If someone asked him why he did what he did, he wouldn't know what to tell them. Of course, it was none of their business anyway, but if the public did ever find out that the great Tony Stark, multimillionaire philanthropist, was playing mommy with Mr. Hulkaboo, he probably wouldn't hear the end of it.
Scratch that, he'd have to change his name and move halfway across the world. Afghanistan, perhaps? He wouldn't fall for that one again.
What was he talking about? Oh right. He proposed that it was a simple case of an undiagnosed obsessive compulsive disorder, but Jarvis immediately criticized this theory for nothing less of being a good friend.
He wished it were that simple.
When he asked the team whether they wanted to live under one roof, he did it not because of this, but because he felt the team was more useful when they were together. Especially after the whole Loki ordeal which made the city vulnerable to villainous attacks, the city of New York needed them more than ever.
It was quite a shock that they all agreed with minimal convincing. Steve accepted right off the bat although Jane and Hank requested a room for themselves. Clint refused as he still had some lingering business with S.H.I.E.L.D and so did Natasha. Bruce, although hesitant, agreed, but stayed back in Calcutta for a few more months to help out with an outbreak which threatened the health and safety of the villagers.
Tony guessed it was the water.
When he came back, they welcomed him with open arms. And Tony immediately showed him a room fit for a king which had lacked a lock of its own, an installation in progress, Tony promised, though it was never spoke about again. Though if Bruce found out about Tony's antics, he probably would have requested for one. Or even worse, threaten to leave which Stark wouldn't let happen.
He couldn't.
It happened a while ago: around the time Bruce came back from India. After a long day of kicking ass and a few glasses of brandy on ice - he opened the door to the wrong room only to stand there - frozen - and watch the unmoving figure on the bed.
After finding his legs, he stumbled in and beside the motionless figure. Watched in awe - the way his eyebrows knotted together, the way his hands were set (so carefree), palms staring straight up at the ceiling. Though what soon gained his attention was neither his face or his hands, but his stomach - in particular - which failed to move at all as what he could see through his slightly jumpy and blurred vision.
Quickly, he placed his fingers to the man's neck; it was a tad slower than normal, but he still felt it pulsating. His hands stayed longer than they should have as he watched the beloved scientist, though when Bruce's eyes threatened open, he quickly took as a sign to get the hell out of there.
The next time he went, he wasn't so tipsy. Stood his ground and watched intently at the unfolding events. This time, Bruce's chest heaved - falling back and forth - but Stark rushed in to feel his pulse anyway. It was there. He placed his fingers to his neck pulse and enjoyed the feel of his heartbeat.
Perhaps he was too worried for his own good. After that day, he just couldn't find it in himself to ignore it anymore. Often times, he'd find himself staring at the back of his head and/or when the team raced to get a bite to eat at the nearby Cafe. Sometimes they were in the lab talking, and he couldn't even concentrate on what he was saying. Rather his lips and how gently they moved as he spoke. Glossed up strawberry chapstick, nice asset. Of course, Tony was the one who bought it for him when he noticed he kept licking his lips in the lab and a grateful Bruce accepted right away with the brightest of smiles. Because every little thing counted for him and that warmed Tony's arc reactor more than anything else in the world.
His expression changed to a blank one as he wandered out of the room and shut the door behind him. He held his back to it and released a breath of air that he didn't realize he was holding. The thought was on the tip of his tongue, but he refused to acknowledge it was there. He terribly needed a drink, and fast.