Bruce had never seen color before. His parents (well, his mother) had told him the legends, and he'd heard couples talking about it, but he was sure he'd never see them for himself. When you're born, no color is visible. It's all black and white until you're touching someone you've fallen in love with. From then on, color can be seen at the touch of a hand.
So when holding Betty's hand gave him an entirely new outlook on life, he never wanted to let it go. Except... she couldn't see it. He knew, because when he started seeing them and babbling about it, she just watched him with a blank face and let go of his hand. If she'd seen them, she wouldn't have let go.
Her things were gone the very next day. She hadn't bothered to say goodbye. Bruce would be lying if he said he didn't feel her loss, but in the months that followed he found himself missing the colors more than her.
A few years later, Steve assured him that finding love was not always so rare. "I had mine. He lit up my whole world, literally. I'll never have that again, I know. Some days it hurts, but I'll always have my memories," he told Bruce.
Bruce loved listening to the old stories. Even Tony had a couple from his time with Pepper, before she broke his heart.
"I don't see them anymore when we touch in passing. I don't know if she does or not. Honestly, it doesn't bother me. It means I'm not missing her," he'd said.
And then it happened. One day, after a particularly nasty battle with mutant robots, Tony grabbed his arm to keep him upright and the colors flared to life. He didn't know if he made any kind of reaction when it happened because he only saw them for a few seconds before passing out from exertion.
He woke up in Medical and thought it was a dream. There was no way Tony had given him the colors; he liked the billionaire, sure, but love? No, he couldn't. He'd thought he was alone until the colors were suddenly back and brighter than ever. Tony had seen he was awake and took his hand.
He decided to have no outward reaction. If he ignored it, they would eventually go away. Nothing was worth the pain of knowing Tony couldn't see them too. He didn't ever want to suffer like that again.
His recovery was fast, thanks to the Other Guy. He was back in the lab with Tony in no time. And if they somehow managed to touch more often now, Bruce couldn't be blamed. Tony initiated it just as much. They were both touch-starved from their awful childhoods (and for Bruce, his life after the accident).
When Natasha cornered him one day, he knew it was time for him to go. If she'd realized what was happening, it was only a matter of time before everyone else figured it out. He didn't think he could live through hearing Tony reject him like Betty had.
"You love him. Your face brightens every time you accidentally touch. Clint and I think it's cute. You should tell him, Bruce," she said. He shook his head immediately.
"No. I saw them with Betty, too. She didn't. I'm not going to go there again. It hurts too much," he protested.
"We think Stark sees them too," she'd argued. But Bruce wasn't listening anymore.
He left in the middle of the night, taking only one bag and his phone. The flight took him out to Malaysia, where he intended to start up with helping the sick again. He didn't answer his phone when Tony called, even though it was nearly every day.
Tony couldn't figure out when his feelings had started, but Bruce had worked his way right into his heart. The colors started for him in the lab. He'd told the stories about Pepper as a hint, but it hadn't worked the way he wanted. Bruce seemed to be completely oblivious to his feelings.
When Bruce had collapsed in the field, Tony had panicked. Grabbing him probably wasn't the best idea, but by the noise he'd made... Tony was almost sure he'd seen the colors too. Natasha cornered him the same day she got Bruce.
"We've seen how you look at him, Tony. You love him. He loves you too. You should talk to him!" she'd said.
"You really think so?" he'd asked, amazed. The assassin was right, as usual.
"Yes. Clint and I have both noticed it," she'd replied, giving a rare smile.
So Tony decided to go for it. The very next morning, he made a trip to Bruce's floor, a place he'd never been. Something wasn't right though; there was almost nothing there, including Bruce. After some investigation, Jarvis informed him that Bruce had left around midnight, carrying a bag of belongings.
Tony was broken. He could only imagine that Bruce had seen what Natasha had. He must not have felt the same, like they'd thought. He'd left to avoid hurting anyone, only it hadn't worked. He tried calling, but he never got an answer. He turned back to alcohol.
Three months into his seclusion, Bruce got a call from Natasha. So far, only Tony had attempted to contact him and he hadn't answered a single call. He'd been tempted, but he knew better than to give into temptation at this point. Bruce only answered now because Natasha only called for emergencies.
"Tony is in the hospital. It's not looking good," she said immediately. Bruce froze, panicking internally.
"What? Wait... what?" he asked. He could hear her frustrated sigh.
"He was drinking and thought it would be a good idea to go for a drive. Now he's in the hospital, because he's an idiot. The doctors are calling it a coma and saying he won't be waking up," she explained.
Everything hurt. He couldn't believe that Tony was just... gone?
"Why are you telling me?" he asked quietly.
"You know why. Well, that and because you're his emergency contact. I don't know why he never changed that," Nat replied. "Will you come back now? We need you."
"Yes... of course. I'll be on a plane tonight," he replied without thinking. Of course he would. Tony needed him.
The hospital was cold. When Bruce first got there, he didn't even notice. Now though, two days later, he was freezing. The others were in and out, but Bruce hadn't left yet. Tony actually looked peaceful and that was just nice to see. It was not nice that he'd probably never see Tony's eyes open again.
He hadn't touched Tony at all, but he'd talked to him quietly when the nurse told him he'd probably hear it. He told Tony everything, knowing he'd never get to say it again. Tony would be it for him. He refused to fall again. It just hurt too much.
Tony woke up slowly, immediately wishing he hadn't when he remembered what happened. His friends- especially Steve- were going to kill him since the crash hadn't.
At first glance, the room was empty. But then he heard the breathing and noticed Bruce sleeping in the chair beside his bed. Without even thinking, he reached out and grabbed his hand, making the colors flare up. He almost didn't notice Bruce waking up, until the colors were gone and Bruce was staring at him.
"Tony? How...?" he sounded completely shocked, and Tony used that shock to grab his hand again and hold it surprisingly tight.
"Bruce, oh god, you're really here," he gasped, frowning at his raspy voice.
"I... yeah. You're not supposed to be awake. They told us you'd never wake up," he babbled. He didn't let go of Tony's hand, not even noticing the colors in his shock.
"Well, I did," Tony said. "Are you just going to leave again?" He was trying not to sound bitter, but it was hard. He didn't want to lose Bruce again, after all of this.
Bruce shook his head immediately. He'd never leave again, unless Tony specifically told him to. Clearly leaving the billionaire alone was a bad idea.
"Good, because I have to tell you something," Tony said, smiling. "You know how I saw color with Pepper? That stopped the day I met you. For a while I just didn't see them at all, until you started working in the lab with me. And now, every time we touch they're brighter than ever. You left before I could tell you that I love you."
Bruce didn't even question it. He just leaned forward and kissed Tony with everything he had.