Hey Stranger

Where is he

4:02 am

Tony sat on the side of the abandoned road he pulled over on. He didn't know how long he'd been driving for, he didn't know where he was, all he did know is that he was in the middle of nowhere with nothing surrounding him. He leaned against his car and looked up at the sky. He was completely overwhelmed with everything that happened in the past weeks, from meeting the love of his life, to almost losing him, watching him die and come back to life, helping him as much as he could to recover, watching him struggle and suffer through the constant torture those criminals put him through.

But he barely thought of what steve did. during his nightmare. He knew it wasn't him and that he would never do that on purpose, just in that moment he was scared—just like any other normal person. They weren't normal though, they were never normal. They were all a part of a completely different world than the rest of the public, and this job came with trauma and pain and suffering.

He thought of steve. He knew that Bruce knocked him out and that he was either still fast asleep because of it, or awake and likely freaking out. Steve was Kind and he knew he would never do that on purpose. He knew that he loved him and tony loved him back, more than he's ever loved anyone else.
He took a deep breath and stood up. After patting off the dirt from his pants, he jumped into his car and drove back to the tower.

As he walked into the elevator of the tower, he noticed the bruising around his neck was darker and his eye was completely surrounded with a dark black and purple circle. So before heading to steves room he stepped inside of his own and switched out his t shirt for a sweatshirt that covered at least some of the bruising.

He walked down the hall and knocked on steves door before slowly cracking it open. He didn't know what to expect but he knew that he had to see him and tell him it's all ok. But the bed was empty and so were the drawers in his dresser.

Tonys heart sank to his stomach and he switched on the light. The bedding was thrown over the side of the bed and that bag in the corner of the room was gone. "No, no, no" he mumbled before darting out of the room and into natashas, not even bothering to knock. She wasn't there either so he headed to Bruce's. When he opened the door, he saw both of them sitting on opposite sides of his bed.

•••

After steve left, Natasha headed to Bruce's room to tell him what happened.

"What do you mean ? You let him leave?" Bruce asked.

She shook her head, "he needed space" she sighed and sat down on the corner of his bed, "I can't blame him"

"He just got out of the casts, he not done recovering I mean I saw the xrays natasha—"

"I know, Bruce. I know. But he couldn't stay here, I tried to tell him to, I tried. But I could see it... I could see that he needed to leave. He's been stuck in a bed for weeks and he feels like tony doesn't want him here. He just needed to be home."

He leaned back against his headboard and rubbed his face with his hands, "where did he go?"

"Probably his apartment. I'm going to stop by there tomorrow to make sure he's doing okay."

"Fuck" he exhaled, "it sure sucks to be a superhero sometimes doesn't it?" He smiled slightly and sat up straighter.

She chuckled, "ya it really does".

Tony barged in and both of their gazes turned to him immediately, Bruce stood up. "How's your eye?" He asked but tony ignored the question.

"Where the hell did he go?" He asked worriedly. He seemed out of breath too.

"He left" Bruce answered.

"What do you mean he left? He can't leave he's still hurt!" He shouted and sped out of the room.

The two of them shared a look and then immediately followed him. "Tony wait!" She shouted and ran up to him, "where are you going this time?"

"Where did he go? Why would you let him leave!?" He shouted.

"He didn't say, but probably his apartment" she answered, ignoring the fact tony just tried blaming her for this. This was nobody's fault except for those strys.

He walked faster to the landing pad, "J, suit. Now."

"Yes sir"

"Tony wait," she grabbed his arm and turned him around, "he needs some space, he needed to get out of here. He's been stuck in a bed for weeks and he needs to just clear his head. He's scared"

He exhaled and caught his breath, "exactly why I need to see him. I know this wasn't his fault, he needs to know that I know that."

"Tony he left because he was scared to see you again" Bruce butt in, "hes scared of hurting you again"

"He can't! I fucking love him, okay" he stepped back into his suit, "I'm not letting him think otherwise" once his face plate closed he flew out of the building.

Bruce sighed, "What the hell is going on tonight?"

"Too much."