A week came and Steve thought that it was time. Time to finally talk to him.
Or it could be his impatience speaking but otherwise, he knew it was okay.
That's what he thought when he slowly walked to Tony's room only to hear quiet sobs and whispering.
The door was slightly open and he peeked inside only to see Bruce patting Tony on the shoulders while Tony had his face buried in his hands. A bottle of beer was sitting on the bed, beside the two other scientists.
"Shhh, Tony."
Steve closed his eyes and shifted slowly to move out.
"It's okay." Bruce whispered.
He wanted to shout to Bruce. He wanted to say No, Bruce. It's not okay. Look at Tony. Does he look okay? No, Bruce. I caused this. I did this to Tony.
And with a wince, he jogged back to his room, slamming the door behind him and locked it.
It wasn't time.
Check out the irony, Rogers. He thought. You're never a man of time.
Tony was silently staring out his bedroom window minutes ago, thinking about them both. Thinking about him and Steve.
He knew he was always wrong. He always shook people off. They came when they needed to use him. And when they're done, they go. They come and go.
And never return.
No one ever loved Tony right.
Well maybe except for Pepper and Rhodey.
But that's just two.
Jarvis beeped and Tony softly laughed. He must've said it out loud. Okay, fine. Jarvis is added to the list.
Oh, his life.
Oh, his sad, sad life.
He was really tired of everything. He even calculated the possible attempts for suicide and alcohol poisoning once. He just didn't deserve this life.
And Steve doesn't deserve him.
He clenched his teeth.
Steve didn't deserve to be hurt like that. Didn't deserve him being treated that way by Tony.
But Tony was just a downright, born-to-be-mean, bad person.
Like he needed someone to tell him that.
He growled, sort of, and buried his face on his knees and—
"Tony?" Bruce whispered and slowly entered his room. "I hope not to disturb but you haven't eaten for 2 days now. Steve comes down sometimes to eat but you don't so—"He stopped abruptly to see Tony frowning at him, with beads of tears on the corner of his—"Is that crying? Are you?"
Tony hissed and buried his face down on his knees again. "Just leave the tray here and leave." Just like all the others. He thought.
"No." Bruce smiled and sat beside the Tony on the bed. "I'll stay."
The other grunted and looked up to Bruce. "Why do I always mess things up?" He asked straightforwardly which brought the other man to surprise.
"You don't…"
"Don't give me that shit, Bruce." Bruce frowned and Tony sighed. "But its—"
"Don't give me that shit, Stark." Bruce smiled and patted his shoulders. "You don't always mess things up. Only sometimes." Tony rolled his eyes and brought his hands to his face. "But when you do, it's only you—because you know what you're doing. You don't abide to the rules; you are your own rules. You follow what you believe in and I guess that's what really matters. Even if you break the given set of rules."
"Do you believe in rules?" Tony whispered and Bruce could've sworn the voice belonged to another person.
"Yes. Sometimes. But they're just a guide. Sure, they're made to be followed. But honestly, they'll not always save you."
"How do you do good?" Because the word good and doing good obviously didn't exist in Tony's dictionary.
"Do good? I guess it just comes with moral character."
"What if you don't have one?"
Bruce frowned and tapped the cheek of the other. The latter slowly looked up and Bruce cupped his face with his hands. "You have one, Tony. It's just not showing."
Tony shook his head and cupped his face with his own hands. "I ruined Steve."
"You didn—"
"I hurt him, Bruce. I changed him. I tainted him. I'm a horrible person. And I don't have a moral character. I ruin other's morality."
"Tony—"
"This is why I can't handle these kinds of things. I can't handle emotions because when people put their lives on my hands, I kill it."
Bruce gritted his teeth and just continued to pat his friend on the shoulder. "Shhh, Tony."
Tony quietly sobbed and sniffled.
"It's okay."
He could've sworn he heard shuffling outside but he ignored them.
"We'll never talk again."
"Tony, don't say that." He firmly said.
"Then, when?" He rose up and glared at the other scientist. "When do we sort things out? We tried once, Bruce. He gave me months to go over things, months, and it failed."
"Now."
"What?" Tony nearly whimpered.
"Now. You talk now."
"Bruce, I—"
"You heard me, Stark. Now. Now, is the time to settle tensions between you two. Because we waited. We all waited. For months, weeks, days. And how much longer must it have been for you two?"
Tony listened silently.
"We're going to have missions soon and this relationship between you two is going to be a hurdle and we—"
"So, this is all for the missions? For the team?"
"Just one of the reasons." Tony grunted. "But the biggest reason is for you two."
"If I talk to him now, will you spare me another of your Special Bruce Banner speeches because I seriously cannot take another one."
"Yes." Bruce grinned and stood up. He gave Tony one last assuring rub on his back and walked out to the door. "But it helped right?"
"The speeches?"
"Yeah. My speeches"
"Yes." Tony ran his hand through his dark, messed up hair, smiling weakly. "They helped a lot."
Bruce grinned and left the room. "You're welcome. Talk to him, alright?"
"Will do." He whispered as he wiped the tears off his eyes.
