Tony Stark. a man that always acted relaxed. he was good at acting, but today his friends had all left the tower, simply leaving Tony with his boyfriend, whom was out cold in their bed. so that left Tony in the shower, trying to relax. his reactor had gone out a week ago and Bruce had built a new one and replaced it for him. Tony hadn't been able to sleep or relax since then. for some reason the nightmares and flash backs from his kidnap, they were back. Tony hadn't slept all week, barley eaten, and strayed from the others, more so then normal. everyone had noticed something was wrong, but Tony convinced him it was some big project he was working on in his lab, his special lab that no one, not even Bruce was allowed in. he generally worked on things for the team in that room, but lately he'd been spending a lot of time in it, blasting Black Sabbath so no one would hear his panic attacks. he clenched his eye's shut, resting his head on the shower wall. he was concentrating so hard on pushing the horrifying memories away, he never even notice Bruce come into the bathroom. Bruce studied him a moment.
"Tony?" Bruce ask. Tony didn't even seem to notice him. Bruce didn't need Jarvis to tell him Tony's heart rate was elevated. he could see Tony's chest heaving. Tony gasp for breath.
"J, Bl-Black Sabbath, now!" Tony shouted. suddenly the bathroom was blasting with Black Sabbath. Bruce's eyebrows shot up. his chest heaved harder and Tony sank to the bottom of his shower, sitting on the tile floor in a ball. Bruce moved quickly as Tony rocked back an forth on the floor, a strangled scream escaping his throat. he knelt by Tony.
"Tony?" Bruce ask, reaching forward. he put a hand on Tony's shoulder and was shocked when Tony screamed and jerked away. he jerked his head up, tears dripping down his face. he was gasping for breath, on hand clutching his chest, over his heart. Bruce knew a panic attack when he saw one. he'd had quiet a few himself. Bruce sat quickly and pulled Tony to him, pulling him back into the shower water. Tony cried out at the water and tried to push away, but Brue held him tightly. "Jarvis! shower off now!" Bruce shouted. the water was off in an instant, not that it mattered, Bruce and his clothes were soaked. Tony grasp onto Bruce's shirt burying his face in Bruce's chest. even over the music Bruce could hear him gasping for breath, before screaming into his chest. Tony clung to him, gasping for breath, then occasionally screaming. if went on for about ten minutes before Tony slumped down against him, taking shaky breaths and letting out soft whimpers. Bruce pulled him closer, holding him tightly, running his fingers through Tony's hair gently. he didn't say anything, neither did. the music was too loud for either to be heard. Bruce reached out of the shower and grabbed Tony's towel quickly, wrapping it around the man. Tony offered no resistance, he didn't even try to help, he just sat their, slumped against Bruce's chest staring off at a wall. Bruce didn't need Tony to tell him, he knew what had happened to Tony, he'd heard the horror stories. he'd seen the panic attacks and nightmares. "Jarvis, music!" Bruce shouted. the music shut off. "deactivate yourself on this floor." Bruce said.
"yes ." Jarvis said and shut off.
"okay Tony come on. let's get you to the bedroom and get you dressed." Bruce said. Tony gave a week nod, but his body was still feeling weak. Bruce pulled Tony's arm over his shoulders and pulled him up. Tony's giant towel covered his whole body, but Bruce knew the shaking in his knee's wasn't the cold. Bruce held Tony tightly, helping him to the bedroom, then helped him get dressed. once Tony was dressed, Bruce changed and laid beside him. Bruce pulled him closer. Tony whimpered softly, burying his face in Bruce's chest. his fingers trembled as he fisted his hands into Bruce's clothes. "what happened Tony?" Bruce ask softly. for once Tony couldn't find his voice, couldn't speak. instead, he used one of his hands to grab on of Bruce's and put it over his reactor. though Bruce's hand had simply grazed the reactor, he could feel Tony's heart thundering in his chest. Bruce ran his thumb across the reactor gently, Tony flinched slightly, closing his eye's tightly. Bruce wrapped his arm back around Tony. "okay. okay. when did they start back up Tony?" Bruce ask. Tony's fist tapped against his chest, three times. "three? what days? weeks?" Bruce ask. Tony nodded. "weeks? three weeks? Tony is that why you've been acting so strange?" Bruce ask softly. Tony nodded again. "why didn't you tell me?" Bruce ask.
"I... I-I'm sorry." Tony managed after about five minutes. Bruce looked down shocked.
"sorry? Tony you didn't do anything." Bruce said.
"I d-didn't... tell you." Tony sighed. Bruce squeezed him gently.
"it's alright." Bruce murmured.
" ." Jarvis said.
"Jarvis I told you not to bother us." Bruce glared.
"Agent Coulson is on the line." Jarvis said.
"whats he want?" Bruce ask.
"he and the others are gathering for lunch and inviting you both." Jarvis said. Bruce looked down at Tony.
"wanna go to lunch with the others?" Bruce ask. Tony shrugged. "alright get up, lets get dressed. has he said where?" Bruce ask.
"the directions are being transferred to the GPS in Sirs car." Jarvis replied.
"thanks." Bruce said.
"you're welcome ." Jarvis replied.
*at Dinner*
Bruce and Tony walked in, Tony looked pale. his hands still had a slight tremor to them.
"Stark are you alright?" Steve ask. Tony's eye's were distant and Bruce tapped his shoulder. Tony jerked his head and turned to look at Bruce.
"geez Stark you look like you just saw a ghost." Clint snickered. Tony looked at Clint but his eye's were unfocused. then he turned his gaze back to where he'd been staring before, at Coulson.
"Tony's had a bad day." Bruce replied. the arc reactor in his chest, poking through the hole in his shirt, gave a flicker.
"his arc reactor is flickering." Clint said, watching.
"Bruce!" Steve shouted jumping up. Bruce looked beside him and quickly caught Tony as he collapsed. Tony looked up at Bruce dazed. Bruce slowly lowered Tony to the floor. since their room was a private room, having known all the Avengers would be there, there were quite a few people in there but not as many as in the rest of the restaurant. Bruce knelt, letting Tony lean back against him. "Tony have you been drinking?" Steve ask.
"no he hasn't. I just told you he's had a bad day." Bruce glared. he picked up Tony's phone. "Jarvis I need a reading on Tony's arc reactor." Bruce said. it was quiet a moment.
" the reactor is having a hard time keeping up with his heart. Sir is having a panic attack." Jarvis replied.
"did he just say panic attack?" Phil ask curiously. Bruce nodded slightly.
"something has set him off in here. he had one about thirty minutes ago before you call us for lunch." Bruce replied.
"what can we do to help?" Steve ask. Bruce looked around.
"Jarvis pull the car around back." Bruce said.
"right away ." Jarvis replied.
"Steve can you carry him to the car?" Bruce ask. Steve nodded and knelt down scooping him up. at this point Tonys chest was heaving and he was gasping. Steve followed Bruce quickly, sneaking Tony out the back. he laid Tony in the backseat. "go eat lunch." Bruce said, closing the door. Steve stood there a moment then headed back inside, not before hearing Tony scream in pure terror, it was quickly muffled though, Steve assumed Bruce had hugged Tony to keep the attention off them. he headed back inside.
"is he alright?" Natasha ask. Steve gave her an unsure look.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, but I've never heard him scream like that." Steve replied.
"he screamed?" Clint ask. Steve nodded.
"I haven't heard a scream like that since the war. all the families terrified of the bombs. everything that happened." Steve said. they sat in awkward silence for only a moment.
"well I'm not just going to sit here. get the food to go, we'll take it back to the tower. I'm going to take Tony some water." Natasha said. the three boys nodded and did as she said, while she took a cup of water to Tony. she knocked on the car window. she could see straight through to where Tony had his head tucked between his knee's rocking back in forth in the seat. Bruce looked over at her, rolling the window down.
"whats up?" Bruce ask.
"meet us back at the tower okay? we'll bring you both something to eat." Natasha said. Bruce nodded and she held out the cup.
"carbonated drinks aren't really good for him right now." Bruce said.
"I know. it's water." Natasha replied. Bruce thanked her and offered Tony the drink.
"Tony? do you want some water?" Bruce ask, sounding like he was talking to a child. the moment he heard water Tony flipped, kicking the cup out of Bruce's hand in his sheer panic, putting as much space between him and the cup as he could. "okay well thats a no." Bruce muttered moving over to Tony. Natasha headed back inside as the window rolled up and the car took off.
"did he take the water?" Clint ask.
"no. he was terrified of it. kicked it out of Bruce's hand." Natasha replied. Phil frowned looking between them.
"you know he was tortured right? when he was kidnapped all those years ago. when he got the reactor in the first place. he was tortured, severely." Phil said. they looked to him. "I'll explain on the way." Phil said. they nodded. Tony huddled to Bruce, clinging to him, slowly calming down.
"Tony, what happened in there?" Bruce ask. Tony shook his head and buried his face in Bruce's shoulder. it took him five minutes to get his voice back.
"I-I thought I got them all." Tony whimpered.
"who all?" Bruce ask.
"th-the guys. the guys wh-who kidnapped me." Tony managed.
"wait what? was one in there?" Bruce ask. Tony nodded with a whimper. "Jarvis stop the car!" Bruce shouted. Tony whimpered again and clung to him. "who was it Tony?" Bruce ask.
"he stared right at me, from behind Coulson with the fake watch." Tony murmured. Bruce flipped his cell phone open, calling Clint.
"hey, hows-" Clint started.
"how far are you from the restaurant?" Bruce interrupted. Clint was confused.
"we haven't left yet. we're waiting on your food why?" Clint ask.
"behind Coulson, don't make it obvious your looking at him. shady looking guy, fake watch." Bruce said. Clint made a show of looking around the room.
"alright I got him. whats up?" Clint ask. now he had the whole tables attention.
"he set Tony off. grab him." Bruce said.
"grab him?" Clint ask.
"he's one of the kidnappers." Bruce said.
"got it." Clint said handing up. the table looked at him when he gave a smirk.
"Clint whats up?" Steve ask.
"take a look around the room. guy over there behind Phil. don't look directly at him. he might run if he realizes we're onto him. he's one of Tony's kidnappers. he set the panic attack off. Bruce wants him." Clint said, looking away so the man, if he was watching, couldn't read his lips.
"I've got this, meet me in the back alley." Natasha said. they looked at her.
"nothing like a pretty young lady to draw his attention." Steve said.
"thats not what I had in mind." Natasha said getting up. she walked over to the man slowly, then knelt down to his ear. "I know who you are. I know what you've done. that sharp pain in your side, thats my gun, got it? come with me. you don't want to make a scene." Natasha whispered into his ear. the man, for his part, looked extremely calm.
"I will be back gentlemen." he said. Natasha lead him out the back door, knocking him to the ground with her gun. she and the boys surrounded him.
"what is going on here!?" he shouted.
"we know you helped kidnap Tony Stark." Steve said plainly. the mans face paled. "and while I'd like to kill you right here, you have angered someone far worse and we're simply here to take you to him. now get in the car, or we'll make you." Steve warned. he held up his hands and got into the car, Clint got in on one side, Natasha on the other. they got the food and headed back to the tower.
*the tower*
Bruce sat with Tony on the couch, huddled together in a blanket with him because, despite the fact it was nearly ninety degree's outside, Tony insisted his clothes were soaked and causing him to freeze. Bruce had simply rolled with it, letting Tony lay against his shoulder.
"Agent Coulson and the others have just pulled into the tower." Jarvis said.
"thanks Jarvis. tell them to put the package in Hulks safety room and lock it down until I get there." Bruce replied.
"right away ." Jarvis replied. Bruce pulled Tony close, making sure the scientists face was buried in his chest as their friends drug in the man. he'd been gagged and tied up, probably Clints doing, so all he could do was make muffled noises. Steve and Clint took the man to Hulks safety room while Natasha and Phil dug through the food.
"hey Tony, you hungry?" Natasha ask. Tony shook his head no, with a dead look in his eye's. Coulson had seen the look before, it had been in Tony's eye's for two weeks after he'd come back. the only thing Tony wanted at the moment was a drink and for once, instead of trying to stop him, Bruce got up and brought him a few large bottles to drink. Tony looked at the bottles, the liquid sloshing in the container, the opened it and drink a third of the bottle in one gulp. he was going to be dead as a doornail when he was done, emotionally speaking. by the time Steve and Clint got back, Tony was halfway done with the second bottle. he was wasting no time. he wanted to be drunk, and he wanted to be drunk now. Bruce let him, keeping track of how much he drank. Tony could handle his alcohol, Bruce knew that, but he had a feeling Tony was going to get hammered quickly tonight. the others simply watched him, not watching to eat while Tony was having a break down. normally they would have pushed it off, but this was serious. this wasn't Tony was told to keep his hand out of the cookie jar, no this was Tony could actually be thinking of killing himself. it was way too serious for any of them. Tony Stark didn't get this serious, over anything.
"take it easy Tony." Bruce warned when Tony threw the second empty bottle down, causing it to shatter, and picked up the third. Tony wasn't in his right mind already, still recovering from the panic attacks he'd had, so he was pretty out of it already and two 32oz bottles of his best whiskey weren't helping. the others watched Tony down the third and final bottle before he slumped over into Bruce's lap. "okay come on, let's get you to bed." Bruce said, standing with all of Tony's weight on him. Steve came quickly to Tony's other side, helping to drag the man to the elevator. Tony didn't seem to notice Steve, simply laying his head on Bruce. as the elevator started up, Tony sank to the ground, slowly. he sat on the floor of the elevator, staring at the doors. as soon as the opened, Steve had Tony scooped up and was carrying him to his bed.
"if you need us let us know." Steve said. Bruce nodded as he took off Tony's shoe's and pulled the blanket over him. the kidnapper could wait, right now, his boyfriend needed him. Bruce lay'd beside Tony and held him tightly.
"it's all gonna be okay Tony." Bruce soothed, holding him tightly, a green hue to his eye's. "it's gonna be alright." Bruce murmured.