Bruce fell to his knees, breathing heavily, and shook his head. No. No, this wasn't happening. This couldn't happen, not now. He could feel the tightness in his chest, the rage building up inside his stomach, but he couldn't let this happen. Tony was hurt. Tony was there, and Tony was hurt, because of him. Because he hadn't checked the vials right, and god, the noise had been so loud, and the light had been so bright, and it had all been so much so fast. He closed his eyes, and ground his teeth together. No. No. Please, no.

And then, soft, gentle hands were in his hair. Warm fingers sliding over his cheeks and face. Long, thick arms curling around his shoulders, and a pair of lips touching his forehead in a feather-light kiss.

"Bruce. Bruce, it's okay." Tony. Tony's voice, drifting through into his mind. "It's okay. I'm okay."

He blinked, once, twice, three times, and shut his eyes again, his entire body beginning to tremble.

"Bruce." Tony's voice was so soft, so quiet. "Bruce, it's okay." Gentle hands rubbed at his back, moving in soothing circles across his tensed muscles, and he slowly, so slowly, began to relax.

In, out. In, out. Long, deep breaths that filled his chest, finally opening his eyes to see the blue light of the arc reactor in front of him, Tony's sweet, methodical repetitions of "Bruce." becoming clearer and clearer. He sniffed slightly, and then looked up, eyes wide and terrified as he did. Tony's face hovered above him, eyes closed, still softly whispering his name. He opened his mouth to speak, but all that came out was a choked sob as hot tears began to well up in his eyes.

Tony's eyes blinked open, and he leaned down, kissing Bruce's forehead as his roving hands came to rest on the physicist's cheeks, wiping away his tears with his thumbs. "Shhh." Tony cooed, gathering Bruce up into his arms as he did. "Shh, Bruce it's okay." Bruce pressed his face into Tony's shirt, and sobbed, wet tears dampening the black button up Tony was wearing.

They stayed that way for what felt like hours, Tony holding Bruce close, rubbing smooth patterns across his back, while Bruce cried uncontrollably against Tony's chest. Eventually, Tony helped Bruce to his feet, and they shuffled to the elevator, taking it up the two floors to their bedroom. Tony laid Bruce down on the bed, and kissed his lips, his cheeks, his nose, kissing away the tears, and the hopeless fear, and the pain, until it was just Tony and Bruce, holding each other, and kissing softly, their bodies entwined together perfectly as they always had.

At some point, after an undetermined amount of time, Bruce pulled back, and Tony pressed their foreheads gently together, breathing deeply.

"I-"

"I know, Bruce." Bruce shook his head, and kissed Tony again.

"I love you."

"I love you, too."