Tony's used to feeling a lot of things--feeling all the things, as the kids on the internet say these days (why no, Pepper, he's not screwing around posting pics of his robots to Tumblr during briefings, why do you ask?) but he's never been much good at expressing them in ways that aren't getting drunk or having sex or building robots, so he doesn't know what to do with this weird swell of tenderness that's surging in his chest as he watches Bruce sleep.
Tony tucks the blanket around him again, like it wasn't good enough the first two times he did it, and sighs. It's a sound that's more like Pepper than like him, so he plays a little game of "What Would Pepper Do?" and remembers the many times he's pretended to still be asleep so she would smooth his hair back and kiss his forehead. He does the same to Bruce now, hesitant in a way he'd never be if Bruce were awake, more afraid of himself and his ability to break everything he touches in ways Bruce can't even comprehend than he is of Bruce or the Hulk or even the possible weirdness of getting caught watching Bruce sleep.
He brushes Bruce's hair back as gently as he can and presses a soft kiss to his forehead, the skin there sweaty and warm against his lips.
Good, he thinks, that's good, sitting back and making sure Bruce is still asleep, unsure of what to do next for once. He dozes a little himself, eventually, and wakes to find Bruce's blanket tucked around him, and the sound of Bruce singing in the shower in the next room.
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Tony's used to feeling a lot of things--feeling all the things, as the kids on the internet say these days (why no, Pepper, he's not screwing around posting pics of his robots to Tumblr during briefings, why do you ask?) but he's never been much good at expressing them in ways that aren't getting drunk or having sex or building robots, so he doesn't know what to do with this weird swell of tenderness that's surging in his chest as he watches Bruce sleep.
Tony tucks the blanket around him again, like it wasn't good enough the first two times he did it, and sighs. It's a sound that's more like Pepper than like him, so he plays a little game of "What Would Pepper Do?" and remembers the many times he's pretended to still be asleep so she would smooth his hair back and kiss his forehead. He does the same to Bruce now, hesitant in a way he'd never be if Bruce were awake, more afraid of himself and his ability to break everything he touches in ways Bruce can't even comprehend than he is of Bruce or the Hulk or even the possible weirdness of getting caught watching Bruce sleep.
He brushes Bruce's hair back as gently as he can and presses a soft kiss to his forehead, the skin there sweaty and warm against his lips.
Good, he thinks, that's good, sitting back and making sure Bruce is still asleep, unsure of what to do next for once. He dozes a little himself, eventually, and wakes to find Bruce's blanket tucked around him, and the sound of Bruce singing in the shower in the next room.