushes that and whatever feelings he's had about the last four months into the back of his head because Elena needs him to be present.
He finds some way to stack his spine and once he's pulled himself upright on the bed, reaches out for her.]
Elena.