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Title: Mad World.
Summary: Tony knelt down, reaching out with the tip of his fingers to caress lightly the side of his face before tucking them underBruce's chin and tilting his head upward.
Warnings: This isn't a happy one-shot, but there's no tragedy or anything like that. Just angst.
Disclaimer: I don't owe The Dark Knight trilogy, Iron Man or any of its characters. Sadly.
OoOoO
Tony found Bruce sitting in the dark of the cave, even the usual light from the monitors absent. He was still wearing the suit minus the cowl, and as Tony came closer he saw his head bowed and face covered with his hands, elbows resting on the desk.
His heart gave a painful tug at the sight.
"Hey," He called softly. Bruce looked so lost and gone that he didn't want to scare him in case he hadn't noticed his arrival.
There was no reaction from the other man.
Tony knelt down, reaching out with the tip of his fingers to caress lightly the side of his face before tucking them under Bruce's chin and tilting his head upward.
The contusion on the right cheek and split lip he found lost importance as soon as he met a pair of tired and lost hazel eyes under tousled and sweaty dark hair. There were no tears, nor any trace that suggested tears had been shed, but there needn't be.
The pain and misery in his eyes were enough to make Tony ache for him. To make him suffer with him.
"You okay?" Tony whispered.
Silence filled the cave for a moment before Bruce's eyes focused on Tony's. It took a moment longer for him to articulate any kind of response.
"I don't know," Bruce said hoarsely. "I just- I don't know anymore."
Tony took Bruce's hand in his own and squeezed, his eyes never leaving the other man's. Wordlessly, he tugged Bruce closer until he was leaning against him, his forehead resting against his shoulder.
They stayed like that for a long time, neither saying anything. What could he say anyway? Hands still clasped together, Tony used his other hand to rub soothingly at the other man's back.
"Come on," Tony whispered, kissing the side of Bruce's forehead. "Let's go upstairs."
He rose to his feet with a grimace, tugging at Bruce's hand to get him to stand up and again to get him to walk with him toward the staircase.
"I need to take the suit off," Bruce muttered absently.
"It's okay, you can do that in the bedroom. I'm sure Alfred wouldn't mind. Much," He added after a pause in reference to Alfred's firm rule about the suits staying in the cave.
Tony saw the ghost of a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, just for a second and fiercely clung to that fleeting sight. They were going to get through this.
Together.
Even as they reached the cozy and warm study, leaving the cold and dark cave behind, Tony still didn't let go of Bruce's hand.
OoOoO
a/n: I'm sorry everyone, I guess I just feel the need for a little bit of comfort after all the madness we've seen all over the world in the last months. In the last years, even.
I confess I have always felt- uncomfortable, I think is the word, about seeing fics based on real live tragedies, even if I fully respect people's need for an outlet or something to let out the pain and grief, so I want to point out that's not what I'm doing. What we have here is Tony comforting Bruce in the aftermath of some unidentified Gotham tragedy, and nothing more.
This is unbetaed and I'm not a native speaker, so please feel free to point out any mistake you find.