The Blacksmith and the Apothecary

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

As Bruce was jarred, a soft moan rose to his lips, and his eyes rolled behind fluttering lids, pain pulling him from the depths of sleep for a moment before he faded back into unconsciousness once again, overwhelmed by it all. He likely would fluctuate between wakefulness and sleep for the next few hours, if not remain completely under, his body drained of energy after his ordeal.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Having been amongst fighting men and warriors, Tony was no blushing maiden. Whatever clothes remained on Bruce he stripped away, working calmly as he submerged the man's body and made sure to keep his head above. With surprising efficiency he scrubbed blood away, carefully cleaning out scratches and making sure the poor man wouldn't have to wake up to find himself drenched in blood and debris. Once that ask was finished, the next ordeal was to dry him and dress him. It was too difficult to dress him, he decided after about fifteen minutes, and simply carried him to the bed he'd been staying in. Once the man was settled under the covers, Tony pulled up a chair to wait.

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

After several hours Bruce finally woke and managed to keep it that way, and he turned his head a fraction, blinking the afternoon light from his eyes. He was surprisingly warm and comfortable, which was only odd because the last thing he recalled was being lost in overwhelming pain and panic, the reason for this not having quite caught up with him yet. Yes, his entire body ached and stung, but things were much more pleasant than he remembered them to be previously. His brows furrowed slightly, and when his gaze fell to Tony, he finally spoke, the word raspy and broken, "Tony?"

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Surprisingly enough, the blacksmith hadn't dozed off. In fact, ever since he put the man to bed, he'd been studying him. As if looking would actually provide answers, but he did it anyway. His staring was interrupted when Bruce awoke, bringing him out of a sort of trance. "Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked cautiously.

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

"Horrible," Bruce croaked, his briws still furrowed as he felt the other's caution towards him. If there was one thing he knew, it was that Stark was hardly afraid of the meager might of Bruce Banner. "Wh-What..." -he closed his eyes for a moment, swallowing past the putrid taste in his mouth- "What happened?"

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony sucked in a slow breath and released it, unsure how to say this. So he'd just have to say it. "Bruce," he began, "I'm so sorry I didn't see this coming. I really should have predicted this- you turned. You fell to the floor and turned into a werewolf." His voice was quiet, gaze apologetic.

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

Bruce stared at the other in disbelief for a moment, brow furrowed and eyes glistening, because no, no that...that couldn't be right. H-He was a person, a pretty decent person, he thought. A good man, and those things were of dark magic, of death, of darkness, of evil. He couldn't be...

He lifted the blanket to examine his marred skin, once tanned and almost fully healed now deep purple and covered in angry red scratches and bite marks. The apothecary swallowed hard and looked to his friend, because surely, for the love of God this couldn't be right. But the sincerity in the other's tone and the soft, apologetic look in his eyes left no room for doubt in Bruce's mind. His breathing hitched, a strangled sound escaping his throat as his breath caught with emotion, and he brought a hand to his mouth, stubbornly blinking back tears.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony still looked apologetic, because there was nothing he could do or say to make this better and he hated it. Tony Stark was always in control. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed, putting an arm around Bruce. "I'm sorry," he repeated, trying his best to comfort him. "You didn't hurt anyone, though. I managed to lock you in the meat cellar. You did almost bite my leg off though," he went on, trying for just a little humor. Humor was how he dealt with things.

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

Bruce's shoulders were trembling by the time he was met with Tony's comforting touch, and he took a few deep breaths to try and calm himself. He had to get a grip and face this with at least one measly shred of dignity, if he even had that much. When Tony spoke, he turned his head to meet his gaze, his own eyes still glassy, and he nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you. F-for being such a good friend to me. You did not have to do all that you have, so know that I will cherish it during the short time I have left," he choked out, words strained and barely audible.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony's brows knit together in confusion initially. Time he had left? This wasn't a fatal condition- oh. Nope. Not happening. Nope nope nope. Tony grabbed his arms so Bruce had to look him in the eye, his expression totally serious. "Bruce Banner, you are not getting executed and you are not killing yourself. Do you hear me?" He said rather sternly, all hints of joking gone. He couldn't lose one of his only friends. "You're right, I did a lot and I'm still doing it. We're friends, I'm not going to turn you in just because you have fleas now."

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

Bruce blinked as Tony took him by the shoulders, confusion clouding his eyes as the other spoke, words firm and absolute. His brows knit together, and he looked to his friend with utter incomprehension, which didn't happen all that often for a man as intelligent as himself. "Tony...this is for everyone's safety. My mere existence puts everyone in this town, everyone in the kingdom, in danger."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

"I don't care. You're staying put, do you hear me? The kingdom doesn't have to know what happened. Even after you leave, you can still come to me on full moons, I'll lock you up before anyone can get hurt- it doesn't have to end in your death. Forget about the good of the kingdom, what about the good of Bruce? What's best for you?" Tony argued, still gripping him rather tightly. He was very firm about this.

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

"So this is your solution, then? Lock me up in a cage so I can rip myself apart?! What sort of an existence is that, living as a monster who only brings death and destruction everywhere it goes? How can I live with myself knowing what I am now?" Bruce questioned, voice slightly pleading. "I would rather die a good man than live as a monster, Tony."

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony's expression wavered, though he tried to keep his voice level. "It's better than not living at all, Bruce. I saved your life, and I didn't do it for you to die immediately after you healed. There must be some.. Some cure or trick to stop this. You can't just give up this easily-" he cut off as a tremor came into his voice. "You can't leave me."

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

Bruce's expression clouded with guilt, and he looked down to his hands, heart squeezing in his chest. It wouldn't be fair to Tony, he supposed. He honestly hadn't realized that the other cared this much about him. "I do not...there is no cure, Tony. Th-this is not something that can just be taken away with a snap of the fingers," he muttered, voice wavering.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony hated to press this guilt on Bruce, but he didn't want the man to disappear out of his life. He'd gotten to know him so well, and there really wasn't anyone else in his life. If he lost Bruce, he literally had no one else. "You don't know that," he whispered fiercely, jerking to his feet and pacing. "You don't know that- there could be a sorcerer, or maybe some potion no one knows about," he argued, mostly to himself.

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

Tony was determined, that much was obvious, and Bruce figured that there was very little he could do to deter him from trying to find some sort of miracle cure. Knowing the other man so well, he knew that Tony would likely obsess over this, work for hours on end, pull strings and maybe even attempt to use his nobility title to his advantage. But he knew just how much damage that hope could do to a person, and Bruce himself didn't have much of any. He hugged his knees to his chest, despite his body's protests, and sat in silence while Tony paced and prattled on, lost in his head.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony continued to pace for a few more minutes, muttering about medicine and trinkets and random nonsense under his breath. He really was determined to save his friend, would do all in his power to make sure Bruce got out of it alive and well. Suddenly he seemed to jerk out of his trance and looked over at the subject of his thoughts. "Are you well enough to travel? I believe I know where to start."

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

Bruce was ripped from his thoughts as he was addressed, and he glanced up, blinking, to where Tony stood, and his brow furrowed. "I should be... Where did you have in mind, exactly?" he inquired, his eyes narrowed.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony looked over at Bruce, the determined gleam back in his eye. He hadn't looked like this since he carried the man into Pepper's house and stopped him from bleeding out. When Tony Stark set his mind to something, it got done. "I know a specialist in the next town over, a man by the name of Strange. He is known for this kind of think, perhaps he can help."

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

Bruce swallowed nervously, his expression uncertain and apprehensive. "I have heard of Strange's work during my travels. Nothing more than whispers and stories, and frankly I had not believed them myself. You actually believe that the man is legitimate?" His stomach twisted at the mere mention of dealing with a magic-user again, after what had happened last time, but if Tony truly believed that he may be of some help, then he would at least try.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Tony glanced out the window for a moment, taking a deep breath to settle himself. "I cannot say if his work is legitimate or not. However, it is the only lead we have at the moment. If he can do something for us, then we have an obligation to go. I refuse to let you die, alright?" He said with a huff, crossing his arms. "I would not have dragged your arse out of battle if I thought you were a lost cause. Now get dressed, we are solving this problem."

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

After a moment, Bruce nodded and mopped his face with a silent sigh, already feeling weary before they had even begun their journey. This, everything that had happened, had drained the healer, had placed a great burden on his shoulders, but despite this and his aching body, he slipped out of bed and followed Tony's instructions. He stood, blinking a few times as the room spun around him, but he shook off the minor disorientation and dressed himself in a simple tunic, dark trousers, and his travel-worn boots. "Would you mind if we ran by my house before we depart? It would not hurt to grab some supplies, especially if we do not know what to expect when we get there," he questioned quietly, glancing to the blacksmith over his shoulder.

[Sweet_Wyvern]

Respectfully, Tony didn't look as Bruce got dressed. Even though he'd seen him naked, he didn't want to make him uncomfortable. "Of course, whatever you need," he replied absently, gazing out the window and lost in thought. He really hoped there was a way to save Bruce. He'd never had such a good friend- one that cared about him and not his money. Hell, Bruce didn't even know how much he had. "I have two horses. Do you think you can get everything you need on the back of your horse, or do we need to share so that the second can carry?"

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

Bruce nodded curtly, already heading downstairs, figuring that Tony would follow. "That should not be a problem. It is merely medical supplies, herbs, bandages, that sort of thing. Nothing that cannot be packed in a satchel or something of the sort..." His voice trailed off as he happened upon the kitchen, his throat constricting as he saw the disorder there, specifically the fallen chairs and the deep scratches embedded in the floor boards. He swallowed. "It appears that I have made quite the mess, haven't I?" he muttered, the words quiet and strained.