“The loneliest people are the kindest. The saddest people smile the brightest. The most damaged people are the wisest. All because they do not wish to see anyone else suffer the way they do.”

fimbuldraugr:

Bruce/Tony angst requested by sharingheaven

“I wanted it, too, you know,” Tony said, looking up to stare Bruce straight in the eyes. “I didn’t think there was a way out, either.”

“So what stopped you?” Bruce asked, only looking up at Tony after he’d said the entire sentence, and only after he’d given himself a moment to believe it. “Why are you still here?”

“Why am I still here? You wanna know why I’m still here? Uh… Pepper, that’s one reason. Rhodey, there’s another one….”

“And what about people like me? People who don’t have anybody?”

Tony stared at him in disbelief. “You don’t, huh? You really don’t have anybody? Nobody at all?”

Bruce didn’t say anything at first, only watched Tony for a long while, as if trying to guess his motive. “…No,” he said finally. “No one.”

“Yeah. Wrong answer,” Tony turned to leave, and the door slammed shut before Bruce could say anything else.