This is a sequel to The Golden Rule, but it can be read alone.
Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel, the Avengers, etc.
Tony is pretty damn sure that Bruce is his soulmate. If anyone had told him six months ago that he would be so sure, he would have used his considerable wealth and influence to buy them a one way ticket to a padded room and a perpetual self hug. Now, though? Now he knows.
He knows that Bruce is sleepy-eyed and adorable when he wakes up. He knows that Bruce will drink any kind of tea, but he especially loves chair and earl grey. He knows that Bruce loves math as much as science, and boy does Bruce love science. Tony knows that Bruce hates the dark, and Tony is considerate enough to make him a miniature arc reactor for a nightlight. He knows that the shy, sleepy grin he receives the next morning is Bruce's unspoken thanks you because Bruce is too afraid to say it out loud. That's something lese he knows: Bruce is always so afraid. Tony doesn't know why he's afraid, but he'll do anything to help Bruce feel safe.
That's why he's on a commercial flight headed for a tiny island off the coast of India. Something scared Bruce. Something scared him so badly that the up and left two nights ago. Bruce packed his bags in the middle of the night, didn't say goodbye to anyone (not even Jarvis which is un-freaking-acceptable), and took Tony's jet to Curry-ville (and, yeah, Tony did say that Bruce could use his jet but not like this. Not in the middle of the night with all of his possessions and no intention of coming back. Not before Tony had the chance to man up and tell Bruce that he loved him.)
So here he is, flying commercial (and, yes, okay he's first class but that doesn't matter because Fury decided to steal his jet and leave him hanging, and he would take the suit but the Air Force frowns upon that sort of trans-continental flight and he really does not want to deal with them) and he's trying (failing) to plan out some sort of speech to convince (beg) Bruce to go back to New York with him. When the plane finally lands and he still hasn't come up with anything, he decides to wing it.
It takes thirty two more hours to find Bruce. Thirty two hours of wading through mud and God knows what else. Thirty two hours of a translator that knows maybe twenty seven words of English and fuck if Tony speaks Hindi or whatever language everyone is spewing at him. Learning that language moves to number three on his to do list just in case Bruce tries this shit again (number one is to find Bruce and take him home and number two is to tell Bruce that he loves him).
It takes seventeen hours for Tony to thoroughly search the entire island twice, four more hours to find someone that can actually speak to him and tell him that Bruce is on the next island over, and the remaining eleven hours to find transportation and locate the hospital (hut) that Bruce is at.
When Tony finally lays eyes on his Bruce (and he's definitely going to have to explain this concept to the other man because Bruce. just. doesn't. get. it.) he's dirty and tired and hungry and he doesn't care. He doesn't care that he smells terrible. He doesn't care that people are staring as he marches over to Bruce and pulls him into a hug. And he certainly doesn't care when Bruce stiffens at Tony's frantic, whispered "I love you."
"Tony-" Bruce begins.
"No." Tony interrupts. "Nuh-uh, Bruce. Not a single world about how dangerous or inadequate you are. Not. A. Word." Tony is still holding Bruce, but he still doesn't care.
Bruce sighs heavily, but he doesn't speak. He grabs Tony's hand and leads him to what can be properly classified as a shack. Once there, he releases Tony's hand and rummages through his bag (and Tony's heart jumps because could it really be that easy? But no, Bruce is just grabbing something.) He pulls out the mangled remains of something metallic and offers the pieces to tony who can only accept them and stare in confusion as his brain tries to solve the metallic puzzle. Finally, his brain goes "ah-ha."
"The arc reactor?" He asks. "You left because you broke your nightlight?" And then, "Bruce, I would have made you another one. I'd have made a couple hundred others."
"Tony." Bruce's voice is quietly sad and patient. "I know where we've been headed. I know that we were getting to that point where our friendship moved onto something more. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I ever hurt you."
"Hurt me?" Tony is confused. It is a rare moment. "I don't understand. How does a broken arc reactor equate to hurting me?"
"I had a nightmare." Bruce confessed softly. "I woke up clutching the reactor and... Tony, it's destroyed. What if we'd been sleeping together? What if I had destroyed this instead?" His hand settles on the arc reactor in Tony's chest and Tony raises a hand to press Bruce's closer.
"Bruce, this?" He holds up the pieces of the reactor, and yeah, it's a little morbid. "This can't feel pain. It can't wake you up and tell you to stop. The Hulk didn't save this from falling. He saved me. He wouldn't hurt me." Tony's voice is firm, and he steps closer to Bruce and grabs the other man's hands in his own.
"Tony-"
He's interrupted for the second time. "Bruce, I'm not going back without you. I love you, and I need you to come back with me."
"You don't need me, Tony. You don't need anyone." Bruce protests weakly.
"I do. I do need you, Bruce. You're the only one that will science with me for days at a time. You're the only one that sees through my bullshit and doesn't push me away because of it. You're the only one in our rag-tag group of plebeians that actually speaks English. You're the only one that I'll share my blueberries, my lab, my life with." Tony cups Bruce's face and kisses him chastely. "You need to come home with me, and you need to never leave again. Okay?"
And, shit, that got a little intense, but Bruce's eyes are watering slightly and he's looking quite agreeable. Also, Tony still doesn't care.
"Okay." Bruce breathed out shakily.
Tony beamed at him and tugged him into a hug. "Okay."
Fury sent Tony's jet to pick up the two men from India. And, boy, is Tony glad he did. He wouldn't be able to hold Bruce while he slept on a commercial flight. He wouldn't be able to kiss the top of Bruce's head or smooth a hand down the man's purple dress shirt. And he likes doing that.
Bruce wakes up a little while they're half way across the Atlantic. "Tony?" A sleepy nuzzle against Tony's shoulder that is the cutest thing that Tony's ever seen and a soft huff of air.
"'M here, Bruce."
"Forgot to tell you." Bruce mumbles. Tony runs a hand through Bruce's curls.
"Tell me what?"
"I love you, too."
Tony grins and kisses him softly.
"I know."
Okay, so that was a little heavier than I planned, but I figure that if Tony can be all "I hope I can protect the one thing I can't live without." in Iron Man III, then it's actually canon for him to be all touchy-feely with Bruce (who he totally loves more than Pepper, by the way.)
Just so you all know, I made up those two islands off the coast of India. I have no idea if they actually exist, and if they do then I don't own them.
Thanks for reading! I appreciate any and all reviews/favorites/etc.