"It's find work here or go mad thinking about what happened back home." And he would. He'd tear himself to pieces over every moment, obsess over every detail in the past decade to think of what he could've done differently if he'd known. If they'd had more time. If there was anything he might've been able to change or build or forgive to change the inevitable weight of Thanos' madness. So. Projects. Work. Protect the people here to make up for being unable to do so in their own world, their own time. "I'd rather rebuild here than drown myself in moonshine."

Which he still might if he had too much time to think. Bruce being here helped as much as it hurt; more to worry about here, less to worry about at home. Especially with the earlier confession lingering in his mind. IT wasn't something most people said- fewer still actually meant it. Choosing to give himself up to Tony, to care for him enough to say that one four letter word?

Itched. But he held fast to Bruce's hand, determined not to let his neuroses interrupt his offer of affection and solidarity. Especially when they covered a difficult topic.

"...That's why I don't ask you to for much of anything." He never even asked Bruce to stay. He'd wanted it, implied that he was welcome to remain as long as he liked but- He'd known Bruce would need or find a reason to leave eventually. The nature of his condition, his fears- it made it inevitable. "Vision had a better base code. Ultron was incomplete and even then the framework wasn't compatible with the mindstone. We weren't close." And yet-

And yet.

"Your turn to ask."