I Introduce the Selfish Machines

She goes then, without argument. The second the door is closed behind her, I turn back to Tony. His face is, it's like shattered glass, he's broken and I don't. I can't fix. I want to, but I. I don't know how. He starts to drop to his knees, and I move, quicker than I knew I could, my arms locking around him. His face is buried in my shoulder, body shaking with sobs, each one tearing into me like talons. I hold on. I stroke my fingers over the skin on the back of his neck, silently, I've fallen mute. And I hold on.

The monster inside curls back into a lead ball as Tony cries into my shoulder, weighing me down until I'm drowning in his sorrow with him.