Never Been Less Alone
Here is number 2 in my pair of Science Boyfriends drabbles, and this one is a bit dark, you know, to counteract the fluff in the first one. But it's okay. It's all okay. :') Okay I'll stop. Enjoy and review! :D
Tony took Bruce's face in his hands gently, like he was made of glass. The man was shaking, his eyes squeezed shut, and his breath was coming in uneven gasps.
Tony leaned forward and rests his four head against Bruce's. "Shhh," he murmured, stroking his thumb along the scientist's forehead. "You're gonna be okay. It's alright."
"Tony," Bruce hissed through gritted teeth. "You should get out of here… Before I…"
Tony shook his head and shuffled closer, still stroking versus face and hair. Eventually his breath slowed and he stopped shaking. He opened his eyes and gazed at Tony in amazement and horror.
"I've never been that close before." Tony smiled and opened his mouth to speak, but Bruce shook his head. "I've never been that close to transforming and then… Not."
Tony looked at him questioningly. "Yeah? That's great! Brucey, we're making progress!"
Bruce shook his head and grab Tony's arms with a surprisingly strong grip. "No! Tony, you don't get it. You. Could. Have. Died! Anybody half as smart as you should have at least gone and-"
Tony shushed him again. "Bruce… You don't scare me."
Bruce looked at him like he was nuts. "Hulk…"
"Hulk doesn't scare me either."
Bruce's eyes hardened. "Well he should." Then he looked down and said more quietly, almost to himself, "he scares me…"
Tony brushed Bruce's bangs away from his downcast eyes and squeeze his hand. "Why?" He Artie knew the answer, he just wanted to hear Bruce say it and know.
Bruce glanced up to me Tony's gaze, but his eyes were dark. "You know why."
Tony nodded. "But if I were you, I want to say it out loud get it out. It might make you feel better."
Bruce laughed humorlessly and looked away, and Tony could see tears in his eyes "You think you know me too, huh?" He sniffed and look down again. "I should've known. You're just like everyone else. Why do you all want to see me break so badly?"
Tony's brow creased as Bruce took his glasses off again and massaged the bridge of his nose, masking the tears. "You all think that I'm a lost puppy in need of saving. Well I'm not. I have my equipment and my brain and that's all I need. I can show you and all the world that I'm just fine."
Tony raised his hands in surrender. "Hey, I know you're fine. You prove it to me time and time again every day. And the difference between me and the rest of the world is that I actually do know you. So we can take it on together. What you say?" he asked, holding out his hand. Bruce looked at it for a moment inside, closing his eyes. He tentatively put his hand in Tony's, and he smiled. He had never felt less alone.
-fin-