Tony knows that Bruce is afraid.

Tony knows that Bruce is afraid (why on Earth would he be afraid?) of hurting him. Of course, Bruce can't really be afraid of hurting himself (which he should be, he should be worried for his own well-being) since he never seems to be majorly hurt before or after he 'Hulks out'.

That's another thing. Bruce is afraid of transforming into the (wonderful) Hulk. Bruce never says Hulk. He's afraid of that, too (which is stupid, it's just a name, for Christ's sake). Bruce tries his hardest every time to do something (ANYTHING, Tony has seen him) to try and stop it.

Bruce will (and does, he does every single time) apologize after he transforms (or almost transforms, there is no stopping this man's guilt).

Tony tells him not to apologize (but does he listen?). Bruce is one (brilliantly, amazingly) stubborn man.

He (absolutely, without a doubt) trusts Bruce. He can't trust women (decieving, narrow minded bitches) because he was ready with Pepper, and then she was gone (like a damned coward). Now all he has is Bruce, and he'll do anything to make him stay, to make him feel at home (because he wants this to be his PERMANENT home more than anything).

That's why Tony seems to care so much (like a mother over a child, all the time, every day, he does it for HIM).

Crash. Thump. Heavy breathing.

Tony runs as fast as his legs will carry him into the lab he had just left, dropping his sandwich, not hearing the ($1,500) plate shatter into (a million) pieces.

He sees Bruce on his knees, his jaw clenched, breathing twice as heavily than normal (he hears his heart breaking) and looking very angry. Tony is (immediately, in a split second) on the floor in front of him, taking his friend's shoulders, putting his face inches from Bruce's, telling him (in a gentle voice, he wasn't angry at Bruce) that he's here, that there is nothing to be emotional over.

Bruce's (beautiful) eyes are green. His veins throb. Tony throws his (willing) arms around the man, saying things in his ear, murmuring to him that everything is fine (that he is beautiful either way) and no one will hate him because he has a (fantastic, lovely) split personality or (lovable) anger issues.

It seems to work, because Bruce's body becomes very loose and he slumps over on Tony's shoulder (he doesn't mind, he cherishes it).

Tony wants Bruce to see that The Hulk isn't a horrible thing. It's a good (spectacular, fantastic) thing. So why are there suddenly tears on Tony's shirt?

"Why didn't you run? I could have killed you!"

Sobbing. Bruce is sobbing (Tony's heart is his now, all his).

Tony doesn't let go of Bruce (he never wants to let go, he wants to hug this man for all eternity). "Because I know that you wouldn't."

"I could have HURT you, Tony!"

"But you didn't."

Tony knows that he's being difficult (too difficult, like a child), but he wants to show this to Bruce (he wants Bruce to UNDERSTAND).

"I'm sorry-" Tony snaps (breaks, shatters like the plate that he dropped).

"No." Tony lets go of the embrace to take Bruce by the shoulders again. "No, you're not sorry! How can you possibly be sorry? You haven't done anything wrong! If I ever hear you apologize ever again, I swear..." Tony trails off because he can't think of any kind of punishment for apologizing (he will never harm Bruce, he loves him too much).

Bruce is ashamed of himself. Tony sees it in the way he is staring at the floor now, how he is blushing and trying to wipe all traces of tears away (it's adorable).

"This thing inside of you," Tony says,"is amazing. It is you. You have more control over it than you think."

Bruce doesn't say anything (Tony wants him to, though, he wants to hear his voice). He just stands up and begins to clean up the mess he made silently (with that LOOK on his face) and Tony wants to (grab him and never let go) tell him just how important (how beautiful and PERFECT) he is.

Tony doesn't. Instead, he says,"Bruce, this is your home. You can't just leave and never come back."

Tony leaves, feeling like an (enormous) idiot. He doesn't want Bruce to leave (to feel like a prisoner in his own home).

Because Bruce Banner is Tony Stark's best friend.

(Because Tony Stark is in love with Bruce Banner.)

Maybe, next time, Tony will add in the things better left in parentheses.