Ready, Fire, Aim!

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony just grunted and curled in on himself, praying this wasn't one of the nights where he had nightmares. In this close space with Bruce.. He didn't want to wake him in the middle of the night. Using his arm as a pillow, he shut his eyes and tried to get some rest.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

((should Bruce wake up to Tony have a nightmare, or should we just time skip like normal and send them on their little quest?))

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((Too much is going good for them. Nightmare it is!))

 

Tony shifted and jerked in his sleep, worrying his lower lip with his teeth. It seemed their luck had just about run out, as he was once again plagued with horror in his sleep. This time it was a mishmash of things, even though they didn't go together. Being darted in the neck and passing out, only to wake up on the table in Afghanistan, screaming as a hole was cut into his chest for the electromagnetic. This dissolved into Ross' soldiers with weapons trained on him, yelling for him to build a Jericho missile and the Hulk trying to help him put the Mark I suit together with huge fingers. Little whimpers escaped his prone form, his breathing eratic.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Tony's twitching and jerks woke Bruce from his sleep, and he shifted to look at the man next to him. He could tell he was having a mad nightmare, and he tried to shake him awake. "Tony! It's just a dream, come on, wake up!" Tony began to jerk more violently, his limbs hitting Bruce where he lay. He was biting his lower lip, the skin pale under his teeth, and his eyes rapidly moving behind his squeezed lids. Tony looked like a text book case of PTSD, probably the only textbook thing about Tony Stark. Bruce continued to try and wake him, dodging Tony's more violent spasms and flails.

 

((sry if this seems like god-modding. Striking out at those around you in this type of situation is very common for people with PTSD, and since something similar happened in IM3...))

[Sweet_Wyvern]

((No that's fine))

 

Tony continued to writhe until he came awake all at once, gasping and scrambling as he struggled to come back to reality. Not really seeing anything around him, he scrambled out of the little hut and staggered into the empty dirt street, panting heavily and fleeing from an unseen foe. He didn't make it far though and fell to his knees, hugging himself tightly and choking on gasped sobs as blood roared in his ears. He didn't know where he was, but it was hot and loud and Afghanistan and-

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce started when Tony finally jolted awake, trying to give him space to breathe and gather his wits. When the billionaire scrambled outside, Bruce quickly followed behind, falling to his knees beside Tony's writhing, balled form. He wrapped his arms around him, so much like he'd done the first time, and he held him close as broken sobs racked the man's chest. He could feel the hitch in his chest as he desperately tried to breathe, and he secured his arms around him. "Tony- Tony, it's okay! You're here with me, Bruce, there's no one chasing you," he murmured over Tony's chocked sobs.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony gave in quickly and leaned into him, making no effort to conceal the broken sobbing that escaped him. He hadn't really talking to anyone about anything that had happened since New York or Afghanistan, and so all of those emotions bubbled and fermented inside of him until they forced their way to the surface, like they had now. He couldn't really make sense of anything, could barely breathe even, but he only knew that Bruce was beside him and he was okay. And he really needed that. In a way, it was almost like his own version of Hulking out. One moment an eccentric, sarcastic billionaire, but the slightest thing could set him off into the broken, crushed and sobbing man that Bruce was cradling, without a coherent thought except fear.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce continued to hold Tony as his tears stained his shirt, trying to hold the broken man together with only his arms. Bruce felt a bit uncomfortable, since comforting and consoling others wasn't exactly his area of expertise; he was no therapist, but he held onto him anyway. If Tony was willing to release some of his demons like this, that meant he trusted him. He doubted that even Pepper had this sort of relationship with him, not that he would know. He rubbed his back in soothing circles, an old trick he's learned from a Buddhist monk while traveling around India that helped to ease tension in the body and give piece of mind, to better help Tony breathe and relax.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

After about five minutes Tony quieted, no longer sobbing and gasping like a beached fish. He would shiver every once in a while despite the heat, but otherwise it seemed his episode was over. He was too exhausted to even be ashamed this time, just spent and numb. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, apologizing like he did every time. Bruce shouldn't have to deal with his trivial problems, shouldn't have to hold him like a child. And yet he selfishly wanted it, was glad that Bruce could hold him. He was safe there.

 

((Huh, I wonder what the Hulk would do if Tony woke up from a nightmare/had a panic attack))

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

((O_____O I'm so conflicted on how that would work.... I feel like I need a fic on this now or something...))

 

Bruce continued to hold him, holding him closer every time he felt a shiver run through his spine. despite the stares of the Brazilians that had begun to emerge from their small homes. He didn't say anything at Tony's apology this time. Tony knew that there was nothing to be sorry for, it was just something he said. He didn't know how to open up to people, and for some reason, he felt like it was something worth apologizing for. After a while, he pulled himself apart from the man in order to see his face. "Are you okay now?" he asked softly.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony sat up, wiping his eyes dry and raking his fingers through his hair. "Yeah. Thanks," he said hoarsely, not seeming to mind the stares they received. He rose, nearly stumbling but managing to catch himself. "We.. We should probably get going," he mumbled.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

"Yeah," he sighed, picking himself up off the ground. They made their way along the edge of the favela, receiving stares from many of the people for most of the way. I guess people liked to gossip, he thought bitterly.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony muttered something offensive in Spanish. A few of them got it and looked away, ranging from embarrassed to offended. As they reached the edge he called his suit to him, holding still while it assembled on him piece by piece. Finally he could hide, out of sight and private. "Lets find a small town and stay the night, it youre up to it we can start in the morning," he said tiredly, gazing at his interface.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

A smile tugged at his lips at Tony's remarks to the passerby. Bruce nodded in agreement, standing awkwardly so that Tony could pick him up with his suit, as if he hadn't felt embarrassed enough today (mostly about the pantsless situation earlier). "

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony picked him up and took off, flying lower this time so he could see cities. It wasn't long before they found a small place, maybe an hour or so; it was a close knit community with a big center of town. He lande them a mile outside of town so no one would see, never saying a word the whole time. He looked to Bruce, waiting for some sort of direction.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

"Um, it seems like it's too late to get any where to stay tonight. I think we should try and find some shelter to stay in out here, and in the morning, we can 'suit up' and make our way into town from there?" he suggested. He wasn't too confident about this whole thing as much as he was before, both because it was going to happen so soon, and because he wasn't sure how stable Tony was at the moment. But this needed to happen, regardless of his discomfort. The plan was solid, and now he just had to suck it up and get on with it.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony nodded, shifting his face plate up. "There's gotta be an old farm or shack somewhere around here. Lets just start looking," he said finally, breaking his silent vigil. He had just needed some time to think, and while he still sounded a little funny, he was talking now at least.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

They walked around for a while. Neither of them talked much, and after about an hour, Bruce was about to call it quits and just set up a stick tent to sleep in. His legs were really starting to get sore, but he kept his mouth shut since he knew that Tony was going through a lot right now.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

"Ah it," Tony sighed, stepping out of his suit and sitting with a back against a tree. "We aren't going to find anything. Lets just stop here," he said, staring up at the sky. If it didn't rain they would be miserable, if it did they would just be miserable and dispirited.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce sighed and settled down next to Tony, flicking away a few bugs that were trying to crawl up his foot. Guess this is as good a place as any... he thought wearily. He moved over a bit, and laid down next to the base of the tree, looking up at the stars. It always amazed him how much of a difference no light pollution made to the night sky, and he stared up and tried to relax a bit so he could catch a few hours of sleep for the next morning.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony remained sitting where he was with no intention of sleeping. He would be fine, he just needed to avoid another nightmare. He would be okay. Glancing at Bruce, he looked up at the stars as well, wondering when he had started going through his midlife crisis.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce could tell by the way Tony sat that he had no intention of going back to sleep, for which he couldn't blame him. He might be tired in the morning, but having another nightmare like the one he had before would be much worse, so he gave Tony one last worried glance, before turning over on his side and closing his eyes. It took awhile, but he finally managed to get comfortable enough to fall asleep.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

When morning finally rolled around, Tony peeled his eyes open. He hadn't slept, merely shut his eyes and thought about things for hours. Gently he shook Bruce, trying to wake him. "Come on big guy, opening night. Big showcase," he said.

[lord-of-the-nerds-and-fandoms]

Bruce started awake, sitting up and blinking his eyes a few times. He was a bit jumpy at the moment, being so close to his "big showcase." Quite frankly, he was terrified. He looked over at Tony, at the dark smudges under his eyes, and frowned. It looked like he didn't sleep at all. "Ehem- morning," he gruffed, clearing his throat of morning grogginess. He wiped some dirt from his cheek absently with the palm of his hand.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony's time of need over, he knew Bruce needed the support now. "It'll be okay Bruce. If he panics, I'll get him out of town. If the people panic, I'll try an talk to them. Actually- why don't I go into town and see if I can find a translator? Tell him to translate when I come back in a big metal suit- I'll even pay them," he said, getting up and dusting himself off.