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Chapter Text

It was late by the time Bruce finally climbed the many stairs in the Manor, brushing his slightly damp hair away from his forehead. He showered down in the cave after returning from patrol, washing away the grime and sweat before sliding into a pair of clean and comfortable sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Even though he assured Alfred he was uninjured when he called to the cave to tell him he was turning in for the night, the older man had been faithfully waiting for him when he arrived. Bruce managed to send him upstairs once the butler verified he was telling the truth while he stayed behind to work on his report for the night. That had been a little over an hour ago, and since he had to show up later today at Wayne Enterprises for the board's quarterly meeting, he was ready to fall face-first onto his bed for a couple of hours of blissful sleep.

The billionaire blinked, stopping on his tracks just after taking a step into the bedroom. The light from the fireplace was illuminating the lone figure lounging on the sofa settled on a corner of the room.

"Hey," Bruce called softly, his lips curling into a tired but fond smile as he walked toward him.

"Hey yourself." Tony took a sip from his tumbler. "How was patrol?"

"It was quiet tonight." Bruce leaned forward to kiss the corner of Tony's lips before sitting at his side with a soft sigh. "I didn't know you were coming to Gotham."

"Wasn't planning to. It just kinda happened." Tony turned his head in his direction, dark eyes meeting his. "Hope I'm not in the way."

"Of course not. I was just surprised." He leaned back on the sofa with another sigh. "Alfred didn't tell me you were waiting for me either."

"I asked him not to." Bruce lifted an eyebrow in silent inquiry as Tony drank the rest of his drink. "We need to talk."

The younger man said nothing for a moment, hazel eyes traveling across Tony's face. He wanted to ask him if they could talk later, but there was something in Tony's gaze that stopped him. Maybe there was more to that last look Alfred sent him than the butler's usual disapproval of his terrible sleeping habits and poor self-care.

"Okay," he replied wearily, turning his body slightly to face the other man better.

Tony wet his lips, fingers busy tapping on the tumbler between his hands. "I- I don't think this is working anymore."

He drew in a sharp breath. It hurt, just like he had always known it would, but it wasn't surprising. Not really.

Bruce couldn't say he had been waiting for this exact moment, but it was something that had always been there at the back of his mind. The certainty that this wouldn't, couldn't last. That Tony wouldn't stay happy with this- with him for long. That once the thrill or the novelty, or whatever had pushed Tony to pursue a relationship with him had passed, the eccentric billionaire would tire of the plain and boring person he was behind his many masks.

Things between them lasted longer than he had expected, even. Bruce wasn't sure if he was grateful for that or not. Not now.

He made sure not to let any of that show on his face. Bruce kept his expression carefully blank as he stared at Tony. The least he could do was avoid making a scene, for both their sakes.

"Alright."

"That's it?" Tony asked with a sharp glare.

Bruce forced himself not to look away. "What do you want me to say?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe what any fucking sane person would say. Ask if there's a way to fix things. Or at least fucking ask why."

"Would it make a difference?"

"Right. Of course. Why bother even trying to fix something you don't give a fuck about, huh? Maybe that's the fucking problem, Wayne!" Tony was out of his seat then, turning his back on him as he took a few steps away.

"What is," Bruce said flatly. If Tony wanted to end things between them he wouldn't try to change his mind, but there was no way in hell he was going let him put the blame on him.

Tony turned around with a glare. "You! You and the fact you can't be fucking bothered to care about this relationship."

"What are you talking about?"

"That's a tough one, but let's see," Tony snarled, putting on an obviously fake thoughtful expression. "Maybe, just maybe, I'm talking about the fact I just told you I'm done with this and you're acting as if I just made a comment about the weather. No, wait. Not even that. You actually give a damn about the weather, right?"

He clenched his jaw. "I'm not going to beg you to stay when you obviously want to leave."

"What? That's not what I'm saying, damn it!"

"Then what?"

"I'm talking about the fact you can't even fucking ask why!" Tony growled.

"Why would I ask that when I already know the answer."

"Do you now?" Tony asked softly.

Bruce was taken aback by the change in tone, but forced himself to say the words out loud after a moment of silence. "Do you really think I want to hear how bored you are? Or how we had a good run, it was fun, but maybe you need something more exciting for a change?"

Tony opened his mouth but had to close it without saying a word. He sat down again. "Seriously? That's what you think this is about?"

"Isn't it?"

"Of course is not!" The older billionaire clenched his jaw. "Do you honestly think I would have stayed this long if, as you say, I was bored?"

Bruce averted his eyes. That made sense, yes. Tony would never settle for something he didn't want or like, but he had no idea what else would have caused this. There had been no major changes in the last weeks, or even the last months to explain this. Maybe that was the problem.

"I'm not saying you weren't interested before, but things have obviously changed now."

"Have they?"

"I don't know," Bruce admitted softly.

Tony nodded. "Good. Now, are you gonna ask why?"

"Why are you breaking up with me, Tony?" He asked, using the fake, lighter tone he used in public, and even forcing his lips to curl into what he was sure looked more like a snarl than a smile.

"Because I got tired of being your dirty little secret, Brucie! That's why!" Tony shouted with an equally fake smile.

"What? That's not- We talked about that," Bruce countered, brows furrowed together. "We both agreed it was best to keep our relationship private."

"Yep. Yep, we did. I guess I just missed the part where we said that was going to be a permanent thing."

Bruce had nothing to say to that.

"You know, back when we first talked about this, I thought I understood why you were doing it. I thought it was because of me and my reputation. That you weren't sure if I was serious about us, and you wanted to be cautious and avoid being seen as just another notch on my bedpost, and I was okay with that, you know," Tony admitted with a self-deprecating smile. "I deserved it for all the crap I pulled over the years, but now I don't think that's quite it."

Tony was partially right, of course. Bruce's insistence to keep their relationship under wraps was because he didn't want to deal with the public fallout if things didn't work between them, but he had to admit at least to himself that there was more to it than that.

"Why is it so important to you that everybody knows?"

He shook his head. "You don't get it, do you? I'm not talking about turning this into a media circus or anything like that. I'm saying I got tired of hiding from fucking everyone! I want to be able to kiss you or even just hold your fucking hand without having to worry someone will see us. Hell, you don't even let me stay in the Manor often. Is that too much to ask for?

"Are you ashamed of me? Is that it?" Tony asked in a quiet voice, looking down at his hands.

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Then why?" Bruce remained silent. "Is it about coming out? I mean, I get that things are far from ideal with all the bigotry and shit, but this isn't the 70s. And, let's be honest, with all the scandals you've been involved in I doubt a lot of people are gonna be all that surprised if you tell them you're bi. You aren't exactly what anyone would consider a role model anyway."

"I- It's not like that," Bruce said but didn't explain further. He wasn't sure he had the words to do it.

Tony waited, but when there was no other response he sighed. "Look, I'm not going to force you to do anything, that's not my thing, but I'm not okay with this either. I can't keep hiding. I don't want to do it and I don't fucking have to, alright? So if that's not something you can accept and agree to, then I guess we're done.

"It's your choice. I'm putting all of my cards on the table here."

"I'm- I don't..." Bruce trailed off with a helpless look, his eyes never leaving Tony's face as he struggled to form a coherent sentence. He could feel his heart hammering like crazy against his rib cage, and yet he couldn't find the words to explain. Couldn't utter the words that would fix this.

Tony nodded sharply and averted his eyes. "Alright. I get it. I'll just, get out of here then."

Bruce stayed frozen in place, watching as the other man walked away without a backward glance, unable to articulate the words to call him back.

Chapter Text

Tony slammed shut the door of his Audi, fingers already flying across the phone's screen as he sent a quick reply to Clint's message. He was going to fly to New York later today, and the archer had big plans for him and the rest of the Avengers currently residing in the tower.

A long while had passed since the team had been in the same building together without the world being on the brink of apocalypse or an invasion, and the billionaire was actually looking forward to it. Spending time with people he mostly could stand sounded good for a change. Tony was especially looking forward to putting his brain and Banner's together.

It would be a great distraction as well, and he really could use one of those.

He pocketed his phone and took off his sunglasses the moment he stepped into the mansion.

"Good evening, sir. You have-"

"Hey, JARVIS. Can you be a dear and get-"  Tony stopped death in his tracks the moment he caught sight of the man in his living room. Even his stupid and treacherous heart skipped a beat when he saw him.

He hadn't seen or heard from Bruce since that night in the Manor when Tony had shouted every single thing he had been keeping inside before ending things between them. Only two weeks had passed, and yet, it still felt like a lifetime away.

Bruce stood up the moment Tony appeared, but he didn't move closer or say a word.

He was wearing a dark gray polo shirt and jeans instead of his usual form-fitting suits- and Tony forcefully shut down the part of his brain that was deeply interested in the sight. The ever-present dark circles under his eyes were impossibly deeper, contrasting sharply with his pallor, but other than that, he looked alright. 

JARVIS hadn't informed him of anything particularly ugly happening in Gotham recently, but he couldn't deny it was still a relief to see him in one piece.

Tony ignored the vibrating phone in his pocket and forced himself to take a step forward, and then another. No way was he going to let this asshole make him uncomfortable in his own damn house. When he stopped again, Tony made sure to keep a careful distance between them. 

"What are you doing here?" He finally asked, surprised by the fact his voice didn't waver. And thank fuck for that.

Bruce's eyes flicked to the side for a second before he looked at him again. "JARVIS let me in."

Right. With everything that happened Tony forgot to tell JARVIS to revoke Bruce's access, but, in his defense, he hadn't expected Bruce to show up here again. So, yeah. Giving the AI the order right now with the man here would be childish, so Tony didn't. He could wait until Bruce left.

"That's not what I asked."

"I came to talk," Bruce simply answered.

Tony very deliberately didn't cross his arms across his chest. The nerve of this fucking asshole. "Really? 'Cause I'm pretty sure I already said everything I had to say to you."

"I know, but I didn't," Bruce added tentatively. "I was hoping you would be willing to hear me out."

The temptation to kick him out was a strong one. Hell, at this point Tony was even thinking about getting the hell out of his own fucking house to avoid the fucking conversation Bruce apparently wanted to have now. Because things always had to be on his own fucking terms.

A closer look at Bruce, with his hunched shoulders and hollow cheeks, made him change his mind. Who knew? Maybe hearing whatever the hell Bruce wanted to say would be good for him. Tony almost snorted at himself. As if.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?"

He nodded solemnly. "I am."

Tony raised his shoulders in a careless shrug. "Alright, then. Let's get this over with." He crossed his arms this time and stared expectantly.

Bruce faltered for the first time, watching him with dull dark eyes. "Can we sit down? Please."

He stared at Bruce without a word before finally relenting. Tony motioned for Bruce to take a seat and did the same.

"I thought you came to talk," Tony prompted, breaking the tense silence between them.

"I did- I do," Bruce corrected himself. "I just- I don't know where to start."

"Why don't you start at the beginning."

Bruce's lips twitched into something that was not quite a smile, but the words seemed to help him somewhat. Bruce didn't relax fully, but he looked slightly more composed than he had only seconds ago.

Tony just wished he had poured himself a drink before this shit started. He had half a mind to get up and do that even now.

"I want to apologize for what happened the other night," Bruce finally said, meeting Tony's gaze. "I never should have let you leave like that. Not before we discussed things properly. I know it's not an excuse, but the truth is that I was completely blindsided by your words, and I- I didn't know how to react."

Tony snorted. That was a fucking understatement if he ever heard one.

"You were right when you said I was worried about coming out and the public reaction if things didn't work out, but it was more than that.

"I thought- I thought that making public our relationship would make it real."

Tony stared at him, wondering if he should just punch him in the face or wait until he heard whatever bullshit he was going to spur next. "Okay. Sorry to burst your bubble here, but this thing between us- what we had, it was real. The fact nobody fucking knew about it didn't make it any less real."

"That's not- you're right. It was real," Bruce agreed quickly. "I've never had a relationship before, not before us, but I assumed keeping it private would allow me to keep a certain distance and that would make it easier to handle things and move on when the time came."

Tony opened his mouth and closed it again without a word. What the actual fuck? "So, you decided to enter a relationship with an expiration date already in mind?"

"I knew that was a possibility." Whatever expression was on Tony's face prompted Bruce to expand on it. "The only reason you were interested in me was Batman, as well as the amusement it caused you to see me act like an idiot to protect my identity.

"I knew you would eventually grow bored with that, and you may decide to move on to better things."

There wasn't much Tony could say to that because it was the truth. The whole 'coming back after being declared dead' thing had been mildly interesting, sure, but it wasn't until he figured out Bruce Wayne was the Bat that Tony actually started paying attention. He couldn't deny Bruce could be a tad bit boring sometimes, but it was a kind of boring and calm Tony had grown to appreciate, maybe even like. 

There was no way in hell he was admitting to that, of course. Not now.

"And what do you mean you never had a relationship before? What about Rachel?"

"I loved Rachel, and I think she loved me too at some point, but we were only friends," Bruce confessed after a long pause, no longer meeting Tony's gaze. "When we were younger she was focused on her studies and taking care of her mother, and I was too angry and lost to be in a relationship. By the time we were both in a better place to consider it, Batman happened, and any chance we ever had was gone."

Tony could only stare at the other man. He didn't think he had ever seen or heard Bruce speak as much or as honestly as he was now, and he honestly had no idea what the fuck to make of this. What the fuck was he supposed to say now?

It was Bruce who spoke then, surprising him once again.

"I know none of this excuses my actions or the way they made you feel, but I thought you deserved to know."

"Did all the secrecy make it easier?" Tony asked suddenly, recalling Bruce's stupid, stupid reasoning. "Moving on?"

Bruce mustered up a tiny, self-deprecating smile. "It didn't."

Tony nodded. Any person with even a little bit of common sense would have known that. Fuck, even Tony knew it and he wasn't exactly known for his common sense. Still, it was good to hear Bruce acknowledge what an idiot he had been, even if he didn't say the words. Tony could probably get him to say them if he tried.

"Was that all?" He asked, crossing his legs at the ankle as he stared at Bruce.

There was a flash of something bleak and pained in Bruce's face, gone almost as fast as it came. "I- yes. Yes, it was."

"Now what?"

"I don't know," he murmured, looking down at his hands resting on his lap. "I can't ask you to-"

"What if you can?" Tony cut in.

Bruce's head snapped up, wide hazel eyes looking back at him. "You can't mean that."

He narrowed his eyes. "You sure you wanna tell me what I can and can't do?"

Bruce's mouth clicked shut. His expression was blank and his lips pressed into a thin line, but there was a hopeful glint in his eyes.

As the silence grew between them, Tony wondered if he really was doing this. He liked Bruce- liked him more than he had liked anyone in a pretty damn long time, and he missed him. Missed his grumpy face and his brooding act, and all the silences that had been maddening at the beginning. He missed his dry sense of humor and his wicked and talented tongue. 

But first-

"I want to make sure we're on the same page here, so. We both agree you were a fucking idiot and all of your reasons are bullshit, right?" Tony asked, but he didn't give Bruce time to answer. "If we do this, there will be no more hiding, and no more keeping distance bullshit in case things don't work out. 

"We're doing this shit the right way this time or we ain't doing shit."

Bruce stared at him in silence for a long time. "I honestly don't understand why you want to get back together. And I can't even promise I wouldn't screw up again, because I probably will, but if you're willing to put up with me, all I can say is yes. A hundred times yes."

Tony continued to watch him expectantly.

He stared back for a beat before rolling his eyes. "And yes, we both agree I was a fucking idiot and my reasoning was bullshit."

"Great! I'm glad we're in agreement." Tony said with a blinding grin. "Now, do you think this is the part where we have make-up sex? 'Cause I'm so down for the make-up sex."

A small but genuine smile pulled at the corner of Bruce's lips for the first time since his arrival. "I guess we could give it a try."

Tony's smile grew even wider, and he wasted no time moving to Bruce's side.

"Mr Stark?" JARVIS called suddenly. "I apologize for the interruption, sir, but Mr Barton insists on speaking with you."

Tony pulled back with a curse before their lips even met. He needed to have a serious talk with JARVIS about timing and cock blocking and how no okay that was. As if he gave a damn about Clint and his little get-together right now.

"Is something wrong?" Bruce asked with a light frown.

"Nah. Clint is organizing a little party at the Tower now that Thor is back from Asgard and Natasha is back in the States," Tony explained quickly. "I'll call him later. No, wait. JARVIS, can you be a dear and tell him I won't be able to make it?"

"You can go, you know."

"What?"

"You obviously had plans made before I showed up here unannounced, so I would understand if you still want to go to New York." Bruce offered him a tentative smile. "I can come back once you're back, or you can stop by the Manor at any time."

Tony pondered if Bruce's reaction should make him angry or not. On the one hand, this was their big reunion and reconciliation, and he was acting like it was nothing too important and could be postponed. On the other hand, however, it was pretty damn obvious Bruce was still doing a bit of groveling after his big fuck up, so he was leaving the decision up to him.

"Or, you could come to New York with me," Tony suggested after a moment.

Bruce blinked in surprise. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why the hell not?"

"It's a gathering organized for your team, Tony. I shouldn't intrude."

"Okay, first of all, it is my tower. I may let them use it as base and all that jazz, but it's still my tower and you're always welcome there."

"I know that, but-"

"Besides," Tony cut in before he could finish. "Don't you think this party would be the perfect opportunity to introduce my beloved life partner to my teammates, Brucie-bear?"

Bruce Sid nothing. He only watched him with narrowed eyes.

They both knew what Tony was doing, of course. The real question was what Bruce was going to do in response. It wasn't a test, exactly, except it kinda was. A negative answer wouldn't be enough to break things between them, but it wouldn't be a good sign either.

"Alright," Bruce said with obvious reluctance.

Tony didn't give him time to say or do anything else. He closed the short distance still between them and let their mouths crash together. The kiss was long and hard and a touch desperate, with tongues and hands quickly getting involved.

God, he had missed this. He had missed Bruce.