Bruce was having a difficult time breathing. This wouldn't be as big a deal as it was, if the fact that him losing control didn't mean the appearance of and enormous green rage monster. Life, however, seemed to believe that Dr Bruce Banner should have an alter ego who was a mass of enraged, indestructible, green muscle, because he was currently doing all he could to stop himself from transforming.
He and Tony had been attending a science conference, like every other regular, genius scientist in the country. Bruce had really enjoyed the lectures, met some fascinating people, and had felt just like a normal person for the first time in a long time. Well, aside from when he was with Tony, of course. So, just like everything else in his life, he wasn't too surprised when it came to a screeching, messy halt.
Five gunmen had burst into the room. Five gunmen who were now aiming what appeared to be tranquiliser guns at Bruce. Tranquiliser guns that were apparently filled with Ross' special formula, one that could work quick enough on Bruce to have him unconscious before he had the chance to transform. Not that he would try to transform, with all the civilians in the proximity. The security division was unable to do anything with all the people in the firing line as well as the very real risk of the Hulk appearing. Tony was also unable to suit up, as the men had wasted no time in stating that any regular humans that were injected with the substances they were armed with would be dead almost immediately, so if anyone tried to be a hero there would be a corpse. Now, Bruce was standing with his back to a table, facing the gunmen and impending capture.
"Hello, Banner. Our employer told us not to bother with disguising his identity. His name is General Ross, and he really doesn't seem to like you very much. You know what this chemical can do to you; you've been given it before." The gunmen were clearly mercenaries, but Bruce knew that they weren't bluffing about the chemical. He had felt it before. "And now you're going to stand still while we inject you and take you to him. Unless, of course, you want to resist. In that case there'll be collateral and we'll just inject you anyway."
The room was tense and silent as Bruce tried to think of a way to get out of this situation. He was panicking, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep the Other Guy down for long, but he was aware that the chemical was powerful enough to take the Hulk down- it had done so before. He... he was going to have to surrender. Oh god. He was going to have to surrender to Ross!
"Um, no." The whole room was silent as Tony walked in front of the man holding the tranq gun. They watched in fascination as he pulled out a pistol and forcefully gave it to the man.
"Here. This has actual bullets." Bruce felt his heart leap into his mouth when he saw Tony guide his hands- now holding the pistol with the real bullets- so that it was pointing directly at his forehead.
"Tony-!"
"Bruce, sit down and trust me. And tell the Other Guy to trust me too, because I know what I'm doing."
Bruce had always thought of the Hulk as a monster who only perceived emotion, but he was proved wrong when he felt the Other Guy retreat, albeit worriedly, into himself- despite Bruce's current emotional turmoil. In the back of his mind, he wondered how Tony had known that that would work, even as he obeyed. He was terrified and he had no idea what Tony was thinking, but he did trust him- so he was willing to let Tony do what he thought was best. He only hoped that he wouldn't later regret it.
The man holding the gun was just as confused and wary as everyone else at the sight of Tony Stark, wearing an Armani suit and sunglasses (indoors) directing the barrel of a gun towards his own face.
"What are you doing?"
Tony slowly reached up with his other hand and removed his sunglasses. "I'm making things easy for you."
"And why would you do that?"
The short billionaire-genius just smirked. "So you know exactly what your options are. There are three- no four of them that you have from here."
Knowing that he had the room's attention, Tony stepped back from the man, but the gun stayed trained on his face.
"You see, no matter what you do here, your mission from Ross will not be completed."
The man scoffed. "I'm sure. Please, tell me, Iron Man, why that is?"
"Because I'm Tony Fucking Stark, and Bruce Banner and the Hulk are my friends." It was said with a quiet sort of confidence that made it clear to everyone just how serious Tony was about the matter. "You can surrender and tell a court everything you know about Ross' illegal activities and the reason he hired you. You'll likely face imprisonment, but your sentence will be lightened due to co-operation. If you don't like that option, then you can surrender just to spare your life and face the entire wrath of the judicial system with no hope of pardon, but the knowledge that you have protected Ross' privacy. Personally, I know which option I'd take."
"Or...?"
Tony looked at the man questioningly, completely unshaken by the threatening motions being made by the mercenary with the gun pointed at his head. Bruce was terrified that his friend's cockiness would get him killed, but he stayed seated and did his best to quell the urgent and protective instinct to transform and save his friend.
"Or?"
"Yes, 'or'. You are obviously going to give me an alternate offer and, well, you are a billionaire. I want you to tell me what the best case scenario is."
"Oh no, you see, those are the best case scenarios. I'm not going to offer to pay you off or hire you. You are done with being a free man- unless you believe in 'liberty in death'." Tony added as though the thought had just struck him. "You still have another two options, but really, they're just dead ends."
"Really, now? I fail to see how, considering that I'm the one with the gun aimed at you and you're hardly in any position to stop me from doing my job."
"Yes, really." Tony seemed unconcerned by the dangerous road he was now treading. "I mean, you can shoot me right here, right now. I'll be dead, and no longer any concern of yours, but then you have the problem of the sedative not working."
"What? Mr Stark, the sedative has been proven to be effective on the Hulk before. It will be no different this time."
"On the contrary, this time will be completely different. I know that the sedative won't work if you murder me, because neither Hulk nor Bruce will let it work. They will kill you because I am their friend and their protective, anguished fury will be enough to overcome the drugs. The sedative works to calm and knock unconscious, but do you really think that that'll withstand the motivation of the two of them watching the murder of their friend? The Hulk will kill you, and if you do somehow manage to escape, he will remember you. He will hunt you down eventually, and you will be ripped in half. So, I'd be pretty careful with how twitchy you are with that trigger- at least a bullet to the head is quick and relatively painless."
The people in the room were looking between Bruce and Tony with undisguised awe. The gunman was looking a bit pale at what had just been said and he was now being careful to make sure that the gun was not aimed at Tony. Bruce didn't know how he felt. He was stunned, and a little bit scared, by how much trust his friend had put in him and his other self. He could see from Tony's confident poise and strong voice that he truly believed everything he had said, and Bruce was nervous and exhilarated to find that he did too; we wasn't sure how, but he could feel the truth in the way the Other Guy was projecting assurance, pride and joy at the fact that his (debatably only) friend placed such confidence in him. Bruce would definitely have to examine that later.
"And then, of course, there is your fourth option." Tony continued when he was sure that the gunman had processed what he'd just said. "Me. Or, more specifically, what I can do when someone I care about is hurt. What resources I can put together within a few minutes. How far I will go to save my friends. What I will do to you when I find you." Tony's voice had gone low and dangerous and he was approaching the man again until the gun was touching his forehead and his eyes were staring into those of the man who had started this all. No one in the room doubted anything he said- not when he spoke in that voice; a voice they had never thought the flamboyant man capable of producing. A voice that promised that the man speaking with it, would hunt down anyone who tried to harm his friends. The room was all collectively relieved at the fact that they couldn't see Tony's face- more specifically his eyes- as they didn't want to imagine the sort of darkness that they would undoubtedly see in them. "It's possible- although unlikely- that you could somehow get to Bruce today, since you have the advantage in numbers, weapons and preparedness. But, if you do, I won't stop coming for you. Ever. I will never stop. And you do not want to know what will happen to you when I catch up- because I will catch up. You may be made of stone, but that won't hold up against diamond. You will shatter when I come after you." The deadly serious voice had instilled real fear in the minds of everyone that could hear it, but the one man who was able to see his eyes- the man who the words were intended for- was white-faced with a sheen of sweat and a shaking grip on the gun.
"Those are the only ways that this situation can go from here. I know which I'd pick. So. What are you going to do with that gun?"
The gun clattered to the floor and the man raised his hands, prompting his followers to do the same. "We surrender."
"Good." Tony's responding smile was dark and dangerous, and he began addressing someone again. "You hear that, Ross? Yes, I know you're listening through your crony's earpiece. Before all these witnesses, you are done. Stark out." Tony ripped the earpiece that Bruce had only just noticed from the man's ear before crushing it under his shoe. He turned and gave a nod to the security division who hadn't been able to do anything while there had been guns trained on the citizens, and they converged and began arresting the mercenaries. Tony, in true Stark fashion, ignored the looks of stunned respect and awe the crowd was directing him while he strode over to where Bruce still sat.
"And that, Brucie, is a great example of what it means to be friends with Tony Fucking Stark. I vote we get Japanese on the way back to the Tower. What do 'ya say?"
Bruce, who was experiencing a warmth in his chest from both himself and the Hulk, gave a small, genuine smile. "Yeah, that sounds good."