p • r • e • s • s • u • r • e

Burned Out

"Fuck. Oh well."
Tony saunters back to bed only to find Bruce sitting there, reading.

"Thought you were eating dinner?"

"I finished. How'd you get your shirt off?"

Bruce puts his book aside.

"Butterfingers. I've got a watch with a built in shield for acid rain, so it kept my cast dry."

"Cool."

He climbs under the covers and places his glasses on his bedside table.

"Tony, we need to talk."

"About?"

Bruce moves closer.

"About this."

He taps twice on the engineer's chestpiece, and Tony's eyes widen as the light flashes.

"Nonono-fuck, Bruce that's not-"

"What?"

"N-" Tony collapses into the bed, squeezing the sheets tight. He claws at the reactor, which flashes rapidly.

"Oh god what did I do?"

The engineer screams out, Bruce freaking out.

"Tony tell me what to do?"

"I-I-I-" he pants, then calms down a bit.

"Is it better now?"

He grits his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut.

"N-not really."

"What the hell just happened?"

"I-I did something."

Bruce smacks his forehead.

"Of course you did. Oh Tony..."

The engineer smiles, his breath still hitching. Perspiration glistens on his forehead.

"Does it still hurt?" he asks, tenderly.

All Tony can do is nod.

"Scale of one to ten?"

"Nine."

"Shit. Okay. I'm sorry, I don't-I don't know how to fix it..."

"It's ok, it's getting better," Tony chokes out.

Bruce offers him water, and he drinks it gratefully.

"Number?"

"Five."

"Okay, that's...that's better."

The engineer nods and hands the glass back to Bruce, pulling the covers over himself with shaking hands.

The scientist lays his head on the pillow next to him.

"How can I stop it next time?"

"I-you can't."

"You're lying."

"You have to pull it out first."

"What?? Are you crazy?"

Tony winces.

"I-I'm sorry Bruce."

"No, I shouldn't...but I just-I don't want you to hurt. That's all."

The scientist pulls Tony close.

"We'll figure it out, babe."

"Yeah."

~Time skip~

It had been a long day.

Tony had suffered through three meetings in Pepper's absence, and he'd torn his favourite jacket.