The Black Paper Moon

Notes: This is a part of mine and blackbarbaragordon's headcanon verse that we've created. Continuity-wise, it's a mishmash of comics, cartoons, and movies. We've basically gone about cherry-picking what we like and leaving out a lot that we don't, so things are probably not gonna line up right with any one singular canon verse since there's bits from a lot of different places. Hopefully, someone else enjoys this just as much as we have.
Title: Stygian
Fandom: MCU & DCU
Pairing: Bruce/Tony
Prompt: one half introducing the other to their hobby
Words: 3974 words

Stygian

Tony will admit that while yes, he is absolutely a genius, he also is not always the most observant. He has laser-like focus when he needs it, but there are a lot of times where sometimes the most obvious things will just not register as being important in his mind. That's usually when Pepper rolls her eyes at him and calls him hopeless.


Rhodey would hit him upside the head and call him an idiot, Tony knows this.


However, Tony would have to be a complete idiot to not notice the fact that Bruce often will cut their dates short, sometimes cancelling them outright, and then he'll show up at their next date with his arm in a sling or some other injury. He's shown up with very obviously covered up bruises on his face and Tony knows the taste of cover-up too well.


He's not a genius for nothing, and it only takes the first couple of times that this happens and a little bit of digging for him to put all the pieces together.


That Bruce Wayne is Batman is terribly obvious. Tony figures that out easily; no way anyone but Bruce would have the resources in Gotham to be able to have that sort of equipment. He'd love to take a look at the armour that Bruce is obviously using – because he's quite convinced that he can do much better – and possibly take a peek under the hood of that lovely car of his, but Tony refrains from actually telling Bruce that he knows.


He isn't too sure how Bruce would take that. Sure, it's been months since they started dating, but Tony doesn't really have much experience with this whole 'secret identity' thing because he had a secret identity for all of a matter of weeks. He just didn't see the point in hiding it. Maybe Tony gives people a lot more credit, but if he could figure it out, than he's quite sure that everyone else can too.


That no one else has apparently figured out that Bruce Wayne is Batman is a surprise to Tony.


Mostly because Bruce comes up with the most ridiculous excuses for why his shoulder was dislocated (skydiving accident) or a fractured wrist (spelunking). He'll nod along and pretend that he accepts it, but Tony knows that it's a lie and he can't help but feel a little bit hurt that Bruce isn't being open with him.


Tony's bad at relationships. This is a fact. Pepper tells him this on a near daily basis, which is why his ongoing relationship with Bruce is startling to both of them. Well, mostly to Tony.


Bruce has cancelled their date for their night, and Tony's quite convinced that it has absolutely everything to do with the fact that there's been a highly publicized breakout from Arkham. Tony ends up actually doing some of the paperwork that he's put off, Pepper is pleased, but also mildly concerned because Tony looks like someone stole his puppy.


"Alright, spill."


"I have no idea what you're talking about. At all."


"Right," Pepper says, eyebrows arched above those lovely eyes of hers. "Then you aren't pouting like a child and throwing the adult equivalent of a temper tantrum which with you means that you're sighing and flicking your pen back and forth. So spill."


Tony shoots her a dark look. The trouble with Pepper is that she knows him so well that it's impossible for him to hide anything from her.


"I'm pretty sure that Bruce isn't telling me something important," Tony blurts out. "And I don't know how to tell him that I've already figured out or if I should just not say anything about it because I don't know if he wants to tell me or not and it's really just – you're laughing at me."


Pepper's grinning and there's that glint in her eyes that Tony knows from experience means that she's amused. She just shakes her head, letting out a small bubble of laughter, "You've got it so bad, Tony."


She takes a deep breath, demeanour sliding into something more serious. She slides over so that the two of them are sitting side by side, and nudges him with her shoulder, "Look, I'm not a relationship councillor, but if this is important to him – which I am assuming it is – then he'll tell you either when he's ready, or because he really wants to make this work. Unless this is some relationship ending secret, in which case he'd probably never tell you."


"So... either way, I should just not say anything about how I know what it is he's keeping from me." Tony blinks. He's bad at this, because he's already trying to work out where Batman fits into all of this.


"Probably. If he ever brings it up, maybe you should mention it to him? But I don't know if it's something that you should confront him over. Honestly, Tony, you know him far better than I do."


Bruce can't really think that Tony would end their relationship over him being Batman because that would be ridiculous. Tony's Iron Man and he knows that this isn't the safest line of work; Bruce has never spoken up about Tony risking his life when he puts on the suit. It's come up, of course it has, but Tony's never felt like Bruce disapproves of it.


Clearly, too, Tony knows it has to be important to Bruce or he wouldn't do it, nor would he keep it a secret. Tony knows he has enemies, knows that by dating Bruce he's painted a giant target on his back and that is one thing that Tony hates and feels more than just a little guilty about. He nearly got Pepper killed before the entire secret came out with Obadiah, but she forgave him for that. Tony hasn't forgiven himself, yet, and he certainly wouldn't forgive himself if Bruce was hurt or targeted because of him.


Bruce would keep it a secret, to protect himself and those around him, not to mention that it gives him some anonymity to operate under. Maybe he doesn't think that he can trust Tony with this; maybe he doesn't think that things are serious enough between them for him to share it.


What Tony does know, though, is that he's hopelessly falling in love with Bruce Wayne. Who is also Batman. And that is a problem. He isn't too sure whether or not he can continue coping with Bruce being hurt and lying to him about why.


Ultimately, Tony realizes that he's actually more worried that Bruce will get hurt badly enough that he'll end up hospitalized or – and Tony cannot lie, his heart clenches painfully at the thought – dead. And he might never know why. Bruce is the kind of idiot who would show up at a date with a recently dislocated shoulder, arm in a sling, barely concealed bruises on his face, and pretend that everything's fine.


Tony, on the other hand, doesn't think that he can go on much longer pretending that everything's fine when it isn't.

– –

He doesn't tell Pepper that he knows that Bruce is the Batman. He doesn't tell Rhodey either.


"So, I might have figured out this secret of Bruce's that I don't think he wants me to know and I have no idea whether or not I should ask him about it. What do I do?"


"Seriously, Tony? You're asking me?" Rhodey is visiting during his leave, something that happens more frequently than it did before. Something to do with Tony being Iron Man. "You're asking me for relationship advice? Don't you ask Pepper about this sort of stuff?"


"I asked her already. I just wanted a second opinion."


Rhodey looks like he's regretting coming to visit Tony, but eventually he just leans back with a sigh, "I don't really know what to tell you except that if it's something that he wants to share, then he'll share it with you when he's ready. He doesn't have to tell you everything."


Tony bites his lip, wondering how to phrase this without it... sounding weird. He's kinda worried that Rhodey will figure it out, in which case he'd have to swear him to secrecy and Tony trusts Rhodey. He knows that he'd never say a word if Tony asked him not to.


"I know that. I just... I'm worried about him and I know that this is why he cancels dates and I – stop looking at me like that."


The way Rhodey is looking at Tony is the same way that Pepper did when he asked her. That same grin and there's that glint in Rhodey's eyes that tells Tony he's said too much and Rhodey knows absolutely just how hard Tony's fallen. Really, he cannot be this obvious... can he?


"You forgive him for cancelling dates?"


"He always makes up for it when he does," Tony says, defensively. "Sometimes he's just really late or he has to leave early, but he – he's always sorry that he has to do this. It's like a responsibility he has and I know it and I'm fine with it. He never complains about when I have to cancel on him cause of Avengers stuff or if Iron Man's needed; why should I be mad at him about this?"


He has possibly told Rhodey more than he should've, because there's a little light of realization in Rhodey's eyes but it's gone in a blink.


Rhodey shakes his head at Tony, laughing softly, "God, Tony, I hope Pep's told you this, but you've got it bad."


"I do not."


"You, Tony Stark, are hopelessly in love with Bruce Wayne," Rhodey says, pointing a finger at Tony's face for emphasis. "And now you're gonna have to live with it."


Tony's heart does that ridiculous little pitter-patter that it does whenever feelings and Bruce come up in the same sentence or thought. Especially his feelings for Bruce. If it weren't for the fact that Rhodey is Tony's best friend and knows him far, far better than anyone else, Tony would probably hit him for that.


There's a very large, gooey part of him that coos at the thought because it's true and Tony just hasn't said it out loud. Aren't there rules for this? When you're supposed to say those three words?


But there's also a good dose of fear mixed in, because Tony's well aware that he's a difficult – impossible that voice inside the darkest parts of him hisses – person to love. It's an altogether near impossibility for Tony to think that Bruce might feel the same.


Rhodey claps a hand on Tony's shoulder, demeanour serious, "Tony, I know that you've got issues, but I'm your best friend, you trust me, right?"


"Absolutely," Tony answers readily, jerking himself of those dark thoughts and doubts. He's too used to loving people and having them leave him – or hurt him – that the thought of telling Bruce that he maybe definitely loves him is terrifying.


"Look, I don't know Wayne well and you know him better than I do, but he hasn't left you yet and you know, Tony, I haven't seen you this genuinely happy in a long time. But from what I can tell? Wayne's kinda crazy about you. You don't have to tell him now but I think that if you want him to be completely honest with you, you should be just as honest with him."


Rhodey does actually kind of have a point, Tony does have to agree to that. Although, there's hardly a comparison between Tony declaring his ridiculous, undying love for Bruce to the big open – between them, at least – secret that Bruce is the Batman.


But still, Rhodey does have a point and Rhodey's advice does generally pan out for him.


Tony claps his hand over Rhodey's on his shoulder and manages a shaky sort of smile, "Alright, fine, you win. I'll tell him."


"Good, and you tell him that he better take care of you or else War Machine'll be paying him a little visit in Gotham City."


Tony does laugh at that, "I think the man's more afraid of Pepper than he would ever be of you."

– –

Tony does not tell Bruce about how he feels on their next date, or the one after that. During that time, Bruce doesn't cancel a single date of theirs, is not late, nor does he leave early. He's basically the perfect boyfriend and it's easy for Tony to forget that he's not the only one in this relationship living a double life – although, he's the only one who is open about it.


It takes a month before this delicate equilibrium is shattered.


After three hours of waiting, Tony gave up on Bruce showing up. He stripped out of his suit, left it tossed on his bed, and retreated to his workshop. There's grease streaked through his hair and he's a mess, tearing out the innards of one of the older armour models when JARVIS mutes his music.


"Sir, Bruce Wayne is here to see you and is waiting for you in the living room. Would you like me to tell him that you will be up shortly or shall I inform him that you're unavailable?"


Tony pulls his hands out of the armour, sets aside his tools, and wipes his oil-stained hands on his pants for all the good it does. His pants are just as dirty as the rest of him is. He could really go for a shower, and if Bruce is here than maybe he can convince him to take one with him – make up for the date he stood him up for.


"Tell him I'll be up shortly."


"Very well, sir." There's a brief pause. JARVIS is an adaptive AI, one which has developed more than its fair share of quirks. Tony's about to ask if there's something else, when JARVIS adds, "I feel that I should tell you, sir, that his vitals are registering as being in a certain amount of distress on my available sensors. I have refrained from running a deeper scan but–"


Tony's breath catches in his throat and his heart makes a jump upwards, hammering wildly against his Adam's apple.


"That fucking idiot," Tony hisses, vaulting over his work bench and making a bee line for the stairs. He doesn't have the presence of mind to shut everything down behind him, but he has JARVIS to do that for him. "Run those scans. What the hell was he thinking?!"


He's well aware that he looks like a nervous wreck when he bursts into the living room. He spots Bruce easily, tall and standing stiffly to attention at the floor to ceiling windows, looking out over the cityscape of Manhattan. Tony pauses to take him in, struck again by just how attractive he finds Bruce, before he notices the bruises.


Bruce has a split lip and is definitely sporting what is going to be a spectacular black eye in the morning, but his posture is unnaturally stiff and he moves with a delicate jerkiness that Tony knows can only mean trouble.


"What the hell happened to you?!" Tony demands. He isn't even aware that he's shouting until he sees Bruce flinch, the guilt floods in and curdles his stomach. He takes a deep breath and takes a step towards Bruce, hand hovering in the space between them. "You're hurt."


"Sorry," Bruce says quietly. He takes Tony's hand in his and tugs him closer, but he can't quite hide the wince when he does. "I... had a little accident. It's nothing serious."


"My apologies, sir, but my sensors show that four of your ribs are possibly bruised along with numerous deep tissue bruising along the entirety of your left side. I fail to see how such injuries would be classified as 'nothing serious'."


If JARVIS were a human, Tony's pretty sure that Bruce would kill him. He's glaring to the side, as though he could short out JARVIS' sensors with just the force of it.


Tony sucks in a sharp breath and it does really feel like his stomach's dropped out through his feet.


"I'm fine," Bruce insists sharply.


And Tony might have believed Bruce, but this close he can see how puffy Bruce's face is, the way his eye is going to be swollen shut come morning if he doesn't ice it properly. Tony's been an Avenger for long enough to know injuries and bruised ribs could be more serious than that.


He's also really pissed that Bruce didn't call him to tell him he was hurt. And also more than a little flustered to realize that even though Bruce is obviously hurt and in pain, he came to see him anyway.


"You are not fine, don't tell me that you are! What the hell happened, Bruce? Did you even see a doctor?" Tony's talking too fast, words tumbling together, and he knows that if he doesn't do something he's probably going to start hyperventilating in the middle of his living room and an injured Bruce is going to comfort him rather than look after himself.


Tony's already got Bruce's tie undone, tossing it to the side as he starts in on the buttons of Bruce's shirt. He's still talking.


"And don't give me another of those bullshit excuses of yours, Bruce. I hate that you feel you need to lie to me about this. You don't have to tell me but I'd really prefer it if you didn't lie to me about why the hell you thought you could just show up here with bruised ribs, looking like you got into a bar fight with one of those frost giants that Thor is always talking about and have me not believe you when you tell me it 'isn't serious'. I'm not stupid, Bruce. Don't treat me like I am."


He finally manages to get Bruce's shirt open, carefully pushing it away so that he can get a better look at Bruce's ribs. They're bandaged tightly and Tony's quite sure that he's seeing Alfred's touch at work here, but Alfred is not a trained medical professional and Tony would feel a hell of a lot better if Bruce actually saw one.


"I'm not stupid, Bruce. I might be ridiculously, hopeless in love with you, but I know bullshit when I hear it. Just... I'm sick of you lying to me."


His fingers are trembling as they hover over the bandages covering Bruce's chest, but he doesn't touch them. The last thing that he wants to do is hurt Bruce, but he's aching inside with the need to touch him – he just needs to be sure that Bruce is here and still alive.


He's terrified that one of these days Bruce just won't show up. That Bruce will have died and Tony would never really know why. And that thought chills him deep to his core; he's absolutely terrified that he could lose Bruce.


Bruce catches Tony's hand in one of his, gripping it tightly and pulling it close until it's pressed over his heart. He's breathing heavily and Tony's pretty sure that whatever pain medicine he's on, it's not enough because he can feel the slight tremor in Bruce's muscles.


"I'm sorry," Bruce says, softly. He won't meet Tony's eyes and his eyes are clouded. Everything about his body language screams guilt.


All the anger rushes out of Tony in a great rush of air, his shoulders sag a little and he leans towards Bruce, pressing his forehead against Bruce's collarbone and taking a shuddering, deep breath. He reaches out and brushes his fingers against Bruce's, unsure of whether or not he should take his hand.


He lets out a sigh, and says, "Don't. I already know."


Bruce tenses and Tony can feel a tiny thread of panic working its way through Bruce, but he does a damn good job of crushing it down and not acting on it.


"How...?"


Tony snorts, because it's such a Bruce thing to say. Always thinking that he's got all the angles covered, "How could I not? You had to have known that I'd figure it out sooner or later – genius, remember?"


A long quiet falls between them, not so much awkward as it is the both of them gathering their thoughts. Tony's trying to figure out what to say next, whether or not he needs to say what he knows out loud or let it remain unspoken between them but with the knowledge that it isn't a secret anymore. He's never been good in these situations.


He lets out a choked breath, "Were you ever going to tell me, Bruce? Or were you just going to leave me in the dark and hope that I wouldn't figure it out? That I wouldn't be concerned about how frequently I see you hurt? Or were you just hoping that I wouldn't say anything and just give up on you?"


Bruce's hands are tight on his arms and he's glaring at him sharply, blue eyes glowing from the light which filters in through the windows, "Tony, no. I wanted to tell you but I'm... not good at letting people in. I just didn't know when was the right time to say anything; it's not really first date material, is it?"


There's a little bubble of hysterical laughter in Tony's throat, "I don't really think it's second date material either – telling someone that you're Batman."


The corners of Bruce's mouth twitch upwards just a little, "I thought I was doing a better job of keeping it a secret, but you figured it out so easily."


"Genius, remember?" Tony reaches up, lets his hand cup the uninjured side of Bruce's face. "I might not always notice everything, but it's pretty hard not to when all the pieces are laid out in front of me. Maybe I might've overlooked it the first time, but not when there's a really obvious pattern."


"I am sorry, though," Bruce says, quietly, as he leans into Tony's touch. "I just couldn't figure out when the right time would be to tell you. Alfred said I was being an idiot."


"That's because you are." Tony arches up to press a quick, light kiss to Bruce's lips. "And now I'm going to have to take my idiot boyfriend to see an actual doctor because I'd feel much better about this entire situation if he did."


Bruce makes that face that he makes when he thinks that Tony is making a terrible decision. It's usually the one that Tony sees when he's done something reckless while in the field and ends up getting hurt. To stop the excuses that Tony knows are coming, he presses a finger to Bruce's lips.


"Oh no, you are not feeding me anymore excuses about any of this. I am taking you to a doctor and you are going to get looked over just to make sure that it isn't anymore serious than you think it may be. Then, we are going to hide out in your manor or we can go to my place in Malibu until you've healed up properly. I'm sure your children are plenty capable of watching over Gotham while you recover."


He sounds like Pepper and that's sort of ridiculous because he shouldn't be sounding like her. Now he's starting to get the idea about why she broke up with him; it's exhausting, but Tony's gone too far to turn back now. Besides, Bruce will pay him back when it's his turn to sound like Pepper cause Tony's done some reckless shit. Again.


"Someone's bossy tonight," Bruce says with a smirk. Tony knows the gleam in his eyes too well and knows exactly what he's thinking.


"No, Bruce, you are not getting laid tonight. I am going to be a very good boyfriend and am not going to jump your deliciously lovely bones until I'm sure that doing so isn't going to throw out your back or puncture a lung. Sorry, but no sex until you've healed."


The look on Bruce's face would be a pout on anyone else.


Tony grins and begins tugging Bruce towards the elevator, "Think of it as being a reward for good behaviour."

FIN.